Chapter 17

It seemed as if the world had stopped and Atlantis felt like she was falling into a bottomless hole. She was too weak to sit up; she tried to ignore the hateful words that came from Heart and her husband as her eyes were focused on Dr. Mike's hands that worked fast. She didn't even hear telling Sully to check on her nor did she feel the coldness of the wet towel on her cheek that still ached from the hard kick. Her whole being, her whole heart was focused on Matthew who lay still beside her as her hand clasped his fingers, and she sobbed.

"This is all my fault, this is all my fault," she mumbled, barely audible, as the horses' approaching was heard. In the next few minutes everything happened as if in a fog; she saw Hank and Jake taking Heart and her husband away, she felt Sully and Loren pick her weak body up in the wagon, covering her with warm blankets. The sky above her moved fast as the horses ran toward town. Her hand never left Matthew's as he lay beside her, only his weak breaths confirming that he was still alive.

Michaela took another blanket and laid it over her son, barely holding back her tears. She had taken the bullet out, but now they had to reach the clinic as soon as possible.

It was then that her eyes caught Atlantis' movement; the young woman pulled the blankets away from herself, and collecting all her strength, she sat up.

"Atlantis, no, you should lay down…," Michaela tried to stop her, but Atlantis shook her head, taking her blanket and placing it over Matthew's body.

"We need to keep him warm, Dr. Mike,"whispered Atlantis. "I'm not important."

"Don't say that," Michaela's heart went out for young woman that sat in front of her.

"If he doesn't make it…,"mumbled Atlantis, sobs choking her. "If he doesn't make it, I don't think that I will be able to live any longer."

As those words left her mouth, Atlantis broke down in tears completely, causing Michaela to reach for her and pull her in a comforting embrace.

"I won't let that happen, Atlantis. It wasn't your fault, calm down, please."

But, Michaela's comforting words fell on deaf ears. Atlantis hid her face in Michaela's shoulder and sobbed loudly.

~*~

All townsfolk rushed toward the approaching horses and the wagon; Colleen and Brian in front of everybody else, while Grace held Katie and little Matthew at the café, trying to distract them from the fuss in the town.

"Oh my God!," gasped Colleen, "MATTHEW!"

Sully quickly got down from the driver's seat and without a word he and Robert E. picked a still unconscious Matthew up from the back of the wagon and ran toward the clinic where Horace already opened the door. Colleen hugged Brian tightly, both of them not being able to stop their tears.

"Ma?" Brian silently called , looking up at her. Michaela carefully helped Atlantis to get down from the wagon. As her feet reached the ground, Atlantis collapsed, losing her consciousness.

"ATLANTIS!" gasped Colleen.

"Loren, Horace, I need your help," Dr. Mike tried to stay calm. Loren and Horace were beside her in a second and gently picked up Atlantis, "Take her to the clinic," Dr. Mike said shortly and rushed into the clinic herself.

~*~

The night started to fall over ColoradoSprings, and its streets were empty as all townsfolk sat at Grace's, waiting for any news about Matthew and Atlantis. By now, Grace had a hard time to keep little Matthew and Katie at one place because the children became anxious. They were aware that something was going on. Loren tried to distract the kids with some toys and candies from his store, but it was only successful for a short period of time.

Suddenly, Sully showed up at the entrance of the café and Katie rushed toward her pa, launching herself in his arms, hugging him tightly, searching for comfort. Sully took a seat beside Colleen and Brian while he gently caressed Katie's soft hair.

Little Matthew watched the scene and the people in front of him without uttering a word. His little heart started to thump faster and for some reason, fear started to rise inside of him.

"Matthew," Grace's gentle voice was heard as she kneeled beside him. She'd felt the little boy's tensing up ever since Katie ran toward Sully. Tears in the child's eyes broke Grace's heart and she tried to soothe him, "Hey, little one, it's all right. Everything will be all right."

"I want my Mummy," little Matthew mumbled quietly, tears rolling down his cheeks.

"Oh, sweetheart!" Grace hugged him, and as the child clung to her, she whispered, "You'll see your Mummy soon. Calm down, sunshine, calm down."

~*~

"Dr. Mike! Dr. Mike, he's waking up!" exclaimed Myra, and Michaela rushed toward the bed.

"Matthew," Michaela leaned down, gently caressing her oldest son's hair. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't hold back a few tears escaping her eyes as Matthew's eyelids fluttered open. "Matthew, can you hear me?"

"Dr. Mike?"Matthew's voice was barely audible.

"I'm here, Matthew," Michaela smiled.

"Wh…what happened?" mumbled Matthew.

"You were shot." Michaela swallowed hard. Matthew stared back at her, confused. Then it hit him. His eyes went wide open and he gasped "Atlantis!"

He tried to get up, but the sharp pain pushed him back down on the bed and he yelped.

"Don't try to move, Matthew, please," Michaela panicked as she saw the pain flickering over her son's face.

"Ma…" It wasn't so often that he called her Ma, and Michaela felt her eyes filling with tears again.

"She's fine, Matthew, Atlantis is fine," Michaela tried to soothe him.

But, that wasn't enough. "I wanna see her," he whispered.

Michalea already opened her mouth to protest, but she couldn't do it. Her son's eyes were pleading with her and so she nodded, "All right, I'll see what I can do. I ordered her to rest, but if she is awake, I'll see how I can get her here."

Quickly, Michaela got up from the bed and nodded to Myra. Both women left the room, but just as they closed the door, Michaela gasped, "Atlantis!"

She rushed to the young woman that slowly walked toward her, supporting herself on the wall.

"What are you doing? I told you to stay in bed," Michaela reached the young woman and Atlantis stopped, closing her eyes and taking few deep breaths before she looked at a doctor standing in front of her and shook her head. Michaela was about to say something else, but Atlantis continued to walk toward the recovery room. "I'm sorry, Dr. Mike. I have to see him."

Michaela watched the young woman slowly reaching her goal. Atlantis' shivering fingers pressed the doorknob, and she opened the door.

Her eyes stopped at the sight in front of her and she couldn't hold back the tears that rushed down her cheeks as she saw Matthew looking at her. Her feet tried to move faster as she searched for something to lean on: the wall, a chair, so she wouldn't collapse before she reached the bed. Finally, she was able to get a hold of his outstretched hand and she surrendered to weakness, allowing herself to slump down on the bed beside him not saying a word as the tears choked her.

Matthew closed his eyes as his good hand gently caressed Atlantis' long, silky hair. Placing a gentle kiss above her eye, he whispered, "I'm okay, love. Don't cry, please. I'm okay."

"Matthew…,"Atlantis mumbled. "Matthew…,"

Tears made her break down, and she couldn't utter another word.

"Sssssshhhh, it's all over now. It's all over." Carefully shifting in the bed so he didn't hurt his wounds, Matthew gently pulled Atlantis in his embrace, "Come here."

As she rested in the safety of his hug, his lips kissed her eyes that were wet from the tears and Atlantis looked up at him, her lips meeting Matthew's in a long, loving kiss. Nothing else mattered.