"What is it with everyone today?" Olive shook her head, entering the downstairs recovery room to see Sully searching around and under the bed.
"Where's all my stuff?" Sully appeared not to hear her passing comment, indicating to his waist, as he continued looking under the bed for his belt.
"I don't know, maybe it's still in the other room," Olive answered, relieved when Sully eventually sat back down on the bed.
"Sully you gotta take it easy. Now, what did Doc Cassidy say before?" Olive folded her arms tightly, leaning against the chest of drawers, satisfied that at least Sully had stopped moving.
"Nothin' much, you know what he's like. Said everything's fine." Sully checked under the quilt and pillows, more in a display of determination, as opposed to exactly expecting to find anything.
"Well, did he want you to stay in bed, what?" Olive extended her arms, requesting more detailed information.
"Don't think so, just said no sudden movements, watch for any bleeding," Sully once again got to his feet, pacing around the room.
It was slowly becoming clear to Olive that Sully wasn't preoccupied with finding his tomahawk and knife so much as he was feeling out of place, uncomfortable even.
"Sully, sit down," Olive tried to corner him against a wall, his eyes darting around the room in frustration.
"I can't, I gotta do something." He clenched his fists, and Olive momentarily feared he was going to lash out at her.
"Ssh I know. I know how you feel," she lowered her voice, reaching nervously for his right arm to calm him down.
"No you don't. It's not something a woman can ever understand. It's, when she was out there, before, I, I kept my distance, but I was there. I always knew where she was, and then when I finally got the chance, we traveled the entire night, Olive. In the dark, swimming through lakes and climbing over rocks. It was horrendous, but we managed it. The next afternoon, we rested, waited until nightfall, then began traveling again. We're only a few hours from town where the dog soldiers caught up with us, and then it was just so quick. I remember a scuffle, and then falling, then nothing until I woke up here." He turned, gesturing to the bed behind him.
Olive, about to contribute her thoughts, paused in reflection. She was not a woman who usually gave her words a second thought, however, she realized she truly did not have any appreciation for what went on out there.
"I don't know where I stand anymore. Michaela's made it pretty clear she doesn't want me around. I can understand that, but what about the children, they're gonna need someone lookin' out for 'em. I just wish I knew what she wanted. I wish I knew how to help," Sully looked up, his voice dropped to a whisper, tears causing his eyes to glisten.
"Sully, you're not the only one in the dark. None of us know what to do. At the moment I'm just trying to do what needs doin'; keepin' everyone comfortable." Olive paused, deciding to tell him all she knew.
"Dr Mike's plannin' to go home with the children on Wednesday," she offered the information, almost under her breath.
Sully nodded, taking in her words, showing no emotional reaction to them. The reply that followed was dull, emotionally flat and resolved.
"I need to spend some time on my own, anyway. Thinking. Need to find out why everything went so wrong. Sort things out with Cloud Dancin'. I'll probably see the children in town now and again. Tell Michaela it's up to her if she," Sully was interrupted by a voice emanating from the hallway.
"No." Both Sully and Olive were startled by the sound, Olive turning quickly around, her eyes narrowing with suspicion.
"Dr Mike?" Olive strode across the room to the doorway, aware of the accusatory tone in her voice.
Michaela swallowed, looking at Olive awkwardly, before her gaze drifted past her to Sully. Feeling uneasiness set in, Michaela drew another breath, hoping her voice would come out stronger this time.
"May I, might you give us a few minutes?" Michaela, neatly dressed in her green blouse and skirt, hair traditionally plaited over her left shoulder, stepped into the room.
Olive looked awkwardly from Sully and then back to Michaela, realizing she really had no choice but to leave them.
"I'll be right down the hall," she finished her sentence, feeling the tension build in the air as she brushed past Michaela and left the room.
Sully got to his feet, unsure of how to react to Michaela's unexpected presence.
"You wanna sit down?" He gestured to the chair beside the bed, watching her closely as she entered the room and shook her head, instead leaning up against the wall by the side of the bed.
Sully continued studying her, not able to understand what had brought her down here. For the previous two days since he'd tried to talk to her, she'd not asked to see him, and now, here she was, less than three feet from him. He waited for her to speak, trying to catch her eyes, but she kept shifting her gaze. Determined to let her initiate any conversation, Sully remained quiet, unable to avoid shifting his glance to the cuts and bruises in various stages of healing that covered her face and hands. Forcing himself to again try to meet her eyes, Sully caught his breath, noticing her twist her hands nervously in her lap, as if looking for the right words.
"I wanted to apologize for the other day. I wasn't thinking clearly," Michaela began, Sully adjusting his gaze, frustrated that she was almost deliberately refusing to look him in the eye.
"I just wanted to assure you, I know what people are saying, and I don't blame you," her voice was cold and dead. Sully struggled to hear the words she was speaking, taken aback by the emptiness in both in her eyes and her voice.
"I'd understand if you did." He was about to continue, however didn't receive any indication that Michaela had processed his reply.
"Michaela? Michaela, you know I woulda done anything I could to stop," Sully saw her move her head sharply, again ill-prepared for her response.
"I don't wish to discuss it. I just wanted you to know everything is fine. I don't want the children upset, thinking we're angry with one another," Michaela collected herself, idly smoothing her skirt out, her eyes lowered.
"Well, we're not," Sully reassured her, however failing to be able to assure himself, his conscious mind nagging at him that things were far from fine between them.
He tried desperately one last time to look her in the eyes, knowing that for her to refuse to meet his glance, she was denying him entry into her heart, her soul. Sully wanted her to talk to him, be angry with him, cry with him. He would have preferred anything to the wall of silence she had created.
"Let me examine you," Michaela took a step away from the wall, glad of the distraction, carrying out the inspection routinely, without needing to think about it.
Sully remained quiet; the only sound his slightly pained hiss when she removed the bandage.
"No sign of infection," Michaela redressed the wound, securing the bandage once again around Sully's head, no further words being spoken between them.
Michaela looked down, unavoidably meeting his eyes for a single moment, as she checked pupil dilation.
Taking an uncomfortable breath, she knew Sully wanted her to say more, to talk about how she was really feeling. She couldn't. She wouldn't allow herself to even think about it. Seeing the sharpness of his blue eyes looking deep within her, Michaela made her way swiftly to the doorway, knowing that if she turned back, she'd no longer be able to run from her own feelings.
"I'll see you later," she whispered, vanishing into the corridor almost as quickly as she had appeared.
Sully exhaled as he listened to the sound of her footsteps fading away. Letting himself fall back against the pillows, to the softness of the bed underneath, Sully replayed her words over in his head. As much as he had feared her reaction, no reaction was far worse. Whatever had happened out there, Michaela had decided was too painful to be able to talk about, even with him. She'd been more concerned about the children's feelings than her own, Sully deciding that, if that was how she wanted to deal with this, he had no choice but to support her.
~.~
X.O.X
Wednesday, 19th May, 1869
Two Days Later
X.O.X
~.~
"Well, hopefully we've seen the last of him for awhile," Robert E. stated as the townsfolk watched the stagecoach disappear from view.
"Not a nice man," Dorothy commented, turning to head back towards the store.
"Which one? Both as bad as the other," Hank muttered, Myra at his side, agreeing quickly.
"Well ain't that rich, coming from you?" Loren whispered under his breath, about to reach Dorothy's side when Jake came running over.
"You all gotta come see this, Dr Mike's taking the children home. We gotta do something, the whole town's crowdin' around," Jake received everyone's attention.
"Where's Olive? She'll get rid of everyone," Loren chuckled, having been on the receiving end of his sister's temper on more than one occasion.
"Inside with Michaela, I think. Jake's right, we gotta move everyone along," Dorothy picked up the hem of her skirt, quickly leading everyone down the main street and onto the Clinic porch.
"Oh, my Lord," Grace muttered, seeing the twenty or so townspeople crowding around the street, chatting amongst themselves.
Robert E., Grace, Jake, Dorothy, Loren, Hank and Myra wasted no time in shooing the onlookers away, having just finished when they heard the door open.
"Olive, sorry about that. I had no idea all those people," Dorothy shook her head, the brunette quickly dismissing her concern.
"Tell me about it, Matthew arrived yet?" Olive looked around for the young man.
"She really going home?" Loren queried, skeptical about the entire situation.
"Yes, Loren," Olive replied sharply, not appreciating her brother's awkwardness.
"I'll go pack some food, and tell Dr Mike I'll come by each evening with dinner," Grace quickly left the group, heading for the cafe.
~.~
X.O.X
~.~
"You sure about this, Ma?" Colleen finished making the bed, the pair making their way downstairs.
"Yes, Brian's missing Pup, and it's too difficult for Matthew to keep traveling between the homestead and the Clinic each day," Michaela rested her arm on her daughter's shoulder.
"Just so long as you stay in bed a bit longer, don't be tryin' to do too much around the house. I'll take care of it," Colleen instructed, as they arrived in the examination room.
"But you've got school," Michaela frowned slightly, as Colleen looked away.
"I can spare a few days off, besides we're not really doing anything interestin'," Colleen attempted to distract Michaela by glancing around the room, making sure they hadn't forgotten anything.
"I thought you loved school?" Michaela reached for Colleen's arm to try and stop her moving.
"I do. It's just, nobody's really talkin' much about math or science at the moment," The young girl sighed, disheartened, caught between honesty and not wanting to burden her mother.
An uncomfortable silence followed, each looking between one another, Colleen pulling away, reaching for the medical bag on the edge of the examination bed, handing it to Michaela.
"Here," Colleen smiled.
Michaela paused before accepting the bag, running her fingers along the metal edge.
"Where?" Michaela shook her head, stroking the soft leather with her fingertips.
"Robert E's horse came back into town the day before we found you. Sully'd taken it when he went out lookin'," Colleen finished quickly, pacing across the room to open the Clinic door.
Michaela nodded, again looking down at the black leather object held in her arms.
~.~
X.O.X
~.~
"There he is." Dorothy pointed, seeing Matthew approaching with the horses and wagon.
"I think we're all makin' a big deal outa nothin'," Loren crossed his arms, turning as though to head back to the store in protest.
"We're just concerned, Loren, nothin' the matter with that." Dorothy quipped, everyone turning back around in response to the sound of a door opening behind them.
"Suppose not," Loren muttered, watching Hank stroll over from the Saloon.
"So, today's the big day, eh?" He dragged on his cigar.
"You're not welcome here, Hank," Dorothy folded her arms deliberately.
"Keep ya petticoat on, lady. I ain't gonna cause no trouble," Hank reassured.
"Aww, Hank. Just stand there and keep ya mouth shut for once," Loren groused, knowing he was probably the only person in the town who Hank would actually listen to, except for Dr Mike. "Why you gotta go stirring up trouble all the time? Makin' everyone miserable." Loren held Hank's gaze until Hank knew exactly what Loren was referring to.
"All right, all right. I'll go get the horse for the kid. Happy?" Hank adjusted his vest in defeat.
"Now that'd be a nice gesture. All things considered," Loren nodded with a look of approval.
"What's this about a horse?" Dorothy frowned, as they watched Hank leave.
Loren sighed, proceeding to update Dorothy on the situation between Hank and Brian.
~.~
X.O.X
~.~
"Dr Mike?" Olive spoke, entering the examination room from the corridor behind her.
Michaela looked up from the medical bag in her arms, noticing Sully standing tentatively by Olive's side.
"We're just about to leave," Michaela gestured towards the door Colleen had just left through.
"I know, just, before you did, I," Sully trailed off, Olive quickly realizing her presence was not required, slipping across the room and out the door behind Colleen.
"I weren't sure if you wanted to see me?" Sully entered the room completely, waiting for a response, as he noticed his belt on a nearby table.
"I meant, ah, if you wanted me to help with the children, anything," he quickly added, wrapping the belt snuggly around his waist, checking his tomahawk was still there, reaching for the other item.
"Yes. They'd like that," Michaela's reply was quick and to the point once again, paying more attention to the knife Sully held in his right hand.
"Fine then." He slipped the knife back into his belt, motioning for them to make their way outside.
~.~
X.O.X
~.~
"She and Sully are," Olive didn't get a chance to finish her sentence, everyone noticing Michaela and Sully appear on the porch.
"All set?" Matthew cleared his throat, still not comfortable with Sully's presence.
Michaela nodded, aware of the people around her, also acutely aware of the fact that a wagon ride home was not going to be the most physically comfortable experience.
Colleen and Brian settled themselves into the back of the wagon, Matthew lifting Michaela into the wagon, some of the townsfolk crowding around.
"Don't you worry, Dr Mike, I'll handle everything 'round here," Jake quickly informed, Michaela realizing after a moment he meant medically.
"Be sure to fetch me if you need to, but I expect I'll be back next week," Michaela didn't notice Matthew and Colleen exchange doubtful glares.
"And here's something for tonight, Dr Mike. I'll send Robert E. out tomorrow with some more, too," Grace smiled, trying not to worry, handing Michaela the basket of food.
"Grace that's really not," Michaela merely nodded, a small smile of gratitude flashing across her face, as she passed the basket back to Colleen. "Thank-you."
Everyone turned at the sound of a horse approaching, as Hank appeared through the crowd with the small horse trailing behind him.
"Brian, I, ah, thought you might be wantin' something." He felt the eyes of everyone within fifty feet on him, and generosity was never something Hank felt comfortable with.
"She's mine?" The young boy squealed, jumping quickly from the wagon and taking the reins.
"Put a new saddle on there for ya an' all," Hank gestured to the perfectly sized saddle, Brian spinning around quickly.
"Can I ride her home, can I, Ma? Please?" He had one foot in the stirrup before Michaela had a chance to respond.
"Of course you can. Just stay with us," Michaela couldn't fight the smile breaking out across her face as she saw the pure delight in her son's eyes.
"Thanks, Hank," Brian mounted the horse, walking her several steps towards the wagon.
"What ya gonna call her, Brian?" Colleen called out, realizing that Brian's year had just been made.
The boy began searching his pockets, quickly producing a piece of white candy, leaning forward in the saddle and offering it to the horse, the young mare taking it eagerly.
"Taffy!" He giggled heartily.
Michaela shook her head as she watched the horse devour the treat.
"She's likes candy?" Michaela enquired, in disbelief.
"Yeah, she's got a sweet tooth!" Brian looked at Matthew for permission to start walking.
"Then she really is your horse," Michaela replied, feeling the wagon begin moving underneath her, keeping her eyes on Brian, his childlike enchantment and joy melting away the discomfort flooding through her.
"What about Sully?" Brian suddenly called out, seeing him standing on the edge of the porch.
"You just get your ma home and settled, Brian. I'll drop around in a day or two," Sully replied, noticing the weathered look appearing on Michaela's face.
"Will do, Sully, don't you worry 'bout nothin'," Brian waved.
Colleen looking slowly from Brian's elated grin to Matthew and then finally to Michaela. The young girl forced herself to adopt an expression of encouragement, however, couldn't shake the feeling that things were going to be downhill from here.
"You really think she's ready for this, Olive?" Dorothy whispered, as they watched the wagon depart.
"Probably not, but I ain't about to change her mind, now, am I? That woman's more stubborn than I am," Olive shook her head, Sully joining them once the wagon was out of sight.
"Anything we can do, Sully?" Dorothy glanced over at him, concerned and supportive.
"No, I'm going off for a few days, need to talk with Cloud Dancin'. Need to tell him about his son," Sully reached his hand into his pocket, as if to assure himself the beads were still there.
"What?" Loren had re-joined the group, unable to withstand the opportunity for gossip.
"His son, Walks on Cloud, was killed, tryin' to save her." Sully watched Dorothy and Olive exchange horrified expressions, knowing what Sully was referring to. Their conversation gradually pulled in interest from Jake, Robert E., Hank, Myra and Grace.
"Are you gonna tell them about what happened to Dr Mike?" Myra finally spoke up, her hands rested firmly on her hips.
"I'll have to. Once word gets out, they'll be in more danger," Sully looked down towards the meadow where Custer had held the Cheyenne village a week before.
"Can't say I'd blame anyone. I mean, after what they did," Hank idly removed his gun from its holster, ensuring it was loaded and replacing it, however with less than the suitable degree of subtlety.
"That was a dog soldier, Hank, and you know it. 'Sides, Indians don't condone mistreatin' anyone like that, he'd a been killed by them soon as they were released, had you fellas not taken care of it," Sully kicked a stone with his right toe.
"Yeah, but they're all savages. We all heard they did the same thing to an army Captain's wife a few months back, too. Can't trust none of 'em," Loren decided, Hank and Jake quickly voicing their agreement.
"Like Sully said, it was a renegade. Can't paint them all with the same brush," Robert E. approached Sully, directing his conversation squarely at Hank and Jake after the previous troubles he's had with them a month earlier when he'd purchased his house.
"All I knows, I see one of 'em, he's dead," Hank flashed a glare of utter seriousness around the crowd, unnerving each of them.
"Hank, don't be stupid. If it'd been a white man done something like this, you wouldn't try to kill all the other white men. The actions of one dog soldier don't give you the right to judge all the Cheyenne." Sully stepped backwards, frustrated with the ignorance of many of the townsmen. Preparing to leave, he unraveled the bandage from his head, Dorothy immediately helping him to untangle his hair, and trail it over the surgical site.
"Sully, you gonna be all right?" Olive realized he too had been keeping his emotions to himself these past few days.
"Be fine, won't I boy? I'll be around," Sully patted Wolf on the head, the two striding off away from the group.
"I don't care what that man says, better not see no Injuns 'round here for a very long time. Don't care what kind they are," Hank reached for Myra's arm, as they paced back towards the Saloon.
"That poor woman," Dorothy mused, not really intending her words to be acknowledged.
"Well, we just gotta pull together, make sure those children aren't left to cope with too much on their own. Loren?" Olive replied, having been next to Dorothy, therefore hearing her quiet whisper. Olive completed her sentence, turning to stop Loren from moving.
"What!" He was spooked by the demanding way she'd said his name.
"You're close to young Brian, make sure he's got someone to talk to and all," she instructed, the older man looking thoroughly uncomfortable.
"Aww, Olive, I'm no good at talkin' 'bout that sorta stuff," Loren lowered his eyes in embarrassment.
"Tough, this ain't about you. Now, Dorothy, and Grace and I here'll be around for Colleen, she'll probably find it the most difficult, but Robert E., you and Matthew seem to get along all right?" Olive began, in her usual fashion, to organize everybody.
"I suppose. I'll do my best," the Blacksmith nodded, genuine in his commitment.
"Now Jake, you're in charge of damage control. Setting the town straight, putting anyone in their place. We don't do this properly, and Dr Mike'll end up takin' those children back to Boston with her and we'll never see 'em again," Olive shielded her eyes from the morning sunlight.
"Oh, you don't think she'd really do that, do you?" Dorothy's heart jumped into her throat, her cheeks turning red with worry.
"All I know is, if it'd been me, I'd be gettin' outta here as soon as I could. If we wanna keep her and those children around, it's gonna take some work - on everyone's part," she threw a look directly at Jake, aware that he and Loren had been entertaining each other with gossip these last few days.
"What you lookin' at me for? I'm the one who found her, ain't I? All right, you've made your point." Jake rolled his eyes, departing back to his shop.
"It'll be all right, Olive. Just gotta take it one day at a time," Dorothy nodded, as Robert E. and Grace wrapped their arms around the other's waist as they left.
"I hope so, Dorothy. I hope you're right about this," Olive raised an eyebrow looking across at her sister-in-law, realizing it was just the two of them standing alone by this point.
Dorothy, pleased that they had a moment together, took the opportunity to voice her concerns.
"She talk to you about what happened?" The red head muttered, so as to not look suspicious to the few townspeople passing by.
"No, nothing." Olive frowned, realizing Michaela had only actually ever talked about the rape with Dorothy and that was nearly a week ago.
"Not at all?" Dorothy squinted her eyes against the sun, her head turned to Olive more deliberately now.
"No, seems a little strange to me," Olive deduced, dusting her skirt off as she crossed the short distance from the middle of the street to the Clinic porch, Dorothy following behind her.
"Well, I didn't like to pry. Thought she'd talk to you. You mean it has been a week and she hasn't talked to anyone? That ain't right," Dorothy joined Olive inside as they began tidying the place up, more as an excuse to keep talking than because it needed it.
"You're tellin' me it ain't right. This hasn't felt right from the start," Olive glanced around the room, Dorothy remaining deep in thought.