Chapter 2

"How was school today, Brian?" Michaela said, after saying grace at the dinner table.

"Good," Brian nodded. "We started a new chapter in history, 'bout ancient Egypt. I got an assignment to make a model of a pyramid."

"How interesting," Michaela said. "There's a book in the library about ancient Egypt. Perhaps we can look at it."

Brian nodded enthusiastically.

"Pa," he shifted his attention. "How's Mr. Lodge's house coming?"

Everyone's eyes turned to Sully when there was no response. Brian glanced at his mother in uncertainty.

"Sully," She spoke up.

He sat at the head of the table, his eyes downward at his plate of untouched food.

Daniel, who was seated beside him, touched his arm.

"Sully."

"Hmm?" He jerked slightly.

"You alright?'

He paused and pulled away.

"Yeah."

"Something troubling you?" Michaela asked.

He shook his head.

"No, just…" he paused, once again looking down. "Will you excuse me?" He rose from his seat.

The family watched him closely as he stepped outside.

"Is Pa alright?" Brian looked towards his mother.

"Yes, Brian," Michaela replied. "I'm sure he's just tired from the day's work."

XXXXX

Michaela decided that the time it took to finish dinner was enough time to leave Sully alone. Afterwards, she slipped on her shawl and stepped outside. The evening brought a chill in the air as the moon rose early.

Without a word, Michaela joined her husband on the steps and he too remained silent.

"Sully," she uttered in a low voice.

"Hmm?" He kept his head down.

"Is every all right?"

"Yeah," he looked at her.

The quickness of his response told her quite the opposite.

"Sully," she sighed. "Something's troubling you. Please tell me what it is."

He sighed and wrung his hand together. He knew he could open up to her, but there was something…he just couldn't.

"It's nothing, Michaela. I'm just tired, that's all," he reached for her hand.

Michaela wasn't sure if she completely believed him; but given the fact that he had been so occupied on Preston's homestead., it would be understandable. However, she knew Sully too well. If he was tired, he'd be asleep, not skipping dinner and going outside by himself.

XXXXX

It was sometime during the night when Michaela suddenly awoke. A harsh coughing was heard and she perceived her husband to be standing over a basin, regurgitating.

"Sully," she pulled back the covers.

Drawing near, she noticed a significant amount of vomit in the basin. Sully was unable to communicate as the content of his stomach poured out. A few minutes passed and he continued to be sick. Michaela stood by him, holding back his hair and stroking his back, comfortingly. After a while the vomiting ceased, but Sully had dry heaves.

"Just breathe. You're all right," Michaela soothed. "Try to relax."

Finally, Sully was able to regulate his breathing.

"S-sorry," he swallowed hard.

"Shh," Michaela put a hand to his forehead. "You have a fever. Why don't you lay down? I'll brew you some tea."

"I can do it." Sully said.

"It's all right," she cut in. "Let me take care of you."

He nodded, wiping a hand over his face and relaxing his shoulders.

As he crawled into bed, Michaela cleaned up and then went about preparing the tea.

Sully's pain began to intensified while Michaela was downstairs; he wanted to call for her but didn't want to wake the house. Lying there in the dark room, he thought back to when he first began to feel this pain. Why didn't he tell Michaela? Yet, now there was something, in the way his symptoms escalated in a matter of minutes, that caused him great fear.

He did his best to mask his pain when his wife returned.

"This will soothe your stomach and bring down your fever," Michaela sat at his bedside with a steaming cup of tea.

Accepting it, Sully consumed a generous amount.

"Perhaps dinner didn't agree with you," Michaela reasoned. "Were you feeling ill before dinner?'

Sully made no response; he had that faraway look in his eyes. The one that always worried Michaela.

"Sully," she reached for his hand. "Are you alright?"

He blinked as if awakening from a dream.

"Yeah, I'm just, just tired."

"Here," she took the mug from him. "Why don't you lay down and get some sleep."

Sully nodded and sunk deeper into the bed. As Michaela drew the covers over him, he reached for his hand. Bringing it to his lips, he tenderly kissed her.

"Thank you," his eyes were tired, but full of love.

"Rest, my dear," she stroked his feverish forehead.

Once Sully had fallen back to sleep, Michaela took her spot beside him in bed. For a while she watched him sleep, making sure he was alright. There was something inside her that was uneasy, she wasn't quite sure what it was, but something urged her to say close to him, closer than she usually was.

XXXXX

Sully's fever had broken in the night. He reassured Michaela that he was feeling better, but she still wasn't completely convinced. Although she knew she couldn't keep Sully tied down. He was set on going to work and getting finished with Preston's homestead, after all, he was only a few weeks from completion.

"Morning Pa," Brian had entered the barn.

"Morning Brian," Sully stood saddling his horse.

"Going to work?" The boy asked.

"In just a minute," Sully said.

"Will you be home for supper?"

"Should be," Sully replied. "Don't see w-" he stopped suddenly when the reigns fell from his hand.

Brian watched his father, who looked to be confused.

"Pa?" He took a step closer. "Are you all right?"

Sully bent down to pick up the reigns, what seemed to be simple task, but they slipped from his grasp again.

Brian noticed Sully's hands shaking slightly. Finally, Sully was able to hold onto the reigns, but he wasn't sure if he could finish saddling his horse.

"Pa?" Brian was unsure. "Do you need help?"

Sully looked at Brian and shook his head.

"No, I'm alright, Brian," he said.

Brian wasn't sure what to do. So, he quietly left the barn and went back inside to gather his belongings. He wanted to tell his mother, but he didn't want to upset Sully.

Finishing saddling his horse, Sully rubbed his hands together. A strange sensation took them over, but he quickly brushed it off, telling himself he was just tired from all the work lately.

XXXXX

A while had passed and Sully still didn't seem himself. Although he continually told Michaela he was fine, her intuition told her otherwise. This night, Michaela walked through the halls of the upstairs to bid her children goodnight, she paused when she heard their voices coming from Matthew's room.

"Come in," Matthew said as a knock was heard.

"I thought you children would be in bed by now," Michaela opened the door.

"We were just about to," Colleen replied, sitting on the edge of her brother's bed.

"Is everything all right?" Michaela inquired.

The siblings looked at one another and then nodded.

"Yeah," they replied.

Michaela thought otherwise, but she decided not to press them. They were getting older and she was sure they had things to discuss privately.

"All right," she smiled and was about to exit the room.

"Ma," Brian spoke up.

Michaela turned back; she noticed Matthew and Colleen looked at their brother surprised. Brian looked back at them, timidly.

"What's going on?" Michaela asked.

"There's uh…something we gotta tell ya," Brian said.

"All right," she prepared herself.

Matthew sat up straight.

"Why don't you close the door?" He spoke.

Michaela was beginning to worry. She closed the door behind her and approached the end of the bed, waiting for her children to speak. Brian looked at Colleen and Colleen looked at Matthew.

Matthew cleared his throat.

"It's about Sully," he stated

That is not what Michaela was expecting to heard.

"What about him?"

"Have you noticed anything…different about him?" Colleen said.

"Well," Michaela thought. "I know he was sick a few days ago. But otherwise, no. Why?"

Colleen looked at younger brother again.

"Brian," Michaela directed her attention to him.

"Well, it's just…we were in the barn and…" he paused.

"Yes?" Michaela's brow furrowed.

"Pa dropped his horses reigns he couldn't pick 'em up."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, his hands were shaking," Brian explained. "I was telling Matthew and Colleen and they said he hasn't been himself lately."

"That's right," Matthew chimed in. "He seems real tired."

"So, I've noticed…" Michaela thought.

"I think it's more than just tired from work," he said.

"What do you mean?"

Matthew drew in a breath and paused, not wanting to scare his siblings or Michaela, but he knew they were already worrying.

"I think he's sick," he said.

"Sick?" Michaela repeated.

"I could be wrong," Matthew raised his hands. "But…we know Sully," he glanced at his siblings. "And whatever it is…something's wrong."

Michaela had thought the same thing recently and hearing it from her children made her worry turn into fear.

"I didn't wanna cause any trouble, Ma," Brian said.

"You didn't, Brian," she lovingly touched his arm. "You did the right thing. I'm going to go talk with Sully."

Before she opened the door, Brian spoke up again.

"Ma."

"Yes?

"Tell Pa we love him," his eyes expressed the concern they all felt.

Michaela nodded.

Descending the stairs, Michaela watched her husband as he stood at the fire place. The dying flames and a small lamp was the only illumination in the room. She approached with small, quiet steps; but not quiet enough for Sully, he had heard her for a since she came from the children's room.

"Hey," he turned to her with a smile. "Ready for bed?"

Drawing near, Michaela placed her hands on his strong arms.

"In a minute," she brought her head to his chest.

Sully didn't think anything of the contact other than to return the loving gestures. Running his hands up from her waist, he tucked his face in her neck. Michaela's pulse quickened as he lips me her skin.

"You smell good," his whispered in his ear.

Michaela wanted to melt at his contact, but ever so gently put a hand on his chest. She wanted to talk with him before things got too far.

"Sully," she took a small step back.

"Did I hurt you?" He stroked her hair.

Ever since the loss of their children, intimacy had been different for the both of them. It wasn't strange, but it wasn't at comforting as they were accustomed to. Of course, they were comfortable with one another, but there was an air of fear whenever they drew that close. Neither of them were ready to face another disappointment, so they settled for soft kisses and embraces, their feelings and words were enough, for now.

"Michaela," Sully didn't let her step too far.

"No," she tucked her hair behind her ear. "You didn't hurt me."

Taking his hand from behind her neck, Michaela stroked his cracked and rough knuckles.

"I just…wanted to talk to you," she said.

He looked at her with gentle eyes.

"Bout what?"

"Sully," she breathed. "The children…think something's wrong with you?"

Sully's brow knitted close together.

"What do you mean?"

"They told me you've been acting different and tired lately."

Sully paused in consideration and then slightly shook his head.

"Nothing's wrong with me, Michaela," he reassured.

Michaela lowered her gaze and Sully knew that she didn't believe him.

"Hey," he touched her chin and their eyes met again. "I'm all right."

"Brian told me what happened in the barn," she said.

Again, he frowned in uncertainty.

"Your hands."

Sully fell silent. He didn't want to trouble anyone, but he knew she was already worried.

"Michaela," he sighed.

"Sully, please," she stroked his beard. "If something's wrong, I can help you."

Reaching for her hand, Sully turned his face and kissed her palm.

"Nothing's wrong," he said. "I promise."

Her eyes still expressed her worry and uncertainty, but she knew he would continue to insist he was fine.

"Come on," he took her hand. "Let's go to bed."

XXXXX

On occasion, when he was able, Daniel rode out to Preston's homestead to help his brother with the building. A fact that Preston strongly disliked, as he went on about how he wasn't hiring another worker. However, Daniel didn't care about the money, he cared about his brother and taking what bit of the load he could off his shoulders.

Just before he rode out this afternoon, he was met by Michaela.

"Daniel," she ran up to the sheriff's office.

"Michaela," he mounted his horse. "Something wrong?"

"Nothing," she carried a basket. "Are you riding to Sully?

"Yeah," he replied.

"This is some fried chicken from Grace, would you bring to him?" She requested. "He hasn't been eating much lately."

"Sure thing," Daniel accepted the basket.

"There's plenty in there for the two of you to share," Michaela smiled.

As did Daniel. After thanking him again, Michaela returned to the clinic and Daniel rode out of town. In the two years Daniel had been in Colorado Springs, he had grown especially close to Sully's family. Especially now that they were family. For the first time in, well ever, Daniel had a home, not a just a physical one, but a home in his heart, the heart of his family.

The ride out the Preston's was a bit of a long one, but the scenic view and fresh air, made it pleasant. It was a beautiful spot the banker choose, overseeing a river and the mountains in the distant. Daniel had to pause and take a moment to thank his Maker.

Coming up the building site, he didn't notice his brother.

"Sully," he called out.

Riding around Sully's wagon full of supplies, Daniel's heart dropped and he quickly sprung into action.