Author's Note:Well this is my new story that I have co written with Aislinn E. Porter. It has been a long process that this story arose from a simple outline into what it is now. Both Aislinn and I have put a lot of ourselves into this story and we both hope you enjoy.

Word from Aislinn:

Hello everyone, I would like to say a few words before you begin to read. This story is the first story that I have really stuck with to the end, and didn't cut it short. As many of you know from my fan fictions that are on my site, they are very short and I used to lose my patience or my nerve to continue to write. But this time I have given all I can to stick with this story and make it as best as I can possibly. So here it is:

Sixteen year old Dana Sully watched the time. She knew that her parents wouldn't be home for some time. She continued to try and finish her family timeline, but she was stuck on the name Jennifer Sully, and she couldn't go anywhere from there. She decided to look up in the attic for some clues.

She walked up the stairs of the old homestead. According to her father Calvin Sully, her great-great-great-great grandfather Byron Sully had built the old home. Her parents had only relocated back to Colorado Springs ten years ago, and bought the land. The homestead was in a terrible wreck when they had bought it. But her parents had restored it to it's former self within a year of living there.

Dana walked down the hall to the small room, that they had used as the attic. She began to move several boxes. Then she came upon an old trunk. She opened and dust of several years flew everywhere. She finally looked inside and she saw journals, pictures, photo albums, and so many more historical items.

She reached in for the first book. She opened it and found a name on the inside. It had Michaela Ann Quinn-Sully. She recognized the name from her parents telling her about the woman. She had been Byron Sully's wife. She began to read.

I find myself lost in an ever changing world, and for the first time I fear the future. Now that I have finished medical school what is next? Do I become a doctor, or do I get married and have children. I find myself at a crossroads in my life. The fear inside is so great. Since I was young I have always known the unknown, and faced it with courage. My father gave that to me. But I find that I am doubting my strength and courage. Will I ever be accepted in the medical field? Will I ever be able to be a doctor, get married, and have children? Or is it one or another? Meaning that a woman can't have it all a career and a family as well. I don't know what tomorrow will bring. I fear that I will fall hard and I won't get back up.

Dana felt mesmerized. The words had hit her hard. She had always thought of Michaela Quinn as a strong willed obstinate woman. The journal entry had only made her more curious to find out more. She wanted to read of this woman's struggles, sorrow, triumphs, and joys.

She began to continue to read in the journal.

I managed to save James. But so many others are still so weak. The influenza is so strong, and their weak bodies can't keep fighting it. I watched my father leave the hospital room, and go to his office. I followed him, and for the first time I saw him cry. This man that I had known for all of my life, had always been like stone, unbreakable. But he was so vulnerable at the moment. After six weeks of watching children die, it is enough to make my stomach turn. The screams of agony, make me want to run and never look back, but then I see these tired souls continue to fight with all the strength that they have, and I know that I have to stay and help them.

Dana could feel her own tears falling. She couldn't imagine being back at that time, and having to watch patients die, despite all your efforts to help them. Dana was interrupted when her parents pulled into the driveway. Dana left the attic, with the journal in hand. She made her way downstairs.

She opened the front door and walked out onto the porch. Her parents got out of the truck and came up the stairs. They greeted their daughter and made their way inside.

"Mom, Dad, I was looking for information on our family, and I found this journal, have either of you read it?" Dana asked her parents.

Calvin took the journal from his daughter and looked inside. He read a few lines and then he recognized it.

"I read this when I was ten, your grandfather Daniel gave that to me, and said that I should read it." Calvin told his curious daughter.

"Dad you seem to know and awful lot about our family history, is there anyway you can help me trace back our family tree. I only have us filled in, and Grandpa Daniel Sully, and Grandma Jennifer Sully filled in." Dana asked her father with pleading eyes.

"Alright, but I am going to start from Michaela and Byron Sully, then we will build down. We can add their parents to if you want too."

"Thanks dad." She ran into her dad's arms.

"Okay, after Michaela and Sully, you want to put down Matthew Cooper. He is the oldest son that they adopted. Then next to him put his wife, Jessica Martin-Cooper. Then put Colleen Cooper-Cook next under Michaela and Sully's children, and next to her put her husband Dr. Andrew Cook. After him, put their third adopted child Lt. Brian Cooper and next to him put his wife Melanie Cooper. Okay you got all of that?" He asked his daughter.

"Yeah, just give me a second to finish the last name, Okay continue." Dana told her father.

"Alright then their is Katherine Sully-Kensington, she is their first born blood daughter. Then next to her put her husband Charles "Flying Eagle" Kensington. Then put Dr. Jonathan Sully and next to him put his wife, Kelly Nicholson-Sully. Okay then there was Alexandra Sully and put in parenthesis (Lexi McGraw)."

"Dad why do I put Lexi McGraw in parenthesis?" Dana asked confused.

"Alex was a writer, and when she published that was the name she used, and eventually she became Lexi McGraw."

"Oh, I see." Dana said as she wrote Lexi next to the Alex's real name.

"Okay after Lexi, was David Sully, he became a naturalist as you already know." Calvin told his daughter.

"Of course, I have only read his studies, and journals a thousand times." Dana said as she wrote his name.

"Yeah, I know. Okay then put his wife Jenna O'Hara after him. Then after David was his twin Danielle Sully-Roberts. And next to her put her husband, Jackson Roberts." Calvin watched as Dana finished put the information into the chart.

"And their last child was Anna Kathleen Sully. She would go after Danielle." Calvin pointed to last empty blank.

"Dad Michaela never had anymore children after the twins. I never heard of you speak of another girl?" Dana asked her father confused.

"Oh maybe you should erase her name." He told his daughter avoiding the question.

Dana pushed harder,"Dad who was Anna Sully?"

Calvin got real tense and slumped in his chair. Dana watched her father's mood turn sour at the name of Anna Sully. She met his eyes. A deep sadness filled them.

Calvin Sully turned his eyes away from his daughter. If only he could tell her the truth, but it was so painful, especially for a young girl. He turned to her and grabbed her hand in his.

"Dana I can't tell you sweetheart, maybe one day when your older but not right now. Please promise me you won't ask again until I come to you?" Calvin pleaded with his daughter.

"Okay Dad, I promise." Dana told her father as he embraced her into his strong arms.

Later that night Dana was in her room. She was finishing up her family tree. She put Anna Kathleen Sully on the last child of the Sullys'. The name sent chills down her spine. The name was filled with mystery and yet a great sadness. She wanted, needed to know the truth. Why did she have this young girl's name if it held such sadness in her father's heart. Why had she been named Dana-Kathleen Anna Sully? A similar version of this girl's name.

Dana left her room and went to the attic once again. She began to pull out the old photographs. She found of ones of all their children except Anna. She continued to search until she came upon a small picture that had been framed. It was of a newborn baby, Michaela, her husband Sully, and another man. She removed the picture from the frame and turned it over.

It read:Michaela, Sully, Dr. Rasmussen, and Baby Anna.

Dana couldn't believe that a family would want to keep their child a secret. Why didn't this sweet innocent baby hold so much pain for her family? Had she died at a young age? Was she diowned because of some kind of act that she committed.

Dana looked back at Alex's biography she had written, it said she had three children out of wedlock. So why didn't they disown her? Dana knew it had to have been something different. Dana carried four large photo albums back to her room. She looked through the first three and didn't find anymore of Anna. Then she came upon the forth one.

She looked through it and didn't find anymore pictures of Anna. She closed the album and began to pick up the other three when she saw a faded envelope left on her bed. She went back and sat on her bed and picked it up.

She opened the envelope and poured it's contents onto her bed. She found several pictures of Anna that had been tucked away in the binding of the old photo album. She began to look through the pictures. There were pictures of Anna at a few weeks old, and then a few at her christening, and more as she grew up, and the last one was of Anna at a year old at her first birthday party, and after that there were no more pictures.

Dana decided that she would skim through Michaela's journal for some type of answer to what she sook. She opened the journal and began to skim over each page and then turn it and repeat the process.

She found an entry that caught her attention right away. And so she began to read hoping it would give some clues or the answer to the question that she was seeking.

Oh Anna Kathleen Sully you are the most beautiful baby. Your father and I never thought after Danielle, and David we would have anymore babies. You were a miracle baby given to us by God. We hope that you will grow into a beautiful young woman that is strong and will follow your dreams. I watch you sleep in the cradle that your father originally made for your older sister Katherine. You look so much like her and your brothers and sisters. You have you daddy's hair and eyes, and that makes you the pretty's baby of all. Well it is late, and I should get some sleep. Until tomorrow my darling, may God watch and keep you safe through this night.

-Your mother, Michaela

She began to continue to skim through the rest of the journal until she found one towards the very end that finally held the answer that she sook.

Anna we have searched for you for the last six months and have not found you, Maria or Victor Kennedy. They have taken us from you and we fear that you are no longer alive. I want to hold you in my arms my sweet baby girl. Not a day goes by that I don't think or miss you. Your father and I will never forget you. You brought us so much joy the year that you were with us. But we will lay you to rest by letting go, and having a memorial for you.

Michaela

Dana held the diary to her chest. The poor girl had been kidnapped and later killed. She couldn't believe anyone could take a child and then later kill them. It was discusting to think about.

Dana soon laid down her head and fell asleep. But soon she began to dream of another time where there were no cars, or large skyscrapers. A time where life was much simpler and more satisfying.

She saw Michaela and Sully. They were putting two young children to bed. She recgonized them as the twins. Then they left the room and checked on their three older children.

Then Dana saw them go into their own bedroom. Michaela went over to a crib and looked in on a small child, that was no more than a year old. Then she saw them climb into bed and fall asleep.

Within a few hours after all was still and dark, she heard footsteps and the sound of shattering glass. Then she heard the footsteps get louder as they climbed the stairs. Then she saw a man and a woman, they found Michaela and Sully's bedroom. They slipped in quietly and the woman grabbed the young child from her crib. Then Dana saw Michaela stir and sit up.

A look of panic flashed across Michaela's face. Before she could reach to wake her husband, the man pulled out a rifle and pointed it directly at her.

Michaela spoke,"Victor, Maria please don't take my daughter. She belongs with me and her father. Please." Michaela pleaded with the two people that she knew.

"Michaela you don't get it do you, I suppose you won't." Victor told her.

"Get what?" Sully sat up and asked.

Then he saw the two people who he knew, thought he could trust holding a gun to his wife, and the other holding onto his child.

"What is going on?" Sully asked firmly.

"Neither of you will get it. You can say goodbye to your child, because she was never ment to be yours. She was a child never meant to be." Victor told Michaela and Sully.

Maria felt sorry for the couple, they would never see their little girl again, never. But she knew that this had to be done no matter what happened.

"I won't let you take MY daughter! She is not yours, she is ours, created by us, and is of our flesh and blood." Sully yelled at the couple.

"Oh you won't." Victor said and fired the rifle and shooting a bullet into Sully's arm. He flinched and grabbed at his arm.

Michaela held onto her husband, as the couple left. They were both so helpless.

Dana began to scream in horror, she woke to her father's arms around her. She looked into her father's eyes. They had a worry of panic and shock. She embraced him.

"They took her. She's dead, because of them. Oh God Dad, how can they be so cruel?"

"Who, Dana, who is dead?" Calvin Sully asked his daughter.

"Anna Sully. Victor and Maria Kennedy kidnapped and killed her. Oh God it's not fair." Dana cried as she held onto her father.

"Oh my God, it can't be true, not it can't be true!" Calvin Sully said in fright.

Dana pulled back and she looked into her father's deep blue eyes. They had pure fright and horror in them. Dana didn't know what was going on but her father was shocked by her words.

Dana looked at her father. He was acting like he was in shock. She didn't know what to or how to act. He can't saying that it could be true that is was impossible.

"Dad, what are talking about?" Dana asked finally.

"No it can't be them." Calvin said under his breath.

"Dad who can't be them? Please dad you know that you can tell me anything. I am a big girl and I can handle it." Dana told her father.

"Dana Maria Kennedy was Michaela and Sully's nanny. She was hired after the twins were born. She worked for them for two long years. They trusted her completely." Calvin told her.

"Oh my God, she must have planned... How can anyone do such a thing after caring for people for two years?" Dana said as a single tear trickled down her cheek.

"I don't know Dana. But there is more." Calvin told his daughter.

"Victor V and Linda Kennedy are Victor and Maria's great great great great granchildren, and they are my clients." Calvin told her.

"How do you know daddy?" Dana asked him.

"When they came to my office they said they recognized the last name. And they remembered that there great great great great grandparents knew mine."

"Dad why would they take Anna?" Dana asked his father.

"I don't know it could have been for many reasons. Maybe they were crazy, or irrational." Calvin told his daughter.

"Children. They probably couldn't have any children!" Dana said as the idea finally hit her.

"Dana, they would have had to have had a son, for Richard to be the fifth you would think." Calvin said.

"Well maybe this is the only time they have done this. Maybe they decieved another couple of their child or children. I have to get to the bottom of this." Dana replied determindly.

"Okay Dana, but are you sure it was Victor and Maria Kennedy who took Anna?" Calvin asked seriously.

"Dad I had a nightmare of the night they took her. I know my heart that this is the key to finding out what happened to Anna. This is something I need to do." Dana spoke to her father.

"Dana, your going on a dream you had? That changes everything. Your imagination was probably taking over on your memory, and playing with your mind." Calvin said.

"Dad, I know what I saw, and it was real. I know you might not believe me, but in my heart I know that this is the right thing to do, and I think you know that to. And I can prove it." Dana told her father.

"How can you back any of this up?" Calvin asked his daughter.

“Dad I can prove it.” Dana told her father as she got up from her bed and went over to her dresser and picked up Michaela’s journal and brought it back to the bed. She sat down, and opened the journal to the entry that she had read earlier that night.

Then she handed the journal over to her father and pointed to him to read the entry. She sat quietly as she watched her father read the journal entry to himself. It was so quiet that Michaela could have heard a pin drop.

“Oh Dana you don’t know if this is true. It could have been something delusional that Michaela had written being that she probably wasn’t in the right state of mind after her daughter had been taken from her.” Calvin pointed out.

“I can prove it. Get the keys to the truck and I’ll show you some evidence that what I am saying is not just a dream.” Dana told her father.

Dana got up from her bed and grabbed her sweatshirt and then slipped into her sneakers. Then she left her bedroom and rounded the corner and walked down the staircase and then outside to wait for her dad on the porch.

A few minutes later he emerged in a light sweatshirt, jeans, and tennies. He motioned for her to follow him to the truck. She slid into the passenger seat, and then closed the door behind her.

Calvin put the keys into the iginition and started the engine. Then he backed the truck up and he pulled out of the driveway. Dana looked back at the homestead as they drove away. She had never felt such a great feeling of love fill her heart. She knew that the love that Michaela and Sully shared was powerful, passionate, and meant to be.

Dana sat quietly as they drove. Deep inside she wanted to find the answers, but yet she was of afraid of the truth that she might find. But yet she knew that the darkest secrets had to be pulled into the light and put to rest, and she had a feeling, that it needed to be done long ago.

"Dad head for the hospital." Dana told her father quietly.

Soon her father pulled the truck into the parking lot of the hospital. Dana opened the door and got down and shut the door. She pulled her sweatshirt around her more. The night's air was very cold on her skin.

"Dana what are you looking for here?" Calvin said as they walked through the front doors of the hospital.

"Dad where are the old patient files kept?" Dana asked.

"Upstairs, in the old storage room at the end of the hall. Why?" Calvin asked as he unlocked the door to the upper floor of staircase.

"Because I am going to give you some evidence to show you that I am not imagining things. That what I am saying is valid." Dana told her father more determined.

Dana and her father walked up the staircase up to the second floor. Dana searched around the hospital second floor. She found the storage room at the end of the hall. She made and attempt to open it but it was locked.

Dana turned to her father,"Dad will you open it please?"

Calvin saw his daughters face and he knew he couldn't resist. He pulled out his keys, and found the right one, and then put it into the lock and turned it. Dana pulled back the large door.

She walked inside. It was very dark, and it an older smell to it. Her father turned on the lights. And Dana saw a small room with several filling cabinets and two large square tables with four chairs on either side of each table.

Dana began to search through the aisles of file cabinets. Her father had no idea what she was looking for.

"Dana tell me what you looking for? I can help you if you will let me." Calvin told his daughter.

"I'm looking for medical charts on Michaela, Sully, and Anna." Dana told her father as she found the cabinet that she wanted. She opened it and began to search through the files.

There were several files on Jonathan, Alex, Katie, David, Danielle Sully. She finally found Byron Sully's file way in the back. But she didn't find any for Michaela or Anna.

"Dad where would files for Michaela and Anna be located?" Dana said over the file cabinets that she could not see her father. Who was then beside her.

"Michaela's file would be under Quinn, but Anna's file should be right here." Calvin replied as he searched through the cabinet carefully and thoroughly.

But yet he could not find it. He didn't see Dana walk away and go to look for Michaela's medical file. She found the cabinet and searched through it.

Dana found Michaela's medical file. She pulled it out, and went over to one of the tables and sat down. Her father came and sat beside her with Sully's medical file in hand.

Dana took Sully's medical file from her father and opened it. She began to read until she found the evidence that she was looking for.

"Dad here, look at this date. That is the day Anna was kidnapped. See he was treated for a gun shot wound to the left arm. I saw that in my dream that Victor shot him, when he told Victor he was going to stop him from taking Anna." Dana told her father.

"I never looked at these before. But what I can't understand is where Anna's medical file is." Calvin told his daughter.

"Dad, would she have had a medical file being only a year old?" Dana asked.

"Yes she would have. When the hospital was built they began to keep files on births, with photos of each patient. So she should have a medical file, with her birthdate, weight, things important about the birth." Calvin said looking over Sully's medical file.

"Dad, look. Here on July 28th, 1879. Michaela gave birth to six pound baby girl and a six pound baby boy. Baby boy did not survive due to heart failure." Dana said to her Dad in shock.

"Dad I don't understand. I thought Michaela and Sully only had another daughter." Dana said in complete shock.

"They did. This has got to be wrong. Dana who was the doctor who wrote the information into Michaela's file?" Calvin asked Sully.

"Dr. Victor Kennedy!?! Oh my God. Dad." Dana said to her father.

"Dana something isn't right here." Calvin told his daughter.

"Dad there is no mention of their son anywhere that I have seen." Dana said.

"Come on where going to check the cemetery." Calvin told his daughter as he picked up the two medical files.

Calvin and his daughter got back in his truck and drove downtown to the old cemetery. He parked the truck and grabbed the two flashlights out of the glove compartment. He handed one to his daughter and kept the other for himself.

They began to search through the cemetery. They came across the graves of Hannah Sully, Abagail Sully, Jonathan Sully, and many other people. They finally came upon a large oak where two small graves were located. The first one was a headstone with a lamb carved on it. It said simply: Anna Kathleen Sully. Our little Angel is now with the Lord.

Beside her grave was another grave. The headstone had a cross carved on top. It read: Christopher Byron Sully. Our sweet boy lives in the Lord's house.

Dana something isn't right here." Calvin spoke finally all the while keeping his eyes on the two small graves.

"Dad, we have to find out what happened to them, to Michaela and Sully. For their sake, ours, and our history. Dad are you with me on this?" Dana asked her father.

"Yeah I am. And I think I know where we need to start." Calvin said as he kept looking at Christopher's grave.

They drove home just as the sun was coming up. Calvin parked the truck in the driveway. Then he and his daughter entered the house. Calvin went straight to the bathroom to shower and get clean clothes on. Dana went into her parents bedroom.

Her mother was still fast asleep in bed. She went over to the trunk by the end of the bed and opened it quietly. She pulled out all of the photo albums, loose pictures and documents and quietly carried them downstairs and set them on the dining room table.

She began to look through all of the family pictures. She saw the ones of her grandparents. She picked up the phone from the receiver and dialed their number.

"Hello?" her grandfather Daniel picked up the phone.

"Grandpa it's Dana." Dana spoke softly.

"Hi sweetheart. What's up?" He said in a cheerful voice.

"Grandpa I need to ask you about something?" Dana said with a serious tone.

"Okay, honey. Shoot." He told her.

"Did you ever know of a Christopher Byron Sully?" Dana said quietly not to wake her mother.

"Yes, he was the last child of Michaela and Byron Sully. He died during childbirth, from heart failure of some heart related problem. Why you so curious? I thought you wanted to study plants and nature like your hero David Sully." He said with a chuckle.

"Oh I still want to, but Grandpa, I am doing a report for my history class, and I need to know more about Anna Sully, and Christopher Sully?" Dana said trying not to cry.

"Well there isn't much to tell you. Anna died at a year old, and Chris died at birth."

"Grandpa Dad and I went to the hospital and we were looking through the old medical files, and Dad said that there should be medical files for Anna and Christopher. Do you know where they might be?" Dana asked with hope in her voice.

"Um. Yeah actually they should be located in the cabinet with all the names of children who died at a year old or younger." Daniel told his granddaughter. He knew that they had been located there because he himself had looked for them while he had been a doctor their in Colorado Spings, and had finally found them.

"Thank you Grandpa. I have to go now. I love you. Bye." Dana told her grandfather.

"Bye, sweetheart." He replied and hung up.

Dana waited for her father to get out of the shower. She heard him come down the stairs and then she saw him. He looked tired, but refreshed from his shower.

"Dad I called Grandpa Daniel, and he said the Chris and Anna's filed would be located in another file where they kept all children's deaths a year or younger located in." Dana told her father.

"Dana I am going to organize a team to dig up Chris's grave. I need to know if he is really buried there. And if he isn't I need to know what really happened." Calvin said softly.

"I understand Dad, and I believe that it is way past time that this dark secret that our family has had, should be revealed and put to rest." Dana said as her father embraced her into his arms.

Father and daughter held onto one another knew they would do what they needed to do. That they would find the truth to all these unanswered questions that had been left for so many years unanswered and hidden from all. They both knew it was time for the sun to shine again, and for their history to take on a new meaning, it's true form. And they knew that was all just beginning.

Dana watched as they slowly dug up the small grave. She felt tears trickle down her face as the small wooden coffin was being raised up from the dirt that it had been enclosed for over a hundred years.

Calvin saw his daughter, memories of his own son came flooding back all at once. He put his hands on his daughter's shoulders. He knew that she was thinking the same thing. It had been ten long years since he had died. He had only been two when he had died.

Dana looked over at the top of the coffin as it was set down on the ground. It had a message on it. She moved over and brushed the dirt off and read it to herself.

A little boy lies here. He never got to grow up, and live his life. But while he was here he was loved more than anyone in the world. Here lies Chris, our little angel, who is with God. We love you darling.

Dana could feel her knees begin to buckle from under. Then she felt her father's strong arms around her. He was her strength holding her up so that she wouldn't fall.

Her father and two other men slowly and carefully lifted the lid from the coffin. Dana's heart skipped a beat, and she braced herself for what she might see. But there was nothing but an empty coffin. Dana turned to her father.

Calvin Sully had always been such a rock. Now here he was falling to his knees and crying. He began to pray to God. Dana had no idea what he said. The sight brought back memories of when her brother Ryan had died. Her father had been there in the hospital room when he died.

She remembered him coming out of the room and then sinking to his knees in front of her. Then embracing her small body into his large arms and holding him. Then feeling his hot, salty tears on the back of her neck. It was a moment that she could never forget. Ever.

Dana went to her father, and held onto him. She knew how hard it had been for him to open the coffin, and then to find that Chris wasn't in the coffin. It was to hard for her to watch her father break down. She almost broke herself. But she knew that this time she needed to be his strength as he felt apart.

Later on in the truck her father slowly put the keys in the ignition. Dana turned to her father and put her hand on his shoulder. He turned to his daughter with tears welled up in his eyes.

"Dad, it's okay to cry. We all miss him, and it hurts sometimes, and reminds us of the horrible way he died." Dana told his as she squeezed his shoulder in support.

"Dana, it was my job to protect him. Not only as his father, but as a doctor. I was suppose to save him. I live with that guilt everyday of my life and I don't know if I could ever forgive myself. I know how Michaela and Sully felt, and the more I learn about what happened, the sadder I get. I don't think I could ever got through something like this again." He said as he drove away from the grave, as they put the coffin back into the grave and cover it again.

Dana had never heard her father speak, the way he just had. She never knew that he blamed himself for Ryan's heart defect. But it was on of those things that couldn't be helped. And Dana knew her father had to forgive himself he was going to ever truly move on in his life.

The rest of the ride home was quiet and uncomfortable. Dana watched the scenery as her father drove. Life had been hard ever since Ryan had died. But just recently things were getting better, until they began to dig into their past. Dana felt responsible for bringing back the old memories of Ryan’s death. Her mother had no idea what they had been doing the last two days. And tomorrow was Monday. That meant school, so they could only continue to search in the evening and on the weekends.

Later on that day in the afternoon, Dana sat trying to concentrate on her math homework. But all of the things they learned kept circling around in her mind. Dana felt so tired of thinking and she finally laid her head down and closed her heavy eyelids.

Dana awoke in a hospital room. She recognized it as the hospital in Colorado Springs. She walked down the corridor. She came to a door. She didn’t want to go inside, but she couldn’t control her body.

She opened the door. There on the bed was Michaela. Her face was scrunched up in pain. Sully was at her side, saying encouraging words and telling her to push. Dana then noticed Michaela’s very extended stomach.

Then she saw Michaela push. Finally a little boy was delivered into the young doctor’s arms. He put the small boy on his mother’s belly. She saw the proud parents beaming at there son. So much joy, and happiness in their faces.

Then she saw Michaela’s face bunch up in pain again. Sully took their son from her. The young doctor went to the end of the bed again.

But this time Michaela barley had any strength to push. Sully leaned over to his wife and gently kissed her forehead and said softly, “Michaela you got to push. Please our baby’s life depends on it. Please Michaela one last time.”

She saw Michaela push. Soon a little baby girl was born. The doctor cleaned up the little girl, and then handed her to her mother. Michaela cradled the little girl. Dana could see the love in Michaela and Sully’s eyes for their children.

Then she saw another older doctor walk into the room. He went to talk to the other doctor.

“Dr. Rasmussen how did the delivery go?” The older doctor asked him.

“It went well. A little boy and girl. Both very healthy Dr. Kennedy.” he replied.

Dana gasped at the name. She saw Victor move toward the little boy in his father’s arms. He stared at the little boy with joy. He smiled up to Sully.

All of a sudden Victor’s face clouded. She saw him look at the boy closer. She saw Michaela look at Sully in fear.

“Sir, May I look at your son?” Victor asked Sully.

“What’s wrong?” Sully asked in fear.

“I believe something is wrong with your son.” The doctor said as he extended his arms. Sully placed his infant son into the doctor’s ‘trusting arms’.

He checked the infant over and then listened to his heartbeat. He made a final decision. Then he walked back over to the bedside.

He returned the infant to his father’s waiting arms.

“Mr. Mrs. Sully, I believe that your son has a heart defect. I believe that he will not live through the week. I am so sorry.” Victor said to them.

“Oh God no. Poor Chris you have to be alright. You can’t die. Please be alright.” Dana said out loud.

A few hours later the nurse came into Michaela’s room.

“I’m so sorry. Your son passed away a few moments ago.” the nurse told them.

Dana turned to Michaela and Sully and walked up to them. She could feel their hearts being torn out. “He’s not dead. Don’t listen to her. Oh Please God, hear me. Your son is alive. He’s alive. Oh God!!!”

Dana woke up in her bed. Her worst fears had come true. Victor had taken Chris as well as Anna. She knew that she had to find them. Somehow she vowed right there and then before God and herself that she would right the wrongs, and change the course of history.

Dana got up off her bed. She dressed in her jeans and t-shirt. Then she put on her sandals. She grabbed her backpack, and her keys. Then she went downstairs, and opened the car door. Then she put the key in the ignition and drove off to school.

Dana didn’t want to go to school. Her mind was on overdrive. Trying to put together the pieces of the puzzle. She parked her car. Then she walked into the school to start another long week of school days.

She moved from class to class slowly. It seemed like forever when the final bell rang. She ran to her locker and put her books away, then grabbed her coat and keys and ran out the door to her car.

Dana started for home, but decided to go to the hospital for a few hours instead. She called her parents to let them know that she wouldn’t be home until later.

Dana walked down the long hallway. She stopped to look at the wall of all the pictures of everyone who had built and worked at the hospital. So much history was in the pictures.

She noticed Michaela’s picture first. With a small nameplate that said:Medical Chief, Dr. Michaela Quinn. She also noticed the names Dr. Colleen Cook, Dr. Andrew Cook, Dr. Caleb Cook, Dr. Jonathan Sully, Dr. Charlotte-Anne Cooper Dr. Daniel Sully, and Dr. Calvin Sully. All names of significance to her past. The Sullys, Cooks, and Coopers had been a great part of Colorado Springs.

Dana continued down the hall until she reached the staff records office. She opened the door and walked into the large room. Several rows of long filing cabinets were in the room with a large desk and two chairs on each side.

Dana went to the K section and began to look for any record on Victor Kennedy. Finally she found a file with the name Victor S. Kennedy on it. She sat down and opened the file. The first thing that she saw was a picture of him. He looked so sad in the face. Dana put past her feelings and began to read.

Dr. Victor Kennedy came aboard the hospital staff in 1877. He worked for three years than retired and moved back East.

Dana couldn’t believe there wasn’t anymore information. She got up and put the file back. Then she left and decided to go to the local library. She drove there in her car.

She began to look through old obituaries. She didn’t find anything. For hours she searched and still didn’t find anything until she found a mysterious title.

It Read: Local Husband and Wife Killed

On August 14th 1880, Dr. Michaela Quinn and her husband Byron Sully were traveling in the East. A gunfight supposedly occurred, and while the couple tried to stop it they were both shot and killed. Dr. Quinn and Mr. Sully are survived by their eight children: Matthew Cooper, Dr. Colleen Cook, Lt. Brian Cooper, Katherine Sully, Jonathan Sully, Alexandra Sully, David Sully, and Danielle Sully.

Dana gasped when she read the obituary. She couldn’t believe they were dead. She had to find out what the gunfight was about. If it was linked to their children’s abduction, or just a freak accident.

Dana continued to search for more obituaries until she came upon Victor Kennedy’s obituary. Dana read each word carefully to herself.

Dr. Victor Kennedy died yesterday from a massive heart attack. He was 67 years old. Dr. Kennedy was a respected physician in his community of New York City, New York. He is survived by his wife Maria Kennedy and his two children, Victor Kennedy Jr., and Margaret Ann Kennedy.

Dana quickly made copies of the two obituaries. Then got into her car and drove home to her house. Dana drove into the driveway and parked her car. Then grabbed her things and went inside the house.

Her mother was in the kitchen fixing dinner, while her father was in the living room starting a fire in the fire place. Dana walked into the living room and sat down on a chair.

“Dad I need to speak with you.” Dana said softly.

“Alright, give me a minute.” He told his daughter as he stroked the fire. Then got up and sat in the chair next to hers.

“Dad I found out that Michaela and Sully were killed in a gunfight. Here the obituary says back East, but doesn’t say where. Then I found Victor’s obituary and it says he lived in New York City and look he had two children.” Dana said as she gave him the copies that she had made.

Her father read through the articles. She watched his face for any sort of emotion. She didn’t seen any. Then he looked up at her with sad eyes.

“Dad I need to do something, and I need you to respect my decision.” Dana said quietly.

“What?” He asked her as all the color left his face.

“I need to go to New York and find all the information I can about the Kennedy's. This is something I have to do. Dad I have to make sense of all this information, and the only way I can is if I gather all the information that I can and analyze. Please dad you got to let me go.” Dana pleaded with her dad.

Calvin lowered his head. He stared at his hands for a long time. Then he looked up at his daughter’s eyes. He could see the inner struggle. The struggle to find out what happened, to make some sense of it. It was tearing her up inside, just as much as it was him inside.

Calving knew he had to make a decision. He wanted to give his daughter what she wanted, but it was so hard for him to let her go off to a new place. He was scared of what could happen in a large city.

“Alright, but promise me you’ll be careful, and you won’t take any chances?’ Calvin looked at his daughter.

“I promise dad.”

Two days later Dana was on a plane to New York. When she arrived in New York City she checked into her hotel. Then she left and began to explore the city.

She made her way to the library. The building was large. Four stories high. She walked inside. She began to look around and began to look through different books and magazines. Then she made her way and began to look through old newspaper clippings. She found the same headline.

Dana spent several hours looking answers but found none. She grabbed her bag and put on her coat and left the library.

The cold wind was felt through her bones. She pulled her coat tighter and walked. She finally made it back to her hotel room. When she got inside she called her parents and then laid down and fell asleep. More vivid dreams came to haunt her...

Michaela took looked through the mail as she closed the homestead behind her. She found a letter from Matthew. Michaela set down her bag and the rest of the mail on the table and sat down to read her son’s letter.

Dear Ma,

Things are good here. My case is almost over with and I will probably come home soon. But the other day while I was walking the streets I saw a little girl who was an exact image of Anna. I know that must sound insane, but Ma I swear it was her. She was with a an older gentleman, a woman, and a little boy of the same age of looked exactly like the little girl, blonde hair, and blue eyes. Ma I don’t know if this means anything but I thought you should know. I love you Ma. Give everyone me love.

Your Son,
Matthew

Michaela ran from the kitchen upstairs. She began to back frantically. When Sully came home she showed him the letter. They both finished packing and made arrangements for their children. Then they boarded the train and within a week they were in New York City.

Dana saw them walk through out New York City for hours. Until they came upon a man, woman, and two children. Dana recognized them as Victor and his wife with Anna and Christopher. She saw the little girl scream out to her parents.

She saw Maria pick up Anna and grab Christopher by the hand. Sully ran to get his daughter. Victor stopped him with his arms. Victor and Sully began to fight. Then Dana saw Michaela run after Maria. She stopped her. The little girl in her arms was crying reached out for Michaela.

“Maria please give me my daughter?” Michaela said pleading.

Anna kept screaming and trying to get to Michaela. Maria held onto her tighter. She looked over at her husband who was on the ground being beaten by Sully. When all of a sudden Victor pulled out a gun and shot Sully right in the side.

Dana saw Sully collapse and then Michaela scream out and run to his side. Dana screamed at the top of her lungs. She couldn’t bare to see anymore. And just when she saw the worst she saw Victor walk up to Sully point the gun at his head and fire.

“Noooooo!” Michaela screamed as she held onto her husband’s limp body.

Dana ran and put herself in front of Michaela’s body. But Victor shot right through her to Michaela. Dana saw Michaela go limp and lay beside her husband. Dana screamed. She wanted the horror to stop. She couldn’t make it stop. Dana curled up into a ball and cried. She cried for all the pain and suffering that would not stop.

Dana woke up to her piercing, horrifying screams. Her whole body felt numb to her. The horrifying scenes from her nightmare still haunting her even while she was awake. She couldn’t get the look of desperation on Michaela’s face out of her mind.

She couldn’t stand to be alone in her hotel room anymore. She grabbed her jacket and shoes and left her room. She left the hotel and began to walk. Walk anywhere her feet would take her.

She walked and walked until her feet hurt. She found a small church and went inside. As she walked down the aisle, there before her was Jesus on the cross. She could see the pain on his face. He died for all the world‘s sins, so that the human race could go to heaven.

Dana kneeled before him. She bowed her head and folded her hands. She prayed for the horrifying images in her mind to go away. For her to be able to make things right again in the world.

“God I know I haven’t always done things right. But I have tried and done the best that I could. These dreams must mean something. Some kind of journey you have sent me on. But God I can’t find the answers I seek. I am stumbling through the dark without a light and I am begging you show me the way, and I will do what ever it takes to change the way things have become.” Dana prayed as she cried.

Dana looked up at God’s son once more, and the answer that she had been seeking was finally given to her. Then she knew what had to be done. She sat down in one of the pews. She looked at the alter. God’s word and love filled the church, but did not fill her heart.

All the horror seemed to resurface, and she could feel her family’s pain. The pain from the loss of Anna, Christopher, and even her own brother. The pain was enough to make a person go insane. But Dana knew she had to go on.

Dana made her way back to the hotel room that night. She fell into a deep less sleep. One like she never had before. One that would forever change her life in so many ways. Dana knew she was on a journey to reverse the past that drug up to many memories. All the memories that were haunting her. All mistakes of her ancestors being made again and again. She knew something had upset the balance and it had to put right if her parents, Michaela and Sully would be able to live in a world without pain.

Dana awoke the next morning. But she wasn’t in New York. She was back home, but it was a different time. Dana saw her backpack on the ground. She picked it up. She looked around her room, but it was different. There was a little girl’s bed, and a small white dresser in the corner with a doll house where her desk had been, and dolls covered the room.

Dana pulled on her shoes and ran down the stairs. The living room was totally different. The coach and love seat were gone. Two wingback chairs were near the fireplace. And a large wolf lay before the fireplace on the rug. Dana gasped as she saw Michaela in the kitchen cooking. She looked so happy without a care in the world.

Dana was struck down by her beauty. Michaela turned and saw Dana. Their eyes met and for a long time, even though they were strangers a certain firmiliarness seemed to come over the two women.

“Who are you?” Michaela finally said. “I’m your great great great great granddaughter.” Dana said as Michaela looked pale.

“Look I don’t know who you are but you can’t be, that is impossible. My children don’t even have any children of their own.” Michaela said.

“I know that this doesn’t make any sense. But you have to listen to me. I am part of you and I think you can feel that you know me and you can trust me. And you can. But please you have to listen to me.” Dana said as her tears began to fall.

Sully walked into the house, and saw the stranger on the stairs. He pulled out his tomahawk. He looked at the girl. She had long fair brown hair. Her blue eyes were like a mirror of his son John’s. He didn’t know who she was, but yet he did deep down inside.

“Who are you?” Sully said as he saw her with tears dripping down her face.

“I am your blood.” Dana said.

“That’s impossible. All my family is dead, except me, and my wife, and children there is no one else.” Sully said in defense.

“I know you don’t believe me, but your twins lives depend on what I have to say. And because of it my little brother died, and I need to change that. I need to change all of this. I don’t care if you believe me when I say I am your family. But you have got to listen to what I have to say about your future. If you don’t you will lose your twins, and I will lose my brother, and I won’t let that happen again. I can’t.” Dana cried out hysterically.

Dana felt like she was going to faint. She walked down the rest of the stairs. Sully looked at her, and he knew she looked pale. Dana felt her knees collapse, and the world went dark. Sully ran and caught her before she hit the floor.

Dana awoke to darkness. She looked around and found herself lying in a large bed. She sat up. Michaela was sitting in chair at the foot of the bed asleep. Dana didn’t know what to do. She just sat and looked at Michaela. Her long brown hair, hanging over her shoulders. Her soft skin so smooth, and lighted by the light of the fire. Dana thought she was absolutely gorgeous.

Dana saw the door open. Sully walked in. He looked over at his wife first. Then he turned and looked directly at Dana. Sully went to the side of the bed and sat down on the edge of the bed. Dana felt her heart in her throat. She didn’t know what he was thinking.

“What’s your name?” Sully asked softly.

“My name is Dana-Kathleen Anna Sully.” Dana said proudly.

“That’s not possible.” Sully replied.

“I know you don’t believe me. But you need to listen to what I have to say.” Dana said once again.

“Alright.” Sully finally said after a minute.

“You are going to have two more children, Anna Kathleen Sully, and Christopher Byron Sully. You will hire a nanny, or maybe you already have. Her name is Maria Kennedy. The night your children are born her husband Dr. Victor Kennedy will be a part of the staff at the hospital. He’ll tell you that your son dies that night. But it’s not true. They take him. Then Maria quits and a year later, they kidnap your little girl Anna in the middle of the night.” Dana spoke.

Sully looked at her sad blue eyes. He found her words hard to believe. But yet he saw himself inside of her. The pain he saw she was dealing with was the same pain he had dealt with for so long after he lost his parents, his brother, then his daughter, and wife. He saw a young girl struggling with inner demons. Then he knew that what she said was the truth.

“I believe you Dana, I believe you.” Sully said sadly.

“Why do you believe me?” Dana said.

“Because I see myself inside of you. I see your pain, tearing you up inside. I know that pain, I have faced it. And I have beaten it, and you can too.” Sully replied.

“I have seen such horrible things in the last few months. Things that would make a person go insane. I have been so lost and confused at what I was supposed to do. But now I know, it seems deep down inside I have always known.” Dana spoke quietly as she lowered her head.

“What did you see?” Sully asked softly.

“I saw Victor take your son, and then tell you that he was dead. Then I saw him break in and kidnap your daughter. Then after you thought they were both dead, but later you learned that they weren't. You went after them, and a blood bath happen. So much death, and pain. It is just too much to bare.” Dana said as her hands went up to her face and she wept.

Sully pulled Dana close into his embrace. He knew this young girl had lost her way, and they had to help her find her path again. He knew that it wouldn’t be easy but he was willing to try.

Dana leaned on Sully’s chest. She felt warm and secure for the first time in weeks. She felt like things could get better. Dana felt a heavy darkness pulling on her heart. She knew that she would have to sacrifice something great if she was going to change the pain that had been caused to Michaela and Sully.

Later that night as Dana lay in bed awake. She heard a soft whisper from the wind. She looked over at the window. The curtains were blowing even though the window was closed. Dana felt a chilling coldness go up and down her spine. She turned and saw a ghostly figure that made her turn ghostly pale and scream.

“Dana, don’t be afraid. It’s Anna. I have come to tell you, that this is the last leg of your journey. That you have to change this past, if you want a different future. Dana you have little time left, you have to change it.” Anna spoke so softly.

“I don’t know how to change it. I don’t know how to make it right. How do you change something so huge, that causes so much pain in life. And why me? Why not someone else, who knows more, who knows how to change it.” Dana replied.

“Because Dana you are the one who can bring the family together, after it has been torn apart. You were given this journey, and you must see it through. In order to change the past, you have to give a self sacrifice. A self sacrifice that will show that you are willing to change it no matter what. Look inside yourself Dana, you are more than what you think you are. You have the strength, courage, and the power to do this.” Anna spoke through wisdom.

“But what if I can’t do it? What if I can’t find the answer in time? What happens then?” Dana cried out.

“Then all that happened will happen, and you won’t be able to change it. This is your only chance. Dana if you believe you can achieve. You have the strength, you just have to believe in yourself.” Anna spoke.

Dana looked down at the bed, then she felt a gust of wind. She looked up and the spirit was gone. Dana felt like she was going to break. Her family’s entire past, present and future was on her shoulders. If she failed Anna, Christopher, and Ryan would all parish, and she would feel it was her fault. She laid down on the bed and cried. She cried for all of her sadness, pain, and the fear that was growing inside of her.

Dana awoke the next morning. She felt no closer to the answers than she had the night before. She got up and stretched. Dana looked at the photographs for the first time. There was one of Michaela and Sully’s wedding day. Another of Michaela, Sully, Matthew, Colleen, and Brian. As well as one current with the twins David and Danielle.

Dana got up from the bed and walked downstairs. Michaela was in the kitchen preparing breakfast. While the twins were in their cradles in the living room. She saw Katie and John playing on the floor next to the fire. While Alex was seated in a high chair playing with her father’s beads.

Michaela noticed Dana standing by the staircase watching the children with a slight smile on her face. Michaela felt a change in the young girl’s demeanor since the first time she has seen her. She looked happy.

“Dana why don’t you take a seat here at the table. Breakfast will be ready in just a few minutes. I hope your hungry.” Michaela gave Dana a warm smile.

“Yes, I am starved!!” Dana said without thinking.

“I beg your pardon?” Michaela gave a confused look.

“I’m sorry Dr. Quinn, that’s an expression that people in my culture use. But it doesn’t mean we are actually starving.” Dana replied with a chuckle, but stopped after Michaela did not see the humor in the expression.

“You may call me Michaela.” She replied.

“Alright.” Dana said quietly.

Dana sat and ate quietly while the rest of the family kept eyeing her. She felt like she was an intruder. She knew that these people were her family, but yet they weren’t. They were strangers to her as she was to them. She felt a deep sensation of fear beginning to rise upon her. What ever she did would affect all of her family’s future. She felt that she was setting herself up to fail.

Dana spent the day at the homestead alone. The Sully family had gone into town. The homestead was so different as she looked upon it. It was more homey. It had the touch that her parents were lacking. Her father spent his days engulfed in his work, avoiding his wife and daughter and the pain from the loss of Ryan. Her mother spent her days at her office. Dana was often left alone, so she was used to it.

Her family had been a mess since before she could remember. Her dad had started to drink only a few months after her brother died. He eventually got his habit under control, but then he replaced it with working all the time. Dana didn’t want to go back to an empty house. She didn’t want to face the loneliness anymore. She wanted to bring her family back together again. To be a real family as they once had been when Ryan was alive.

Dana fell into a deep sleep in the afternoon. She began to dream of a time when her brother was alive. She could see his handsome face watching her. He was running in an open field as she chased him. Then all of a sudden a man in a dark suit grabbed it. Then he turned to face Dana. Dana was horrified as it was Victor Kennedy. Then he pulled out a small gun and he fired it. Dana felt the pain in her chest. She screamed as loud as she could. She fell to the ground, but then she saw Victor running with Ryan. Dana picked herself up and ran after him. She screamed for him to stop and he did.

“Take me instead. Please. Let my little brother go. I will give you anything just don’t take him.” Dana pleaded with him.

“You have to give a self sacrifice without any gain to yourself.” Victor replied.

“I will do anything just let him go please.” Dana cried.

“It’s your life for his.” Victor said as Ryan ran to his parents as he let go of him.

Victor then grabbed his gun and he shot three times. Dana’s whole past, present and future flashed before her eyes. She saw Michaela and Sully get married. She saw them have their seven children, and she watched them grow up and get married and have children of their own. She saw her mother and father be born. She saw them grow up, get married, and then she saw her own birth, and then her little brothers. She saw a happy family. She saw her brother grow up into an adult. She whispered goodbye as she saw the three bullets coming toward her, and then she felt them enter her body, and she fell to the ground.

Dana felt herself flying in the air. She had overcome her greatest fear, and had given her life so that so many other could live. But yet she felt herself going back to the past. She was back in the hospital the moment when her father had told her Ryan was dead, but she heard him say that Ryan was going to be alright.

Dana was a little girl again. God had given them as a family to relive the past as a happy family which included her younger brother Ryan who had been a second chance to live. She could feel that Michaela and Sully had been allowed to raise Anna and Chris as their own children and she could feel that they were truly happy.

Dana knew she had to give her life at that moment, even though she felt fear. She knew that the past wasn’t always carved in stone, and could be changed if was meant to be changed, and God allowed it. She was lucky she was allowed to change a past that had not meant to be and thus created a future not meant to be. But now all was at rest as it should be. Dana could feel the love that Michaela and Sully shared. A love that had created a legacy beyond blood, beyond law. A legacy that continued on as did their love, that was destined to live forever.

The End

© September 2003-February 2004, by Megan J.P. and Aislinn E. Porter