The next morning was a busy one for the family. Michaela arose early to help Matthew prepare a surprise picnic lunch for him and Ingrid.


Brian would be dropped off at Loren's. He was helping him move some stock and clean up. Loren was good to let Brian help and he paid him well.


Michaela and Colleen were bound for the clinic. Many boxes with new medical supplies still hadn't been put away. With the arrival of Catherine, they had been pushed aside.


It had been a restless night of sleep for Michaela but work was the only thing on her mind right now. It was what she needed to do and would help take her mind off things. Things that she knew she would eventually have to face but for now she was too afraid to face them. Too uncertain. Tomorrow she would face them.


Tomorrow she would face Sully once again. But for today time was still what she needed and her time today would be spent at the clinic.


"Colleen would you put all the bottles from this box on the second shelf right over...there." Michaela asked a tired Colleen.


"Okay Ma. But I thought you wanted the new bandages put on that shelf?" Colleen retorted.


"Oh yes. I guess I did. Oh dear where are we going to put all this stuff?" Michaela inquired as she stood with hands on hips in the middle of the floor.


Sweat was now starting to roll down her face. They had been working at a fast pace for hours and Colleen was beginning to tire.


"Maybe it's time we took a break Ma. It's almost three o'clock and I'm getting a little hungry aren't you?" Colleen tilted her head and eyed Michaela.


"Three! Oh Colleen. Have we been here that long? I'm sorry. I just got so wrapped up in this mess. Yes, of course. you go on over to the Cafe and get something to eat. I'll stay and see if I can finish up." Michaela replied now concerned that she had overworked her poor daughter.


"But Ma don't you wanna come with me? I think you should have a rest and get something to eat as well." Colleen asked.


"To tell you the truth Colleen, I'm not really hungry and I would like to get this mess cleared away. Maybe you could just bring me back something when you finished. A piece of Grace's apple pie would do me just fine," Michaela answered.


"Okay if you're sure but I wish you would sit down and take a rest. You've been working too hard and you look tired," said Colleen with genuine concern in her voice.


"I'm sure and I will sit for a while. I promise! Now go! Before I change my mind and have you scrub the instruments again," Michaela joked. Colleen was reluctant to leave her Ma alone but she knew better than to push her any further and besides hunger had got the better of her. Lifting her cape from the hook by the clinic door she turned and said "I won't be long and I'll help you finish up here for today when I get back," and then she was gone.


Michaela stood once more in the center of the room, hands on her hips looking over the stacks of boxes still full. At this moment she really didn't care any more if they ever got put away. She just didn't care. 'Let them lay where they be', she thought to herself. 'I have had enough'. She turned and slowly sauntered over to her desk. There she pulled out the chair, sat down in it and proceeded to put her head in her hands down on the desk. 'Why was everything in her life in such a mess right now?' Her clinic, her life. It all suddenly became too overwhelming. She had tried to fight off the bouts of depression that kept creeping into her but she finally had to give in and began to sob uncontrollably.


It felt good to be alone. Alone to cry and get some release from the pressure that had been building up in her head. She had fought the urge all day to let go and cry. Not wanting Colleen to see her weak and vulnerable. But it felt good. Darn good to once again feel sorry for herself.


But after trying hard all day to hide her feelings and her tears, they would not go unnoticed. Sully had watched as Colleen had left the clinic, heading for the Cafe. He hesitated before deciding what to do. He couldn't stop this urge he had to go to her. To comfort her. But he remembered their parting words. Michaela had looked at him with those sad, tearful eyes, "I just...I can't be with you right now," she had said. To which he had replied "If you change your mind, I'll always be there," and after their final embrace, he stole away looking back at her devastated face.


That look on her face had stayed etched in his mind. He couldn't bear to see it ever again. Oh how he had hoped and prayed as he walked away that she would change her mind and come running to him with arms open. But she stayed steadfast on the spot he left her in until she finally turned and walked sadly away. If only he could turn back the hands of time to the way it was before Catherine had come into their lives.


He couldn't express his feelings the way Michaela could. He only knew that he did love her and it had taken all the courage he could build up to tell her so. But Catherine had made him see something in himself that he didn't know was there. Surely he knew his own mind but there were moments that he seemed to lose control. This bothered him deeply.


Catherine and Michaela were so much alike but still so very different. Both of them looked to him for reassurance, comfort and for love but in different ways. Catherine openly needed his help. There was no denying that but with Michaela she never asked for it and that was a challenge. It was one of the things he most loved about Michaela, the challenge made her a very exciting woman to be with. Catherine was more like a child needing a parent but Michaela on the other hand was a woman, needing a man. He wanted to be that very man and would move heaven and earth to do so. He cautiously opened the door to the clinic but it was hard for him today.


Why, when he had opened this very door so many times was it so difficult to open today? What was he afraid of? Rejection? In the past he had expected to see her sitting at her desk reading one of her journals or standing over the examination table caring for one of her patients. But today he had no idea what was waiting for him behind the closed door. As he slowly pushed the door open he stood silent, listening to the sobbing Michaela. His heart sank. He knew all too well that he was the cause of her tears and his heart told him to rush in to her, comfort her. But his head told him to take it slowly.' Be careful Byron Sully. Enough damage has been caused and this is the woman you love. 'Upon hearing the door open, Michaela's head shot up.


"Sully!," she cried. Time stood still. Seconds, minutes...neither knew how long they stared at each other and neither knowing exactly what to say. Both hoping the other would speak up first. With all the strength and will left in him, Sully chose to be the first one to speak. Looking around the clinic at the stacks of unemptied boxes he said, "Looks like you need some help?"


Michaela had waited long to hear the sound of his voice. She had hoped the words he spoke would be those of love and compassion. But 'Need some help' was not what she had expected. She then remembered her own words to Dorothy while she had discussed the matter of Catherine with her good friend, "Pure, Simple, True. I can't stop expecting things to be the way I had imagined them." What had she meant by that? Imagined? Had she imagined herself in some fairy tale and Sully was her Prince Charming? Pure. Simple. True. He would just whisk her off on his white horse and they would live happily ever after. But real life was not a fairytale. Reality could be cruel. Goodness knows she had discovered that herself upon her arrival in Colorado Springs. And now she expected the rest of her life to be perfect? Sully to be perfect? But Sully was perfect. He was pure and kind. He was simple and easy going and he was true in heart. He had never lied to her before and she knew that he had not lied to her now. Not about Catherine. He did not love Catherine he loved her, Michaela Quinn and for that she should be thankful.


"Michaela?" Sully said as he drew closer to her. Time had finally run out on her. She had to make a move one way or the other. Follow her heart or follow her fairy tale dreams. It was all up to her now and the time had run out.