Michaela got up from her chair and pushed it aside. Never before had she felt this overwhelming feeling of need. Her movements after that were quick. Her heart had won out. She dashed towards Sully nearly taking down a stack of boxes on her way. No matter was paid to them. All she could see before her was the open arms of Sully awaiting her arrival. He had responded as she had hoped and the leap into the comfort of his awaiting arms was as it had been upon her return from Boston. Her hold on him became so intense she feared that he would stop breathing but she could not let go. She held on to him, afraid that if she let go, he would be gone. 'I couldn't bear to watch him walk away from me again,' she thought.


At this moment the only sound that could be heard was that of the clock, ticking away as it had always done. Unable to compose herself and not wanting Sully to see up close her red, swollen eyes and tear stained cheeks, Michaela kept her face buried in his chest. This was pure, simple and true. She was right where she wanted to be, right now and for the rest of her life. It never felt so right as it did now, in the arms of the man she so dearly loved.


They both started to speak at the same time and after realizing that nothing was making any sense, they stopped and stared into each other's eyes. Sully began to giggle followed by her own giggles of joy. Both knew at this time that mere words would be awkward but there were words that needed to be spoken. Thoughts that needed to be heard. But at this moment, as if reading each other’s minds, they drew close again and this time the embrace was followed by a long, passionate kiss.


Moans of joy escaped them both. This was step one in the healing process and step two would just have to wait.


"Sully I am sorry. I acted like a foolish child. Can you ever forgive me?" Michaela finally mounted the courage to speak.


Sully's reaction was to place two fingers gently over her lips. "You don't have to say you're sorry. I am the one who is sorry. Sorry that I didn't tell Catherine about 'us' right from the start."


"But Sully you had no idea that Catherine was falling in love with you," Michaela pleaded.


"I shoulda' sensed somethin’. I coulda' stopped it but I felt sorry for her Michaela. I didn't want to hurt her. She'd already lost so much," Sully replied.


"I know Sully. I felt sorry for her too. But neither of us saw it coming and certainly I should have. After all I am a woman and we are supposed to know about these things. When I look back now, I saw that look in her eyes when you gave her the Indian dress to put on and then when she asked you to stay the night with her, well I had a feeling that something wasn't right but I couldn't stop feeling sorry for her and wanting to help her all I could. It must be the doctor in me. Clearly she was bonding with you then and I can't believe I missed that," Michaela sighed.


"Michaela, there's no one to blame here. What happened, happened. Now what we gotta do is deal with how you and me feel about it. Catherine is gone but we are here, now!" Sully replied.


Sully was right. Catherine was gone and nothing could change what had happened. But they could change how they felt about it. They needed to talk. She still needed to tell him why she was so hurt and why she acted the way she did.


Insecurity? Jealousy? She still hadn't quite figured that out but she would do her best to try to make him understand and at the same time hoping that she could understand it as well.


Colleen had placed the pie plate on the bench outside the clinic door. Not wanting to disturb the conversation going on inside, she headed over to the Mercantile to find Brian.


"Yes, I said. He's at the clinic with Ma right now Brian," Colleen grinned as she gave her brother the news. This was a relief to the children. The three of them had talked while Michaela was out doing her rounds. They would do anything in their power to get those two people, who were their family now, back together and it looked like the first step to recovery had already been taken.


"Are they fightin'?" Brian asked.


"Nope. sounds to me like...well....they were maybe...kissin!" Colleen was overjoyed but Brian suddenly screamed..."Yippee!!"


"I know they love each other and Ma promised me that Sully would come back to us," Brian retorted.


"Well it isn't over yet Brian," added Colleen. "In fact I think it's our turn to help things along a little more. I got an idea."


Brian could tell from the look on her face that she was up to something and once she had her mind set, there was no stopping her. But at this point he would agree to anything as long as Sully and his Ma were safely back together.


Just at this point Matthew and Ingrid entered the store. They looked happy and so much in love and it had appeared that their picnic was a success.


"What's up with you two?' Matthew asked his siblings, seeing that they were obviously excited about something. "Sully's over at the clinic with Ma and Colleen saw them kissin!" an eager Brian answered.


"That right?" Matthew asked, turning to grin at Colleen. "Well I didn't actually see them kissing Brian. I think they were but I didn't want to interrupt them so I didn't actually see what they were doing. But it sure sounded like the noise people make...well..Matthew help me here, please?" Colleen replied.


"What she's sayin' little brother is that Ma and Sully were...you know...gettin' close and that's good," answered Matthew, not quite sure how to explain 'kissin' sounds to Brian.


"Matthew, I want to do something special for them. I think I have an idea especially seein' you and Ingrid now. You look like you had a good time on your picnic and you got to spend the whole day together, alone!" Colleen said.


"It was a wonderful day," Ingrid added. "I think Dr. Mike and Sully need to have a day just like Matthew and I did."


"I agree," Matthew said as he smiled and took Ingrid's hand. "So what's the plan?"