Becky knocked on the clinic door, her laptop under her arm. A parade of dead or missing characters were lined up behind her anxiously waiting and talking amongst themselves.

"Dr. Mike," she called. No answer.

She opened the door to find Michaela tied to the examination table with bandages. Sully turned around guiltily and pulled up his buckskins.

"Mike! Get down off that table," Becky ordered. "I never, ever wrote any sex scenes that involved Michaela's examination table, or bondage either. I'm not that bad."

"Sorry," Michaela said. "We got a little carried away."

Sully untied Michaela and they brushed themselves off somewhat self-consciously.

"You two have way too much great sex for a couple married this long. Count yourselves lucky," Becky added.

"Yes, ma'am," Sully said.

"What are you doing here?" Michaela asked. "Shouldn’t you be busy killing somebody else off?"

"Shut it, Michaela," she replied. "It's for the drama. And you know you like it, you Emmy whore. I brought some visitors."

"Is it more patients because I've cured the entire town twice between your stories and the series," she said. "I would take an early retirement if that existed back then."

"No, but I think it's some people you'd like to see again. Colleen?"

"Oh, almost forgot about her," Michaela remarked.

Colleen walked in prissily, wearing a hat and gown far too expensive for her salary.

"Where the heck have you been?" Sully asked.

"Working for the queen."

"That is the lamest excuse ever," he said.

"Yeah, I know, it is kinda lame. I think Beth Sullivan actually wrote that one. Really lost her touch. Sad," she admitted. She glanced at Becky. "So what's up with me anyway?"

Becky bit her lip uncomfortably. "Well, a character assassination."

"Assassination? Like Lincoln?" Michaela said.

"Well, kinda," Becky replied. "See, you were cool when you were Erika Flores. I was down with that. But then Jessica Bowman came in and suddenly Colleen was all prissy and annoying and talking back to Mike."

"The talking back, I hated that. And I was always apologizing!" Michaela exclaimed.

"And then you had to go and marry Andrew and it was just all weird and I'm sorry but frankly I couldn't stand you anymore," Becky went on.

Andrew suddenly opened the back door. "Speaking of which, all I ever do is give Michaela pelvic exams!" he cried, holding a speculum in one hand. "I'm beginning to become more familiar with her vagina than Sully is!"

"I doubt it," Sully said.

"Where did you come from?" Becky asked. "You're not in this scene. Mike doesn't need a pelvic right now."

"Yeah, I'm good," Michaela said, flashing him a thumbs up sign.

"Right, whatever," he said bitterly, slamming the door.

"Anyway, sorry Colleen but I didn't know what to do with you," Becky said. "So I sent you to the black hole."

"If it's any consolation we barely notice you're gone," Michaela remarked.

"Gee, thanks a lot, Ma," Colleen said. "I have to get back to the Queen. At least someone appreciates me."

"Well, moving on then," Becky said. ""All right, Mike. This next character might be a bit painful to see again. Brace yourselves."

A blond little boy about four years old bounded into the room. He had Sully's gorgeous blue eyes and Michaela's wide smile.

"Oh, I know who this is," Michaela said emotively. "Sully, this has to be Jack."

Michaela and Sully held out their arms and the little boy ran to them.

"Hey, Ma, Pa. Long time no see," the little boy said.

"Yeah, you're telling me," Michaela said.

"Okay, I admit it, I felt really bad killing him off," Becky said. "And the readers' reaction wasn't exactly warm and welcoming. They were more attached to Jack than I realized."

"You promised me no more babies after Jack," Michaela said angrily, glancing at Becky. "Eliza nearly ripped me a new one coming out, and she's not half as cute as Jack!"

"I know, but remember, it's all in the name of drama."

"Well, have me invent the epidural in the name of drama then," she retorted. "I'm smart enough."

"You always have to rub that in. You're the smart one and I'm the stupid one, we get it," Sully said.

"Stop being such a big baby, Sully," Michaela said. "Whine, whine, whine. Complain, complain, complain." Michaela stroked back Jack's hair. "Oh, Jack. Look how big you are. Think how many cute lines you could have had if only you had lived! What are you up to these days?"

"Busy!" he replied. "I made a couple independent films, then I got a gig on a reality show, Kid Nation. And I bought a great condo in Palisades. Turns out I'm kinda glad I got killed, it freed me up to do a lot of other projects I've really wanted to do."

"Reality show?" Michaela said. "What's that?"

"You don't want to know," Becky said.

"Kid Nation? Is that anything like the Cheyenne nation?" Sully asked.

"You're so obsessed with Indians," Michaela muttered.

"Forty unsupervised kids and Les Moonves at the helm. It's great," Jack said.

"Well, he probably wouldn't learn anything more there than he would have with Miss Teresa anyway," Michaela remarked. "Lord, what a bitch."

"Yeah, she kinda is. But you need a nemesis," Becky said. "Plus she brings token diversity to my stories. I always like to include everyone."

"Fair enough," Sully said.

"And you, Mr. Diplomat. You are always defending her," Michaela said, looking at Sully. "I'm beginning to think you have a thing for Mexicans."

"No, just independent women," he said.

Byron suddenly popped up from behind Michaela's desk. "Hey, Jack!"

"Oh, what's up, Byron?" Jack replied.

"Dang, you could have made such a good first baseman if only you lived!" Byron said regretfully.

"Byron, what are doing?" Michaela asked.

"Hiding."

"Hiding from what?"

"Half the characters always die in these stories, I don't want to be next."

"Oh, good point. Stay where you are."

He crouched back down behind the desk.

"Just so you know I would never kill you, Byron," Becky called. "I love you way too much."

"Don't trust her!" Jack said.

"But you will give him glasses, asthma and a learning disability," Michaela said.

"And gimpy leg from the bear attack. Don't forget that!" Byron cried.

"Next thing you know he'll need braces, too," Sully added.

Becky shrugged. "What? He's cute with his little glasses and asthma and learning disability."

"And gimpy leg!" Byron said.

"Well, yes, he is rather sweet," Michaela said with a smile.

"He is so your favorite," Sully said, glancing at his wife. "You are so obvious."

"He is not my favorite," Michaela said. "I love all our children equally, Sully."

"Bullshit," he coughed.

"Hey, now, if you start fighting too much I'll have to write you a make-up sex scene," Becky said.

"Exactly," Sully said.

"You have the libido of a teenager," Michaela accused. "My pre-menopausal self can barely keep up."

"Pre-menopausal?" Sully blurted. "That's rich."

"What? I am! I'm like only forty-four I think. Thankfully Becky usually glosses over any birthdays I may have had. I'm still quite young and fertile actually."

"Yeah, and I work full time," he replied.

"And you were so understanding about all this before," she said.

"Duh, I wanted sex of course."

"So that's the only reason you're so kind and considerate and in tune with me?" Michaela said. "Because you're just hoping to get some?"

"Pretty much," Sully said.

"At least he's honest," Becky remarked.

"Honesty is so overrated," Michaela replied.

Horace knocked on the door and walked in. "Telegram for you, Becky," he said.

She took the paper. "Thank you, Horace, but I prefer my Blackberry."

"Oh, right. Hey, how come the only thing I ever get to do is deliver telegrams?"

"I'm sorry, Horace. But you're just not very…interesting," Becky admitted.

"I kind of have to agree," Michaela said.

"Yeah, sorry, Horace," Sully added.

"Oh," he replied. "Well, see you around town."

"Bye," Becky said.

"I'm here for my appointment," Faye said as she walked in holding Kirk's hand.

"Not now, Faye. We're kinda in the middle of something," Becky said.

"Oh, it's you," she replied. "Explain to me why every other woman in this town has an MBA from the Wharton School and I went to clown college."

"This town needed a country bumpkin couple," Becky explained. "You know, statistically, most young couples in the nineteenth century were actually more like you two."

"See, I told you, honey," Kirk said. "We're actually pretty realistic for the times, darlin'."

"Shut up, sweetheart," Faye said.

"How come you never call me sweetheart or honey?" Michaela demanded, crossing her arms and glancing at Sully. "Kirk and Faye are so cute."

"Cute? Sully is not cute," Sully said. "He's rugged and handsome. Thank you, Becky, for preserving that."

"No problem."

"Rugged, handsome, and dirty. Your fingernails are always disgusting," Michaela said.

"It's from all my hard physical labor to support my family. I'm a man's man."

"It is kinda hot, Michaela," Becky said.

"Yeah, he's dreamy," Faye said.

"He's a little too old for you," Becky said.

"Look who's talking!" she replied.

"All right, Kirk and Faye need to go now because I have one more character who really wants to see you, Michaela. Sorry, you have to go too, Jack."

"Goodbye, Jack. I still wish you hadn't died!" Michaela said.

"See ya, Ma! Don't cry for me!" he replied as he walked outside after Kirk and Faye.

"Cal?" Becky called.

"No, you brought Cal!" Michaela exclaimed.

Cal walked in with a big smile and Michaela ran to him, throwing herself into his arms. "Oh, Cal! Good grief, you got even handsomer."

"You sure look happy to see him," Sully said.

Michaela pulled back. "What? I haven't seen him in four years and you're so insecure you won't even let me speak his name."

Sully pointed his finger at Cal.. "You. The man who dared get in our holy marriage bed."

"Take it easy, Sully. I was invited."

"I had to bleach those sheets four times because of you," Sully said.

Becky held up her hands. "Sully, now leave Cal alone. He's not staying long."

Cal glanced at the bassinet where Eliza was sleeping. "Now who is this?"

"This is Eliza," Michaela said proudly. "Our new baby girl."

"She's cute, Michaela. What a nice way to round out the family."

Michaela grimaced. "Yeah, she better be. I'd rather pull my bottom lip up over my head than have to go through Becky's idea of natural childbirth again."

"Here, here," Sully said.

"Oh, what did you do besides sit there like a bump on a log and watch like it was a day at the movies?" Michaela retorted.

"What? I supported you. That was hard, too, you know," he replied. "I was the one who had to tell you just say no to drugs, remember?"

"Oh, right. You poor thing," she muttered.

"Huh. She's got dark hair just like me," Cal remarked.

"You're right, she does," Michaela said.

Sully glared at Cal. "Fascinating. So, what have you been up to lately? Besides stealing other people's wives."

"I got a gig on Pirate Master. It's this super original sort of Survivor meets Johnny Depp thing from the friendly folks at CBS. What about you guys?"

"I'm on Dancing with the Stars," Michaela said.

"I'm in the audience of Dancing with the Stars," Sully said.

"Oh, right, I heard," he said somewhat bitterly. "ABC, right? Guess you're one up on me."

"Yeah, guess she is," Sully said smugly.

"Well, you owe it to me I'd say," Cal replied.

"How do you figure?" Sully demanded.

"I taught her to dance again, remember? Heck, the story was even called A Time to DANCE. I'm sort of like the Tony Dovonali of the 19th century the way I had her reeling out there. And she was all over me, too."

Sully looked even angrier.

"Oh, I suppose I do owe it to you," Michaela remarked. "Among other things."

"What do you mean among other things?" Sully demanded.

"Um, nothing," Michaela said.

Sully glared at Cal. "And I suppose you registered ten different phone numbers to vote for her. Stalker."

"And I suppose you still think telephones are stupid," Cal said.

"I never said they were stupid. Just impractical," Sully said.

"Well, no matter, you never held down a job for more than two months anyway to be able to afford one," Cal said. "You go whole stories without ever working. Good thing Michaela still has the clinic to support you."

"Not for long," Becky muttered.

"What do you mean?" Michaela asked.

"Nevermind," Becky quickly said.

"That's it," Sully said, lunging at him.

"Boys, boys, boys," Becky said, grabbing Sully's arm and pulling him back. "Sully, you should be serving ten to twenty years in jail for aggravated assault the way you always punch everybody's lights out. Take it easy. Maybe it's time you go, Cal."

"Yeah, maybe I better. It's back to the black hole for me."

"I hope sex in the black hole is as great as it was for us here in Colorado," Michaela said.

"See, this is why I hate talking about him. I keep picturing you two having sex," Sully griped.

"Well, sex with Cal was good, what can I say?" Michaela said. "He was so, I don't know, creative."

"I just threw up a little in my mouth," he replied.

"Hey, at least we never had a baby together."

"Let's hope not. I've always kind of wondered about Jack."

"No, don't be silly, he looks just like you," Michaela said. "Sully, you and I are both so beautiful we owe a duty to society to mix our good genes together and repopulate the earth, and I take that seriously."

He smiled softly and caressed her cheek. "You're right. I'm sorry. I love you."

"I love you, too," Michaela said, wrapping her arms around him and kissing him deeply.

Elizabeth cleared her throat loudly. "Hello, Mother-in-law in the room," she said.

"And the mood is gone in three, two, one GONE," Sully said.

"I didn't know you were there, Mother," Michaela remarked.

"I'm just waiting for my next brilliant one liner. Becky usually comes through for me on that."

"Are you enjoying your new home in Colorado, Mrs. Quinn?" Becky asked.

"That's Elizabeth to you, dear. And yes, I love it."

"Good, I think it was a great idea to move you out here," Becky said.

"Yeah, for some of us," Sully said.

"Excuse me!" Claudette demanded, opening the hallway door and poking her head in the room. "When can I insult Sully again? I'm dying here."

"Hmm, give me a second and I'll think of something," Becky said.

"Page my assistant when you're ready," Claudette said. "I'm coming, Preston! Literally!"

"When did I become the whipping boy?" Sully demanded.

"Since you became such a whiney wittle baby-wabie," Michaela said.

"Hey, by the way, who's this Tony Dovonali fella, Michaela?" Sully asked.

She looked away innocently. "Him? Oh, he's just a friend. Don't worry, he's dark and handsome and shaves his chest. Not my type."

Sully glanced at Eliza's hair again. "Dark, huh?"

"Well, I'll leave you kids to your own devices," Becky said. "I hope you can forgive me for all the death, disease and destruction I've put you through. Folks may complain but deep down they love the drama."

"Well, it's been some ride," Michaela said. "But you do seem to know what you're doing. At least I never find myself saying anything I wouldn't say."

"Good, I'm glad," Becky replied with a smile.

"Just one question, when am I getting a nanny?"

"I'm working on it," Becky said with a wink.