Chapter 45

"Sully, what are you doing?" Michaela demanded as she realized he didn't take the road into town.

"Need ya to see somethin'," he replied, making a good job of looking busy with watching the traffic around them.

He sounded self-confident, so some of her annoyance faded. She knew by now that he always had good reasons for his actions but she still asked for more assurance, "So this is something important?"

"Yep," he said and fell silent again.

"Alright." Michaela studied his face before she settled back on her seat. She could hardly jump out of the car, and asking him to stop so she could leave was equally childish because they were too far out of town already.

As she turned her head to the side window she didn't watch the landscape outside but let the last week pass before her eyes.

Everything was still unfamiliar: her surroundings, the people she met and even her work. She was continuing being a physician, but there was quite a difference between the bustling emergency room of the biggest hospital in Boston and the quiet rooms of her private practice. She was a cardiologist and also specialized in stepping in when people needed to be pulled back from the threshold to Death, but lately she was mostly treating sunstrokes. Did this make her less a doctor? Inefficient? She shook her head almost imperceptibly to herself. She had vowed to help people, and that's what she still did. Thanks to her, patients like Maude and Hannah, let alone Anthony, could avoid the emergency room now. That was definitely something.

Without noticing it she relaxed and sank deeper into her seat as she thought about another difference regarding her work. It was the first time in her career that patients and their families did not simply say thank you (and even this she didn't expect since she only did her job) but showed with their actions how much they appreciated her presence. There was for instance Hank.

The weather had become incredibly hot over the weekend, and her practice had turned into an oven. Since her predecessor had done as little as possible to make the place pleasant for his patients, the rooms didn't have air conditioning which was becoming a problem now because the high temperatures didn't seem to lessen. Michaela mentioned that at the Café on Sunday evening and the next morning an electrical engineer turned up, informing her that Hank had sent him to install the needed devices that would keep the rooms cool. When she went to his hotel that evening to thank him Hank had made light of it, telling her that he wanted it comfortable when he might come to her for more stitches.

Actually, it was quite an adjustment for her to have all kind of people being interested in what she was or wasn't doing. When she hadn't shown up for breakfast at Grace's on Tuesday morning Charlotte brought sandwiches for lunch and made sure she ate them. Obviously Grace and the midwife communicated about her eating habits. Olive was in that, too. She had made Michaela promise to come to the store at least every other day for fresh goods, and Loren always saw to it that she got only the best-quality fruits. Daniel also continued assuring that he was only a call away whenever she needed his help. Yesterday he somehow learned that she'd arrived with a flat tire at the clinic, and an hour later he was there and replaced it.

Of course Michaela had a pretty good idea who'd informed him. Whenever Sully wasn't already on a tour with tourists he greeted her in the morning before he left. In the evenings, he and Hannah used to accompany her to the house where they sometimes had dinner together or simply sat on the porch, watching Hannah play with Wolf.

Michaela wasn't used to having people around after work. Back in Boston, she spent this private time sitting on a bench on the banks of the River Charles or in her room, either studying or sleeping.

This thought reminded her that Sully had tricked her into coming with him, saying that she was needed at the clinic. Of course she hadn't questioned him, not after they had spent so much time together that he had turned into a constant in her daily routine. But that still didn't give him the right to decide what she did with her time.

With her annoyance bubbling up again she said in a strained tone, "The least you could have done was ask."

Glancing at her, Sully saw the deep lines on her brow, and he knew better than to make light of her remark. "Don't ya think somethin' would've come up so you couldn't go?" he asked quietly.

Knowing he was right she didn't reply and looked out of the window again. That way she missed Sully's grin. They both knew he was right.

After a while Michaela noticed that the lack of trees left and right wasn't due to the Hayman fire anymore. They had crossed the tree line, and she guessed he was taking her up to the top of Pikes Peak, but she still wanted to be sure.

"Where are we going?" she wondered, her tone curious now rather than challenging.

The road before them was empty, and so Sully took the time for gazing at her. Seeing the angry lines on her face were smoothed out he dared to ask, "How 'bout ya just trust me?"

Instantly, the vertical wrinkle between her eyebrows was back. She opened her mouth for a sharp retort yet kept it to herself when she saw that he was serious. Normally, she would have insisted on an answer but for some reason this time she didn't. She was positive that Sully was aware you couldn't demand trust but had to earn it. And he was right; she knew he wouldn't take her to a place where she would feel uncomfortable.

"Fine," she eventually said neutrally and shifted in her seat, watching the rocky landscape again.

Furtively, Sully wiped a bead of sweat from his temple. He didn't exactly know yet what he would tell her once they reached their destination, and his nerves began to get the better of him. He needed her to finally know how deeply he cared for her, that having her in his life now was the best thing that ever happened to him.

They drove the rest of the way in silence, and once they reached the summit Michaela thought she knew why Sully had brought her here: A crowd had gathered on one side of the area that looked like a huge, stony parking lot, and everyone was obviously waiting for the sunset.

Much to her surprise Sully took her into the exact opposite direction. Right before the railway station was another, smaller building with what looked like a viewing platform on top of it. They went there, and on their way Sully touched her elbow and steered her gently towards the chest-high brick wall that separated them from the precipice.

It was quite cool and windy on this place so high above the level of the town yet Michaela forgot about that once her mind took in what she saw: a majestic, seemingly unending plain that stretched east as far as the eye could see. Suddenly she remembered one of Sam's reports after she had climbed a mountain in Alaska. Sam had said that it was exhilarating to stand on the top, as if you were insignificant and important, all at the same time. As though you really belong to the earth, and that nothing makes you feel more alive, except maybe falling in love. Marveling at the view Michaela agreed with every word, apart from the last ones.

Interrupting her thoughts Sully said right next to her ear, "If ya miss Boston or the ocean ya just get up here and look east. There ain't no mountain or anything else between you and the coast. I thought ya might think that comforting."

Pivoting, Michaela looked up at him, studying his expression in the dwindling light. He had captured her thoughts that had crossed her mind a second ago simply perfectly.

Over the last days she had felt the bond she used to sense between them in their early days tugging at her again. But how could she be sure he wasn't only kind, that all he wanted was to help her as a friend? If this was an offer of friendship she would certainly not ruin it by assuming there was more between them, yet before she could stop herself she asked, "Why are you doing this?"

For a moment he considered her. Was she ready? "The truth?" he asked softly.

Lifting her chin, bracing herself for what he would say she nodded, "The truth."

He didn't hesitate for even the fraction of a second and sounded absolutely sincere when he revealed, "'Cause I love you."

Michaela's eyes grew wide and her heart began to hammer against her ribs. Quickly, she turned around trying to compose herself. With shaking fingers she gripped the railing, not able to think clearly. Doubts were flooding her mind: did she really want to go through all the risks that came with a relationship - once more? Was she ready to let herself fall, trusting he would be there to catch her? He had pined for years after his wife had died; would she be able to compete with Abigail? More importantly, could she live with the thought that she was only Sully's second choice?

It was this thought that grounded her again. She had lost her first love, too but she would never see Sully as a replacement for David. This wasn't about choices but hope for something new. And who could live without hope?

Slowly, she shifted to face Sully again. He had waited patiently, standing perfectly still. He could read her response to his admission on her features, but he wanted her to say it.

As she looked up at him her eyes were brimming with tears. His entire body ached from restraining himself from touching her. He wanted to pull her against him, hold her, telling her with every fiber of his being that she was his life now, but he didn't budge yet. There was no way he would ruin this crucial moment.

Somewhere inside of her Michaela eventually found the strength to speak. In a tremulous voice she whispered, "A second chance?"

Sully was so relieved that he felt dizzy for a minute yet he also knew he needed to reassure her immediately. Before he said anything though he framed her face with his hands and tenderly kissed her eyes. When he lifted his head slightly he waited until she opened them, and only then did he affirm, "A second chance."

Michaela's face broke into a shy smile and Sully tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear. He couldn't bear losing contact to her skin already, and so he took the opportunity to run his fingertips along her jaw. Shivering under his touch Michaela leaned into his move, allowing her eyelids to droop again. The next she felt was Sully's lips on hers and as she responded to his kiss she promised herself to do everything in her power to make their relationship work.

As far as Sully was concerned: he marveled at his luck. Not everyone was given a second chance, and he would definitely make the best of his.

The End

Before you start throwing things at me because I end the story here: I promise there will be a sequel (if you read others of my stories you already know that I use to write them with two or three parts), but at the moment I need a break. Thank you so much for reading.