Re: Ghosts - ch.42 -- The Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman Fan Exchange

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Date Posted: 14:19:25 04/26/03 Sat
Author: dqfan
Subject: Re: Ghosts - ch.42
In reply to: dqfan 's message, "Re: Ghosts - ch.41" on 16:44:35 04/25/03 Fri

CHAPTER FORTY TWO Thursday about 2pm

"We should know soon, Mrs. Reardon�" With a furrowed brow, the doctor lifted his stethoscope from Ivy's chest.

"I believe we got to her in time," he told Charity, "but the next few hours will be critical. If she regains consciousness, her prognosis should be good."

"And my husband?" Charity wasn't sure she should have left Ben alone - even if he was only in the room right next door.

"I thought it would be best if he slept through all the excitement," the doctor chuckled. "I administered a sedative just before Detective O'Neil arrived. "He'll probably sleep for another hour or two if you'd like to stay with Ms. Wilcox until then."

Charity smirked at the thought of Ben being forced to sleep through all the excitement. Assuming he ever forgave her, she would assuredly never hear the end of it�

"Thank you, Doctor," Charity smiled in gratitude. "I think I will sit with her, then, for a while."

The doctor nodded on his way out. "I'll be in my office if there's any change�"

Charity pulled up a chair, close to Ivy's bed. Lying there, unconscious, without benefit of fancy clothes or makeup, Ivy hardly looked a day over twenty. But, even in her sleep, her face seemed somehow haunted by all she had done.

"Why, Ivy?" Charity whispered softly, wanting so desperately to understand.

"Why?"

^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Whatever anguish Charity was going through, she knew it was nothing compared to Peter's, as she heard his voice carrying down the hall.

"What do you mean you can't start looking for her until tonight?!" Peter's voice rose three decibels as he cornered Lieutenant O'Neil at the hospital nurses' station. "Sophie could be dead by tonight!"

"I'm sorry, Peter, but she's not officially a missing person until 24 hours from when she was last sighted," the detective reminded him, "which you told me was approximately 6pm yesterday�four hours from now."

"I can make some unofficial inquiries until then," he offered helplessly.

"Don't bother!" Peter walked away, furious. "I'll find her myself�"

Overhearing Peter's tirade, Gus rushed from the elevator bay in time to issue a surprising proclamation of his own. "Peter, I found her!"

"What?" Peter's face lit up with hope. "Where? Is she okay?" he pleaded, not even caring that it was Gus who had found Sophie.

"I don't know," Gus tried to slow Peter's questions to a more manageable rate. "I mean, I have a lead�"

"A lead?" Peter's emotional roller coaster came crashing down with a thud. "I thought you said you found her! If you're playing games with me, Leighton, I swear to God, I'll�"

"Will you just shut up a minute and hear me out!" Quickly, Gus pulled Peter aside before the gruff-looking nurse or the guy with the badge could send them both outside to cool off.

Start talking�" Peter crossed his arms and glared at Gus.

"I went to the airport," Gus detailed. "Start with the last place you saw someone�Isn't that what you're supposed to do?" he asked defensively.

"And?" Peter was desperate enough to listen to any possible information.

"Without a photo, it was a little tough to be sure, but from my description, the girl at the coffee kiosk and the guy who sells newspapers both thought they saw her boarding the last flight from Vegas to Seattle," Gus reported proudly.

"Seattle?" Peter's mind was whirling.

"And that's not all," Gus added as proof. "The first-shift janitor was picking up his paycheck when I arrived, and he swears he saw Sophie getting off the early bird flight again this morning!"

"Sophie flew to Seattle, turned around, and flew back?" Peter repeated to be sure. "That doesn't make any sense! Maybe it wasn't her?"

"I had a friend of mine at airport security check the tapes," Gus insisted. "Peter, it was her."

"Tell me again what she said before she left?" Peter scrambled to make sense of it all. "Word for word."

"She said she had to take a quick side trip�family business�something she needed to do for her mother�" Gus had gone over it all in his head a thousand times.

"Mother�" Sophie had told Peter more than once how dearly she thought of Charity as the mother she wished she'd had.

But, what was in Seattle? As far as Peter knew, the only person Sophie still stayed in touch with in Seattle was�

"Gianni!" Peter said the name aloud with a start.

"Who's Gianni?" Gus was totally lost.

"I need a phone�" Peter blurted in a rush. With the use of cellphones banned in the hospital, he raced to the nurses' desk. "Please?" he begged her, turning to Lieutenant O'Neil for reinforcement.

"Let him make the call," the detective ordered, knowing the nurse would have refused.

Peter's hands were shaking as he dialed the number he knew by heart.

"Vashon Inn, how may I help you?" the voice replied, as "Strangers in the Night" played softly in the background.

"Gianni�it's Peter! Have you seen Sophie?" Peter couldn't get the words out fast enough.

"Pietro! Where are your manners? Can you not even say hello?" Gianni rolled his eyes in exasperation.

Growling under his breath, Peter lowered his voice and spoke as politely and calmly as possible. "Hello, Gianni, this is very important, please. Have you seen Sophie in the past 24 hours?"

"Twenty-four hours?" Gianni chuckled, not sure what all the fuss was about. "I saw her this morning. Must have been 3am�"

Peter closed his eyes and exhaled, offering up a silent prayer of thanks. Sophie was alive and well less than twelve hours ago. At least, now, Peter could be sure that Gus was telling him the truth. Sophie had, indeed, flown to Seattle and back again last night, but why?

"Gianni, I need you to tell me everything that happened, everything that Sophie said�This is so important, Gianni, please?" Try as he might, Peter was unable to keep the panic from his voice.

"Of course, Pietro," Gianni could hear Peter's desperation quite clearly. "But there is not much to tell�Sophie swooped in on a helicopter with a very nice pilot named Arturo. He is married, Pietro, so you should not worry�"

Peter could have done without the editorial sidebars, but he knew better than to incur Gianni's wrath by asking him to hurry up.

"She said she needed to rummage in the cabin for a while," Gianni revealed at last.

"The cabin?" Peter was instantly transported to those early days on Vashon. "Did she say why?"

"She said it was for you, Pietro. You and Charity�" Gianni revealed the details of Sophie's conversation.

"What was for me, Gianni?" Peter gulped at the thought.

Somehow Sophie had gotten it into her head that she could help with this mess about Charity. Family business, she said. Sophie had flown off on some wild goose chase and maybe gotten her self killed all because of him and Charity. If anything had happened to her, it would be all his fault.

"A small box�" Gianni sounded quite perplexed. "Such commotion in the middle of the night, over a box so small�I still do not understand�"

"A box?" Peter's stomach flip-flopped in absolute dread, though he tried not to jump to conclusions. "What kind of box, Gianni?"

"Small, pretty, porcelain, I think�I did not get a very good look at it, Pietro, I'm sorry. Sophie was in such a hurry�" Saddened, Gianni felt as if he should have done more.

"The locket�" Peter whispered, and in his astonishment, he nearly dropped the receiver. "Gianni, I've got to go�I'll call you as soon as I know anything. Thanks�"

Gus waited for Peter to hang up the phone. Peter had such a stricken look on his face, Gus was almost afraid to ask.

"I need to talk to Ivy," Peter said stonily, ignoring the questions he could see forming in Gus' eyes.

"Now!"

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

"Sophie�" Sully's voice was gentle but insistent. "You gotta stay awake�"

Sophie groaned and shifted positions as best she could, but her joints were stiffening from the cold and dampness. Her hands had been in the cuffs for so long now that she could barely feel her fingers. Every breath she took brought excruciating pain and the dizziness she was experiencing, courtesy of the barrel of Ivy's gun, was only growing worse.

"Just let me rest my eyes for a little while," Sophie pleaded, her eyelids drooping.

"NO!" Insistent, Sully demanded her full attention.

"Okay�geesh�" Sophie grimaced, opening her eyes with a start. "You don't have to shout."

"Sorry�" Sully apologized, fidgeting nervously.

As exhausted and battered as she was, Sophie detected something in Sully's voice - something she couldn't quite place - something Sophie would never have expected of Sully.

Sophie could almost swear it was - fear.

"What's the matter?" she asked, coughing.

"Nuthin'. I'm fine�" he mumbled.

Sully's words did little to convince her. Maybe it was because Sophie had heard them so often from her students - whenever they were avoiding what was really bothering them.

"Try again," she urged him dryly.

Unable to sit still any longer, Sully began to pace. "This place just brings back some bad memories�"

"Wanna talk about it?" Sophie offered. "I'm a good listener."

"Seen my share o' caves and this place ain't much different," Sully wrapped his arms around his chest and shivered.

"You mean?" Sophie was about to ask if Sully had ever been trapped when he pointed near her foot and shouted to her once again. "WATCH OUT!"

With a shriek, Sophie pulled her knees up to her chin just in time to avoid having her ankle snacked upon by a large, ugly rat, which passed close by and then disappeared into the darkness.

"God, I hate this place!" she groaned, lowering her head in despair.

"Easy�c'mon�you gotta save yer strength," Sully calmed her.

Sophie looked up and intuitively met Sully's gaze. "You know what to do in places like this. You know what to watch for. You've been trapped before, haven't you?" she surmised correctly.

Quietly, Sully watched as Sophie relaxed enough to stretch out fully once again. "Yeah," he said simply, not wanting to upset Sophie further with the details of the devastating cave-in that had almost killed him - or the one in which Matthew had nearly lost his leg. Hearing of those horrors couldn't possibly help Sophie now.

"But, then, why are you�?" Guiltily, Sophie realized the answer to her question. Sully was suffering his own private demons, just to be with her.

"You should go," she said softy. "I'll be fine, really," she assured him.

Sully smiled at her thoughtfulness. Sophie didn't have Michaela's hair or her different colored eyes, but she had her caring heart - and her stubbornness.

Taking a deep breath, Sully regained his composure and returned to sit by Sophie's side.

"Try again," he winked with a nudge. They were in this together.

So, with renewed determination, Sophie continued her story, right where she'd left off.

"I don't know why I ran. I always run," she confessed, thinking back on that sunny afternoon. "It's what I do - or used to do. Especially when I feel�"

"What?" Sully asked, curious.

"Too much."

^^^^^^^^^^^^

Her room at the inn was warm and spacious, decorated with a refined, yet casual elegance. It contained all the same basic pieces as in Peter's cabin, but the furniture was newer and the atmosphere far more inviting. The bed was similar, made of rustic pine, but it was a king-sized poster bed, covered with silk sheets and a cozy down comforter. The bearskin rug in front of the impressive stone hearth was large enough for two, and the small breakfast nook, with its broad bay windows, afforded a commanding view of Puget Sound. From the flowered wallpaper to the hand-sewn lace curtains, it was obvious that Gianni's late wife had decorated the room with love.

In anticipation of her date with Peter, Sophie had spent most of the afternoon straightening up: fluffing pillows, setting out candles, and making sure she had enough wood for the fireplace. When she'd issued her invitation, it had been mostly as a means of escape. But, as evening approached, she found that her emotions and desires had melded into one very inescapable conclusion: she and Peter would be enjoying a lot more than dinner tonight.

The curtains lowered, Sophie selected her clothes for the evening and drew herself a nice, hot, bubble bath.

She'd barely stepped into the tub, though, before she'd changed her mind and decided on a quick shower instead. She was just too jittery to sit and think�dream and hope�wish that her life could be more than mere snippets of happiness, taken where she could find them.

Lying in Peter's arms tonight would make her happy. She was sure of it. Beyond that, they would undoubtedly go their separate ways. Peter needed to get his life in order and she needed to keep hers simple, uncomplicated, free from the promises it had been her sad experience to discover people rarely kept.

This afternoon, at the picnic, the air cool and Peter so near and so warm, she'd taken a moment to imagine what a future with him might look like. She couldn't remember the last time she'd allowed herself such a dangerous luxury. Just the realization had scared her half to death.

In her few previous romantic relationships, it hadn't been that difficult to walk away. No future - no fear. No plans - no disappointments. Leave them before they leave you. Before anyone gets hurt. It had always been so easy.

But would it be that easy with Peter?

Sophie stood in front of the mirror and dabbed a bit of perfume behind each ear. She'd dressed casually. Peter's current wardrobe didn't exactly include formal wear; and, her backpack and duffel bag forced her to travel light.

He'd be wearing jeans, so she chose the same. For a top, Sophie selected her favorite - a wrap blouse in a becoming shade of lavender. Besides the fact that the fabric clung nicely to her curves, it wrapped easily at her side in a single knot. No buttons for Peter to fumble with, she smiled.

Pinning her hair into an upsweep, Sophie dabbed a bit more perfume at the base of her neck, her hands shaking slightly. Did her perfume, or what she wore, really matter? Wasn't tonight a foregone conclusion for them both?

Sophie had seen the look in Peter's eyes. It would have happened this afternoon if she'd stayed. She knew that as well as she knew her own name.

Pensively, her eyes traveled toward the bathroom. If she were more of a flirt, she'd go and wait for him in her bubble bath. But coy just wasn't her style.

Hearing a knock at her door, Sophie glanced at the clock and smiled again. Seven p.m. - on the dot. Peter wasn't wasting any time.

Suppressing the butterflies in her stomach, she answered it quickly. But a nervous "Hi�" was all she could manage.

As she'd expected, Peter wore jeans, with his crisp, blue, dress shirt on top. Freshly showered and shaved, he looked healthier, stronger, and more handsome than Sophie ever could have hoped.

Flowers in hand, Peter smiled as he entered the room. "Hi," he said likewise, appreciating the ambience already.

The lighting was turned down low, with flickering golden candles casting soft shadows on the walls. Sophie had greeted him in a simple pair of jeans and an intriguing purple blouse that wrapped around her body and tied in just one knot at the waist. Peter couldn't take his eyes off her - or the knot. The thought of untying it made his throat dry and his body pulse.

Thankfully, Sophie seemed to have relaxed a little, her jitters of this afternoon hopefully over. Patiently, Peter watched as she arranged the flowers and placed them in a vase on the dresser.

"Thank you," she beamed. "They're beautiful."

"You're beautiful," Peter replied sincerely, admiring her every feature.

She was so incredibly beautiful. Sophie was unlike any other woman he had ever met. She didn't need makeup or a fancy dress to be beautiful. Sophie was beautiful all on her own - both inside and out. Her body�her eyes�her soul. Sophie radiated beauty and compassion in ways he'd never known. And, from her parachuting to her counseling, she was positively fearless.

How could he blame her for being nervous? It wasn't as if he had anything to offer her. The world was full of men who could give her more. And yet, Peter felt sure that this was Sophie wanted, just as much as he did.

Certain, as always, that heartache was never far away, Sophie decided to give Peter one last chance to change his mind. "Did you�uh�want to go down to the dining room? Or we could eat here?" she asked half-heartedly.

Peter's eyes darkened. Enough was enough. Playing games wasn't his style, either.

"Sophie�" he drawled her name, in a hush filled with raw desire. "Did you really invite me here for dinner?"

The question made her heart pound. "No�" she admitted truthfully.

"Good." Peter nodded, trying not to grin.

"No promises?" Sophie couldn't bear the thought of hurting him. Peter had to know she lived only in the moment.

"I'm not in any shape to give one," Peter reminded her softly. He'd been clean and sober for all of 24 hours. And, while it seemed like a lifetime since he'd taken that overdose, Peter knew how easy it would be to fall back on that road again.

The room filled with an awkward silence as Peter took a step toward Sophie and then, stopped. "Are you on the pill?" he remembered to ask, suddenly.

A little embarrassed, Peter couldn't recall ever asking that of someone on a "first" date - not even in college. But, then, his relationship with Sophie wasn't exactly typical and they were long past superficial small talk.

Smiling, Sophie met his gaze and nodded, sparing him the details of her gynecological history. "Yes," was such a simpler answer than "Oh, don't worry, I can't have children."

Now, it was her turn. "Did you bring any�?" she asked with equal hesitation.

In reply, Peter pulled a small brown bag from his back pocket and dropped it on the bed. "Gianni's gift shop's well stocked," he shrugged. "I'm just lucky he wasn't at the cash register�"

The thought had them both relaxing into easy smiles; but, still, each was reluctant to make a move.

Poised on diving boards at opposite ends of a swirling emotional pool - one so alluring and so deep that drowning would bring welcome satisfaction - Sophie, impulsively, plunged in.

"I can't believe we're having this conversation and we haven't even kis�"

It was all Peter needed to hear. His lips were on hers before Sophie could finish her sentence, his hands at her shoulders, pulling her to him in a rush. Urgent yet tender, his lips were as soft as Sophie remembered from this afternoon, his touch a thousand times more electrifying.

Almost immediately, Peter began coaxing her enthusiastic response in a myriad of delightful ways. Eagerly, she threaded her hands in his hair and deepened their embrace. The kiss became not one, but dozens, as Sophie relished his taste and the flurry of desperate kisses he proceeded to place on her cheeks, her neck, and her forehead.

The relief Sophie felt at finally being in his arms was audible in her sighs. Every muscle in her body melted at his caress. "Better?" Peter breathed, letting her hair fall loose into his fingers.

Better was an understatement. With just that first kiss, Sophie had the answer to all her questions. She and Peter would be connected forever - physically and emotionally - no matter what their futures held.

"Mmmm�" she mumbled into his neck. "You?" she asked, stroking his back.

"Oh, yeah�" Peter chuckled, as she pulled away to face him.

Puzzled, he watched as Sophie suddenly drew back further, turning to the relative safety of the fireplace to recover some emotional balance.

Standing there, staring into the flames, her passions simmering, all Sophie could think about was how it would feel to eventually have to leave him. The prospect frightened her too much to even imagine.

Right from the start, Peter had known that he and Sophie would be good together, but the attraction between them had grown into something he couldn't even put it into words.

Tenderly, he approached her from behind, and placed his hands on her shoulders. They had all the time in the world now.

"So, tell me," he whispered low, his voice raspy, "what else do you like?"

Sophie closed her eyes, his question eliciting another pleasured sigh. Fighting her feelings was no longer an option.

"Fast?" His hands traveled down her arms and then up again. "Slow?"

"Top?" His fingers swept her hair from her neck. "Bottom?"

"Floor?" His lips grazed her earlobe. "Bed?"

With each suggestion, Sophie's heart leapt and Peter's body burned hotter than the flames in the fireplace.

Captivated, she leaned her head back against his shoulder and hugged his arms tightly. "Hmmm�multiple choice," she mused lightly, feeling safe enough to let the playful side of her personality shine through.

With a devilish chuckle, Peter turned her around to face him. "Oh, I think you'll find I'm a definite believer in multiples�" he promised, untying her blouse with a graceful flourish.

"You do have amazing hands�" Sophie's compliment was meant, in part, as a tease - at least, until Peter removed her blouse, slid her down onto the bearskin rug, and began proving her right.

Unfastening her jeans, he quipped, as she moaned with delight, "I juggle�"

The smile on Sophie's face lit the room. So, this was how it was going to be with Peter, she thought to herself - while she could still think, that is.
Laughter and love were an intoxicating combination�one Sophie could enjoy for a very long time.

By now, Peter had removed his shirt, and Sophie ran her hands across his chest in avid exploration. Her body tingling, she struggled to continue their provocative repartee. "It's always good�for a man to have a hobby," she gasped, reaching for his belt buckle.

Peter barely had time to snatch the bag from the bed as Sophie pulled him down to her. Lovingly, his eyes met hers. "So, I take it, the answer to question three would be floor?" he kissed her, tucking a wisp of hair behind her ear so he could watch every sensation dance across her face.

As she struggled to catch her breath, Sophie closed her eyes for a moment, her head rocking from side to side as if to say, "no."

Confused, Peter stopped until she opened them again, a mischievous glimmer sparkling in Sophie's eyes. Her whisper, soft against his ear, elicited a passionate growl from Peter and brought their conversation immediately to a close.

"All of the above�"

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