A week after Colleen and Andrew were supposed to return to Philadelphia, Dr. Mike began to show signs of improvement. Her fever had broken and she was even able to sit up for short periods of time.


"Are you hungry?" Andrew asked as he examined her carefully.


"A little." Michaela replied weakly.


"How about some broth?" Andrew suggested. Michaela nodded slowly. The young doctor smiled, "I'll send Colleen to Grace's to get you some."


About five o'clock in the afternoon a well dressed man stepped off the train at the Colorado Springs station. Bag firmly in hand the tall gentleman headed straight for the Gold Nugget. He smiled pleasantly when he saw the familiar saloon owner leaning against the verandah post, drawing on a cigar.


"Well, I'll be." He cried as he neared the wild-looking barkeep. "Thought you'd have been gone long ago." Hank turned to look at the man, his eyes narrowing upon recognition.


"Thought you'd a been shot long ago." The man laughed heartily, "Same old Hank." He clasped the other man's shoulder in greeting.


Hank smirked at him, distrust flashing in his eyes. "What brings you back this way?"


The man looked at him with mild amusement. "You say that like I'm not welcome. Can't a man just stop by and visit for awhile."


"Well, if its a visit you’re making, then I suggest you limit your visiting to the Gold Nugget, because I don't think anyone else in town would welcome a visit from you."


"But you would, Hank?" The man laughed slyly. Hank's smirk didn't leave his face as he replied evenly, "I welcome the visit of any paying customer."


The man laughed heartily and clasped Hank's shoulder again. "Same old Hank."


"Well, come on." Hank urged, nodding towards the Saloon doors. The man smiled and turned to follow when something caught his attention. Squinting to see better, he examined the thing, or rather the person, who had caught his attention.


"Is that Colleen?" he finally asked after watching her walk down the street carrying a tray of food.


Hank looked than nodded, "That's her."


The man stared for a few minutes, then said, more to himself than to Hank. "She looks just like Charlotte."


Just then, a young man came rushing up to her, and, after saying a few words, relieved Colleen of the tray. The observer snickered, "Look at that bold young snip. Looks like Colleen has an admirer."


Hank laughed heartily. "That's Brian."


The other man looked at him in surprise, "Brian?" he exclaimed, then added. "My Brian?"


Before Hank could reply, an alarmed cry from Brian caught their attention. Colleen was lying in a heap on the dirt street, with an anxious Brian trying to revive her. The man moved to go to them, but Hank restrained him.


"Don't Ethan. Just leave them alone."


Ethan Cooper stared at the other man in horror. "Colleen's hurt." He stated firmly, "She needs me."


"No she doesn't. Look." Hank pointed to where Brian and Colleen were. Brian had gathered his fallen sister into his arms just as Sully and Matthew came out of the clinic.


"Pa!" Brian cried, rushing towards Matthew and Sully. Ethan yanked his arm from Hank. "See, Brian just called for me." He took a step as Hank pointed out. "He just called for Sully."


Ethan looked at him in surprise. "But he just yelled, 'Pa'." Hank nodded, "As far as they're concerned, Sully is their pa."


"I don't believe you." Ethan stated firmly. He paused, looking the man up and down. "Colleen's ill and I'm her father. I have to see if she's okay."


With that he marched determinedly towards the clinic. He opened the clinic door without knocking and eased his way in. Nobody seemed to notice him as he carefully watched what was going on. A young man was carefully examining Colleen, who lay on the examination table. Finally, after a few minutes he sighed deeply and diagnosed, "She's got it." Got what? Ethan's brain screamed anxiously.


"Let’s get her upstairs." The young man added, worry written all over his face. "I'll take her up." Sully volunteered as he picked up the limp girl.


Turning around he looked straight into the worried eyes of Ethan Cooper. "Ethan!?" He exclaimed, surprise written all over his tired face.


"Sully." Ethan nodded, then looking at his unconscious daughter asked anxiously. "What's wrong with her?"


"Typhoid." Sully replied simply. Ethan felt his heart sink to his stomach. He knew that was bad.


"Is she going to be all right?"


"It’s too early to tell." Sully said as he adjusted Colleen's weight in his arms. She moaned slightly.


"Pa, why don't you take Colleen upstairs." Matthew urged, causing both men to turn and look at him. "Brian and I will deal with him."


He glared angrily at Ethan. Sully nodded and moved to climb the stairs, but Ethan stopped him. "I'm her Pa." he objected. "Ethan."


Matthew snapped angrily, causing both men to look at him again, this time with much surprise. Sully, after a moment, turned again to go upstairs, but Ethan Cooper never took his eyes off of Matthew. The two men stood staring at each other. Ethan could sense the hatred in Matthew's soul.


"Are you just going to stare at each other, or are you going to say something?" a voice asked. Ethan looked to see who the owner of the voice was. It belonged to the young man who had examined Colleen. He was about to tell him to mind his own business when Matthew finally asked coldly, "What are you doing here?"


Ethan looked at him and calmly replied, "I came to visit my family."


"You have no family here." Matthew firmly informed him. Anger started building up inside Ethan. "So, you've managed to poison your brother and sister against me too, have you?"


"I didn't do anything of the sort." Matthew defended. "It was your own actions that turned Brian and Colleen against you."


"How dare you!" Ethan exploded. "After all I've done for you all, you have the nerve to speak to me like that!"


"What have you done for us?" Matthew asked angrily. "You abandoned us and our mother when we were young. Then you came back years later and tried to break us up by wanting to take Brian and Colleen away from me. There is not a single thing that you have done in our entire lives that has been for our benefit. Everything that we have become, everything that we have accomplished has been because of the love, guidance and support that Dr. Mike and Sully have given us. They have given us more in these last seven years then you would have in twenty lifetimes."


"How dare you!" Ethan spat out again, but Matthew interrupted him.


"And as far as we're all concerned, stay out of our lives."


"And you speak for Colleen and Brian too I suppose." Ethan commented angrily. "Or don't you trust them to speak for themselves. Maybe they don't share your feeling of hatred for me."


Brian stepped forward and folded his arms across his chest. "Trust me. We do."


"I see. And what possibly could I have done to you, Brian, that could have turned you so violently against me?" Ethan asked, a deep frown on his face. "Or are you just allowing your brother to poison your mind?"


"Oh, trust me, my list of grievances against you are so long, we don't have time to go through them." Brian assured him.


"I see." Ethan sighed, "Well, since Colleen is the only one who hasn't told me her true feelings, then I suppose I may still have hope with her."


"Trust me, you don't." A voice assured him firmly. Ethan turned and looked into the face of the young man who had examined Colleen earlier. "What is your name, son?"


"Andrew Cook." Andrew replied coolly.


"Well, Andrew Cook, as far as I recall, I only have two sons, and if I'm not mistaken, you're not one of them, so, do me a big favor and mind your own business, okay!"


"I'm afraid this is my business." Andrew assured him firmly.


"And how is that?"


"Since Colleen is unable to present her feelings to you at this time, I am exercising the right to speak in her place."


"And what, may I ask, gives you the right?" Ethan spat out angrily. "How could you possibly know my daughter's feelings in this case?"


"Because she has told me before, many times before, how much she hates her birth father and how she wants absolutely nothing to do with him. She says that he's almost ruined her life on more than one occasion and she does not want to give him the chance to do it again." Andrew's eyes narrowed angrily as he added. "And personally I tell you, that if you ever try to hurt her again, I will make you answer for it."


The two men stood staring at each other when suddenly Sully's voice filled the tense atmosphere.


"Andrew, I think you'd better get up here." Andrew, without a second’s hesitation, turned and bolted up the stairs to Colleen's room, Matthew and Brian hot on his heels. Ethan stared after them, a mixture of surprise and worry flooding over him.


"Whoa! Slow down!" Sully cried as Andrew came running headlong down the hall. He literally had to grab the young man to slow him down.


"What's the matter?" the worried doctor puffed, trying to catch his breath. His eyes were darting wildly from Sully's face to the door of Colleen's bedroom and back again. "She's awake and she's calling for you." the other man explained, but then warned, "The fever has her delirious, so she may not make any sense when you talk to her." Andrew nodded in understanding as he straightened his vest and steadied his rapid breath. Calmly he strode into Colleen's room and made his way to her side.


"Colleen," he whispered hoarsely, sitting down on the bed beside her. Colleen turned her head to look at him.


"Andrew," she whispered softly, "Where am I? Why do I feel so awful? What's wrong with me?" Her young husband hesitated for a moment before replying, "You caught the typhoid. You collapsed outside the clinic. Brian carried you in."


It took a few moments for the news to sink in. When it finally did, Colleen's eyes widened in fear. She slid her hand down to put it protectively on her rounding stomach.


"The baby...?" She couldn't finish her question, for worry was choking her voice.


"Don't worry about the baby." Andrew told her, brushing back a piece of hair that clung to her damp forehead. "You and the baby are both going to be just fine. Now you rest and just concentrate on getting better. Understand?" Colleen nodded and gave him a weak smile. Andrew leaned forward and kissed her feverish brow.


"Just rest now, Sweetheart. You'll be better in no time." Colleen smiled at him again before closing her eyes and allowing sleep to claim her.


Andrew sighed deeply, worry creeping into every fiber of his soul. As he watched Colleen sleep fear gripped his heart. What would he ever do without her? How would he get through another day if something happened to her? And what about the baby? He knew he had to prepare himself for the worst. He knew he had to be ready in case something happened to either one of them - or both. Ethan Cooper waited on tenterhooks to find out what was going on upstairs. He was trying to decide if he should be bold and just climb the stairs and demand to know what was going on. After all, he was Colleen's father, whether or not she wished to admit it.


He paced the clinic floor for what seemed an eternity when Brian finally reappeared. The young man's face registered surprise when he noticed he was still there. "What are you still doing here?" Brian snapped, annoyed that his father was still in the building.


"Look," Ethan began firmly. "I know I haven't been much of a father, but please tell me. Is Colleen going to be all right?"


Brian hesitated for a moment before sighing and replying, "Colleen is okay for now. She's sleeping and Andrew is with her, she's in good hands. Now I would suggest that you leave. I have to bring some water up to Andrew."


Ethan looked about to argue, but changed his mind when he saw Brian's determined stare. "Okay, I'm going, but promise me, please, that if there's any change, you'll let me know. I'll be over at the saloon." He waited until Brian nodded before turning to leave. Before closing the door he admonished, "Don't forget, I'll just be across the street if anything changes." Brian nodded again and watched as the door finally closed behind the other man.


At the crack of dawn the next morning, Sully rose from the cot in Michaela's room. He crept over to where she lay sleeping, her long tresses fanned over the pillow. After kissing her softly on the forehead, he tread lightly across the floor to the door. Carefully he peeked into Colleen's room. He found Andrew sitting beside the bed, still trying to cool her burning face with a cool cloth.


"Morning, Andrew." Sully whispered gently. The young man turned to look at his father-in-law.


"Morning, Sully." He greeted, his voice husky and tired. "How's Michaela this morning?" "She's still sleeping." Sully replied, easing himself carefully into the room. "How's Colleen doing?"


"No change." The young doctor sighed wearily. "Her fever's been fluctuating up and down, but it's still very high."


"How's the baby?" the other man asked, almost afraid of the answer.


"Still holding on." Andrew assured him. "The heartbeat is still strong and regular."


"That's a good sign then." Andrew nodded slowly, his eyes full of worry.


"I hope so."


"Don't worry, Andrew." Sully placed a sympathetic hand on the young doctor's shoulder. "Colleen's young and strong. She'll pull through."


"I hope so." Andrew expressed with much feeling. He watched Colleen, her face still and peaceful, for a moment then looked at Sully again, his eyes filled with pain. "Sully, I don't know what I'd ever do if I lost her."


Sully remained silent for a few moments, trying to keep his emotions under control. When he finally spoke, there was a catch in his voice. "Do you remember what I told you the last time you were afraid of losing Colleen? I told you to stop worrying and to just do something about it."


"Yes, but Sully, that was different." Andrew pointed out, slightly exasperated that Sully was classing both cases together. "Then I was afraid of losing Colleen to Philadelphia or to someone else. This is different. We’re talking life or death here. There is absolutely nothing that I can do about this." His voice betrayed how helpless he felt.


"Yes there is." Sully assured him. At Andrew's puzzled look he continued. "You can be the best doctor you can be."


The young man looked at him in disbelief for a moment, then looked back to his young wife lying peacefully on the bed. In a tone that didn't sound very convinced he replied, "I hope you're right."


As the sun broke over the horizon, Ethan couldn't stand it any longer. He just had to know what was going on over at the clinic. After pulling on his clothes and running a comb through his thinning hair, he quickly opened the door of his room and hurried down the stairs. Hank, who had been yanked from his bed by a rowdy guest, was grumbling to himself behind the bar. He spotted Ethan just as he was gaining the saloon doors.


"Hey! Pops!" he called. The other man stopped in his tracks and looked at the barkeep with an extremely aggravated expression. "So, how did your little 'family reunion' go? Were you welcomed back with open arms? Did they start calling you 'Pa' immediately?" Ethan sighed in exasperation.


"Look, Hank, I don't have time for this. Colleen is very sick. I have to get over to the clinic." Hank just snickered at the comment.


"Yeah, well. Woman tend to be sick when they're having a baby." The other man's jaw dropped as he stared in shock at the saloon owner.


"A baby?" He swallowed, trying to regain his senses. "Are you trying to tell me that Colleen, my Colleen, is having a baby?"


"That's right, 'Grandpa'." Hank smirked, then tapped is head as if to show he just remembered something. "I'm sorry, you’re not the 'Grandpa'..." He paused for a moment and leaned closer to the surprised man. In a confidential whisper he concluded,"...Sully is."


With that he turned and strode back to the bar. About an hour later Matthew and Brian arrived at the clinic toting a sleepy Katie. After getting an update from Sully on both woman, the young men tried to persuade Andrew to go with them for a bite of breakfast. Andrew, however, did not want to leave his sick wife's side. "I'll be here." Sully assured his weary son-in-law. "I'll keep my eye on her."


At Andrew's hesitant look, he pressed. "Go, you need to keep up your strength. If she wakes up, I'll send for you." "Come on, Andrew." Brian urged, grabbing his brother-in-law by the arm. "Come with us."


Reluctantly Andrew allowed Brian to pull him out of the room and down the hall.


Pregnant?! Colleen's pregnant?! Ethan's brain screamed the new information in its attempt to dismiss it. Impossible! My daughter would not do anything so horrible, so morally wrong! She must have been forced, enticed, taken advantage of! What horrible monster would do that to such a sweet, innocent girl as Colleen! Suddenly his heart twisted as he realized that there were many monsters out there who would like to take advantage of a nice girl like Colleen. Out of the corner of his eye, the anguished father spotted movement by the clinic. Turning his head, Ethan spotted Brian and Matthew leaving the medical clinic with that bold young doctor that he'd met the night before. Holding onto Matthew and Brian's hands was a small girl. Without a moment’s hesitation, the enraged father confronted the group when they reached the street. "Why didn't you tell me that Colleen was pregnant?" the older man exploded as soon as he reached them.


The three men looked at him in surprise. Katie, scared by the angered stranger, clung tightly to her brothers' hands and pressed close to Matthew's leg. "We didn't think it was any of your concern." Matthew replied, instinctively putting his arm around his frightened little sister.


"Not any of my concern?! My daughter gets pregnant by some smooth-talking cowboy and it’s none of my concern?" Ethan exploded.


The faces of the three young men all registered shock. "What are you talking about?" Andrew demanded.


"I'm talking about my daughter, who Hank informs me, and you've admitted, is pregnant, and who, as far as I know, is unmarried. Now I raised my daughter to be better behaved. So, either she was taken advantage of, or she needs to be horse-whipped within an inch of her life. I tell you, it’s that Michaela Quinn and her mountain man husband. They've ruined her, they've turned her into a little tramp!"


Andrew could not believe what he was hearing. He couldn't believe that this man would, could, actually say such things about his precious Colleen. Before either of her brothers could recover their power of speech, her husband managed to exclaim in horror,


"How dare you say such things about Colleen. She is the sweetest, most innocent young woman I have ever known. And she would never even think about doing any of the horrible things that you are daring to charge her with!"


"Then how did she get pregnant?" Ethan questioned, his eyes fiery in his anger. "Let me assure you, her baby - OUR baby – was conceived in love and in wedlock." At Ethan's puzzled look Andrew nodded.


"That's right, Mr. Cooper, Colleen is married, and I am the man lucky enough to have claimed her as my wife."


"Colleen's married?!" Ethan's surprise could not have been greater had Andrew announced that he was an alien from another planet come to conquer the earth. "She's married... to you?"


Andrew nodded again. Suddenly Ethan flew at Andrew, sheer rage gripping his body, "How dare you take advantage of her!"


The poor doctor was so shocked at the sudden attack that he was unable to defend himself. The older man pushed him to the ground and landed on top of him. Katie screamed in horror.


"Andrew!" she cried, tears streaming down her face. Matthew and Brian managed to pull their father off Andrew before he could harm the young doctor. "What do you think you're doing?" Matthew exclaimed in anger.


"How dare you attack Andrew like that. What were you thinking of?" "I was just trying to avenge my daughter's disgrace." The man spit out, glaring at Andrew, who Brian had helped to his feet.


"What are you talking about?" Andrew asked, his brow knit in deep confusion.


"What am I talking about?" Ethan exploded, then he asked, "How far along is Colleen's pregnancy?"


"She's about six months along." Andrew replied, wondering at his questioning.


"Okay then, how long have you been married to her?" Ethan asked, his eyes narrowing, awaiting Andrew's reply.


"A year and two months." The doctor confidently replied, finally seeing where the man was going with his line of reasoning. Ethan's jaw dropped and he looked at Matthew and Brian for confirmation. The two brothers nodded in agreement.


"A year ago? Colleen's been married a year and she never even notified me?"


"She was going to send you a wire informing you about the wedding, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. She was afraid you'd come and cause trouble, then after the wedding she was too busy with medical school to take the time." Andrew informed him. Ethan glared at the young man, but before he could make any further comments an urgent voice pierced the air.


"Andrew, get in here quickly!" The three young men turned to see Sully standing on the verandah of Colleen's room. Without a moment’s hesitation Andrew turned and ran into the clinic.