"Colleen, Brian!" Dr. Michaela Quinn called her two children to breakfast. She waited until she heard movement from each side of the upstairs hallway.

"Good morning Ma!" Brian said cheerfully as he sat down at the table.

The door opened and Sully entered with a gust of wind. "It's windy out today, I think I'll drive Colleen and Brian to school today," he said.

"I like the wind; I'd rather walk," Brian said with his mouth full of oatmeal.

Sully joined Brian at the table. "Where is Colleen?" he asked.

"I don't know what is taking her so long this morning. She is usually up before I am," Dr. Mike answered. "I'll go check on her."

Michaela went up the stairs and knocked on Colleen's door.

"Colleen?" she called.

There was no reply. She opened the door and found Colleen hunched over on the floor.

"Colleen, are you all right?" she asked with concern.

"I don't feel well Ma," Colleen moaned.

"What's the matter?" Michaela asked.

"My head is pounding, and I feel dizzy," Colleen replied.

"Get back into bed," Michaela said, as she pulled the covers back for her daughter. "I'll bring you some broth."

Michaela made the trip back down the stairs. Sully and Brian looked up at her from their breakfast.

"Colleen is sick," she answered their question before they asked it.

"What do you think it is?" Sully asked.

"I hope it just cold, but it could be something worse. She needs to stay in bed," Michaela told her husband.

"Someone should stay with her," Sully said, "and in this weather so many folks will be coming down with things. You'll be needed at the clinic."

"Sully, I don't want you to have to drop everything whenever something happens to one of the children," Michaela said. She began warming up some broth, for Colleen.

"Well, who else is going to do it? Matthew and Ingrid are going to be in Denver for two more weeks," Sully told her.

No one noticed Brian buttoning up his coat by the door. He was reaching down to pick up his books when Sully finally looked over at him.

"Brian, I told you I would take you to school," Sully said with a bit of irritation in his voice.

"But I want to walk," Brian protested.

"Brian, I'm leaving for the clinic after I bring Colleen this broth," Michaela told her son. "I'll drop you off on my way."

Colleen was grateful for the broth. "Ma, you aren't staying home today because of me are you?" Colleen asked.

"No, Sully insisted that I go to the clinic. He is staying here with you today," she told Colleen.

"He shouldn't. I'll be fine by myself," Colleen insisted.

"I wouldn't feel comfortable leaving you here all alone. What if you were to fall?" Michaela asked.

"Ma, I'm sixteen. I'm not a little girl," Colleen said.

"I know that, but I wouldn't leave any of my patients alone, especially not one as pretty as you," Michaela told Colleen. "I'd better go; I'm taking Brian to school."

"Bye, Ma," Colleen said.

"Get lots of rest today and stay in bed," Michaela warned.

"Yes, Dr. Mike," Colleen replied.

Dr. Mike drove towards town with Brian sitting next to her in the wagon.

Back at the homestead, Sully was looking out the window. He was thinking of cutting down an old dead tree this morning before he made lunch. He plans were halted as large raindrops and lighting could be seen outside the glass.

"Well there is always the shaky table leg," he told himself.

He spent the morning trying to stabilize the table's leg. It just didn't want to be sturdy. He decided he should probably check on Colleen. He tapped on her door, and entered when there was no answer. She was asleep. He noticed the half full broth bowl and picked it up.

"Err," Colleen moaned as she rolled over.

Sully noticed that her face was red and quite wet. He went downstairs and brought back a cool wet rag to mop her forehead.

The rest of Sully's day passed along slowly. Just before Brian had come home, the rain had stopped.

"How was school?" Sully asked Brian.

"It was okay. Everyone hopes that Colleen gets better soon especially Becky," Brian said.

"I'm going to be working on clearing the dead tree in the yard, stay in the house in case Colleen needs something," Sully told him.

"Can I have some wood, to carve something?" Brian asked.

"After you get your chores and homework finished," Sully answered.

Brian doubted that he would ever be done with it all before supper. He sat at the table to do his homework. He noticed the table's leg was still wobbly. He made a mental note to tell Sully.