*Sorry if this chapter took awhile. Junk and whatnot gave me a bit of writer's block. I got majorly sidetracked. Hope you guys like the little surprise I've been foreshadowing. *

Perfectly on cue, the clouds cast a weary shadow over the scene below. A frosting chill wafted like a flurry of down feathers, bringing with it a thick misting rain. Through the palpable silence, Jake felt a pounding pulse in his ears, as his feet shifted uneasily with each step. Coming upon Daniel and Hank as they prodded at the lifeless body at their feet, Jake turned away with disgust. Disgust for the man he was sure he had killed and for himself for killing him.

Somewhere in the distance, he heard Teresa's voice now calm and soothing telling the children the danger had passed but to remain within. As he climbed the gritty slope path, he felt a small spike of pain shoot through his left shoulder. Looking down in a daze, he saw the red blur that ran in a huge blob down his white and blue striped sleeve. The wetness of the mist caused the silk to cling to his skin, making the wound visible through the now shear fabric.

It all seemed to be a dream as he felt her small hand lightly press against his wound. Gazing foggily into her face, he read the fear and worry; she was trying to hide as she walked him up to the porch and sat him down.

"Going for a wagon!" Hank yelled up to them, before running back down to the bridge.

Teresa was kneeling between his knees while she unbuttoned his blue vest and slid his shoulder free of the wet fabric. It was an angry tear, where the bullet had ripped through his skin. The red meaty gore was clearly visible between the jagged shreds of flesh. Teresa closed her eyes feeling a little dizzy. She licked her lips as she gulped down bile.

"We must get you to Dr. Quinn," she resolved as she redressed him.

Jake couldn't tear his eyes away from her face. Even terrified she looked gorgeous, if not, a little queasy. Loose waves of velvety black hair clung wetly to her face and neck. Jake reached out with his good hand to lift a damp tendril away from her eye. What would he have done if he had lost her?

"You ok Jake?" Daniel came up behind Teresa helping her to stand. "If only you had shot twice we might've caught his partner before he got away in the woods."

Not a single word penetrated Jake's consciousness, as he observed the sickly look Teresa was attempting to conceal. Grimacing at the now pulsating pain, he stood at her side wrapping his arm around her waist, in order to steady her. Now he could feel her discomfort as her ribcage expanded and deflated with her labored breaths.

"We must get Jake to Dr. Quinn. He is bleeding too much," her tone was exasperated as her attention split between her husbands well being and the children within the schoolhouse.

"Don't worry, as soon as Hank gets here with the wagon, we'll get this body out, and Jake can get into town," Daniel raised an eyebrow at Jake's inability to focus on anything other than Teresa.

"Yes," she placed her hand on her heart. "Then I can get the children to their homes."

The ground suddenly vibrated with the pounding of hooves, lugging the wagon through the splashing water and up the crunching gritty path. Jake squeezed Teresa's hip reassuringly as he staggered behind Daniel. She watched as they hoisted the pock-faced man into the open wagon, and waved as the three rode back down into town.

Pinching the bridge of her nose, she slowly walked into the schoolhouse to address the children.

"Are you ok Ms. Teresa?" the children asked in an uneven chorus of worry.

"Yes, children," she swallowed slapping on the veneer of optimism. "Come, we will walk back into town together."

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The morphine did nothing for the pain as she pierced through the skin of his shoulder with the fine needle. Still the worst of it was when Michaela stuck her slender finger into the smiling gash in order to push the distended meat back into place. Once again, he felt the pull of the suture thread tugging his skin upward with it. Jake felt a shudder which he caged deep into his body by going rigid. He set to focusing on the yellow-grained wood of the door; he had once felt was a portal of death leading to his wife's lifeless body. This time he allowed his body to shudder eliciting an annoyed sigh from Michaela.

"Jake if you're going to squirm, I'll just have Sully come in and hold you," one side of her mouth curled up holding back a chuckle.

Just then, the clinics door burst open revealing a distraught Loren. He stalked up to Jake's face shaking his head with abject displeasure.

"What were yah thinkin," Loren demanded looking down his nose at Jake. "You got a family now! You can't just go running around all rough shot! That poor little girl's out there cryin her eyes out for yah!"

Jake winced though not from pain. He leant his head to the side as he raked his free hand through his hair. Staring once again at the door that linked to his misfortune, he turned an accusing glance on Loren.

"Lucy's sittin out there all alone!" Jake stood causing Michaela to hop along with him and the needle. "You're suppose tah be watchin her!"

Loren threw his hands up pushing Jake back, "she's with Sully."

"Jake please," Michaela rolled her eyes. She gave the stitching a once over inspection for tearing. "Besides, Loren is right."

Every fiber in his being told him he didn't deserve this lecture. He was protecting his family from harm. Recalling how the man they called Jess, pointed his gun at Teresa set his blood to boiling all over again. With a viciously daring stare, he conceded to Michaela to continue.

"You're so busy worrying about loosing them, you haven't given one thought to how they'd feel about loosing you," Michaela joined her petite hands in front of her skirt. "And I think Teresa deserves to go through life without finding she;s been left to stand alone again."

This was too much. Jake wanted to hold his daughter in his arms. Waiting while Michaela bandaged his shoulder, he motioned for Loren to bring Lucy to him. His head hung low as he buttoned himself up. They were right. The thought of being without them was so strong he never once thought about what they would go through if he died. Again. Michaela had said 'again'. The word echoed in his mind. He was Teresa's second husband. However, they had a daughter together and then there would be-

"Papa!" there was a flurry of glossy ringlets as her tiny arms stretched around his waist. He was never so happy to have his thoughts interrupted. Lifting her up into his arms, he winced with pain.

"Has my girl been crying?" he said into her hair.

She sniffled, burying her face into the collar of his shirt. The skin of his neck felt cool and clammy against her warm soft cheek. Lucy felt her heart breaking even though he was there wrapped up in her arms. Feeling his large hand rubbing her back in small circles seemed to ease of the discomfort, of his absence. Although she heard the door open once more, she didn't look up until she heard the sound of her mother's soft voice.

"Oh, Dr. Quinn," she said pressing the back of her hand to her lips fighting back the nausea. "I must speak with you."