Disclaimer – I do not own Christy or the Characters. I am just taking them for a ride for my amusement.

Babe in the Woods

A girl leaves her baby near the mission. Some of the children find the baby. After several of them ask to go to the outhouse, Christy becomes suspicious and follows them. She finds the baby. Dr. MacNeil is sent for to examine the baby. Christy is sitting on the school steps while David is teaching lessons, waiting for word. Neil brings the baby out to here.

"She's fine, though she is a wee bit colicky. She will need lots of attention." Neil said holding the baby.

"I'll do it. I mean I will be happy to watch her." Christy said as she takes the little girl from Neil.

'Why does that not surprise me?" Neil teased.

David dismissed the children for lunch, comes to stand behind Christy on the steps. Christy turns to him. "David, will you please take over my lessons for the rest of the day?"

"I'm always happy to help." David says to please Christy.

Neil does not miss his own chance to please her pipes up, "you can count on me for the science and mathematics, Christy as always."

"I covered those this morning doctor." David said snidely.

"Actually, I have been teaching the children physical education doctor. I'm sure you would agree that promoting healthy living is important. And I know a fine sportsman like you can handle it." Christy said flirting with Neil.

"Perfect. Who better to teach them than me?" Neil says standing and calling the children around. "Miss Huddleston has asked me to talk to you today about exercise. It's very important. It makes you strong and keeps your mind clear. Now I think the best type of exercise is competitive sport. Not only is it fun it's filled with the traditions and values of our great heritage.'

"I agree. And the best sport of all is baseball." David interrupted.

"Baseball? Baseball is no better than cricket." Neil said dubiously.

"It's the perfect combination of individual skill and team unity." David said, going on and on about baseball. "It's why we created America so we could create baseball."

"That is very interesting David," Christy said bored out of her mind as she held the baby with Neil sitting beside her. "What a pity Thomas Jefferson could not be here, to hear that." Neil said sarcastically. "Be nice Neil," Christy said playfully swatting him on the leg.

"Mock all you want doctor, but I will have you know I was batting champion at seminary." David said. "So we can hit a wee ball with a stick, can we? Neil teased. "That's not all there is to it, doctor." David said in his defense.

Meanwhile, Opal brings milk to the mission for the baby. Fairlight lets her see her. Alice and Dan return to the mission. Christy tells them about the baby. She panics when she realizes that Opal had been left alone with the baby. David talks to Christy about her reaction to Opal.

The next day at school, David explains the finer points of baseball.

"Any questions?" he asked. "I have a question," said Neil. "What in the blazes are you talking about?" Christy laughed as she stood next to Neil with the baby in her arms. "The finer points of the game doctor." David answers as he gets the game started. Neil stays next to Christy for a moment to talk to her.

"You're quite taken with that wee one aren't you?" he asked. "Yes I am. I don't understand how anyone could abandon her." She said to him. Neil putting his arm around Christy said, "I wish I knew. At least she has you for now".

Ms. Alice approaches, catching the ball that David had just hit. She wants Christy to join her in her search for the baby's mother. Neil says that after David finishes his pointless baseball game, he would teach the children some real games.

"What kind of crack is that?" David asked. "Anyone can play baseball even a woman. No offense." Neil said looking at Alice and Christy. "I suppose your cherished highlander games are something special?" David said getting in Neil's face. "As a matter of fact they are." Neil responded not backing down.

"Hurry Miss Huddleston or I fear you will be umpiring more than a game of baseball." Alice said. Laughing at the two men, Christy said, "Now boys play nicely until I get back."

The men play baseball with the children while Alice and Christy go to look for the mother of the baby. They find the girl. The girl says she will go to the mission after she gets her things together. She never comes. David overhears Christy talking to the baby. Neil teaches the children some highland games while wearing his grandfather's kilt, much to the amusement of the children, David, Alice, and Christy. Neil and David divided the children into two teams. Neil's team won all the games. Alice tells Christy that the baby had to be put up for adoption. David uses the baby to try to get Christy to marry him. Christy goes to Ms. Alice.

"Ms. Alice, we have to talk. I don't want you to call the orphanage." Christy said stopping her before she mounted her horse. "There may not be an alternative," Alice said to Christy. "There will be if someone adopts her. And I think I know a young couple who might be interested. David and me." Christy told Alice.

"What do you mean?" Alice asked. "I am reconsidering his proposal." Christy said. "Sara Barnett's baby set you thinking about marriage?" Alice asked shocked. "I have been thinking about it since he asked. Now with the baby in my life I am seeing everything more clearly." Christy told her.

"Is that a fact? Or is it you so want to keep this baby that you are willing to marry David, a man you do not love?" Alice demanded. "That's not fair Ms. Alice, I do love David." Christy defended herself. "Do you? What about Neil?" Alice asked. "What about him?" Christy asked though she already knew. "Neil loves thee, and I know thee cares for him as well. Are you so sure its David you love and not Neil?" Alice asked before mounting her horse and riding away leaving Christy to consider her words.

Over the next few days my argument with Ms. Alice troubled me. And so did the baby. She was fitful. She wouldn't eat. And then suddenly her breathing sounded wrong, as if she was gasping for air.

Christy sends Ruby Mae for Dan Scott and David for Neil. Opal shows up before either arrives. She tries to help but Christy doesn't want to let her. Opal pushes Christy out of the way and saves the baby's life. Dan and Neil arrive and both examine the baby. They told Opal she had saved the baby's life. Alice and Christy talk about what happened. Alice tries to convince Christy that the baby had to go to the orphanage. The next morning Christy has a wonderful idea. She and Fairlight go talk to Tom Mchone. The next day at church they all tell Opal that the baby is hers. Tom says to call her Iris. Opal asks Christy to be the godmother. After church there is a social. Neil walks up to Christy and hands her a glass of punch.

"Christy for you," he said. "Thank you Neil," Christy says taking the glass from him. "It was a kind thing you did for Opal." Neil praised her. "Opal is a good mother; she will take better care of Iris than I could have." Christy told him. "I have no doubt you will be a good mother when its time. I could see it in the way you cared for little Iris." Neil said smiling at her. "Thank you Neil, that means a lot to me." Christy smiled at him.

David walks up with a glass of punch, "Here you are Christy." "David that's sweet, but Neil already got me some." Christy said holding up the punch in her hand. David turning to Neil said, "I was surprised to see you at our service, even if you did watch from the porch."

Neil smiling said, "I was just checking on my new patient, and godchild." "You're the godfather? That is so funny, Opal asked me to be Iris' godmother." Christy said shocked. "Did she now? What are the odds of that." Neil laughed, to David he said, "I'll take that if you don't mind." Taking the punch that David had offered Christy.

David in an attempt to get rid of Neil said, "Working on a Sunday. You must be busy, probably have more patients to see." Neil knowing what David was trying to do laughed, "No, she was my last one."

"Well as long as you're here we never did finish our sporting competition.' David said as he rolled up his shirt sleeve. Neil did the same, smiling at Christy. Christy shaking her head walked off as Neil and David armed wrestled. That Night Christy is looking out her window at the two men that were still trying to beat each other. As she watched she thought.

Miss Alice was right. Some things never change. So it is with the rivalry between Neil and David. There are times they act more like boys in my classroom, than the men in my life. Eventually, I will understand which holds my heart.

A/N: hope everyone enjoyed that. Next episode is second sight. After that the only episode left is Road Home, not sure if it will be my finally one, I might add another to finish the story, since we are left with a cliffy. Or I might not end it the same way, we shall see.