Author's note: The characters from Dr. Quinn belong to Beth Sullivan. I only own the ones you don't recognize. In this story, Ingrid and her family don't exist. Also, Dorothy is in this story way earlier than she should be, but I like her and wanted to use her. It also gives Jake a bit different past than the show implied. It starts somewhere between the first and second seasons, before Dr. Mike and Sully were engaged. Some of the things are chronologically correct with the show, but I hope you like it anyway.

Chapter Four

An Unfamiliar Home

Later that night, Lark was sitting in front of the fireplace in her new/old home. Everyone had been so nice to her today and a lot more people remembered her than she had thought would.

Still, she was beginning to miss being at the Academy. She was feeling lonesome. She could hear Jake in the kitchen fixing them something to eat, so she knew she wasn't really alone, but by now the Academy would be bursting with people. They would be laughing and talking. She and her best friend, Molly Black, would be sitting by the fireplace sharing stories of their day, being teased by her other best friend and Molly's roguish boyfriend, Michael Perkins.

"Poor Molly," she thought. "She'll be lost without me."

Truth was, Larkin felt lost without her. She sighed. She wanted to go sit with her Papa, but she couldn't find her cane and she didn't remember what was between her and the table. She knew that if she called him, Jake would come and help her, but she didn't want to bother him.

"This is crazy," she thought. "This is my house. I lived here before and I live her now. Surely, I can walk to the kitchen by myself. If not, then I just need to forget this and head back to the Academy tomorrow!"

Again, she felt around for her cane and didn't find it. She decided to try anyway.

"I can do this," she told herself. "I go all over the Academy alone, and it's huge. These few feet should be easy."

She made it half way across the room with no more problems. Then, she stumbled over the rug and fell.

Jake turned just in time to see her trip. He sighed. This was harder than he remembered.

"Are ya' okay?" he asked, rushing to her side.

"Yes." She let him help her up.

"What were ya' doing?"

"I was going to sit at the table with you," she explained.

"Why didn't ya' ask for help?" he demanded, gruffly.

"Because, I wanted to do it myself. You were busy, I didn't want to bother you," she said, trying hard not to let her lower lip quiver. She hadn't been home a whole day yet and already her Papa was fussing at her. Maybe what Richard had told her was right. Maybe she was just going to be a nuisance to her Papa.

"Listen t'me, Larkin," he said. "Ya' ain't a bother. Ya' ain't. Ya' understand me?"

She nodded.

"Come on, let's eat." He lead her to the table.

Chapter Five

A Walk with Matthew

The next morning, Larkin was sitting on the porch, listening to the sounds going on around her. She still missed her friends, but she was beginning to like living with her father. So far, at least. It had only been twenty-four hours, so she was sure she hadn't faced the worst part yet.

"Hey, Larkin," Matthew said, stepping up on the porch. He had his hat in his hand, toying with it, nervously.

"Hello, Matthew," she smiled. "Would you like to have a seat?" She rearranged her skirt so he could sit beside her.

"Oh, no thanks. I ain't got time. Brian left his books in the clinic. I was fixin' t'take them over to him."

"Oh, well, some other time then." Her smile faded a bit.

"Would ya'…, I thought, maybe ya'd like to walk with me," he said, shyly.

"Yes, thank you," she smiled. "I would."

She got Jake's permission, grabbed her cane and headed off with Matthew.

"Do ya like being home?" he asked.

"So far," she answered. "It's weird though."

"What do ya' mean?"

"I mean, everything is familiar, yet, unfamiliar at the same time. Everything has changed so much. I hardly know anyone or anything, anymore. I'm sure everything will be better when I learn my way around again."

"I'd be glad to help ya'," he offered, a bit flirtatiously.

"Dangerous offer," she laughed. "Papa swears it's not true, but I know I've driven him half crazy this morning, calling for help."

"Are ya' home for good? Or is this just a break or something?"

"Well, I finished my class," she answered. "But, Mrs. McLauren, the director asked me back as a teacher next fall."

"Are ya' going to do that?"

"I haven't decided yet."

"Oh." Matthew let it go at that. He was surprised o find that he didn't want to think about her leaving again, but he just dismissed it as being glad to see his old friend. He caught her arm when she stumbled and steadied her.

"Thanks," she blushed. "I seem to be doing that a lot lately."

They were both quiet the rest of the way to the school.

Chapter Six

Ms. Olive

Olive Davis had long since established herself as the town's eccentric.

Loren's widowed sister, she had turned her hand at almost every job that needed doing in a frontier town, from 'woman's work' keeping house and raising children, to raising cattle and driving them to market. She had also served as teacher for a while when Matthew and Larkin had started to school.

Today, she was playing that part again, filling in for the Reverend, who was sick.

Being especially attached to the girl, she had made it a point to visit Larkin anytime she had been in Denver. She opened the door when Matthew knocked, but breezed past him when she saw Larkin standing behind him.

"Hello, Darling," Olive exclaimed, hugging a startled Larkin.

She was startled, but this was a voice she definitely knew.

"Mrs. Olive!" She returned the woman's warm embrace.

"When did you get into town?"

"Yesterday."

"Well, I know yer' Papa must be as pleased as punch t'have ye' back in Colorado Springs." she release Larkin and turned to Matthew. "So, did you two come all this way just to give you're old teacher a hard time, or did ya' need something?"

"Um, no ma'am," Matthew answered. "Brian left these. I's just bringing them to him." He held out the books.

"Yes, of course," she said, taking them from him. She put her other hand on Larkin's cheek. "I've got to get back to these hooligans in here, but you tell that Pa of yer's that I expect him to bring you out to see me real soon. I want to have a nce long visit with you."

"Yes, ma'am," she replied.

Matthew took her hand and walked her back to Jake's.

Chapter Seven

At the Homestead

"Matthew's got a girlfriend, Matthew's got a girlfriend," Brian siad ina sing-sing voice. He and Matthew were clearing the table for supper.

Colleen and Dr. Mike were cooking and Sully was building a fire in fireplace for them.

"I do not!" Matthew said, embarrassed.

"Ya' do, too." Brian insisted. "I saw 'er. She came to school with ya'."

"Larkin is not my girlfriend." Matthew said. "Hush."

"Matthew and Larkin sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G," Brian started again.

"Dr. Mike!" Matthew said. "Make him hush!"

"Matthew and Larkin, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G," this time, Colleen joined in.

"Make them stop!" Matthew said, impatiently. "Or I will."

"Oh, now I'm scared," Colleen rolled her eyes.

"Colleen, Brian, stop teasing your brother," Dr. Mike scolded.

"But she is his girlfriend," Brian continued to insist. "I saw him holding her hand."

"She's blind," He defended himself. "You have to hold her hand so she won't trip."

"I don't know about that," Sully grinned. "I saw her getting around just fine by herself."

"Matthew's got a girlfriend," Brian sang again.

"Larkin is NOT my girlfriend!" Matthew declared, stomping out the door.

Mike gave everyone an exasperated look, then wnet after him.

He was sitting on the steps throwing rocks at the barn.

"She is awfully sweet, isn't she?" Mike said, sitting down beside him.

"Yeah," Matthew grinned. "But, she's just a friend. She looked bored, so I asked her if she wanted to walk with me, that's all."

"That was very sweet of you," she replied. "You know it's okay for you to want to spend time with you friend."

"I know," he shrugged. "Brian was just getting on my nerves."

"Little brothers do that. It's part of a younger sibling's job description," she laughed.

He started to reply, then laughed too.

"Came back in, Matthew, dinner is ready." She got up and left him alone.

After a few minutes, he came back in, ruffled Brian's hair and gave Colleen a small hug as a sign of peace.

Chapter Seven

Mike and Sully Talk

After supper, Matthew was helping Brian with his homework and Colleen was settled at the table with hers, so Mike slipped outside to talk to Sully before he left.

"I would have never guessed Jake had a daughter," Mike said, sitting down beside Sully. "He has never said a word about her."

"Did ya' ever ask him?"

"Well, no," she admitted. "But he didn't exactly strike me as a father figure."

"Why is that?"

"A single man, living alone, spends most of his free time in the saloon with Hank and Loren. Not exactly the actions of a father."

"Maybe not," Sully replied. "But Larkin wasn't here then. I'm willing to bet that Jake isn't at the saloon tonight."

"He was acting differently today and yesterday, that's for sure."

"He is different when Larkin is around. Look, Jake ain't one of my favorite people, by no means. Fact is, I could do without him real easy, but he does do right by that little girl. He always has."

"Myra said his wife just left one day. That must have been hard on him."

"They were better off without her," Sully admitted. "Rebecca Slicker never wanted a baby and she wasn't much of a mother when she was around. She acted like Larkin was a nuisances to her and she didn't like for Jake to pay a whole lot of attention to her, either. Some of the women in town said she had the baby blues, whatever that is. Abigail siad she was just mean. Abigail never liked her much, to begin with. Then, one day, I guess she just couldn't stay here any more, so she just left. Lark was about a year-old. Jake handled it pretty well, considering."

"That young lady certainly has her father wrapped around her little finger," Mike laughed. "I saw them over at Loren's today, and anything she asked for, she got."

"Yep," Sully agreed with a smile. Then he turned serious. "Jake has his problems. HE's been known to drink too much and he can be mean and can be stupid, but can't anybody in this world say he ain't a good Pa to his daughter, that he don't do his best by her."