Author's Note – This is my first DQMW fanfic. It started out as a one-shot, just the party scene, but I couldn't help adding a part 2 with what happened next, since it was such a big part of the C/A relationship. Part 1 is mostly Andrew's POV, and Part 2 is mostly Colleen's.

Disclaimer – The following is inspired by characters and situations from the show "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman" created by Beth Sullivan. They're not mine, I'm just playing in the sandbox for a while.

Part 1

Andrew arrived in the meadow, package in hand. A sizable crowd had already gathered for the big event – Katie Sully's first birthday party.

Instinctively, his eyes sought out one individual in particular. He didn't have to search long – she was the prettiest girl there.

As he approached, Andrew noted her attire. She was wearing that green dress again, with the white lace trim – the same dress she had been wearing the very day they met, when he had clumsily lost his footing and slipped in the muddy, unpaved street of Colorado Springs.

Had that really been a year ago? So much had happened since then… yet it was also as if time had not progressed much at all.

He and Colleen had become friends while she assisted him in her mother's medical clinic. Her hair had been worn down in those days, her bright, shining face eager for the opportunity to go to college. He had shaken her hand and wished her luck, not realizing at the time how much he would miss her once she had gone. But he had missed her, and it became painfully evident how much the first time he saw her again, right before the Sweetheart's Dance.

He had invited her best friend, Becky, to have breakfast with him at Grace's Café. Becky had been a pleasant enough companion during the time Colleen was away, but she was far more timid than Colleen, and, frankly, less interesting to talk to. And when he had seen Colleen again, looking more grown up than she had before, he knew he would never be happy with Becky in the long-term. Yet he also hadn't wanted to come between the two friends, so rather than ask Colleen to the dance, and hurt Becky's feelings, he had gone alone.

Andrew had seen Colleen several times since then, during her periodic visits home from college. Each time they would pick up where they had left off – as friends.

Would it ever be something more? It had seemed like it could be, that time she had nursed him back to health after falling ill from spotted fever. He had realized then that he didn't want to live without her in his life, that she was important to him. But was Colleen's concern for him strictly professional, or was there something more to it? Did she enjoy his company because there was no threat of it becoming something more? Colleen had given no sign that she was looking for a lifelong companion, had practically shoved Becky at him as a potential wife. Yet there were times, when she smiled at him, that he thought maybe, just maybe…

"Andrew!" she said, clearly happy to see him.

"Colleen. Here," he said, handing her the package. "It's for Katie."

"That was very thoughtful of you to bring a gift."

"It seemed impolite to arrive empty-handed. I hope you—that is, I hope she likes it. It's a dress and bonnet set. Dorothy suggested it, remarking on how quickly babies grow." Andrew didn't know why he felt he had to justify the gift. He was a friend of the family, after all. But it gave him something to say.

"I'm sure she'll like it," Colleen said, taken more with the gift giver than the gift. "Why don't you mingle? We'll have cake in a few minutes."

Andrew nodded and absently began walking off, keeping his eyes on her as she took the box over to a gift table. As such, he wasn't watching where he was going, and he collided with another party goer.

"Oh, pardon me," a tall man in black said.

"No, my fault, Reverend. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going."

"Ah, Andrew. Nice to see you here. Well, not literally, of course," Reverend Johnson joked. The man had lost his eyesight at Christmas, during one of Colleen's visits home. Despondent at first, the pastor had learned to accept his new situation and could now even joke about it.

"It's good to see you, too, Reverend."

"So, what were you paying attention to?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"You said you weren't paying attention, so something, or someone, must have distracted you."

Andrew was glad the man couldn't see his expression. The Reverend had seemed to make the remark innocently – or had he?

"Oh! I, uh, was just noticing all of the presents for Katie."

"Quite a few of them, I imagine, judging by the number of people who are here."

"You can tell?"

"Roughly, by the sound of voices. At least thirty by my estimate."

Andrew scanned the crowd. The man was right. "I never knew a one-year old could command such attention."

"It's her parents that command the attention. Dr. Mike in particular. Has since the day she arrived."

"I can imagine. Whoops! Little Calvin Hobbs just toppled over."

The men chuckled. "Maybe I should let him borrow my walking stick," the Reverend joked again, prompting additional laughter from the pair.

"Michaela's bringing the cake over to Katie," Andrew said, narrating the action for his companion. "Sully's holding her. I don't believe Katie's old enough yet to blow out a candle. Ah, yes, Brian's helping her."

Applause greeted the blowing out of the candle.

"I expect they'll be severing the cake next," Reverend Johnson said.

"Yes," Andrew replied, then took note of a familiar figure in green approaching the table with the cake. "Colleen is helping to serve."

There was a short pause. "Say, Andrew, I've monopolized enough of your time. Why don't you go mingle?"

"Are you sure, Reverend?"

"Yes, I'm sure. I'll soon have a slice of cake to keep me out of trouble. You go on and enjoy yourself."

"Thank you. Excuse me."

As Andrew moved away, the Reverend muttered under his breath, "When will those two get together?"

Andrew stepped away from the crowd. He could see Colleen searching – for him? Evidently, yes, for as soon as she spotted him, a big grin appeared, and she headed in his direction.

Keep calm.

"Cake?" Colleen asked.

"Yes, thank you," Andrew replied, taking one plate from her.

"It was nice of you to come to the party."

"Wouldn't miss it."

"Unlike the way you missed out on Katie's birth?" she teased.

Andrew had to chuckle at that. The entire reason he'd come to Colorado in the first place was to deliver Katie, and Michaela had ended up giving birth in the wilderness with Sully delivering his own child.

"You know that was not my fault. It was completely out of my hands…"

"I know. Good thing you missed it and were here for Horace."

"Good thing we were both here for Horace. I don't know if I would have made it through that operation without you there."

Colleen looked at him. "Really?"

He nodded once, giving a shy smile. "Really."

Both of them became self-conscious that they were staring and quickly turned to the plates in their hands, each taking a small bite.

"Good cake," Andrew said, thinking there was a good chance Colleen had baked it.

"Yes," she said, glancing down. He was offering praise where it wasn't due. "Actually, Ma made it."

"Really? Are you sure you didn't assist her just a bit? Your mother's not known for her culinary skills."

"Well, I did supervise what she was doing… but she baked it all by herself."

"Hmm, 'Michaela Quinn, baker'…" he chuckled. "Is there anything your mother can't do?"

Colleen looked thoughtful, no doubt considering her mother's many accomplishments. The most noteworthy that Andrew had heard about was becoming the town doctor, a town council member, a trapeze artist, a baseball manager, and a winning jockey. Not to mention a regular miracle worker in her humble clinic.

Colleen interrupted Andrew's musings. "Um… shoe horses?"

They both burst out laughing.

They continued to eat while they talked.

Andrew shook his head, looking around. "It's hard to believe it's been a year already."

"Everyone stumbles now and again," Colleen quoted herself.

Andrew stared at her a moment. "You remembered."

"How could I forget? You made quite the entrance, Dr. Cook," she teased.

He smiled good-naturedly. "Not the one I was hoping for…"

"You don't wear that suit anymore."

"You're very observant. I felt too conspicuous in it, too out of place."

"You're not out of place anymore. You're part of the town now."

"It's nice of you to say so. It sometimes difficult to feel that way, being out at the hotel. It's as if I'm straddling two worlds at times."

"I know what you mean. There's my life at college, then my life here."

"Well, now you're home for the summer. What will you be doing with all your free time?" He tried to keep his voice level, not wanting to let on what he hoped the answer - or part of the answer - would be.

Colleen shrugged. "What I usually do, I suppose. Helping at home, helping Ma at the clinic, visiting with Becky... visiting with you?" this last part came out as a question, a hope.

Andrew stared at her. Just maybe… "I'd like that."

They became self-conscious again and returned to finishing the cake.

"Can I take that?" Colleen asked, indicating his empty plate.

"Thank you." Andrew paused, looking for a way to extend his time with her. "What are you doing after the party?"

"Cleaning up here, then taking Katie home for a nap. We'll open her presents later."

"Oh." His face fell.

"I could come out to the hotel tomorrow and tell you if Katie liked her present."

He remained dejected. "I'm sorry, tomorrow's not good for me. I cleared my schedule for today, to come to the party, and rescheduled those appointments for tomorrow. I'm afraid I'm fully booked."

"Oh, of course, I should have realized. What about the next day? Do you have some free time then?"

"Yes, I believe my schedule will be back to normal."

"Then I'll come by the hotel the day after tomorrow." She dazzled him with that smile of hers.

"Day after tomorrow," he repeated in confirmation of their plans. "I look forward to it."

She smiled one last time at him, then moved off with their empty plates.

He couldn't help but watch her go, the young woman in green.

Young woman… no longer the girl he had met a year ago.

A year ago, he had been falling at her feet. Now, Andrew felt himself falling again, even though he was standing perfectly still.

He knew he was falling… for her.