Adam's POV

"Adam, she's taken a turn for the worse."

At that moment, I didn't hesitate I took off toward the house; no one was going to stop me. My little girl was extremely sick and they were not going to keep me away from her anymore. I reached the top of the stairs but there stood Hoss and Little Joe blocking my way, my father and the doctor was behind me.

"Little Joe, Hoss get out of my way."

"Now dagburnit, Adam, you shouldn't be in here."

"Hoss, you have no right to tell me what I should be and what I shouldn't do. That's my little girl that's up there sick not yours or Joe's. I should be the one taking care of her. Please Hoss, Joe, please let me pass."

"Daddy!" we all heard Samantha cry. "Please." I begged Joe and Hoss. "Daddy!" She cried again. With that last cry they let me by and straight to Samantha's room I went.

Upon entering her room, I found my little girl lying on her bed crying and covered with a rash. Just by one look I could tell she wasn't feeling good. "Daddy." She cried again. I walked over to the bed and sat down on the edge. Gently I brushed the hair out of her face she had a high fever, I took a wet cloth out of the bowl of water that was next to her bed and wiped her down.

"Daddy?" she asked as she opened her eyes.

"Yes, my princess, I'm here now." My poor baby girl, she was sick and it was my fault.

Hopsing came into the room, "Mista Adam shouldn't be in here, no matter now, Hopsing make cold bath to bring fever down." Hopsing left and I picked up Samantha. I carried her down stairs past my family and the doctor who didn't say a word to me. After putting her in the cold bath and bringing her temperature down I wrapped her in a nice soft towel. Taking her back into the living room I sat in my favorite chair and sang her to sleep. I could tell that she was feeling somewhat better.

"Adam, I am not happy that you went against my orders but you are her father, and I would have done the same thing. Just please tell me if you start feeling ill at all. I have told Hopsing all he needs to know about taking care of her. I have to go into town and check on some other patients; I'll be back tomorrow morning. Send someone if she gets worse. About noon try to get her to take some broth, not too much, don't force it." Ben walked the doctor out and Hoss and Joe gave a yawn.

"Hoss, Little Joe, why don't yall get some rest." I suggested and they took my advice. Hopsing came in with medicine for Samantha's rash after he helped me put it on her I sent him to bed as well. Pa came in a few minutes later and said that he was going to do the chores in the barn then go to bed afterwards. Finally it was Samantha and myself, and I am going to do all I can to make her better.

Ben's POV

I finished the chores in the barn then headed inside, to see how Samantha was. Upon entering the house I found Adam and Samantha asleep, in his favorite chair by the fire. It reminded me of the first time I had found them asleep together. I walked over, and felt my granddaughter's forehead her fever had broke. I thought Adam was crazy for disobeying the doctor but if it were me, I would have done the same thing. I hope my son knows how proud of him I am, Adam had always acted like a father to Samantha from the moment he met her but this, exposing himself to scarlet fever to take care of her, proved to me that he was always meant to be a father.

"Grandpa?" Samantha whispered pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Yes sweetie?"

"Can I have some of that broth now?"

"Of course you can." I took her out of Adam's arms trying not to wake him but I was unsuccessful. "O Adam, I'm sorry she wanted some broth."

"It's okay, Pa. Why don't I get her some broth while you go take a nice relaxing bath?"

I laughed, "Son, are you trying to tell me I stink."

"No Pa, I just thought you might want a break and relax some."

I took my son advice and an hour later I came back into the living room and on the table in front of the fireplace was an empty bowl. On the settee however was the most precious sight a father could see, my son asleep on the settee with his daughter curled up on his chest asleep. I didn't have the heart to wake them, so instead I covered them up with a blanket. Then I made myself comfortable in my favorite chair. I did have a doubt that Samantha wasn't going to fully recover.