A sudden jolt of pain shot through Colleen's arm, startling her awake. She had begun to roll onto her right side, and the second her splinted arm hit the ground she awoke, turning quickly onto her back and breathing through the pain as best as she could, the bruised ribs making it difficult. She closed her eyes and tried to go back to sleep, but after a few minutes, she realized there was no use. She was freezing and in a lot of pain. Colleen looked over to see she was still holding Andrew's hand, letting out a small smile at the comfort it brought her. After carefully letting go of it, she sat up awkwardly, still getting used to only having the mobility of one arm. Andrew's jacket fell from her shoulders to her legs, and she shivered as the cold night air hit her arms. Andrew lay beside her, asleep, but she could tell he was cold and probably uncomfortable. Colleen looked at the fire, which was hardly more than a small, low flame now, not providing much heat at all. Using her left hand, she grabbed a piece of wood and added it to the fire, pushing around the coals a bit. Behind her, she could hear the men talking quietly, she didn't understand how they were still awake. Though it couldn't have been more than twenty or thirty minutes that she had slept, she was absolutely exhausted.

No more than a few minutes later, Andrew stirred beside her, rubbing his eyes before looking over and seeing the empty space next to him. "Colleen?" he said sleepily, sitting up right away as he saw her by the fire. "Are you alright?"

She nodded tiredly, shivering as another gust of wind came through the trees. "I just couldn't sleep… cold," she mumbled. "I'm sorry, did I wake you?"

"No," he said quickly, moving to sit beside her. "I don't think I really fell asleep." He glanced back to the men talking around their own fire. "Doesn't sound like they're going to sleep any time soon."

Colleen listened to the men while fighting back a yawn. "No." She watched as Andrew reached out and grabbed another piece of wood, adding it to their fire and helping it grow just the tiniest bit bigger. She yawned again with a shudder, watching the fire tiredly. They both glanced over at Jeremiah, asleep on the other side of the fire, before looking back at the crackling flames, each deep in thought.

Andrew couldn't help but continue to feel guilty about not being able to get them out of here. The chloroform idea didn't work, but he still felt like he missed their chance when they only had Clyde around. Now they were they were three against two, and Andrew still couldn't figure out what to do. Unless…maybe it was that easy? He began to think. "Colleen," he whispered half a minute later.

"Hmm?"

He thought again for a moment, desperate for anything they could do. "If Clyde, William, and Leonard all go to sleep, maybe we could find a way to get out of here. "

Colleen perked up instantly, sitting up straight and turning to look him in the eyes. "What do you mean? How?"

"Remember how we cut back into the woods through the valley? We didn't get very far before you guys fell. It's a straight shot west out of here, we're not that deep in the woods." He pointed in the right direction, keeping his hand in front of his chest to conceal it from the men behind them. "We're not far from Pueblo. It may be a way to walk, but we're really not that far. I don't know if we'd be able to mount a horse but if they're all sound asleep… I don't know, maybe it would work. Or… I don't know maybe it wouldn't." He shook his head, rambling on while thinking and overthinking again.

"Andrew," she whispered, more awake now. "It's a good idea. Like you said, Pueblo is close, it's not like we're in the middle of nowhere anymore."

He shrugged, still thinking. "It's the only thing I can think of. And tomorrow… I just," he shook his head. "Colleen. I can't perform that surgery tomorrow. I can think of a hundred things that could go wrong."

"I know, I know," she said softly. "Andrew, look at me," she waited for him to meet her eyes. "I know you're doing everything you can to get us out of here. And you're right, this may be our only chance. It might be the closest we'll get to town."

Andrew continued to look at Colleen, appreciating her kind words. But, though the light shining on her face from the fire was faint, it wasn't enough to hide the injured state she was in. "It's asking a lot of you… Colleen we may be walking for an hour or so, maybe even longer."

She gave him a serious look, "Andrew, we need to get out of here. And my legs are just fine, I can make it."

"With your ribs… we don't know for sure they aren't broken." Not to mention the fever, exhaustion, and blow to the head today, but he didn't need to mention all of that.

"I'll be fine. I can rest once we're safe."

They stared at each other for another moment before Andrew finally agreed. He didn't want Colleen to further hurt herself, but he also wanted to save her. Save them. He nodded. "You're right." He wouldn't underestimate her. Andrew admired so many things about her, including the courage she had shown through all of this. She was tough. "We can do this," he whispered, determined. "We just have to wait for them to fall asleep." Colleen nodded in agreement.

So, they sat and kept watch. As time went on, they moved, one inch at a time, to the right side of their fire, where they had a better view of the three men holding them captive. If the men did lay down and go to sleep, they would know right away. They sat side-by-side and watched, waiting for their chance while shivering in the cold of the night.

Sully, Michaela, Matthew, Robert E, Preston, Hank, and Jake were moving carefully through the woods, the dark making it almost impossible to see. They were following Hank and Jake's lead, though Sully figured Wolf would pick up on Colleen's scent soon enough. They didn't have a fully formed plan, but they knew, or at least assumed based on Hank and Jake's information, that they would have the men outnumbered, and that was enough to give them confidence going in. Matthew didn't know too much about these men, but from the little he had heard, he knew they were dangerous. It was fair to assume they had guns and weren't afraid to use them.

Hank, Jake, Preston, and Matthew also had guns on them. Matthew, though he didn't carry one in town, still owned one as sheriff, and times like these were exactly why he did. He wouldn't use it unless he had to, but he knew that Hank and Jake wouldn't hold back with theirs, though Matthew hoped they would only use them if absolutely necessary.

They had to be prepared for anything, especially since they didn't have a clear idea of what they were walking into. Hank and Jake described the scene, and that was about it. Sully said that the two men would lead the way, and once they got close enough for Wolf to pick up on Colleen's scent, he would take over. He told them all that the most important thing they could do right now was walk as carefully and quietly as they could, and not to make a sound. He had been in similar situations before, but each one presented its own set of challenges. When he rescued Michaela from the Dog Soldiers, she had been alone, though the soldiers had followed them after. When he rescued Matthew and the Senator's son just a year ago, he had only had to take care of McBride, but right now, he knew there were at least three people, likely armed, for them to take down. Previous experience didn't account for the unknown, and that was the challenge. Sully needed to take the lead before anyone else did. He trusted Robert E would follow him, and he knew Michaela would stay back until they had the men under control, but Hank, Jake, and Preston were unpredictable. The last thing he needed was for them to act recklessly. Sully trusted that Matthew would follow his lead, but he couldn't be 100 percent certain. Matthew, though an excellent sheriff, was headstrong, and didn't always listen to what he said. On one hand, Sully admired the young man for following his head, but on the other, history had proved that he didn't always know what was best and that sometimes he simply needed to listen to those more experienced. Which in this case, was Sully.

It was a bit unnerving, traveling with this many people. If it were just him, or even just him and Michaela, Sully knew he would be able to travel much faster through the woods. This world was familiar to him. But, he remembered words Robert E had told him a while back, thinking once more to when Matthew was taken by McBride. He had told him, who knew what McBride might do next or who knew who else the man might have helping him. He couldn't send away everybody offering him help. Robert E was right, Sully knew. Between Hank, Jake, and Matthew, they only knew a small bit about these guys, who knows what else they might have up their sleeves or if there are more than three people in their party? He had help, the help of not just his wife and son, but also his friend Robert E, along with Hank, Jake, and Preston. Sully wouldn't refuse their help. And he didn't. Searching with them through the woods in the quiet of the night, and all of its uncertainties, he was grateful to have so many people by his side, even if some of their unpredictability made him nervous.

Which is exactly why Sully had to make sure they did this right. Based on Hank and Jake's descriptions, he figured they should be getting there soon. "Alright, let's stop," he whispered, getting everyone's attention. "We need to go the rest of the way on foot."

"We're still a way out," Hank started, fairly certain.

"We're close enough, we can't risk them hearing us."

"They didn't hear us before," Jake said.

"It was just the two of you then. There's more of us now." He stepped down from his horse slowly, not making a sound. "We're walking from here." Everybody followed suit, securing the reigns of their horses on nearby trees. They proceeded further quietly, Wolf trotting by their side. Sully pulled Colleen's glove from his pocket for the dog to sniff, and they continued on their way. It was silent in the woods, the only sound coming from the occasional crunch of leaves underfoot.

They walked for about ten more minutes before Wolf's head picked up, sniffing the air intently. He looked left, then right, before continuing forward at a quicker pace. "He's got something," Sully whispered, following quickly after the animal. Matthew followed on his tail, followed by Hank, Jake, and Preston, with Robert E and Michaela bringing up the rear.

A rush of adrenaline shot through Michaela's veins. Ever since hearing that her daughter had gone missing over 24 hours ago, she hadn't been able to think straight. Her family meant more to her than anything in the entire world, and knowing she was almost there, so close to her Colleen… she needed to find her and make sure she was alright. She knew that she was unarmed against these men, but she was also ready to step in and do whatever was needed in order to save Colleen and Andrew. As her medical bag bounced off her hip while walking, all Michaela could do was pray she wouldn't need it.

Everyone was being careful, watching for every tree root or log that crossed their path. Suddenly, Preston tripped over something on the ground, shuffling forward with quick steps to catch himself. Everyone turned his way in alarm. Preston stood up straight, brushing off his jacket with a scowl and continuing on. "Let's go," he whispered. Michaela and Robert E exchanged a sigh as they followed after him.

Wolf turned slightly to the left, and Sully followed suit, everyone else following behind. They were getting close, they could feel it in the air. They were close… so close to finding Andrew and Colleen.

Some more time had passed, and after what felt like an eternity, Clyde, William, and Leonard finally went to sleep. In all honesty, Colleen and Andrew didn't know if all three of them would, they figured that maybe one of them would stand guard, especially since they were so close to town. But thankfully, none of them did, and now all three men lay seemingly asleep in various positions around the fire.

After a little more time passed, Andrew decided it was finally time. Maybe, just maybe they had a shot at getting out of here. They were so close to town and all three men were asleep, this was their chance. He could not perform Jeremiah's surgery tomorrow. He could not, and quite frankly, he would not. He took an oath as a doctor to take care of his patients to the best of his abilities and performing that surgery tomorrow would be taking a major risk for his patient's health. Even if he operated and things went smoothly, Andrew knew it really didn't make much of a difference in the long run for him and Colleen. They still needed to get away from these guys. Even if Jeremiah healed well, what then? They would have no use for them anymore. Maybe they would take them with to Santa Fe to make sure Jeremiah continued to heal, but what happens after that? He had no idea what awaited these men in Santa Fe, but it didn't matter, there would be an end to his and Colleen's time with them, and it would be on his terms, not theirs.

"Colleen," he whispered.

She looked at him tiredly.

"I think it's time. Are you sure you're still up for this?"

"Of course," she whispered, instantly looking more alert.

He did his best to give her a smile, trying to muster up some confidence. "Stay here, I'm going to check and make sure they're actually asleep."

"What if they're not?"

He looked around, "I'll… I'll grab some wood from their pile and say it's for our fire. It'll be fine."

Colleen looked at him nervously, nodding slowly after a moment. "Be careful."

"I will."

Andrew stood up quietly, taking a deep breath before walking over to where the three men lay. He headed to the small pile of logs they had collected, just in case any of them were still awake. William was right next to it, lying on his side with an arm under his head. He was snoring softly, definitely asleep. Leonard was on the opposite side of the fire on his back, one hand draped across his stomach. Andrew watched him for a moment before determining that he too, was asleep. Last was Clyde. The large man was a little farther away, facing the opposite direction. Andrew walked as softly as he could to the other side of his body, studying his face carefully. Clyde's breathing hitched for a second, and Andrew felt his heart skip a beat. He held his breath while Clyde softly exhaled and his breathing returned to normal. He watched him for a few more seconds before determining that he also was indeed asleep. He backed away carefully and officially decided it was time. This it is. This is the moment they get away, Pueblo was so close, so close. They could do this. He turned to see Colleen watching him nervously, eyes wide. He gave her a nod and motioned her over with his hand.

She stood carefully, lifting her skirt with her left hand as she stepped over a log. She turned back to see Jeremiah sound asleep on the other side of the fire. She gulped, throat dry and scratchy, before slowly walking over to Andrew. It took her less than fifteen seconds to reach him, and they gave each other a determined look before slowly stepping away from the light of the fire.

"This way," Andrew whispered, pointing to their right.

Colleen looked into the trees ahead, dark and mysterious. Andrew had said they weren't deep in the woods, and she believed him, but without fire, or any other source of light, it sure was intimidating. She shook it off a second later. We're getting out, we'll be safe, she thought. "Let's go," she whispered back.

They began to walk forward, taking it slow and careful. They hadn't made it more than twenty feet or so when in the flick of an instant, the silence of the night was broken.

"Hey!" A deep voice yelled out into the night. "Get back here!"

Colleen and Andrew turned toward each other, pure fear in both their eyes. "Colleen, run!" Andrew hissed, grabbing her hand and pulling her forward. They hadn't taken more than a few steps when Andrew's hand was ripped away from Colleen's and he fell to the forest floor with a grunt.

Suddenly, many things were happening at once. William was on top of Andrew, having tackled him to the ground. Andrew tried to stand but was met with a blow to the nose, tumbling back toward the forest floor. "Ugh," he tried to fight back and got in a punch to William's face, but recoiled when he was hit again. He tasted metal in his mouth, blood dripping from his lip and nose. "Ah!" he yelled with a burst of energy as he stood, tackling William to the ground on his side. The two men went back and forth, but as they continued to fight, it was clear William had the upper hand. He knew what he was doing. "Stay down boy! It's what you get for runnin' away," he growled.

"Leonard…surgery…" Andrew tried to counter between punches, but it was no use.

"Andrew!" Colleen screamed. She watched the man go down and before she could process what was happening, she felt herself being lifted, grabbed around the middle, and dragged back over toward the fire. It was Clyde, she remembered the feeling of his large hands on her, and his tall, muscular build. His arms were wrapped around her middle, right on her ribs, dragging her back to the middle of their camp. She tried to let out a scream but the pain in her chest was unbearable and she could hardly breathe. Near the fire, Clyde dropped her to the ground, and she sat gasping for air, clutching her side. The man kneeled down and grabbed her arm roughly in one hand, her jaw in the other, hard. "Stop…" she whispered painfully, "Let go."

"Let's get back to where we were last night, huh? Leonard, what do you think?" The other man stepped closer, giving her a sinister smile that made Colleen feel nauseous.

"No…" she whispered, trying to pull away. "No!" She screamed as Clyde gripped her jaw tighter, laughing in her face.

All was peaceful and quiet in the woods… until it wasn't. They were following Wolf's lead when suddenly, a loud commotion sounded close by. Very close by.

Muffled screams rang through the forest before a clear yell pierced through them all.

"Andrew!"

Sully broke into a run and sprinted forward, Wolf barking and running just ahead of him. Everyone else followed toward the additional screams and yells that were now waking up the woods. The screams and grunts got louder as they got closer to the chaos, suddenly seeing a soft glow in the distance through the trees. Sully could just start to make out the shapes of bodies as he got closer.

More screams were heard along with grunts and shouts from the voices of two men, one presumably Andrew's.

Everybody sprinted as fast as they could toward the sound, not sure what to expect. Matthew, Hank, Jake, and Preston had their pistols in hand, ready if need be.

The glow of light in the distance now became a clear vision of fire, illuminating a path for everyone to see, leading them closer to their final destination. As they approached, Sully saw two men fighting on the ground. More like one man pinning the other down while they both threw punches and jabs. Andrew. Sully charged forward and barreled himself into the man on top of him, throwing him to the ground with a loud grunt. Andrew took a quick breath as the weight was lifted from him and turned his head to see William lying on the ground next to him underneath… Sully? Could it be true? He gasped, trying to catch his breath as various parts of his face pounded in pain.

Sully and William wrestled each other on the ground, each trying to get the advantage before they separated for a brief second, standing back up. Sully punched the man in the stomach before dodging a blow to the head, sending a fist right back to William's nose. Blood streamed down William's face, but he wasn't done just yet. He successfully delivered a punch to Sully's jaw, along with a jab to his side. Sully came back full force by running straight at him, grabbing him around the middle, and once more tackling him to the ground. As they wrestled and rolled, Andrew sat up, breathing hard and inching himself away from the fight. He was dazed, squinting his eyes as his brain struggled to catch up.

As all this was happening, everyone else had run in, seeing Sully fighting one of the men on the ground and looking around to see just how many more they had to take care of. "Colleen!" Matthew screamed, spotting her about fifteen or so yards away on the other side of the fire in the grip of a large, burly man. He seethed as he saw the way the man looked at and held onto her. "Hank!" Matthew yelled, gesturing to them as approached. Hank, just an arm's reach behind Matthew, sprinted after him, holding out his gun.

"Let her go!" "Get on the ground!" They shouted at the same time.

Colleen heard the familiar voices as the two men drew near, but one of them hit her straight in the core. Matthew. She would recognize that voice anywhere. Though she could barely turn her head from Clyde's strong grip, an incredulous feeling came over her. Fearful tears that had been sitting in the corners of her eyes leaked out. Was this really happening? Was Matthew really here?

Before she could think any further, Colleen was tossed to the side, Clyde having shoved her down roughly. She felt her face hit the ground and she tasted dirt in her mouth as pain radiated through the right side of her body where her injuries lay. Something wet trickled into her eye and she knew her stitches had opened up. Her stomach rolled and nausea came over her like a wave. Fighting back the urge to throw up, Colleen tried to breathe in and out as she rolled onto her side and saw three men fighting. Clyde, Hank… and Matthew. She knew now for sure, this wasn't in her head. Matthew really was here.

After shoving Colleen to the side, Clyde had sprung up and sent fists flying at Matthew, only getting in one punch to the jaw before Hank sent one back his way. Clyde might have been the largest man in this part of the woods, but right now, it was a two-on-one fight, and unfortunately for him, Hank knew what he was doing. Matthew's fighting skills weren't too bad either. As Clyde recoiled from the punch, Hank kept it coming with a kick to the groin while Matthew gave him a blast to the face. Clyde doubled over in pain, and Hank took this opportunity to shove the man to the ground. He landed on his back with a huff, trying to fight back but it was no use against the two men holding him down.

Hank held a gun close to his face with a sneer. "Stay down."

Leonard, who had been approaching Clyde and Colleen when everyone arrived, took this as his sign to bolt. He ran past everyone fighting and into the trees, running with all his might. "He's getting away!" Jake yelled, sprinting after him. Robert E followed and they caught up to the shorter man in no time. "Get down!" Jake yelled, holding out his gun in a threat. Robert E was just a step behind and lunged after Leonard, taking him down rather easily. "You're not going anywhere," he hissed in the man's ear as he grabbed onto him. Jake came up behind them and grabbed one of Leonard's arms, assisting Robert E in bringing the man back over to where everyone else was still centered. Leonard tried to wriggle and escape with no luck.

Michaela had run in last, seeing all three engagements taking place simultaneously. Matthew and Hank were fighting one man, Sully another, and Robert E and Jake were chasing after and taking down the third. As she took in the scene, Michaela noticed a fourth man lying on the ground unconscious by a second, much smaller fire. She ran over and kneeled down next to him, immediately checking for a pulse. It was there, albeit soft and shallow, but there. He was feverish, and his skin felt clammy. There was definitely something wrong with him. Michaela could only assume that he was the reason Andrew and Colleen were taken in the first place.

Not too far away, Sully and William were still going back and forth in a brawl, both experienced fighters. Every time one of them got knocked down, they got right back up again. Sully delivered another successful punch to William's cheek, knocking him off balance, yet still the man remained standing. William charged at Sully and tackled him to the ground, using the free second it bought him to stand up and remove his gun from his holster, bringing it up to his target. Sully saw the barrel of the gun aimed his way and before he could react, out of nowhere stormed in Preston, sending a punch square across William's jaw. Sully used this to his advantage and got up quickly, plowing into the man and sending him straight back onto the ground, knocking the air from his lungs and the gun loose from his grip. William gasped for breath, reaching for his gun that now lay several feet away. Preston and Sully exchanged a quick glance, knowing they were about to put this to an end. Sully grabbed the gun before William had a chance and moved it out of his reach. Preston sent a blow to the man's head as he struggled, nearly knocking him unconscious. Sully flipped the man onto his stomach and held his arms behind his back. "Preston," he said gruffly, waiting for the rope he knew the other man had on him. Matthew had given them all pieces of rope back when they dismounted their horses, knowing any of them could use it to tie and bind someone's hands together. Preston pulled the thin rope out of his pocket and handed it over to Sully, who proceeded to tie William's hands together tightly. The man lay on the ground with his head turned to the side, eyes half-opened in a daze as the two men made sure he was down for good.

Over on the other side of the fire, William was still pinned to the ground by both Matthew and Hank, and it took everything in Matthew to control his temper as he was met face-to-face with one of the men who took his sister. A man who shoved her to the ground just a few seconds ago. He removed a piece of rope from his jacket as Hank helped flip the man over, placing his hands behind his back. Matthew tied the rope around his wrists securely, having to stop himself from making them too tight. "Hank, hold him down." Hank grabbed the man's tied hands and placed a knee on his back, leaving no room for escape. Clyde struggled but Hank remained stronger, his gun still visible as a threat in his hand.

"Colleen," Matthew said, his voice suddenly filled with emotion, the hardness and icy chill from a moment ago gone. He shuffled to where she now sat up on the ground just a few feet away, watching him with big, tearful eyes. "Colleen, I'm here." He pulled her into his arms, holding her tight and planting a kiss on the top of her head. After a moment, he pulled away, grabbing her gently by the shoulders and looking her over, anger coursing through him at the sight of her, bruised and bloody. "It's okay now, you're safe." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief, wiping away some of the blood trailing from her stitches.

To see her brother… Colleen was in absolute shock. It felt like a dream, but it wasn't. This nightmare was over. She looked at Matthew's face and couldn't help but feel all of the emotions she had been trying so hard to keep back. "Matthew," she whispered, falling into him and leaning against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her protectively. "You're okay, you're okay…" he murmured softly, resting his chin on top of her head as he held her close.

Michaela, after quickly determining that the man on the ground was stable, stood, looking around for Colleen or Andrew. The fighting had seemed to stop, though it was hard to see everyone in the dark. She walked closer, seeing Jake and Robert E half walking, half dragging a man back toward the fire. Not too far from them was Hank, holding down a large man on the ground beside Matthew who had his arms wrapped around-

"Colleen!" she cried, running over to her, nearly tripping on a spare log but catching herself quickly.

"Dr. Mike!" Matthew called, "Colleen, I'll be back, I promise." He gave her another quick kiss before carefully letting go and running off to see where his help was needed. He wanted nothing more than to stay with his sister, but he had to make sure no one had gotten away. He still had a job to do.

For one brief moment between Matthew getting up and Michaela making her way over, Colleen and Hank caught each other's eyes. Hank shoved his knee even harder into Clyde's back as he saw the state she was in.

It was then that Colleen heard the sound of her mother's footsteps approaching. She turned her head, seeing her just a few feet away. "Ma," she croaked.

"Colleen," Michaela said, rushing forward and taking her daughter in her arms, overcome with relief. She held her in her arms for a minute before eventually pulling back and meeting her eyes, giving her a loving look filled with emotion. "Are you alright? Your arm…" She took in the girl's many cuts and bruises before leaning in close to examine the wound on her head.

Colleen mumbled something incoherently as she was pressed into another hug, breathing in the familiar scent of her mother before pulling back abruptly. "Ma, where's Andrew?" she cried, starting to come out of her state of shock. She squinted into the distance as she tried to spot him.

Once they knew William was secure and wouldn't try to get up, Sully and Preston turned their attention to Andrew who was sitting nearby in disbelief. "Are you okay?" Sully asked breathlessly, placing a hand on his shoulder and looking him over worriedly. There were bruises all over his face and blood was streaming from his nose.
Andrew nodded slowly at the two men who were watching him with matching looks of concern. He wiped some of the blood away with the cuff of his sleeve. "Yeah… yes I'm fine…" he breathed, astonished.

"Are you sure?" Preston asked, leaning down toward him with a concerned look. He and Sully continued to look him over for another minute, making sure he really was alright. He seemed to be okay, banged up, but okay. Andrew nodded once more and was about to open his mouth and ask about Colleen, but Sully seemed to read his thoughts.

"Keep an eye on them, I'm going to find Colleen," Sully said in a rush to Preston as he stood, referring to both Andrew and William. He was still a little worried about Andrew, but he also needed to find Colleen and make sure she was okay. He ran his eyes all around the camp searching for her. After several more seconds, he finally spotted her on the ground, half concealed by Michaela and tucked into her arms.

"Colleen!" Sully shouted, running over to her. Michaela turned and opened up to make room for him to join. "Are you alright?" he questioned, taking her face in his hands. Colleen nodded, emotions thick, limiting her ability to speak. Sully looked her over, and a quiet rage ran through his body upon seeing her arm wrapped up and the bruises on her face. "It's alright, we're gonna take you home," he said softly as his thumb stroked her cheek.

"Sully, where's Andrew?" Colleen asked hoarsely, her sore throat returning after screaming so much.

"He's alright," he said quickly, seeing her panic. "He's okay, he's with Preston."

Colleen visibly relaxed upon hearing this. She looked back and forth between Michaela, who was holding her from one side, and Sully, who was kneeling in front of her, still holding one hand to her cheek. Just behind Sully, Colleen saw that Matthew had helped Hank move Clyde closer toward the fire, where Jake and Robert E also stood, Leonard at their heels. Wolf was running in circles around them all, his tail wagging back and forth excitedly. She squinted her eyes as she peered beyond them, releasing another breath as she finally made out Andrew in the distance sitting next to Preston.

Preston and Andrew stared at each other for a moment, both unsure of what to say. Preston squatted down next to him, "You sure you're alright?"

Andrew studied him for a moment, the look on his boss's face one he couldn't quite peg. Preston looked…worried and nervous… it was hard to tell in the dark, but Andrew also thought there were bags under his eyes. Granted, traveling through the woods wasn't exactly his forte and he had come a long way. He stared at him for another moment before nodding slowly, finally answering his question. "Yeah, I think I'm okay. Preston… I can't believe you came all the way out here."

Preston scoffed noncommittally, but Andrew could see past the act. "You were in trouble. I mean… you and Colleen both…" he trailed off, standing up and putting his hands in his pockets casually. After a moment, he looked back at Andrew and reached out a hand to help him up.

Andrew stared at Preston for a few more seconds, still not fully recognizing the man in front of him. He shook his head with a slight smile and accepted the help, groaning as he was pulled to his feet. Once standing, he reached for Preston's shoulder, meeting his eyes with a serious expression. "Thank you, Preston. I mean it, thank you so much."

Preston looked back at the younger man, his face bruised, blood still trickling from his nose. He took a breath and nodded. "You're welcome, Andrew."

Andrew's eyes went wide suddenly, the peace of the moment gone. "Colleen. Did Sully find her? Where is she?"

"Um," Preston looked around, scanning the area. It might have been dark, but after a moment he easily spotted her past the fire in between her parents. "She's with Sully and Michaela." He nodded in their direction. "Go. I'm gonna keep an eye on him," he gestured toward William, still half-conscious by their feet.

Andrew threw Preston a grateful look before rushing over to where Colleen sat on the ground between Michaela and Sully. "Colleen!" he called.

"Andrew!" she called back as he approached and pulled her into his arms. She wrapped her good arm around him tightly.

"Are you okay?" He asked worriedly, pulling back and looking her over. He noted that the cut on her forehead had re-opened and she was a bit pale, but otherwise looked about the same as before.

Colleen nodded, grabbing onto his hand as she looked him over as well. "Andrew, your nose." It was still bleeding quite a bit, and she noticed a few new cuts and bruises on his face. She frowned.

"I'm fine," he said calmly, grabbing her hand. "We're going to be fine, we're safe now."

"Andrew," Michaela said, addressing him as she looked over his face with concern.

"Michaela" he replied, giving her a surprised look. "You're here." Not that he doubted she would come all this way to save her daughter, but she still caught him by surprise. Or perhaps he was still in shock from seeing Preston, either way, Andrew was grateful to see the woman he viewed as both a colleague and a friend. "Thank you… thank you both for saving us," he said, looking over at Sully as well. "I mean… you know, for saving Colleen." Obviously, they would have done whatever they needed to save her, but he didn't know what his fate would have been had he been taken alone.

Michaela reached out and touched his arm, seeming to read his thoughts, "We're here for the both of you."

"She's right," Sully added, giving him a sincere look. Something caught the man's attention and he looked around before standing up. "I'm going to help Preston, I'll be back," he added, comforted in knowing that Colleen and Andrew were in good hands before walking over to where the other man stood, still watching over William.

Andrew grabbed Michaela's hand and gave it an appreciative squeeze. She gave him a kind smile and squeezed his hand back, reaffirming their friendship in a single look.

"How did you find us?" Colleen asked with a sniff, eyes watering once more. "I didn't think…" she shook her head, "we didn't know if-"

"Shhh," Michaela pulled her into her arms once more, "it's all going to be fine now."

"Hey," Matthew said gently, coming over and squatting down in front of them. Colleen pulled back and wiped her eyes as she turned to face him. Matthew looked back and forth between her and Andrew specifically. "We got the three guys here tied up, and we saw the fourth one, the injured one. Is it just them?"

"Yes," Andrew said quickly with a nod. "It's just the four of them."

"Alright," he nodded. "I'm going need the story on what happened for their arrest but it can wait. Right now, we need to make sure they're fully secure and we're gonna make a plan for bringing them into town. You guys should rest a while." He gave Colleen's shoulder a squeeze before standing back up and returning to everyone else.

"Let's move toward the fire," Michaela said as he left, "It will be warmer." And brighter, she thought. "I'd like to examine you both."

Colleen moved to stand, wincing in pain from the motion. "Colleen may have injured her ribs," Andrew said, addressing her pain as he reached out to help her up.

Michaela frowned in acknowledgment, taking mental notes as she grabbed her medical bag.

"I don't think they're broken," Colleen added quietly.

She gave her daughter a knowing look. "It can be hard to tell. Bruised ribs can produce a similar pain, but broken ribs can become dangerous. I'd like to know before we travel home."

They slowly closed the distance between themselves and the fire, taking a seat on the cold, hard ground. Michaela immediately opened her medical bag and removed some gauze dressing, wiping away some of the blood near Colleen's eye before gently pressing it on her cut. She used some medical tape to hold the dressing in place, stopping the light flow of blood. "We need to stop the bleeding for now. We'll have to build the fire back up before I can re-stitch this." The fire in front of them wasn't quite as bright as she wanted it to be. Michaela handed some extra dressing to Andrew. "Let me look at your nose," She moved in front of him and examined it closely. It was already extremely swollen, but the alignment looked alright. The bleeding had also slowed considerably, which was a good sign. She touched the sides of it tenderly, Andrew wincing in response. "I don't think it's broken, but we'll have to keep an eye on it as the swelling goes down. Are you hurt anywhere else?" She looked the rest of Andrew over, but the majority of his injuries, at least from what she could see visually, seemed to be an assortment of bruises on his face. He had a black eye and a cut lip, and on top of today's swollen nose, he also gained two cuts on his forehead and a large bruise on his cheekbone. Several, smaller cuts also ran along his knuckles.

"No, that's it," Andrew replied as Michaela continued checking him over. "My head's pounding a bit but I'm sure it's just from getting hit."

"Did you black out at all?" Michaela asked seriously, wanting to rule out a possible concussion. "Are you dizzy or lightheaded?"

"No," he shook his head. "Just pain is all."

"Alright, we'll keep an eye on it," she instructed, knowing that head injuries could become serious very quickly. She wished more than anything that they were closer to home and they didn't have so far to travel back. "Colleen, what happened to your arm?" She reached for it gently, and as she did, Michaela thought back to the conversation she had with Matthew yesterday about the difficulties of performing your job when your patients are your family and those close to you. As she treated both Colleen and Andrew, now was one of those times that she was being tested. "How did this happen?"

Colleen spoke up quietly, "The men had a wagon, but it broke, so a few of us had to ride their horses tandem. I was riding with William, the one over by Preston, but his horse got spooked and we both fell off. I landed on my wrist wrong and I cut my head on something on the ground. That's when I hit my ribs, too."

"I believe it's a Barton fracture," Andrew added. "Colleen's wrist was dislocated and I believe her radius is broken. I reset the joint and splinted it with what I could for now."

"You've done a fine job," Michaela said, examining the makeshift splint. She was grateful for Andrew's medical expertise. Though she could tell Colleen was in pain, she would be in a whole lot more right now if her wrist was still out of place. "And your ribs, Colleen how much pain are you in, truthfully?"

"Ma, they're fine," she insisted. She really didn't want everybody making such as fuss over her.

Andrew saw how uncomfortable she was, and he knew that if they were back in the clinic she probably wouldn't be putting up such a strong front. "I did as much as I could to check them, she has a lot of sensitivity while moving and breathing deeply, but I do think Colleen would be in much more pain if they were fully broken."

"I can check for bruising later. It's another way to be sure." She would wait for now, as it would require Colleen to undress, and she wasn't going to have her do that until they had some sort of privacy. She believed her daughter in that if they were broken, she would be in significantly more pain. "We'll just have to be extra careful until then," she said, giving her a kind smile.

Michaela continued to examine Colleen for any other possible injuries. Aside from the cut on her forehead that still needed re-stitching, she had a black eye and some other smaller cuts and bruises scattered around her face. As Michaela kept looking, however, she noticed something else she had not yet seen. "Colleen… you're neck," she said in alarm. She leaned in closer to examine the large bruises that sat at the base of the young woman's throat, along with a couple of smaller ones trailing beside it. She had not noticed them before in the darkness, but here by the fire, Michaela could make them out more clearly, and she swallowed angrily in response. You don't just get bruises on the front of your neck… someone gives them to you.

Andrew looked at Colleen sympathetically as fear flashed through her eyes, the memory of what happened all too fresh in her mind. Clyde may be tied up now, but that didn't mean Colleen would soon forget all that happened last night.

Horrifying thoughts flashed through Michaela's mind. Somebody had choked Colleen, but who? Which of the men that still sat in her line of vision right now? She had heard the rasp and hoarseness in her daughter's voice each time she spoke, and now she knew what had caused it. "Colleen, what happened?" she whispered gently.

Apprehension crossed Colleen's face as she thought once more about what happened last night. She looked past the fire to see him, Clyde, now sitting back-to-back with his companions as Sully, Matthew, and the other men stood near them, speaking in hushed tones as they decided what to do. "Ma… he," she took a shaky breath. "One of them held me down… last night… he kissed me, I tried to push him off, I screamed but," her eyes filled with tears. "When I kept screaming he put his hands around my neck."

Darkness flashed in Michaela's eyes. "Did he?" she couldn't bring herself to say it. "Did-"

"No," Andrew interrupted, anger on his face as well. "He didn't. He was about to, but I got there before…" he finished his sentence there. He couldn't let himself think about what would have happened if he had gotten there any later.

"Oh Colleen," she said quietly, stroking back the girl's messy hair as her eyes filled with tears, "I'm so sorry." She reached out and grabbed Andrew's hand with her free one, "Andrew," looking him in the eyes gratefully.

He squeezed her hand back, acknowledging the message she was trying to convey. "I just wish I could have been there sooner."

Colleen shook her head, tears falling now. "You saved me, Andrew. You didn't need to do anything else."

It was quiet for a moment as they sat and processed everything. "Are either of you hurt anywhere else?" Michaela added softly, wanting to talk more about the information she just learned, but knowing it needed to wait until later when they had more privacy. She didn't want to move on from the topic, but she needed to make sure they were taken care of physically right away.

"Colleen does have a little bit of a fever, likely from the injuries from her fall, but I think that's everything," Andrew said quietly. His mind was still distracted after thinking about last night. All of theirs were.

Michaela reached out to feel Colleen's forehead, nodding. "We'll keep an eye on it. You're probably right about it being from the fall, sometimes breaks can cause low-grade fevers, but there is always a chance of infection." Colleen just sighed, tired and trying to hide the shiver that ran through her.

There wasn't much to do now except wait for word on what they were going to do next. Michaela grabbed a couple of logs and started to stoke the fire. Within a short time, it was built back up, burning brightly and adding additional needed warmth. Colleen and Andrew sat side-by-side watching everyone around them, a part of them still processing that this was really happening. They really were safe.

Once the fire was a little bit brighter, Michaela was able to take care of the cut on Colleen's head. Andrew held her hand the entire time.

After Colleen was taken care of, Michaela went to check on Jeremiah again. Andrew told her everything he knew and what he had done to treat the man, including removing the bullet and his assumption that his spleen needed to be removed. She was still examining him now as he and Colleen sat and watched the fire.

Andrew knew he could go and join the rest of the men, but the truth was, he didn't care to. They were more experienced in these types of situations than he was, and even if he did have something to contribute to the conversation, he would much rather stay here, by Colleen's side. "We're safe now," he whispered to her, still wanting to give her all the reassurance he could. Frankly, it also helped reassure himself by saying it aloud. As he said it, Colleen looked over at him, and the two of them shared a look that expressed so many emotions: relief, reassurance, concern for the other, and a deep understanding that they had been through an experience that would bond them forever.