Original subtitles

Mater est en tablino.

No, mater est en triclinio.

That's right.

Your Latin's getting very good.

Hey!

Oops. Sorry.

What are you doing?

I'm trying to figure out how a catapult works.

We're having a contest at school for Roman Day.

Roman Day?

We've been studying about Rome.

We're gonna spend a whole day

doing things like the Romans did.

We're gonna make speeches in Latin and even wear togas.

And build catapults!

Whoever makes the catapult

that can shoot a rock the farthest

gets a laurel wreath.

There's a book in the library about the Roman Empire.

There might be drawings of catapults.

Does it have chariots?

Probably.

Are you gonna ask Sully?

Brian!

Ask me what?

There's a father-daughter chariot race.

The fathers pull the chariots, and the girls drive them.

Sounds like fun.

Well, since my Pa's not around...

I'd be glad to.

Sully's like our Pa anyway.

Dr. Mike and I have been talking about that.

When we get married,

we wanted to know if you'd like it

if we'd go ahead and adopt you and make it legal

so that I'd be your Pa and Dr. Mike'd be your Ma

in everybody's eyes.

That'd be great.

Could you do that?

We'd have to look into it,

but I'm sure there's a way.

I'm of age, but I think that's a good idea.

Mater sum pater.

Mater et pater.

Says here, if a child's been left

and the Ma and Pa are still living,

then you gotta get his or her consent.

But we don't even know where he is.

San Francisco.

We can't be sure of that.

He never sent us a letter.

That was more than two years ago.

No telling where he might be now.

But you gotta show you made a -- what do they call it --

a bona fide effort to find him.

Well, then, we'll put an ad in the San Francisco Chronicle.

It says you gotta put notices in at least two places.

Then, we'll advertise in Denver as well.

How long we gotta wait?

Well, after you file the papers,

the parents got three months to answer.

If they don't, then you get the kids.

Perfect. Be just in time for our wedding.

But what if our Pa says no?

Oh, he doesn't care about us.

Chances are he won't even see the notice.

What if he does?

Well, I'm sure he'll give his consent.

He knows we're your family now.

We just want to make it legal.

It'll all work out.

Let's go.

Let's play the geography game.

Good idea.

Sully, why don't you start?

All right, uh...Mississippi.

Um, England.

No, Brian. Come on.

England begins with an E.

Matthew, look at that.

You need something that begins with an I.

Uh, India.

Well, I'm gonna say Africa.

That sure is a fancy carriage.

I wonder who that belongs to.

Your turn, Matthew.

Nobody from around here, looks like.

Come on, Matthew. A place that starts with an A.

I'm thinking.

- Look at this, Ma. - Careful, Brian.

- Fancy. - Hey.

Hello, Colleen.

Oh, my gosh.

My, aren't you a vision,

a vision I've been longing to see?

Come here, son!

Well, children, Dr. Quinn, Mr. Sully,

I'd like you to meet my wife, Lillian, your new stepmother.

Stepmother?

I'm pleased to meet you.

Ethan's told me so much about you.

But you didn't tell me how beautiful Colleen is

or that Matthew's not a child.

He's a young man.

That you are, son.

Brian, my, you're gettin' big,

big enough to have your own horse, I reckon.

Tell you what.

I'm gonna buy you one, teach you how to ride.

- I already got a horse. - Ah.

Mr. Cooper, I take it you saw our...

Yes.

Lillian and I were on our way to St. Louis on business

when we saw your notice in the Denver newspaper,

so we thought we'd stop by and visit.

How come you never wrote to us?

Yeah, Pa.

I sent you presents last Christmas.

Never got nothing.

Well, stagecoach must have been held up.

The stagecoach wasn't robbed last Christmas.

Well, something must have happened.

I was wondering why you never wrote back.

I'd better go.

I'll be seeing you.

That you will, son.

Lillian and I are gonna be staying here

for a couple of weeks.

What for?

Why, to see you all, of course?

It's all right, isn't it, Pa?

What's that, son?

That Ma and Sully adopt us?

Well, I think that's something

that we're gonna have to talk about.

Well, we'll have lots of opportunities

to visit with each other now.

Mr. Bray tells me that the Hogan place may be for rent,

so we're gonna be here for awhile.

I'll take you over there.

Well, it's a little rustic for Lillian.

She's used to servants and clean, white linens,

but I think she'll adjust.

I'll tell her it's a Western adventure.

What're you doing here, Ethan?

Sully, I have a different life now.

Meeting Lillian has inspired me to set off on a new foot.

Is that right?

By the way, just so I'll know,

what exactly did you tell the children about my departure?

They were real upset, and we read them your letter.

My letter?

Said you were sorry that you

couldn't take them with you to San Francisco,

but you knew they were in good hands.

They are, Ethan.

I can see that.

And I'm very grateful to you for looking after them so well.

It's wonderful to have you with us again, Ethan.

And I want to thank you for that generous contribution.

- Very welcome. - My father always says

the soundest investment you can make

is in the spiritual life of a community.

Well, he sounds very wise.

Wise, indeed.

Afternoon, Reverend.

Can we look at the carriage?

Can we, Ma?

- All right. - Thanks!

Oh, my. A fine-looking horse.

Look! Look inside!

Where'd you get this rig?

Had it made special.

Awful fancy.

Mm-hmm, only one of its kind.

It was a wedding gift from my father.

Colleen, Brian, let's go for ride.

I gotta get home.

Brian?

We gotta eat lunch.

- Oh, do you like deviled eggs? - Yeah.

Well, because I have fixed a lovely basket.

We could go on a picnic.

We wouldn't want to interfere with any of Dr. Quinn's plans,

of course.

I don't have any special plans.

It's up to the children if they want to.

Well, of course they do.

Come on, Colleen.

Look at this.

Cushions are made of velvet.

Ah!

You can't let them go off with him.

But he's their father, your father.

And I don't trust him.

I know what you're feeling, Matthew.

What's important is we get those adoption papers signed.

Best not to start any trouble.

Bye, Ma.

How long will you be?

Before dark, I reckon.

Have a lovely time.

Myra?

Myra, she's hungry.

I just fed her an hour ago.

Yeah, she -- she --

- she -- she won't go to sleep. - Check her diaper.

It's dry.

She's hungry. I know it.

Come here, sweetheart.

Yeah. Oh, oh, oh, don't, oh, oh.

You want some milk? Yeah.

Aw, yeah.

Horace, she is not hungry!

Then why is she fussing?

I don't know.

Wait, I got an idea.

This'll make her smile.

Dorothy brought it over from the store.

Oh, that was nice of Dorothy.

Okay, here we go.

Look, look, look. Look, look, look.

Oh, oh.

I still say it's too soon to be worrying.

Should've been back hours ago.

We should never have let them go.

Maybe they had trouble with the carriage.

- Someone may be hurt. - Let's get going.

Listen.

Colleen!

It's them.

Where have you been?

Drove out to Manitou.

We were having such a fine time we decided to have supper.

We ate in a hotel dining room, Ma.

They had an ice cream bar.

You could eat all you wanted.

There were violin players and singers.

Pa bought me a silk dress.

We've been worried.

I'm sorry.

I didn't mean to alarm you.

We honestly didn't think you'd mind.

Well, we wouldn't have minded if we'd known.

We were frightened.

Of what?

Surely you knew they were in safe hands.

It's late.

Let's get you down.

Thanks, Pa.

Thanks, Miss Lillian.

We had a wonderful time.

I always knew you'd come back.

Good night, son.

Sully, if you adopt us, then you'll be my Pa, right?

Yep.

Sure you still want us to adopt you?

- 'Course I do. - What about Colleen?

She does, too.

We don't want to leave you ever.

Then you won't have to.

What about my other Pa?

Well, he'll still be your other Pa.

Good morning, son.

Mr. Sully.

Hey, Pa.

Miss Lillian.

What're you building?

A catapult, for Roman Day.

My...

I believe that arm needs to be a little longer, Brian.

You're gonna need a counterweight

if you want that stone to go flying.

I got a different plan.

I'm gonna use a bedspring.

You push down and lock it.

And when I let go, the arm will shoot out.

Well, it'll shoot a lot further with a counterweight, son.

Brian wants to do it this way.

Fine. Fine.

Mr. and Mrs. Cooper, would you like some tea or coffee?

Oh, thank you, but we've had our breakfast.

We've come to talk about the adoption.

We've discussed it with the children,

and they seem to be comfortable and happy here.

My wife and I see no reason they shouldn't stay.

Does that mean you'll sign the papers?

Yes.

I'll go get them.

Mr. Cooper, thank you.

You see, he's different now.

We appreciate this.

I know it can't have been an easy decision.

You'll still be my Pa, right?

Sure I will.

We'd still like you to come visit us, if Dr. Mike consents.

Oh, I insist if you're kind enough to have them.

And you're always welcome to visit us too.

Here.

Thanks, Ethan.

This helps everybody.

I got two Pas now.

I'm lucky.

I believe you are.

She cries all night and hardly ever sleeps.

Maybe -- maybe she's not getting enough milk?

Well, she's getting all she needs

or she wouldn't be gaining weight.

Last night, I hardly got no sleep at all.

I had to keep walking her back and forth

in the telegraph office.

Her little eyes would close

but the minute I'd stop,

she'd pop awake and start bawling again.

All babies need to cry to exercise their lungs.

And all babies are different.

Why don't you just relax?

She's healthy and normal,

and...

everything's gonna be fine.

What kind of land you want to look at?

Oh, any parcel along the line where that railroad's coming.

You're not planning on living there, are you?

No, it's an investment.

Once the railroad's built, that land is gonna soar in value.

Chance to make a killing out here.

If you got the funds.

Once Lillian and I have children,

we're gonna come into a substantial fortune.

How's that?

Lillian's an only child.

Her mother passed away when she was young.

Lillian's father has left his entire estate, in trust,

for Lillian's children.

We're the executors.

That means you'll be handling the money?

'Til the children are grown.

So if you had that kind of capital to invest, Mr. Sully,

what land would you purchase?

Nothing around here.

I'd buy where there aren't any people,

where the railroad wasn't coming through.

Well, that's a romantic notion, Mr. Sully.

But it's a poor investment.

So, he signed the paper?

I'm so relieved. I feel like celebrating.

Ah.

Oh!

Hello, Miss Cooper. How are you today?

Very well, thank you.

Um, did you enjoy Manitou?

I enjoyed being with the children.

They're wonderful young people.

You've done a fine job of raising them.

Thank you.

I hope I do as well when Ethan and I have our own.

Well, I guess I'd best be getting back to the gazette.

Bye, Miss Cooper.

Are you planning on having children soon?

Oh, yes. I've always wanted a nursery

full of children.

My mother died when I was young, so I never had a real family.

And I want to give Ethan a chance to do it again,

he wants it so.

Does he?

He can never forgive himself for leaving Charlotte

with the little ones.

He broke down and cried when I showed him your notice

in the paper.

You mean it was you who saw the notice?

Yes. I didn't even know Ethan had children.

He told me he kept it from me because he was afraid

I wouldn't love him if I knew he had a family.

But I assured him that wasn't so,

and I told him we must come and see his children.

And now that we have, why,

it's only deepened our desire to have our own.

I see.

It's just... Well, I was thinking.

You being a physician and a lady...

Well, Ethan and I have been married a year,

and we haven't been...blessed.

And I was wondering if there was any way...

Anything, you know, that might help.

Have you seen a doctor?

Oh, yes.

But did he examine you.

No, he said we should simply be patient.

Well, I would need to examine you.

I've -- I've never had that done.

It won't be painful.

Why don't you come to the clinic with me?

Right now?

It would help me answer your questions.

All right.

We're almost finished.

Just gonna press down, gently, here.

Does that hurt?

No.

Lillian, about your menstrual cycle...

Oh, I've never had a monthly.

Have you told your doctor about this?

No.

My aunt always said it's because I'm delicate.

Is that why I'm not in a family way?

Here, let me help you up.

Lillian, the reason you haven't been able to become pregnant

is because you have a rare condition

called uterine agenesis.

You don't have a uterus.

I beg your pardon?

The uterus is the sac that the baby grows in.

Well, you were born without one.

And that's why you don't have a menstrual cycle.

But...What does this mean?

I'm afraid it means you won't be able to bear children.

Ever?

I know this is a shock.

But...Isn't there something that you could do?

An operation?

I'm afraid not.

What, are you telling me I -- I -- I'm deformed?

No! No, no, you're perfectly fine in every other way,

and you have excellent health.

I'll never have children?

I'm sorry.

Oh, dear god.

Oh, god.

I'm sorry.

Mr. Cooper.

May I have a word with you?

Certainly.

How's Lillian doing?

She couldn't sleep last night.

Having children meant more to her than anything.

I know. It pained me to have to tell her.

I could give you something to help her sleep.

You did what you had to do.

But now, I'm afraid I must do something that pains me.

What's that?

I've changed my mind about the adoption.

- What? - I can't allow it to go through.

Why, because of Lillian?

She's very disappointed, but that's not the reason.

I'd forgotten what a joy the children are.

And now it appears they're the only children

I'm ever going to have.

I'm taking them to San Francisco next Friday.

I don't want to leave you and Sully!

Me neither!

You won't have to.

He signed those papers.

How can he take that back?

I say he can't.

What about my friends?

School...Matthew...

He can't take us away from our own brother, can he?

He's not going to do that.

Yeah, I swear he ain't.

Now, let's not get alarmed.

Your father said those things in a rash mood.

He'd -- he'd just received some bad news.

In a few days, when he's had a chance to think things over,

he'll change his mind.

So let's get ready for bed now.

I'll read you "King Arthur's Tales."

We won't have to go?

You won't. I promise.

I wish we would've never started this adoption business.

Then Ethan wouldn't be here.

I can't understand why he's doing this.

Money.

What do you mean?

He needs the kids to get to his wife's inheritance.

How do you know this?

He told me when we were out scouting for land.

Said his wife's father's fortune's

in trust for their kids.

If they don't have any kids, no money.

Oh, Ethan can't be so low to take them away for that.

Now you have to poke it up.

My Pa's a really fast runner.

- I bet he can't beat Sully! - I bet he can!

Whoa, whoa.

Colleen, what's going on here?

We're just getting ready for Roman Day.

We're gonna wear togas and have a chariot race.

Oh, how lovely.

We had a Latin pageant at my school.

A toga makes you feel so stately and gracious.

I imagine you looked beautiful in a toga.

Colleen, we've come to take you shopping.

I've gotta finish this.

We want to get you a few things for the trip.

I don't want to go.

All right, I guess we can do it another day.

I mean I don't want to go live with you.

Colleen.

I know this is gonna take some getting used to.

How come you keep changing your mind?

First you run off and leave us,

and then you come back and you just leave us again.

You just disappear, you don't even say goodbye.

I wrote you a letter.

What's gonna happen when we get to San Francisco?

Are you just gonna leave us again?

Colleen, I have made some mistakes.

I regret them.

I know it's late, but I'm here now,

if you'll just give me a chance.

No.

I'm all grown up now.

I did fine without you, so don't think you can come back here

and pick up right where you left off.

I don't need you anymore.

Colleen, you'll always need your father.

Father? Sully is my father.

Colleen?

Colleen?

Colleen, what's wrong?

Colleen, what is it?

Something happen at school, one of your friends?

Please tell us, we can help you.

Matthew, I want to talk to Colleen.

I don't want to see him.

- Step aside, son. - Go away.

Matthew, stop. Stop, please.

I want to talk to Colleen,

I tried to pick her up at school...

He tried to force me to go with him and Lillian.

I don't want to, you said I wouldn't have to!

Mr. Cooper, I'd like a word with you.

Get in the wagon. Matthew, drive home,

- I'll join you later. - Come on, Colleen.

Git.

Git.

Can't we discuss this?

There's nothing to discuss.

I believe there is.

Colleen's very upset and so is Brian.

They'll get over that.

I wish you could consider what they're going through.

I mean, you've been gone for quite some time

and we've made a home together.

If you take them away you're breaking up the only family

they've had since their mother died.

What about the home they had before?

You've been with them for two years.

I was with them for 10.

I'm their real father, you're not their mother.

But they call me their mother.

And they'll learn to do the same with Lillian,

just as they did you in two short years.

- What do you want? - I've told you.

I mean, what's your price? I'll sell the clinic.

I'll give you everything in cash.

And if that's not enough, I'll wire my mother for more.

Just take the money and leave us alone.

I don't want your money.

Lillian's father owns half the Oregon territory.

You can't give me a fraction

of what he makes in interest every day.

But you won't get his money unless you have the children.

That's true, isn't it?

Do you know how odious that is?

Odious?

You just offered me money.

You tried to buy them back.

But I'm doing it for their welfare.

So am I.

- The children will be rich. - In what?

Rich in things, but not in love.

Who says I don't love them?

I do.

And you're not taking them away.

You don't have a choice.

I have the law, Mr. Cooper.

This court is now in session.

All rise for His Honor Marvin Davidson,

district court judge of the Colorado territory.

There ain't gonna be no talking out of turn,

no smoking and no swearing in the court.

You can all sit down now.

In the matter of Cooper versus Quinn,

I understand that both parties

are going to represent themselves,

is that correct?

Your Honor, Mr. Cooper signed a legal agreement

to allow me and Byron Sully to adopt the two children.

It's a binding contract.

And he has no right to break it.

I move that this lawsuit be dismissed.

Your honor, this lady asked me to sign away my own kin...

Whom you abandoned, twice.

...And I reluctantly agreed.

However, I believe I have the right to reconsider.

It was not reluctant.

Your motion's denied.

Mr. Cooper, you may speak first.

Thank you.

Your Honor, the question here is simple.

Who is the children's rightful father?

And that's not something you can change

by writing your name on a piece of paper.

I'm very grateful to Dr. Quinn

for looking after my children at a time when I was unable.

But I am able now to give them a home, a beautiful home,

with a lovely wife who's willing to devote herself

to looking after them full-time

and providing them with the finest education

that you can find any place in this country.

Now, what right does Dr. Quinn have

to tell me that I cannot take my children home?

And I intend to show the court that they belong with me.

Quiet, everyone.

Quiet down!

Mr. Brey, isn't it true that my son, Brian Cooper,

jumped out of a tree and almost died

while he was in the care of Dr. Quinn and Mr. Sully?

All boys do foolish things.

You can't keep them from climbing trees.

Yes, but why did he jump?

I don't know.

Maybe, uh, Sully was telling him some kind of a story.

I think it was about a Cheyenne who could fly.

So, Sully encouraged him?

That's not what I said.

But Sully was filling the boy's head

full of this Indian mumbo jumbo.

No, he wasn't.

Didn't you say that Sully told him a story?

Well, if I told you a story about a flying carpet,

you wouldn't go out and try to fly one, would you?

Why didn't Sully stop Brian from jumping out of the tree?

He wasn't watching him.

Thank you, Mr. Brey.

Miss Jennings, did you write in your gazette

that Dr. Quinn was engaged to Reverend Johnson?

Yes, but that was a misunderstanding.

And a few months later,

did you also write that she became engaged to Mr. Sully?

Yes.

And was she not also engaged, at the same time,

to a Dr. David Lewis of Boston?

She thought he was dead.

Was he dead?

No.

So, she was promised to two men?

- Well, for a time... - So, Dr. Quinn was engaged

to three men in one year?

Now, what does that tell us about her moral character?

You're twisting everything around.

Michaela's got the finest moral character of anybody I know.

Does she?

Has Mr. Sully ever spent the night at her home?

He's making it sound like something it wasn't.

Just answer the question, please.

Has Mr. Sully ever spent the night at her home

without the benefit of marriage?

If there was a problem or an emergency,

he stayed at the homestead, but not with her.

Yes or no?

Yes.

Thank you.

Reverend Johnson,

has Dr. Quinn tried to adopt children before?

There was a half-breed baby

that we couldn't find a home for.

And Dr. Quinn offered to take in the baby.

But the father returned to claim him.

Were there others that she tried to adopt?

Well, there was a orphan train that came through here.

And she and I talked about adopting the orphans.

- How many? - Eight.

So she's tried to adopt nine children.

And now, she wants my two?

Where's it going to end?

Is she going to try to adopt every stray

that passes through town?

Does she have some strange need to keep adopting children,

like the old woman who lived in a shoe?

That is not fair!

Thank you, Reverend.

She's a good mother.

She looks after us, teaches us things.

She'd do anything for us.

But is she there when you need her?

Of course.

She's there.

Is she home when Brian and Colleen return from school?

- No, but... - She cook supper?

Colleen does that.

She likes to.

Did she leave you alone for a week

when there was an epidemic in the nearby town?

Sully looked after us.

Well, who looked after you when she and Sully

went to collect water samples from the mine?

Grace stepped in.

And when she ran for mayor,

did you tell her that was too much?

No.

Did you want her to run?

- I was against it at first -- - But she ran anyway

neglecting the children?

That's not true.

Did she spend more time campaigning

and working in the clinic than she spent with you children?

You must answer the question.

Yes.

Thank you, son.

I underestimated Ethan.

How did he learn all those things?

Been hanging around the saloon asking questions,

getting folks to talk.

Well, he's turned this around. Now, I'm the one on trial.

We gotta turn it back on him.

We gotta tell how we caught him

running off with the church money.

But Sully, we agreed to keep that quiet

- for the children's sake. - And we gotta tell them

about the inheritance too.

You want the children to know that their father's a thief

and only wants them for the money,

that he doesn't love them?

Weren't you listening in there?

Did you see the judge's face? We gotta use everything we got.

We can't prove anything.

It's our word against Ethan.

If we tell what really happened at the church,

we'll have to tell how we wrote their goodbye letter

and signed Ethan's name,

how we lied to the children and everyone else.

And once that gets out, no one will believe a word we say.

We gotta take that chance.

That won't be necessary.

I haven't had my turn to speak yet.

I know I can make a convincing case.

We're going to prevail.

You may now present your case.

Mr. Cooper, did you leave your wife, Charlotte,

alone on a farm with three small children?

I left to pursue opportunity.

I was following the time-honored tradition

where the father goes ahead and forges the way,

no matter how long it takes.

This is how the West was civilized.

And was it civilized, Mr. Cooper,

to take your wife's money sock and all of her savings,

leaving her and the children with nothing?

I left her the farm.

Which she lost.

- Did you send any money? - No.

Did you ever write to her or the children?

No.

Not even once?

I came back as soon as I could.

And when was that?

Five years later.

I see.

And what was the purpose in coming back?

I had gotten word that Charlotte had died,

and I wanted to bring the children

back to San Francisco with me.

And did you?

No.

So, you deserted them two times?

My business was in trouble.

A ship of mine had sunk in the Pacific, Your Honor.

There was no ship, Mr. Cooper.

What are you getting at, Dr. Quinn?

Why did you run away without even saying goodbye?

I told you, my business was in trouble.

That was not the reason you rode off in the dead of night.

Do you have concrete proof that I did something wrong,

that I'm not fit to be the father of my own children?

Do you have proof?

Dr. Quinn?

No.

I got proof.

Sully's been the best Pa we ever had.

Sit down, Miss. You're out of order.

But I want to talk.

Children are not allowed to testify.

But you gotta listen to us.

We want to stay with Ma and Sully.

If you don't keep quiet,

I'll be forced to have you removed.

We love them.

They're our real Ma and Pa now.

Mr. Slicker, take those children out of here.

I'm giving you an order,

or I'll hold you in contempt of court.

You can't make us go off with him.

Please, somebody listen.

Your Honor,

we all have strong emotions and opinions on this matter.

But let's keep our sights on the most important question --

What is gonna be best for the children,

Colleen and Brian Cooper?

Is it best to keep them with the people

they call their family,

their older brother,

the town they feel a part of,

their friends of all ages who love them

and whom they love,

or would it be better

to send them off to a city they've never seen

with a man who has demonstrated again and again

that he will not be around when they need him?

Where were you, Mr. Cooper, when your wife lay dying,

and she asked, with her last breath,

"Who will take care of my children?"

Where were you when Brian fell down the cliff

and no one could find him, no one but Sully?

Where were you when Colleen

almost lost her hands to frostbite?

Sully brought her home in time.

Where were you when Matthew was trapped in a cave-in at the mine

and Sully risked his life to free him?

And where were you for the happy times,

for the spring concert, the pie-baking contest,

times when children long to have a parent watch them shine?

You were not there, Mr. Cooper,

but we were because we are the children's family now.

What makes a family is not merely blood.

It's the days, the hours, the weeks we spend together,

through thick and thin.

Before I had these children,

I thought that being a doctor was the most important thing.

They've shown me that there is one thing

more important than all else.

That's your family.

As Charlotte Cooper was dying, she did not send for Ethan.

She asked me to take care of them.

And I'm asking you to honor her wishes,

to make that same choice today,

the choice that Charlotte decided

would be best for her children,

the choice that allowed her to rest in peace.

Thank you.

Ma, Sully.

- How'd you do, Ma? - She done great.

I've been proud.

I think you really got through to him.

No telling what the judge will do, though.

He'll make the right decision.

I'm sure of it.

Quiet.

Quiet now.

Dr. Quinn, you and Mr. Sully

have done a great deal for these children,

and it's clear they hold you in affection.

Mr. Cooper, I find you've neglected your children

and inflicted hardship on them repeatedly.

Nevertheless, you are their father,

and it is not for the court

to determine who makes a good father

or who deserves to be the father of any child.

That's up to the Almighty.

Therefore, the children are to be delivered to Mr. Cooper

- and remain in his sole custody. - No.

Quiet now. Quiet. I will have quiet in this court.