"The Homecoming" is the twelfth episode of season 6 of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.
The Army leaves Colorado Springs while the town is busy with Christmas preparations. Meanwhile Sully and Dr. Mike have to say goodbye to Cloud Dancing and Welland Smith as they turn around to finally return home. Sully again receives a job offer from Welland Smith to guide politicians through the wilderness so they can vote to preserve it. He promises to think about it. On their way home they run into a young couple who are lost in the woods and offer their help, as they clearly need it. When they make camp for the night they see a cougar and although Sully tells them he is not looking for trouble, Chester, the young man, fires off a shot, scaring their mule with all their belongings (including their food, map and compass) and money, into running away. So Mike and Sully offer to take them to the settlement they're trying to reach, even though it is only 3 days til Christmas and they want to be home by then. They find the Settlement abandoned but even though it is the night before Christmas they help the young couple to find their family. After seeing how he taught the couple survive in the wilderness without destroying it, Mike urges Sully to take the job offered by Smith, because he could teach others. Cloud Dancing comes back to meet Dorothy and tells her he came, because Christmas is the time to be with the ones you love.
Back in town, Daniel receives a job offer to run gold mine. Matthew tells him the town and the family don't want him to go. Hank, who is clearly unhappy with Daniel being Sheriff, sends over one of his girl to harm Daniel's reputation as an upstanding citizen. She locks them in a cell together and as they talk, she tells him, he has a home in Colorado Springs. The next morning, when Hank wants to show the town the two of them together in the cell, the girl quits and says Daniel is a kind man, much to Hank's disappointment. Hank gets angry and tries to start a fight. Daniel receives a Sheriff-Sign as a Christmas present from the town, convincing him to stay. After everyone has given up, Mike and Sully come home on Christmas Eve and celebrate together with the Children, Daniel, Cloud Dancing and Dorothy.
This episode provides examples of:
- Christmas Episode: The final one of the series.
- Frame-Up: Hank (unsuccessfully) attempts to ruin Daniel's reputation by sending one of his girls over.
