Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman was a show that focused on Dr. Mike, a woman doctor in a time when that was unheard of. It started with her journey to Colorado Springs to be the town's physician after her father's death in 1868.
A long time ago, Joey and Michael were seeing the same woman, Marcia Bradford. Soon, Marcia was pregnant with Nicole, and died when Nicole was 12 years old. Unable to determine who the father was, both Michael and Joey were appointed Nicole's legal guardians.