Under Fire

Under Fire is the fifth episode of the first season of Virgin River and the fifth episode of the series overall.

Summary
Under pressure, Mel and Jack respond to a medical emergency on a remote illegal pot farm. Charmaine and Hope exchange words.

Plot Summary
After being held at gunpoint, Jack tries to confront the man, Jimmy, remarking that he stands a good chance of disarming him before becoming critically injured. Mel becomes increasingly annoyed at the showdown between the two, and remarks that she wants to help if someone is in need of medical attention, but will only do so if Jack accompanies her. Jimmy eventually agrees for Jack to accompany the two.

Arriving at the location, it is revealed that they have been brought to an illegal cannabis farm. Mel questions the illegality and existence of the farm, and Jack reveals that the cannabis is grown underground, and the authorities largely ignore the farm. Jimmy brings Jack and Mel to the owner of the farm, Calvin, who has been injured in a shootout; Mel advises that he go to a hospital, but both Calvin and Jimmy refuse. Mel understands, but explains that she is not sure he will survive — even with her help.

Back at Jack's Bar, things are becoming more unmanageable for Ricky and Brady with the bar becoming increasingly busy in Preacher's absence. Hope arrives at the bar and is sour when she bumps into Vernon, who is looking to pick up dinner. Hope sees the staff struggling and puts on an apron to help out. Charmaine arrives moments later looking for Jack, but also puts on an apron and begins to help out when she sees tensions rising between Hope and some customers.

Back at the farm, Mel has no option but to cauterize the wound to stop the bleeding. Mel manages to bandage up the wound but remarks that it is highly likely that Calvin will not make it through the night without further medical intervention. Mel and Jack become increasingly worried, when Jimmy orders that the two stay overnight to ensure that Calvin lives through the night. Later that night, Jack and Mel huddle around a fire and pray that Calvin makes it through the night.

Brady clocks out early after clearing up the kitchen following the closure of Jack's Bar, asking if Hope can close up for him instead. As he is leaving, Vernon arrives at the bar. Charmaine leaves moments later, asking Vernon to tell Jack she stopped by, to which he agrees. Tensions rise between Hope and Vernon when it becomes clear that Charmaine is the daughter of the woman Vernon slept with whilst married to Hope. Vernon asks her to forget it, but Hope remarks that if he doesn't understand now, he never will; she asks again and encourages him to sign the divorce papers.

The next morning, Jack and Mel prepare to leave the farm after Calvin survives the night. As they're leaving, however, they hear screaming and it becomes clear that a woman is giving birth in a nearby tent. Mel agrees to stay to help with the delivery, which later turns out to be a breech birth with complex complications. Mel pleads with Calvin to allow her to take Maxine and the baby to the hospital. Calvin refuses, leading to an intense stand off between the trio.

Acting on his instincts, Vernon sets out to find Jack and Mel after they have not returned from their trip; Vernon figures that they have gotten mixed up with the farm. Arriving at the farm, he is able to convince Calvin to allow them to go to the hospital, and Calvin eventually agrees, but remarks that Spencer, the father, must stay behind.

Arriving back home, Jack and Mel share a drink after their long couple of days. Mel falls asleep at Jacks, but is awoken in the night when Jack has an intense and violent nightmare — the extent of Jack's PTSD becomes clear.

Main Cast

 * Alexandra Breckenridge as Melinda Monroe
 * Martin Henderson as Jack Sheridan
 * Colin Lawrence as John Middleton
 * Jenny Cooper as Joey Barnes
 * Lauren Hammersley as Charmaine Roberts
 * Annette O'Toole as Hope McCrea
 * Tim Matheson as Vernon Mullins
 * Trevor Lerner as Bert Gordon