Title: His Prodigal Son

Disclaimer: Thanks to Tigerbear1217 for being my beta

Just a warning, there will be a short hiatus due to the upcoming holidays, exam weeks, and birthdays of the beta and the writer. Story will be returning Christmas week or the week after at the latest.

Last warning, I promise, this is a short chapter. I figured it was better than nothing. Happy Holidays and to all those suffering through college like Tiger and I, GOOD LUCK ON EXAMS!!!

Cox sat off to the side of his protégé's bed just watching. It was difficult to see JD so still when he was such a rambunctious man-child. For the first time in his nine years of knowing JD, he wished the kid would tip his head to the side, just so that Cox would know whether his Newbie was in there or not. God was he going soft!

The door open and closed which caused Cox to jump. He saw his ex-wife standing by the door. Jordan was just silently was looking over at JD, when she turned her attention to her husband. Perry saw Jordan's eye widen in surprise, which she easily recovered from. She then nodded her head towards the bed that held the recovering brunette.

"No, he hasn't woken up yet." Cox responded to the unanswered question. "I just wish the kid would show some sign of life, I have never seen him so still. Even when he was mourning his father or when he got his appendix out. He was always moving."

Jordan nodded slowly and moved over to the chair next to Perry. She placed her hand on her ex-husband's arm. It was in these little moments that she showed how much she loved him. Perry just turned his head to watch over his protégé once more, comforted that his wife was there watching over him.

"He was planning on coming back to Sacred Heart." Cox stated looking straight at the younger doctor while talking to Jordan.

Jordan glanced over at the older doctor. She was not surprised that JD was coming back, and she was sure that he was still going to be coming back. No, she was surprised that Cox had not told her or complained about the "little girl" running back to daddy. Something had changed. There was something Perry was not telling her. For now she would be patient.

Perry felt his wife tense up in surprise and could feel her eyes on his face. It was his gift to know when he was being watched and when someone was behind him. No matter how sneaky JD had been on those last few minutes of that last day, Dr. Cox had known that his protégé was behind him. He just had not wanted to admit that he knew JD was behind him. Because that meant he had actually wanted to tell that little girl how much he, the great Dr. Cox, cared about him. It almost made him sick to his stomach.

"We had met last week. He told me he was tendering his resignation at St. Vincent's this week and he planned to return next week." Perry fell silent for a moment. He slowly turned towards Jordan and looked her in the eyes. "I was happy he was coming home. I have always wanted Newbie to be my right hand. That's what I trained him to be. Now I don't even know if he will still be him when he wakes up. "

Jordan nodded, allowing Perry to continue on undisturbed. She could tell him later how much a girl he was being. Right now, he just needed to talk. Even she, a cold hearted demon, understood that.

"He hasn't even told his sorority sister that he was moving back. Only I knew because he wanted my approval. For me to tell me that he was… doing the right thing." He paused once more, before barreling on, "He told me that he was afraid that Ghandi would try to talk him out of it or that Carla would."

Perry looked away again, at his protégé, this man-child who had wanted his attention so badly. This was a lonely soul who looked up to him as a father figure.

"At first I told him that he just wanted someone's attention. That he needed drama and attention to survive." Perry almost breathed out. Every word seemed to be coated in a pain that the SOB in the future would deny until his last breath. Then there was a glimmer of Dr. Cox's patented narcissism. "He did not have to go this far to get my attention."

There was a long silence and Jordan realized that Perry had finally finished his long rambling rant. She smiled inwardly at the fact that her feelings inept husband had finally admitted to caring about the kid. Jordan may not always care about others, okay hardly ever care about others, but she had wanted Perry to admit his feelings. She knew how her overprotective "girl" felt about the other little "girl."

"I called the Stick and managed to convince her to come to the hospital. She is freaking out like a wuss. Chiquita and Pinball head are coming after their shifts end." Jordan stated as she turned her head also to watch over DJ.

"As for him wanting to tell you first, it makes sense. He has always sought your approval and you know how much he cares about your input." She placed her hand on her husband's once more. "Look I know he is your best friend and how much it killed you to watch him walk away. But he is coming home. If anything, this will make him want to come home more."

Perry turned his head to look at her and the look in his eyes was, dare Jordan think it, hopeful. This prompted Jordan to continue, this time with a little vitrol. "At least at home he knows who his enemies are."

"Sa… Sammy?" A soft, groggy and raspy voice called out from the bed. Both older adults looked over at the younger doctor. His eyes were still closed.

"It's okay DJ, Sammy is safe. We sent him over to my mother's with Jack and Jennifer." Jordan stated to the young man. "The most damage he might have is a little ingestion from eating raw baby flesh."

That caused Perry to chuckle. "You know, you and your mother truly are demons."

Jordan inwardly smiled. A point scored in her favor.

"Ba… baby flesh? They're eating my boy?" JD whispered with his eyes still closed. His voice was filled with fear and anger. "You can't have him. He is mine."

"It's okay JD. Sammy is fine. The demon lady's mother won't do anything to him." Dr. Cox stated slowly. He purposely used JD real 'name' to comfort the young father. The last thing he needed was JD to dislocate any more bones. Plus it was already going to take a month for the kid to be well enough to at least supervise residents, interns and med students. "You need to open your eyes now, JD."

TBC…