Chapter 6

Sam pushed his sunglasses up and checked his watch. He leaned against his car, patiently waiting for Cooper and Charlotte to arrive. It had been a busy morning for him so far, having to shuttle Maya and Olivia around for errands because Dink was pulling an extra shift. Sam hoped Charlotte and Cooper didn't mind the baby seat in the back, although he recalled Cooper telling him it was a good thing he did have one, since it would come in handy.

A few minutes later, Sam saw the reason why, raising his eyeglasses to make sure he wasn't seeing things.

Charlotte King was walking towards him carrying a baby in her arms. He saw Cooper a few steps behind, pushing the cart with their luggage and a baby bag strapped over his shoulder.

"Hi…" Sam said, a bit confused at the tiny human Charlotte was holding. He distinctly remembered them leaving as a couple a few days ago and now they returned with one extra person in tow. He watched Charlotte walk past him and stand by the passenger side door. Sam immediately opened it for her and then looked over his shoulder at Cooper. "Do I want to know?"

"I'll explain later," Cooper replied. He placed the suitcases in Sam's trunk, walked back around the car and got inside, holding the baby bag in his lap. He turned around, "You okay back there?"

Charlotte gave him a tired nod. "We're fine. Let's just get home."

They drove in silence for the first few minutes until Sam couldn't take it anymore. He glanced in the rearview mirror at the blonde haired, blue-eyed baby boy sitting in his granddaughter's baby seat and was curious to find out where he came from.

Charlotte wasn't oblivious to his occasional glances and decided to save him the trouble of asking. "So, you're wonderin' why Coop and I have a baby with us. 'Cause don't think I didn't notice that weird look on your face when you saw me comin' towards you."

"Can't hide anything from you Charlotte, huh?" Sam laughed as he drove. "Okay, yes. I am wondering why there is a baby. I'm assuming he's related to you."

"He's my nephew," the blonde answered. "Sam Bennett, meet Zane Nicholas King. I'd get into the whole story, but I'm too tired. I'll let Cooper give you the cliff notes, since he likes to share."

Sam glanced sideways at Cooper, but could tell his friend wasn't up for telling any stories at the moment. Turning the corner, he pulled up in front of Cooper's building. "Alright and we're here," he got out of the car and went to take the luggage out of the trunk. "I'll let Addison and everyone else know you're back."

"Thanks," Cooper replied. "Give us a day or two…"

"No problem," Sam said, getting back into his car and driving away.

With the baby bag over his shoulder, Cooper grabbed hold of the other bags and walked inside with Charlotte and Zane. They went up to the loft quietly, except for the occasional soft cooing from Zane. After seeing Cooper struggle to get the door unlocked, Charlotte stepped in and turned the key, saving him from any further trouble.

Charlotte walked inside with Zane in her arms. "Well, this is going to be a tight fit," she said, standing by the couch. "And we still don't have anywhere for Zane to sleep."

"Already taken care of," Cooper called out from the bedroom, where he was putting all their bags. "I'm going to go by Violet and Pete's in a little while to borrow some things. But it would also mean me telling them the reason why we need some of Lucas' old stuff. Are you okay with that?"

"Go ahead and tell 'em. Not like it's a secret anymore, since Sam knows," Charlotte sat down on the couch. She placed Zane down next to her and handed him the set of plastic keys to play with.

Cooper grabbed his sunglasses and car keys. "Okay then, I'll be back as soon as I can. I'll grab some dinner too while I'm out."

"And food for the baby while you're at it."

"Yes, already on my list."

The door shut behind Cooper, leaving Charlotte alone with Zane. Her brow furrowed as she looked down at the baby boy, wondering what they could do to occupy their time. Their home wasn't exactly equipped for kids, which left Charlotte at somewhat of a loss. And toys would only keep the baby boy distracted for so long.

"Well, I guess it's just you and me," Charlotte spoke, running her fingers through Zane's soft blonde hair. "Got any ideas on what we should do?"

Zane looked at her, dropping the keys into her lap.

"I'd feed you, but Coop's out gettin' you some food," the blonde said, knowing that she wouldn't get a reply. "Maybe you want some milk? I think we've got some in the fridge." She moved to get up off the couch but stopped, realizing she couldn't leave Zane sitting there by himself. Spotting the baby bag, she reached for it and grabbed one of the empty bottles. "Alright, let's go make you that bottle of milk," she said, taking Zane into her arms.

It was a bit of a challenge, but a few minutes later, Charlotte was back on the couch with Zane cradled in her arms along with a bottle of milk. Realizing that she couldn't just sit there and do nothing, she grabbed book from her bag and opened it to where left off and began reading, despite the precarious position.

An hour later, Charlotte heard the jingling of keys on the other side of the door, surmising Cooper was back. She was ready to get up and lend a hand when she looked down and saw the baby boy was still asleep. As the door opened, she pressed a finger to her lips, motioning for Cooper not to make too much noise as he carried in the portable crib.

"I've got a couple more things out in the hallway," he said softly, walking back out and returned with diapers, some toys and bags of food.

"Geez Coop, what'd you go and do? Buy out the store?" Charlotte eyed everything he had carried in.

"No. I just got what I thought we needed," Cooper replied, immediately getting the portable crib set up so Zane could lay in it. "Some of this stuff was Violet's idea."

Charlotte chuckled. "You and Violet must have had a field day then. What'd she say when you told her about our situation."

"You mean about Zane," he said, getting up to take baby from the blonde's arms. He carried him to the portable crib and carefully laid him down. "She didn't say much aside from offering to help if we needed a hand."

"I'm surprised she didn't follow you home so she could meet the little rascal," Charlotte replied, stocking the cabinet with the food Cooper had bought. "Potato wedges, macaroni, cheese, carrots…" she looked inside the other bags to find more food than they ever had before. "Guess it's time for us to change our eating habits."

Cooper nodded, helping the blonde stock the kitchen. "Less take-out, more home cooking."

"And how exactly are we going to figure all of this out? I have a packed schedule already with Oceanside and St. Ambrose," Charlotte leaned against the counter, folding her arms across her chest. "You know, maybe it was better than Duke took Zane than us. Coop, we're not ready to be parents."

Cooper moved toward Charlotte, pushing her chin up with his hand. "Char, look at me. We can do this… I'm not going anywhere," he said, looking intently into her eyes. "I know this is a big life change for us and we didn't anticipate any of this, but that baby boy in there needs you, needs us. So we're going to find a way to make this work."

Before Charlotte could reply, a cry came from the bedroom, which meant Zane was awake. She was about to move away but Cooper stopped her, saying he'd go and pick him up. Charlotte meanwhile remained in the kitchen, watching him from a distance as he gently took the baby boy into his arms.

"Sounds like someone is hungry," Cooper smiled at Zane, brushing his finger along his cheek. He pointed to a small container on the counter. "That's chicken and rice soup inside of that. Let's get the kiddo fed before he cries up a storm." He disappeared for a few seconds to get a bib from inside the bag and tied it around Zane's neck. "Alright, we're going to have to work together on this one, since I don't have the baby chair set up yet. Do you want to feed and I hold him or the other way around."

"I guess I'll try and feed the boy," Charlotte shrugged, sitting down at the table with Cooper. She took of the lid and dipped the spoon into the soup. Before giving it to Zane, she brought the spoon to her lips and checked to see if the broth was still hot. "Alright, here goes nothin'," she slowly moved the spoon towards Zane, who opened his tiny mouth slightly to take in a little bit of broth. Both Cooper and Charlotte held their breaths for a second and waited for a reaction. Much to their surprise, the baby boy didn't spit any of it back out, which of course was a relief.

They spent the next two hours feeding Zane and then bathing him. It was a team effort and frustrating at some moments, but together, they accomplished the tasks. By the time they got Zane down to sleep, it was a little after ten and they were both exhausted.

Cooper walked out of the bathroom and climbed into bed. "I don't know about you, but I'm tired."

"He down for the count?" Charlotte asked.

Cooper looked over at a soundly asleep Zane laying in his crib. "Yep. And with our luck, sleep through most of the night."

"I think you may have just jinxed us," the blonde replied, settling against the pillows.

"Hopefully not," Cooper reached over to turn off the bedside lamp. "Good night," he said, kissing Charlotte as he laid his head on the pillows.

"Night," Charlotte sighed. Unable to fall asleep right away, her gaze fell upon the sleeping baby boy. "Coop?"

"Yeah?"

"How are we goin' to do this?"

Cooper sat up a little, propping his elbow on the pillow, head resting in his hand. Following Charlotte's gaze, he replied, "It's going to take a bit of compromise from the two of us, but I think we can work out something," draping his arm over the blonde's waist and pulling her close. "I know most of your hours are spent at St. Ambrose and when you're not there, you're at the practice."

"Mmhmm…" Charlotte continued to watch Zane sleep from where she was laying in bed. "I don't want to just pass the kid off to some babysitter or nanny. Duke, Landry and I had enough of that growin' up. I mean, if we're gonna be parents to Zane, I want us to be around as much as we can."

"Why Charlotte King, it sounds like you're thinking like a parent," Cooper chuckled. Although she had her back to him, he was smiling at how his fiancée was beginning to come around to the idea of being a parent.

Charlotte turned over to face Cooper. "Well, not like there is much I can do. And I refuse to let that boy have the kind of life I did growin' up. He's gonna know he's loved. So if I gotta change my ways a little to make sure he gets the best life possible, then that's what I'm gonna do. But if you ever tell anyone I'm going soft, you can bet you're not gettin' any for a week."

"Ah, there's the Charlotte I know and love," Cooper pressed a kiss to her forehead and smiled. "But see, you're thinking like a mom already. You're putting Zane's needs before your own," he pulled her closer so her head was resting on his shoulder. "We'll work out some sort of a schedule so Zane won't have to be with a babysitter all the time. For now, we can take him to Oceanside with us and he can stay with me when you're at St. Ambrose."

"I'm not too keen on that idea. That place is a bed of germs sometimes, dependin' on how many sick kids go in and outta there," Charlotte said, knowing it was a good point to bring up.

"Pete brought Lucas in for a period of time if I remember," Cooper mentioned.

"But Pete doesn't have kids coughin and sneezin' all over him everyday."

"Hmm…point taken. We need to come up with something, though," he thought quietly to himself for a few moments before another idea came to mind. "But for now, we play it according to our schedules? Depending on how many patients I've got and what you have going on at Oceanside and , we'll work things out from there."

"Fine," Charlotte yawned, sleepiness beginning to set in. She moved closer to Cooper, resting her head along his shoulder. "Night."

"G'night."

Cooper awoke the next morning, hearing soft cooing from the other side of the room. Slowly, he turned over in bed only to find out the spot next to him was empty. Opening his eyes, he shielded them from the sunlight and saw Zane sitting up in his crib. He got out of bed and picked up the baby boy.

"Good morning, kiddo," he smiled. "Did you sleep okay?"

The bathroom door slid open, Charlotte standing at the doorway showered and dressed. "Oh good, you're up," she stepped into the bedroom and walked toward the dresser to grab a pair of earrings. "I need to check in at the hospital," she said, checking herself in the mirror then turning around and noticing the furrowed brow on Cooper's face. "Come on now, what's wrong?"

Cooper shrugged, a bit surprised the blonde was going into work. "Nothing, I just thought that we'd spend the day together. Maybe get things organized, take a look at a house. I don't know."

Charlotte walked over to Cooper, tilted her head and smiled at him. "And we will, later on today. I just need to check on things at the hospital. I've been gone from there long enough and I refuse to let someone else run things," she cupped his face with her hand. "Coop, I need this. Just for a few hours, okay?"

"Fine. Go," Cooper relented, knowing he wouldn't be able to convince her to stay. "But this afternoon, we're going to look at the house, okay?"

"Okay."

"Good. Sooner you go, the sooner you get back."

Charlotte kissed Cooper on the lips then went to grab her bag. "I'll see you later."

"See ya," Cooper waved, taking Zane's tiny hand and waving it at the blonde also. He watched the door close behind her before turning his attention to Zane. "Well buddy, it's just you and me. How about we have some breakfast. Sound good?" he heard Zane coo a reply. "Alright, then. Breakfast."

Later that morning, there was a knock at the door. Cooper opened it and found Violet standing on the other side. "Hey," he smiled. "Someone is playing hooky, I see," opening the door wider so she could come in.

Violet stepped inside. "No, not really. I don't have a patient until two, so I thought I'd…" her eyes were drawn to the blonde haired baby boy sitting on the couch playing with a soft plastic car. "Oh my, is that?"

Cooper nodded, sitting back down and pulling the boy onto his lap. "Yes. Violet Turner meet Zane King."

"Well, it's nice to meet you Zane," Violet leaned over and gently shook the baby boy's small hand. "He's adorable, Coop."

"Thanks. You should've seen all the flight attendants, they were all baby crazy on the flight back here," Cooper recalled their flight experience from the day before. "Charlotte couldn't get off the plane fast enough when we landed."

Violet looked around. "Speaking of Charlotte. Where is she?"

"St. Ambrose," he replied. "When I woke up this morning, she was already showered and dressed."

"Why am I not surprised? How's Charlotte doing?"

"As well as can be said. I think she's just trying to find some normalcy after the last two weeks."

Violet held her arms out. "Mind if I hold him?" she asked. Cooper willingly handed the baby boy over. "Hey there," she smiled, noticing his big blue eyes. "Oh, you are such a cutie. Lucas has a new playmate," looking up at Cooper. "We should schedule a playdate or something. Come on, you know it's a good idea."

Cooper laughed, agreeing with his best friend's suggestion. "Sounds good. We can do that after Charlotte and I, and Zane get all settled in."

"So, finally taking the plunge, huh?" Violet replied, while letting Zane wrap his tiny hand around her finger. "Not quite the way you thought you and Charlotte would be starting a new life."

"Well, most things in life are unexpected," he glanced at Zane. "I mean, I never imagined becoming an instant family before marrying Charlotte, but now that it's happening, I guess we're just going to take it in stride."

Violet raised an eyebrow. "And how is Charlotte handling all of this? I know she was never too keen with the idea of having kids and the whole building a family idea," she inquired, curious to hear what Cooper had to say. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to pry."

"She's starting to think a little differently, in terms of priorities," Cooper replied, recalling the conversation from the night before. "I'm just hoping raising Zane will help bring her around to the idea of having one of our own someday. I think it will, though."

"Oh? How so?"

"You have to see her with Zane. There's a softer side of her that comes out," Cooper smiled. "I think it's more of her wanting to make sure the kiddo gets the best life possible. She's mentioned over and over how she doesn't want Zane to have the same kind of life she had growing up."

Violet sat back, still holding Zane in her arms, who seemed content where he was. "What has she said?"

Cooper raked his fingers through his hair. "Charlotte told me about how it was mostly the nanny that had a presence in her life growing up. And after they got too old for a nanny, Charlotte's dad put her in charge of making sure her brothers stayed in line," he explained. "They never really had any role models growing up, which is why Charlotte's been so reluctant about kids. But every time I see her with Zane, the nurturing aspect comes so naturally to her. I don't know if she realizes it."

"I'm not surprised. I've always figured there was a loving and caring person lurking inside that tough exterior."

"She's always been there, Vi," Cooper reminded his friend. Reaching over, he carefully took Zane into his arms. "Uh oh, I think someone needs to be changed," he sniffed near the baby boy's rear end. 'Yup, you do."

Violet laughed. "I'm going to head back to the practice," she got up and grabbed her purse. "When are you back at work?"

"Tomorrow, most likely. I've got the Waverly twins coming in at noon," he answered, walking Violet to the door. "Thanks for coming by."

"See you," Violet smiled, reaching up and gently pinching Zane's cheek. "And hopefully I'll see you again soon, cutie." She turned and saw Charlotte coming toward her. "Hey Charlotte, I was just about to head out. Your nephew is adorable."

Charlotte nodded, giving the other doctor a small smile. "Thanks," she watched her walked past. "Why are you running out like your pants are on fire?"

"Stayed longer than planned, got patients to get back to," Violet shouted back, disappearing into the elevator.

Not thinking much of it, the blonde shrugged and walked into the loft. She dropped her bag by the door and looked around the room. "Coop? I'm back," she called out. "Cooper?"

"In here," he spoke from the bedroom.

Charlotte walked around the couch and went into the bedroom, where she saw Cooper trying to put a new diaper on Zane. From what she was able to observe, he was struggling considering how fidgety Zane was while laying on the bed. "Need some help?" she asked, unable to hold back a laugh.

"Please," Cooper pleaded, smiling innocently. He handed the new diaper to the blonde, hoping she would be more successful. "Um… maybe you should… um… Char…"

Charlotte turned her head. "What? Can't you see I'm tryin' here?"

"Yeah, but it helps if you lift his legs," he leaned over. "How about we tag team on this one."

"Fine," she moved over a little. "You take the legs, I'll slip it underneath."

Working together, they successfully put a new diaper on Zane. It wasn't perfect, but they did it, which was the most important part. Charlotte reached for the baby boy's shorts and put them back on Zane, then picked him up. "I was able to work out my schedule for the week. It meant moving some meetings around, but I think I've got it all covered."

"That's great!" Cooper came out of the bathroom, drying his hands with a towel. "And I've got a light schedule tomorrow. So maybe we can take him in with us to Oceanside? I'll set up a playpen in my office?"

Charlotte still wasn't too thrilled with the idea of bringing Zane to Oceanside Wellness, but since there was no alternative, she relented. "Alright, we'll do that," carrying Zane to the other side of the room and placing him in his crib. "I'm gonna get something to eat before we head out to meet the realtor. You made the appointment?"

"Yep, at two. It's all set."

"Good. The sooner we can get the paperwork going, the sooner we can be somewhere bigger and give us a little more room to stretch our legs."

By the end of the day, Charlotte and Cooper had placed a down payment on a house by the beach. As it turns out, the house they had seen a month prior was no longer on the market, but they were able to find a more suitable place. The convenient upside of it all (in some ways) was that they'd be living a few houses down from where both Sam and Addison lived.

Cooper and Charlotte walked out of the elevator at Oceanside Wellness the next morning, pushing a stroller in front of them. Hoping not to draw attention to themselves, they walked past the reception desk and into Cooper's office. Unfortunately, they were unsuccessful as they caused their colleagues' heads to turn as they stood in the kitchen. One by one, they filed out into the corridor and stood outside of Cooper's office.

Infamous for her lack of a verbal filter, Amelia was the first to speak. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but those two didn't have a kid last time we saw them."

Violet walked up to her friends and stood next to them. "Hey, what are we all looking at?"

"Cooper and Charlotte…and a baby," Sheldon replied.

"Oh good, they're here," Violet smiled.

Naomi continued to watch the couple through the window. "Sam didn't mention anything about them coming back with someone."

"Whose kid is that?" Amelia asked, albeit abruptly.

"Charlotte's nephew," Sam answered, joining his colleagues outside of Cooper's office. "Zane King, if I remember right."

"Oh my God, is that?" the realization finally dawned on Naomi. "Charlotte's brother wanted her to raise his son?"

"Yeah," Violet nodded. "Sad isn't it?"

Amelia turned to look at Violet, confused. "Did you just say it's sad that Charlotte is raising her nephew? Well, there's a vote of confidence if I ever heard one."

Violet rolled her eyes. "You know I didn't mean it like that."

"What's going on? Why are we all standing outside of Cooper's office?" Addison asked, the newest member to join the impromptu pow-wow outside of Cooper's office. "Oh, is that the little guy?"

"Yes it is," Sam said.

Charlotte turned around, startling everyone who had been standing outside watching her and Cooper. "You do know we can hear everything you all are saying," she stated, crossing her arms in front of her. "If you all are so curious about what's goin' on, then just ask. No need to be standin' there asking questions to each other when Cooper and I can give you straight answers."

"Sorry," Addison apologized. She was the first to go into Cooper's office and bent down in front of the stroller. "Hey there buddy," she smiled, heart melting at the sight of the baby boy. "How old is he?"

"Just turned a year old two weeks ago," Charlotte replied. She turned her attention to Cooper who was still working on the playpen. "You gonna be much longer Coop?"

"Almost…" Cooper secured the last buckle. "Alright, done!" he motioned to the completed playpen. "There we go, now Zane has somewhere to stay while you and I work."

Charlotte picked the baby up out of the stroller, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. "Good. Can you take him for the morning? I've got a patient coming in about a half hour and I need to prep."

Cooper reached for Zane, taking him into his arms. "Go, I'll be here. I've got nothing going on until the afternoon."

"Thank you," the blonde smiled. She brushed her hand along the top of the baby boy's head. "now you be good for Cooper, you hear?" smiling playfully at him. "I'll be back in a lil' bit," she walked out of the office and down the corridor to hers. "Y'all better not spoil the boy while I'm gone," she shouted before disappearing inside.

Amelia, Sheldon, Sam and Naomi all laughed softly as they piled into Cooper's tight office. Immediately, they crowded Addison, who was holding Zane. Each of them doted over the baby boy, as they passed him around the group.

"God, we're such baby crazy people," Naomi laughed, handing Zane back to Addison.

"No way, not me," Amelia shook her head. "Babies are fun, when they're all happy and smiling. But when they start crying, forget it… you'll see me running out the door. I am so not ready for kids."

"Well, not everyone is ready for the responsibility," Violet said, her gaze focused on Zane. "Don't worry, you'll know when that time comes."

"Yeah, sure," Amelia chuckled. "I gotta go. I'm already running late for the monthly meeting of the nerd minds."

Sam's brow furrowed as he looked at Addison.

"Monthly neurologists brunch," Addison clarified. She gently bounced Zane in her arms. "Hence, the meeting of nerd minds."

"Oh," Sam nodded. "Well, this is my cue to disappear. I've got patients," he said, making his exit.

Violet, Naomi and Sheldon left for their offices not too long after, all citing the same reason of having patients waiting for them.

Cooper was now left with Addison standing in his office. And from the looks of things, he could tell she had fallen in love with Charlotte's nephew. "You know, you're welcome in here anytime," he said, watching her as he sat in his chair. "I don't think Charlotte would mind."

"Are you sure?" Addison sat down on the couch, letting Zane wrap his small hand around her finger. She looked into his blue eyes and smiled. "I don't want to impose or anything."

"No, it's fine. Charlotte and I are still trying to work out some sort of balance in our schedules and we could use all the help we can get,"

"Well, then I'll be glad to help."

"Thanks."

Addison spent the next hour in Cooper's office, entertaining Zane and possibly, being entertained herself by the baby boy. In a way, it had been a good thing as it allowed Cooper to get caught up on some patient files. Cooper looked at the clock and noticed it was almost noon. As he was about to get up and take Zane to get fed, Charlotte walked into his office.

"Oh you're still here," Charlotte said, surprised to see the red head sitting there and began to wonder if she even left. Walking to Addison, she sat down and reached for Zane. "Hey there, were you a good boy?"

"No trouble at all," Addison replied. "Right Coop?"

Cooper nodded, grateful Addison had helped him out by watching Zane all morning. "He was a perfect angel."

Zane began to fuss in Charlotte's arms. "That's what I like to hear," she said, noticing how the boy was whimpering. "Where's the bag Coop? Sounds like Zane's wantin' something to eat."

Cooper slid his chair back and picked up the baby bag. He opened it and took out a small container they had packed with food. "Here you go," he handed it to Charlotte. "Need some help?"

Charlotte looked up at the clock. "Don't you have the Waverly twins coming in a little bit?"

"They just called. They're running an hour late," Cooper replied. "I'll go heat this up. You stay here."

"Thanks Coop," Charlotte sat back down, noticing Addison hadn't left. "Don't you have patients Montgomery?"

"Yeah, I do but not for a little while," the redhead replied. "So, how are you holding up?"

"I'm fine," Charlotte said, adjusting Zane in her arms. She saw the concern in the other doctor's eyes. "Really, I'm fine. My brother's dead, but I can't dwell on that 'cause I have to take care of his son now. Gotta keep movin' forward, like he always said."

Addison nodded. She could tell that Charlotte was avoiding the subject, surmising that she hadn't allowed herself time to deal with the loss of her brother. Not wanting to press the subject, she shifted her attention to Zane. "So, I hear you and Cooper put a down payment on a house not to far from Sam and me."

"Yeah."

"Well, if you ever need any help or anyone to watch Zane."

"Thanks Montgomery, I'll keep that in mind. But I think Cooper and I are fine for now."

"Just putting the offer out there," Addison knew to retreat. She checked her watch, figuring it was time to return to her office. "I'm gonna go," she said, as Cooper was coming back in. "I'll see you all later."

Cooper sat down next to Charlotte, brow furrowed at Addison's sudden exit. "Did I miss something?"

"Nothin'… just Addison trying to get me to talk about how I'm dealin' with everything." she knew Addison meant well, trying to get her to open up, but in reality, she wasn't looking to deal with those feelings just yet. Her main concern and priority were Zane and Cooper.

"Oh, okay," Cooper said, knowing not to push the subject either. Scooping some mashed potatoes onto the tiny spoon, he held it up and motioned it toward Zane's mouth, making the sound of an airplane along the way. "Here is comes," he smiled. "Vroooommmmm…"

"An airplane doesn't go vroom, Cooper," Charlotte said, unamused.

Cooper playfully pouted. "Well, then what sound does it make?"

"Take Zane," the blonde transferred the baby boy to Cooper and took the food from his hand. She scooped a little mashed potato onto the spoon. "Alright… here comes the plane," she said, bringing the spoon to Zane's mouth, making what she thought was an airplane sound then looking up at Cooper. "You tell anyone I just did that, I will deny it."

"Your secret is safe with me," Cooper laughed, as they spent the next half hour feeding Zane,

Charlotte placed Zane in his playpen and handed him a toy to keep him occupied. Leaning against the edge of his desk, she watched Cooper clean up the small mess that had been on the table. Surprisingly, she had enjoyed the last half hour with Cooper, as they both fed Zane. She never expected to enjoy it so much, but seeing how they both were struggling, it made her feel good, knowing she wasn't alone in this.

Life had thrown her a curveball, but she was dealing with it in the best way she could.

Cooper tossed the garbage into the trash can and saw Charlotte looking like she was a million miles away. "Hey," he lightly rubbed her arm. "What are you thinking about?"

Charlotte shrugged. "Nothin' much. Just thinkin' about Landry," she turned her gaze to Zane. "I have these small moments where I miss him."

"I know, Sweetie," he kissed the top of her head. "You can talk to me about it, if you need to. I'm here."

"Yeah I know," she sighed, leaning her head against his chest as they both stood there, watching Zane.

The rest of the day went by quickly, Charlotte spending a portion of the afternoon with Zane before asking Addison for a favor while she had to do a consult over the phone. She hated having to ask for help, but saw no choice as Cooper was tied up with a walk-in.

They arrived home just after sunset, Cooper opening the door for Charlotte who was carrying a sleeping Zane in her arms. Their evening was a quiet one, as they settled into a routine of dinner for themselves and then Zane. Not too long after, they bathed him and got him down for bed, Cooper taking the time to read a bedtime story to the one-year old.

Charlotte sat on the bed, amused at how Cooper was doting over the boy. While she wouldn't admit it out loud, watching him tend to Zane warmed her heart. Cooper was truly meant for fatherhood.

Climbing into bed, he kissed her and smiled. "He's down for the count," he noticed the somewhat forlorn look on the blonde's face. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"Nothing… just thinkin' about how our lives have changed," she replied, trying to hide her sigh. "It's been a week since the funeral and I'm still trying to grasp the fact that my brother is gone and his boy is here with us."

Once again, Cooper saw the same faraway look in the blonde's eyes, as he saw earlier in his office. It worried him slightly, wondering what it was that was going on in Charlotte's head. "Hey, penny for your thoughts?"

Charlotte shook her head, Cooper's voice bringing her attention back to the present. "It's nothin'."

"You sure?" he tilted his head slightly, looking at her with concern in his eyes.

"I'm fine. Just have a couple of things on my mind," the blonde responded. "That's all."

"Things like what?

Charlotte rolled her eyes, knowing he wasn't going to give up until she gave him some sort of an answer. "For once, Coop. Can I just have a time where I can keep my thoughts to myself? I just don't feel like sharin' right now."

"Okay… okay," Cooper responded in retreat. "Promise me something though?"

"What?"

"If you can't talk to me, at least talk to someone… I don't know, maybe Violet or Sheldon?"

"I don't need my head shrunk. I'm fine," Charlotte countered. "But if I want to talk to someone, I will. For now, my priorities…our priority is making this instant family work."

"But you'll keep it in mind?"

Charlotte didn't reply for a few seconds then finally relented. "Yes," she breathed exasperatingly. "I'll keep it in mind, but I'm not promising."

"That's all I need to hear," Cooper smiled, knowing he hadn't exactly won the battle, but still enjoyed the small victory, hoping this would be the start of Charlotte letting her walls down.

~end chapter

Stay tuned for next week... Violet attempts to connect with Charlotte.