Ooops...this is what I get for writing several fics at the same time. This one contains a spoiler for season 13. Just caught it myself. Sorry about that.

Thursday's Tribunal

Luka was in the kitchen making breakfast when she came down the stairs with Joe in her arms. He looked up at her and grinned knowingly. She blushed and batted her eye lashes at him as she passed and slipped Joe into his bouncer on the breakfast counter. She strapped him in and took a moment to nuzzle him and pat his hands together. Joe kicked his feet as his eyes studied his mother's face as she talked to him. Luka grinned again as he watched them.

'Hungry?" he asked.

"Famished," she replied as she played pat a cake with Joe.

"You must have gotten some exercise last night or something," he snickered. She quickly covered the baby's ears with her hands.

"Shut up..." she scolded him. Luka grinned and laughed. He carried two plates around the counter to the table and set them at their places. Abby carried Joe's seat to the table and set him in the middle where they could watch him. Luka grinned at him before he took a bite. Abby sighed and then noticed the blue dress shirt Luka was wearing. She frowned as she cut into her french toast.

"'Do you have an early shift today?" she asked. Luka shook his head.

"I'm not on till 2 but I have a meeting with Dr. Anspaugh and the head haunches with the legal department."

"Honchos...head honchos," she corrected. Luka rolled his eyes.

"What ever..."

"What's the meeting about?" She asked. Luka looked at her pointedly and rolled his eyes again.

"You're kidding?" she said as she sat back in her chair. Luka shrugged.

"That has been going on for months..." she sighed. "I thought the hospital was hoping to settle."

"Maybe they still are," Luka said as he stretched a finger out for the baby to grab. Abby ate silently as she watched the two of them. She glanced down at his untouched plate.

"You're not eating," she scolded. Luka looked down at the food and shook his head.

"Luka..."

"So...what are you doing? Calculating my proteins now?" he chuckled.

"Serves you right," Abby said as she shook a fork at him. "You made me miserable for months doing that." Luka laughed.

"Worth it though?' he asked as he tipped his dark head in the direction of the baby.

"Worth it," she smiled. She bent back to her breakfast plate and watched him worriedly out of the corner of her eye.

"I have to find a birthday present for Eric today, " she said as she set the fork on her empty plate. "Is it okay if we ride in with you?" His face brightened as he looked at her and nodded.

"Eat something first," she ordered.

"That's blackmail..." She nodded. He chuckled ruefully and picked up his fork. Abby grinned and wiped his chin with a napkin. He caught her hand and pressed a kiss to the palm.

"Thank you," he said softly.

The three of them rode the el into the city. Luka had an arm wrapped around her as they both held onto the pole with Joe strapped snugly into the baby carrier in front of her. Luka smiled through the whole ride. He loved the feel of the three of them together. She left him at the ER ambulance bay. Luka pressed a kiss to the top of the little baseball cap on Joe's head and then kissed her. They waved and waited until he disappeared inside. Abby sighed and headed toward the nearby shopping district.

She was nursing Joe in his office when Luka came down from the lengthy meeting. He was surprised to see her but kissed her, rubbed the baby's head for a second and then sat down at his desk. He loosened the tie he wore and sighed.

"Oh, this is not good..." Abby said as she watched him. Luka shook his head.

"It's going to court," he sighed heavily.

"Against the hospital?"

"And me..." he shrugged.

"You didn't do anything wrong," she said. Luka watched her as she shifted Joe to a more comfortable position and then sat back in the chair.

"The guy had a stroke, Abby. He was in my ER for three days."

"And Joe had NEC," she said. "How can you stop anything like that? You just try, right? Did you try?" He looked at her for a long moment and then nodded.

"Well then..." she lifted Joe as he pulled away from her. She held him up and smiled. She sat him on her lap and adjusted her sweater and then stood up. She rounded his desk and plopped the baby in his lap.

"Your turn," she said. "I have to use the restroom." He nodded and tipped his chair back and crossed his feet on the edge of his desk. She stopped at the door and turned to look at him.

"It wasn't 'your ER' then Luka," she said. "He shouldn't have been here for 3 days anyway. It would have happened somewhere else. It's not your fault." Luka just nodded and smiled at the baby in his lap. She watched the two of them for a moment and then left them alone.

Luka lifted his son to his face and nuzzled the soft baby cheek. Joe grabbed a fistful of his hair and Luka chuckled as he worked to untangle the tight little fingers. He sat him back on his chest. He tried coaxing a smile by making faces and funny noises.

"Think you are smart?" he said. "You are...you are a very smarty boy." Luka grinned and hummed . "Grba Smetište sat na zidni...and Humpty Dumpty had a great fall..." He lifted him again and then groaned as Joe emptied the contents of his stomach all over his father's shirt and suit coat. Abby opened the door and grimaced. She tried to suppress a laugh as she hurried to take Joe from Luka. He held out his hands and looked down in frustration.

"Ti si malen odvratno celjade!" he said sharply as he shook his finger at Joe. The baby puckered up and began to wail.

"Aww, honey..." Abby crooned as she hugged him to her. She kissed his cheek. "What did you just say to him?" Luka scowled and tried in vain to clean his clothes.

"I'll get you some scrubs, Luka. I can drop the suit at the cleaners on my way home." Abby said as she headed toward the door. "We'll be right back..." She was laughing as she pulled the door shut. Luka sighed heavily and then he chuckled as he shook his head. Served him right. Not just for moving Joe around so much after he'd just nursed. Served him right for forgetting what was really important in his life. A court case? It would go away eventually. Joe...and Abby...would be there long after any court case...no matter what.