Trying to get this story finished soon...hope you enjoy this update!

Andy talked to Ricky for over an hour. Sharon gave them some time to talk, taking a shower and getting herself ready for bed. She knew Andy would go over the conversation when he got off the phone. Sharon sat in bed, trying to read, but she felt her mind drifting constantly. They had a grandson, another one. She and Andy knew it and had been talking about what they could do for awhile now. She was having a hard time not laying into Ricky about everything, but she also knew that at some point, she had to let him come to terms with all this. She had laid into him when all this mess started, and thankfully, that had at least kept him involved in all of this. Sharon shuddered to think what life would have been like if Erin, who had been calling herself Bambi at the time, hadn't stumbled onto their murder scene.

Andy walked into the bedroom, phone outstretched, "He'd like to talk to you again and apologizes that it's now after 1:00 in the morning."

Sharon nodded and smiled at Andy, "Thank you, Sweetheart," she nodded toward Andy. He nodded back at her, and once she took the phone, he flopped onto the bed. The conversation had worn him out.

"Mom," Ricky said sounding very tired and stressed, "I'm sure Andy will talk to you about what we discussed. That's fine, but I need a different kind of help."

Sharon paused before she answered, trying to figure out what Ricky was asking, "Okay, what is it?"

"I don't know anything about what he needs. What do I get?" he asked.

Sharon smiled as she sat down at the kitchen table, "Well," she started, "what does he have already? Andy and I haven't been there in a couple weeks due to that case, so I don't know what has been done. I know you have that car seat, so what else does he already have?"

"Nothing," Ricky said almost ashamed. "I've gotten him nothing. I took Erin to the store days ago, where she got him like three outfits, a diaper bag, and a few other small things-you know, some diapers, wipes, and things like that, but Mom, I know it wasn't even $100 worth of stuff, so nothing. I'm a dad who didn't want a kid so much I've refused to do anything for him. I've got nothing."

Sharon stayed on the phone with Ricky another 30 minutes, laptop and pad of paper at her side. She gave Ricky some tips, and the two of them discussed quite a bit. When she finally hung up her phone, she sighed, looking at her laptop screen. It was on a picture of a stroller. She had a feeling Ricky was going to have a long night, well, what was left of it.

When she made her way to bed, Andy looked up, "He finally gets it."

Sharon nodded, "Yes, he does. Thank you for being there for him tonight."

Andy just nodded, "I remember that feeling, granted my situation was much different, and I'd already done permanent damage-divorced, no contact with my kids, drinking all the time. At least it's not too late."

Sharon smiled softly as she climbed into bed, "No, but the road to recovery, as you know, is a long one."

Ricky didn't sleep a wink that night. He didn't even try. Instead, computer whiz that he was, he stayed up all night doing a lot of research. By the first morning light, his credit card had gotten quite a workout too, many of the items he ordered available for in-store pickup instead of shipping, which would allow him to get them today. He'd also ordered probably way too many diapers, wipes, and such, but he had a feeling everything would be used. He called into work as soon as he could, explaining he had to get ready for the baby to come home. His boss was delighted to hear Brody was doing well, unaware of any issues Ricky had about Brody prior to this.

Ricky arrived at the hospital before 8:00 that morning, intent on talking to Erin. As Andy had pointed out to him the night prior, the first step was admitting things, and he had a lot of admitting to do to Erin. She'd been telling him the truth since the first time she showed up at his place. While he was right to have possible doubts, after not really knowing her at all, he realized he'd treated her terribly. Sure, he'd given her a place to stay, but that really was only after his mom and Andy had laid down the law for him. He'd picked his share of fights with her, and he hadn't done much to support her. Granted, there were two sides to every story, but he knew he'd done more than his share to elevate this situation to the level it was now.

Erin wasn't in the NICU, but Brody was awake again. Ricky check on him, looking at him possibly from a different perspective this morning, definitely with more clarity. He left a little stuffed animal bear with him he'd found in the gift shop downstairs. He felt terrible that this was the first honest thing he'd wanted to get for Brody, his son. After speaking to the nurses and hearing that Brody had a good night, he went in search of Erin. The nurse said she thought Erin might have gone down to the cafeteria for some food. Ricky left the NICU to find her.

"Hi," he said, giving her a sad smile, as he found her sitting by the window, absentmindedly stirring a cup of coffee and staring off into the window.

Erin, startled, looked up, "Ricky," she said, "you startled me."

Ricky nodded as he pulled out a chair across from her and sat down, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that at all. Can we talk?"

Erin frowned as she turned away again, "Listen, Ricky. I'm not going to fight with you anymore. It's not good for me; it's not going to be good for Brody. What more do you want? The nurse told me she asked you to bring the car seat, so if you do, I'll be out of your way. I've been staying here with Brody, and as soon as he's discharged, which should be in the next day or so, we'll be out of your hair. If this is about the divorce papers, I sighed those long ago, before all this happened, and I sent them back to your dad. He said he'd file them. As far as Brody, I've decided I don't even want child support. He's my baby, and he and I will be just fine on our own. We'll figure it out, and after everything, the last thing I want to be is tied to you. So, congratulations, you're off the hook. Yes, I know the test isn't back yet, but you don't even have to worry about it anymore," she sighed as she shook her head and looked at her coffee. "Now, if you'll just leave me alone, I've got some planning to do."

"I'll fight you for him," Ricky said, drawing Erin's attention. Her head snapped up, as she looked into his eyes.

"What?" Erin asked. "What do you mean?"

Ricky crumbled, as he put his hand over his face, "Erin, I am so sorry. I can't even start to apologize. I know he's mine."

Erin's eyes grew wide, "I've told you that from the beginning. Ricky, I know we were idiots and got married the same night we met in a stupid, stupid decision, but it was only ever you. I really liked you that night, thought you were cute and funny. Looking back, it was so dumb to get married. I don't know what I was thinking, but I've done a lot of growing up the past few months. I love that little boy more than anything. I didn't know that was possible, so if anything good had to come out of the worst decision of my life, he was it. So, please don't take him away from me. I know you can hire all these fancy lawyers and all, but he's my world," she said, tears in her eyes.

Ricky reached across and grabbed her one hand, "Hey, I don't want to do that," he said looking at her. "I'm hoping we can figure something out."

Erin looked away, "Ricky, I'm not staying here in San Francisco."

Ricky looked at her, gauging if she was being truthful, and he realized she hadn't lied to him yet, ever, "You can't go back to Reno and start working at that sleazy place again."

Erin looked up, "What? It was good enough for me, but now not your son?"

Ricky shook his head, "No, I don't mean it like that. I don't want Brody growing up like that. I don't want you to have to work like that. Last thing I need are idiot guys ogling you every day."

Erin raised her eyes to his, "Oh, like you and your friends did?"

"Yeah," Ricky scoffed, "I've done a lot of growing up too. Listen, I never wanted kids. Don't want a family, but Brody's here, and I'm not disputing that now. Look, I just don't want you to go back to Reno."

Erin shrugged, "I'm not going back to Reno. My boss doesn't want me back. He was the one who kept calling me before Brody was born, Ricky. He kept asking me when I'd be back. Well, as soon as he heard I'd gotten so injured, scars and all, he doesn't want me back. Honestly, that's fine, but I'm not going there. I found another job."

Ricky raised his eyebrows, "You found another job? How? Where? When? You've been here all the time, and I know you said you didn't have any real training or college classes."

"Ricky, the guy who has been calling me lately offered me a job. Don't worry; it's respectable, although while I'm not sure of his intentions, I have a pretty good idea" she sighed. "I can deal with that when I get there. I'll be a filing clerk in a law firm, his personal assistant. Ricky, your dad offered me a job and a place to stay; he wants me to move with him."