After Georgie left to go home and get changed for work, Robin came in to see Spinelli.

"Hi, Spinelli. How are you feeling?"

"Greetings, soon to be Maternal Life Saving One. The Jackal is improving, thank you."

"Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Of course."

She came in and sat in the chair Georgie had vacated.

"Do you know if something is bothering Georgie?"

Spinelli hesitated. He didn't want to break Georgie's confidence.

"I'm not asking you to tell me anything she wouldn't want you to, but we had a huge fight last night. Her reactions just seemed so over the top."

"She was exhausted after taking care of two sick adults and a baby."

"I know, but it was her reaction to Patrick that-"

"OK, please forgive the interruption, but she told me about the fight and I have to tell you honestly that I can understand why she reacted the way she did. I do know, however, that if worry, tension and lack of sleep had not been taking their toll on her, she would have approached the situation with wisdom and sage advice."

Robin sighed.

"That was actually what I was hoping for last night."

"Give her time; she urgently needed to get some sleep, and she also needed to figure a few things out. I think once she takes action she'll feel better and be herself again."

"Can you tell me what she had to figure out without breaking her confidence?"

"I don't think so, but you will find out."

She told him about her situation with Patrick, hoping to get his perspective as a father. On some level, what she was really hoping for was his agreement and commiseration; she wanted Spinelli, as a single parent, to take her side.

"Would you do what Patrick did? If the circumstances with Jolene had been different and you and she were in Patrick's and my situation, would you have taken her to court to visit your unborn child?"

"In a heartbeat. I would never give up a nanosecond with My Empathic One. Patrick is taking the steps he believes are necessary to be a parent, to be part of his child's life. If Jolene had survived her coma and woken up after the baby was born and she did the same I would allow her to see Kendra. I know what she did was horrible, but parents have rights and they should not be violated. Forgive me, but that's what you're doing to Dr. Drake."

"Wait a minute!" Robin said, surprised and appalled. "You would let a murderer see your child? You honestly think that just because Jolene was her mother that would be in Kendra's best interests?"

"If Jolene woke and showed remorse, if she took the necessary steps to be a good parent, I would agree, eventually. A judge would have to convince me, and Jolene would have to prove to the judge and to me that she honestly regretted what she did and that she honestly loved Kendra. But I would need indisputable proof first. But this hypothetical discussion is pointless now because the mother of My Empathic One is dead. Patrick is very much alive and you're trying to keep him from being a father. From what you've told me, with all due respect, Patrick is trying to prove it and you won't let him."

"But he's taking me to court to visit the unborn child!"

"I'm sure he feels he didn't have any other choice."

Robin said nothing.

"I'm not trying to judge you; I know that's how it sounds and I apologize. I know you feel this is best for your baby, but Patrick also feels he's doing what's best for the innocent one. If you two have reached an impasse, perhaps legal action is the only course of action."

"Thank you for your perspective. I'll think about it, but if Patrick's taking me to court, I think the judge is the one who will ultimately decide and we're just gonna have to live with the decision. Feel better."

"Thank you," he said as she got up to leave.

He had a feeling nothing he'd said had gotten through to her, but he hoped he was wrong. Legal matters had a way of getting ugly.

He was surprised a few minutes later when Mack arrived.

"Can we talk?" he asked in a civil tone.

Spinelli nodded.

"How do you feel?"

"The Jackal is recovering nicely, thank you," Spinelli said, trying to keep his tone neutral.

"Look," he said, sitting down, "I- I'm sorry about yesterday. I really had no intention of taking Kendra. I've lost one daughter and was in danger of losing the other; I wouldn't wish that pain on anyone. I just felt so helpless during the quarantine; I didn't know whether Georgie would get sick or stay healthy or what would happen. I was terrified and upset and I needed to lash out, and you were the most likely target. I know that was totally unfair, but I just-"

"I understand."

"I'm really sorry. I don't think Georgie's gonna believe that, but I am."

"Sir, I know the fear of possibly losing your child. Kendra nearly died at birth, and then I was afraid she would contract the virus, and then last night when you- anyway, I know the fear of the possibility; I can't imagine actually having it happen. I gratefully accept your apology."

"Thank you," he said, smiling.

Spinelli smiled back as Mack looked at Kendra's photo.

"She's a beauty!"

"Thank you."

"Listen, um, considering you're my daughter's boyfriend and Kendra's your daughter, maybe-"

"Yes?"

"Maybe when you're better you can come to dinner on Sunday. Robin is there, and Georgie of course, and sometimes Patrick comes when he's actually paying attention to my niece."

"I'd like that," Spinelli said, surprised.

"Good; just come with Georgie one Sunday when you're better. I look forward to meeting the little one."

"She loves people."

"Good. See you then; feel better."

"Thanks."

He smiled again as Mack left. The Constant Commissioner had seemed to like him before the quarantine; now it looked as if they were back on track. He remembered thinking at Thanksgiving dinner, the day before he'd found out about Jolene's pregnancy, that it was always good to have your friends' parents like you. It was especially good to have your girlfriend's parents like you.

""Um, may I ask you something as a parent?" he asked Epiphany when she came in to update his chart.

"OK."

"When Stanford was a baby, did you have separation anxiety when you had to leave him?"

"Of course."

She sounded surprised.

"I hate leaving her in the care of others!"

"As one single parent to another, you have to do that sometimes. Everyone needs me time and babies don't make that easy."

"So it's not selfish to want time to myself?"

"Of course not."

"It doesn't prove accusations of bad parenting?"

"If anything, it proves just the opposite. Mr. Spinelli, if you don't get sleep, or time alone, or time to do the things you need to do, that can make you irritable; it can even make you resent your child. Leaving her with people you trust so you can do those things proves that you love her enough to do what's best for both of you."

That had been the perspective he'd needed. He finally understood what Jason and his parenting class had been telling him. What he'd needed was advice from an experienced person who had been in his situation, single parenthood. Epiphany had raised Stanford on her own and he had grown to adulthood. All the people in his parenting class had children that were still children. Some were single parents, but their children were still young. Epiphany's son had been an adult and she'd raised him alone since birth. She had raised her baby boy into a good man, and if she had left him with people she trusted in order to have me time, Spinelli was sure he could raise Kendra the same way if he had to. He still hoped to be married one day, maybe to Georgie, and to have more children. But if the circumstances dictated otherwise, he was now sure that he could leave Kendra with others and still be a good parent. In fact, as Epiphany had pointed out, he would be a better parent for it.

"Thank you!"

"Glad to help," she said, smiling at the photo. "How's she doing?"

"The Empathic One is quite well."

"Good; give her a kiss for me."

She made a note on his chart, told him his vitals were good and left to take care of her next patient.

"Have you spoken to your father?" he asked when Georgie came on her lunch break. She had a morning shift at Kelly's, then she had some blog entries to do for Kate.

"Not yet."

"He came to see me today. He apologized for threatening to take Kendra."

"He did?"

"You're surprised?"

"Yeah, I mean, he was so insistent last night. I mean, he seemed surprised that you actually thought he was gonna take her, but-"

"He probably had time to think. You didn't come home last night, and I'm sure your words when you went to see him with the Brusk Lady of Justice penetrated. He even invited us both to Sunday dinner with you."

"He did?"

She gave him his look, the one she gave only him.

"He did," he confirmed, beaming at her. "But I need you to do something first."

"What's that?"

"I need you to go make up with him. I know the fear he experienced last night; there is nothing worse than that kind of terror. You're not a parent yet, and please forgive me if that sounds as condescending as I think it does; that was not my intention. But you know how it felt to lose your sister. Mack knows how it feels to lose a daughter and he was afraid it would happen again when we were quarantined. His behavior towards both you and Robin, though misguided and, for lack of a nicer word, intrusive, was well-meaning and heart-felt. He needs to know that you understand that. When Kendra gets older I would hate to have her angry with me, especially over a boyfriend; I don't want you to be mad at Mack because of me either."

"OK," she said. "I need to tell him I'm not going abroad, too. I'm actually dreading that. I'll be back after I talk to him, and I wanna talk to Robin, too. I need to apologize for overreacting last night."

They kissed and she left, just as Lulu came in briefly to see how he was doing. She had to leave quickly; she was already late for her shift at Kelly's. After she left, he smiled as his eyes focused on Kendra's photo. He couldn't wait to get out of the hospital and see her in person. Exhausted from the lingering affects of the virus, he fell asleep with his head still turned towards the night stand.