Hannibal leaned against the wall in the small waiting room at the hospital and watched Murdock nervously pace the floor as Face sat in a chair in the corner. Bent over with his head in his hands, Hannibal couldn't tell if he was praying or just resting. Not much had been said between them since they arrived a few hours ago. Ellen had immediately been taken into surgery and no one had been around to update them as to her condition since. BA and Frankie were still back at the warehouse tying up loose ends with the cops and looking for Thompson who had somehow managed to elude them once again.

"Look, guys," Hannibal said putting a hand on Murdock's shoulder. "No matter what happened, neither one of you should blame yourselves."

"Yeah, ok," Face mumbled before taking a deep breath. "She's an innocent girl who wouldn't even be in this position if I'd never came into her life!" Getting to his feet, Face ran a hand quickly though his sandy blonde hair before he continued. "Everything leads back to AJ! She didn't ask for this! And neither did I! We should have just left things alone!"

Murdock shrugged as Face retook his seat. "Maybe so," he said quietly. "But, I pressured Stockwell to tell me if it was true. I guess, I should have just minded my own business."

Before Face could reply, the door to the waiting room opened up. An older American man and a younger Hispanic woman both dressed in white lab coats stepped inside. "Which one of you is the husband?"

"I am," Murdock said stepping forward as Face got to his feet. "This is her brother, Templeton Peck."

The male doctor nodded at them both before he indicated the woman beside him. "I'm Doctor Jacob's, the head surgeon and this is Doctor Martinez, she's the head of our obstetrics department."

Murdock nodded at both of them before launching into the most important question. "How's Ellen?"

"Mrs. Murdock is in critical condition," he said as Murdock looked on the verge of collapsing. "However, her prognosis is good."

"It is?" Murdock asked quietly as the surgeon nodded.

"The bullet entered her back and damaged one of her kidneys before entering the placenta and becoming lodged in her pelvic bone," Doctor Jacobs said evenly. "We've removed the damaged kidney and the bullet. Now, Doctor Martinez will tell you about the condition of your son."

"Son?" Face said meeting Murdock's eyes.

"Yes," Doctor Martinez said smiling gently. "We had to deliver the baby when the extent of your wife's injuries became apparent. The infant is perfectly healthy for thirty two weeks but he will need to stay in an incubator for several days to allow his lungs to properly develop but we don't anticipate he'll have any problems."

Murdock put his hand on his forehead and looked at Face in shock before turning back to the doctor's. "Can we see her?"

"Not yet," Jacob's said looking at Doctor Martinez. "Mrs. Murdock is still in recovery, but I think it would be okay for them to see the baby?"

"Of course," Doctor Martinez said taking Murdock's arm. "Come this way, dad!"

Dad! Murdock thought suddenly frightened as the Doctor led them to a viewing window. Just on the other side of the glass, his eyes fell on the tiny pink baby that slept inside the round plastic incubator. "He's so tiny! Are you sure, he's okay? I mean, he's going to make it, right?" Murdock asked nervously as Martinez gently smiled.

"Three pounds to be exact," she said crossing her arms. "But, I assure you, he's doing really well. Your son's quite a fighter."

"My son," Murdock said in disbelief as he put a hand on the glass. Face came up to stand beside him as he gazed into the incubator at the tiny squiggling baby inside. "I don't know what to say, Facey. It's a lot to deal with, you know?"

"It'll be okay," Face said putting a hand on his shoulder. "Ellen's going to be fine and you heard what Doctor Martinez said about the baby."

"Yeah," Murdock said meeting his eyes. "Sure am glad, I got you for a brother."

"So am I, buddy," Face said with a smile as he squeezed Murdock's shoulder.

"Can't forget about, grandpa!" Doctor Martinez said taking Hannibal's arm. "C'mon up here and take a look at your grandson."

Face and Murdock both laughed as Hannibal frowned. "Yeah, grandpa!" Face said with a smirk. "What ya think of your grandson?"

"Nice looking kid," Hannibal replied with a grin. "He'll make his grandpa proud!"

"And his uncle," Face said with a nod.

"And, his dad," Murdock mumbled quietly in awe of the infant.

Later, Murdock sat by Ellen's side as she lay in the ICU. The multiple machines that surrounded her all registered the vital signs indicating the life within her unconscious body. Taking her hand, he caressed it gently and spoke softly to her about how healthy their son was. "You should see him, honey. He's really beautiful. Kinda looks like Face, I think. Sure wish you'd wake up and talk to me. Getting kinda tired of talking to myself, been there done that and don't want to do it again, if you know what I mean!" He squeezed her hand eagerly as her eyes lids suddenly started to flutter and her body stirred. "That's it! C'mon baby," Murdock said kissing her cheek. "Open those pretty blue eyes for me!" Ellen opened her eyes as Murdock smiled in relief. "I knew you could do it," he whispered before kissing her cheek again. "I got to tell the nurse but I'll be right back, ok?" She closed here eyes as Murdock ran to the ICU's nursing station and told the charge nurse that Ellen was awake.