*Suspension of disbelief is necessary as far as Bobbie's involvement in the story. She somehow seems to be able to be in every surgery, is always around, and moves between departments with ease. I liked her attachment to Michael on the show, and want to develop that in my story as well.

Jason had convinced Carly to go in to see Michael again before her appointment with Dr. Collins. Fear still evident on her face, she looked over her baby's tiny body. The tubes connected to him were terrifying. She was so overwhelmed with the thought that she had somehow done this to him. Maybe if she had eaten better, rested more, made better choices, he wouldn't be fighting so hard just to live. Another part of her was convinced that Michael was paying the price for everything awful she had done in her life. It just didn't seem fair.

Jason pulled the chair over to sit beside her wheelchair. He started talking to Michael. "Michael, your mom is here. We are both here with you. We are so proud of how hard you are fighting. You just have to keep fighting."

Tears dripped down Carly's face. Tentatively putting her hand into the incubator, she was rewarded with Michael grabbing her finger. Softly, she said, "Hey, Mr. Man. I'm so sorry it took me so long to come see you. I know it has to be scary. I am scared too. But I love you so much. We are both going to fight to get better. And your daddy is here to help us. If it was just me, I'm sure I would make a complete mess of it. Your daddy, though, he is the best thing that happened to us." She grabbed Jason's hand with her free hand, squeezing. "That's the one thing I have done right in my whole crazy messed up life, I have given you the most wonderful dad we could ever ask for." Her voice broke, "Just please… please, you have to be okay. I need you to be okay."

Jason rubbed his hand soothingly over her back. He leaned over and pressed a kiss to her temple, once again overwhelmed with her faith in him. He felt so unsure in life, not having the learning experiences that everyone else had to guide him. But, he had to be strong for them. He desperately wanted to measure up to how she saw him. He looked at the two people depending on his strength, and vowed that he would not fail.

Bobbie stood across the room, watching the family bond. Watching Carly struggle, she was reminded of her own struggles. First, giving up her child at 16 and then losing BJ. She felt an overpowering connection to the younger woman, recognizing and empathizing with the fear in her eyes. There was also something about the little boy that pulled at her heartstrings.

Catching sight of Luke in the glass window outside the room, Bobbie walked out to stand beside him. She simply asked, "Luke?"

Instead of answering her unasked question, he said, "Cute kid, huh?"

Smiling, Bobbie looked back at the baby. "He's so small, but yes, he is beautiful."

"So, I guess that cheating scum of an ex-husband of yours ain't the baby daddy."

There was something in his voice that made her study his face. Cautiously, she said, "It would appear that he isn't. I have to admit, I was shocked as hell at finding out Jason is the father."

Luke put an unlit cigar in his mouth, chewing on the end. Finally, he responded, "It is curious, isn't it?"

Bobbie watched with an eyebrow raised as he walked away. She turned back to study the family with a question clear in her eyes.

Jason was sitting with Michael as Carly met with Dr. Collins. The doctor came over to look over the small child. Jason watched as a frown appeared on the doctor's face as he listened to the heartbeat. Calling Bobbie over, the doctor started ordering tests in an urgent voice. Jason had enough medical knowledge to understand that something about the boy's heart was not functioning correctly. The doctor pulled him aside. "Mr. Morgan, I am concerned that there may be an abnormality with the baby's heart. Based on the monitors, I fear that it is affecting his ability to pump blood to his body. We will know more when we get the tests back, but we may need to perform surgery to fix a cardiovascular defect."

Jason looked floored. He placed his hand on top of the incubator, as much to calm himself as to give his son reassurance that he wasn't alone. Turning back to the doctor, he asked, "What are the risks? Is he strong enough to make it through surgery?'

Calmly, the doctor said, "There are some possible complications, especially in a child this small whose lungs are not fully developed. However, if we can successfully fix the defect, his body will be able to increase the output of blood, which will in turn help the rest of his body develop more quickly and will improve his overall health. We will wait for the tests until we make any decisions, but I would recommend getting the mother down here, so the two of you can prepare and make a decision together."

"How long will the tests take?"

Looking down again at the chart, the doctor said, "About a half an hour."

Bobbie came up to Jason, placing a comforting hand on his arm, "Jason, go get Carly. Michael won't be alone. We won't leave him."

Placing his hand over hers in gratitude, he nodded, then rushed off to find Carly.

When he entered Carly's room, he found her crying as Dr. Collins talked to her. She was listening intently to what he was saying, looking more engaged than she had been all day.

Looking up at his abrupt entrance, she began to panic at the look on his face. "Oh, God! Is he okay? What's wrong, Jason?!"

Kevin began to rise to leave the two alone when Jason gave him a look that asked him to stay. He wasn't sure how Carly was going to react to the new complication. He was scared this would convince her to run, and he thought Dr. Collins could help.

Kevin stood back against the wall as Jason walked over to Carly, taking her hands in his and sitting on the edge of her bed. "They are worried there is something wrong with Michael's heart."

"Oh, God! No!" Carly cried out.

In a soothing voice, Jason continued, "They want to perform heart surgery to fix it. They are doing some tests now, but they think that the surgery is the best way to help Michael get stronger."

When Carly crumpled, Jason pulled her into his arms. "We have to be strong for him. We have to believe for him that he will get better. He will sense our faith."

Carly nodded her head against his chest. She looked tortured. Kevin came forward and told her, "Carly, we have been talking about how negative thinking can be crippling. Your brain is not giving you the truth right now. Talk to the doctor. This hospital has excellent surgeons, and cardiovascular surgery has advanced a great deal. The chances of complication have decreased dramatically. Jason is right, you must force yourself to push negative thoughts away, and embrace hope and have faith that your son will be fine."

Carly's voice didn't seem to be able to work, so once again she just nodded. Jason helped her stand and put on her robe. She asked to use the restroom for a moment to wash her face.

Kevin pulled Jason aside, telling him, "Call me at any time if you need me. I have written orders for a sedative, so she can rest tonight. However, if she gets too worked up, please let the nurse know and they can administer the sedative to calm her down."

Jason thanked him, as Carly came back out, ready to go the the NICU.

The doctor met them as they entered. "It is as I suspected. There is a hole in one of the valves of your son's heart. We need to perform surgery to fix it." Placing his hand on the obviously distraught mother's shoulder, he reassured, "I know this seems scary, but I have performed dozens of these repairs. I will do everything to get your son through this."

Carly looked up at Jason, seeing the agreement in his eyes, she turned back to the doctor. "Okay. Do we need to sign anything?"

Bobbie came over, handing them a consent form. She told them, "I will assist the doctor with the surgery, so I will stay with him." Looking down fondly at the baby, she said, "He won't be alone."

Carly smiled tremulously at the woman who didn't know she was her mother. Though Bobbie had never felt an instinctive motherly connection with her own daughter, it appeared that she felt a connection with her grandson. Carly reached over, placing her hand on Bobbie's arm. She simply told her, "Thank you."

Bobbie gave her a short nod, then left to prepare for the surgery.

Jason found himself back in the surgical waiting room. He hated hospitals anyway, but this intensified the feeling tenfold. At least now, he had Carly beside him. The two sat silently, holding tightly to the other's hand.

Luke showed up again, making Jason wonder who his source was that he seemed to be informed of their every movement. Carly shot him a glare, which he responded to with a smirk.

Sitting down, Luke said, "I'm wounded Caroline. Weren't you going to tell Uncle Luke about his great nephew having surgery?"

Carly shot him a disgusted look. "Shut it!"

Looking at her earnestly, Luke said, "Like it or not, Barbara Jean is falling for that boy. I think she needs to know that he is her grandson. Don't you agree?"

Jason cut in coldly. "Luke, now is not the right time."

Luke raised his hands in surrender, saying, "I'm just giving you fair warning, either you tell her or I will. You have until the end of the week."

Outraged, Carly leaned forward to argue, but Jason beat her. "No. Carly is recovering from surgery, and Michael is fighting for his life. She does not need this right now. You will give her time to recover."

Carly wrapped her arm around Jason's in gratitude for him sticking up for her. She should be used to it by now, but she was always amazed that he would defend and protect her, and was overwhelmed by the ferocity with which he did so.

Luke looked between the two of them, before giving a short nod. "Fine. But once you recover, Barbara Jean is going to know the truth."

With that said, he got up and moved to sit in a chair across the room, so that he was far enough away to give them space, but close enough to hear news.

As the surgery went on, more people began to fill the room. Guards were filling most of the chairs, sitting in silent vigil. Emily came in at one point, bringing Jason and Carly food, and sat in the chair beside Jason. Alan and Monica came and sat in the chairs farthest from Jason. They kept a respectful distance, not wanting to further upset their son. Besides occasional short conversation with the other people in the room, Jason and Carly formed their own little unit. Jason had his arm wrapped around Carly, and she remained curled up to him. They vacillated between somber silence and talking softly to each other. Thankfully, everyone gave them space.

It was four hours before the doctor came out into the waiting room. The entire room focused on the exhausted looking man. One of the guards pulled a chair up for him, as he walked up to the anxious parents. Nodding in appreciation, he focused on Carly and Jason, saying reassuringly, "The operation was a success. We were able to fix the defect. He has been moved back to the NICU. I have every faith that the little guy will fully recover. His stats should improve now that his heart is not having to work so hard."

Tears of gratitude fell from Carly's eyes. She reached forward to take the doctor's hand. "Thank you so much!"

The room let out a collective sigh of relief, tears were in the eyes of many of the occupants. Even Luke was surreptitiously wiping his eyes.

The doctor gave a smile to the room, then gave Jason and Carly a nod, and walked out.

Throwing her arms around Jason, Carly said with a huge smile on her face, "Our boy is okay." Jason buried his head in her hair, letting out a deep breath and holding her tightly to him.

No one noticed Tony watching the couple from the hall.