AN:Honestly, I hadn't planned on a second part. BUT, you asked, and I live to give my readers what they want...I am an author. so enjoy it! Disclaimer still applies, unfortunaltely. not mine...sigh, but i can pretend, so off i go into the world where I control them all. ~~Thena


"Have you been to see Anna today, Dave?"

"No, but they're going to reset her bones later, I think we should be there."

"Definitely. Has DCFS found a place for her yet?"

He shook his head. "They're 'working on it.' Who knows."

"So, do you think Weaver will let me off? I mean, with the whole Cheif thing?"

"You'll be on call, and just upstairs. Festus will let you off."

"Dave, she'll kill you if she hears you calling her that."

"I know. That's why I don't let her hear me!" With a grin, he grabbed a chart from the desk and turned back to Jing-Mei. "See you around 3 up there?"

"Wouldn't miss it. How about we meet down here. We can go up together."

"Cool. Meet you by the stairs then, k?"

"Sure. Later!" She smiled to herself as he walked away. He was turning out to be alright after all. She would have stood there like an idiot thinking about Dave, but Kerry walked by, right in her line of sight. "Dr. Weaver!" She turned and saw Jing-Mei.

"Yes? Can this wait? I have a meeting to get to.."

"No, it's quick. I just need your permission to go upstairs today, around 3. Anna's getting her feet reset, and I'd love to be there. I think she needs me there."

Kerry sighed. "I'm sorry, but Malucci's already asked me to get someone to cover for him, and now that Carter's at that conference and Cleo's with Reese, I can't get anyone to cover for you. I'd love to let you go, but we're pretty busy."

Jing-Mei began to protest, but Kerry held up her left hand. "I'm sorry, I just can't let you go. You have enough time to make up already." She limped off, leaving Jing-Mei with her mouth open, trying to reply. Jing-Mei turned and grabbed a chart, scribbling her initials furiously on the board. Kerry would be gone for the entire day at some meeting, and now there was no way for her to get up to see Anna. She hated to dissapoint the little girl. She'd already been dissapointed and hurt enough. Jing-Mei walked to exam 3, where Dave was waiting for a surgical consult on an appy.

"Dave, I can't come today. Weaver said we were understaffed. Sorry."

"But she told me...Listen, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to take the spot or anything, I didn't know."

"You couldn't have. Weaver's still pissed at me because I got pregnant and missed some work...she wants me on every second to make up the time I missed anyway!"

"Jing-Mei...you go. I'll cover for you. You need to be there more than I do."

"Dave, I couldn't ask you to..she's your patient..."

"She needs you more...she trusts you. Go. no more arguments."

"Thank you... thank you so much. I'll do your scut forever..."

"Hey, you'd better get off to the next patient quickly or I might take you up on that..."

"Oh, look at the time, better be going to treat someone...thanks."

"No prob."

She walked off to treat a few patients before it was time to go. She wanted to arrive early so Anna could see her before they started.

****

Dave entered the room just as the orthopedist said "All done!" and Jing-Mei translated.

"Sorry I missed it."

"Dave! You came!"

"Not soon enough..."

"How did you get up here?"

"My...and your...shift is over. So I figured maybe I could get up here before you were all done."

"It's ok...hold on." She turned to Anna. *Get some rest, ok? We'll be back to see you tonight. I promise.* Anna nodded. "Dave, can we go talk...somewhere?"

"Docs?"

"Somewhere private?"

"The roof it is." they headed up the stairs and sat together on the roof. "What's up, Jing-Mei?"

"Thanks for everything...letting me take your break, coming up, coming to the roof..."

"It's OK. I wanted to."

"They can't find a family for her."

"Really? I find that hard to believe...she's adorable!"

"Yeah...but they need a Chinese speaking family who wants to adopt a girl. Hard to find. The Chinese are more likely to put their daughters up for adoption and get a son."

"Hey, not everyone's like that!"

"Yeah they are. Apparently."

"OK, so what do you want to do about it? We can visit her and we can take care of her, but sooner or later they're going to find a place for her, whether it's with a family or in a group setting or whatever."

"I want....I was thinking maybe...I could take her home, let her live with me for a while. Until they find someone." She looked at him and saw his confused face.

"Jing-Mei.. what about, um...." He trailed off, looking into her eyes. "What about....Michael?" The words stung and she looked at him, speechless. This had all been...she stopped herself from thinking anything bad about her motives. "Look, you'd be a great mom, but you must not be ready for it. It's not a bad thing...I'm impressed that you realized it...but you did the right thing with Michael. And you have nothing to make up for...so you don't have to try."

"How did you..."

"I don't know...something about the way you were looking at her today. But they'll find her a good home. Don't worry."

"How can I..."

"Help? You've helped so much already. Look...I think you know that you can't take her in. Your hours...your life...it's just not conducive to having a baby or a young child around. She needs someone...who needs her."

"I do...I think I do..."

"If you need someone...really need someone...it's not her." He didn't need to say any more. She nodded weakly and took his hand. They went downstairs and she picked up the phone on the wall of an empty exam room.

"Hello...Linda...yes, it's Jing-Mei...I know that I said...ummm...look, can you bring Michael over? Yeah. Don't yell at me! I need to see him. He's still my son. And I need to see him. I didn't say that! I just need to visit with him. I'm not arguing with you over this, I have a right to see him. I'm at work. Bring him over. Please." She added weakly before hanging up the phone. She practically collapsed into Dave's arms. "She yelled at me for trying to take him away from her."

"It's going to be ok. He'll be here soon...if you need to see him, you need to see him. You do have a right. Just because he's been adopted doesn't mean you have to cut out all contact with him."

"Dave...I think I need more than that."

"You mean you want him back?" She nodded. "Well..."

"I can take care of him...I always could. I just let my family influence me, and...I think I need him. I love him."

"I know...I know." He held her closer and she looked up at him.

"Thank you...will you come with me? To talk to them?"

"Sure."

****

"I can't believe you're doing this to me!"

"Linda, I'm sorry! Look, I never thought I'd do this, but he's my son!" Dave put a reassuring hand on Jing-Mei's shoulder. She didn't look up, but she was grateful for his support.

"It was bad enough when he was a newborn, but he's been living with us for a long time now. His entire life. We love him!"

"I love him too...look, I don't want this to turn into a screaming match. I need him...and I'm well within the time limit to change my mind. So either we do this nicely, or we do this the hard way. But he's my son. And I want to take care of him. I want him to come to me and call me mommy...I want him to love and trust me."

"This is sick. You know this has happened to us before, but never this late. A lot of women, while they're still pregnant, they change their mind. Or when they see their baby. You almost did. But after a hard day, you just decide you need your son? Well he's as much our son by now as he is yours, and we need him too!"

"Look, Linda...I know you're attached to him, and you've been taking care of him, and I thank you. But I need him back."

"Attached to him? Is that what you think we are? Like you get attached to some new toy as a child, like you get attched to a possesion? NO. We love him. As our son. And that's what he is...so don't rip him away from us."

"I can't....have this conversation. I won't. He's my child. And he's coming home with me. I'll call the adoption agency and make it official...but I didn't want you to hear about it in a call from them. I changed my mind...and I'm sorry to do this. But I have to. You can keep him tonight, say goodbye. I'll pick him up tomorrow."

"It's my husband's birthday tomorrow. We're having the entire family over...they all wanted to see Michael. What the hell do I tell them now?"

"I don't know." She looked at Linda who was clutching Michael tightly. "Can I hold him? For just a minute? I need to be going soon, and I just want to..."

"Sure. What difference does it make now?" Linda's voice was flat as she handed Michael to Jing-Mei.

Jing-Mei kissed Michael's forehead. "Hey Sweetie...I'll see you tomorrow. I'm sorry I left you...I'm so sorry. I love you, sweetie." She handed him back to Linda, trying not to smile too much. Tears formed in her eyes as she gave up her baby once again. but this time it's only for one night. she reminded herself. Linda walked out of the lounge without a word, leaving Jing-Mei and Dave staring after her.

"Hey...it's OK. I'm proud of you for trying to keep it civil at least." He tried to flash her a grin, but only a small sincere smile would appear on his face.

"Well woohoo, Dave Malucci's proud of me. We can all be happy now." She also smiled.

"Feel better?"

"Yeah."

"Want some coffee? Something to eat...anything?"

"Well...." She surprised herself by leaning over and kissing him. "Sorry..."

"Don't be. It's a perfectly natural reaction to my charm. No one can resist." He was just trying to make her smile. It worked.

"Sure Dave...but I could go for some coffee too. Let's go to Docs."

"Sure. And we can go see Anna afterwards, if you want."

She nodded.

"Great...Last one to Doc's buys the other one dinner?"

"Shut up." She grinned and kissed him once more before they pulled on their coats and headed across the street.

"Yes Ma'am!" He smiled, racing out the door of the lounge after her. When he caught up, he put his arm around her and she leaned closer to him. They stepped into Doc's, Jing-Mei walking only a step ahead of him.

"I win." She said quietly, smiling at him. "You owe me dinner."

"So I do.." he agreed, sliding into a booth across from her. "What'll you have?"