Danny and Kathryn took baby Michael home from the hospital after a short hospital stay. At first, Danny stayed at Kathryn's to help with the baby. They resembled most normal families with newborns -- a young, sleep-deprived couple just trying to keep it together. Danny went to work everyday, and then would hurry home to see Kathryn and the baby. Danny loved being a father, and he loved living as a family. But he was still sleeping on Kathryn's couch, and making frequent trips to his apartment for changes of clothes.

Kathryn was exhausted, but incredibly happy. She loved having Danny there. He was very helpful and attentive. Most nights when Danny wasn't working he would wake up with the baby, and bring him to Kathryn so she could breastfeed in bed. She felt so lucky that she and Danny were able to establish such a strong friendship. She never thought they would ever get to that place considering their history. She loved watching Danny with the baby. Sometimes after she finished feeding the baby, she would pretend to fall asleep. Kathryn would watch Danny gently lay the baby on his bare chest, and rock him in the chair next to her bed. Kathryn's heart ached as she watched this.

One evening when the baby was about six weeks old, Danny and Kathryn were on the couch watching a movie as she was feeding the baby. They were sitting a part from each other. As Kathryn breastfed Michael, she became very aware of Danny watching her. She glanced over at him and said jokingly, "What? Is the movie not holding your interest?"

"Not really," Danny said softly as he continued to watch her. "You know you have never looked more beautiful than you do right at this moment."

Kathryn smiled disbelievingly and shook her head, "Please, Danny. You don't have to show me mercy just because I am nourishing your child." Kathryn couldn't believe him considering she still had fifteen pounds to lose, she hadn't worn make-up in over a month, and her hair hadn't come out of a ponytail in days.

"I'm serious. I thought you glowed when you were pregnant, but now...motherhood agrees with you."

Instead of calling him crazy, Kathryn decided to just accept his attempt to make her feel better. "Thank you," she said as she stood up with Michael and took him to his crib. "He should be good for the next few hours." Then she collapsed back on the couch as she and Danny settled in to watch more television. But she didn't last very long. Within minutes, Kathryn's eyes were closed, and she unconsciously curled herself right next to Danny. He fell asleep shortly after she did.

About an hour later, Kathryn woke to find her head resting against Danny's chest. Her hand had somehow found its way under Danny's shirt resting on his stomach. As she started to remove her hand, Danny started to wake. She looked up at him hoping to feign ignorance. Their eyes met and locked for several seconds before Danny started to kiss her on instinct. A sleepy Kathryn responded to the kiss without thinking. Then Danny deepened it and pulled her closer to him running his hand up and down her spine. Kathryn shivered in his arms. Then he started to touch her intimately in places that drove her crazy. It was all Kathryn could do to come to her senses and pull away. "Danny, we can't."

"I know. It's too soon after the baby. We won't go very far...I promise," Danny pleaded as he started to pull her back to him.

But Kathryn resisted, "No, I mean we can't at all."

"You can't tell me you don't want this. I can tell just by looking at you that you do," he said as he touched her cheek.

"That's not the point."

"What is the point?"

"I don't want to ruin what we have. Everything is so good right now. We'll ruin..."

Danny interrupted. "We'll ruin what? Our 'friendship'? Why can't we be both? Friends and lovers...I promise you won't regret it," he said seductively as he tried to lean in to kiss her again.

But Kathryn stood up to put distance between them. "It's not a good idea. We have to think of Michael."

"I am thinking of Michael. And thinking of us. And I'm thinking we should just make this happen. You, me, Michael...make us an official family."

Kathryn shook her head, "It's too soon. I'm scared..."

Danny stood up then too and said angrily, "Scared of what? Of me? What else do I have to do to prove that I'm committed to staying clean? I'm doing the best I can...I wish I could make some sort of guarantee, but that's not the way it works. I can't do that. You just have to trust me."

Kathryn looked down as tears brimmed her eyes, but didn't respond.

Danny finally said, "You don't trust me...do you?"

"You are a great father. I trust that, but I just need more time."

"Fine...whatever...I'll give you all the time you need," Danny said as he started to walk out.

"Danny, don't leave..."

"Since he's sleeping through the night, you really don't need me here at night anymore. I'll move my stuff back to my apartment tomorrow. We should probably set up some kind of schedule...a visitation schedule that works for both of us."

"Don't do this..."

"Don't do what? I can't keep deluding myself thinking this is going to lead somewhere when clearly it's not. I'm not an idiot, Kathryn, and I don't want to play house anymore. I can take a hint. I'll call you tomorrow."

And then he was gone. Kathryn was left wondering if she'd made the biggest mistake of her life. She knew that Danny couldn't be patient forever, but she was so scared of letting him back into her heart.

Danny stayed true to his word and moved out of her apartment. They worked out a schedule for Danny to see Michael most evenings and on weekends. To put distance between them, Kathryn decided to run errands during some of his visits. She realized it was unfair of her to ask Danny to be around them constantly, and not want more. As Michael got older, Danny started to take him to his place for overnight visits. As much as this broke Kathryn's heart, she knew it was necessary for Danny to be an active father.

When Michael turned six months old, Kathryn returned to work. Returning to work made it nearly impossible for her to see Danny on any kind of regular basis. She didn't have to work to put distance between them. It was there because they didn't have time to see each other. Their encounters were limited to handing Michael off at her apartment door, and their weekly trip to the zoo. She and Danny committed themselves to spending one family day a week with Michael. This was very different than the times they spent together while she was pregnant and right after Michael was born.

One afternoon, Kathryn was leaving one of the courtrooms at the Federal Building to head back to her office. She had a hard day in court. It was her first case since being back from maternity leave. As she walked down the hall, she caught sight of Danny waiting for an elevator. She started to walk quickly to catch up to him, but stopped cold when she noticed a young woman standing next to him. Kathryn recognized her as one of their new paralegals, Stacy. She couldn't have been more than 22. She and Danny were talking intensely. She recognized the look on his face very well. It was that charming, flirtatious gaze that could always make her melt. Stacy playfully straightened Danny's tie, and he smiled at her before they stepped on to the elevator together. Kathryn felt sick to her stomach as she returned to her office.

"Hey Kath, how was court?" asked Shelly.

"Um...it was...it was...fine, I guess..." replied Kathryn completely distracted.

Shelly looked at Kathryn curiously, "Did you see a ghost or something?"

"Do you know that new paralegal...Stacy?" asked Kathryn quietly.

"Uh...not really...um...why do you ask?" Shelly replied guiltily.

Kathryn looked at Shelly skeptically, "Oh God...you know something, don't you?"

"No, I don't know anything.... for sure."

"Tell me..." pleaded Kathryn.

"You don't want to know...and it is just talk...you know how this place is..."

"Just tell me, Shelly. Please."

"I had lunch with Lori from Traffic the other day. She said that Stacy was asked to assist on the Bronson kidnapping case. Lori was saying that ADA Williams just recruited her because she looked good in a skirt...you know? Anyway, she sat in on a deposition with Danny last week. Lori said Stacy couldn't stop talking about him when she and Stacy went out for drinks that night. I guess Stacy said that she asked Danny out, and he said yes."

"Seriously? He is dating some 22 year old?"

Shelly interjected, "I don't know if they are dating, Kathryn. I don't even know if they went out."

"Oh...they went out. I just saw them in the hallway together. They looked quite…close. That means he's sleeping with her..."

"You don't know that."

"Oh yes, I do. This is Danny we are talking about. If she's was willing…which I'm sure she was…then he slept with her." Kathryn said sadly.

"You know he still loves you. All you would have to do is say the word...and he would come back to you."

"I can't do that," Kathryn whispered. "And I can't stop him from moving on with his life...even if it is with some nympho cheerleader."

Kathryn returned home that evening. Her mother was taking care of Michael for her during the day. She picked Michael up out of his playpen, and held him close. Then she sat him in front of her on the floor to play.

As her mother watched them play, she said, "You know he looks more and more like his father everyday."

Kathryn nodded and smiled slightly as she watched Michael and replied quietly, "I knew he would. I hoped he would."

"That's one good thing you can say about Danny. Michael will definitely grow up to be a handsome young man."

"Mother...don't start...there is a lot more to Danny that just his looks."

"Well it would be nice if we got to know what more there is to know. I just don't understand what could have happened between you two. I don't understand why you're not married yet."

"I told you...it was my decision."

"Yes, but Danny must of done something...he must of hurt you in some way. You were crazy in love with him one minute, and the next you were pregnant and alone."

"Danny's been with me every step of the way. I'm not having this conversation again, especially not in front of Michael," Kathryn said annoyed as she picked him up and went to the kitchen to feed him.

Her mother then changed the subject, "OK, well if there is no reconciliation in sight between the two of you, maybe you should consider dating someone."

"When am I supposed to do that? I barely have time to shower," Kathryn said as a picture of Danny and Stacy flashed in her head.

"I can watch Michael one evening. It will be nice for you to get out."

"Get out with whom, mother? There really aren't many prospects for single, working mothers."

"It's funny you should ask..."

"Oh no. I think I've been baited into something," Kathryn said as she looked at Michael and smiled. He was smearing green beans all over his face.

"There's an accountant in your father's office. You actually met him at the Christmas party a couple of years ago. His name is Evan Wyatt. He liked you when he met you at the party, but you only stayed for a half an hour because you had to meet Danny somewhere. Do you remember him?"

"Vaguely." Kathryn actually didn't remember him, but she humored her mother.

"What would be the harm in going to dinner with him? He knows you have a son, and I think he is still interested. What do you think?"

Kathryn laughed as she played peek-a-boo with Michael. "I guess it couldn't hurt. I'll give it a shot. One date, and I can't make any promises."

"I'll give him your number."

Kathryn ended up going on a few dates with Evan Wyatt. While he wasn't the most exciting person in the world, he was very sweet and seemed willing to take things slow. One night, Kathryn found herself getting ready for her third date with Evan. They were attending a charity function with her parents. Kathryn felt uncomfortable as she slipped into a short black cocktail dress. She hadn't gotten dressed up like that in ages. She was also nervous because it was Friday, and Danny was supposed to pick up Michael thirty minutes ago. He called to tell her that he was running late. The problem was that she didn't want Danny to run into Evan. She desperately wasn't ready for Danny to know that she was dating even if she knew about his new relationship.

As Kathryn was putting on her heels, she heard Danny come in the door. "Hey. Sorry I'm late," Danny said as he walked back to her bedroom.

"It's OK," Kathryn said in a slight panic as she gathered Michael's overnight bag and handed it to Danny.

Danny had already scooped up Michael from his playpen. "Hey buddy...you ready for the weekend?" he said as Michael laid his head on Danny's shoulder.

"He's already eaten. So, he'll just need his bottle before bedtime."

Danny nodded, "I know." And then he noticed the black dress. He looked at Kathryn up and down. "Look at you. You look great. Hot date?"

Kathryn laughed. "No...don't be silly...my parents have this charity dinner. I'm tagging along with them. You better get going. It's getting dark, and Michael will get cranky if you keep him out too long," Kathryn said as she tried to usher Danny to the door.

"Good for you. I hope you have a nice time. It will be nice for you to get out..." Danny said as he opened the door to leave. After he opened the door, he saw Evan standing on the other side. Then he looked at Kathryn who looked like a deer caught in headlights. Danny just smiled, and asked Evan innocently, "Can I help you with something?"

Evan looked slightly confused as he saw Danny holding Michael, and Kathryn looking panicked.

Kathryn finally explained, "Danny, this is Evan Wyatt...um...he and I...um...we are meeting my parents at the charity function. Evan, this is Danny...my...um...Michael's father." As Kathryn looked at the two men, their physical differences were glaringly obvious. Evan was a good four inches shorter than Danny. His sandy hair and glasses were a sharp contrast to Danny's dark chiseled features.

Danny still smiling held out his hand to Evan, "Nice to meet you, Evan."

"You, too. It's good to finally meet you. You have a beautiful boy here. Now I see who he resembles."

Danny's smile faded slightly as he realized that this wasn't their first date. "Thanks...uh...we should probably get going. You two have fun. Give your parents my best, Kathryn, and I'll call you tomorrow."

Kathryn couldn't meet Danny's eyes. She just quickly kissed Michael and said goodbye as Danny walked out.