One month later

Danny was finally discharged to home. After several meetings with the child advocate the parents were able to agree that Maria would retain primary custody while nursing, but Danny would be able to visit the child often as long as there were no conflicts. He would be permitted to bring the baby to family dinner each week. As long as there were no issues, they would not require using the facilities at Ms. Terpstra's building. However, a social worker would make frequent visits at the homes of both parents as well as the grandparents' homes. The visits might be scheduled but could also be unscheduled. At all times, the best interests of the child would dictate if any remediation or rescheduling the custody agreement would be required. The father was required to open an account for the monthly deposits of child support; however, he was not permitted to remove any funds. The mother may use the funds for the child including but not limited to food, clothing, housing needs, medical needs, educational fees, transportation, or caregiver fees. The mother must submit a monthly accounting of any funds disbursed from the Parental Support account to the Child Advocate. Any funds used improperly would require repayment to the account.

Danny decided not to sell the house at this time; the boys still needed a home, and he needed a place where he felt safe. He agreed to wear a monitor for the first month after his hospitalization and would also continue visits with Doctor Dawson weekly or more often if necessary. Danny would also attend sessions with Linda and Doctor Bennet as requested. Linda had decided to remain at the Reagan family home and after attending nursing refresher courses had decided to pursue a course of study that would lead to a Nurse Practitioner degree. She would also work part time. Her schedule included working most weekends which made it easier for Danny to attend dinner on Sundays.

Eddie would accompany Maria on her monthly visits to her obstetrician and would then pass along sonogram pictures and updates from the office visit. At the end of the second trimester Doctor Dawson had requested that Maria meet with him. Alex sat down with Maria and reviewed the progress Danny had made while he was hospitalized and since his discharge. He had decided that going forward he would not pursue or engage in any intimate relations with either Linda or Maria. He was back to work but was not partnered with anyone at this time. His job was to fill in for any detective that was either out sick, on vacation or in court. He reviewed files for cases not making progress and assisted those teams needing research assistance. He would continue to meet with Alex weekly and Monsignor Donahue twice a month. Gradually everyone adapted to the new routine and life continued.

Five months gestation

The work of the task force into Linda's kidnapping had drawn to a close. Ranger Waylon Gates had worked with FBI, DEA, and a team of NYPD detectives to investigate her imprisonment in Texas. Unfortunately, after she escaped from the cartel their operations in that small town ceased. The building she had been kept in was burned to the ground. The cafe was closed and the few people that had lived there moved away and the area was a ghost town. Ranger Gates would continue to try to find the persons responsible but at this time, the task force was dismissed back to their original posts.

Six months gestation

Maria was looking forward to the end of her pregnancy. Each day, as the baby grew, it became difficult to perform even the simplest of tasks. Her shoes no longer fit, and she had to have someone put them on for her each day. Her work in the precinct had not gone unnoticed by the brass and at the COMSTAT meetings. Officers that failed to perform their duties as outlined in the Officer's Guide had their unsatisfactory work documented and the officers were counseled. The union representatives were notified, and five officers were brought down to 1PP to meet with the Commissioner and Sergeant Baez. They were each given a one-month period to bring their performance of their duties up to a level acceptable to the captain of the precinct or be transferred or tender their termination.