He enters the NICU, and finds baby Caleb unattended. He scoops the baby out of the basinet as the nurse approaches him.

"Caleb," Coop smiles.

The baby coos, "You are a handsome fellow," Coop adds. The nurse finally reaches him.

"Dr. Cooper, what are you doing up here?"

"I just came to check on Caleb. How is he doing?"

"The oxygen is helping."

"Where is Mike?"

"He said that he went outside to get a breath of fresh air."

"Okay," Coop passes the infant off to the capable hands of the nurse.

He heads down the corridor to the elevator. He rides the elevator to the ground floor, and makes a beeline for the exit. He finds Cruz out front, sitting on a bench. He takes a seat next to him.

"What are you doing down here?"

"I just needed a breath of fresh air. That used to mean coming outside for a smoke, you know."

"Aren't you asthmatic?" Dr. Cooper queries.

"It was a bad habit that I picked up as a teen."

"So why aren't you smoking?"

"I keep a pack in my jacket pocket," he admits.

"You didn't light up yet," Coop points out.

"My son is up in the NICU with carbon monoxide poisoning. I feel guilty for even thinking about a cigarette."

"He looks as if he's perked up."

"He's something else."

"He looks like you."

"His tenacity he gets from his mother."

"How are things going between the two of you?"

"They aren't easy. We still have some major trust issues. She doesn't trust my judgment, and I still don't trust hers."

"She is doing everything that she is supposed to do."

"I know that. Every time I see him he's happy, healthy, clean, well fed, and well cared for."

"So what's the problem?"

"All I see is the addict. No matter how many things she does right, all I see is the addict. I am scared that one morning she will wake up, and the thought of losing him won't be enough to keep her on the right path."

"It has so far."

"She was a mother, and an addict before."

"She's different now. I don't think that she would ever do anything to jeopardize her relationship with her son."

"How can you be so certain?"

"Have you seen her with him? Do you see the way that she looks at him? It's as if she's alive again."

"It doesn't keep me from worrying."

"Short of being with her twenty four seven there isn't much you can do."

"I could be with him twenty four seven."

"What are you saying?" Coop probes.

"I could petition the court for full custody of him."

"Cruz, I don't think that is a road that you want to travel."

"He's my son. I just want to protect him."

"You think that the court would award you full custody over his breastfeeding mother?"

"Maybe."

"If that happened it would be detrimental to all parties involved."

"How do you figure? He would be safe with me."

"You can't be certain of that. Losing him would send Jackie over the edge. You would completely obliterate any chance he has of having a relationship with her."

"So?"

"That's not fair to either of them."

"I just want what is best for my son."

"Like you wanted what was best for Charlie?"

"Don't bring him into this."

"You let him down."

"I am not going to let Caleb down."

"How do you know?"

"It's different this time around."

"How?" Coops voice raises an entire octave.

"I was young then."

"That isn't an answer," Coop argues.

"Why are you fighting this battle for her?"

"I'm not fighting anything for her. Jackie can fight her own battles."

"Then why are you here?"

"She deserves a second chance. I will be the first to admit that she hasn't always made the best choices. She has screwed up, but who hasn't? She is trying to do the right thing here."

"By keeping him from me?"

"She isn't keeping you from him."

"Yes she is," Cruz argues.

"Mike, what is this really about?"

He breaks eye contact. Coop studies his body language. Coop's serious expression shifts into a grin.

"You love her," Coop accuses.

"I never said that," Mike growls.

"It's not about the baby. It's about her. You want her."

"So what if I did?"

"You're going about it the wrong way. Maybe you should just tell her."

"She isn't interested in being with me. I'm the gasoline, and she's the fire. Things only go up in smoke when we're together."

"You must have done something right," Coop disagrees.

"What do you mean?"

"Caleb. He's a second chance for the both of you."

After their heart to heart Cruz heads into the ER to find Jackie. He finds her behind one of the curtains. He enters the ER bay, and takes a seat. She eyes him suspiciously as she uses a breast pump.

"Do you think you could come back at a better time?"

"I need to talk to you."

"Now?!"

"If I don't talk to you now, I'll lose my courage."

"Courage? You do realize that you have the upper hand here, right? I am the one who is hooked to oxygen, IV fluids, and a breast pump. I couldn't get away if I tried."

"I'm sorry for the way that I have acted."

"When?"

He grins, "Since the day I met you."

"Why is that?"

"I have a tendency to act like an asshole towards the people that I care about."

"I've noticed."

"Jackie, I care about you."

"I would hope. We have a son."

"Not just as the mother of my son," he adds.

She furrows her brow, "What are you saying?"