A/N: Okay, here's the thing (any Monk fans? :-) )... I predict that just about everyone will love the first part of this chapter and hate the latter part of it. Many of you want Bobby and Alex to take Denise's baby and just as many don't. One or two want to send the baby to China, as far away from Bobby as he or she can get. I gave it lots and lots of thought and came up with a solution that I like, which is just as important, I think, since there is no way I can make everyone happy (China was never an option). I am trying to work happy times in among the rough ones, so...if there is anything specific anyone would like to see, let me know.

Harry awoke with a start from his dream, his small body covered with sweat. He'd been running, trying to escape his past life, but everywhere he turned, he ran into Martin Gomez, in some form or another. He was the clerk at the store a few blocks away where they sometimes stopped for milk or bread. He was the stock boy at the grocery store, glaring at him as he put boxes of macaroni and cheese on the shelf. He was a teacher at the new school he and Maggie would begin in a few weeks. He was the neighbor across the street, watching from behind the curtains. And when he ran into the house, a figure by the fireplace in the living room turned and...Harry woke up, stifling a sob.

He started to get out of bed, but he heard a loud thump in the hallway that sent him scurrying back under his covers. Trembling, he listened until he heard voices, the familiar voices of men who had never caused him harm. He was finally beginning to identify Maggie's daddy simply as Daddy. Maggie had always been lucky to have him, and now Harry was seeing himself as lucky as well. Daddy was kind and gentle, though Harry wished he would smile more. He always seemed so serious. Life, for him, was a heavy burden. Harry understood that feeling, for he had also been burdened by his life, until he'd come to live with Maggie and her family, until he'd become one of them.

Sometimes, though, the past intruded on the present, bringing with it the ghosts of a life now left behind. Daddy seemed to understand how that worked, and when he comforted Harry, somehow, he made it better.

The voices in the hallway drew closer, and Harry listened to them. There was no shouting, no angry swearing. They seemed to be trying, though unsuccessfully, to be quiet. Soft voices mixed with quiet laughter, and Harry relaxed. He continued to listen until Daddy went into his room and Uncle Mike went into Tommy's. He heard another loud thud that seemed to come from Tommy's room and he ducked his head further under the covers. He and Tommy had been playing cowboys and Indians before bed and maybe—just maybe—they'd forgotten to take down the battlefield on the floor next to Tommy's bed. Uncle Mike had become another casualty of their play war.

He waited for his door to swing open and for angry voices to reprimand him for being careless, but he fell asleep waiting. The feared reprimand never came.

Harry sat on the edge of his bed and looked around his room. A toy box sat in the corner by the window, half-filled with toys. Over near the closet, his dresser was partly filled with clothes that were only his. Next to that was a bookcase, which had books on every shelf and room for more. That gave him hope for the future, that there was room for more everywhere.

He tried not to think about the life he'd left behind, when he had been the only son of a weak woman and a very bad man. He had sisters now and a brother. His mother was a strong woman, his father, a very good man. Everything that had been bad in his last life was gone, replaced in this new life by so much that was good.

He'd known nothing beyond the small apartment where he had lived his days in fear until he started going to school. Why had they sent him to school? Because police officers came to see his mother and they told her that he had to go to school. His father had been furious, and he'd beaten her—the only time Harry knew of that he had. So he went to school.

There, in school, he'd made friends. The teachers were kind to him, but he was still afraid. He'd see his father, watching him, as he gave surprises out to the older children on the other playground. When he saw Harry sitting alone, small and miserable, he'd smiled. That was how he wanted Harry to be, a shell of a person, paralyzed by a fear he'd created in the child's mind. It was how he kept Harry under control, through fear.

Then, Harry met Maggie. She was everything that he was not. Where Harry was afraid, Maggie was brave. Where Harry was withdrawn, Maggie was outgoing. She'd reached out to him, and somehow, he became a better person through her. She had helped him escape from the brutal prison of his former life, drawing him along into a bright, new future.

Harry got off his bed and walked to his dresser. He pulled out an orange t-shirt with a koala on the front and a pair of denim shorts. Slowly, he got dressed. He was six-years-old now, and today would be his party. A party, just for him. He still had trouble wrapping his mind around that. No one had ever celebrated his life before. Ever. In his past life, he had been an inconvenience, a thing cast off to be kicked around and maligned.

But now, in his new life, he was cherished. He had a real family who celebrated his life every day. Today, however, was the day they would share that celebration with everyone else. Today, everyone would have a chance to say Happy birthday, Harry. And to him, that meant I love you.

Alex rolled over in her bed, surprised by the warm body sleeping beside her. He hadn't been home when she went to bed late the night before, and her sleepy mind did not expect to wake up beside him. But there he was. She pressed herself against him and softly kissed his mouth. As he responded, she moved her hands over his warm skin, smiling when he pressed for more. She was a little surprised he was ready for her, but he never disappointed.

Snuggling against his chest afterward, she softly sighed as he rubbed her back. "Happy birthday," she whispered.

He made a soft noise and kissed her forehead. "Is that why you're not mad?"

"Why would I be mad?"

"I know you got a call last night."

"Oh? And do you two clowns know how lucky you are that she didn't call Ross?"

He nuzzled her neck. "We weren't causing any trouble, not really. We just...we were blowing off steam."

"Exactly how do you interpret 'Behave'? I didn't think I was ambiguous."

He grinned a bit sheepishly. "Maybe we got a little carried away. But...but we had fun. It's been a long time..."

When he trailed off, she leaned over and gave him a soft, lingering kiss. "I worry about you," she whispered. "One of these days, you're going to screw off around the wrong person."

"Let me worry about that. I've been, uh, screwing off for a long time. I know how not to get caught."

"Oh? So what happened last night?"

"That was all Mike's fault. He panicked and yelled 'Run!' We'd have been perfectly fine if he'd just stayed put and let me talk to her."

"So you weren't running away?"

"Absolutely not. I was chasing Mike."

She shook her head slowly. She had been angry initially after talking to the officer who eventually detained the two men, but then she thought over everything Bobby had been through lately as well as what he was facing, and her anger quickly faded. Whatever he and Mike had been doing—and she decided she didn't want details—it was something they needed to do. It seemed to have worked. Bobby was a lot more relaxed. Perhaps her gentler attitude had a lot to do with it as well. She gave him another soft kiss. Sometimes men just had to be boys. She stroked his hair as he nestled against her...and the bedroom door banged open.

Maggie scurried across the room and stopped beside the bed. Bobby turned over and looked at her pretty little face beneath her mop of unruly hair. She smiled widely. "Happy birthday, Daddy," she said quietly, reaching out to touch his cheek.

"Thank you, baby," he replied.

"I'm gonna see if Harry's up. We're gonna make you brefkiss!"

He pushed himself up on an elbow. "What? Uh...no...Maggie, that's not...necessary..."

But she was gone. He dropped back onto the pillows. "Looks like they're going to make me breakfast."

"You stay here and relax," Alex said with a soft laugh and another kiss. "I'll make sure they get their breakfast."

"Last year they brought me orange juice and a donut. Think I'll be as lucky this year?"

"Don't count on it. Dad was teaching her how to cook and she gets more adventurous every day."

"That's what I was afraid of. Well, as long as they don't burn the kitchen down..."

"That's why I'm heading down there now. Will you be happy with undercooked eggs and cold coffee?"

"Looking forward to it."

She smiled again and left the room.

As it turned out, breakfast wasn't horrible. The eggs were runny but not raw and the coffee was just cool enough not to burn little hands if it got spilled on the way up the stairs. There was no bacon or sausage because Maggie insisted he had to be careful of what he ate so he wouldn't get "bricks" in his blood.

After he finished his coffee and eggs, Bobby showered and joined Alex downstairs. The kids were outside, playing with Zeus, and Mike came down a few minutes later, sporting a nice black eye. Bobby studied him with a critical eye. "You didn't have that shiner when we got home last night. Uh, did you?"

"Nope."

He went into the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee. When he returned to the living room, Bobby observed, "You're limping. Is that new, too?"

"Yup."

"Uhm...did you go back out?"

"Nope."

"Would you care to explain?"

"Not really."

"But...I don't...what happened?"

Mike sighed heavily and sat in the recliner. "It seems the Battle of Little Big Horn was still raging when Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse went to bed last night. When I came in...let's just say I helped to decimate the Seventh Calvary."

Alex tried not to laugh, but Bobby wasn't as polite. Mike scowled at him. "I woke up with Comanche and the General in the waistband of my shorts."

As Bobby laughed, Mike leaned over and picked up a Nerf football, which he threw at his friend's head. Bobby caught it and lobbed it back at him. "Happy birthday, man," Mike said, finally smiling.

Bobby smiled back. "Thanks."

"Did you tell her?"

Too late, Bobby gave him a look and shook his head. Mike gave him a look back that said 'oops' and was anything but sincere. Bobby's expression promised revenge as Alex turned to him. "Tell me what?"

"Uhm...well...Mike is...Mike's only gonna be staying here on the weekends when he has Sean, for a little while."

"And? Did you think I would have a problem with that?"

"No. Not really."

"Then there's something else to it. Where is he going to be?"

"Uhm...somewhere else."

"Goren, if you don't quit the games, your eye is going to match his."

Bobby laughed quietly, defusing a little of the tension. "I don't doubt you," he said, hands raised defensively when she turned fully toward him. "He's going to be...with his wife."

Alex turned toward Mike and froze in place, her face the picture of confusion. "Wait...I...I don't understand...Carolyn..."

Mike shook his head. "That boat already sailed. No, this is a lot different."

"Different how?"

"This is more a union of convenience than one of passion, although I do love her. Just not the way Bobby loves...you."

"You're going to have to explain this to me. Now."

Bobby gave Mike a glare. He'd been hoping for a nice quiet day and Mike had just tossed him into the tempest. "On Monday Mike is going to marry Denise."

Alex was floored. "What?"

"You heard me. He's getting married. We, uhm, we talked about it, the three of us. He wants to raise her baby, and the best way for him to take custody and not involve half a dozen agencies is to be her husband—and the baby's father on paper—when she dies."

She looked from one man to the other. "And just when did you plan on telling me, because obviously you weren't going to tell me now."

"I don't know. Tomorrow maybe."

"And you planned all this behind my back?"

Bobby frowned. "I'm not marrying her, Alex. Mike is. How does that involve you?"

Alex struggled not to lose her temper. "The baby will be living in my house."

Bobby's expression became stormy and Mike sat back, surprised. When he recovered, he shook his head. "No. No, he won't. I told Bobby you would never be okay with her baby in your house." He looked at Bobby. "Didn't I? This time, I'm sorry I was right."

Bobby still said nothing. Mike got up and went into the kitchen to set his cup in the sink. When he returned, he was composed, but his tone was cold. "Thanks for your hospitality. I'll get my stuff Monday, before the ceremony." He looked at Bobby. "You still gonna be there?"

"Of course."

"I'll see you Monday morning, then. Harry's present is on the shelf in Tom's closet. Tell him I'm sorry I couldn't be here."

He crossed the room and left the house. Bobby got up and started after him, stopping when Alex grabbed his arm. He looked at her with a guarded expression. He was angry and sad in equal measures—and very disappointed. Struggling to maintain control, he said, "He needs to be here for Harry."

She paused, then nodded, conceding that he was right. She released his arm and he took off after Mike.

Bobby caught up to him in the driveway, where Mike was standing beside his car, hand braced on the hood, chin on his chest. Placing his hand on Mike's shoulder, Bobby said, "Give her a little time. That was her knee-jerk reaction. Let her think about it, and she'll come around."

"Yeah, I know. That was my knee-jerk response. But I'm still gonna get my stuff. I should probably stay with Denise, don't you think? She gets so lonely, stuck there alone all day except for her nurse. She needs a friendly face, and since she can't see yours, mine's the next best thing."

"Are you sure this is what you want to do, Mike?"

Although the three of them had discussed the situation, Bobby had not had much of a chance to talk with Mike alone. By the time Mike brought it up the night before, they'd had too much to drink to have any sort of serious discussion about it. "I've given it a lot of thought, buddy. Believe me, it's not an impulsive decision. We'd discussed it before we talked with you about it. She was worried about how you would take it, but I knew you'd be okay with it."

"Neither one of you has to answer to me."

"Maybe not, but we both love you enough and respect you enough to consider your feelings in the matter. I knew you'd be okay with it because ultimately, this is something that's very good for her."

"And what about you, Mr. Confirmed Bachelor?"

Mike smiled. "I appreciate that, Bobby. But I worked my way through it before I ever brought it up to her. I'm not a marrying man and I've come to terms with that, but I'm a pretty damned good dad, thanks to you, and like we said, this makes everything so much easier for everyone concerned." He paused, turning to lean back against the car and face his friend. "Back when she first realized that she was going to die, Denise came to me and asked me how I felt about taking her baby. I hadn't given it any thought at all, so I promised her I would think about it, and I did. A lot. You were her first choice, of course, but you have four kids already and a wife who isn't particularly fond of her. She knew it would be too much of a burden for you, and that's why she never asked you. But me? I answer to no one, so I don't need anyone's permission to make this decision."

"Weren't you engaged when you first talked to Denise?"

"Yeah, but I knew it wasn't going to work out. After Sean was born, I realized there was no hope for us. But like you, I don't need to have a wife to be a great dad. You're lucky because you found the woman who completes you. I don't think there's one of those out there for me."

"But...you're going to marry Denise..."

Mike sighed. "That's a bittersweet union. I wasn't lying to Alex when I told her it was a marriage of convenience. And it's temporary, unfortunately."

Bobby reacted to that statement and took a moment to recover. Mike remained quiet, letting him have the time he needed. Then Bobby asked, "Suppose a miracle happens and she recovers?"

"I considered that, too. We were kind of thrown together and forced to become friends through you, but being friends with her was never any work. Over time, we developed a real affection for one another. I can say that I love her and not be lying. It's not the passionate, stop-the-world-from-turning love you have for Alex, but it's comfortable. And I could easily stay with her for the rest of my life. I've watched her suffer your relationship with Alex, and I can see myself moving heaven and earth to make her happy. What we'd have would never be one of the world's great love affairs, but we're friends and we could be happy together. So, whatever happens, I'm ready for it, although I'll never be ready to let her go. If I were a praying man, believe me, I would pray for that miracle."

Bobby nodded slowly. "Yeah, so would I."

"So...you're really okay with it?"

Bobby nodded. "I'm okay with it. I think that you would make her happy, and that's all I ever wanted for her."

"I get that. She sure deserves it. At least now, with a marriage between us, the baby's future is secure. She can put me on the birth certificate and no one will question his legitimacy."

"And if he is a she?"

"Then I'll have a matching set."

Bobby sighed. "Are you sure about this, Mike?"

"I'm positive, buddy. And, although part of me is doing this for you, most of me is doing it for her."

"For me?"

Mike clapped him on the shoulder. "Yeah, you. Now you won't have to worry and wonder about the kid. You can be involved in his life the way I am with your kids. That's what you and Denise both want, and you'll have it now. Truth be told, I'd worry and wonder, too. So as long as Alex can come to terms with it, it's win-win for everyone involved."

"This isn't a puppy, Mike. It's a life-long commitment."

"I know. Just between you and me...I surprised the hell out of myself when I realized how much I love being Sean's father, but I've gotta share him with his mother, and sometimes, I resent that, especially when she's all psycho about it. I talked to your lawyer buddy and he drew up custody papers for me. Joint custody...fifty-fifty with no one coming out on top. It's as fair as it gets. She's fighting it, and he agreed to represent me pro bono, just because she's being unreasonable and her lawyer pissed him off. I think the judge will see things our way and go for the joint deal. But no matter how it works out, I've still gotta share Sean. With Denise's kid, for the first time in my life, I'll have someone who is completely mine, and I like that. Boy or girl, this baby will be mine...and I see that as a good thing. So does Denise. She knows I'll take good care of the baby, so all she asks is that I agree to the names she's chosen and I've got no problem with that."

"What names has she chosen?"

"Piper Christine or Samuel Robert."

Bobby started when he heard his name. "She..."

He shook his head and Mike gave him a light shove. "Don't argue with her, Bobby. She's dying. Let her have this one."

Bobby shuffled where he stood and finally said, "Please don't tell Alex. That will just set her off, and I don't want to fight with her over something I have no say in."

"Deal."

Taking a deep breath, Bobby stuffed his hands in his pockets and mulled over everything Mike had just said. "It's a generous thing for you to do," he said finally.

"No one is twisting my arm. I feel good about this decision. It's right for both of us."

Bobby nodded slowly. It wouldn't be a long marriage but it was a bond that Mike would carry to his grave. "You should stay for Harry's party."

"And deal with your wife shooting daggers at me all afternoon?"

"I'll talk to her. Do it for Harry, Mike. He's still fragile and this could go a long way toward making him more comfortable with you. I've got no good way of explaining it to him if you aren't here."

Mike was quiet for a long time. Finally, he shoved his keys back in his pocket. "Okay, I'll stay. For Harry's sake."

"Thanks."

"Talk to your wife, and remind her that she has no say in my life. I have no obligation to her."

"Forgive me if I don't put it in those words. I don't particularly want to sleep on the porch."

Mike grinned. "I thought she couldn't kick you out of your bed."

"She can't, but I can choose not to sleep there, and if I set her off enough, the porch is where I would be most comfortable."

"I'll just stay out here for a little while and give you a chance to have it out with her."

Taking a deep breath, Bobby let it out slowly as he walked toward the house and tried to work out in his head what he was going to say to his wife. It took no effort at all for him to imagine her response and it was not a happy picture.

When he returned to the living room, Bobby was surprised to find Alex wrapping presents as though nothing had happened. Confused, he stopped and watched her quietly.

"Is he staying?" she asked after a few minutes of protracted silence.

"Uh...yeah, he's staying."

"Good. Harry doesn't need any more disappointment from the people he loves and I don't need another reason to be mad at Mike."

"Are you? Mad at Mike, I mean?"

"I was initially. But then I asked myself why, and really, I have no reason at all to be angry. Sometimes, I see him as an extension of you, and that's not fair. He has every right in the world to marry Denise if he wants, although why he refuses to marry Carolyn..."

"Please, don't go there. That is entirely between Mike and Carolyn. Whatever it was, it didn't work out. She's moved on and now, so is he."

He knew from the tension in her back that she was still irritated, and he knew that he still had to watch what he said. Setting the last present on the small pile beside her, Alex cleaned up the paper and took the scissors and tape into the kitchen. When she came back out, she stopped and looked at him. "How involved were you in all this?"

"I wasn't. They sat down with me and told me about it last week, after the decision had been made. Neither of them consulted me before that."

"And you're okay with that?"

"Why wouldn't I be? Alex, I have no say in either of their lives. They are consenting adults and if they want to have a relationship, I have no right to get upset over it."

She motioned at the couch and sat down. He hesitated but then sat beside her. She slipped her hand into his. "Cut through all the bullshit, Goren, and be honest with me."

"I am being honest. I admit they surprised me, but I got over it quickly. I can't see anything bad coming out of it. If I had to choose a partner for either of them, I could do a lot worse than choosing them for each other."

She searched his face and saw that he was being totally honest with her. She leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on his mouth, surprising him. "Well, if you can be okay with it, then what choice do I have?"

"You can't help how you feel."

"But my first thought was that you were hiding things from me again."

He shook his head. "No. But it wasn't something I could just blurt out. I was waiting for the right time, and that certainly wasn't when we were dealing with losing your dad."

"Fair enough. I'm sorry I got upset."

"Was it because Denise is involved?"

She started to deny it, but he was trying to remain honest with her. The least she could do was return the effort. "Yes," she admitted. "I'm still...very sensitive about her. But it's her and Mike, and not you. I try not to get upset with Mike, but you guys are so close I don't have much experience dealing with the two of you on separate terms."

He smiled. "That's fair, I guess."

She shifted closer. "Besides, I really don't want to be upset with you on your birthday, especially over something that really doesn't involve you."

"Thank you," he whispered as he leaned closer.

She met him halfway and allowed him the chance to hold her and explore her mouth at leisure. She buried her fingers in his hair and surrendered to his embrace.