It's after dark, the air is cool, and wet. The rain has finally stopped, but everything is wet. It smells of dirt, and decaying leaves, as he walks down the sidewalk toward an unfamiliar house. He carefully steps up the stairs to the porch. He quietly approaches the front door. He stands in front of the heavy wood door for several moments. He stares at the thick, panes of frosted glass that cover nearly half of the door. Finally he gets up enough courage to ring the bell. He pushes the buzzer, but no sound comes out. He takes another deep breath, and then gently knocks on the door. He looks at his watch, it tells him that it's 9:17. He waits for the door to open. Finally he hears footsteps coming toward the door. He hears her unlatch the door. It slides open.

She stares at him in disbelief. She's pajama-clad, and ready for bed. He stands before her in a pair of slacks, a button down, and a tie. The silence fills the space between him. She waits for him to speak, too shocked to initiate the conversation. He looks at her, but she tries to avoid his eye contact. She notes the pained expression on his face. Clearly, this was orchestrated by Angela. No on else knew, there was no other way for him to know. Finally he exhales, asking, "Can I come in?"

She steps aside and points to the living room. She closes the door behind him. She enters the living room, and takes a seat on the couch. He remains standing.

"Have a seat," she offers.

"I'm fine. I'd rather stand," he admits.

"What are you doing here?" she questions.

"I...you know why I'm here."

"I have guess, but..."

"Temperance," he says softly.

"What do you want? Why are you here?"

"I talked to Angela. She told me..." he stops, at a loss for words.

"What would you like me to say? Do you want me to tell you that it's not true, and you should go to Houston? That you shouldn't give it a second thought, that Angela is just pulling your leg?"

"I'd like that, but we both know it's not true."

"Do we? You don't have to know anything. If you don't want to know, if you want to pretend as if nothing ever happened, I'm giving you that opportunity. Go now, and don't look back. Don't come back, just go."

"I can't do that."

"So then what exactly do you plan on doing?"

"Whatever I have to."

"Are you sure about that?"

He crosses his arms across his chest, "I don't know what you want from me. I don't know what I can offer. I'm..."

"Scared out of your mind? It's ok."

"I don't know what I'm supposed to do, or say here. I just want to do the right thing, but I'm not sure I know what the right thing is," he admits.

"Let me help you," she answers as she leaves the couch. She leaves the room, and heads toward the staircase.

"Where are you going?" he questions.

She doesn't answer him, she simply starts up the creaky stairs. The silence surrounds him as he waits on her. Finally, after what seems like an eternity she returns. He sinks into the armchair as she comes towards him. She stops in front of him. He stares at her, in horror, mostly. She can tell that he's on edge, that he's ready to cry, ready to run, like a scared little boy. Without a word she carefully nestles her sleeping daughter into his arms. She steps back, and takes her seat on the couch. He takes his eyes off of Temperance, and looks down at the pink bundle in his arms. He studies her face, but doesn't say a word. Without any warning her eyes flutter open. He expects her brow to furrow, and her to begin crying, but instead, she just stares at the ceiling.

Finally instincts overtake the shock. A huge, goofy, smile crawls across his face. "Hi, pretty girl," he coos. Her eyes follow the voice. She stares at him for a few seconds before closing her eyes. He takes his eyes off his new, sleeping, daughter, and looks at Temperance who is watching him closely.

"You should have told me," he tells her.

"I didn't know if I could. I didn't know how you would react. I didn't..."

"I'm sorry that you had to go through this alone. I wish you had told me. I'm sorry that she had to come into the world under these circumstances. I wish that things had worked out the way you planned."

"I don't," she admits, "If they had I wouldn't have her."

"I should go. I don't want to interfere with her sleep schedule," he offers thoughtfully.

"Ok," Temperance agrees, moving towards him. He remains seated, until she takes the little girl from him. She heads toward the doorway, to see him out. He steps through the door. He turns around in the doorway. She stares at him, in confusion.

"Can I come back in the morning to see her?"

"Of course," she nods.

"When?"

"Whenever. We'll be up every two and half hours around the clock."

"Ok," he smiles.

"Night," she watches him walk away.

She locks the door behind him. She flips the lights off, and heads upstairs with her little girl in her arms. She reaches her room, and flips on the light. She carefully places the little girl in the bassinet. She flips off the light, and returns to her bed. She scoot under the covers. The baby begins to make noises.

"Shh!" Brennan soothes.

The baby continues to fuss. Temperance flips on the lamp on the stand next to her bed. She peels back the covers, and her feet hit the floor. She takes two steps. She stands over the bassinet and finds the baby girl staring up at her. She scoops the fussy baby up. She holds the baby close, and pats her butt.

"Please go to sleep," Temperance begs.

The little girl yawns, and closes her eyes. Temperance holds her for a few moments longer, and then places the baby back into her bassinet. Temperance walks away, and returns to her own bed. She flips off the light, and the baby begins to squawk. Temperance huffs, and climbs back out of bed, in the dark this time. As soon as she touches the baby she stops. Temperance removes the little girl from the bassinet, and returns to the bed. She arranges the covers with one hand while she uses the opposite arm to hold the baby. She lays down. She unwraps the baby, and the little girl snuggles up against her chest. Temperance covers the baby with the receiving blanket, and pats her until they both fall asleep.