December 13, 2001 Carter and Susan are on their way into work.  They are discussing how Susan likes the Phoenix Suns better than the Chicago Bulls.  She tells him that she is hungry and he needs to buy her some breakfast if he is going to be making fun of her.  Carter gets a call.  It is his father calling and he asks about his mother, Gamma.  Carter also learns that his parents will be staying in Chicago for the holidays, which makes Carter extremely happy.  It has been years since they have stayed over for more than a few days.  Romano and Benton have just finished with a vascular surgery.  Romano asks Peter to assist him with a city officials surgery later that day, but Peter has a request to ask him.  He tells Romano that he has a situation with his son and needs more flexible hours.  Romano couldn't care less and asks Peter if he is going to assist or not.  Peter tells him that he will.

December 17, 2001 There is a lady Santa in the ER ringing a bell and asking for money.  She tells Kerry that she is with the Salvation Army, but she is unable to prove it, so Kerry kicks her out.  Luka comes in and he is late for his shift.  Kerry gets on to him for his tardiness and he apologizes to her.  Abby and Chuny witness it and comment on how Kerry is "Scrooge" like.  Abby checks on Luka.  Luka has been looking for Nicole, but hasn't had any luck.  Sandy Lopez is on her way in to the ER with two wild kids.  Haleh and Kerry come over to assist her with them.  She gladly hands them over, as the two kids continue to argue and fight.  Sandy speaks to Kerry and comments on how she had never called her.  Kerry replies that she has been kind of busy.  Lily sees Kerry and tells her that she is needed in Exam room 1.  Kerry leaves Sandy and heads to the room.  Peter and Susan are attending to a man who has had a head injury.  He can't seem to remember anything.  As Peter and Susan are working with him, Peter sees his lawyer out in the hall.  He leaves to speak with her, as Susan is unaware.  She continues to talk to Peter, who is no longer there.  Peter goes into the lounge to speak with his lawyer.  She tells Peter that the judge would like to speak with Reese.  Peter is not happy about this, but Ms. Prager tells him that it has to be done.  She tells him that this could all be stopped if he would just agree with a visitation schedule for Roger.  Peter does not want to agree with this.  Kerry sees Sandy Lopez at the vending machines.  They agree to meet later for lunch.  Lopez hears someone singing a Christmas song and recognizes him to be Stan.  Susan is surprised, because this is her patient who has amnesia.  Lopez tells her that Stan is okay and that he is just a lonely homeless man looking for a place to stay for the holidays.  Stan replies to Susan when she asks if this is true, "It's kind of Christmassy here, you know."  Peter is at the courthouse to meet with Roger and his lawyer about visitation.  Jackie and Reese are with him.  Roger's attorney has asked for every other weekend and two weeks during the summer.  Peter does not agree with this or any other thing that is said.  He tells them that he is not negotiating over Reese and walks out with him.  Gamma has two visitors, it is Carter and his father.  They are discussing their visit and where they will be staying.  Carter's Mom is supposed to arrive in a few days.  A nurse comes in to roll Gamma, so the Carter men go to the hallway to talk.  John tells his dad how happy he is that they will be together for the holidays.  Peter, Reese, Roger and the lawyers meet with the judge.  Jackie and an interpreter for Reese are in the room also looking on.  The judge asks Reese some questions about his two dads.

December 19, 2001 Peter and Roger are in court before Judge Alter and Roger is on the stand.  He tells Judge Alter that Reese and Carla were his family.  He also tells Judge Alter that Peter never put Reese first and that Reese is the most important thing to him.

The Carter men go to Doc Magoo's for lunch.  He tells his dad  again that he is happy that they will get to spend Christmas together.  He wants to know why his Mom is still in Costa Rica.  Mr. Carter tells John that his mother will not be coming.  They are getting a divorce.  Carter looks on and is in shock, because they have been married for thirty years.  His dad tells him that he knows that he saw it coming.  Peter takes the stand in court.  He explains how he is having his hours shortened to take better care of Reese.  He tells Judge Alter that he will no longer have to work nights or weekends and the judge wants to see proof by the end of the day.  Peter is on his way back to the hospital, but gets blocked in the parking deck by Roger's car.  Roger tells Peter that he is a liar.  Roger threatens Peter to punch him, but Peter resists, knowing that it will only cause more trouble.  Kerry and Sandy look for a place to eat lunch.  They are unsuccessful, so Kerry offers to fix lunch for the two of them back at her apartment.  Peter finds Romano in his office.  He tells Romano of his schedule needs.  Romano laughs when Peter tells him that he needs nights and weekends off.  He thinks that Peter sharing custody with Roger would be the best deal, but Peter does not see it that way.  Peter tells him that he will just have to resign then.  Romano is willing to give him weekends off, but this is not enough for Peter, so he quits and walks out.  Abby brings a baby up to the O.B. floor.  It was delivered at Marshall Fields by a shoe salesman.  Abby sees Nicole in a room, so she sneaks a peak at her chart.  She sees that she had an abortion and was eight weeks pregnant.  Peter goes to see Cleo at the doctor's office in Schaumburg.  He tells her that he quit his job and would like to see the surgical director about getting a job there with her.  He tells her that he needs the job by the end of the day.  Abby goes to see Nicole.  She tells her that Luka has been looking for her.  Nicole tells Abby that she does not want Luka to know about the abortion.  Abby feels somewhat responsible.  Peter waits in the waiting room for an interview with Dr. Dickinson.

December 20, 2001 Peter finds Judge Alter on the street and tells him that he's got the letter that he had requested.  The judge tells him that he asked for the letter to be turned in to him the day before.  He looks at the paper and sees that Peter is now working in Schaumburg and not at the hospital he had stated in court.  The judge tells Peter that he does not like being lied to.  Peter tells him that this new situation is better.  The judge takes the paper to decide. 

Peter sees Elizabeth and they begin to talk.  She tells him that he is dressed nice and he replies that he has been in court.  She learns that Peter has quit his job and will be leaving.  Susan takes care of Ben, who is a twelve-year-old boy who has fallen off the roof of his house.  His family is with him and Carter assists Susan.  Peter comes in for a surgical consult on the boy.  The boy is unconscious, but will not need any surgery.  He will need to stay the night in the hospital though for observation.  Susan tells Peter that the boy has some fluid in his belly and Peter replies that he may need to have his spleen removed.  The family offers to donate one of their spleens, but they tell them that it is not necessary.  The boy's mother faints and Carter examines her.  Peter assures her that her son will be fine.  Carter has found something wrong with the mother, but this does not surprise her.  She knows that she has lymphoma, but wants to wait until after the holidays to tell her family.  Amira tells Peter that he need to get to the courthouse.  Luka and Abby attend to a man who has cut his hand.  His two children are with him.  He is handcuffed, because he was caught stealing some ice skates.  He tells them that he only did it so that his kids would have something new for Christmas.  Luka tells him that the police will want to speak to him when he is done.  Luka wonders if there will be anyone to watch the two kids if he is to go to jail, and the man tells him that there is not.  Luka and Abby go to the hall to see what can be done.  Luka tells Abby that he may be able to post bail for the man since they have no money.  Abby can see that Luka misses his own kids.  Luka replies that he does and they hold hands for a moment and then he heads back in to the room.  Peter and Reese arrive at the courthouse, where the Judge Alter asks to see Reese and the interpreter alone.  Carter tells Ben's family that he will need surgery and he takes the whole family to the elevator.  Carter goes to the lounge where Susan is.  Susan gives Carter a present, but Carter has left his gift for her back at the house.  She can see that something is bothering him and he tells her that he is having some family problems.  He tells her that his parents are divorcing.  Back in the courtroom, Judge Alter makes his decision.  He decides that Reese would be happy with both fathers, but awards custody to Peter.  Reese has always considered Peter to be is real father.  He also grants Roger visitation rights for every other Saturday.

December 24, 2001 (Christmas Eve) Peter, Reese and Cleo are decorating their Christmas tree.  They can't find the star that Cleo usually puts on top of the tree, but they decide not to buy a replacement.  Peter and Cleo lie on the floor and look up at the tree, as Peter use to do as a child.  Cleo reminds Peter that he has to be at work soon, but he don't care.  He replies, " What are they going to do? Fire me."  Peter comments to Cleo that maybe they should relocate to Schaumburg.  It would be easier than the commute.  Cleo seems happy at the prospects of the three of them being together for quite some time.  Reese has found the star for the tree, so Peter picks him up and places it on top of the tree.  Mark and Randi are discussing that she will be working on New Year's Eve, when a six-year-old boy named Teddy is brought in.  Mark asks the mother what happened and she tells him that she has shot him.  Peter sees Roger in the waiting area.  Peter tells Roger that he is working his last shift and Roger tells him that brought the gifts that he has for Reese.  Peter tells him to leave the gift's at the nurses station and walks away.  Roger tells him Merry Christmas and Peter turns back around.  He tells Roger that he can bring the gifts to Reese himself.  Roger thanks Peter, but Peter tells Roger that he is only doing it for Reese.  The nurse at the station tells Peter that he is needed in the ER.  Peter sees that Teddy will need surgery quickly and he is brought to the O.R. right away.  Romano and Elizabeth scrub in to assist, but Romano does not see the need for the surgery.  He does not believe that surgery will do the boy any good.  Elizabeth stays to assist Peter, as Romano storms out of the O.R., Elizabeth sees the damage and will be amazed to see the boy pull through.  Mark finds Teddy's mother in the hospital chapel.  She explains that she thought her son was a burglar and that it was just an accident.  Mark takes her to the O.R. to wait for the surgery to be complete.  Peter and Elizabeth work frantically on Teddy.  Elizabeth is amazed to see that Peter was able to stop all of the bleeding.  She tells Peter that he is remarkable and that they will all miss him.  Peter goes to tell Teddy's mother the good news.  He also tells her that she needs to get rid of the gun and not keep it in the house.  She thanks him for saving her son's life.  Peter leaves as Romano watches him get on the elevator, on his way out of the hospital for the last time.

December 25, 2001 (Christmas) Peter has been jogging and decides to stop by a bench for a rest.  Peter is surprised when Carter comes up.  He tells him that Cleo told him what route he takes, so that he can find him.  Peter had left Carter a message before he left and Carter wanted to bring Peter a gift.  It is a token to the El that Peter had given him back on Carter's second week as a surgical intern.  Carter reminds Peter about the night he gave the token to him.  They had taken care of eleven traumas that night and Carter had asked Peter about taking a break.  Peter had kicked Carter out of the O.R. for asking and Carter was too tired to drive home.  Carter had ended up sitting down in the hallway and start crying.  Peter found him there and gave Carter the token.  He told him that he could either use the token to go home or use it to come back the next day.  Peter looks at Carter after his explanation and comments on how he could have just given him a Rolex watch.  Carter tells him that he is giving him the token, in case he decides he wants to come back after getting tired of working in Schaumburg.  Carter reminds Peter that he owes him for all that Peter has done for him.  They hug and Carter and Peter both fight back the tears.  As Peter walks away, Carter yells to him, "I'm a good doctor because of you."  Peter replies back, "No, you're not, but keep trying."

Reviewed by Tony Conner on January 02, 2002