'Private Practice': Decisons, decisions.

Addison halfheartedly admits that Officer Kevin is back, for now, and Sam's date with the health department worker has blossomed into Something More. Violet has become the most popular girl in town, Charlotte and Cooper reconnect, and we have yet more dying people this week, so put on your emotional body armor and settle in for another fun-filled Private Practice.

We meet Darren, a single dad with Cystic Fibrosis. Both of his kids also have it. During routine screenings, we learn that Gracie, the eldest child, has contracted a bacterial infection in her lungs that could be fatal, and will also be to he and Julian, his toddler, if they're around her. So Darren then has to choose between comforting Gracie in her final days, or exposing himself and his other child. Both of his children need him, and so how is he supposed to choose?

Later, Addison is at the hospital, checking on Gracie, when she runs into Wyatt. She gives him the low-down on their tragic situation, and he tells her that some of his cancer patients have had the same bacterial infection, and he's had some success with drugs. He knows cancer and CF aren't the same, but he's willing to help. White knight on his noble steed to the OR stat! Wyatt isn't all bad! He's just tough like Addison.

The next day, Addison tells Darren about Wyatt's idea. He agrees that it's worth a try, and Pete and Dell perform surgery on Gracie to clear her lungs out. They take a sample of the bacteria to Wyatt and Addison to see how well the antibiotics will work. Wyatt asks Addison if she wants to get something to eat while they wait on the trial, but Addison says she has to meet someone. Smooth Wyatt says it must be the cop, and they have a giggly moment together. They end up having a dinner together in the cafeteria, and Wyatt spills his guts about his ex-wife. Seems like they have more in common that originally thought. Wyatt repeats his offer for a real date, but Addison says that may not be a good idea. But the thought lingers.

The next day, the results come back, and they're not good. The antibiotics didn't work. Addison compounds the moment by telling Wyatt that she doesn't think they should have dinner either. Pete goes in to Gracie's hospital room to tell her the test didn't work, but Darren breaks down. He can't leave his daughter to learn that she's dying without him. He passes a hysterical Julian over to Addison, and rushes in to comfort Gracie.

Sam's patient Cynthia is recovering from a stroke and also losing her husband recently. She's trying to keep from being handled by her son, Seth, who wants her to move closer to him. Cythnia refuses to move, and during a session with Violet, she reveals the reasons she can't move. Violet finds them convincing enough to tell Sam to back off. She helps Cynthia make a plan to keep her in California, but Seth becomes agitated. During the confrontation, Cythnia passes out, and when she comes to in the hospital, Seth says he's going to get a lawyer to make her move in with him, if that's what it takes. Just then, Cynthia's friend Annette shows up. It turns out Cythnia isn't alone. She's with Annette, and she has been for years. Turns out she wasn't just the nice neighbor lady.

And if Seth was worked up before, that was nothing. But at least Cynthia doesn't pass out at this point. Seth bolts, and the next day, Cynthia has a mini-breakdown, crying. Annette tells Violet and Sam to get a hold of Seth, and tell him that Cynthia will move, because they need each other more than she needs Cynthia.

Seth comes back, and he's still mad about it all, but he's been thinking through his whole life and how Cynthia betrayed he and his father. Sam explains that being a parent is keeping some things to yourself, and knowing what to give to your kids when you can. He asks whether Seth can understand that Cythnia has given up enough? The next day, as Cythnia is leaving the hospital, Seth comes back. He says he's still trying to understand it all, but in the end, it's Cynthia's turn to be happy, and stay where she is.

Along those same lines, Sam has taken a big step and introduced Sonya to Maya. Naomi isn't too keen on the whole situation, and pointedly tells Sam to be careful how much he brings Sonya into Maya's life. Later, Naomi is helping Maya with her homework, but Maya is a smart kid. She asks Naomi what she wants to know about Sonya, says she's fine with the whole thing, and then tells her mother that she needs to get a life. Indeed.

Especially later when we see Naomi on Addison's patio spying on Sam and Sonya. The next day, Sonya comes in to see Sam, and Naomi approaches her, pretending to be cool and confident. Sonya, however, isn't passive aggressive, and tells Naomi that she should have talked to her from the beginning - that she knows it's a tense situation, and she remembers what it was like when her own mother dated. The ice is broken, but seriously, though, Naomi. Get a life.

After only one week, Sheldon is over being friends with Violet, and he's ready for more. In fact, he shows up at her door "at full mast." So she's now sleeping with Sheldon and Pete. She's feeling a bit weird about it, but Cooper calms her fears by telling her to go forth and enjoy, as it is her American birthright. And she does. With both Pete and Sheldon. Many, many times. And so she gets a UTI, and turns to Naomi and Addison to help her out. She says she knows that what she's doing isn't the best, but she can't choose between Pete, hot, sexy Pete, and Sheldon, comforting, homey Sheldon. Decision, decisions.

We find out that Charlotte's father, aka "Big Daddy", is dying, after Cooper makes an inappropriate joke about the name "Big Daddy." Later, Charlotte asks Addison to make her rounds for her at the hospital while she's gone to Alabama, and Cooper takes the opportunity to tell her he's sorry. Tough skinned Charlotte shrugs it off. A few days later, Cooper, the big lug, flies down to Alabama and surprises Charlotte, who is so stunned to see him at the door all she can do is blink. She later asks what Cooper is doing there, in the middle of her "Southern gothic tragedy" and Cooper says simply that he's there for her. Big Daddy is dying at home, and no one else in her family is able to handle it pulling the plug, so like Charlotte would, she is handling it. Not easily, though. When it comes time to turn the machine off, Cooper does it for her. He tells her that it's okay to cry, but she replies that "no, it's not."

In the end, Sam tells Naomi that he has a responsibility to be truthful to Maya, but Naomi is sure Maya likes Sonya better. Sam says that Sonya is just new... and Naomi is still the mom. Sheldon walks in on a quiet moment between Violet and Pete. Both men put two and two together, and Violet admits that she's sleeping with both of them, but she knows it's not right, and she's sorry. Hot sexy Pete leaves, asking Violet "who are you?" on his way out, leaving comforting Sheldon to hold Violet's hand. Charlotte keeps her grief in until the plane ride home, when she breaks down, crying hysterically in Cooper's arms. And Addison walks into Wyatt's office and says that she doesn't know what she's doing there before they kiss.

Musings...

• Seriously, Shonda. Last week we get a dead kid, and this week, a Sophie's Choice where they ALL end up dead eventually AND a dead dad? I need some sunshine and puppies now!  Happy kittens!  So that wedding you teased about in the kicker better freaking happen before sweeps!
• Speaking of the kicker, Violet is going to get PREGNANT? Can't the woman deal with one thing at a time? She had nothing, and now she has everything. Isn't that always the way.
• We didn't need a pathetic relationship death scene between Addison and Kevin to prove the point that their relationship is dead. She's a big girl. She can move on without that many issues.
• Just for the record, I don't know one Southern woman who calls her father "Big Daddy." Ewww.

What about you? Yay or nay on Wyatt? Team Pete or Team Sheldon?

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