4. Elephants and Lions

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His mother opened the door for him, Alexis nowhere in sight. He was strangely relieved, feeling he needed to get a grip on whatever foul feeling had settled with him ever since the unexpected reunion with Kate.

"Richard, come on in," leaning down to place a soft kiss on his mother's cheek, he walked straight through to the living room area of his mother's apartment. "I'm sorry, but Alexis isn't back yet. She's having ice cream with Daphne."

"From 8B, right? The one always babbling like a waterfall?" Rick asked sitting down on the couch.

"That would be the one," Martha confirmed, following him and recognizing the troubled look on his face. "Richard, are you alright? You look kind of disturbed."

Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes, leaning his head back against the couch, "I ran into her today."

"Who?" Martha frowned, sitting down on the opposite side of the coffee table.

"Kate," he sighed.

"That woman you met at this bar and spent the night with …," she left the rest unsaid, instead turning her right hand in a gesture that said, you know what I mean, "the one with the sad eyes?"

He just nodded.

"Where did you see her?" Martha knew almost everything about her son's encounter with the mysterious Kate. How he had run into her in a bar, felt drawn to her and how he wasn't able to forget that woman. He had tried to find her, had been back to the bar numerous times, hoping he would see her, but she never showed. And her son never found out who she was or what happened to her.

"In front of the 12th precinct. She's a cop."

"Oh, well isn't that exciting?" Martha knew her son, knew that finding out his mystery woman, was a cop, would be thrilling. "So, will you see her again? Did you talk?"

"She has a daughter," he said matter-of-factly.

"And that is a problem why?" His mother asked surprised.

Was it? No. That's not what was bothering him. Staring up at the ceiling, he tried to grasp it. Grasp hold of what had put this odd feeling in his stomach.

"Richard?" He turned his head to look at her.

"No, not a problem, I guess. It's all just so unexpected." He didn't know what else to say.

"That she's got a child and might be with someone or that you ran into her?"

Rick frowned, he hadn't even considered she might be with someone. She could be married.

"Oh Richard, don't tell me you really believed her world stopped, the minute she met you," Martha couldn't help but tease her son a bit, sometimes he was just too cocky for his own good. "So will you see her again?" Martha tried again for an answer to her previous question.

"I gave her my card."

"And?" Martha rolled her eyes, normally she didn't need to pull every word out of him.

"She said she'd call." He mumbled.

"So, that is a good thing, right?" Martha stood, walking behind him she placed a hand on his shoulder.

But before he was able to answer, the front door opened and Alexis came bouncing in.

"Hey Dad," she beamed at him, before landing in his lap.

"Uff, Pumpkin. You're getting too heavy for jumping your old father like this," he teased as he proceeded to tickle her, his troubled thoughts forgotten for now.

"You're not old Dad," Alexis laughed, tickling him back.

"No?" Rick laughed, getting up and throwing Alexis over his shoulder.

"No! Dad," she screamed in excitement. "What are you doing?"

"Taking you to the Zoo."

"Really?" Alexis tried to wriggle her way around his back, grinning from ear to ear.

"Would I lie to my only daughter?" He said feigning shock.

"Nope, you'd never lie to me," Alexis grinned, yet sounding serious and his heart skipped a beat.

"Okay, let's go," Rick walked to the door, Alexis still over his shoulder. "Thanks for watching her", he grinned at his mother.

"Any time, you know that." Martha smiled at her son, he knew she loved her granddaughter to pieces, would do anything for her. "Are we still on for dinner tonight?"

Rick nodded, "I'll give you a call when we're done at the Zoo and we'll meet at the loft."

Martha watched as her son and granddaughter walked down the hallway disappeared into the elevator, laughing at each other. Smiling to herself, she closed the door.

"Tell me again, why do you like them so much?" Rick asked chewing on his Hot Dog, while he and Alexis stood in front of an information board about elephants at Central Park Zoo.

"Look at them," Alexis pointed at a picture of a bull elephant, "they are so majestic, the biggest mammal on our planet."

"I thought lions were majestic," Rick stated amused.

"But lions are also killers. I know it's in their nature and I'm not judging," Rick chuckled at that, but sobered quickly when he saw Alexis disapproving look.

"Sorry," he raised his hands in apology.

"Dad, you have mustard all over your hands," there was that disapproving look again. "Anyway, as I said, I'm not judging, but elephants are big and dangerous, yet gentle. I like that. They are somehow peaceful. And they have an elder female leading their herd, so they are smart as well."

Rick's heart swelled with pride. His daughter truly was extraordinary, though his favorites would always be the lions. Leaning down, he placed an affectionate kiss on top of her head, "I think those are all excellent reasons. But one piece of advice don't let your grandma know about the elder female leading the herd, she might take that the wrong way." Laughing at his own joke, he tried to grab his daughter, who quickly stepped out of his way.

"Eww, Dad, you're getting mustard on my shirt," she protested, scrunching up her nose in the most adorable way.

"Oops, sorry. I'll go clean up. Be right back."

When he returned, Alexis was still studying the board, reading about the last elephants at Central Park Zoo who had been relocated in 2000.

"Are you sad we can't see them here anymore?" He asked, letting his now clean hands run through her hair, smiling when she leant against him.

"No," she shook her head, "I wish they could all be free and safe."

His heart broke a little at the melancholy in his daughter's voice, so turning Alexis around and crouching down in front of her, Rick tried to lighten her mood, "What do you think? The two of us going to Africa one day and we'll see them in their natural habitat."

"Can grams come too?"

"Sure, if she wants to," Rick smiled.

"Okay," Alexis nodded, looking only slightly happier.

"Just okay?" Rick frowned, surely a trip to Africa deserved a little more enthusiasm.

"It's great, but I'm still sad, for those who can't be free."

"Alexis," Rick tried to come up with an explanation.

"I know there are reasons Dad, but it doesn't mean I have to like it." She sighed, taking his hand and pulling him forward, "Can we go home now?"

He followed her towards the exit and was yet again struck by how much he loved his little girl. Before she was born, he thought he knew what love felt like, but when he had held her in his arms for the very first time, the word love, developed a totally new meaning for him.

"So how was the Zoo?" Martha asked while enjoying the last bites of her desert, looking over to her granddaughter who was sprawled on the floor in front of the TV, watching Arielle.

Rick flinched, "Well, not a total success I have to say."

"Why is that?" His mother frowned.

"Well, Alexis would like for all elephants or probably for all animals to be free and safe."

"That is a noble thought," Martha smiled gently, "but hard to achieve."

Rick sighed, "She knows that too."

Martha patted his knee, "You can't shield her from everything, Kiddo. There is a cruel reality out there and she will have to deal with it sooner or later."

"I know, I just wish I could keep all the bad things from her." He looked over at his daughter, who obviously had fallen asleep in front of the TV.

"And that's what makes you such a great dad." Martha smiled, "Now grab your girl and get her to bed. I'll do the dishes."

"Thanks mother." He stood, returning her smile before walking over to his daughter.

Lying down next to her on his stomach, mimicking her position on the floor, he gently called her name, "Alexis. Hey Lexi, time to go to bed."

She yawned turning her head to him, "Not tired."

Rick chuckled, "I can see that, come on pumpkin, hop on," he whispered, letting Alexis crawl onto his back, to carry her piggyback style up the stairs.

When Alexis was safely tucked under the covers, Rick sat down on the bed, stroking the hair out of her face.

"Dad? Can I ask you something?" she asked hesitantly.

"Anything you want, Pumpkin. You know that."

"Will you get married again?"

Wow, he certainly hadn't been expecting this and frowning he moved closer, "Why are you asking?"

"Daphne's father is getting married again," Alexis fumbled with her hands, "and I was wondering if you … ." Her voice trailed off as she asked.

"Alexis, I don't know if I'll get married again, but I can promise you I won't do it without your permission. We're a team, remember?"

She nodded, but he could see something else was still bothering her.

"Alexis, I can see there is something else on your mind. You can tell me." Taking her small hands into his much larger ones, he gave them an encouraging squeeze.

"Daphne is also getting a new sister," she finally mumbled. "And that made me think."

"Pumpkin, I will always love you, you know that right? Even if I'll get married again or even if you'll get a brother or sister, I will always love you. Nothing is going to change that."

"I know," Alexis mumbled.

"But?" He prodded.

"What if I want a baby sister, or a baby brother?"

He certainly hadn't expected this.

"Alexis, I can't promise you these kinds of things."

"I know, I just wanted you to know," she smiled shyly, before putting her small arms around his neck, pulling him down for a hug. "No pressure."

He let out a strange laugh at that, sure no pressure, "Good night Lexi."

"Night Dad, I love you."

"Love you too. Now sleep."

Shutting the door behind him, he slowly walked down the stairs. Had his daughter really just requested a sibling? He was still shaking his head, stepping into the kitchen when it suddenly hit him.

"Shit."

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