Taste for Danger
Summary: Inspired by the Third Eye Blind song "Danger." Alexis disobeys her parents and participates in a protest.
~C~
Kate hated things like this. She absolutely hated crowd control anyway. She loathed riot control. It was dangerous for both sides involved and she really didn't want to shoot people who didn't really deserve it. And protesters were unpredictable. Someone once pissed off a rookie cop and all hell broke loose. That guy wasn't with the department anymore. She also hated riot gear. She had to carry a rifle and a shield and dress like she was at a black ops party.
Kate stood there in the spring heat, thinking back to her morning.
~C~
"Hey, Dad!" Alexis bounded down the stairs dressed for school. "Hey, Mom!" she greeted Kate.
"What are you up to today, offspring?" Rick asked. Alexis rolled her eyes and Kate threw a chopped potato at him. She was making a breakfast skillet thing that Alexis always wanted to eat when she had a test.
"Um, there's this protest thing Camille and I want to go to."
Kate put down her chopping knife. "What protest?"
"The AIDS in Africa protest at the World Health Organization Headquarters."
"Alexis, you're not going," Kate said.
"What? Why not?" Alexis was surprised. Usually, Kate did not exercise her stepmother authority.
"Because it's getting out of control. This is the third day and they're bringing us in for crowd control. I don't want you getting hurt."
Alexis huffed, reminding them she was a teenager. "But I believe in this, Mom."
"So do I, honey, but it's going to get dangerous. I have a bad feeling."
"Fine!" Alexis huffed. She ate breakfast in silence, only pausing to kiss both her stepmom and dad on the cheek on her way out. "Love you guys!"
"Love you too!" Rick and Kate said.
They had no idea their obedient, mature teenage daughter… stepdaughter in Kate's case… went to school for the roll call and then snuck out with her friends and a group of kids who were going to attend the protest. On the way, they bought sheets, paint, and flowers.
~C~
Kate drifted back to the present. She knew something was up. She just hoped Alexis was at school. She sighed. "Highly unlikely," she answered herself.
"What is?" Esposito asked.
"That Alexis is at school. She's here. I know she's here. She wanted to come so badly."
"If I see her, I'll get her out of the way, Boss," Ryan said. Esposito nodded in agreement.
"Thanks, guys."
"Ooh look, flowers," Esposito said.
Kate looked down the riot line. There was a teenager with striking red hair, in a private school uniform, gently placing daisies in the barrels of the rifles that were held at attention. She was careful not to touch the guns. Kate was livid and sick with worry and proud all at the same time. It was Alexis. She was chosen to do this because she was sweet. She wouldn't piss off a cop. She placed each daisy with a peaceful smile on her face. "If only everyone were as peaceful as Alexis," she said. The guys nodded. They noticed Captain Montgomery, who was a few places down, flinch as he recognized Alexis.
"Thank you," the captain said to her as she placed another daisy.
"You're welcome, Captain," Alexis said with that soft smile. "I can't go home. Only I can do this." She moved on to the next gun. Captain Montgomery vowed to protect the girl first.
She recognized Ryan and Esposito, giving them a smile and a nod. Then she came to Kate. She had no idea that her stepmom would be in the front of the riot line. Kate's shooting score was that good. "Alexis Morgan Castle!" Kate exclaimed.
Alexis jumped. "Mom?" People within earshot took note of the exchange and started to pay attention. A reporter crept closer with a cameraman and a boom operator.
"I thought I told you not to come down here!"
"And I told you I believe in this!"
"I know you do, but I specifically told you not to come down here and why!"
"But Mom! This is a serious issue. Every nine seconds, a child is orphaned by AIDS. If this organization…" She gestured to the headquarters. "…could get their point across to the pharmaceutical companies, who are hoarding life-saving medication and money then AIDS would not kill so many people!" Kate simply nodded, letting Alexis say her peace. "We are here to help them see that! We are here to show our support of their programs. We're here to let the pharmaceutical companies know they're not just pissing off a grassroots organization. We are the people of America! We have the ability to help so many people! Yet big business squanders it. We just want the world to be peaceful!" The crowd behind her agreed. "And if we have to scare the hell out of them so much that they think they need the police, so be it! It's sad that the idea of violence is what gets their attention. Violence is what got the world into this in the first place. Violence, lack of morals, lack of education, patriarchal societies that objectify women, crimes against children! All this contributed to the spread of AIDS." The crowd applauded her. "If we could just stop being selfish, we can fix this. I just want to help fix the world." She turned back to Kate. "Like you do, Mom."
Kate slung the rifle up on her shoulder and took off her helmet, letting it clatter to the ground. She stepped over the barricade and took her stepdaughter in her arms, hugging her fiercely. The reporter who had given Alexis public forum got a little closer. "I love you, sweetie. I am so proud of you for standing up for your beliefs. Even for standing up to me. It takes a lot of courage to dissent, or be a rabble-rouser. It makes me feel better for the world that you're able to do what's right."
"Even if it gets me grounded?" Alexis asked. Kate nodded. "Wait for it…." Alexis pointed to the top of the headquarters. Her friends, who had spent the afternoon making their banner, unfurled their handiwork. The lyrics from John Lennon's "Imagine" clothed the building. A few more of the students had set up their garage band and started to play the song.
"Your idea?" Kate asked, hugging Alexis from behind.
Alexis grinned. "And Dad's musical influence."
Slowly, the crowd and the cops, still in riot gear, started to sing along with the young man who was actually doing a pretty good job of impersonating Lennon.
"Imagine there's no Heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace
You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world
You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one"
Rick and Martha stared at the television, mesmerized. They smiled, proud of Alexis and Kate for showing the world a little bit of harmony.
~C~
Finis
Thank you in advance for reviewing! It's been a pleasure to write this fic!