The mid-afternoon sun peeked through the small master bedroom. A lump in a king sized bed stirred from underneath the sheets and out appeared a mass of tangled jet black hair, sleepy green eyes and a lithe olive skinned body covered in a t-shirt and boxers. With a yawn and a cat like stretch, the body of Detective Dee Maclean-Laytner emerged. He licked his dry lips and felt the last lingering remnants of his headache disappear.

"Shit." He muttered still feeling pretty fatigued as he scratched his head. They had only been back from Japan a few days and his body was still a mess. For the last two days he had to suffer some bad headaches and crazy tiredness. But finally the jet lag was fading. The doctor he spoke to said it wouldn't last very long. Though he knew by looking at the clock that he was probably in for some nasty insomnia tonight. Punishment for sleeping so late.

At least he still had his appetite, as his stomach growled loudly for something to eat. He looked around the bedroom and didn't see any sign of his husband, but knowing Ryo he was probably cleaning or with Bikky and Carol (Ryo's foster son and his girlfriend). He got out of bed and ventured into the kitchen where was met with a note on the fridge. Judging by the utterly neat penmanship it could have only been from his husband. He pulled the note off the fridge and smiled.

Dee,

Went out for some groceries.

Didn't have the heart to wake you.

Bikky's at Carol's for the night.

Make sure you drink some more water to keep from getting dehydrated.

No beer doesn't count.

Be back soon.

I love you.

Ryo

Dee smiled, God how he loved that man.

Across town said man was yelling frantically at a taxi driver to speed up. He held a small bundle in his arms.

"Please hold on." Ryo begged as the taxi pulled up to a hospital entrance. Throwing a few bills at the driver, Ryo leapt and raced inside.

"I NEED HELP!" Ryo yelled.

A male nurse quickly approached.

"Please." Ryo begged to him. "I found her in a dumpster! She needs help!"

Without a second to lose, the bundle was taken out of Ryo's arms and charged down the sterile hallway. Ryo followed but was stopped by another nurse.

"Are you a relation?"

Ryo shook his head.

"No, I'm a detective…I-I just found her…I thought it was a cat, but it turned out to be…oh god…please let me go in."

The nurse shook her head.

"I'm sorry sir, but you can't go unless you are family. If you'd like you may wait out here?"

Ryo nodded nervously and took a seat in the waiting room. His heart was still racing, he couldn't believe it. What he had mistaken for a screeching cat in that dumpster turned out to be a naked, filthy, crying…newborn girl.

Without a second's hesitation Ryo had sprung into action. He dropped all of his belongings to the ground and picked up the newborn and wrapped her in his jacket. The child had signs of malnutrition and could have only been a few days old as the cut umbilical cord was still attached to the child. She wasn't even wrapped in a blanket. How long could she have been there?

Ryo was so panicked he didn't even realize that he was supposed to have been going home to treat his husband to a get well dinner. He didn't even realize that that dinner was now in a pile next to a dumpster next to a bodega. Ryo put his head in his hands and silently prayed for the child.

An hour or two later a doctor emerged holding his jacket.

"Are you the detective that found the infant?" She asked sweetly.

Ryo looked up and nodded quickly.

She smiled and extended her hand.

"I'm Dr. Stella Lanley. I'm a Pediatric Specialist here at the hospital. You are?"

Ryo took her hand.

"Detective Randy Maclean-Laytner of the 27th Precinct." He said flashing his badge from his wallet. "Is she…"

The blonde doctor smiled.

"She's fine." Dr. Lanley said. "Malnourished and a little cold, but otherwise an IV for the night and then a bath should have her back to normal in no time. I must commend you Detective, had you not found her she would definitely have been a goner. Little thing cannot be more than a day or two old."

She looked at the piece of fabric in her hand.

"I believe this belongs to you?" She said extending the jacket.

Ryo breathed a sigh of relief as he took it.

"Thank God." He said. "I was so worried. Who could have done this?"

The doctor sighed.

"Unfortunately it's becoming an all too common thing. Babies being abandoned. Many young parents or people just not wanting a child just get rid of these kids without a second thought. Many of them do not survive."

She smiled.

"But lucky for this one, she will, thanks to you."

Ryo still remained semi-worried.

"What will happen to her?"

Dr. Lanley pursed her lips.

"Most likely once she recovers she will immediately be put into emergency foster care while ACS tries to find the mother. But she will probably be here for awhile though. Since she is a newborn, it looks like she hasn't been fed much as she is a little underweight. A baby needs formula or breast milk to help strengthen the immune system. Since it looks like she hasn't had much of either she is quite susceptible to illness. And for being in that dumpster for at least what we think is a day, her chances of getting an infection of some sort are high. We need to keep her under observation."

Ryo remained quiet.

"How is she now?" He asked.

"Sleeping comfortably in the NICU." Doctor Lanley said happily.

"I see."

"Is there anything else you need detective?" The doctor asked.

Ryo shook his head. His heart was hurting for that baby though.

"Well there is one thing." He said.

"Yes?"

Ryo bit his lip.

"Well, would it be alright that…while she is here…that I can…come see her?"

Dr. Lanley smiled.

"It would be just fine Detective Maclean-Laytner. I'm sure she would love to see her hero once she gets a little better. I must get back to the Pediatric Unit, but visiting hours are from 12pm-8pm. I'll alert the nurses in the NICU that you will be visiting. It's on the fourth floor."

"Thank you Dr. Lanley." Ryo said shaking her hand once again.

"No…Thank YOU detective." She said warmly responding to his hand and then quickly walking back to the elevator.

Ryo sighed and turned towards the exit. His heart heavy and full of anguish. Even though he was so grateful that that child's life had been saved, he couldn't help but feel such an unbearable sadness that she had been abandoned so cruelly like that, just left to die.

Right now, he needed and craved to be in his husband's arms more than anything else in the world.

Author's Note:

ACS: Administration of Child Services ( I watch WAAAYYY too much Law and Order :) )

NICU: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit