NEW BEGINNINGS

by

BlackFury

PART THREE

It had started out as just plain curiousity. Kermit asked Peter if he wanted to go to that new club, the Raven, that was opening that night. Having nothing else to do, Peter had said ok so he, Kermit and Blake took off after their shift and drove there in the Kermitmobile. Peter's stealth was in the shop, again and Blake decided to pick up his car on the way home. Peter was unusually quiet and Kermit had a good idea of why.

Two of Peter's former girlfriends were out of his life now. Kelly was engaged to the Chief and Jordan McGuire, for some reason known only to her, had abruptly resigned and left the state. Peter was bewildered and had spent a lot of time talking to his father, Kwai Chang Caine, but even he had no answers for his hurting son. Peter was happy for Kelly but Jordan's sudden departure had left the young detective stunned and hurt more than he had cared to admit to anyone, even his closest friend, Kermit.

As they pulled up in the parking lot, they looked at the front of the converted warehouse. It was plain and the only thing that told you it was a club, besides the doorman in front, was the large neon outline of a raven perched above the entrance. Kermit looked at it warily since Poe was not one of his favorite authors, after all, he had enough nightmares of his own without reading about someone elses! The three showed the doorman their badges and were welcomed in.

One of the waitresses showed them to a corner booth where Kermit could put his back against the wall and the three ordered. Kermit ordered a scotch, neat, Peter a Crown Royal and Blake a whiskey and soda. The clientele looked fairly well-to-do and well behaved. The drinks arrived in short order and then the music started on the speaker system. All three were pleasantely suprised to hear the lastest pop music and some old hits, none of that incessant drum pounding most clubs played and "called" it music.

The three looked around and then, Peter saw Her. She was dressed simply but elegantly in a black silk pantsuit with black boots. Her hair, also coal black, hung to her waist. Her eyes were a sapphire blue-grey. She was sitting quietly at the far corner of the bar and the bartender, Thomas, periodically went to her and said something.

Then, she got up and came to their booth. She smiled.

"Welcome, gentlemen, I am Cynthia Moonscrim, the owner of the Raven. I hope you are finding everything to your liking? Please, be comfortable and know that you and your fellow officers are welcome here at anytime." She then slid in beside Kermit and sat down. Peter was quite dazzled by her smile and her eyes. She continued.

"Kermit, I met earlier as I was checking out the property, You must be Blake, the electronics man. And you, You must be Peter Caine.." Peter blushed and Kermit grinned. The frog spoke.

"Yeah, he is, but how did you know?" Cynthia smiled, a slow, mysterious smile.

"I have my sources. Please, gentlemen, enjoy yourselves. All officers recieve their drinks at half price and if you are the designated driver, all non-alcoholic drinks are free." She gracefully rose to her feet and moved off to greet some other patrons. Kermit was quiet, watching Peter who was definitely in another world at that moment. The three men stayed until the club closed around Four a.m. just to be sure there was no trouble.

Then, Kermit drove them back to where Blake had left his car, then, he drove Peter home to his building. Peter quietly thanked Kermit as he got out and the frog asked if he wanted to go back that night. Peter nodded, rather absently, and disappeared into the building. Kermit grinned and drove home.

Peter unlocked the door to his apartment and was grateful that tomorrow was one of his rare days off. He went into his bedroom and got ready for bed but once he laid down and turned off the light, he found he couldn't sleep. His mind was just too full of Cynthia. After a couple of hours tossing and turning, he finally got up, went to the fridge and grabbed a soda. He then flopped onto the sofa and turned on the set, flipping through the channels as he sipped but he wasn't really seeing the programming.

He set the soda on the table beside him and stretched out with his head on the sofa cushion and finally fell asleep, the set still on. When Peter awoke, he was back in his bed and he was wondering what had happened. As he stumbled into the living room, he saw his father sitting cross legged on the floor near the big window. The set was off and the soda can was gone. Peter smiled. He then went to the tiny bathroom to shower, shave and change. In about thirty minutes, he came back in looking more like himself.

"Hey, Pop, when did you get here?" He asked as he picked up his id folder and gun. He then heard his father's aggrieved voice.

"Do not call me, Pop. I arrived shortly after sunrise and found you on the sofa. I moved you to your room and tidied up in here. Are you all right?" Peter grinned at the reminder about what his father did not like to be called and the solicitude his father always showed for him. Peter put an arm around his dad's shoulders.

"Yeah, I'm ok. Kermit, Blake and I went to that new club last night, The Raven. We met the owner, Cynthia Moonscrim. Man, she is one elegant lady!" Caine was suprised. He had never heard his son describe any woman as 'elegant' before. If Peter felt like that, Caine needed to meet her. He would, and sooner than he thought as he and his son left the apartment together.

After her usual three hour 'nap' as she called it, Cynthia was awake and ready to go. She had a meeting with the Mayor and after that, she was free till the club opened at sundown. She decide to use that time to do something she hadn't done in a long while, she went shopping.

After about four hours, she returned to her club and after putting away the purchases, she and Thomas began readying the inventory for the next night's crowd. Once again, Peter was there with Kermit and again, they stayed till closing time. This went on for the next four months although sometimes, Peter came on his own, sometimes with Kermit and once in a while with his father.

She asked some discreet questions about Peter and soon discovered what had happened to his previous relationships. She then made it a point to find out just why Jordan McGuire had treated him so callously. It took some time but she soon found out that Jordan had moved away because she had found someone else, a rich man who would take care of her. That made Cynthia angry, that the young detective had no more feeling for Peter than to just leave without saying goodbye.

She also knew that soon, she would have to meet Kwai Chang Caine and tell him her connection to his family, if he didn't know it already from his grandfather's journal. She would wait and tell him when it was time for him to know. She also decided to wait and see if Peter was going to pursue any sort of relationship with her. She would let him make the first move, if there was any move to make.

Peter was sitting in the corner booth, watching her as she moved about, greeting the now regulars who came to the Raven on a nightly basis. He just couldn't stay away from her. He wondered if she felt anything for him and it suddenly occurred to the young cop that he was, quite possibly, falling head over heels in love with her!

He was hesitant, after what had happened with Kira, Kelly and now, Jordan and he was desperate for a relationship to work and last longer than three or four years. But he didn't want to rush into anything either. This time, he wanted to be sure and that, he knew, would take time to develop. He smiled, and decided to be friends first, then see if it went anywhere from that.

Cynthia smiled as Peter slowly approached the end of the bar where she customarily sat. He looked at her.

"Hello." Cynthia nodded.

"Hello, Peter. May I help you?" About then, a slow song came on the speakers and couples began to dance on the floor. Peter gathered his courage and looked into her steel blue-grey eyes.

"May I claim this dance, Miss Moonscrim?" Cynthia's smile deepened as she rose to her feet and took his extended hand in hers.

"Why, thank you, Mr. Caine, I thought you'd never ask." Peter looked pleasantely suprised and led her out onto the floor. As they danced, Kwai Chang came in with Kermit and both men smiled at what they witnessed. Peter looked happier than either man had seen him for years.

Kermit led Caine over to the bar and Thomas looked up.

"Ah, Detective Griffin, Master Caine, please. sit down. Ok, Kermit, Scotch, neat for you and herbal tea for Master Caine." Both men nodded and soon, they had their drinks. When that slow song finished, another began and Peter kept dancing with Cynthia. It was as if no one else in the room existed for the young cop.

Caine looked at Kermit.

"My son is in love." Kermit looked suprised.

"Are you sure?" Caine nodded, a slow smile on his face.

"Yes, even if he himself is not yet aware of the fact. He has fallen in love with Cynthia and I believe that she cares for him as well." Kermit watched the couple for a moment or two and then looked back at the elderly shaolin beside him.

"I hope you're right. Peter deserves some happiness, especially after the way Jordan treated him." The anger in Kermit's voice was obvious as he remembered Peter's shock upon learning that Jordan had resigned and left while Peter was on his vacation with his father. The young man had been devestated by the news and it had taken Caine and Kermit a long time to help Peter out of his depression.

It looked like that, finally, Peter would be happy after all. Kermit certaintly hoped so, for Peter's sake.

The End.