Hey guys! It's Wednesday and time to update this FF! Thank you Becky and Aufa for helping me with this chapter! Your ideas were great and worked out good. At least I hope they did.

Have a good time reading! And thank you everyone who reviews, followed and favorited this story! You guys are awesome!

xx OneWriterGirlOfficial


Dreamworld

Chapter 9 "The Last Day"


January 9th, 1999

She was sitting in a little café near the west entrance of Central Park, waiting for her boyfriend and his daughter to arrive. It was her last weekend in New York before she had to go back to Stanford and she wanted to spend the day with them. In the evening she had agreed to have dinner with her parents.

"Katie!" a young voice shouted.

Kate turned around and stretched out her arms to catch the five-year-old running towards her. "Hi, little one."

Alexis threw her arms around Kate and hugged her tightly. "I've missed you. Haven't seen you for a week!"

Kate smiled. "I know. I hope your daddy behaved during the week?"

The young girl nodded and rested her head on Kate's shoulder. "What are we going to do today?"

"I don't know. You gotta ask your daddy. Where is he by the way? You didn't run away, did you?"

"Daddy's getting himself some coffee. And a cookie for me. He promise!"

Kate nodded. "Good. Well, your daddy said he would make plans for us. I know as much as you do."

"I hope we're going to the museum. I want to see the elephants and monkeys again!"

"Tell your daddy. I'm sure we can still change plans if he hasn't planned on going to the museum."

"Good. I really want to see them again!"

"I'd like to see the elephants, too."

"You do?"

"Yes. They're my favorite animals."

Alexis' eyes grew wide. "Mine too!"

Kate smiled and hugged Alexis closer to herself. When she looked into the direction of her boyfriend she saw some women throwing her jealous glances. She ignored them and threw her boyfriend a smile. When he saw her he winked and smiled as well. She turned her attention back to the young girl sitting in her lap. "How about you go and tell your daddy to bring me some coffee as well? And a cookie."

"You want a cookie, too? Which?"

"Chocolate."

"White?"

"Oh yes."

Alexis eyes sparkled and she climbed down from Kate's lap and made her way over to her daddy.

Rick picked his daughter up and listened to what she told him. He looked at Kate whom nodded. He smiled at her and threw her an air kiss. She grinned at him and shook her head lightly, biting down on her lower lip. He ordered coffee for Kate and himself as well as two white chocolate cookies for Kate and Alexis. He handed the cookies to his daughter and told her to go back to Kate and that he would just grab their coffee.

"Okay daddy," Alexis said and walked back to Kate. She climbed onto one of the leather chairs and put the bag with Kate's and her cookie on the table. "I got our cookies!"

"Great. Want to eat it now?"

"Yes."

"Good. Me too." Kate waited as Alexis grabbed the bag and took out one cookie, handing it to her. "Thank you," she said politely and smiled.

Alexis smiled at her and took her own cookie. She bit into it and chewed the soft cookie.

"Hey," Rick said when he sat down Kate's mug in front of her.

"Hey," the young woman replied with a smile and kissed him. "How are you?"

"Better now that I'm with you," he said and sat down opposite her. "You?"

Kate smiled. "I'm good, too." She nodded into the direction of three women sitting at the other end of the small café. "They've been throwing me jealous glances all the time."

Rick looked into their direction and back to Kate. "They must be jealous of you. You look absolutely stunning," he said and eyed her from head to toe.

Kate let out a laugh. "Yeah sure," she snorted.

He smiled and took a sip of his coffee. "Or they saw my ruggedly handsome self and want me."

"Probably," Kate replied and took a sip of her own coffee. "So, Alexis here wants to go and see the elephants and monkeys at the Natural History Museum."

"Oh, does she now? And what about you?"

"I'd like to go there, too. That is if you didn't make any plans."

"Even if I had made plans, your wish is my command," he grinned.

"Yay!" Alexis cheered and hugged Kate. "Can we go there now? Please!"

Kate smiled down at the five-year-old and stroked her hair. "Sure, just let us finish our coffee and then we can go."

Rick smiled and sipped away his coffee.


Half an hour later they arrived at the Natural History Museum on 81st street and Central Park. Alexis was holding onto her father's and Kate's hands and dragged them to the entrance of the museum.

Kate and Rick shared a look from time to time and constantly told Alexis to walk slower. Once they stood in line in order to pay for their tickets Alexis tugged on Kate's leg and whispered into her ear that she had to pee.

"Once we've bought our tickets I will go to the restroom with you, okay? You just gotta wait a little longer, little one."

"But I have to pee now," she whined.

Kate looked at Rick for help.

"I don't know if they have restrooms out here. Shall I go and ask somebody?"

Kate shook her head. "I'll go. Stay here and get our tickets?"

Rick nodded. "Yes."

"Okay. Come on little one," she said and stepped out of the line carrying Alexis on her hip. She went to a security guard and asked whether there were any restrooms out there.

The older woman saw the discomfort the little girl was in and guided her to a restroom that usually wasn't used by the public.

Kate thanked her and went to the restroom with Alexis. When they got back ten minutes later she saw Rick waiting with their tickets. She walked over to him and let Alexis down again.

"You okay, pumpkin?"

"I'm good, daddy."

"Good," he smiled. "Ready to go and see the elephants and monkeys?"

"Yes!"

Rick smiled and wrapped his arm around Kate, pressing a soft kiss against her cheek. "Thank you."

"Always," she replied.

Rick showed their tickets to the security guards and they were allowed to go inside.


Once they had reached the section with the elephants they posed for pictures and even had a family picture taken by a stranger who commented on how cute their child was. Kate had stiffened for a moment before thanking the elder woman and smiled down at Alexis. She was surprised to find Rick smiling with tears in his eyes. "Something wrong?" she whispered into his ear.

"No, not at all," he reassured and kissed her. "Everything is perfect."

She smiled, too, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Thank you for giving me such a great time today, Rick."

"Always, but the day isn't over yet. It's only slightly past eleven and we've still got a lot to do."

"I know, but still. Thank you. I love to spend time with you and Alexis."

"And we love to spend time with you." He leaned forward to press a soft kiss to her lips when he looked around and realized that Alexis wasn't standing next to them anymore. "Alexis? Alexis!" He looked at Kate in shock. Where was his little girl?

Kate looked around and started to panic as well. "Oh my god... Rick, where did she go? She was... She was standing right next to us! Alexis?"

"I don't know. We only looked away for a second. Oh god, what if somebody took her?!"

"Rick, hey Rick. Maybe she just ran off to look at something she saw. Don't imagine the worst right away. Maybe she's just in the next room?"

Rick nodded slowly and together they went to look for Alexis in the next room. She wasn't there. Tears started to form in his eyes. "Where is she, Kate? Where did my little girl go?"

She swallowed. "I don't know." She cupped his cheek. "We will find her. Let's go and find somebody that will help us."

Rick nodded and they found a security guard quickly, explaining what had happened and that they were looking for a five-year-old. The security guard assured them that they would find the little girl soon and informed all of her colleagues that there was a little girl missing. She told them that her name was Alexis, that she was five years old and described to them what she looked like.


Meanwhile at another exhibition...

Alexis wandered around the monkeys exhibition when she realized that neither her father nor Kate were with her anymore. She looked around for them, but couldn't find them. Tears started to run down her cheeks. She had tugged on her daddy's and Kate's legs but neither of them had looked at her so she had wandered off to the monkey exhibition by herself. She had thought that they were following her, but obviously they weren't. She ran to another exhibition, trying to find her way back to her daddy and Kate, when she bumped into somebody. She fell to the bottom and when she looked up, she looked right into the worried brown eyes of a young woman.

"Did you hurt yourself sweetie?" Lanie asked.

Alexis shook her head.

"Where are your mommy and your daddy?"

Alexis started to shed tears again and began to sob. "I dunno," she cried.

"Oh no. Where did you last see them sweetie?"

"Elephants."

"Okay. How about we go back there and search for your mommy and daddy?"

"I'm not allowed to go with strangers."

"Hey, it's okay. I'm not going to kidnap you or something. I'm Lanie by the way and that's my boyfriend Javier. He's going to be a police officer. And I'm sure your mommy and daddy will be okay with it. What's your name little one?"

"Alexis."

"Okay Alexis. Shall we go and search for your mommy and your daddy? I'm sure they're already missing you."

Alexis nodded slowly and got up.

"Hey Javi, let's go and help the poor thing to find her parents," Lanie told her boyfriend.

The young man looked at Alexis with a worried expression and nodded. He watched his girlfriend as she picked the young girl up and they made their way to the elephants exhibition.

They arrived there a couple of minutes later and stopped in the middle of the room.

"Can you see your parents Alexis?" Lanie asked.

Alexis shook her head and began to cry again.

"We will find them sweetie, don't worry."

"Hey, there's a security guard. Maybe they can help us?" Javier said and walked up to the woman. "Excuse me please, ma'am. The little girl my girlfriend over there is carrying is searching her parents. She last saw them here at the exhibition. Have you seen them?"

"Yes. They are worried beyond good. They went to the monkeys exhibition. Let me just tell my colleague that we found the little girl. Would you mind staying with me until her parents arrive?"

"Of course. We'll just wait here," Javier said and turned to his girlfriend. "Your mommy and daddy are on their way. They will be here and minute."

"You found them?" Alexis asked shyly.

"Yes. They went searching for you and the security guard over here just informed her colleague that we are waiting here for them and that we have found you."

Alexis nodded and lay her head down on Lanie's shoulder. "Thank you."

"No problem, sweetie."


Kate and Rick were told that a couple had found Alexis and that they were waiting for them at the elephants exhibition. They quickly made their way back to the exhibition and spotted Alexis right away in the arms of a young woman.

"Alexis!" Rick said in relief and took his little girl in his arms again. "Oh, thank god. Where did you go? You scared us to death."

"I'm sorry, daddy," she sobbed and had her little arms wrapped around her daddy's neck.

Rick looked at the couple in front of him. "Thank you for bringing her back."

"No problem, sir. She bumped into my girlfriend and told us she couldn't find her parents anymore so we just had to take care of her and help her find you guys."

Kate smiled at him. "Thank you Mr... "

"Esposito, Javier Esposito. We're glad we could bring her back to you guys. And do you mind me saying that you're pretty damn young to be her mommy?"

Kate smiled lightly. "Thank you, Mr Esposito, but she's not my daughter."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"It's fine. Thank you for bringing her back. We were worried sick." Kate looked at the woman next to him. "And thank you, too, Miss... "

"Lanie Parish. Is it possible that we've met before?"

"Um, maybe yeah. Are you studying?"

"Yeah. I'm majoring in medicine at Stanford."

"Oh! Now I remember! Lanie Parish! Of course! We've met through friends. You're sharing a room with Clarissa!"

"Yeah."

"I'm Kate Beckett, criminal justice. I'm sharing a room with Clarissa's friend Daria."

Lanie smiled. "Now I do remember, too. I didn't know you lived in New York, too."

Kate smiled and turned to Rick. "This is my boyfriend, Rick. And you already know Alexis."

Rick smiled at the couple and his girlfriend. "It's a pleasure to meet the two of you. How about I invite the two of you for some coffee? It's the least I can do to thank you for bringing my little girl back."

"Oh, that's not necessary. We really just wanted to help her."

"I insist on it. Please?"

Javier looked Lanie who nodded. "Okay."

"Great. I have a feeling we won't be going back to the museum the next couple of weeks," he said when he looked at Alexis who was still shaking in his arms.

"Probably not," Kate said and stroked Alexis' hair.

Alexis looked up and stretched her hands out for Kate.

Kate carefully placed the little girl on her hip with a little help from her boyfriend and stroked her back gently.

Together all of them left the museum and made their way to the Starbucks that was just a block from the museum. They sat down at two tables, which stood next to each other, and Rick went to get their orders.

Alexis was sitting in Kate's lap, refusing to let go of the young woman.

Lanie looked at them with adoring eyes. "She's a really sweet little girl."

"That she is," Kate smiled. "You know, she bumped into me, too. That's how I met Rick."

"Oh really? Would you care to share that story with the class?" Javier asked.

"Sure." Kate smiled and pressed a soft kiss to Alexis' hair before she began to explain. "I was ice skating at Rockefeller Center with my mom about four weeks ago. I was skating around the rink when suddenly somebody bumped into my legs and I got knocked over. When I saw that a little girl had knocked me over I asked her whether she was okay and that was when Rick came racing towards us. He asked me if I was okay and invited me for some hot chocolate to make up for his daughter knocking me over. When my mom came to find me, he invited her, too. We instantly had a connection and exchanged phone numbers before he went home. We met for a date, then a couple ones more and became a couple. And since today is my last day home we wanted to spend the day together before I meet my parents for dinner later."

"Awww! That's so cute!" Lanie said with a big smile.

"What is cute?" Rick asked.

"Kate just told us how you two met. Seems like your little girl likes to bump into random people," Javier explained.

Rick smiled at Kate and his daughter. "Well, I'm glad she bumped into Kate. It was the first time ever she knocked somebody over. Except for me of course. She knocked me over plenty of times while ice skating. And I'm also glad she bumped into Lanie today and that you brought her back to us." He sat down and wrapped his arm around Kate.

"Yeah, me too," Kate said and leaned into his embrace.

"You said you're flying back tomorrow, right?" Lanie asked.

"Yeah."

"Cool. I'm flying back tomorrow, too. JFK at 1:47pm."

Kate's eyes widened. "Me too!"

Lanie grinned. "Why don't we sit next to each other?"

"Sounds good to me. Maybe we can meet at the airport? My parents will bring me there and Rick and Alexis will see me off as well."

"Sounds good. My father will see me off at the airport along with Javi."

Kate smiled. "I think we are settled then."

Lanie smiled and took a sip of her cappuccino.


Later in the evening...

Kate walked into her parents' apartment and called out for them.

Jim came out of the living room and greeted his daughter. "How was your day Katie?"

"Eventful. I had a good day though."

"Eventful?"

"Yeah. We went to the National History Museum and lost Alexis. We were worried sick and searched for her. A couple found her and brought her back to us. The woman happened to be somebody I had met before. Her name is Lanie and she's studying medicine in Stanford. She was with her boyfriend who wants to be a police officer. We are both flying back to San Francisco tomorrow and decided to meet at the airport."

"Sounds like you have found two new friends."

"Yeah, they are both great. Rick invited them for some thank you coffee. Once we had said goodbye to them we spend some time in the park, watching Alexis play at the playground and also had lunch."

"I'm so glad for the two of you. And for Alexis of course."

Kate smiled. "Me too."

"Will he see you off at the airport as well?"

"Yeah. Alexis will join us, too."

"Good. I really like her."

Kate nodded. "She's a great kid. Now, let me get ready for dinner. Where's mom, by the way?"

"She'll join us later. She was still working on some case when I left work."

Kate chuckled. "I bet she'll be late."

"Ah, don't we know it. She just cares so much for her clients."

"I know. I can't wait to join you guys."

Jim smiled. "You'll be great. Now go and change."

Kate smiled and went to her room to get changed into a nice dress for dinner.


She was already an hour late when she walked into the restaurant. She greeted the waiter and he showed her to the table her husband and daughter where seated at. "I'm sorry I'm late. I got carried away at work."

Kate smiled at her mother. "No problem, mom. Was it an interesting case at least?"

"Yeah. I think in can get him out of jail. From what I've read there was no reason to put him into jail three years ago. He didn't do it."

"I hope you can break him out then mom."

Johanna smiled. "What about you? How was your day with Rick and Alexis?"

Kate explained to her mom what had happened throughout her day.

"Oh god, you must have been scared to death. I remember that one time we lost you at some fun park when we went there with aunt Claudia and her children. They were a little older than you. We were talking and suddenly you were gone. I've never been so scared in my whole life, not even when I discovered that I was pregnant with you."

"Yeah, me too. We were so glad when we had her back."

"And what about Lanie? You said you will meet her at the airport tomorrow?"

"Yes. We are on the same flight. We will try to sit next to each other on the flight."

"Good. She sounds like a nice girl."


A/N: All mistakes are mine.

Lanie and Esposito, who would have guessed? I don't actually know of you can study medicine at the Standford University, but in this FF you can. I hope you liked the chapter.

Reviews are the cream to my coffee!

xx OneWriterGirlOfficial