A/N - Hey, guys! I'm really sorry for the delay. I didn't really know what to do in this chapter, and finally had a good idea. This is bigger than the others as a way to make it up to all of you!

Thank you for reading and please review!

-Nina K.

Kate had hoped to be woken either by her alarm or Alexis, after all it was Christmas and children got carried away. What she hadn't expected was an excited Rick waking her upp by jumping on the bed and almost throwing her off of it.

"What the hell, Rick? What are you doing here? Did we - ?"

"Whoa, Kate! Calm down. I'm sorry I scared you... I'm here because you slept through your alarm and it's Christmas already! I want to give you the present I bought!"

"Let's go then!" she said standing up. "Is Alexis up yet?"

"Since 5, but she didn't want to open the presents without you."

She smiled and clasped her hand in his, letting him guide her downstairs to the living room. Alexis was sitting by the tree they had put up, staring at it in awe. "Morning, Lex." she heard Kate say and quickly stood up to greet the woman.

"Morning, Kate! I want you to open my present first! Daddy's can wait."

"Okay, then, Pumpkin, you win. I'll make sure she does, now, let's open the presents so we can go eat breakfast,shall we?" the girls nodded and sat down as Rick picked up a small delicate box and placed it on Alexis' lap.

"At school, we were supposed to make something nice for someone we really care about, so I made this for you." Alexis said, shyly, handing the box to Kate, who opened it slowly.

She found herself holding a coffee mug, like the one she had at the precinct, except this one was special. " We drew a picture and the teachers sent them to someone and that someone put them on the mugs." Alexis explained, proudly as Kate realised what she had drawn.

It was the three of them holding hands and below it was written 'You are the best detective ever!'

"Thank you, Lex! I bet Javi and Kev will be really jealous!" she said, making the girl giggle. "Now you open mine." she stood up and picked up the shopping bag from behind the tree and handed Alexis the box that belonged to her.

She slowly unwrapped it, careful not to tear the wrapping paper and Kate smiled at how cute she was. Most kids wouldn't do that. The girls eyes went wide at the puzzle in front of her. "How did you know?"

"How did I know what?" Kate asked, surprised.

"How did you know I like sea turtles?"

"Well, I've seen some plush sea turtles in your bedroom and I know you like puzzles, so I thought it'd be something nice to give you..."

"Nice? It's not nice, it's perfect!" she threw her arms around Kate's neck. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"You're welcome. You dad's gift is sort of for you too, so..." she gave a huge box to Rick. "Here it is, Merry Christmas!"

Like any kid, except Alexis, would, he torn off the paper quickly. He looked up at Kate and she nodded encouraging him to continue. He opened it, then looked from the content of the box to Kate, then to Alexis, a huge grin forming on his face as he looked back to the box.

He'd been wanting to buy that for years but never had the nerve to do it. He placed the box on the floor, carefully and stood up, bringing Kate with him. "Best. Girlfriend. Ever!" he said, between kisses. "Now, it's my turn." he leaned and picked up a tiny velvet box. She couldn't help but giggle when she saw what was inside. A silver bracelet with handcuffs as a charm. "Do you like it?"

"I love it, Rick. Thank you! Put it on me?"

"Sure." he did as she asked. "Now, it's time for breakfast, what would you guys like to eat?"

"Wait. What about your present for Alexis?" Kate asked confused.

"He gave me in advance. The book I was reading last week, with all Dr. Seuss's stories..."

"Oh, alright then."

"Daddy, you can cook anything but smorelletes!" Alexis said, quickly explaining to Kate. "The most disgusting thing involving eggs chocolate and marshmallows. Daddy is the only one who likes it."

"Rick, it really sounds awful. I'll just go with pancakes."

"Pancakes it is, then." he gathered the ingridients and started cooking as Kate and Alexis chatted on the kitchen island's bar stools. "Lex, ain't you supposed to find the present Santa left for you?"

"Santa's not real, dad! But I'll search for it anyway, 'cause I know you hid it somewhere around here..." she said, leaving the room.

"What did you guys mean with 'find' and 'search'? Aren't Santa's presents supposed to be under the tree or by the bed?"

"Alexis was always too good to be true, but she found out Santa wasn't real too early, so we have a game. I hide one of the presents, the most amazing, and she has to find it. Sometimes, if the place is too hard, I give her clues, but she likes to find it on her own."

"That's sweet! I stopped believing Santa when I was three... We didn't have a chimney."

"Oh, Kate, come on! You spoiled all the fun!" they laughed and she helped him finish making breakfast. "Lex! Breakfast is ready, you can finish looking for your present later!"

After they finished eating breakfast, Kate helped Alexis find her present - a bike - and Rick promised he'd teach her to ride it as soon as winter was over. Then, the three of them cuddled on the couch to watch Christmas movie marathons.

"Rick" Kate whispered in his ear. "Next week, I'll be back on duty. Well, desk duty, 'cause I have a couple more weeks of physical therapy and the capitain will never let me do the hard work if I don't have it complete. But, you know I'm going to have to go back to my apartment, right?"

"Yeah" he replied sadly. "When are you leaving?"

"Right after New Year's. I have to be back on the third and I still got to organise some things at my apartment... I promise I'll call everyday! I'm going to miss you."

"Don't worry, Kate. I understand and I'll miss you, too. Extremely! You asked me to take it slow and it will be good for both of us, after all, I don't think I can hold it much longer. You really are a tease."

"Yeah, well. I can handle it much better than you." she kissed him.

It was slow, at first, but it gained intensity and he deepened it, sliding his tongue through her lips as she opened them, letting him make his way into her mouth.

"Mommy! Daddy! Kid in the -" Alexis stopped herself, putting both hands over her mouth as tears welled up in her eyes.

Kate and Rick broke apart, startled at the realization that they still shared a room with the little girl. But at the sight of a scared Alexis, Kate tried desperately to understand what had happened. She hadn't heard it but Rick did.

Alexis stood up and ran upstairs, letting a few tears fall and the sobs come out. ' Kate's mad! I shouldn't have let it slip!' she thought, laying on her bed and pulling the covers above her head as she continued to cry.

"Rick, what just happened here?" Kate asked, intricate.

"She'd been planning on asking you. She wanted to ask you tonight, but apparently she let it slip." he mumbled.

"What was she planning on asking me?"

"If she could call you mommy."

'She wanted to what? Call me mommy? That's how she sees me? Oh, God! What am I going to do?' she thought, standing up from the couch. "I'll talk to her" she said and ran after Alexis.

She reached the girl's bedroom's door and knocked on it, slightly. "Lex, may I come in?" she heard nothing but more sobs and her heart shattered. "I'll take that as a 'yes'"

She walked in the room, the bump on the bed was Alexis' curled body. She pulled the covers off the little girl's face, slowly revealing her tiny frame. "I'm sorry, Kate." she sobbed.

"Oh, baby, come here." Kate said, and sat on the bed as she opened her arms for Alexis, who crawled up and hugged Kate's waist as her head rested on her chest. "It's okay. No need for you to be sorry, honey."

"You're not mad?" she asked, looking up.

"Why would I be mad? I'm honored! If you want to call me mommy, that's fine with me. I already see you as my daughter."

"Really?"

"Really. But I have to remind you tht, though I've been here for a long time, I don't live here and I'll have to go back to my apartment and my job soon, but I'll always be here for you. Even if your father and I break-up eventually, though I hope it doesn't happen. I promise I'll call everyday, and if I can't call, I'll at least send you a text message or an email. And we can even have girls nights once or twice a week, when I'm free, what do you think?"

"I'd like that... Pinky promise?"

"Pinky promise, sweetie." Kate smiled and intertwined her pinky with Alexis'. "Now, let's go wash that pretty face of yours and head downstairs. I bet your father is worried and we still have a movie to finish watching."

As Alexis went to the bathroom, Kate opened the bedroom door and found Rick outside. "How long have you been listening?"

He shrugged "Long enough to know that I couldn't have ever found someone as extraordinarily perfect as you." he kissed her gently. "How did you know I was here?"

"Oh, Ricky, don't forget I'm a detective... Besides, it wasn't that hard to hear your elephant steps."

When Alexis came in the bedroom once more, the three of them headed back downstairs and finished the movie, cuddled together.