Author's Note: Hey all! sorry for the lateness...I have been quite busy! Last week I went to Massachusetts with my boyfriend. I SAW SAM WATERSTON FROM LAW AND ORDER on the beach (he plays the prosecutor)..that was so cool...but I chickened out getting to talk to him..so did my personable boyfriend. Anyway: story wise I have had a bit of a writers block..so I decided to add another cutesy chapter just to keep it going..i think I have an idea of where I want things to go. Love you all! Read and Review please my darlings!!

Sincerely,
Jennifer K.


A little after 1pm Ryo emerged from their bedroom...well rested...showered...and ready for some quality time with Grace and Bikky. Bikky was in the living room doing his weekend homework while Grace was lying on her back on her play quilt squirming around and cooing right next tom him.

"Hey B!" Ryo said with a smile at the sight of the two children. He was really glad Bikky was taking his studies seriously this year. Ryo wasn't an uptight dad that expected straight A's. He didn't even expect straight B's...just as long as Bikky tried hard and did his best that's all that mattered to him. And by the way it looked Bikky was working really hard.

"Yo." Bikky said not taking his eyes off of his textbook. "I fed the squirt and me lunch and I ended up changing her diaper. Thank god she was just wet! She spat up a little, but I cleaned her up. It's okay when she does that right?"

"Aw, that happens." Ryo uttered as he lifted up the baby. "Well she looks nice and clean thanks to you. You're doing a really good job Bikky. I'm really proud of you."

"Yeah well I don't want her crying all the time." Bikky responded.

Ryo smiled.

"Not just with Grace, but with everything." Ryo said taking a seat next to his son. "There have been a lot of changes this last year. I mean both Dee and I got injured...then us all living together and then he and I getting married. Now you're soon going to high school and everything in between. And through it all you really have been towing the mark. Dee and I are really proud of you."

Bikky blushed.

"Aw man Ryo."

Ryo smiled and ruffled his son's head.

"I mean it." He said. "You're doing fantastic and you're growing up to be a fine young man. Heh...hard to believe that I can't call you a kid anymore huh?"

Bikky smiled at Ryo.

"Thanks Ryo." He said. "You're pretty cool too being my foster dad and all. And yeah the perv face has his moments."

Ryo laughed as he bounced Grace on his knee. "I'm sure Dee will appreciate hearing that."

Grace began to coo.

"And you're pretty cool too sweetie." Ryo said nuzzling his cheek against hers. "Whatdya say Bikky, think you can handle two weeks with her while Dee and I work on the adoption process?"

Bikky reached out and Grace took his finger.

"Sure...why not. But hey you guys gotta stick to the late night feedings! Carol told me about those! As much as I like her, I need my sleep. I got school in the morning!"

Ryo smiled.

"I know...if Dee and I unexpectedly have to work the late shift I may just have her stay at Maria's for the night since she will already be there while we work. It was nice of her to let us have Grace live with us instead of at the orphanage for a little bit while Dee and I work on the adoption. Luckily the Chief gave us the first shift this week."

"Weren't you guys supposed to go on a stakeout or something?"

Ryo nodded.

"Yeah...but that's next week. The person that's going to be helping us with it is a wreck right now. He's a drug addict and we want him to get cleaned up before he meets his boss. If his mind is frazzled it may blow the operation. He's right now going through a detox program at Rikers."

"Ah." Bikky said.

They turned when they heard the bedroom door opening and out walked a disheveled Dee yawning and scratching himself.

"Hey babe." Ryo said with a smile.

"Hey." Dee said with a yawn leaning down and placing a kiss on Ryo's forehead. Then he placed a kiss on Grace's soft spot and noogied Bikky's head.

"HEY WATCH IT BUTT HUNTER!" Bikky yelled rubbing his head.

"Sleep well?" Ryo asked.

"Finally." Dee answered as he walked into the kitchen searching for lunch. "You guys eat?"

"Grace and Bikky did." Ryo said. "Bikky fed her then changed her. He did a very good job."

"Nice going monkey brat." Dee said with his head in the fridge as he dug around.

"Want me to make you something?" Ryo asked as he walked into the kitchen with Grace.

Dee shook his head.

"Nah...unless you're eating too." Ryo nodded and the two began making themselves some soup and sandwiches for lunch.

"I told Bikky about Vincent." Ryo said as the two sat down at the table with their lunch. "I'm glad he is in the detox program at Rikers. He is way too jittery right now for a sting operation."

"Yeah kid will probably spill the beans to his boss and we don't what this guy is packing." Dee said.

"Mmm." Ryo said. "It's good the chief was cool about letting us have the 9-5 shift. Though I think Drake and JJ might have our heads now since they are working graveyard."

"Ehh...let them whine." Dee said as he poured the soup into bowls.

Ryo smiled.

"We'll treat them to lunch or something and I'll make sure to buy the chief a pack of cigarettes or cigars he likes."

"Jeez...suck up much?" Dee said.

Ryo glared.

"Some people like to repay others for their kindness Dee Maclean Laytner." Ryo said as he began to eat his soup with one hand while holding Grace in his other.

"So any idea on whom this mystery boss might be?" Ryo asked.

"Probably some big shot who likes to prey on the weak to do his deeds." Dee answered as he slurped his soup.

"But why these teenagers?" Ryo answered as he dipped the corner of his sandwich into his soup. "Most of them were runaways...why on earth would he go for them?"

Dee shrugged.

"Beats me...then again I don't understand the minds of most of our perps." Dee said. "Think Vinnie boy will give us the details on who his partners in this little scheme are?"

Ryo bounced Grace on his knee.

"Like he said, it was him and some of his buds." Ryo said. "I highly doubt he will rat them out...at least right now. Besides...looking for them will be like trying to find a needle in a haystack. There are dozens upon dozens of teens in New York."

"Guess Vin is our only hope." Dee said with a sigh.

"His boss will probably be looking for him." Ryo said. "Vincent said the boss finds him since he bounces from shelter to shelter around the city. If we scour those we can probably get a better ID on who this man is."

"Not a bad idea." Dee said as he slurped the last of soup. "We'll do it tomorrow after we report in."

Ryo nodded as Grace tugged on his shirt. "Aw I'm going to miss you while we are working!" He said as he held her close. "But I know you are going to have a nice time with Mother and the other babies."

"Heh...count your blessings!" Dee said. "Mother would only let the couples she trusted completely have a tot for this long. Other times she would only allow weekend visitations until she made damn sure these couples were ready to be parents."

Ryo smiled.

"I can see why ACS likes her so much then." He said as held Grace over his shoulder. "They give her the info and she goes by her gut."

"Never has been wrong!" Dee said. "All the kids I know who were placed in homes by her ended up coming out on top!"

Ryo was thoughtful.

"Dee?" Ryo asked. "Why weren't you ever placed with a family? Did you want a mother and father of your own?"

Dee sighed.

"I already had 'em, Penguin and Jess. Besides, whenever Penguin started talking about meeting potential parents, I would run away with my hands over my ears. Sometimes I would throw such a fit I would make myself sick. I was terrified of the thought of leaving her and Jess. So in the end I won the battle. I don't think either one of them could bear to part with yours truly anyway."

Ryo smiled and put his arm around Dee.

"Well I'm very glad they didn't." He said. "I love Mother very much and I know I would have loved Jess. And I personally love the boy they raised."

Dee smiled slyly.

"So much so that you became partners with him on the force?"

"Mmhhm."

Dee leaned in.

"So much so that you became his in a night of mind blowing passion?"

"Yes." Ryo said with chuckle.

Dee leaned in even further to the point where their noses were touching.

"So much so that you married him and became his husband for all eternity."

"Very righteously so."

Dee moved within inches close of their lips touching.

"So much so that you let Bikky watch Grace for awhile while you and this boy go off into the bedroom for a little playtime that will knock your clothes off, literally and figuratively."

Ryo chuckled again as he and Dee shared a warm passionate kiss. Grace cooed and gurgled in Ryo's arms and pressed her hand on their faces.

"Whoa hey there you!" Ryo said with a smile as he broke the kiss from Dee. "You like it when Dee and I make kissy faces?"

Dee laughed as he nuzzled his cheek on Ryo's.

"Mmm...I think its time Grace took her afternoon nap. She looks a little sleepy." Ryo said as he placed a kiss on her cheek and stood up, but stooped again to Dee's ear.

"And then how about I take you up on that play date?"

Dee's ears perked up.

"Would this play date involve being naked?" Dee asked.

"I would hope so." Ryo said as he gave Dee's ear a nibble and trotted off to the nursery to put Grace down while Dee high tailed it to the bedroom, nearly colliding with Bikky and his homework sending papers all over the place.

"WEIRD ASS PERVERT!" Bikky yelled. A few minutes later Ryo quickly walked past him, closing the bedroom door when he got there. Bikky shook his head. All too well he knew what that meant.

"Sex freaks." He uttered and continued to work on his homework. He knew with Grace being in the house they would be quiet, and he figured that it would be a good idea if he stuck around instead of running off to Carol's. God knows if they really got into it, they might be too "occupied" to tend to Grace if she cried. Someone had to be the adult around there.

Of course that's what Bikky was thinking in his mind. In his heart...he just wanted to hang around with Grace and his dads for the day.