Cory bounced in the front door that night and wrapped her arms around her husband's waist.

Tc was standing at the stove cooking dinner, stirring a pot with one arm and bouncing their baby girl on his hip with the other.

'Guess what?' She said excitedly.

'You're standing behind me completely naked?' He said hopefully.

'Nope.'

'Darn.' He handed her the baby and went to the pantry to get some pepper.

'Palermo is back.'

Tc nodded and shook some pepper into the sauce he was making.

'You aren't even a little bit pleased about it? What the matter, you used to be close.'

'Well what do you expect me to do? Run up to him and give him a big sloppy kiss? I haven't seen the guy for two years and I have had a few things on my mind since then.'

Cory frowned. 'Are you okay?'

'Just peachy.' He replied dryly. 'Apart from having this one,' he kissed his daughter on her semi bald head, 'throwing up all over the office.'

'Still can't find a sitter?'

Tc shook his head. 'I'm half tempted to stick a flyer up at the high school. At least then someone could take her for a few hours.'

'I wonder if Carli likes kids.' Cory thought aloud.

'Who's Carli?'

'Tony's girlfriend. They moved here because her family didn't approve of him.'

'Charming.' He hadn't told Cory about the discussion he'd had with HIS family. After Chris they were hoping he'd marry some CEO with a Mercedes and a mansion in Beverly Hills. Luckily they'd been able to hold their tongues around his wife.

Cory sniffed her daughter. 'Has she had a bath yet?'

Tc shook his head. 'No, I only got home about 15 minutes ago.'

'Okay, I'll change her and bath her.' Cory left Tc in the kitchen and carried her daughter upstairs to the bathroom, muttering something about smelly babies on the way.

+++++

Tony's office was empty when Cory arrived at Long Beach the next morning.

'Where's Lieutenant Palermo?' She asked one of her officers.

The officer shrugged. 'He was in here for a few minutes then left. Said something about a family emergency.'

'Already?' She muttered her to herself.

+++++

It was lunch time before he finally made an appearance.

He strode into the station looking dishevelled and rather annoyed.

Cory followed him into his office. 'Is everything ok?'

Tony sat down behind the desk. 'Before I left Italy Jessie called. She was seemed really happy that I was coming back and wanted me to call her when I arrived.'

'I've been calling the number she gave me and it always rings out. I called Helen this morning and she says she hasn't seen Jessie in about eight weeks.' He leaned his forearms on the desk and looked at Cory for an answer.

'Maybe she's…out with friends?'

'For eight weeks?'

Cory shrugged. 'Did Helen say anything about it?'

'Only that Jessie was being a disagreeable teenager. She said Jessie swore that when she was 18 she'd move out. She left just after her 17th birthday and barely stays in touch with her mother.' Tony leaned back and put his hands behind his head. 'And nobody bothered to tell me until now.'

'So you were out with Jessie this morning then?'

'No. This morning I was out checking up on possible addresses given to me by Helen and Jessie's friends. Nobody has seen her. Nobody knows where she is. AND, nobody seems to even know if she's still alive.'

'Except you.'

'Cory I haven't seen her. I spoke to her on the phone about a week ago. That's it.' He was getting flustered.

'I'm sure she'll show up.' Cory said trying to reassure him.

'I hope so too. That's why I made this up.' He handed her a piece of paper.

'A missing persons report.' Cory said to herself. 'You really think that's necessary.'

'Cory, you have a child. Wouldn't you do the same?'

'Probably.' Except her baby had only just learned to sit up. She didn't think Keira was quite to the stage of running away.

'I was hoping you could file it.' Tony said.

'Are you sure? She's listed as Jessie Palermo. The people downstairs are going to make the connection.'

Tony looked her square in the eye. 'I don't care.' He said with a sarcastic grin. 'I want my daughter back.'

Cory nodded and went downstairs to file the report. She called her team together and briefed them on it as they were about to go out on patrol.

One of her officers, Billy Guerrero made the connection. 'Someone we know?' He asked.

'It's a case like any other. She's missing, we have to find her.'

Her officers left and she faxed the report to the other stations in the area.

+++++