Chapter 1

"Mom, is my cap straight?"

Laurie turned and smiled. "Yes, honey you look wonderful!" Robin grinned, then reached over and hugged her mother. "You wouldn't happen to be biased, would you, Mom?"

"Just a little!" she laughed. Rick came into A.J.'s living room and stopped dead, looking at his daughter in her graduation gown. "Pop, you got off early, I wanted to surprise you!" she chided, then embraced him.

Blinking rapidly, he told her, "I'm so proud of you, Robin, first in your class!" "Pop, you and Mom are the ones who helped me do it! All the chickens we ate, it really helped me nail my final!" she giggled.

"Yeah, squirt, I ate so much chicken this summer I've got feathers!" her brother teased, coming around the corner and dodging a swat. "I'll show you feathers," she smirked, chasing him out of the room.

Laurie laughed as she saw their children vanish, then seeing her husband's wistful expression went and kissed him. "Rick, darling, I know. Getting used to them leaving school and growing up, it seems like it's happening all at once!" His heart lifted as he took his wife in his arms. "Sweetheart, I can get used to our bird leaving the nest as long as I have you." he whispered,

"You say the most wonderful things, my love, just never stop!" she smiled, snuggling against his chest. Hearing two "A hem's", they looked up to see Robin and Robbie in the doorway. "Oh, come here, you two!" Rick grinned, and included their children in his embrace.

Later, watching his daughter cross the Culinary Institute stage to receive her certificate, Rick thought back to the brown-eyed child who had stolen his heart so many years before. He felt Laurie take his hand and turning to her, saw tears in her eyes. "So happy, Rick." she whispered, catching his eye and trying not to blink. He cupped her hand in his gently, as "Robin Scott Simon" was announced as the highest scoring student.

Applauding madly, Rick caught sight of two bouquets of flowers being handed over the front of the stage to their blushing daughter. "Darling, did you order flowers?" his wife asked, staring at the piles of red and pink roses.

"I ordered blue and pink flowers, but those were to be delivered to the house." he replied, puzzled. Suddenly the answer came as Rick saw Ian Whitehorse grinning and waving at Robin, who blew him a kiss over the footlights. "Ok, that explains one bunch, but who?" he started, then realized Oscar and Rudy were edging their way down the row.

"Oh, you made it, I hoped you would!" Laurie practically leapt with joy into her uncle's arms. Smiling from ear to ear, Oscar hugged her, then made way for Rudy to embrace both Simons. Settling down, they cheered again as the graduates switched their tassels and then tossed the caps in the air.

As soon as they were able, the Simons and their friends made their way down to the front of the auditorium, where they found Robin being whirled around by her brother. Cecilia was beaming at her granddaughter, as A.J. and Linda held a wriggling Ricky and laughingly looked on.

Catching sight of her uncles, Robin duplicated her mothers' actions, jumping into their embrace. "Thank you for the flowers, they are so beautiful!" she exclaimed, kissing them both.

"Beautiful roses for a beautiful graduate, and first in her class!" Oscar bragged. Just then Chief Joseph and a bashful Ian came forward, taking turns greeting Robin.

Abruptly a beeper went off, and Robbie grimaced as he saw it was his. "I'm sorry, Robin, that's Captain Turner, I've got to go!" Kissing his sister, then his mother and grandmother, he made his way out of the crowd and disappeared out the exit.

Oscar shook his head, "Now he knows what it is to be in law enforcement; since when is he on call?" Rick chuckled. "Since Captain Turner of Robbery found out about Robbie's minor in design, they needed someone who could i.d. original works of art. Apparently there may be something going down; Robbie's just going to verify what's stolen."

"Yes, Oscar, he promised he'd try to make it back for some of Robin's party, speaking of which, ..." Laurie glanced at her watch, "Rick, I'm going to head home to get the grill started, ok?"

"Yes, darlin', just be careful driving!" he kissed her, then smiled as she hugged him back, then reminded their friends "Don't forget the fish in your freezer!"

"Don't worry, honey, I already defrosted it; we'll stop to get it on the way!" Rudy promised.

Once everyone was gathered up and Robin had posed for pictures with most of her class, Rick led everyone to the parking lot.

Suddenly a police car careened into the parking lot, and Captain Ron jumped out. "Hey, Captain, you're just in time to ...", Rick began, then got a cold feeling in his stomach. The Phoenix policeman came over to him and in a low voice said, "I'm sorry, Rick, I need you and Dr. Wells over at the hospital; Robert's been hurt."