Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters. I only the own the situation in which I have put them in.

Twenty minutes later Perry pulled into a parking spot at the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens. Perry and Della quickly tried to get the kids out of the car since they were practically ripping at their seatbelts and car seats to get out. Perry took Eli's hand to keep him from running off, and Della carried Brooke so that she wouldn't tire out and run away too. The family approached the gate and Perry paid for their passes. As soon as they entered the zoo, the children squealed in delight at all the animals waiting to be seen.

The first animal they saw were the monkeys, but they couldn't stay long as Eli was attempting to feed one of them gum. Then they headed for the lions which Brooke was thrilled since she loved cats. Next they checked out the giraffes, crocodiles, elephants, tigers, and many more. Before they knew it three hours had passed, and to say that Perry and Della were exhausted would have been an understatement. Perry glanced down at his watch which read noon and said to Della, "We had better get something to eat."

"We could eat at the Gorilla Grill," Della suggested, pointing back behind her, "its got kid's meals."

"Alright," Perry agreed, taking Brooke from her and handing Eli over, "let's get something to eat. I'm starving!"

"Me too," Della, Eli and Brooke all said at the same time.

They sat themselves in some shade and ordered two grilled cheese meals for the kids, and they each had a hamburger. They sat and talked for about an hour before Perry decided it was time to move again. Since they had eaten at the Gorilla Grill, the kids now wanted to see a gorilla. However, before anyone was allowed to leave, Della gave both kids and Perry and herself a good rub down with sunscreen. Perry chuckled as Della rubbed the back of his neck and said so that only she could hear, "I wish we were at home and you were doing this."

Della playfully pinched him. Of course, both kids were ready to go so Perry and Della quickly gathered up all the gear and Della took Eli while Perry carried Brooke. As they walked towards the gorillas, Eli was trying to be smart.

"Did you know that when a male's back turns silver that he is basically the leader of his group?"

Perry smiled as he explained, "Eli, a silverback is a mature male and they fight for the leader position. Also gorillas live in families not groups."

Della gave him that look that told him he had said too much as Eli scowled. Perry sighed as he said, "You were on the right track, though, Whirlwind. I just added to your knowledge."

To get even, Eli looked at his grandfather and said, "So silverbacks are just old males, kinda like you since you have silver hair."

Della burst out laughing as it was Perry's turn to scowl. When Della finally caught her breath, she looked at Perry and said, "He has a point you know. However, you never had to fight me for leadership."

Perry laughed as he said, "There have been times that I wonder about that. However, young lady, I would never fight with you unless it was about your safety or the kid's safety."

Della smiled his favorite smile as she replied, "I know, Darling."

Before they knew it, they were standing in front of the gorillas, and both Eli and Brooke were leaning against the rail to get a better look down into their enclosure. Yet, after five minutes they were bored and in the mood to get some souvenirs. Perry, Della, Eli, and Brooke walked back to a shop they had passed called the International Market where all kinds of souvenirs were stashed. When Eli and Brooke saw the contents of the store, their little eyes widened in awe as this store seemed to have everything. No sooner had they gotten in the store, the two kids ran in different directions, Della following Eli and Perry walking after Brooke.

Finally Perry scooped her up and said sternly, "Bunny, we have to stay together, alright?"

Brooke wasn't paying any attention to her grandfather as she was too busy staring around at all the stuffed animals. Perry walked along the wall looking for a specific animal and he finally found what he was looking for. There were three shelves stocked full of different kinds of rabbits. Perry smiled down at Brooke and said, "How about I get a bunny for my little Bunny?"

Brooke squealed in delight as she said excitedly, "I like this one, Pappy!"

She pointed to a medium sized, white rabbit that was positioned sitting up on its hind legs. It also had a pink nose, pink paw pads, and the insides of its ears were pink too.

Perry chuckled as he reached up and grabbed one and handed it to Brooke who hugged it tightly to her and asked, "So I get to keep this bunny?"

"Yep," Perry answered, walking towards the cash register, "it's all yours."

"Yay!"

Perry grinned again as he approached the clerk behind the register and said, "This will be it."

The man rang it up and said, "That will be thirteen dollars and fifty four cents, sir."

Perry put Brooke down on the ground so that he could reach into his back pocket and pull out his wallet. Perry handed the man a twenty just as Della and Eli walked over to him, a stuffed lion in Eli's hands. Della smiled as she asked, "So what are you getting, Mr. Mason?"

"I, Mrs. Mason," Perry answered receiving the change back from the clerk and taking the stuffed rabbit from him too, "am getting a bunny for my Bunny."

Della smiled then as she looked around her smile began to fade as she asked, "Where is Brooke?"

Immediately Perry's brow furrowed as he answered, "She's right…."

He looked down at his side to see no one standing there. He looked all around him and panicking he replied, "She was just here, Della! I just put her down!"

"Perry," Della said alarmed now, "kids disappear all the time in the blink of an eye! This place is crawling with creeps, what if someone grabbed her?"

Perry suddenly went numb thinking about that possibility as he exclaimed, "No, we'll find her, we have too! Split up and let's look for her!"

Della nodded as she took Eli by the hand and tore off towards the entrance to the store to cover the front half while Perry headed for the back half. Perry searched row after row and couldn't find her anywhere. Just to be sure he walked through them all again and saw neither hide nor hair of his little girl. Really starting to get worried sick now, he stormed off to find Della to see if she had found her. When he got to the entrance Della was talking to a security guard who had his notepad out, taking notes of Brooke's description.

"You say she was just here," the young male officer asked.

"Yes, officer," Della confirmed as she caught sight of Perry rushing to them, "my husband was the last to see her."

Jut then Perry came up beside her and asked, "Did you find her?"

"No, Perry," Della answered close to tears.

Perry was close to tears as well as he said quietly, "We'll find her if it takes us all day."

"Perry," Della asked, tears falling down her cheeks, "what if we don't find her? What will we do?"

"Della," Perry barked, not meaning to sound so mean, "we will find her! We have to, and I won't rest until I get my Bunny back!"

With that, Perry raced off outside the shop and looked around him. She couldn't have wandered far, he reasoned. Then a great tide of relief swept over him as he caught sight of her little, curly head watching in amazement as two zoo keepers were walking a lion cub for the public's entertainment. Forgetting all self control, he took off towards the little girl, and swept her up into his embrace and hugged her tightly.

"Oh, Bunny," Perry said through tears, "I thought I had lost you!"

"No, Pappy," Brooke explained, shaking her head looking alarmed and confused, "I was here all the time, but if I were lost, I know you'd come find me."

"That's right," Perry replied, kissing her cheek, "and don't you ever forget that!"

"Perry!"

Perry looked around to see Della and Eli hurtling towards them. Della quickly took Brooke from him and hugged and kissed her too as she asked Brooke, "Are you alright, sweetie?"

"Yes, Mimi," Brooke said, "I was never not okay. I saw them walking the baby lions and wanted to see."

"Don't ever do that again, Brooke," Della told her angrily. "Your Pappy and I thought we had lost you! You can't worry us like that!"

"I'm sorry," Brooke said, tears welling in her eyes as she turned to Perry and asked, "Are you mad at me?"

"Bunny," Perry said, "right now we're just glad you're alright."

"Is there anything else you need folks," the officer asked as he had followed Della.

"No, thank you," Perry said.

As the officer walked away, Perry was hit with that terrible pain in his chest again. He had to sit down on a bench so that he wouldn't fall down. Della didn't notice at first as she was watching the officer walk away, and only noticed when she turned to ask Perry a question and saw that he was grabbing his chest, a look of excruciating pain etched into every line of his face.

"Perry!"

Della put Brooke down on the ground, and then she ran to Perry's side and asked, "Is it your heart again, Darling?"

Slowly Perry nodded his head and was able to croak, "Get an ambulance. I don't think I'm going to…."

He laid down on the bench as his eyes rolled to the back of his head and Della was crying and shouting at the top of her lungs, "Perry, NNOOOO!"