"YOU want ME to go with.." she swallowed, "Vicki, undercover..as a hooker." Kate was less than pleased. Mike tried to calm her, tellling her that Vicki didn't need to go alone, although Mike knew that she could handle herself, he wanted Kate to be there. Mike planned on catching up with them after his little lunch date, which he was not looking forward to.

"Fine, it's police work, related to the case..fine." She said going to get ready. She would visit their officer that took care of undercover cases and get all hoochied up as Mike had put it.

Mike flopped down in his chair and picked up the family portrait he kept on his desk. They were all smiling, he was sitting with Sara in his lap, M.J. stood beside him, Kate standing behind him. The perfect happy family. When had things gone bad? Mike wondered.

Kate came strolling into his office looking very hot. Mike stood up, looking her up and down. He could feel himself become aroused. Kate glanced down, noticing it too. She had a half-cocked grin on her face. She moved closer to him, only inches from his body. She whispered,

"If you're lucky, I'll wear this later," Mike started sweating with desire for her. It was not lost on Kate. She turned and swayed out the door. After leaving, Mike realized he didn't really want her out like that, other men looking at her.

"Damn! " he cursed trying to catch her. Too late, Vicki was driving off with her in a cab.

The cab ride was quiet at first, tension so thick you could cut it with a knife.

"So, you ready for this? I'm sure I don't need to fill you in, Mike has informed you of everything right?" Vicki said finally breaking the silence. Both of them had magic prickling from their heightened anxiety with one another. The cabbie was acting strangely as if he were itching all over. Vicki noticed and decided to have him drop them off a few blocks earlier. He was appreciative.

They walked a block or two before Vicki asked again, "So??"

"Oh, yeah Mike filled me in." Kate was short with her answer.

"Okaaayy.." Vicki said, both of them still walking. Suddenly, Kate stopped and jerked Vicki by the arm around to face her. Vicki raised her left fist in a reflex action, almost decking her.

"What the fuck is wrong with you Kate? Mike is biting our head off, you are being a bitch? Jeez.." Vicki said jerking her arm away from Kate.

Kate was clenching her fists, flaring her nostrils. Both of them had power bubbling on the edge, the women standing there dressed like hookers, face to face as if they were going to throw down right there.

"What is it Kate? Is it me? What have I done to you?" Vicki spat out.

"Yes, it's you but it's not, "Kate said, shaking her head in confusion.

"What the hell does that mean?"

"Do you know how hard it is to live up to the great Vicki Nelson?"

"Fitzroy." Vicki corrected.

"Whatever." Kate said.

"Kate," Vicki softened, for as much as Vicki could soften,"Why now? We have families, Mike is madly in love with you, you have two beautiful kids together, what's happened? What has changed?" Vicki was a good PI. She knew that something had to have happened and Kate wasn't letting on. Women's intuition or PI, either way it was obvious.

Kate closed her eyes, leaned against a building and started to talk, finally releasing what she had been holding in for so long.

Kate told Vicki how she had been having strange dreams. She had dreamt that she lost Mike, lost the kids. It was very frightening and she told Mike about it. He brushed if off of course, hurting her feelings.

"And.." Kate said clearing her throat, shifting uncomfortably,"we've been trying to have another baby and I can't seem to get pregnant again.." With that last bit of information, Kate began to cry.

"Don't cry Kate, really, I mean really don't cry, we are supposed to be hooking out here remember, I mean, I understand, well no I guess I don't but I do understand," Vicki knew she was rambling, trying to get Kate under control. This was not her area, ass kicking, that was her area, emotional, Coreen and Henry, with the exception of her kids.

"Sorry," Kate sniffed,'You're right, we are on assignment so to speak," Vicki moved in and quickly gave Kate a hug, a car passed at that moment, honked and yelled,"Hey girls how much for a threesome?"

Vicki turned and shot them the bird. They sped away, laughter bellowing out of the windows.

"Look, I know that Mike loves you and you don't have to live up to me..what's this got to do with me?" Vicki still didn't get the connection.

"I think I just fear that I won't live up to what you and Mike had, I don't know. Or maybe the dream is symbolic for losing him to you."

"Believe me, at the end, you don't want what Mike and I had," Vicki laughed remembering how they fought constantly before their breakup.

"Mike is not the best in the comfort department." Vicki told Kate, as if she needed to tell her something she already knew.

"And no offense, but I have a life with Henry, my kids..I don't want Mike, he's my best friend sure but..that's it Kate."

"You are so lucky with Henry." Kate didn't have to ask to know that Henry was totally opposite of Mike, just as Vicki was the opposite of Kate.

"As far as your dreams, maybe it's just an inward fear you have, " Vicki offered. Kate nodded thougtfully.

"And..as far as the baby.." Vicki didn't quite know what to say there. She seemed to get pregnant without even trying.

"If it happens," she sighed, "it happens. I need to get a grip, I'm sorry Vicki really, but you have to admit, you are a lot of woman to follow."

Vicki tilted her head, that was a kind of a backhanded compliment but she took it.

"Thanks."

They finally came upon some women who were out early in the afternoon. They all jumped when Vicki and Kate approached.

"Who the hell are you?" One very tall redhead asked.

"Uh..I'm Roxy and this is Sparkle." Vicki muttered "sparkle?" under her breath at Kate. Kate shrugged, she was trying to think quick and she had just read a novel with that name in it.

"Huh..well you better be careful. Someone out there is after us. We ain't stayin' after dark no more are we girls?" The group shook their heads no collectively.

Vicki started questioning them, trying not to seem too suspicious. The women talked eagerly, they were frightened. They said their friend Starr got in the car with someone right into her shift that night. It was a big old cadillac, red and ugly they said.

"Well, that should narrow it down, " Vicki whispered to Kate.

"Did you see what they looked like?" Vicki asked.

The redhead became suspicious.."You guys cops?'

Vicki decided honesty would suffice, "She is, I'm a PI that works with the cops but we are not here to bust you, we are here to help catch the bastard that's doing this."

The redhead eyed her, she was a small woman, Kate wasn't much bigger.

"What are you two gonna do? You're little and lookin' at that outfit, ain't nowhere a gun would go except.."

"Okay, no we are no packing." Vicki said putting her hand up and stopping them.

"We've got men posted," Vicki lied.

This seem to satisfy the girls.

Jack or whatever name he was using now, was watching the exchange between the hookers and the two women. That was her, he could smell and feel it. This was the one he was looking for. She had come to him. All he had to do was wait.