Sorry for the delay. But I gave you a longer chapter to make up for it. :) Please enjoy and tell me what you think. :)

Chapter 7

Kate groaned as she sat up. Lying in bed until noon. Not a good idea. She thought tossing her phone back on the pillow. A night of little, if any sleep was ended at 4:45. She had laid in bed for hours, looking at her phone every few minutes. Rick had yet to call.

As she stretched she replayed yesterday's events. Rick had wanted her to meet Alexis, his five year old daughter after a second date. She had shrunk back, telling him she needed time. I do need time. She thought defensively. What if Alexis really liked me, and in two months I would just leave her. I couldn't do that. Kate continued as she walked past her bedroom mirror.

Kate stopped and took a step back to look at the person in the mirror. Looking at the battle scars she bore from her war with sleep. The track shorts she wore were stuck to her thighs, the purple tank top that was covering her torso the evening before had rolled up to her belly button. The marks of rumpled sheets were pressed deep into every inch of visible skin. Her auburn hair was a mess of tangled curls, fly a ways, and countless knots. And the dark purple bags beneath her tired hazel eyes would be the constant reminder of her restless night.

Taking herself in, Kate let out another loud groan and started out of her room. Her parents had left hours before to go to work, leaving Kate to hold the fort until they returned. Just before stepping off of the stairs she heard her phone ringing in her bedroom. Taking two stairs at a time and sprinting down the hall, skidding to a halt at her bedroom door. She dove on to the bed tossing aside the sheets and pillows in search of the ringing phone. She felt her fingers wrap around it just before it fell between the head board and wall, she pulled her hand out and turned the phone to see 'Missed Call' flash across the screen before revealing Maddie's number.

Without calling back her friend she clutched the phone and went back downstairs.

X-X-X-X

Rick opened his eyes and glanced reflexively at his phone. The blank screen taunted him as it stared up into his watery blue eyes, daring him to dial Kate's number. But he couldn't not today.

"Alexis! Paige! Lunch is ready!" Rick called upstairs as he moved two plates to the bar. He could hear the pattering of two five year olds running to the stairs. As the red head and brunette climbed on to the bar stools he asked them, "Do you girls want to go to the park when you're done?"

Both girls having full mouths nodded frantically.

"Great." He said clapping his hands together and smiling widely at his daughter and her best friend.

20 minutes later the group of three were walking out the front door and to the elevator. The park was too far to walk so Rick hailed a cab, Paige slide into the back seat first, then Alexis and Rick last. He told the driver to take them to the adventure playground in Central Park.

Not too far from the park traffic was blocked by something Rick couldn't see. So he paid the driver and stepped out of the cab, taking Alexis' hand. His daughter snaking her other arm with Paige's. The group stepped onto the curb and began to make their way to the park.

Rick released his daughter's hand and watched as the two five year olds skipped a few steps ahead of him, arms locked, slightly resembling Dorothy and the Scarecrow. His eyes darted from the girls to the crowded Manhattan sidewalk.

Their destination finally in sight Alexis turned to look up at her father, silently asking if she her friend could run ahead. Rick laughed. My daughter, always asking permission. No idea who she inherited that from. "Go ahead." He said. Alexis smiled and tugged Paige's arm, the two were off in a flash. Rick kept his eyes trained on the whisks of red hair; his theory was that if he kept an eye on Alexis, Paige wouldn't be too far away, it had yet to be proven incorrect.

Rick meandered over to an empty bench and sat, occasionally glancing away from his daughter to gaze at people. One of his favorite things to do when he was in public was people watch. It was one of the many things that inspired him to be a writer. Most of his stories included secret agents and alien abduction. As he looked around he watched joggers run by. Every once in a while one or two rollerbladers would skate by.

The idea hit him like a speeding train. Pulling his phone out of his pocket he dialed quickly.

After two rings Kate's voice floated through the line, "Hey."

"Hey." Rick replied. "What are you up to?"

"Nothing really."

"Sounds like fun." He smiled at her laugh.

"Oh you have no idea. How about you?"

"I'm with Alexis and her friend, Paige at the park."

"You're having more fun than me." She laughed.

"Nothing versus two five year old girls. Hmm? I'll have to think about that one."

"I say it's a tie."

"Good answer." He laughed. "Quick question. Are you busy tomorrow around noon?"

"Nope."

"Do you know how to rollerblade?"

"Rick who doesn't know how to rollerblade?"

"I didn't learn until I was 20." He said defensively as he listened to Kate laugh.

"You're kidding right?"

"Nope, I swear I didn't learn until I was 20 years old."

"Nice. But why do you want to know if I can?"

"I wanted to take rollerblading tomorrow after we have lunch."

"Sounds like fun. Where do you want me to meet you?"

Rick turned on the bench, standing he looked around. There was nowhere he'd like to meet Kate.

"Rick. You still there?"

"Yeah. I'm here. How about we meet at Merchant's Gate Plaza Cafe. I'm taking you know where that is?"

"I know where that is. Yeah. And you said tomorrow at noon?" She questioned.

"Anytime around noon-ish."

"Sounds good." Kate's voice floated through the phone.

"Great." Rick said smiling and waving to his daughter, who had looked over at him. "Rollerblading tomorrow around noon-ish."

"I'll meet you at Merchant's Gate Plaza Cafe. I can't wait."

"Me neither." Rick was procrastinating hanging up, he could listen to Kate's voice all day. It was crazy how much he missed her. He could see Paige and Alexis running toward him, "Hey I gotta go."

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Great. Bye.

"Bye." Kate said.

Rick pulled the phone away from his ear and hung up dropping back in his pocket as Alexis and Paige ran up to him.

"What are you girls doing?" He asked as they skidded to a halt a foot from his legs.

"We were playing hide-n-go-seek." Alexis declared.

"Well, did you have fun?"

"Yep!" The two said in unison.

"Good. Are you ready to go home?"

"Yeah." They answered together again. Rick always thought they must think on the same wave length.

"All right let's go." He said, grasping his daughter's hand, as she and Paige locked arms.

Rick smiled as they walked to the sidewalk in search of a cab.

X-X-X-X

Kate grabbed her old rollerblades off the floor of her bedroom. She had spent what felt like hours looking for them yesterday after Rick called. Stuffing her phone in her pocket and grasping her sunglasses that were threatening to fall from their perch on the top of her head. She started for the stairs but remembered she needed her keys. Running back to her room she dug around her purse until she felt the edge of her key ring. Pulling it out of her purse she saw the key to her motorcycle dangling in front of her. She thought about taking it instead of a cab, but decided trying to find her helmet would take too much time, she was already running late. I've called a cab anyway. She told herself.

Hearing a loud honk, signaling the cab was outside waiting. Kate ran downstairs, grabbing some cash off the kitchen counter before heading for the door. She heard it slam behind her as she walked to the street. The cab was sitting by the curb; the driver had the front windows down. Kate climbed in the back and told the driver she wanted to go to Merchant's Gate. Not too long later the driver stopped and told Kate the fee. She handed him a couple of crumpled bills and clambered out, thanking him as she went. She jogged on the sidewalk, weaving through people. When she finally got to Merchant's Gate she looked at all the small iron tables, her eyes finally falling on Rick. She walked up to him, he turned in time to see her. He stood and smiled at her.

"Hey." He said. "Why are you out of breath?"

"I'm sorry." Kate replied, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I jogged here because I'm running late."

"You're not late." Rick laughed. "You're right on time." He pulled her in to a warm hug.

"I'm sorry." Kate muttered.

"Don't be sorry. We agreed on noon-ish. It's 12…" He looked down at his watch. "13. You're not late. Change of subject. Are you hungry?"

Kate shrugged, "Not really."

"Great. We can eat later. You ready?"

"Yep."

"Let's go." He said taking her hand.

She smiled up at him as they walked in silence. After a minute Rick started to speak.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"I think you already did." Kate smiled teasingly.

"I need your help with something." He smiled back, that same lopsided grin that Kate loved since she first saw him

"Rollerblading?"

"Haha." Rick laughed humorlessly. "No. I finally found an agent." Rick looked down at Kate to see her reaction.

She smiled, "That's great!"

"She wants me to change my last name."

"Why? Rodgers is a great last name."

"She said it didn't have the proper ring to it. Richard Rodgers." He said looking over at Kate. "She said think of it this way, Nicholas Sparks. Nicholas, great name for an author. And He writes romance novels, the spark that everyone feels when they are with the right person. Add great first name with a last name that describes the majority of his books, you get Nicholas Sparks." He explained.

"Okay. I see." Kate fell silent for a moment before asking, "Well do you have anything in mind?"

"I've thought about it for a while, but I can only come up with Slaughter."

"Don't you think that's a little dark, even morbid?"

"That's all I got."

Kate thought a minute before responding, "How about, Night?"

"As in black as night or knight in shining armor?"

"I don't know, both." She shrugged.

"Night as in black as night is good, but Knight as in knight in shining armor is a little to fairytale to me."

"Okay. So how about…" Kate thought as she and Rick took a seat on a bench and began changing into their skates. "Black?"

"As in black as night?"

"Yeah."

"It's creepy, dark. It sounds pretty good, too, Richard Black."

"Yeah it does. So far we have Slaughter, Night, Knight, and Black." Rick counted off on his fingers as he helped Kate stand up.

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