(See the first chapter for disclaimer, notes, spoiler, etc.)

Chapter Three: "Dreams Will Come to Be"

Nick realized the famed line about his new city was also a true line. New York truly was the city that didn't sleep.

Ever.

No matter the time of day, when he was on duty in front of the Upper East Side apartment building, there was always something going on. Cabs flew by, streaks of yellow against the black potholed pavement. Foot traffic of innumerable measure, crowds of tourists and native city-dwellers alike. His favorite were the dog walkers, usually a struggling college student of diminutive stature that juggled the leashes of a menagerie of pedigrees.

He sighed, grasping his hands behind him as he scanned the sidewalk. From up the street, he recognized a familiar figure. Gregory Richards was a creature of habit, jogging every morning in Central Park before the sun was up. His breath crystallized in white puffs as he slowed at the entrance, leaning over to stretch. "Good morning, Mr. Richards!" Nick exclaimed.

Gregory nodded cordially, pulling the tiny earbuds from his ears. "So they tell me," he said dryly, rolling his neck. "How is it you always manage to be on duty every time I see you?"

Nick chuckled, an icy blast of wind carrying his laugh down the street. "Just lucky, I suppose."

He straightened, breathing hard as he warmed down from his run. "It's kind of hit-or-miss."

"What is, Sir?"

"Luck."

Nick thought carefully and quickly glanced through the glass doors. "Well, I suppose. Though, in my experience, it's always helped along by some caring soul."

Now it was Gregory's turn to chuckle, a truly amused grin warming his face. "In my experience, that's even rarer than luck." He started for the door, which Nick held open grandly. "You really should take an evening off."

"Well, Sir, it's really not so bad. You see," Nick explained, "my family lives rather far away, so it's no trouble to pick up an extra shift here and there." He followed Gregory into the lobby, quickening his step so that he could pass him. "Of course, there's always added benefits." He ducked around his desk and retrieved a thick envelope, holding it reverently before him. "Last night, for example, I had the pleasure of sharing a very pleasant snack with Alexia Blake."

Gregory turned back, watching the doorman suspiciously. "Lexi's a sweet little girl."

Nick nodded, but continued, "But, a very sad girl, I think."

"That's her mother's doing."

"But, it's not intentional, is it?"

"No." He shook his head, leaning against the desk as he sighed. "She's a tough woman to get close to. People in the building talk though."

"Bette Katzenkazrahi on the seventh floor?" Nick asked knowingly.

Gregory smirked. "Yes. Olivia…" He paused, letting her name rest on his lips for a long moment. Her eyes flashed in his mind, sapphire against a lioness' mane of chestnut. "She's been hurt in the past," he continued softly, the vision of her dancing through his mind. "Very badly, from what I've heard."

He clucked his tongue, meeting Gregory's eyes regretfully. "Such a shame."

"So now, she's built this brick wall around herself and Lexi. She lets no one in."

"I'm sure a handsome young man like you wouldn't have any trouble breaking down that wall."

"It's a strong wall," Gregory retorted.

Nick leaned in close, gesturing the younger man in for discretion's sake. "Perhaps," he suggested quietly, holding out the envelope, "you should climb over it instead?" As Gregory tilted his head in thought, he continued, "This package was delivered for Olivia this morning." He held it out temptingly, meeting Gregory's eyes. "It's stamped 'URGENT' and I don't think it should wait until my break to be delivered."

Gregory took the package slowly from Nick, wrapping his hand around the heft of it. He looked up, catching the elderly man's meaningful wink, and nodded. "I don't mind delivering it. It's on my way."

Nick smiled broadly, watching the other man walk off to the elevator, a new spring in his step. "Good luck," he said softly, heading back out to the street.

The turn of page and a sniffle stood out in the silence, rousing Olivia awake. She rolled over, opening her eyes slowly. Lexi was snuggled against the pillows, a thick book in her hands and tears streaming down her face. She pushed herself up slowly, touching her daughter's shoulder. "Lex, what's wrong?"

"Oh, Mommy," she sighed, dropping the book in her lap as she blinked back tears. "Colin can walk and his father loves him!" She fell into her mother's arms, sobbing.

Olivia smiled sadly, running her hand over her daughter's curls as she hugged her close. She glanced at the cover, the mysterious garden enticing the little orphan girl with its magic. "You finished your book?" she asked softly, drawing her daughter in as she sank back into the pillows.

The child nodded, looking up at her mother with a tear-stained face. "The garden made Mary and Colin better," she sighed, sniffling.

"Oh, Lexi. You worry me when you cry."

"But, the book was so wonderful, Mommy! I want to go to Yorkshire and grow roses," she said, causing her mother to chuckle.

"You always want to go to England. Last week, you wanted to go and find an old wardrobe. Before that, you wanted to chase a white rabbit to Wonderland." She kissed her forehead and drew the down comforter over them. "You are my imaginative little girl, aren't you?" The child grinned, hugging her mother tight and listening to her breathing. "What should we do today?"

"Let's go to the bookstore!"

Olivia laughed. "You always want to go to the bookstore. I should just have you move in. You're there often enough."

"Can I?"

"Lex, I was kidding."

"I know, Mommy."

But Olivia knew that her daughter was only partly serious. She would give anything to live in the bookstore, surrounded by a never-ending supply of books to immerse herself in. "How about after the bookstore we go ice skating? It's certainly cold enough."

"Yes!" Lexi jumped up, kneeling on the mattress as she brushed her hair out of her face. "And then, we can get big mugs of hot chocolate and whipped cream!"

"I don't know what's worse," Olivia teased. "You and the reading or you and the sugar."

"I guess you'll find out today," Lexi laughed as the chime of the doorbell echoed throughout the apartment. "I'll get it!" she shouted, jumping off the bed.

"Check before you open it," Olivia called out after her, rising from the bed and pulling on her robe as she stepped into the bathroom.

Lexi skidded into the foyer and dragged the ornamental bench over to the door. Through the peephole, she saw the distorted face of Gregory Richards. She gasped, jumping down and pushing the bench aside as she unlocked the heavy door. "Hi, Mr. Richards!" she said, pulling open the door.

"Good morning, Lexi. How's it treating you?"

"Pretty good. I finished a book this morning."

"Another one?" Gregory marveled, stepping into the foyer and glancing around. "Don't you ever sleep?"

"Oh, sure. Mommy makes me. If it was up to me though, I'd stay up reading all night, every night." She grinned wickedly, looking up at her tall neighbor. "Did you come to see my mother?"

Gregory narrowed his eyes suspiciously, the little girl's eyes glittering with excitement. "As a matter of fact, I did." He held out the heavy package, glancing past the child and into the quiet apartment. "This is for her."

"Oh." Lexi's face fell. He would give her the package and leave. He'd be gone in minutes. Her mind raced as she grabbed his free hand and pulled him into the living room. "Mr. Richards, do you like to ice skate?"

His face turned and he shook his head as he admitted, "No."

Lexi groaned, her palm flying to smack her forehead. "Wrong answer, Mr. Richards!"

"Lexi, who are you talking to? Who was at the door?"

"Hurry, we don't have much time!" Lexi gasped, shaking his hand insistently. "My mother and I are going ice skating today. You should…pretend you like ice skating."

Olivia's feet padded down the wood floor, stepping down the shallow stairs and into the living room. "Gregory? What are you doing here?" she asked, tightening the lapels of her robe as she looked from her daughter to her neighbor.

"Good morning, Olivia." He smiled charmingly, holding up the envelope as he traversed the space between them. "A package for you. It…fell into my hands by mistake."

She reached out and took the envelope, their fingertips brushing together. She jerked her hand away, staring intently at the address label instead of his dark eyes. "Thank you," she said quietly, looking up slowly. "It was nice of you to bring it. It's important."

"My pleasure." They watched Olivia turn away as she tore into the envelope. Lexi cleared her throat discreetly and pushed Gregory in her mother's direction. "I don't suppose that you and Lexi are free this afternoon?" he asked.

Olivia looked back quickly, an odd look coloring her face. "Lexi and I?"

"Yes. I thought," he swallowed hard, forcing the unbelievable lie from his lips, "I might go ice skating today and wondered if you ladies might like to join me?"

Their replies were markedly different.

"Ice skating?" Olivia scoffed, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "You…ice skate?"

"Ice skating!" Lexi enthused. "That's what we were going to do today!"

"Lexi!" Olivia chastised as she turned back to Gregory. "I don't really-"

"And Mr. Richards can come with us!" She turned back to Gregory, smiling broadly. "It's the perfect day for it, isn't it, Mr. Richards?"

"Yes, it is." He looked back at Olivia, skepticism written all over her face. "What do you say, Olivia?

"Can Mr. Richards come with us, Mommy?"

Olivia grimaced, her throat working as she suspiciously eyed her neighbor. "I-" Her eyes fell on her daughter, her face a mosaic of pleading hope. She could never say no to that little face. And Lexi knew it. Resigned, she sighed, "I think that would be nice."

Lexi exhaled deeply, not even realizing she had held her breath in anticipation. From behind her, she heard Gregory say, "Have you eaten yet? I know a place that has the best pan-" She bounced excitedly on her toes, silently counting the hours that she and her mother would get to spend with him. "I'm starving!" she announced, smiling sweetly up at her mother.

Both adults looked down at her, Olivia frowning and Gregory smiling. "Well then, it's settled." He winked discreetly at Lexi before turning back to her mother. "Meet you down in the lobby in an hour?"

Olivia nodded lamely, unable to exactly put her finger on it, but feeling as though she'd been had. She followed Gregory to the door to see him out, oblivious to Lexi's victory dance in the living room.

Nick looked up the street, not believing the sight he saw. From the afternoon shadows, a pair of adults walked in step, joined by the happy child between them. He could scarcely contain his grin, watching Lexi skip happily between her mother and Gregory, holding their hands. "And a child shall lead them," he whispered to himself as he raised his arm to return Lexi's wave.

She tore down the street to him, wearing a delighted grin that lit up her entire face. "Mr. Klaas? Do you see what happened? Mommy and I got to spend the whole day with Mr. Richards!"

He nodded, listening intently as the child chattered excitedly about their adventures, from breakfast at a diner to ice skating in Central Park. "Then, we had hot chocolate and dessert! And, I got to go to the bookstore!" she exclaimed, proudly holding up a shopping bag brimming with paperbacks.

"I see. Well, Lexi," he marveled, "it sounds like you had a special day." He looked up at Gregory and Olivia's arrival, holding open the door for them. "Good afternoon, Ms. Blake, Mr. Richards."

They murmured replies, eager to get out of the cold weather. They stood quietly in the lobby, watching one and other. After a moment, Olivia smiled and unwrapped her fur scarf from around her neck. "Thank you for today, Gregory. We had a wonderful day."

"The best day ever," Lexi clarified, grinning happily.

Gregory smiled warmly in return, inching closer to Olivia and letting his hand gently brush against hers. "We should do it again soon," he said softly, watching as she ripped her eyes away from his and looked away.

With a painstaking slowness, she pulled her hand back and reached for her daughter. "Perhaps," she said quietly as she turned for the elevator.

But Gregory was quicker on his feet than she. He walked after them, catching up in no time. They reached out for the up button at the same time, his hand covering hers as they called for the elevator. She glanced up sharply, meeting his eyes. A bolt of electricity crackled between them, causing her to gasp softly. "Perhaps tonight?" he asked gently, his face inches from hers. "Let me take you to dinner."

Olivia swallowed hard and shook her head. "I can't get someone to stay with Lexi on such short notice," she argued, the nearness of him and his warm cologne filling her conscious.

From behind them, Nick cleared his throat. They glanced up, watching intently as Gregory asked, "Are you free, Nick? Would you mind watching Lexi?"

"Not at all," he said graciously, causing Lexi's chest to swell with hope. "My shift ends at eight." She turned back to her mother, watching the storm work across her face.

"Perfect," Gregory said, turning back to Olivia. "We've got someone to stay with Lexi. Eight o'clock then?"

Olivia squirmed, three pairs of eyes boring into her. The silence consumed her, drowning out the invasive nervousness. "No, I'm sorry," she finally said, ignoring Lexi's indignant sigh. "I really do have a lot of work I need to do for tomorrow." The elevator mercifully appeared and she grabbed Lexi's hand, dragging her on. "I'm sorry, Gregory," she stammered, regretting the dejected look in his eyes. He stood frozen, gazing with such intensity that she had to look away. "Are you going up?" she asked softly.

He sighed, his eyes dark. "No," he said flatly. "I'll wait for the next one."