Hey guys ! No, i'm not dead ...

I'm sooooooooooo sorry for the delay ! please forgive me, i know how horrible it is to just wait, and wait, and wait ... i'd totally understand if some of you have completely forgot about me ^^

Anyway, here is chapter 36! ENJOY

Kate turned from Rick to see who was calling her. As soon as she spotted the tall brown man walking to her, she regretted it. Unconsciously, she moved closer to Rick before the man had a chance to come too close. She might not have noticed her movement but Rick did. Even if he did not understand why she did it, when he saw the man coming to them, he put his arm around her shoulders.

"Hello David." Kate simply said.

"You look good!"

"Thanks. What are you doing here? I thought Maddie told me you lived in California."

"I do. But come on, I wouldn't miss the reunion! And my girlfriend had some family business in the city this week." David said enthusiastically, sitting on the bench, too close to Kate for Rick's liking.

"What reunion?"

"The 15 years high school reunion, it's this Friday night. I thought I'd play tourist for a bit before. Wait … you didn't know about it? We got the invitation in the mail like two months ago!"

"Well, I'm working anyway so, it doesn't change anything." Kate said, moving closer to Rick because David was crowding her.

"It's still weird that you didn't get the invitation."

"I moved not so long ago and … Oh, I never send the papers for the change of address!" Kate suddenly realized.

"Well, I guess we should go to your old apartment on the way home then, you'll have a ton of mail to pick up," Rick laughed.

"Come on, let's go and pick it now. And I have to fill out the form for the change of address …" she said, getting up.

"What, now? but it's so nice out here and …"

"Rick please." she asked, looking at him in the eyes.

He could tell from the way she was looking at him that something was wrong. She really wanted to get away from this man. Thinking about it, he didn't really like the way he was looking at her either.

"Sure Sweetie, let's go." he said, taking her hand and walking away.

"Bye David!" she threw quickly over her shoulder.

When they walked out of the park, she couldn't help but sit on the first bench she could find.

"Hey are you ok?" Rick asked, clearly worried

"I'm … no I'm not. But I will be. I …"

"You're not sick are you? because you told me …"

"I'm not sick Rick. Don't worry." she said, kissing him quickly. "He just … brought some really bad memories back, that's all."

"What kind of memories?" He asked calmly.

"The kind I'm not going to talk about in the middle of the street." She answered, trying to smile. "Take me home, please?" she all but begged, trying to keep her tears at bay

He was on his feet hailing a cab not even two seconds later. He just could not stand to see her like that. She seemed even more broken than when talked about her mother.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

"As you can guess he was with me in high school. He tried to get me to go out with him but I said no, every time. I guess he got frustrated or something. Anyway, one day, I was walking back home because my father had a parent-teacher meeting and he was staying late. So I walked home but David started to follow me. I asked him to leave me alone but he wouldn't hear anything and he started groping me. He dragged me in an alley and started kissing me. I was so scared I just couldn't move and …"

"And what? did he hurt you?" Rick asked, crossing the bed to get to her, wiping her tears away

"No, he didn't get the time. Maddie's older brother was just passing by and he saw me. He scarred the crap out of David and drove me home. My mom was just coming back from work and she freaked out when she saw me. He … kinda had ripped my shirt." Kate explained, not able to contain a shiver at the memory

"I'm gonna kill this guy!" Rick said, getting her even closer in his arms

"Don't. I don't want you to end up in jail. I prefer if you stay here with me." she said, kissing him quickly. "Anyway, when I told my mother what had happened, she went all lawyer on him and his family. She even got a restraining order against him. He had to move and change school. I saw him again on occasions in town but he didn't approach me. I run into him when I came back from college after my mom was killed but I really couldn't care less at the time."

"I'm sorry" Rick whispered in her hair.

"Why, you didn't do it? you're not the stalker type … even if it's creepy when you watch me do paperwork."

"I'm not staring, I'm appreciating the view!"

"Yeah … whatever you want to call it." Kate laughed

"So, since we seem to be in the big confession moment, want to tell me what you wanted to say at the park?"

"" she said quickly, too quickly for Rick.

"I'm sorry Sweetheart, but you'll have to repeat that." Rick laughed.

"When I got to the precinct this morning, Montgomery called me into his office. He told me he is retiring at the end of the year."

"Again?"

"No, this time it'd for real and … he … he asked me if I would replace him."

"And what did you say?" Rick asked after a few seconds.

"I said I needed to talk to you first. I mean, we're a family now and I don't want to take this kind of decision alone. It's too important for our future. I want to do it but I want to make sure it's ok with you first."

"Of course it's ok with me. Why wouldn't it be? Plus, when did you start thinking I would forbid you to do anything?"

"At first I wasn't really sure I would accept it but, talking with you and seeing all these kids at the park. It's want I want. I want a family. A big and stable family. But I don't want you to get bored.

"Why would I get bored?" Rick asked, clearly confused.

"I know how much you like being in the field with me and … if I make Captain I'm not going to do much of that anymore, and…"

"And it doesn't change anything. It's your career Kate, and I would respect any choice you make. I love you for you, not because you're a Detective who goes running to crime scenes." Rick said, kissing her lovingly.

"And I figured, if we want to have kids, Captain is better. It's less dangerous, the hours are more stable. I really love the job I have now but I really want to have a family. I waited enough to be happy. And I've never been as happy as I am now with you, Alexis, Martha and Dad. I started the Academy after my mom died to find her killer but now … I don't know … I think she would prefer seeing me happy with a ruggedly handsome husband and a lot of kids rather than burying myself into work. Even if it means I never find out who took her from me." Kate said, letting the tears roll freely on her cheeks.

"I'm sure she would be really proud of you Kate, no matter what you do. But even more if you get a ruggedly handsome husband." Rick said, kissing her. "Now, talking about kids, do you want to start try intensively now?" he asked suggestively, running his hand on her legs, under her dress.

"Please don't." Alexis said, passing her head in the doorway, eyes closed. Can I talk to you? It's quite important."

Sure Sweetie, come here." Kate said, patting next to her on the bed.