After all the brainstorming they did, both women decided that the sideways approach they initially considered would be useless. So, they agreed on a full-frontal attack. It was like planning a campaign in a war—well, almost. No one wanted to lose.

They needed someone on the inside, and they had just the person. However, they might have yet to get this information from the person they needed it from the most only because this person might not want anything to do with them or their plan.

They decided that Lanie was the best choice for doing what needed to be done. Alexis Castle, now Olivia Lane, was their intended target.

Lanie had found out that Alexis was having a book signing for her second children's book at a small bookshop in Lower Manhattan. The idea was to approach her and talk, simply talk about her father.

They would try to find out something about her father's current relationship status in this conversation, and if that bore fruit, they would continue with the second task. They wanted to set up a meeting between Kate and Rick that would be all about talking. There would be no other hidden agendas.

If their meeting were to happen, they hoped to gradually talk about what each other meant to them. Since Kate had made her choice six years ago, she knew Rick would be hell-bent on not having this meeting. So, one of the rules that she would put forth if they did sit down and talk was that if there was something that he didn't want to talk about, then she would ask nothing.

On the other hand, she also decided that nothing in her personal life was off-limits to him. So, if he wanted to ask anything, she would answer whatever question he asked truthfully.

"Do you think she will agree to something like this?" Kate asks as she looks at Lanie.

"I do know one thing: if we don't try to recruit Alexis to get her father to agree, there's nothing else we can do. So you better hope this will happen."

"I hope it does, too." Kate agreed solemnly.

Alexis walks back to the signing table at Books-A-Million after taking a quick fifteen-minute break. Two years ago, she had been on a short book tour for her first book, which was limited to five cities: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Miami, and, of course, New York. Her fan's average height was around three feet, so she could imagine her surprise when she saw a 5-foot 6-inch high fan waiting in line to have a book signed.

She was just like her father when it came to signing her books. She wanted to know what the child reading her book loved the most about it. She could talk for hours with the fans, and to her editor's dismay, she usually did.

Lanie walks up to the signing table and presents her book for Alexis to sign.

"So, Dr Parrish, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Alexis asks.

"My niece loves your books. If it's alright with you, I would like to get 'The Fish in the Pond' signed for her." She asks as she passes the book across the table for Alexis to take.

Alexis knew there was an ulterior motive at play here. She had yet to learn what it was, although she had an excellent idea. She was very protective of her father, and he was right when he told her there would be another visit soon, and this was it. She didn't think that whatever plan they cooked up would start with her. The only thing she can't figure out is if this is one-sided on Lanie's part or if it's a combination of Lanie and Kate seeking her out. There's no doubt that they want to use her as an information asset of sorts because she knows her father. From what the people who used to follow her dad would think, they kept in touch with each other, but their dinner last week was the first time she had ever talked to him in about a year. She knows he's been miserable for five years and can only attribute that to being a hermit. Giving the good doctor the benefit of the doubt, she will wait before she passes judgment on her until she hears the pitch she knows is coming.

"I wanted to talk to you because I have one item on my agenda today. I will be very blunt because I could not get what I needed the last time we saw each other at dinner."

Alexis looks up from signing the inside cover of Lanie's book.

"And what would that be, Dr. Parrish?" Alexis asks.

If there was ever a time that Lanie was ever intimidated, it was this moment right now. She didn't think a 26-year-old could intimidate her like Alexis did, but it's happening. She knows she's being put on the spot, but she also believes that there are two people out there who deserve to be together so she will soldier on.

"There's something I would like to talk to you about, but right here at the signing table is not the best place to do that. I need to know when your signing is complete, and maybe we can meet for a cup of chamomile tea. We can meet at a shop less than a block from here if you agree."

Alexis looks at her ex-coworker with a guarded look, deciding whether to honor her request.

About a minute passes, and Alexis thinks, still holding on to Lanie's book. When she makes up her mind, she raises the book to hand it back to her and says,

"I will meet with you on one condition. No definitive plans will be made tonight about what I know you're here for. I do not think you have my father's best interests at heart, but I will entertain whatever you have in mind. There'll be no relationship, which will not be easy because I don't think she deserves another chance after what she put him through. So be forewarned that it will take much convincing for me to agree to anything." Alexis hands Lanie her book back and asks her to step aside to let the next person get their book signed, not even batting an eye.

Lanie steps away from the signing table, feeling about two inches tall. She knows that Alexis is very protective of her father, and the dressing down she just experienced shows that.

"I know this might be a little hard for you to believe, but in my heart, I think there are two people who belong together. I understand you might be apprehensive about what I suggest, but hear me out." Lanie says as they sit at the booth at the coffee shop.

"Okay, Dr. Parrish. But as I said before, it will take a lot for you to convince me to entertain some cockamamie scheme to get my father in Captain Beckett's good graces."

"I understand, Alexis, but both sides have made mistakes in this situation…"

"Oh no, you don't! Don't you dare think that mistakes were made by both sides when your friend didn't act upon what she was feeling six years ago. She never talked to my dad about how she felt. He had given up the bimbos and the wild nights of partying and decided he wanted something that would last. He wanted her. Couldn't she see that? I wondered if she wasn't interested, and yes, he never told her how she felt, but imagine his surprise when he was blindsided by your friend before he could! Did you know that the letter he wrote, which I'm guessing was now found because we are sitting at this table, was a dry run of what he would tell her the night she made her decision? He would invite her for a meal and recite the letter as he wrote it. But as usual, they were interrupted by a lead in the case they were investigating. When he wanted to tell her he loved her, she married the doctor."

Lanie realized that there were changes in Rick all those years ago and now it comes together in her mind about how much he had changed back then. At least she has the decency to look a little sad.

"Alexis, I never knew that your dad would do this. He never let on that he wanted anything more than a friendship with Kate. So now I'm not sure he will be very suggestive of my proposal."

"Dr. Parrish, whatever you two have cooked up, I'm sure it involves using me as a go-between. I can tell you right from the start I'm dead against it. It will take a lot to convince me otherwise. She made him feel lower than dirt. She is the reason he is the way he is now. He barricaded himself in his office for the past four years. He doesn't come out for anything. When you saw us at dinner the other night, it was the first time he had been out of the loft in over a year. Did you know that he decided to stop writing Nikki Heat because of her marriage to the doctor? He didn't want anything to make her feel like she did when he wrote the first book. They offered him a very obscene amount of money to keep the series alive. I would remember him telling me stories about how she wanted him to change the name and how, even though Nikki Heat was a fictional character, most of the other staff at the precinct knew it was based on her. She thought her reputation had been tarnished because of the book, but it gave her more credit for her position. And don't even get me started on the sex scene on page 105 because she never forgave him for it. When the second book came out, there was a renewed attack on his writing about her. He gave up trying to explain to her that it was a fictional character based on her, not her. I know she's smart enough to figure this out independently, but she never forgave him for that. So, in my eyes, she has much to make up for to become someone good enough for him."

Lanie sits in the booth, toying with her teacup. She never knew what had happened between them was this bad. She now needs to rethink her strategy, and while getting them together is the ultimate goal, she might have to rethink what she tells the woman sitting in front of her.

"Alexis, I'm not going to sugarcoat this. But Kate is a very good friend of mine, and when you realize two people should be together, you want to make sure that it's for the right reasons. I firmly believe that your father and my friend should at least have the opportunity to explore what could be a wonderful relationship. I know that mistakes were made. After what you told me, I'm not one to blame either party, but I will admit that my friend might have been a little premature in her decision to marry the doctor. They say hindsight is 20/20, and in this case, I believe it. She realizes that her decision to marry Josh was the wrong one. She should not be judged for making a bad decision on that front. She was married once, and it didn't work out. Your father was married twice, and it didn't work out. This should show you that people can change. I'm not bringing up your father's failed marriages to criticize him but to show that he knew it wasn't right, just like she knows that now. I agree that they both love each other. That is something that can't be denied between the two of them. So, I'm proposing a friendship of sorts to start. If you agree to let them see each other on a friendship basis, only then do we need to discuss boundaries."

Alexis leans back in her seat. She can see that the medical examiner is truthful and open with her. Many thoughts are running through her mind; one is that if she decides to do this, two things will happen. One she hopes to prevent, and the other she will encourage. Her father is a hermit in every sense of the word. He crawled into a shell four years ago and never came out. The detective at the time put him there. He has everything delivered to the loft; his contact with people that used to be outgoing is now nonexistent. He only sees daylight through the windows of the loft. And he is usually in bed before she is. If she agrees, it may draw him out of that shell. But her other issue is that if he believes that there is a chance that there is still a spark between them and he does come out of his shell and opens his heart up to her, then she breaks it, then she will be the one to blame, and he will never forgive her. Reconnecting is what worries her the most. So, while she thinks it could be good, they rekindle some sort of relationship, be it a romantic one or a friend's only one, and she does believe it will be good for him.

"Dr. Parish, I'm pretty sure you thought a little in advance about what you would propose if you could sway me. So I will ask you what you think should be their first meeting. I'm still on the fence about doing this in the first place, so what you come up with better be very damn good."

Lanie knew that it was now or never. She needed to explain her plan so Alexis would accept it and convince her father that he should give their relationship a chance.

"There is nothing I can say or suggest that would be something to base a relationship upon. I think their attraction will be a catalyst to become something more. What I would suggest years ago would be to lock them in a room small enough to get them to talk about how each other felt. But that time has passed. A meeting set up by either of us would be the best approach. I think it should happen on a neutral site. I will need you to ask your father what topics are off-limits to him concerning the past six years. Or, for that matter, his life in general. My friend will not touch on any subject your father does not want to discuss. Once she receives the list that a subject is off limits, no questions will be asked on her part. However, for that concession, she needs to know what can be discussed before their meeting concerning her life—anything your father wants to know about her, she will honor by answering truthfully. Not talking to each other is what got them into this situation to start with. Lying will not be tolerated by either party. As for the location, we both need to decide where this should happen."

Once again, Alexis sits back in her seat. She must think about this before she approaches her father with the idea. She knows that she can't agree to it hastily.

"Dr. Parrish, I can tell that your intentions are in the right place. But I must think about this before I talk with my father. When I have his answer, I might give you my decision. I am still unsure about what you're proposing, so the decision will lie in what my father decides."

Lanie nods her head, and Alexis leaves a $10 bill on the table. She thanks her for the tea. Once Alexis leaves, Lanie looks at the empty seat, hoping she has made the right decision.

Kate bites her thumbnail repeatedly. Lanie has been gone too long for her to report anything good. She wants to pace back and forth but knows it would do no good, so she busies herself with the work she took home today. She sits at the table and starts going through file after file before she hears a knock on her door. Not wanting to seem that eager, she casually gets up from the table and walks towards the door. In her mind, she can't be so eager to hear what Lanie found out. But it's a losing battle.

Lanie stands on the other side of the closed door, hesitant to knock. She knows that this will either make or break her friend. She raises her hand and knocks softly three times. Expecting a rush to the front door, she's surprised when it takes a full minute before Kate swings the door open and allows her to enter.

"I don't want to feel like some teenager passing notes in class about what the boy said about me, but what happened?" Kate asks, hoping for a positive outcome.

Lanie gestures for her to sit on the couch, and she takes a seat on the opposite side. She needs to gather her thoughts before telling her friend the outcome of the meeting she had with Alexis. She does get her thoughts in some order, and then she continues.

"Well, I can tell you that some concessions have to be given before you can have this meeting with Rick. His daughter is very protective of his well-being."

"What kind of concessions, Lanie?"

"Oh no you don't, girlfriend, don't you go there. That's not the question you should be asking right now. You should be telling me that yes I will consent to any concession Rick wants. Because if you disagree with this, why are we doing it? You have to understand this man is in love with you and has been for the past ten years, I would venture to say. So the correct statement would be, "My life is an open book, and he can read any chapter he wishes."

Having appropriately been dressed down, Kate consents with a slight nod to her friend.

"His daughter is one tough nut, I'll give you that. I told her that you would agree to have Rick talk about anything in your life. Nothing is off-limits. At the same token, he will give me a list of topics that you're not allowed or should not interrogate him on."

At Kate's sour look, Lanie continues.

"This meeting, if it takes place, and that's a big if, it will be at a neutral site, and neither of you will select the location. That will be Alexis's choice. She was very adamant about having all the control over how this meeting is to take place. And for a fleeting moment, I thought she would escort her father. So you have to do a lot of work to earn her trust again because Kate, I swear if you screw this up this time, there will be no coming back from it."

We're in the home stretch now. The last chapter will be posted next week... work schedule permitting! :)