Rafe couldn't stay away from LA too long. He wanted to be a father
and to be a better one than his own. He sat in his BMW looking out
the window watching his daughter play with Kyleigh in the front yard
of their house. Emery was growing up so much and he couldn't even
officially meet her, he had to watch her grow up from across the
street in a car.... it wasn't fair.

Though Kayla knew that Kyleigh wouldn't let anything happen to Emery,
she felt much more comfort with Secret and Akira out front keeping
watch. Especially Akira wouldn't let anyone who could be a threat
near either girl. She had just ducked into the house to grab jackets
since the wind had picked up. "Dru!!! Is the food almost done?"
Kyleigh had begged for a picnic and they had agreed, but Kayla didn't
want to keep the girls out if it was too cold.

"You don't have to yell." Dru said, walking up behind her with the
food packed into a basket. "And yes, it's done."

Kayla turned and smiled at him, and pulled jackets off of the pegs
not too far from the door. "The wind's picking up... I don't want
them cold," she explained. The last six months had been pure bliss,
and Kayla enjoyed every single day to its fullest.

He nodded and reached over, opening the door for
her. "Understandable." He smiled.

Rafe sighed and reached over to the passenger seat rubbing the ears
of the Great Pyrenees puppy. He had become lonely over the months
just hanging around doing nothing, so in just the past month he
bought a dog to keep him company. "See that's my daughter..." He
smiled and picked the large puppy up and put him in his lap so he
could see outside the window.

Kayla walked out and first put on Emery's sweater, making sure to
button the violet sweater up before kissing her beautiful little
girl's cheek and setting her back down. She handed Kyleigh hers
before pulling on her own jacket.

Dru smiled at them before walking over to the back of the SUV. He
opened the back and whistled for Akira to get in, smiling as Secret
hurried over after the larger dog. He set the basked down and picked
the smaller dog up, helping her into the back before shutting it.

Walking around to the passenger side, he opened the back door and set
the basked on the floorboard in front of Emery's car seat, leaving
the door open so Kayla so she could put the baby in.

Zipping up her jacket, Kayla watched as Kyleigh headed for the
vehicle before scooping up Emery. "Dru, did you lock up, or do you
want me to?" she asked before placing a kiss on Emery's forehead.

"I'll get it; I gotta get the cooler with the drinks." He called,
already heading over to the front door.

"Hear that, Baby? Daddy will be right back and then we're gonna go!
Yes, we are. Yes, we are," she said in a high pitched voice making
Emery smile as she headed to the side where Emery's car seat was on.

Rafe stared out the window patting the white puppy in his lap. Maybe
he should just kill Dru and that would get rid of half of his
problem... on the other hand it could make it worse. He just wanted
his daughter.

Setting Emery in the already anchored carrier seat, she carefully
strapped her daughter in. "You excited?"

"I AM!" Kyleigh piped up. She was hugging Secret and was practically
bouncing. "Dru is taking tooooo long!!!"

Kayla smiled, "He'll be back in just a minute."

Dru walked out of the house, cooler in hand. He paused to make sure
the door was locked and secure before jogging over to the car.
Opening the backseat, he set the cooler between Kyleigh and the car
seat before getting in.

"You all ready?" He asked, starting up the vehicle.

Closing Emery's door, she climbed into the front passenger
seat, "We're all set, Honey," she told him brightly. Pulling her
seat belt across her, she buckled it in and looked over her shoulder
quickly to make sure the girls and dogs were all in place.

Rafe noticed Dru get into the SUV and start it up, he moved the puppy
out of his lap and grabbed his sunglasses putting them on. He
started up the BMW and waited to follow them. While he sat there he
looked over at the puppy who just stared at him with his little pink
tongue hanging out. "You need a name..." He patted the puppy. Rafe
had only had him for a few weeks but had yet to find the right name
for him. He tested some out but none of them fit.

Dru pulled out of the driveway, turning the SUV and heading down the
street for the park they had decided on going to.

"So? You don't think it's too cold out, do you? I wouldn't want
Emery to get sick..." Kayla asked concerned.

"It's fine." Dru assured her, glancing at her as he came to a stop at
a stop sign. "Just a little windy."

"Uncle Dustin? What did you make for the picnic?" Kyleigh asked
bouncing in her seat. She just couldn't wait!

Rafe waited a few seconds before following them. He just wanted
Kayla to let him see his daughter a few times a week. If she
wouldn't let him, he'd have to find another way.

"Sandwiches and chips and some veggies." Dru answered. "Picnic stuff."

"No pizza?" she whined in disappointment.

"No... you don't take pizza on a picnic, you said you wanted a
picnic."

"Oh... But I want pizza!!!"

"Then you should have asked for a movie night. See, with movies you
get pizza. Picnics you get sandwiches."

"Oh..."

Rafe followed a few cars behind the SUV and watched them getting
closer to the park. He needed to do something even if it was
disturbing their 'perfect' picnic.

Kayla smiled at Dru happily, "So, what do you think about me easing
back into work?" she asked. She really hadn't been into APO at all,
but then APO /did/ owe her.

"If you're ready for it..." Dru said, glancing at her. "It might be
good, but then, if you're not then don't go... You can still wait
awhile, Kayla, they put you through a lot."

"I know... But, I have to let go of spending /all/ day with Emery,
right?"

He nodded. "It might be a relief." He added with a smile. "A little
time away from her."

"Yeah...until I break down from separation anxiety," she half joked.

"You'll be fine." He assured, reaching over and rubbing her thigh
lightly.

"Are we there yet?" Kyleigh asked.

"Almost."

"I can SEE it!!!" Kyleigh announced.

Rafe slowed his car down as he watched the SUV come to a stop by the
park. He slowly drove by and stared at the vehicle, he needed to
find a place to park away from them.

"Can we get out? Can we?" Kyleigh bounced in her seat.

"Yes." Dru laughed, shutting the car off and unbuckling his seat belt
before climbing out. "Stay close to us, ok?"

Kyleigh got out with Secret and immediately started off for the
playground. "SWINGS!!!" she called running quickly away from the
vehicle.

Sighing, Kayla looked over at Dru, "Wanna go after her?" she
asked. "Or should I?"

"You go." He smiled. "Take Emery and go ahead, I'll bring all the
stuff over."

Rafe slowly parked his car and grabbed the puppies leash. He slowly
got out of the car and put his hood over his head and slipped his
sunglasses. He needed to get to his daughter.

Kayla nodded and got out quickly. She opened the door behind her and
unsnapped the carrier from the base and adjusted the handle and then
adjusted the cover so the sun wouldn't blind Emery. "C'mon
Honey..." Closing the door, she headed in Kyleigh's direction.

Dru got the basket and cooler out of the SUV, letting Akira out
before locking it up and heading after Kayla with Akira trotting
alongside him.

Kayla got pretty far into the park quickly with the carrier in hand
and spotted Kyleigh. Shaking her head, she sat down on the bench and
set the carrier down next to her before checking on Emery.

Rafe hung way back letting his puppy stop and sniff things. He had
to think of a plan... He walked into the park more and went over to a
large tree sitting underneath it watching Kayla with Emery.

Dru walked over, setting the basket and cooler down next to the bench
and gesturing for Akira to go and play with Kyleigh before taking a
seat next to Kayla. "This is nice." He smiled at her.

"Yes...it is..." she whispered looked from Emery to Dru. "She's so
beautiful," Kayla beamed with pride.

"She's going to look just like you." He said, smiling at the both of
them.

Kayla grinned, "Just wait until she starts walking and babbling more."

Rafe watched them at their picnic and let his puppy go from his
leash. The pup just lay down next to him and Rafe watching them
closely as he patted the pup. He couldn't believe he actually wished
he was in Dru's place but he did.

"SECRET!!!" Kyleigh yelled as her puppy went running
off. "DUSTIN!!!" she yelled over at him wanting help.

Dru looked over at Kyleigh and sighed. "I'll be right back." He said,
kissing Kayla's cheek before getting up and running off after the
puppy.

"Kay." Kayla turned back to Emery and took her stuffed bear and made
it dance around and then kiss her cheek.

Rafe saw his opportunity to move in as Dru was occupied trying to
catch the loose puppy. He slowly stood up putting the leash back on
the pup and headed down the path towards Kayla on the bench. Rafe
walked up behind the bench and crossed his arms on the back of the
bench. "Cute baby..." His hood and sunglasses were still on but he
knew she'd know him by his voice.

She didn't even look up; she immediately clutched the sides of the
carrier. "What are you doing here?" Kayla asked her voice calm.

"I came too see my daughter that you won't let me see..." Rafe
explained looking at Kayla. "See unlike what you may believe, I
actually /want/ to be a father to our daughter."

"She's not yours..." she said coldly and started to un-strap Emery
from the carrier planning on running with her baby girl.

"Now Kayla we both know that's not true..." He kept staring at
her. "You're just making this harder you know... by not letting me
see her."

She pulled her baby girl out and held her close to her chest, "Dru's
here...he'll be back any minute." Kayla had started carrying her gun
with her all the time, but this wasn't exactly the place to draw it.

"Look Kayla I just want to spend time with /our/ daughter. Why are
you denying that to me?" Rafe stood up straight staring at her. His
puppy yapped and wagged his tail hoping they were going to play
now. "Shh... quiet buddy..."

"Because you're not part of my life. Dru is. Dru is going to be the
one to raise her with me. Not you. You're a wanted international
criminal."

"Just because of my history doesn't mean I wouldn't be a good
father..." Rafe explained to her. "Don't make this difficult
Kayla..."

"You think that'll be a good role model for her? You should be happy
that she'll be raised in a family that will love her and are good
parents to her," Kayla told him stepping back.

"You don't think I'd be a good parent?" Rafe's eyebrows raised under
his sunglasses.

"APO will arrest you," Kayla told him stepping back again and looked
around.

"You have no right to keep me away from her or to judge me on my
parenting skills..." Rafe told her lowly.

"You're a CRIMINAL," she repeated. "I won't subject her to that
world."

"You of all people /know/ I don't bring my work home. You lived with
me!" Rafe was trying not to raise his voice and attract attention to
them. "I don't subject my little cousins to that life...what makes
you think I would with our daughter?"

"And what if someone comes after you and blows the house up?!"

"It's hasn't happened yet and it wouldn't happen unless you guys did
it." Rafe explained. "I wouldn't let anything happen to her. I just
want to spend some time with her and get to know her."

"I don't care," she told him and started to walk away and saw Kyleigh
and waved for her to come. They had talked to Kyleigh about if
Colby, Madison, or Rafe were to approach her and what to do. She
watched Kyleigh run for the car just like they had taught her.



*~*~*

Dr Dru Michaels, MD
APO Field Agent
Medical Unit

Dr Makayla Michaels, MD
APO Field Agent
Medical Unit

Kyleigh Tamberlyn Lynch

Emery Carissa Micahels

Rafe Lopez
Drug/Weapons Dealer
Masq