The voices from the 101 st became a blur of noise as Kwai Chang Caine made his way through the crowded squadroom.
"Caine, I..We're glad you're back." Mary Margaret spoke with enthusiasm as she rushed to greet him. "Sorry about the crowd - things get kinda crazy on full moons and holidays. When did you get back into town?"
"I have only just arrived. I thought to see my son before returning to my apartments. Is Peter here?"
Mary Margaret grinned, "Nope - sorry Caine, Peter's got the day off. He's out roaming somewhere with that new girl of his."
"Peter has a new girlfriend?" Caine spoke, hopefully, visions of grandchildren running through his head.
"Yep - and boy, is he besotted with this one. She says jump and he says 'how high'."
"That does not sound like Peter." Caine's confusion was apparent.
"Hi Caine - welcome back - you tell him about Peter's girl?" Kermit's voice was amused. "Can't keep a secret, can you, Mary Margaret."
"It's not a secret when it's all over the station, and yes, Kermit, I am filling Caine in on Agatha."
"Agatha - a nice name." Caine's voice was non-committal.
"Yeah, I guess." Kermit sighed, "Unless you hear it day in and day out. She's pretty much all Peter talks about anymore."
"Talking about Agatha?" Jody piped up as she joined the group surrounding the Shaolin.
"YES." Came a chorus of replies.
"I see everyone here knows her?" Caine asked.
"Yes - actually everyone knows her, and likes her, but we'd like her better if Peter would stop talking about everything they do together. I don't think he keeps ANYTHING secret." Jody wrinkled her nose in disgust.
"Peter is not usually so open with his personal life." Caine's confusion, and concern was growing. What sort of woman was this Agatha, that she could so drastically change Peter's personality.
"Well, it's understandable." Kermit grinned, "She is the cutest, sweetest little thing, I'VE seen in quite some time. I mean, she's so petite and feminine with that black hair and those dark, expressive eyes. When she looks at you, you just want to melt and the way she looks at Peter. I don't think adoration goes quite far enough in describing that look."
"That's true." Jody concurred, "I've never seen such devotion. She really loves him."
Kwai Chang Caine stared in amazement at Jody. That she had been in love with Peter for years was common knowledge to everyone around the station, except, of course, Peter.
"YOU like Agatha?" the words were out before Caine could stop them.
"Sure do, and Caine, she's exactly right for Peter. I think you'll agree when you meet her, which, if I know Peter, will be real soon, when he finds out you're back."
"Agatha - again?" Captain Simms' voice held a touch of amusement as she passed the group. "Doesn't anyone have any police work to do?
The crowd, except for Mary Margaret, quickly dispersed.
"I must find Peter." Caine's voice betrayed a curiosity which Mary Margaret had never heard. "This relationship bears review."
"Review it all you want, Caine, but word of advise. Don't even think of disliking Agatha. Peter won't stand for it."
"Thank you for your advise, Mary Margaret. Do you have any idea where Peter may be found?"
"Let's see, beautiful, sunny, holiday - yep - I'm betting that pair are down by the lake."
Caine bowed to her and gently squeezed her hand, "Thank you, Mary Margaret. I will see you later?"
"Count on it. Good luck finding Peter." Mary Margaret returned to her case files as Caine left the precinct.
Twenty minutes of confusion and amazement passed as Caine walked toward the lake and his son. Never before had he heard so much praise for one of Peter's lady friends. At least one of Peter's comrades had had something negative to say about all the others that had passed through his son's life and, uh, bed.
Caine finally spotted Peter's head poking out from above a short wall near the shore but no sign of 'Agatha'. Well, Kermit had said 'petite'. Hastening toward his only son, he heard Peter say, "Oh, all right, here take it. I didn't really want that hotdog anyway."
"Peter?"
Peter leaped to his feet and cried, "POP - you're back, why didn't you let me know?" Scrambling over the wall, he hastily embraced his father.
"You are not 'alone'?" Caine asked.
"You've been to the station?" Peter grinned at his father's confused nod. "OK, well, you've probably heard all about Agatha, right?" Another nod. "Well, I guess it's time you two met." Turning around, Peter called, "Agatha?"
Kwai Chang Caine's eyes widened with astonishment then his laughter began in earnest as the truth unfolded before him. Peter joined in his father's laughter as his face was licked clean by a very small but energetic bundle of poodle.