Savannah was still muttering to herself even after giving Kat a bath after her bottle, applying a fresh diaper and choosing a nice outfit for her today.

"Momma's 'friends' are in the doghouse, Kat," she informed her daughter. "And oh, are they going to get it!"

Someone knocked at the door.

"Hm, polite knocking," Savannah mused. "It's either Caine, Nicki, or Daddy trying to get his bohemian friends back into my good graces. Well, if it's the latter, fat chance! Come in!"

It was Nicki, carrying a tray. How she managed to open the door with her hands full like that was beyond Savannah but Nicki managed. The tray was very full, with steaming food and a glass of water and a glass of milk. "Hello," she greeted with a smile.

"Oh, thank you," Savannah said, hating to say what she was going to say since Nicki had taken so much trouble, "but I really-"

"No ifs, ands or buts," Nicki stated firmly. She put the tray down on the bureau. "Detective Griffin is very correct - you need food to feel better. But first-" She took Savannah's hand and plopped two aspirin into it and then turned, grabbed the glass of water and handed it to her. "Come on, it's for your own good." She also took over dressing Kat before Savannah could protest.

Savannah sighed and took the aspirin.

"Good," Nicki said. "Now, eat. Trust me, you'll feel better. I am very well acquainted with the treatment of...your condition."

"Wolf?" Savannah asked.

"Oh, no, Mr. Gannett can drink gallons and it wouldn't affect him. As such, he's a bit unsympathetic to others who can't do the same trick." Nicki, it was obvious, was very sympathetic. "If it makes you feel any better, I have the same limit you do."

"What did I do, really? You can tell me...." Savannah was wincing. She really didn't want to know but had to ask.

"I'll tell you if you eat," Nicki promised.

"You're shameless!" Savannah grinned. "I like that - you remind me of me!"

"Why, thank you, ma'am," Nicki beamed. "Now, eat up!"

Savannah noticed that the king-sized burrito/omelet was gone and in its place was scrambled eggs, a slab of ham and a mini-plate of hot biscuits smothered in sausage gravy.

Nicki saw her look and explained. "Mr. Gannett is eating 'your' specialty. It's really too spicy for you right now."

"How do you know how to treat hangovers?" Savannah asked curiously as she took one bite and then another almost immediately because it was so good.

"My father," Nicki replied shortly.

"Oh," Savannah mumbled sympathetically and nodded to herself. No wonder the young woman was so capable. She had probably raised her six siblings all by herself!

"Now," Nicki said, playfully hoisting a fully-dressed Kat in the air and then placing her in the playpen with a stuffed tiger, "I wouldn't worry too much about last night. All you did was giggle a little bit, tell Mr. Caine and Detective Skalany that you loved them and couldn't quite manage the stairs so your husband carried you up. That's it."

*That's IT!* Savannah thought, her eyes almost popping in her embarrassment. *That's enough!*

"Believe me, I've seen a lot worse," Nicki comforted.

As the crimson crept all over Savannah's face, Mary Margaret came bouncing in through the open door. "Well, how are we feelin', dahlin'?" She strolled over to pinch her friend's cheeks - the way she had hers and Caine the evening before - but changed her mind.

"Don't you start! I've suffered enough already."

Wolf barged in, interrupting Mary Margaret's retort. "You still mad, dollface?" By the looks of her icy stare, she was. Undaunted, the actor walked over and said, "'Bet I've got just the thing to get me and Pete back in your good graces."

"What?" she asked but turned her nose up into the air.

Wolf slid his credit card onto the table. "Shopping trip for you ladies. My treat."

Savannah fingered the gold card, inquiring, "What did my husband say about this?"

"All for it, babe. As long as I'm payin', he's cool. You gals take the limo and have a ball. I'm takin' the Man to the gun club. And Pete and his dad are gonna hang here."

Relieved to be spared from such a testosterone-packed afternoon, she responded, "Weeellll, I hate that it looks like I can be bought but...okay! Nicki! You should know all the great places - where should we go first?"

Nicki held up her hands in protest. "Oh, Mrs. Griffin-"

"Savannah."

"Savannah...there's just a million details to oversee before the party tonight-"

Wolf jumped in at that. "Are you kidding me? The party's twelve HOURS away! Besides, you had this thing planned down to the toothpicks weeks ago. Go with them! You gotta keep an eye on my credit card!"

Under her employer's duress, Nicki reluctantly acquiesced.

As they all gathered at the limo and Savannah was fastening Kat into the car seat, Mary Margaret laughed in delight. "Kitty Kat, your Uncle Wolf is a very foolish man! Your Mama is going to introduce you to one of the Seven Wonders of the World: Rodeo Drive!"

*****

Peter watched as first the limo then Wolf's red Porsche disappeared through the gate and down the road.

*Well, let's see...NOW what?* Peter KNEW he didn't want to go with the ladies. He would probably have been drafted to carry packages back and forth from the store to the car and he could think of plenty other things he'd rather do. Going with Wolf and Kermit was a fraction more appealing but he didn't really want to watch Kermit blow all the weekend warriors' egos to hell and back. Besides, if anything interesting happened, he'd probably read about it in tomorrow's papers.

Wandering downstairs, he could hear his Pop practicing. *I could join-* He paused just outside the exercise room. He really wasn't sure he wanted to do this. If he went in there, he'd just be agonizing over whether to ask about him and Mary Margaret.

Running a hand through his hair, Peter wondered if there really was anything to that. And why he didn't have the guts to ask his father. After all, they were both adults now...and, of course, Caine must know *something* about the subject matter since Peter existed....

Peter was just about to turn around to find a book to read when Caine quietly stepped around the corner.

"Oh! Uhm...hi," Peter stammered. There was just something about picturing your parent...doing those things that made you nervous when you saw them. "How are...things going?" Peter asked, trying to look innocent.

Caine gave him that look Peter saw all the time and hated; the 'who are you trying to kid' look. "Are you bored?" he asked.

"Well...umm...kinda," Peter said. He desperately wanted to ask but the words were permanently stuck in his throat.

Caine, smiling, took a hand and ruffled his son's hair affectionately. "We need to talk," he said, moving the hand to the back of Peter's neck and pulling him inside the exercise room.

"No, we don't," protested Peter lamely.

"You...wish to know about last night," Caine asked point-blank.

"Weeeelllll...not exactly. I mean, not the details. I mean, if there ARE any details...not that there HAS to be details...." Peter winced; he was just digging himself in deeper.

Caine let Peter fumble over his words and, finally taking pity on him, held up a hand to forestall the questions that could not be asked. "You wish to know if Mary Margaret and I are involved. Or do you simply wish to know if we are intimate?"

Peter choked, blushing beet-red. "I think," he muttered, "that those are the details I didn't want to know...." Caine chuckled a bit at his son's uncomfortableness. For Peter, that was the last straw. "Okay, look, Pop," Peter continued, his voice becoming stronger, "you have been tap-dancing around my questions about this for the past three years. Would you please just *answer* them?!"

Caine raised an eyebrow. "I have answered every question that you have asked, my son."

"Don't give me that! You KNOW the implied questions but you refuse to put my mind at ease and answer them!"

"I cannot be held responsible for answers to questions I THINK you might ask," Caine said, shrugging. "If your mind is not 'at ease', you must ask."

"Fine. Are you involved or intimate with Mary Margaret?"

Caine smiled. "Yes. However...there is, at this time, no formal commitment or hint of a permanent relationship. We are simply two souls who have found and nurtured each other in our mutual attraction and in the fact that we enjoy each other's company. Despite our dear friend's...matchmaking....such a relationship still remains to be seen." Stepping closer, he laid a hand on Peter's cheek. "I would never take such a step without my son's knowledge or blessing."

Peter looked down, a bit ashamed of himself. He should have asked long ago. "Thanks, Pop."

"You should have asked long ago," teased Caine, suddenly slapping Peter's cheek lightly.

*******

Wolf screeched to a halt in front of the Malibu Gun Club and Firing Range and casually tossed the keys of his bright red Porsche to the valet. "Come on, man! Don't look like that." Slapping Kermit on the shoulder, and drawing a stormy expression in return, he offered, "Guy like you oughta love this place. A place where real men hang out."

"Uh huh, yeah, right." Kermit followed the actor through the thick wooden doors and noticed a sign that would have left Mary Margaret in a frenzy. "NO WOMEN ALLOWED." Mary Margaret could probably shoot a fly off the ear of any of these celebrity shootists and not leave a scratch. He resolved to keep this little detail of their excursion a secret or he'd have to tie the female detective to a chair to keep her from driving here, kicking the door in, and putting all these 'real men' to shame.

"Yeah, started coming here to get used to REAL weapons," Wolf explained as they made their way to the firing range. "Made them stop sticking me with those plastic props!" Wolf accepted his piece from the attendant and found a target.

Kermit, still silent, shook his head. *357 Magnum...how predictable.*

Brandishing the still-unloaded weapon like a trophy, Wolf asked, "Whatcha think? Nice, huh?"

"Big, shiny gun, all right," Kermit agreed. "You're going to look at it or shoot it?"

Wolf took careful aim and missed the target four out of five times. "Guess I need more practice," he said in an embarrassed tone of voice.

"No. You just need a better gun." Kermit pulled his Desert Eagle and annihilated the target, spraying bits of wood and paper across the end of the firing range. A slight smile crossed the ex-mercenary's lips. Contrary to popular opinion that guns were necessary implements of destruction, he DID enjoy blowing the crap out of something every now and then.

"WHOA!!!" Wolf looked like a kid paging through a Christmas catalogue. "I GOTTA get one of those!!! Where'd you get yours?"

"Off a dead man."

A group of very impressed men were beginning to gather. Staring in awe at what they now considered a 'God' among men. Kermit had seen their type before. Golf on Wednesday. Guns on Thursday. Playing dress-up in their expensive fatigues and camouflage.

After a few moments of chitchat from Wolf, they left. "Man! Those guys are more knocked out by your equipment than Schwartzenegger's HumVee!"

"I'm touched."

*****

Peter had decided that he really wasn't in the mood to read a book, watch tv and drink Wolf's high-priced beer, or trade barbs with his father. However, there WAS something he could do here that he couldn't do back home and, since his father had found it so...refreshing....

Finding some trunks in the bureau, he changed and, grabbing a beach towel from the hall closet, made his way out to the beach, in search of the right spot to get a tan.

After a five-minute stroll, he found what he thought was the perfect place. *Hmmm...lessee....5'6", red hair...too far to see her eyes but body MORE than makes up for it....*

Peter strolled up nonchalantly, intending to shower the young lady with charm and wit when she saw him...and scowled. "What's this I hear about a party tonight?"

Peter, taken aback by the strange greeting, raised an eyebrow. "Um...yeah, there IS a party tonigh-"

The redhead sat up. "THAT is what you think!" she snapped. "If you make as much noise as you did the LAST time, I'm calling the cops!"

Peter kept forgetting that he was Wolf's lookalike. Obviously, the woman knew Wolf and didn't like what she knew. He opened his mouth to correct the mistaken identity but she didn't give him much of a chance.

"I KNOW you have a hard time understanding anyone who can add two plus two but I have work to do!" the redhead continued.

"Yeah, you look like you're working hard!" Peter snapped back. He knew he had to correct the idea that he was Wolf but he got impatient with people who just yelled and wouldn't let him get a word in edgewise.

She snapped her mouth shut with a glare and began to gather up her beach towel.

"Wait a minute," Peter said. "Look, I'm sorry. I guess you must be taking a well-deserved break."

The redhead looked at him oddly. "You better watch out," she cautioned. "Your jerk accent is fading."

"I'm not Wolf!" he explained, extending a hand. "I'm Peter Caine." The redhead gave him a doubtful look. "Really! I swear! I'm NOT Wolf! I'm a cop....Well, I don't happen to have my badge at the moment...."

That got a snicker from the redhead. "Well, I have to admit, if you ARE Wolf, you're a better actor than I thought!"

Peter grinned. "I met Wolf when he was in Sloanville doing a movie. There were accidents on the set and I got drafted to be his 'stunt double' to investigate. But now, you have the disadvantage of me...?"

The redhead came to a quick decision. "Lori Myers," she said, extending her hand. "And if you really ARE Wolf, I'll slash your credit rating!"

"Hmm, that threat sounds familiar! You're into computers, I take it?" Peter asked, shaking her hand.

"Kind of comes with the territory here," she said, spreading out her blanket again and reclining. Peter politely tried to not enjoy the view as she continued. "I've been working on a hardware schematic for weeks and Wolf's parties are a bit...distracting."

Peter spread his own blanket out and joined her. "So, this is your place?" he asked, waving at the opulent beach house next to Wolf's.

"Friend of mine's," she responded. "I'm housesitting. It's still really tough to believe you're not Wolf!"

"Well, there's one way I know of to prove it...."

*****

Savannah practically skipped down the sidewalk, filled with the excitement that she felt upon being let loose on Rodeo Drive! Mary Margaret and Nicki looked at each other, both obviously thinking that they had better rein in their companion before she bought the entire neighborhood. For her part, Savannah was looking at her two companions, both closet stick-in-the-mud types who didn't know how to let go, and looped her arms in theirs.

"The stores await!" she giggled, hugging them briefly before continuing to push Kat in her stroller. "Let's see...where should we start? Nicki, you know this neighborhood, right?"

"Only those stores for men," Nicki answered. "I've never shopped here for women."

"Don't you shop for Wolf's girlfriends? Or for yourself?"

Nicki laughed. "Not in THIS neighborhood. Too expensive!"

"Oh, remind me to buy something for the guys," Savannah said. "Let's try this one!"

Upon entering a store that looked like it belonged in India rather than Southern California, the women oohed and aahed over fabrics and dresses. They did the same for the next store and the next. But Savannah knew she had hit gold mine when Mary Margaret walked dreamily into a store featuring an absolutely white mink coat in the window.

"Now WHY do they feature mink coats in California? And in summer?" Nicki asked.

Savannah nudged her to silence, watching in delight as Mary Margaret ran her fingers through the soft fur, eyes glowing in delight.

"Well, that settles that," Savannah grinned satisfactorily, turning to Nicki. "Now, you...."

"We're not here for me," Nicki said, smiling. "I don't want anything, anyway. I'm a gal with very simple tastes. What about this for you?"

She was holding a soft, short pink dress, perfect for any cocktail party. She took the hanger and brought it up to Savannah for inspection. "I think this would look stunning!"

Savannah, momentarily distracted from her mission, took the dress. *Simple taste, my eye,* Savannah thought, holding the dress up to her. *SOLD!*

"I can't decide!" Mary Margaret wailed.

Savannah smiled and graciously walked over to help. Minutes later, Mary Margaret was wallowing in happiness over her ultimate choice. Savannah turned, wondering where Nicki had vanished to.

"You watch your Aunt Mary Margaret go nuts," she told Kat, "Mommy will be right back!"

Savannah walked through the store, looking for Nicki. When she spotted her, she nearly dived into a coatrack of minks to hide herself as she fought a smile. *'Didn't want anything', my eye!* she thought as she watched the other woman. She craned her neck slightly to try to see the object that had captivated her interest and whistled silently. *The lady has good taste!* But then, she already knew that, what with Wolf's new look and Wolf's new house.

Nicki was examining a long gown that, at first glance, just looked a plain, cinnamon brown. But as the garment shifted in the light, it sparkled and glittered from the gold threads interwoven throughout the material. Savannah knew that the gown would have the same effect when the wearer walked around in it. Its cut was daring as well. It was low-cut in the front and *extremely* low-cut in the back.

Savannah couldn't resist. She stepped out of the coatrack and approached Nicki. "Beautiful dress," she commented innocently. "Try it on!"

Nicki jumped slightly and giggled a little at having been caught drooling. "Not at that price! I've always wondered why they charge so much for so little material!"

Savannah reached for the garment and felt its velvety softness. "Come on - I think it would look good on you!"

"It would take ten years for me to afford this!"

Savannah brandished Wolf's gold card. "Charrrrrrrge IT!"

Nicki gasped. "Oh, I couldn't! Mr. Gannett would NEVER understand-!"

"Of course he would!" Savannah argued. "It's an investment. You do have to go to parties with him, right? To make sure everything is going smoothly? This would be perfect!"

Nicki firmly took the garment and placed it back on the rack.

Savannah smiled as she allowed Nicki to walk her back to where Mary Margaret and Kat were waiting.

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