Disclaimer - All characters belong to ABC; no infringement intended.

*

Andy and Greg were the only detectives in the squad room with Diane on Friday night when they heard the phone rang. John picked it up on the first ring and listened for a moment.

"Diane," he called. "It's a mysterious stranger for you."

"Who?"

"He wouldn't say, just said that he was a mysterious stranger." But the worried expression on John's face telegraphed the caller's identity to everyone in the room.

As Diane took the call, they tried to pretend not to listen, but paid close attention.

"Hello Mysterious Stranger." In a moment, Diane laughed and said, "10 AM? Are you sure you'll be up?" she listened for a second, "Maybe I should rethink this...just kidding...pick me up at my apartment.you know where it is, right?..I'll see you then." She hung up the phone and looked up. Andy had managed to bury his face in a report, but Greg was still gaping openly and John walked out of the room.

"What's wrong, Greg?"

"Uhh...nothing, Diane. Who's your date with tomorrow?"

"It's not a date. I'm just going out with a friend."

"A male friend?"

"Yes," she said, starting to get annoyed.

"Then it's a date. I know these things."

"Whatever, Greg. Andy, I won't have time to visit Danny tonight. Could you tell him that I bought him some new safety paperclips?"

"Will do, Diane. That boy's never going to live this down."

Diane silently agreed. It was ironic that Danny had been injured in a freak accident involving the giant paper clip sculpture in front of one of the new Internet startups. It became a cop legend once one of the paramedics spread the word that Danny had about 300 paper clips in his pocket at the time. Danny's many friends knew about his paper clip quirk and hadn't stopped sending them to the 15th since that day. At this point, there was no room left in Danny's drawers or on the surface of his desk. Even little Theo had gotten involved by drawing a picture of Danny with a paper clip chain around his neck. The picture hung back of Danny's chair, where Andy could see it and chuckle.

"Diane?"

"Yes, Andy?"

"Take care of yourself this weekend."

"Thanks, I'll see you Monday."

*

After a tiring Judo class, Diane walked home and heated up a TV dinner and ate while watching Sabrina the Teenage Witch. Then her phone rang, she expected it to be the mysterious stranger, since he tended to get bored while on his latest job.

"Hello?"

"Hi Diane, it's John. From the precinct."

"Hi John. Is something wrong?"

"No. I was just wondering. I mean, I have an extra ticket to the pre-Raphaelite exhibit at the Met and I thought that you'd like to come with me. I remember you mentioned that you wanted to go."

"John, I'd normally love to go, but I can't. I already have plans for tomorrow. Maybe one night during the week."

"Sure, that would be nice, Diane."

"Thanks for thinking of me though."

"It's no problem," he hesitated for a moment, then said, "Is there anything you might want to talk to me about? I'm pretty good at giving advice."

"Advice? No, I think I'm doing all right now."

"I was just making sure. I knew you've been a little lonely since Jill left."

"I have. A little. Thanks again, John."

Diane hung up the phone and settled in to watch Boy Meets World and the other "Must See TV" shows. Then, she settled in for the night.

In the morning while combing anti-frizz goo through her hair, she heard a knock at her door. She glanced at her watch and realized that her mysterious stranger wouldn't be here that early. Or at least he'd never been early before.

She glanced out her peephole and Theo Sipowicz was standing there nervously holding a bouquet of flowers and glancing nervously to his left.

"Theo! How are you?"

"Fine. These are for you."

"They're lovely. Why don't you come in?"

"Dad too?"

"Of course, Dad too. Hi Andy."

Andy looked a little embarrassed, but stepped out, as Theo ducked into his shadow.

"Diane. The little guy and I, we were going to the zoo. To see the red pandas and the lizards and stuff. We were wondering if you might like to join us. It was all his idea."

"Sorry, Theo. I have some important plans today."

"Yeah, with that Denby asshole."

"Dad! Mrs. Dunellen says you aren't supposed to use words like that."

"It's not a date, Andy. No matter what Greg thinks."

"Well, if he stands you up or something, why don't you come with us? They're having a special exhibit today. Of polar bears and presents, I think."

"That sounds exciting," she smiled at Theo. "Why don't you come in for a few minutes? Would you like some milk? Coffee?"

They followed her into the kitchen, where she poured Theo a glass of milk and Andy poured two cups of coffee. Diane discussed zoo animals with Theo, until she heard a knock on her door at 10:15. She jumped up to get it, when she heard a key in the lock. She turned bright red as Andy gave her The Look, then went to open the door. Harry leaned over and tried to give her a kiss, as he walked in the door, but she interrupted with, "Andy's here. With Theo."

"So they're coming too?"

Andy cleared his throat in the doorway to the kitchen and Denby almost flushed under his gaze, but covered it up. Diane was also giving him a look, but she was thinking how good he looked underneath his disreputable trenchcoat, with black jeans that would get him glances from both sexes and a red t-shirt that said, "New York City Fire Department." Harry read her face in a glance and returned her up-and-down look with one that would have made her blush, if she hadn't still been burning from Andy's look.

"Well, I guess we should leave you two alone," said Andy from the kitchen doorway.

"As much as it goes against all of your better instincts to leave a lovely lady like Diane with a lout like me?"

"Shut up Denby."

Theo wandered into the living room with two dinosaur magnets in his hands and stared at Harry, "He doesn't look like skeller Daddy."

Andy covered his face with his hand in embarrassment as Denby said, "A skel? Oh no, I've reformed, Andy. Right, Diane. I'm so much kinder to women and children and criminals. I've even got a present for Andy."

"Really?" asked Theo, his eyes lighting up.

"Yes, really," he dug through his pockets pulling out 2 feathers, a pair of handcuffs, a paintbrush, and a green silk teddy, before finding a king size Hershey bar. He handed it to Theo and told him a couple of knock-knock jokes. Theo thought he was a magician.

"Thank you mister," said Theo.

Harry grinned at him and said, "Anytime."

"Theo, we have to go. We might miss the alligator feeding."

"What are they feeding the alligators to, Daddy?" he asked with a giggle.

Andy rolled his eyes and said, "Say Good-bye Theo."

"Good bye Theo."

"I guess you don't need me to tell you to have a good time Diane," then he leaned over and whispered, "And this does count as a date."

"Have fun at the zoo, guys," called Diane. "Theo -- say hi to the wolves for me."

As she shut the door behind them, Harry's arms wrapped around her waist and he began nibbling her neck.

"None of that now. We have to get to the meeting."

"Can't we skip it?"

"No.you've skipped for three weeks. I know you've been sober, but you need that form signed for your Lieu."

"I'd rather just make love to you, Diane. Even if that won't convince him."

"OK...how's this? We go to the meeting, then there's a Chiller Theater con showing the top 10 monster movies, as voted by their viewers. I think they're showing the original Swamp Thing today."

"Diane, you temptress, you'd almost think you don't want to be here with me. Though I'd still rather stay here," he mumbled with his face buried in Diane's curls.

"I might have been swayed by your seductive wiles, had you not given away our chocolate to Theo. Now, move it out, buddy," she said, as she pushed him away.

A few minutes after they left the building, Greg knocked on Diane's door, several time. He groused to himself that she had already left with that jerk, Denby. But then comforted himself with a pretzel and went to see a revival of _The Maltese Falcon_.

THE END