Chapter 1 -- Walking On Snow
Drifting down from the heavens that loomed above the extensive skyline of New York City were light, fluffy flakes of a miracle substance commonly called snow. They floated from the clouds to Earth in a leisurely fashion, each of a unique design and glinting faintly in the dim light of the sun. And though people grumbled and groaned about the frigid cold, the hassles often associated with winter, all Kate Beckett could see was absolute beauty. The way white coated each building and blanketed every sidewalk captivated her, adding an extra bounce to her step. The scenery that spanned Manhattan brought to the forefront of her mind fond memories of sledding in Central Park; of snowball fights just beyond the school premises, and careful constructions of snowmen in front of her childhood apartment complex.
There was no question that this season was her favorite -- always had been, always would be.
For as her measured footfalls made shallow impressions in the snow, Kate relished the sensation of the bitterly cold wind nipping her nose, causing it to redden at the tip. While the faces of those around her were twisted into thin-lipped scowls, hers beheld an expression of pure awe, her emerald eyes alight with wonderment. She had to fight back the urge to stick out her tongue and capture a little flake upon it, for there was something simply magical about this time of the year. Caught up in the hustle and bustle of their daily lives, many had forgotten the feeling, or chose to ignore it -- but not she. No, she would savor the spellbinding glamour of December until her dying day, if only because she associated it so strongly with her mother.
Swiftly rounding the corner leading onto Delancey Street, the detective absently brushed aside a few stray strands of dark hair with a fingerless-gloved hand. These chestnut-colored tendrils had somehow worked their way out of the loose ponytail that bound her subtly wavy tresses, which she had allowed to grow out over the course of the past few months. This she had done largely due to the persistent nagging of self-proclaimed diva Martha Rodgers, who had insisted that Kate let herself be a little softer, a tad more feminine. The mischievous redhead had also cited that men liked 'something to grab onto' in the throes of passion, winking no-so-subtly as her son had strolled into the room at that particular moment.
Needless to mention, Kate had blushed profusely at her risqué choice of words, and improvised a hasty excuse to flee the vicinity. Though after careful consideration, she had taken the old vixen's advice, only to find that she was quite satisfied with her new look. She had decided that she liked feeling a little more sexy, and that indulging in a womanly impulse every now and again might not be so wrong. In fact, this discovery was only one of many she'd made as of late. Life with Richard Castle & Co. -- as she had come to refer to his family -- making frequent appearances was interesting, to say the least. With them around, there was never a dull moment, nor a day gone by without some sort of strange occurrence of epic proportions. But now that she had grown accustomed to their eccentric way of going about their lives, she wouldn't have it any other way -- it was both wild and wonderful, in her eyes.
A smile lingered upon the brunette's lips, as she entered the hectic Essex Street Market, and was reminded of her eating plans. Her frozen limbs began to thaw due to the throngs of frenzied shoppers between whom she artfully weaved, slowly but steadily getting closer to her destination. Having received a call at the precinct an hour beforehand from a young person dear to her heart, Kate had abandoned her previous lunchtime engagement, somehow managing to pry herself away from the very needy, very suspicious Rick Castle. It was comical, how paranoid he was -- he seemed to think that she was hell-bent on moving forward with their latest murder case, while leaving him in dust. So, behaving in a carefully flippant manner, she'd let him sweat a little, all in the spirit of fun. Just because they were now a couple -- thought not exclusive -- didn't mean she couldn't still make him squirm, a favorite pastime of hers.
Tossing a glance behind her, Kate checked to make sure the absurdly mistrustful author hadn't followed her; after all, she wouldn't put it past him. All clear, she mused complacently, before entering the lively diner that was her destination. Shopsins was an offbeat little place renowned for its unusual menu items, and even more outlandish owner. It had formerly been in Greenwich VIllage, but relocated due to economic hardship. Now, however, it was back in full swing, and a great place to grab a quick bite -- hence her being there.
Avidly scanning the swarm of hungry people, the detective searched the for sole individual she had come to meet. Finally pinpointing her at a table near the back corner, green eyes all alit, she began to make her way toward that area. Nestled comfortably into the seat cushion was none other than the witty young Alexis Castle, beaming in her prim school uniform. Immediately she sprang up from her spot, and greeted the cop with unrestrained enthusiasm.
"Hey, girlie," Kate responded with equal merriment, grinning from ear to ear. Pulling the redhead in for a quick hug, she inquired, "How's life been since I last saw you... oh, five hours ago?" She laughed lightly, as the two resumed their seats.
Smoothing down the pleats of her immaculate plaid skirt, the teenager shrugged. "It's exam week -- it's stressful, you know?" She sighed, then flashed a smile as their waiter approached. "But at least the headmaster decided on an open schedule this year, otherwise we'd never have been able to meet for lunch like this."
Kate nodded sympathetically, understanding the girl's plight. A plethora of tests crammed into a single week meant lots of pressure, and little time for enjoying the approach of the holidays. "I'll have a hot cocoa, when you get a chance," she replied to the waiter's inquiry as to their drinks. He was a young guy, and seemed only to have eyes for Alexis, barely acknowledging the detective's words.
"The same, please," added the pretty redhead, who averted her eyes to the server's obvious ogling.
After he had walked away to retrieve their beverages, Kate snickered, her eyes glinting with mischief. "Okay, so, I'd just like to put it out there that our waiter was just undressing you with his eyes." She grinned, then pulled a serious face. "He better behave -- I'm armed."
Kicking the other woman beneath the table, Alexis smiled through her embarrassment. "I have my dad to be overly protective, thanks." She propped her elbow beneath her chin, then inquired with curiosity, "Speaking of which, how did you manage to get away from him? I know he's always super-afraid that you'll crack a case without him." Rolling her eyes with a certain fondness, she tried to hide the blush that crept over her features as the waiter returned.
Then, after their orders had been taken -- and Alexis had been sufficiently objectified by the server -- Kate replied in a lofty, indifferent tone, "Oh, you know... Just some rope, duct tape, handcuffs and a spare interrogation room was all it took get him feeling cooper--"
Clamping her hands over her ears, the teenager cried, "Okay, on second thought, never-mind." She grimaced, having regretted questioning the detective's methods. "I'm way too young to hear about this, thank God."
Kate smirked. "You asked," she pointed out, taking a leisurely sip of her hot chocolate. The warmth of the dark liquid coated her throat, and seeped into her veins, thawing out the rest of her body. "Alright, Lex, time to spill -- why'd I have to ditch your dad?" She fixed the girl with a playfully scrutinizing gaze, lacing her fingers beneath her chin in a philosophical manner. "I realize he can be quite irritating -- believe me, I do," the detective rolled her eyes as the individual across from her giggled, "but that doesn't usually seem to faze you. Like father, like daughter, as the saying goes." She flashed a cheeky smile.
"Oh, ha ha." Alexis laughed sarcastically, narrowing her bright blue-green eyes. "Touché, Kate, touché. Looks like you've finally figured out how to measure up to the infamous Castle wit factor."
Snorting and gesturing toward the ceiling in an offhanded manner, Kate replied haughtily, "Puh-lease, I've acquired witticisms you can only wish you'd come up with." Patting the redhead's pale hand condescendingly, she added, "But maybe if you're a good little girl, and stop avoiding my question," she arched a brow, stating these last words with pointedness, "I'll share some of this genius with you." The sportive woman tapped the side of her head with a wink, then waited expectantly for a reply.
Trying unsuccessfully to keep the wide smile from stretching across her features, Alexis couldn't help but marvel at the change she'd observed in both the detective before her, and her own father. Ever since they had admitted their feelings for one another -- some four months ago now -- and started dating, it was as if the two of them were floating on their own little cloud. It wasn't as if they were mushy lovebirds 24/7, gazing into each other's eyes and murmuring sweet nothings; while that may have been okay with her dad, she knew for a fact that it wasn't Kate's style. Rather, it was the littler, more subtle things that she noticed and found to be sweet. For example, there was the way that Kate would gently slap her father's arm when he said something outrageous, and Alexis felt that one would have to be blind not to see how her fingers lingered on his skin and her eyes shone brilliantly. On her dad's part, she'd spotted how he watched Kate set the dinner table with a single-minded fascination, an expression on his face that was so full of intimate emotion she felt she was intruding on something by looking at him.
Of course, it had been awkward at first, mostly due to Kate's obvious discomfort. While Alexis and her grandmother had been overwhelmingly hospitable, practically smothering her with enthusiasm and delight, the uneasy cop had still behaved as though she were an outsider. But as the days had turned into weeks, and the weeks into months, her overnight stays had become so frequent that it was odd not to see her there for dinner. In all honesty, the redhead didn't understand why she still kept her apartment, as the only time she visited it anymore was to grab an outfit or a miscellaneous item. And the bonds between each of them had strengthened, which was what now made them into a weird but wonderful sort of family.
So, it was for this reason that, after much consideration, Alexis was going to ask the detective to accompany them on their annual holiday trip to Hawaii. She hadn't exactly checked with her dad about it yet, but her grandma thought it was a splendid idea, and had already begun planning numerous 'spa-outings' for the three of them.
Grinning at the recollection of her gran's eccentric antics, the teenager met the curious gaze of the woman across from her, nerves gnawing at the lining of her stomach. For some reason, she was worried about how Kate would react -- namely, that she would say no. Over the past few months, the two of them had become quite close, their connection a happy medium channeling the one shared between best friends and mothers/daughters. And though they still had so much to learn about one another, Alexis was harboring a cautious hope that Christmas would be a chance for them to further fortify their bond.
"Well..." Began the redhead in an enigmatic tone, a smile playing on her lips. She drew in a deep breath, and was just about to take the leap when that stupid-ass waiter came sauntering back over. He practically tossed Kate's food into her lap, but her own order he set elegantly before her in lecherous servitude, making sure to get in an eyeful of her small, pert breasts. At this, Alexis' usually dormant temper flared like a volcano, and she demanded in a shockingly authoritative tone, "How about you watch my face instead of my chest, okay, pal?" He blubbered and stuttered, clearly taken aback by her outburst. "We'll take the check, please." She added in a sickly sweet tone, then picked up her fork and completely ignored his apologies.
After the schooled server had shambled away, hanging his head, Kate eyed the teen with a newfound reverence. "Smart and savvy, what a combo. You shine bright, hon -- makes your dad proud everyday." She winked, sipping at a spoonful of her curry soup. "And the cop in me is thrilled at the girl power you just unveiled. That is how we represent." A grin blazed across her features.
Alexis laughed, spearing a bit of her greek falafel salad. "Aw, it was nothing -- the guy needed a reality check anyhow." Gesturing with an inclination of her head toward a table near to their own, she added dryly, "I caught a glimpse of him harassing them, too. Seems like a classy dude." She rolled her eyes, as the subject of their conversation momentarily returned to drop off the check. He kept his gaze trained on the floor, and his tail between his legs, so to speak.
Almost in unison, both women reached for the bill. With slightly quicker reflexes, Kate wrapped her fingers around it and smirked. "Better luck next time, grasshopper." Reaching into her back pocket for her wallet, she added definitively, "Besides, nobody is leaving here until you answer my question." She checked her watch, and chuckled. "You've got about ten minutes before your father sends out a SWAT team looking for me, so I suggest you make it brief." Her expression said that she wasn't at all kidding.
"Oh, right," Alexis grinned, fully able to picture such an outrageous situation playing out. After all, anything was possible with her dad -- that much she had learned from fifteen years in his company. "Okay, here's the lowdown. You ready?"
Kate couldn't help but smile -- that was a cop's phrase. "Lay it on me, sarge." She crossed her legs and sat back in her chair, thoroughly entertained. This oughta be good, she mused jovially.
"Every year gran, dad, and myself spend Christmas and New Years in Hawaii. We usually leave a few days before the actual holiday, and stay until I have to come back for school." The redhead paused, watching the detective's face anxiously. She seemed not to have grasped the point just yet, and so, the teenager continued her explanation. "Dad has a friend out there who owns a rental company, and he always lets us stay in gran's favorite condo. It's a little extravagant -- which I'm sure doesn't surprise you -- but is also very nice. Fifteen feet from the ocean, near a secluded beach, and also has a pool." A light shrug signified that she thought it to be a bit over-the-top, but appreciated it nonetheless.
Letting out a low whistle, Kate shook her head disbelievingly. "Never been to Hawaii, not on a cop's salary." She laughed softly. "Only beach I've ever been to is in Miami, and that was for a police convention."
Alexis had known that Kate rarely indulged herself, but she had to admit, this tidbit came as a surprise to her. "Seriously?" She asked incredulously, her young age showing as her almond-shaped eyes widened.
A laugh sitting in her throat, the detective nodded. "Not all of us have internationally best-selling authors for fathers, Lex," she teased, taking another drink of her hot cocoa. "Continue on with your fairy tale, then." As to why she was being told all this, Kate didn't quite know, but the etherealness of it all made her wonder how the girl before her hadn't turned out a spoiled snob.
Faintly blushing, Alexis smiled sheepishly, hoping that she wasn't sounding like a show-off. If there was one thing she had never done and would never resort to doing, it was flaunting her wealth. Even at a school like Dalton Prep, which was teeming with money and students who had an abundance of it, she was considered to be one of the richest attendees -- if not the very most. But by looking at her or spending five minutes in her company, one never would've been able to detect this. There was no royal air about her, and she wore no glittery diamonds or designer clothing. She was remarkably level-headed, and it showed. Although her mother might have tried to instill in her a certain haughty, holier-than-thou attitude, she had taken after her father in only endeavoring to display playful conceit.
"Um, anyway..." The teen tried to shake off her embarrassment with taking another bite of her salad. It's now or never, she thought, and steeled herself for whatever was to come. "I was thinking... I mean, Gran and I were..." She paused, inhaling. A shy smile dawned upon her features, as she summoned up the gall to ask her question. "That maybe you'd like to expand your repertoire of beaches, and come with us on our trip this year?" The girl was unable to suppress the gleam of hope that ignited in her eyes, as she eagerly observed the woman across from her.
Luckily enough, Kate hadn't been drinking or eating at that particular moment, otherwise she probably would have choked. A stunned expression dominating her features, she faltered for a moment, before managing to push out a sound that vaguely resembled her own voice. "Oh, Alexis..." She ran a hand through her dark hair, clearly at a loss for words. "That's just... wow. Um." Her mouth opened and closed a few times, swallowing flies and sucking in hot air. Clearing her throat, her brows drew together as she inquired, "Did you, uh... Is your dad okay with this? I'm just wondering, seeing as you made sure he wouldn't be here."
Thoughts were flying through the detective's mind a mile a minute, as she processed the events of the past few moments. In all honesty, she had been actively avoiding thoughts of how her Christmas would be spent -- she didn't want to seem pathetic, latching onto Castle and his family because she didn't have one of her own. Of course there was her father, but he had a girlfriend this year, the first one since her mother's death. And though he had dutifully invited Kate to accompany him down to his new lady friend's family's house in Long Island, she had declined, feeling it would be a disgrace to her mom's memory. Somewhere deep down, she resented him for moving on, and was punishing him because she was hurt. But Christmas on holiday with Rick? It sounded to good to be true, and she mistrusted the prospect.
The redheaded girl speaking brought Kate back to reality. "Well..." There was a trace of guilt in her voice. "He isn't exactly aware that Gran and I are inviting you." A rueful smile worked its way onto her features. "But I know he wouldn't mind! He would be thrilled, actually, if you were to come with us." She leaned forward enthusiastically, face all alight. "The only reason we decided not to tell him was... was in case you couldn't come." The happiness drained from her in one quick moment. "Or... if you said 'no.'" Her crestfallen expression just at the possibility was heart-rending. "We didn't want him to be all mopey over the holidays."
Kate was struck by the sweetness of this gesture. Alexis had gone to all sorts of trouble to arrange a private lunch with her, just to spare her father's feelings if things didn't work out. She felt chains wind themselves around her heart and squeeze, tacking on additional pressure. "I..." Hesitating, she tried to keep the shame out of her voice. "I'm touched by your offer, Lex, I really am. But with the way things are right now, I can't possibly afford to pay for a round-trip plane ticket to Hawaii." She paused, rubbing her temples -- her signature tell of distress. "It's just... it's not within my price range, at the moment."
Oddly enough, relief flooded Alexis' features. "Oh, that's all! I thought you were going to say you had other plans or something." She laughed, waving away the brunette's words with a casual gesture of her hand. "Don't worry about the money, Kate. We always ride with dad's friend -- the one who owns the rental company -- and his family, on their private jet." Grinning, her pearly whites illuminated the diner to its most obscure crevices. "Really, it's not a problem. No airport hassle, either!" She spoke as though conversing about a new and handy method of doing laundry.
A silence. "I see." Kate managed a feeble smile, thoroughly overwhelmed. Of course Rick would know a multimillionaire family with a spare crib in Hawaii and a private jet. She thought dryly. Sometimes she forgot just how well-connected he really was, or it slipped her mind that he himself was worth millions. Thus, when she was reminded of his bursting bank account, it always caught her off-guard.
Sensing the detective's constraint, Alexis replied hastily, "You don't have to decide right now, of course! I know you have to get back to the precinct." She flashed an eager smile, and added, "We won't be leaving for another week, anyway. So... take your time, and think about it all you need." Her earnestness was harrowing, shattering the cop's heart.
Somehow succeeding in standing up, Kate gave the teen a parting hug. "I certainly will." She pulled back, a strange lump in her throat.
Gazing up at the woman's face, Alexis stated honestly, "I hope I didn't unsettle you by asking you to come with us... I never meant to upset you." She fidgeted with the hem of her skirt. "It's just, we've gotten really close over the past few months, and... Christmas wouldn't seem right without you there." A small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.
The chains around Kate's heart tightened. Embracing the girl yet again, she tenderly kissed the top of her head. "You're sweet," she murmured, gently cuffing the redhead beneath the chin in an affectionate gesture. "I'll let you know soon, okay, gorgeous?" The two walked outside together, linked arm-in-arm. "Now you get back to school and do something useful with that clever mind of yours, you hear?" She grinned, waving as the teen walked off in the opposite direction.
Now on her way to the precinct, the frigid wind to her back, Kate blinked away moisture. Stopping just outside the familiar building, she leaned against the brick, and regained her precious composure. "Damn it," she muttered under breath, shivering. "What in God's name am I gonna do?"