(Just a quick note: When I posted this on tumblr, it was titled One More Surprise, but I decided to rename it to post here. I'll update tumblr accordingly. enjoy!)
Another Day in the Menagerie
A Sequel - of sorts - to Just Keep Swimming
Whatever she had been expecting when she mashed the buzzer to be let into her own home, her husband's incredulous look is not it.
"You got her a snake?" he squeaks, plowing ahead before she has the chance to respond, "You know, when you said you wanted to get her a gift on your own, this was not what I was expecting."
Blowing a piece of uncooperative hair out of her face, Kate Beckett takes a moment to stare at her husband. For a man so intelligent, he can also be obtuse sometimes.
"I brought Lulu from the hospital, Rick. For the party."
Understanding blooms in his eyes, and he backs out of the doorway to allow her – and her terrarium luggage – entry into their home. Pushing her tongue into her cheek, she refrains from asking him what he would've done if she had said the black and white eastern kingsnake was for the girl.
"Remember, Alexis was talking about wanting to do something different this year? So I figured why not bring something home for her to show off to her friends. She loves Lulu."
It's no exaggeration; most kids go straight to the dogs or the cats when they visit the animal hospital, but not Kate's stepdaughter. No, Alexis comes bouncing in from school every other afternoon and makes a beeline for the terrariums and the fish tanks. In the four years since Kate met the Castle family, Alexis has become the self-appointed evening caregiver, which amuses the office to no end.
"No, I know. I know. I was just surprised," Rick explains, recovering from his shock to help relieve her of some of her cargo. "But… you didn't bring any spiders, did you?"
A tease is on the tip of her tongue, but she bites it back in favor of pressing a kiss to the curve of his chin. Her husband hates spiders. He's fine with the lizards and snakes, the fish and the birds, but he had gone white as a sheet the first time she had mentioned someone bringing their pet spider to her for treatment. (To her sadness, she had had to turn them away.)
"No, babe. No spiders. Just Lulu and her food. And I promise, if having her here makes you uncomfortable, I'll take her back to work right after the party instead of Monday morning when I go in. I'm not turning the loft into a reptile house."
Together they slide the snake's cage onto the table by the window. Rick has already put the food on the dining room table, and this space is more out of the way so Lulu won't be disturbed by the chaos.
"You don't have to," he promises once they finish, palming her hip and drawing her in for a proper greeting. "Just surprised me, s'all."
Kate hums, slipping her arms around his neck. "Thought you liked that about me?"
"Oh, that's just one of the many, many reasons."
Good answer.
Pressing another kiss to his lips, Kate hums. "What time are the wild ones supposed to be here?"
Rick's hand slips a little lower, dipping into her back pocket and cupping her butt. Her body rocks forward, want making its presence known even as she fights to reign it in.
"Mother texted just after you did to say they were heading to meet the car service."
"Mmm, not much time then," she teases, rubbing her nose over his. "Don't start something you can't fin-"
"Hello, darlings, we are home!"
"-ish," she adds, easing out of her husband's embrace to greet her mother-in-law and Martha's glammed up ten year old charges. "Hey girls, how was your spa trip? You look refreshed."
The girls grin, shedding their jackets and shoes to show off their freshly painted fingers and toes.
"Gorgeous," she promises, dropping a kiss on her kid's hair when the other three make a beeline for the snacks. "Sorry I missed you earlier, birthday girl."
"S'okay. Is Monkey going to be okay?"
Kate nods, giving Alexis a firm squeeze. She had intended to be there for breakfast and to see Alexis off for her morning with Martha, but Monkey the bird had needed an emergency appointment.
"He will be. He's on a new diet, though. One that doesn't involve Legos." She lowers her voice, knowing Alexis is the only one in the house who will want to hear the rest, "He threw it up before they got to my office, but I had to check to see if he had anything else in his stomach and made sure he wasn't dehydrated."
Alexis giggles, resting her cheek against Kate's chest. "That's good. M'glad he'll be okay."
"Me, too," she agrees, wondering for a moment when her stepdaughter had grown so much. "And if you want, I can make it up to you with lunch tomorrow, just you and me?"
The girl beams. "Sounds great! Can we go to our place?"
"Is there anywhere else we would go?" Kate teases, knocking their heads together. "Kay, one more surprise."
She steps to one side, giving Alexis the chance to spy the terrarium.
"Lulu! You brought me Lulu?"
Ignoring her husband's soft huff - the only 'I told you so' he'll allow himself - Kate squeezes Alexis's neck. "Not forever. Just for today and tomorrow. I thought you might want to show the girls."
"Yes. Can I wear her while we eat?"
"Nah uh, hospital rules still apply, bud. We'll take her out once things are calmer, and only for a little bit."
As expected, Alexis grumbles, but otherwise doesn't argue, and Kate sends her over to the cage to greet her reptilian friend.
"Paige, Kelsey, Taylor, come see Lulu. My mom brought her for the party."
Kate braces herself for the girls to make faces or balk at the idea of getting anywhere near the snake. She's used to reactions like that - it comes with the territory - but she always hopes to spare Alexis from possible ridicule. Thankfully, two of the three girls seem eager to check things out. Paige hangs back, putting most of the table between herself and Lulu, but she doesn't put a damper on Alexis's spirit.
"Kate said we could take her out later. But you don't hafta hold her if you don't want to. Oh! Can we feed her too?"
Smothering a smile, she nods. "Sure, honey. Give her another half an hour, though. We only got here a few minutes before you did and you know how she needs to relax."
"Right. Kay," Alexis agrees, turning to her friends. "Wanna play a game until then?"
The girls agree readily, scampering up the stairs to Alexis's bedroom without giving the snake a second glance.
"I'll call for pizza in a little while," Rick murmurs, fitting his chest to her back. Kate sags against him, drawing his arm around her waist, settling their hands over the gentle swell of her belly. "You want something to tide you over until then?"
"I'll snack," she promises, allowing him to take more of her weight. The second trimester has been easier, but her energy still wanes around this time of day, and being startled out of sleep so early hasn't helped matters. "Might nap while they're upstairs, though."
Her husband nods into her hair, stroking his thumb over her navel.
"That doesn't make me terrible, does it? Sleeping during her birthday party?"
"No, Kate. It makes you smart. That's self-preservation. Remember last year?"
She laughs, dropping her head back. "When we hid in the tube on the playground to get five minutes of peace?"
"Uh huh. Of course I also remember you turning to me and asking me to fulfill one of your rebellious teenage fantasies."
Her eyes roll. "I did not. You said 'hey, wanna make out while we hide?' and I said 'I guess.'"
"Semantics. Either way, remember how fun it was?"
Kate hears her mother-in-law snort from behind them, but she can't help but press a smile into Rick's arm. "Mmm, it was pretty fun."
Her husband hums, shifting his weight into a gentle sway. "Yeah, it was. Anyway, go rest, Kate. Alexis isn't going to notice if you shut your eyes for a fe -"
"Mom?"
"Or not," she singsongs, disentangling from Rick's arms, she makes her way to the base of the stairs. "Yeah, honey? What's up?"
Alexis appears from around the corner, looking the picture of innocence with her hands clasped in front of her. "Can we bring our drinks up here? We promise, promise, promise not to spill."
Tilting her head, Kate offers her a tender smile. They don't have rules about having drinks upstairs, but Alexis always makes sure before she takes more than just water to her room.
"Crazy girl, you know you don't need to ask. Just remember to bring the empty cans down when you're done. And your plates. Take your snacks up, too."
"Kay!" Alexis comes tearing downstairs, the girls hot on her heels. "Thanks, Mom."
"Uh huh. Go on, have fun. We'll do pizza in a little while."
Alexis nods, spinning on her heel to crash into Kate's side. "Best birthday ever."
Kate shares a grin with her husband, waiting until the girls are gone to reach for him, slotting her fingers through his. He steps closer, brushing his mouth over her temple.
"Speaking of mothers," she murmurs, palming the curve of his waist, "Meredith?"
Rick sighs, deflating into her touch. Kate nuzzles his cheek, already knowing where this is going. "Her gift arrived next-day delivery this morning, and the phone call apologizing for not being able to make it in person came about twenty minutes after Mother and Alexis left. She was supposed to call Mother so she could talk to Alexis while they were out. Did she?"
He lifts his head, turning his attention to the redhead helping herself to a hearty glass of merlot.
Martha nods, her face twisting in some combination of annoyance and disgust. Her mother-in-law has never been shy about her feelings for Meredith, and though she tries not to judge the woman too harshly, Kate's not exactly fond of the former Mrs. Castle either.
"She apparently suggested a shopping day for another time," Martha adds, lifting her glass in a mocking toast for luck.
"As long as she stays in the country, if not the state, I think we'll all be happy," Rick says, shaking his head.
"We can hope," she mutters, pushing at her husband's chest as he tries nudging her toward the couch. "Don't herd me, Rick. I'm getting myself food and then I'll sit."
He holds up his hands in surrender. "Yes dear."
Martha chuckles. "You're not going to win this one, kiddo."
"Me or him?" Kate teases, moving to the table of snacks and loading a plate while Rick flops onto the couch.
"Him, Katherine, definitely him."
She grins. "Yeah, he is outnumbered, isn't he? Surrounded by women."
"Baby's a boy," Rick calls. He's been insistent about that, ever since they sat on the edge of the bathtub together, huddled over a thin plastic test waiting for the plus sign to appear. "Things are a little more even."
"Baby's not backing you up until he's out in the world," she retorts, licking ranch dip from her thumb. "Still three against one for now. And oh, think about how much worse it'll be when you're wrong and it's four against one."
"You're not funny, Kate."
"Mmm, no I think I am. Do you want cheese?" She doesn't give him the opportunity to respond, instead continuing, "You know what, forget the plate. I'm gonna bring the platter over, and if the girls want more, they can come grab it from us."
Her husband grins over the back of the couch, indulging her abrupt shift. "Sounds good."
She settles close to him, leaning her cheek on his arm as they snack and listen for signs of distress from upstairs. Most days, the girls get along famously, but squabbles happen, especially at the tender age of ten.
Of course, after a while, all she hears is the hum of the refrigerator and her husband's quiet rumble as he and his mother chat. Sleep tugs at her brain, urging her to give in and drift off, but she shakes the sensation away long enough to get Rick's attention.
"Mhmm?" he asks, dusting his lips over her forehead.
"Brought more food for Flounder, too. S'in my bag."
Her husband smiles, dipping to take a soft kiss from her mouth. "Thanks honey. Can't have Flounder the Wonder Fish going hungry."
"Mmm, nope. You might take him to another vet if I let that happen."
Given that the little fish is what brought them together, she will take care of him until it is impossible to do so.
Rick grins against her lips. "Never, Doctor Beckett. Never."
Prompt from Anonymous: I would like to know what happened at the anniversary dinner. Since we're on the subject, I would like to know what happened with the fish doctor, too. :D
I won't lie to you, Anon, this message made me laugh when I got it. Maybe this will help answer the latter question. ;)