There was something Kate Beckett had not told Richard Castle. The rest of her team knew but Castle.
"Girl you gotta tell him. It's gonna come out and not how you want it." Lanie Parish said to Kate "He's gonna follow you home or something and find out 'bout little Kia."
"Yeah I know Lanie but I'm not ready yet. I'll tell him when I'm ready." A loud thump and a small whimper echoed through Kate's apartment Kate stood " I'll be back in a minute Lanie."
Lanie nodded and Kate disappeared into the room that had been spare until around 2 years ago. Kate had found out she was having a baby after she had caught her boyfriend cheating and he was also abusive to her. She told him and he said I don't want anything to do with it. That night after she had cried herself to sleep she dreamt of her mother telling her she'd be fine and she'd be able to raise her baby on her own. 8 months later little Kia Joanne Beckett was born weighing 5lb. Lanie smiled at the sound of the young toddlers heart warming giggles. The rest of the team doted on Kia to the point Kate took her in to visit the precinct when she was a few days old to meet her uncles and her auntie as soon as she had placed the baby carrier on the desk top Ryan and Esposito fought over her. Kate walked into her living room with Kia perched on her right hip.
"Look Kia. Auntie Lanie came to visit you." Kate placed Kia on the floor. Kia shakily stood and toddled towards Lanie. Kate went into her kitchen to make some coffee.
"Kia your getting so grown up."
"Mama, Mama, Mama." Kia called as she shakily walked to the kitchen with Lanie in tow.
"What's the matter?"
"Wove." Kia said as she walked closer to Kate.
"I love you too. Do you want some juice?" Lanie watched the interaction between her best friend and the little girl. Smiling to herself she turned and walked back to Kate's living room.
"Come Kia we left Auntie Lanie on her own." Kate said as she walked into the living room with 2 cups of coffee in her hands " Lanie I was thinking about bringing Kia to the precinct tomorrow. She hasn't seen her Uncle Javi and Uncle Kevi in a fairly long time."
" 'avi?" Kia asked her eyes swimming in confusion.
"Yeah Uncle Javi. You can spend the day with Uncle Javi, Uncle Kevi, Auntie Lanie and Uncle Roy." Kate said. "Then when Mama's finished work we can go and see Grandpa. Yeah?"
Kia nodded before she toddled to her toy box and pulled out some toys.
"So are you gonna tell Castle tomorrow?"
"Maybe. If the time feels right then yes if not then no."
Kate and Lanie chuckled as Kia shakily ran around the living room with numerous toys while squealing with laughter.
"Right I better head home. I got a meeting tomorrow." Lanie said as she stood and placed her coffee cup on Kate's small coffee table.
"Good luck Lanie." Kate smiled
"Lan luck."
"Thanks you both." Lanie said before turning to Kate "Girl if you don't tell him Imma smack you then tell him myself okay?"
Kate nodded she tended not to argue with Lanie when it came to telling people important things because either she'd say it in coffee-fuelled bad day haze or Lanie would keep her word and tell whoever whatever.
"Right shall we run you a bath then?"
Kia nodded, Kate filled the bath tub up with lukewarm water before stripping Kia off and placing her in the bath.
Kia began squealing in delight before splashing her small hands in the water which doused Kate and the rest of the bathroom.
"Kia, come on lets wash your hair." Kate chuckled as Kia splashed.
Once Kia had stopped splashing it didn't take long for Kate to finish bathing the young girl, Kate wrapped a towel around Kia and carried her to her bedroom. Kate dried her young daughter off and then dressed her in her pyjama's and sang her to sleep like she always had done. Carefully she placed Kia into her cot.
Kate walked back to her bathroom and began to mop the floor still clad in her soaking wet clothes before a loud thump on her door made her jump. She walked to her door and opened it. She was greeted by the face she never thought she would see again. Kia's father.