Author's Notes:
Thank you for reading my story, I hope you enjoy it.
By all means, please leave me feedback/reviews on this or any of the other stories I've posted here.

Story Notes:
It takes place somewhere in the third or fourth (or fifth?) season time frame.
No particular reference points needed.
No spoilers.
This is a reposting of my first fanfic story about Beckett's Birthday Present (Brooch). I've rewritten it here so that it's easier to read.

Disclaimer:
All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

It's after work and Doctor Lanie Parish is cooking at her stove when the doorbell rings. She goes to the door wearing her apron and an oven mitt with a spoon in her hand. "Hi ya honey! You made it early! Come on in, I only got home a few minutes ago." Lanie says cheerily to her friend.

Beckett, carrying her coat and a bottle of wine comes in and immediately complains "It's cold out there!" as she drops her coat onto a chair and Lanie heads back into the kitchen.

"Make yourself at home! I'm still cooking. It won't be much longer." Lanie says.

"That's great. I hope this wine is good, I got it from Castle's shelf." Kate says heading into the kitchen with the bottle.

"Well, he's not likely to have cheap stuff in there is he?" the M.E. laughs.

"Let's find out right now, where's your opener?"

Without looking Lanie begins to point her arm to a drawer "In that top drawer over there." as she turns to look "Hey! ... Are those new earrings?"

Smiling slightly sheepishly Kate explains "Yeah, Castle gave me an early birthday present. He said he couldn't help himself."

"Okay, let me see those!" her friend says going over to look closely "Ooohhhh! Those are lovely!" as she walks back to her stove she laughs saying "Honey, I think he might be a keeper!"

"Yeah, might very well be." Kate smiles at the comment while pouring wine into two glasses. "He also gave me this." She says as she reaches under the neck of her turtleneck and pulls out a gold chain and exposes a small brooch on the chain while handing a glass to Lanie.

Taking the offered glass, her friend puts down cooking spoon and leans over to get better look at brooch while haltingly saying "Oh... My... That... is... beautiful!"

While sitting down in the kitchen Kate offhandedly explains "I told him it had better not be expensive and he said it's only about two to three hundred."

Lanie looks at her friend suspiciously "Are you kidding me?"

"No, why?" Kate asks confused sipping her wine.

"Let me make a quick call. Would you stir that pot for me?" she says pointing to the stove.

"Sure" she says as she gets up and starts to stir pot on the stove while Lanie picks up her phone and dials someone.

"Hi Paul, it's Lanie down the hall. Is Linda available for a minute?" ... "Hi Linda, do you have a few minutes that you could give me? I have something I'd like you to look at and give us an opinion on the value of, would you mind popping in when you have a moment?" ... "Sure, any time you want." ... "Thank you very much." She hangs up phone and returns to stirring the pot herself. "Okay, we'll see."

Returning to her seat Kate asks "See what? What are you thinking?" with a bit of trepidation.

Enjoying the suspense, Lanie tells her "Nothing, just wait until she gets here."

At the sound of the door bell ringing, Lanie asks her "Would you mind getting that?"

Kate goes to and opens the door revealing an older woman with a touch of gray hair but looking very distinguished. "Hi you must be Linda, I'm Kate, Lanie's expecting you, come on in."

"Thank you. Nice to meet you Kate, yes, I'm Linda, I live a couple of doors down."

As the two enter Lanie's kitchen she greets her visitor "Hi Linda, if you want a glass of wine, the glasses are there." pointing across the room.

"Thanks for the offer Lanie. None for me today, I still have to finish getting dinner for Paul. So, what's this all about?" Linda says.

Lanie dives right in "Linda, would you take a look at the brooch Kate has there? She was told by the guy that gave it to her that it's not expensive, it's only valued at about two or three hundred."

Linda turns to Beckett and puts her eyeglasses on "Of course Lanie, glad to do it." She begins to examine the brooch then looks wide-eyed at Lanie then Kate "Are you serious?

Confused, Kate glances at her friend, then back to Linda "Yeah, um... why?"

Lanie smiles a knowing smile back at Beckett and turns down the heat under her pan.

Linda explains to Beckett who's sitting down now with her glass of wine "There's three basic types of jewelry, Nice, Good and Great. The difference between Good pieces and Great pieces aren't the materials they are made out of or the stones used. It is the story behind the piece. The story is always what makes the piece special, in most cases, make it a one of a kind. You'll be happy to know, he didn't lie. The street value of that piece is around the range he suggested but for insurance purposes, instead of only doubling the value, I'd make sure you insure it for a full million."

Simultaneously Lanie drops her utensil and Kate chokes on her wine and they both exclaim "WHAT?"

Linda is taken aback by the sudden reaction "What's wrong?"

Weakly, almost a whisper, Kate asks "Did you say a million?"

Unawares of the story behind her visit she's confused "Yes. Why? Does this surprise you?"

Beckett sits silently staring at brooch in her hands, completely stunned into silence, her head swimming with thoughts and emotions.

Lanie is the first to speak "Linda, do you mean the two to three hundred is thousands of dollars?"

"Um... Yes." now turning to the wide-eyed Beckett "Do you know the story of that piece?" pointing to the brooch.

Beckett, still unable to answer simply shakes her head no. Lanie comes to join them at the table also wide eyed and amazed.

Linda begins to explain "I appraised this piece when it was first offered for sale a few months back. It's a very minor piece from the collection but it still has a story." She looks at both women who are still speechless so she continues "This piece is from a collection that was recently made available from The Russian Museum in Moscow, it was a gift from The Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst, Christian August some time in the mid 1700's to his daughter. The stones each have their own story and the symbol that they create also has a story. I can get you references if you'd like."

All three women are silent, Lanie and Kate simply staring at the brooch in her hand.

After what seems to have been forever, Lanie quietly chokes out "Linda, who was his daughter?"

Linda informs them "Her title was 'The Empress of Russia' but you'd know her as Catherine the great."

This statement is met by a sudden, sharp inhale from Kate, wide eyed with tears streaming down her face.

Linda, now concerned asks "Are you alright?"

Beckett slowly nods looking at the brooch and then to her friend with wide tear-filled eyes.

Still amazed Lanie smiles at Beckett, and chokes out while patting her forearm "Yeah, he's definitely a keeper." then turns and explains to Linda "She's got a new boyfriend and this might take her a bit of getting used to."

Linda sits back and smiles. "Well, I hope this is good news." Then turning "Lanie, I'll leave you girls. I don't want my Paul to try and cook his own dinner again after the last fiasco." she says rising "I'll let myself out. Nice meeting you Kate."

Becket hears nothing and continues to stare at the brooch in her hand. Smiling and tearing up for her good friend, Lanie takes her hand "Y'know Kate, I'm going to go out on a limb here and suggest that he might like you a lot. Yeah, 'Katherine the great', very subtle message there."

Kate continuing to cry, moves her lips and tries to say something but nothing comes out.

Knowingly, her friend says "Sit tight," then standing and wiping her own tears "I'll refill your glass, I think we're going to need this whole bottle to make it through this night."

# # # The End # # #