Kate brought the warm thermos filled with coffee to her mouth, it was a little bitter, but she didn't care she needed the energy.
When she reached her floor everyone was rushing around..kinda what they did whenever there was a serial killer on the lose. This was going to be a long morning
"Yo, Beckett," Espo called out to her from his desk, as he hanged up the phone.
Kate made her way up to Espo's desk, getting a couple of sorry captain on the way as Detective's who were rushing around would bump into her. "Fill me in," Kate said once she reached his desk.
"Okay," Espo said making his way to the whiteboard. "Our murder victim is 23-year-old Lauren Hart, she was attacked from behind pinned and then was one punched attacked."
"Any witness?"
"Two, her friend's Bella Harris who was also attacked from behind by another man, pinned she said that he wrapped his arms around her neck and tried to strangle her."
"She is alive?"
"Lucky, she suffered an asthma attack while being strangled her."
"And who's the third girl?"
"Natalie Dawson, Bella's cousin she was taken by one of the men when they were walking home from The York festival."
"Did Bella identify any of the men?"
"No, but a bartender at a nearby bar, said three men came in already off their heads but since one of them were regulars, he saw them go into the men's bathroom to take drugs and then came back and had six beers each, according to CTV they left at 11:30, the only person that he could ID was Joe Mayer,"
Espo said putting up a photo of a man with a round face shape, he had a dark black hair, his eye's were a dark and scary blue, his goatee matched his hair with bit's of grey.
"Any previous records?"
"One, in 2010 neighbours called when they heard a women's piercing scream, His wife Summer was escorted to the hospital by police, the doctor said that she had a cut lip, bruising on her cheek and a bruised eye.
The doctor went to report her injuries to the detective waiting in the waiting room but when detectives arrived at her room, she had seemed to escape out the window. A note was left on her bed saying my husband loves me, leaves us alone and don't press any charges."
"Is Summer, still alive?" Kate asked. "Unknow but when the apartment was searched all we found was a six-year-old."
"Where's the girl now?"
"Ryan took her to the hospital."
"Okay well, I'll go see Ryan at the hospital, I need you to find the bartender, get a sketch artist and get the bartender to describe the men that were with Joe Mayer and see if they are in the system."
"As you wish," Espo said taking a seat and then picked up his phone.
/
"Ryan, hey," Kate said walking into the waiting room. "How's is she?"
"She had bruises and cigarette burns on her skin, a broken rib, broken ankle, broken wrist and a broken nose, she wrote down on a notepad that her grandma used to take care of her while her dad would go out, she would fix her injuries, teach her spelling nd reading, but a year ago her grandma died and she's been alone since then."
"Did she mention anything about her mom?"
"She said that her mother had died when she was a baby, but she didn't know why."
"What's her name?"
"Dakota."
"So where do we go from here?" Ryan added.
"Well if we call CPS all they will do is put her in a foster home which is dangerous cause of her situation with her father, so I guess since she's under police custody she could come home with me and stay with me for a couple of days, what room is she in?"
"315, I'll introduce her to you she needs to know that you won't hurt her, oh and you better take my car cause I have a car seat, I'll take your car."
/
"Hey, Dakota," Ryan said in a soft tone as he entered the room and got a shy wave back from Dakota.
"I've enjoyed spending time with your kiddo but I have work to do, so my friend Kate," Ryan said pointing to Beckett, who waved and smiled at the little girl.
"Is going to spend some time with you, she's going to get you some food, get you some new clothes, give you a bath and then a bed to sleep in."
"Can I ask you something, before you leave?" Dakota asked her voice almost whispering. "Yes."
"Can you go get teddy and barbie, there all alone and scared?"
"Sure, I'll go get them and then bring them to Kate's place."
"Okay."
"Bye Dakota." Ryan waved as he opened the door. "Bye." Dakota waved back at him as he shut the door behind him.
"Hey, Dakota," Kate said with a smile as she walked towards her bed. "Can I sit with you?"
"Yes."
Kate took a seat on the edge of the bed and as she sat down, Dakota reached out her little hand and played with one of Kate's curls. "Pretty," Dakota said as she let go of Kate's hair.
"Thank you, your hair is very pretty too."
"When can we go, I'm hungry?" Dakota asked wrapping her arms around her stomach. "When was the last time, you ate?" Kate asked.
"Two day's ago."
"Do you know what is was?"
"I don't know, he just threw it out me and told me to shut up and eat it and then he left."
"Okay, I'll go find a doctor and ask them," Kate said getting off bed.
/
Kate got the okay to take Dakota home they stopped by The York Warehouse which was opened 24 hours.
They got Dakota some warm pj's, sweater, leggings with pretty patterns on them and some shoes which was an another new experience for Dakota cause she never had shoes before.
Then once she was set with warm and new clothes, they got her some basic toiletries, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, toothpaste and toothbrush.
Afterwards, Kate took her through the drive thru at McDonalds which Dakota found very exciting.
Once they arrived back at the loft, Kate carried Dakota up to the loft and ran her a warm bath, adding another new experience to Dakota's list, she was about to dress her into her new pj's when Ryan knocked at the door dropping Teddy and barbie off.
Which made Dakota's face lit up as Kate gave them to her once she arrived up the stairs at Alexis room. Then it was time for the excitement to fade away as Dakota was getting really sleepy.
Kate tucked her in and told her where her bedroom was and that if she needed anything or felt scared that she was more than welcome to wake her up.
/
When Rick woke up the next morning it was 9.00 o'clock, the streets of New York were already flooded with people heading to work and Christmas shoppers rushing to get everything on their Christmas list.
He woke up to his wife next to him, he moved to her side of the bed and draped his arm around her waist and kissed her cheek.
Rick observed his wife sleeping form, her chest would rise and then fall almost in perfect sync, every knows and them her nose would scrunch up in the cutest way and she would bury her head into the pillow.
"Stop it," She mumbled her voice laced with sleep. "I know you're watching me sleep Castle and it's creepy."
"It's observing, my darling wife," Rick said with a grin as he placed another kiss to her cheek. "Rick I need to tell you something?" Kate said seriously.
"What's wrong?" Rick asked concerned. "I know I just have talked about this with you first, but it was kinda last minute, three girls were walking back from a festival, one was murdered, one was almost murdered and the other one has gone missing.
It was a group of three men who attacked them and one of the three men had a daughter who had psychical abused and neglected her, she was having in a small old apartment, she never got to go outside all she had on her back was this ratty old dress which had outgrown her.
"Espo's not really a kid person and Ryan wanted to do it but with Sarah Grace and Jenny's pregnancy they just had no room or time, so she's going to stay with us till the case is over."
"How could a man, do that to his daughter?" Rick asked shocked as he tried to hold back his tears. "Alexis, fell off her bike when she was four I freaked out so much that I even took her to the hospital."
"His, not a man, Castle his a coward, your a real man," Kate said as she pressed a kiss to his lips. "What's her name?"
"Dakota, she might be a bit shy at first but once you get to know her she will get a lot more talkative, I was wondering if you could maybe look after her while I'm at the precinct?"
"Sure, I'll show her Christmas traditions," Rick said his eye's widening with excitement. "That sounds great, babe but I want an officer to escort you and Dakota, Even though Espo has him in holding I want you and her to be safe."
"I understand, you've gained her trust and you don't want to lose it."
"I'll go check on Dakota, maybe you could start making breakfast then I'll come down and help," Kate said with a smile as she got out of bed.
/
When Kate entered Alexis room, Dakota was sitting up in the bed playing her teddy. "Good morning," Kate said to her as she leaned against the doorway.
"Morning."
"How was your sleep last night?"
"It was good, this bed is so warm and cuddly."
"That's good, are you hungry?"
"Yes."
"Do you want to come downstairs for breakfast?"
"I'm not allowed to move If I move I'll hurt me."
"Nobody's going to hurt your here Dakota, I won't let anyone hurt you the way he hurt you."
"What about your husband?"
"He loves kids and his a very nice man who would never hurt anyone, he hates's seeing people get hurt"
"Okay," Dakota said getting out of her bed.
/
"Can I have some more, please?" Dakota asked. "You must really like, those Lucky Charms." Rick said as grabbed her bowl and refilled her third bowl.
"Can I have more, apple please also?" Dakota said tapping on Kate's shoulder. "Sure," Kate said grabbing an apple out of the fruit bowl. "But after I cut this apple, I have to go to work okay just for a little, but I promise you that Rick won't hurt you."
"Kate's right, I'm more a teddy bear then a fighter."
"Okay then," Dakota answered with a smile. "Great," Kate said putting the plate of apples next to her bowl. "I'll see you two soon."
/
It was lunch time when Kate returned home, but she wasn't finished for the day she wanted to check in on how Dakota and Rick were going and how Dakota first adventure around New York at Christmas time was.
The first thing Kate saw when she walked in the door was Dakota her hair looked so beautiful and full of life now that it was washed. She had her red Christmas sweater on the one with the kitten that had a Santa hat.
Kate swore she saw a twinkle in her eye as she watched the Christmas movie play in front of her. "Hey, Dakota," Kate said as she took off her heels.
"Hey," Dakota replied taking her eye's off the screen for one second. "Do you want to watch a movie with me?"
"What one are you watching?"
"Elf."
"Where's Rick?"
"His in the study."
"Okay, I just need to talk to him and then I'll come back and watch the rest of the movie with you."
"Okay," Dakota answered before stuffing her face with popcorn.
/
When Kate opened the study door, she wasn't surprised that he was sitting in his leather office chair looking miserable whenever he was feeling upset he always would go into his office.
Kate closed the door behind her and walked towards him, when she reached his chair she curled herself up against his warm embrace. It wasn't long before Rick's arm wrapped around her and his finger's started drawing a pattern on her arm.
"What's wrong, did something happen?"
"We were drinking hot chocolate and while watching the toy train in the display window when she asked about Santa,
she told me that last night while her dad was out once again she wrote a letter to Santa and then snuck out of her apartment to send it. She asked me if Santa would have got her letter yet?
"She told me in the letter she had asked Santa for the second year in a row, for a mother and father."
The room went silent as they both tried not to cry, about an innocent little girl who was born and raised into a world of drugs, alcohol, abuse and neglect. Nobody deserved that life, a life trapped in four walls and a broken mattress.
"I think," Rick said breaking the silence. "We should fulfill her Christmas wish and adopt her."