The trip back to the loft took only 20 minutes but to Kate it seemed like an eternity. Kate rushed into the loft and almost ran directly into Rick who at that moment was about to open the loft door.
"Kate? What is going on? Why are you not at the precinct? I was just about to leave." Rick sputtered.
"No need I am given another week by Gates!" Kate said panting.
"Gates told you to leave? Why?" Rick looked skeptical that the Captain was that forgiving.
"Well the reason was she saw me puke my guts out in the Women's restroom" Kate said.
"What are you sick? Let me get you nice and comfortable in bed!" Rick said picking her up.
"Rick put me down... I mean it Rick… I am not sick I am only having a baby!" Kate screamed.
"Your what?" Rick stopped in midstride and looked down on his almost wife.
"I said put me down!" Kate protested.
"No the other thing?" Rick was wondering if he heard her right.
Rick started moving again then gently dropped her on the bed.
"I thought you said you were having our baby?" Rick asked.
'I did say that. Rick we are having a Girl!" Kate smiled and kissed him.
After receiving such a toe curling kiss. Rick smiled.
"A baby girl? How did you know? You are not showing yet?" Rick asked.
"This piece of Paper that I am holding is the reason I know." Kate said smiling.
"Kate this is a detailed DNA profile. It lists everything! I knew that new machine for the OCME was such a good idea! To only think it cost only 20 million!" Rick said.
20 Million? Kate thought. Sure she knew Rick was wealthy but spending 20 million for a state of the art machine?
"So this machine can tell even if the suspect has a limp! That is so cool!" Rick said.
"Kate if you get an unknown sample it can give you a description. I mean how helpful would that be." Rick stated to babble about the machine and not the news of him being a father once again.
"Rick it can give a picture too." Kate said as she showed him what their future daughter will look like.
"Great she will have your nose!" Rick said worried about his crooked nose.
"Yeah but she will have your eyes!" Kate said dreamily.
"Hmm still a redhead though!" Rick said.
"I can not wait to meet her!" Rick and Kate said together
"I am amazed at this Kate simply amazed! You are so wonderful. We have another week? I want to get married right way! Just you me the family and Vegas! I love you so much!" Rick said excitedly.
At this point Alexis came down stairs and heard the last sentence.
"Dad? Do you really want to get married that quickly?" Alexis said. Knowing she did the exact same thing.
"Sure Why not? It is a little over 5 hour plane ride. What do you think Kate in less than 6 hours we could be married and on our honeymoon." Rick said.
Kate was giggling Alexis was trying to reason with her father and was losing badly. She thought why not? Everyone could be there quickly. Of course Lanie and the Boys would have to get leave which is hard right now. But her birthday was coming up. A November wedding could be nice. She mused.
"Rick I don't kno…." Kate was stopped in mid sentence. This was Richard Freaking Castle asking her to marry him now. It was brash and impulsive then she said. "On second thought why not indeed!"
"That is the spirit! Let's get Mother and Jim up!" Rick said.
Martha was waiting in the kitchen when she heard how impulsive her Son was getting. She smiled thinking good for them!
"I think a Vegas wedding is a marvelous Idea but Darling… How about tomorrow? There is this Play I have been dying to see!" Martha said.
"Ok Mother, You are right it needs a day for planning! I will get right on that!" Rick said leaving a speechless Kate in the wake.
Rick could be a man of action when he was inspired. Also he still had to get Kate's ok on the new book he has been writing.
It took a few hours to arrange but the hotel concierge told him everything would be ready when they arrived. Rick made the final plans.
Kate sat with her father and showed him the picture of what his grand child would feature.
"Katie I am so proud of you! Look at you getting married and having children! I could not have envisioned anything better for you." Jim cried a bit.
"Ok Dad Please don't Cry because I will too... Dad I miss her so much!" Kate wailed.
"She would have been so proud Katie so proud!" Jim said trying to hold his emotions at bay.
Martha was deep in thought over the picture of her soon to be second grandchild. Hmm she will have red hair and blue eyes not as shocking red as Alexis or herself. It would be a muted red with lots of brown of her mother I suppose. But she will be cute and a heart stopper later in life.
Kate just remembered. The boys would be here any second.
"Rick I need to talk to you. In the office if you don't mind." Kate said.
"What is going on Kate?" Rick asked.
"The boys will be here soon and they are bringing the box of evidence. I am sure they will want to work on developing the cases." Kate said.
"What? Now? Oh I got to get everyone out of here!" Rick started to worry. He really did not want anyone other the four of them to know anything about this.
"People I have the reservations for the hotel and everything is done so I would appreciate if you could leave Kate and I alone to celebrate?" Rick said.
"Smooth Castle Very Smooth." Kate said to him.
Everyone quickly had something to do outside the loft and departed.
"I hope I did not ruffle too many feathers." Rick said "You do have to admit it was effective."
Kate just rolled her eyes at her almost husband as he had a crooked smile on his face.
/
Ryan and Espo arrived a little after Rick ordered Pizza and beer.
"Ok Becks what is going on?" Ryan said hefting the box high.
"Just place it on the table Ryan and I will show you." Kate said.
"Careful I just had this table polished!" Rick said.
Kate looked at him and Rick saw the death glare so he shut up.
Espo started pulling out the ledgers. Kate started pointing out the dates and the amounts.
"So we have payments but we do not have evidence what those payments were for." Ryan said with his mouth full of pizza.
"No we don't but they do not know that either. So what I propose is to set a trap for Dick Coonan. Hal Lockwood is going to be held in Jersey soon. We monitor this account and when a payment is made we follow Dick to see what he is doing and catch him red handed." Kate said.
They all agreed it was good plan. Soon the boys were gone and the box was placed in the secret room Kate had not seen before.
"Wow I feel like Alfred seeing the Bat cave for the first time" Kate said.
"Yeah I figured if you were going to be my wife you would need to know a few things. We can place the box over here." Rick said.
"What next to all this stuff? What is it anyway?" Kate asked. "You don't have the crown jewels in here do you Rick?"
"Nah these are even more valuable!" Rick scoffed. "Kate these are my collectibles one of a kind and irreplaceable."
Kate knew that Alexis hinted that Rick was a collector but the size and scope of the collection was simply amazing. Kate was impressed over the pristine condition of these collectables. Her inner fangirl came to the fore when she saw he had a full collection of Nebula 9. She stood there mesmerized.
"Oh those? I got them a long time ago. Since it was from a defunct TV show I figure they would be worth something eventually" Rick said.
"Now if you want to see something cool here is Vera from Firefly! It works well as a sawed off shotgun too." Rick said as he showed off his collection.
"…and over here is the original mask for the Spiderman costume." Rick concluded.
Kate was speechless she was such a nerd and geek over sci fi memorabilia. Rick had everything! She was lead back out then showed where the secret switch. Rick messed up and pushed the wrong switch and his murder board for his latest novel lit up. Kate stood right in front of the viewscreen.
"Who is Nikki Heat?" Kate asked her inner fangirl was thrumming.
"Well that was something I wanted to discuss with you." Rick said clicking the other switch to close the secret entrance.
"Kate you inspire me in oh so many ways and one of those inspirations is Nikki." Rick said earnestly.
Kate was flattered no one called her a muse before.
Rick went on.
Nikki is partially based on you. Kate. I have drawn some of your mannerisms and the way you are so commanding.
"So why Nikki Heat? She sounds like a stripper's name." Kate said not so impressed.
"Well honestly I did not think you would have approved of the other names. Just think of the tie ins. Heat Wave, Into the Heat, Frozen Heat and such." Rick said. "Of course I would not do it unless you give me permission. I am sure I could write about something else."
"Let me think about it. Ok Rick it is a lot to take in that your husband wants to write about you." Kate said.
"Ok Kate let's just sleep on that one." Rick said taking her to bed and then the trouble began. Kate dashed out of his arms to the bathroom then started regurgitating her pizza.
Rick reappeared with soda crackers and water. Handing Kate the water she rinsed out her mouth then nibbled on the soda crackers. Kate gave a weak smile.
"Oh don't worry I done this before!" Rick smiled at her then he helped her up and into bed.
