I see that there is a bit of confusion regarding Kimberly and Kate's twin. I'm sorry for that but I'm making that clear now for you.
Kate has a twin sister who got pregnant with 16. That child is Kimberly, and so Kimberly is Kate's niece. Chastity is Kimberly's daughter and she's three years old. Kimberly also got pregnant when she was 16.
I hope all misunderstandings are clear now :)
4
It was the fifth time that night that Kate woke up because of the crying three-year-old laying beside her. Kate had known that it wouldn't be easy but she hadn't expected to get nearly no sleep.
"Mommy!"
"Shhh, honey. It's okay!" She wrapped her arms tighter around the little girl, showing her someone was there to protect her. At first she was trying to get out off Kate's embrace, crying even harder when she recognized Kate would not let go. But Kate knew that by now and also knew Chas would calm down eventually without hurting either one of them.
"I'm here, honey. No need to cry." Kate was whispering soft words into Chas ear until she felt her stop trembling. She held on for a few moments longer, making sure Chas really was okay before loosing her grip around the girl's waist so she could turn around to face Kate.
After she did so, her face sunk into Kate's hair, drying the last tears before speaking.
"Mommy?" This time it was a soft whisper.
Kate only held her, stroking her back comfortingly, letting her fall back to sleep. There wasn't anything Kate could say to make the little girl feel better about not having her mom right here with her and experience taught her that it was the best not to acknowledge her mother at all. It would only cause another round of crying and kicking and another hour to get her back to sleep. As much as she wanted to take the pain away she couldn't.
So Kate didn't say anything other than occasionally whispering words of comfort. Soon Chas was asleep again; head buried in the crook of Kate's neck, one hand gripping her shirt the other one in her mouth.
*falling in love with a vampire* *falling in love with a vampire*
"Girl, you look terrible" Lanie greeted her as Kate walked through the double doors of the morgue.
"Thanks, it's nice to see you, too" Kate said sarcastically.
"Seriously Kate, have you slept at all the last two days?" Of course Lanie wouldn't just drop it. But wasn't that the reason Kate came down here in the first place? To have someone to talk to? Someone she knew would have some wise (best friend) words to make her feel better?
Leaning against one of the vacant autopsy tables she let out a sight. "About six hours total"
"Kate-"
"I know!" she cut her best friend off. Kate hopped on top of the table she currently was leaning against and put her elbows on her knees, her chin resting in her hands. She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to pretend she wasn't that damn tired. Lanie made her way over and sat next to Kate. She put one arm around her friends shoulder, making her look up.
"I know you love your job, but I also know that there is something – someone – you love even more. That someone just happen to be a little girl that needs you."
"Exactly Lanie, she needs me. I have to find the one responsible for taking her mother away from her." It didn't come out as determined as she had wanted it to be and Lanie didn't miss it.
"Do you really think you will find Kimberly's murderer when you can't even concentrate on one thing for more than a few minutes before halfway falling asleep?"
"I at least have to try." Kate could feel how her arguments weren't half as good as Lanie's were but she wouldn't be herself if she would just give in now.
"Don't you want to spend that time you waste in here, pretending to be able to really work, with Chas?" Lanie tried one last time. She knew Kate was stubborn and when it came to her work there was almost nothing that could get her to take a few days off. But Lanie hadn't failed to notice Kate's lack of enthusiasm when talking about her case and who would she be if she just let it slip?
"Of course-"
"Then where's the problem?"
Kate's only answer was a look that clearly said you-know-where. Then she pushed herself off the table and headed for the door.
"I need to get back upstairs before Chas notices I'm gone. See you later"
"Yeah, see you later." Lanie replied "Nice to see you, too, by the way" she added as Kate opened the doors. She shot a little smile over her shoulder before leaving.
*falling in love with a vampire* *falling in love with a vampire*
"Where are we with contacting her parents?" Kate asked after she was back at her desk. After she had talked to Lanie she excused herself for another five minutes, which she spent with Chas and Rick in the break room.
"Finally got an address and a phone number but nobody's picking up. Left messages on the voice mail. Esposito and I will be heading over if they don't call back until tomorrow." Kate let out a frustrated sigh. This case was getting nowhere. They weren't able to contact the parents who could might help solving this by answering some questions about their daughter. They weren't able to get a hold on her former husband, and though it made him kind of the prime suspect, he wasn't anywhere near to confess or be convicted. They were, however able to reach Mellissa Donovan, but unfortunately she was on some trip to Europe and no matter how early the next day she would book her flight back she would not be arriving in New York before the day after tomorrow.
"Alright, keep trying. I need anything you have on Mellissa Donovan and tell the guys downstairs to hurry with that fingerprints they found in the apartment."
"You should have them within the hour, they said" Esposito chimed in after approaching them.
They all headed back to work; Esposito calling Kimberly's parents over and over again, Ryan putting everything he could find on Melissa Donovan together and Kate calling down every 5 minutes and stepping on their toes, insisting that she desperately needed that fingerprint match.
Half an hour later they had a name on those prints and Ryan and Esposito went to bring him in. The prints belonged to a Jeremy Raven, a thirty-year-old millionaire that lived on the other end of town.
"What was you relationship with Kimberly Hastings?"
"She used to be my girlfriend" Jeremy answered, not in the least impressed by sitting in an interrogation room, being interviewed about her death.
"How long were the two of you together?" Kate kept her voice steady but there were questions forming in her mind she wasn't sure she wanted to know the answers to. How did a 19-year old girl become the girlfriend of a rather unattractive 30-year old man, and why?
"About two months."
"Why did you end your relationship?"
"You're kidding, right?" he let out a laugh "She was a nice distraction, but way too young for me. I broke it off, when I learned about her daughter. I knew what she wanted from me then."
"How did she take it?"
"Threatened to tell my wife, but I convinced her not to"
"By killing her?"
"Absolutely not. When did you say she died again?"
"Two days ago. Where were you then?"
"Out of town. With my wife"
For Kate the case was almost clear and she wanted nothing more than to arrest Jeremy Raven immediately. Unfortunately she had to wait until his alibi had been checked and didn't work out. But it did. The night of the murder he and his wife spent the day in a hotel hours away from New York.
So they basically were back at square one – again. 'Have I ever mentioned that this case was getting ridiculous?' she asked herself when she retreated to her desk. Right now she didn't even know how to go on.
*falling in love with a vampire* *falling in love with a vampire*
The door to the break room was opened and when Kate turned around she saw Chas standing in the doorway, taking in everything around her. The little girl actually hadn't seen anything of the precinct except from the room she just walked out and Kate's desk because this morning she still was hiding from everyone.
"Katie!" the young green eyes light up when they saw Kate talking with Ryan and Esposito. Kate knew she shouldn't be coming over to her desk because of the murder board standing there, having pictures of the girls dead mother pinned on it. Before Kate got up to meet Chas halfway, however, Castle appeared behind her and easily lifted her off the ground.
"Well, my sleeping Beauty where do you think you're going?" When she refused to answer Rick started tickling her until she was almost crying from laughter.
"Katie" she finally said again and pointed to the spot Kate had just been standing. Confused the little girl had to find that Kate was no longer there. Turning her head to the side she saw Kate coming over and wiggled herself out off Castle's arms.
"I take it you're having fun over here" kneeling down Kate brushed the few tears off Chastity's cheek. She was just glad those were happy tears and not ones of pain but she knew the latter will come back tonight.
"You too?" Chas asked, leaning against Kate's side after she'd stood up again.
"How about lunch?" Kate tried to change the subject and was glad to see her suggestion found acceptance because Chas hurried over to where she had placed her jacket and made a show of trying to put it on.
"You can't keep up with her already?" Kate said to Castle while helping Chas into her jacket.
"I'm perfectly fine but I love to see how much you believe in me" he retorted.
"Anytime" she flashed him a smile "How did she get past you anyway?"
"She fell asleep so I started writing. Must have missed the moment she woke up"
"Burgers?" It was meant to be a question but those puppy dog eyes made it hard for anyone to say no and Chas knew that. So she took the moment neither Kate nor Rick said anything as a yes and started to wander off towards the elevator – or at least where she thought the elevator was.
"Come on, honey" Kate lifted her up in her arms in front of Montgomery's office. "Wrong direction"
"I see Lanie after eating?"
"Well, we'll see."
"Pleaseee?" Chas tried her pleading eyes – that no one could refuse either – and averted her gaze from Kate to Rick and back.
"Alright, alright. I call her after we're heading out"
Together they made their way to the exit; Chas in Kate's arms, playing with stands of her hair that had fallen out of her ponytail. Rick was walking beside them, one arm around Kate's waist, with the other one entertaining Chas. Kate wasn't one for displays of affection in pubic –and especially not at work – but this whole situation was just still a lot overwhelming and unreal and so she allowed herself to enjoy it.
"You still owe me 50$ you know!"
"And why would that be?"
"Lanie bet they will make a cute little family some day"
"So?"
"Well, since I'm her boyfriend I think I get half of the bet"
*falling in love with a vampire * *falling in love with a vampire*
