Kate entered the morgue and found Lanie leaning against her desk with her arms crossed in front of her chest. "How long were you planning on keeping this from me?"
"What makes you think I'm keeping anything from you, Lanie?" Kate avoided answering her friends question by asking one herself.
The ME rolled her eyes and walked right up to Kate and looked her straight in the eyes. "Because that 'strudel' smeared all over your and Castle's lips this morning was the exact same shade as the lipstick I helped you pick out just last week. The very one you've been wearing since the day you bought it."
"Ok fine! It wasn't icing. But if you breathe a word to anyone, I swear I'll never confide in you ever again."
"Girl, you know I'd never betray your trust. Now gimme some details."
Kate rolled her eyes at Lanie's request. "Lanie..."
"Don't roll them eyes at me Kate Beckett. At least answer me this... Is Castle a good kisser?"
"Oh yeah, he's an excellent kisser." Kate moaned and closed her eyes as she relived some of their hottest make out sessions. "Sometimes when he kisses me..."
"Back up, girlfriend." Lanie interrupted. "You said sometimes... as in, this wasn't the first time. How long has this been going on?"
Kate bowed her head and picked at her nails as she confessed to her friend. "Almost three months."
"WHAT?" Lanie shouted in disbelief, causing Kate to drop her hands and look towards the now pacing ME. "Don't get me wrong, girl. I'm happy for you and all, but I can't believe you kept this from me for three months."
"I'm sorry, Lanie. I wanted to tell you since the beginning, I even headed down here a couple times. I just... Ah Hell! I don't know... I should have told you."
Lanie walked over to her friend and threw an arm around her. "Damn skippy you should have. But I forgive you and I promise that your secret is safe with me. I actually feel kinda privileged to be the only one who knows."
Kate smiled at her friend and shook her head. "Martha and Alexis also know. Rick sort of blackmailed me into telling them last night."
"He blackmailed you?"
"We were talking about Christmas gifts and Rick said all he wanted was for me to kiss him in front of all our friends and family before the 25th. I told him that I wasn't quite ready for everyone to know about us and so we compromised."
"Damn! He let you off too easy." Lanie scoffed.
"There's more. He also wants me to ride with him on the Black Pawn float in the Christmas parade."
"You said no, didn't you?"
"I did at first, but then Alexis came up with this plan. She's seen the layout and says that we can change it around a little so that it looks like the precinct. Castle writing on his laptop while I stare at the murder board or whatever..."
"Oh, I see... Little Castle found a way for her daddy to get his Christmas wish without raising any suspicions about the two of you being in a relationship."
"Pretty much, yeah... but I'm still not sure if it's such a good idea."
"Don't make me smack you." Lanie threatened and raised her hand as if she was actually going to slap Kate up side the head. "
"Easy now, Lanie!" Kate exclaimed as she took a step away from the ME. "No need to resort to physical violence."
"Call him up right now and agree to ride that float with him or I swear to God all mighty that I will hurt you."
"Like you could even..."
"Don't push it, detective." Lanie said with a glare that would have scared anyone into submission.
"Ok, I'll do it. On one condition..."
"Name it!"
"You have to kiss Esposito on the lips for at least three seconds."
"That's cold, Beckett! You know things have been stressed enough between Javi and me since the breakup, kissing him will just make it worse."
"Maybe not... It just may be what's needed."
"You were the Queen of denial for four years and now you're gonna give me relationship advice?"
"You want me to ride the float?"
"Yeah, but..."
"No buts, give me the file and fill me in on your findings on the ride up."
"I can't just..."
"Oh yes you can, Lanie! If you expect me to tell Castle that I'll ride with him on that float, then you gotta do this for me."
"OK, Fine! Let's go." Lanie huffed as she handed Kate the autopsy report and they turned towards the door. "This is gonna be a disaster. Tell Castle he owes me big time!"
When Kate and Lanie entered the bullpen, Lanie went straight over to the Spanish detective and grabbed him by the face. "Blame Kate." She whispered just before she covered his lips with hers.
Rick, Ryan, and Kate all noticed how Javier had tensed up when the ME had grabbed him but he quickly relaxed and deepened the kiss. His hands wrapped around Lanie's waist and held her closer as his kisses tapered off and he looked into her eyes. "Well, that's one Christmas wish granted."
Lanie smiled and leaned in to whispered provocatively. "Anything else on that list that I can help you with?"
"Have you finished the autopsy, Dr. Parrish?" Captain Gates called out from her office.
The two lovebirds jumped away from each other and everyone looked through the glass to see Gates diligently doing paperwork, acting as if she hadn't seen a thing. "Beckett has my report, Captian Gates." Lanie announced and moved closer to Rick and Kate. "The ball is in her court now."
Kate knew exactly what her friend was meaning, it was her turn to pay the piper. She kept her eyes on the good Dr. as she fulfilled her end of the bargain. "Tell me more about this float we're riding on, Castle."
Rick's eyes lit up and he took a step closer to Kate. "We? Please tell me that wasn't a slip."
"It wasn't a slip, Castle. I'll ride the float with you."
"You can thank me later, Writer-boy." Lanie said with a wink and then she turned and headed to the elevator.
Rick wanted so badly to kiss Kate and tell her how much he loved her but he fought those urges and just smiled brightly at her. "I'll tell you everything at lunch, I'll even take you to see it if that's what you want."
Ryan cleared his throat as he walked past the 'eye sexing' duo. "Autopsy report have anything in it I need to put on here?" He ask as he pulled the cap off a marker, preparing to write the information on the murder board.
"Let's see..." Kate said as she scanned the file. "The slug Lanie dug out of the vic's chest was definitely a 9 millimeter."
"Great news!" Esposito yelled out as he hung up his phone and rounded his desk. "The birth and adoption papers are being faxed to us as right now."
Rick dashed over to the fax machine and pulled the papers from it as soon as they came out. "Bingo, baby!"
Kate rolled her eyes at him and held out her hand, silently asking him to hand over the papers. She read them out loud and Ryan added the important details to the dry erase board. "Twin boys separated at birth. Raymond was adopted by a Mr. and Mrs. Burchfield and his identical brother, Brian, was adopted by Chuck and Sarah Key."
"I'll run Brian Key's info through the system, see if he has a record." Esposito stated as he moved back towards his desk.
Kate turned to the young Irish detective. "You help Espo, Castle and I are going to pay a visit to Mr. and Mrs. Key."
"Road trip!" Rick sang out as he pulled his jacket on. "Just in time for lunch too."
"Yo! Least you can do is call us in something, bro."
"He will..." Kate's voice echoed down the hall as they neared the elevator. "I'll make sure of it."
**Sorry I took so long in updating this. Sickness and Holiday preperations are totally to blame!