Disclaimers: I don't own 'Castle.' Do I wish I did? Uh, yeah.
Summary: Reflecting on the friendship between Kate and Lanie using 'Thank You for Being a Friend' by Andrew Gold. I'm going AU back before the series started to post-Season 6 stuff. There will be spoilers for previous episodes.
A/N #1: I love Lanie and I'm so glad that with 'Disciple' which airs next week, she's finally going to get her own episode. She's been a great friend to both Castle and Beckett, not holding back with either of them. Every girl wants a girlfriend like that.
Chapter 6: Best Friends and Sisters for Life
Thank you for being a friend
Traveled down the road and back again
Your heart is true
You're a pal and a confidant
I'm not ashamed to say
I hope it always will stay this way
My hat is off
Won't you stand up and take a bow
The group sitting around the table was laughing at yet another tale from Mike Royce. The young medical examiner couldn't help but notice that Royce's young trainee seemed to be hanging on his every word. Dr. Lanie Parish had seen Officer Kate Beckett and her training officer, Mike Royce, at a few crime scenes, but she'd never actually met Officer Beckett until this evening when a group had gotten together for drinks at their favorite watering hole.
It was when Royce got up to go to the bathroom that Lanie worked up the courage to confront the young woman sitting to her right. "You've got a crush on him, don't you?"
"Excuse me?" Kate looked at the young woman sitting next to her. She gave her a look that said 'I have no idea what you're talking about.'
"Girl, please," Lanie scoffed. "It's so obvious that you might as well have a flashing neon sign hanging over your head."
"I . . . don't have a crush on anybody," Kate argued as Lanie looked at her with an arched eyebrow. "I mean, sure Royce is funny, but he's . . . older than me and—"
"And nothing. I don't blame you. He's great at telling tall tales. You do realize that most of his stories are bullshit, don't you?"
"Yeah," Kate said slowly, wondering who in the hell this woman was that she was talking to. She knew that she worked for the coroner's office, but that was about the extent of it.
"I'm Dr. Lanie Parish, by the way. I've seen you at accident scenes, but we've never been introduced."
"Kate Beckett. How long have you known Royce?"
"Not very long, just long enough to know that he's a world class B.S. artist. So, how long have you been his partner?"
"Uh, six months. He's my training officer, so I'll be on my own pretty soon. So, you work for the medical examiner's office?" Kate looked at her new friend. "That must be . . . interesting."
"Is that a euphemism for gross? Sometimes it is. But, the detectives deal with gross in your neck of the woods."
"That's where I want to be someday," Kate smiled sadly. "I want to give voices to the victims."
"That's a nice goal. So, do you have a boyfriend or are you planning on hooking up with Mr. B.S. Artist?"
"No boyfriend, and Royce is a great friend, but I don't think he's someone I'd want to hook up with."
"So, you're just going to keep staring at him with Love Eyeballs and hanging on his every word," Lanie stared at her new friend.
"Pretty much," Kate sighed.
***CCC***
And if you threw a party
Invited everyone you knew
You would see the biggest gift would be from me
And the card attached would say, 'Thank you for being a friend'
Thank you for being a friend
Thank you for being a friend
Thank you for being a friend
After that first night, the two women became fast friends. They'd have dinner once or twice a week or go to the movies. They'd hook each other up with friends or friends of friends, but neither of them was ready to get serious.
They'd been friends for well over a year, but Lanie still knew little about Kate's life outside of work and what the two women shared in regards to their love lives. That all changed on a raw night in January. The two women had gone out to dinner and out for drinks afterwards. Kate had drunk a lot of wine with dinner, and now she was downing tequila shots like they were water. "Wow girl, you might want to slow down a little," Lanie warned her as Kate downed her second shot in 30 seconds. "Rough day at the office?"
"If I have to hear one more senior detective tell me to 'file this for me, sweetie,' I'm going to kick someone's ass," Kate warned.
Kate had made detective a few months before and she'd learned that it was a whole different ballgame being a detective than it was being a patrol officer. Even though she'd proved her mettle to her captain, most of the men she worked for were resentful. "It's rough being a woman in a male dominated profession," Lanie commiserated. "You've seen what I have to work with."
"I'll take Perlmutter any day over some of the assholes I have to work with. Even the new guy who just came in is on their side. And I was there first," Kate held up her finger for another shot.
"I didn't know there was a new guy. What's his name? Is he cute?" Lanie grinned at her friend.
"He came over from the 54th. His name's Esposito. I guess he's cute, if you like that type."
"What type?"
"Male chauvinist asshole type."
"Is there something else bothering you? Besides the jerks in the bullpen. I couldn't help but notice that you were quiet during dinner."
"I'm always quiet," Kate reminded her.
"Okay, quieter than usual."
"Um, my mom . . . she died four years ago today."
"Oh sweetie, I'm so sorry."
"I need . . . I need to get out of here," Kate suddenly got up, almost falling over when she stood up.
"Come on, I'll make sure that you get home okay."
"Lanie, I just need to be—"
"No, I'm not leaving you alone tonight. Come on, I'll get you home."
When they got to Kate's tiny apartment, Lanie put on some coffee. While they waited for the coffee, Kate took two aspirin before sitting on the sofa. "She was murdered," she blurted out as Lanie stared at her, not quite understanding what her friend was talking about. "My mom. She was murdered. I know that you were wondering. I'd love to be able to say that it was cancer or she got hit by a stupid New York cab driver, but instead she was murdered."
"Did they . . . did the police find the person who did it?" Lanie asked as Kate shook her head. "So, that's why you wanted to be a detective. You said that you wanted to give voices to the victims."
"I've been in therapy for a few months. It was destroying me. The not talking about it, not being able to find answers. When I first became a cop, I'd spend every spare second going over her file, trying to find anything that the detectives missed. Hoping that maybe my fresh eyes would catch something that they didn't."
"What about your dad?"
"My dad," Kate sighed, running a hand through her short, dark hair. "My dad has been drunk almost non-stop since a week after her funeral. He doesn't talk about it; he doesn't even acknowledge my existence. I've become convinced that I'm just a constant reminder of her, so I stay away."
"So, except for your therapist, you don't have anybody to talk to?"
"Well, it's kind of a morbid topic of conversation, don't you think?"
"Kate, I'm not talking about just the murder itself. Don't you have anybody to talk to about what you're feeling; about how much you miss her, stuff like that?"
"Isn't that what we're doing now?" Kate smiled ruefully at her friend.
"Do you mind if I ask how it happened?" Lanie sat on the sofa beside Kate and took her of her hands.
"They found her in an alley. She'd been stabbed several times. It wasn't a robbery or a sexual assault," Kate looked at Lanie. "That was going to be your next question."
"Sweetie, I'm so sorry."
"Please don't say that, Lanie," tears began running down Kate's cheeks. "After her death, I got so sick of hearing those three words. God, I miss her so much!"
She broke down as Lanie pulled her close and let her cry. Eventually Kate fell into a half-exhausted, half-drunken sleep on her living room couch, so Lanie found a comforter in a closet and covered her up with it, before quietly leaving the apartment.
***CCC***
Over nine years of friendship, Lanie had seen the men come and the men go from Kate Beckett's life. Lanie noticed that her friend never let anybody in, at least not for very long. And they never got too close. The second that they did, Kate would do something to sabotage the relationship.
Lanie met Richard Castle during the Alison Tisdale murder investigation. He'd come up to her and introduced himself at a murder scene. Over the course of the next three years, they'd investigated dozens of murders. It didn't take Lanie long to see that her friend had feelings for the writer. Feelings that she didn't want to admit to.
Castle had been the one to tell her about what he'd found when he'd looked at the murder file for Johanna Beckett. He told her about the other murders. So, when Jack Coonan ended up on her table and she saw the wound patterns, she suspected. But after she called Dr. Murray in for a consultation, there was no doubt in her mind. Telling Kate had been the hardest thing she'd ever had to do in her life. Watching her best friend storm out of Montgomery's office and out of the bullpen had been devastating.
She tried to call her for hours afterward, but her phone went straight to voice mail. Finally, she decided to just to go to her apartment and stand there all night if she needed to. Fortunately, she hadn't needed to. Kate had answered her knock and let her in. "I've been calling you all afternoon," Lanie accused, following Kate into her apartment.
"I know. I didn't feel like talking. I had to talk to my dad and then I went to talk to Castle."
"What did they say?"
"My dad reminded me that my mother was a firm believer in the truth. I told Castle that I want to find the person who killed my mom. I'm meeting him in a little while at the precinct."
"Are you okay? Kate, I'm sorry that I didn't tell you sooner, but I wanted to be sure. Castle told me weeks ago when he was in the wagon with me. The night of the body snatching."
"I wish he hadn't started investigating it, Lanie," tears came to Kate's eyes for what felt like the hundredth time that day. "I told him to leave it alone."
"And now?"
"I don't know. One part of me wants to know, but I had finally managed to put it away."
"Kate, you might think that you put it away, but it's always been there. It's always been a part of who you are. Your dad's right. Your mom would want you to get to the bottom of this."
***CCC***
If it's a car you lack,
I'd surely buy you a Cadillac
Whatever you need,
Anytime of the day or night
I'm not ashamed to say
I hope it always will stay this way
My hat is off
Won't you stand up and take a bow
The night that Castle was arrested for murdering Tessa Horton, Lanie went to Kate's to see how her friend was holding up. She was shocked by what she found. Kate was a wreck. She looked like she'd been crying for hours. Lanie knew that there was something more going on than one friend being worried about another. She handed Kate a fresh box of tissues, poured her a glass of wine and sat on the end of the sofa, waiting for her long-time friend to spill. "You've been together since May?" Lanie squeaked out after Kate told her. "Does anybody else know?"
"Yeah. His mother and Alexis have known for a while, so has Ryan. Espo just found out when this started to break opened."
"Sweetie, why didn't you say anything?"
"Because no one was supposed to know!" Fresh tears fell down Kate's face. "If Gates finds out, she's going to kick him out of the precinct and probably bring me up on ethics violations."
"Kate, you've known me long enough to know that I can keep my mouth shut. So, except for the murder charge, how has it been?"
"Are you seriously asking about my sex life now?"
"Why not? I've gotta do something to lighten up the mood. So, spill."
Kate smiled as she played with the tissue in her hand. "Well, the reality of sex with Richard Castle is much better than anything he can put on paper. That's why I know that he didn't do this, Lanie."
"Because of the incredible, 'We're doing it every night' sex?"
"Actually, it's usually more than once a night, but no, that isn't why. The day that I got shot, when he was kneeling over me, Castle told me that he loved me. I fought it for almost a year. He didn't do this because he's not going to do that to us."
***CCC***
And when we both get older
With walking canes and hair of gray
Have no fear, even though it's hard to hear
I will stand real close and say
Thank you for being a friend
I wanna thank you
Thank you for being a friend
I wanna thank you
Thank you for being a friend
I wanna thank you
Let me tell you about
I wanna thank you
Thank you for being a friend
I wanna thank you
"Lanie, I have something to tell you. Well, two things actually," Kate sounded excited over the phone, more excited than Lanie had ever heard her.
"Okay, let's meet at The Old Haunt at six," Lanie suggested.
"Perfect."
When Lanie walked into Castle's bar shortly after six, Kate was already at their usual booth with drinks and a basket of Buffalo wings. "So, where's Writer-Boy?"
"He'll be here later. Lanie, you've been my best friend for a long time, so I wanted to talk to you alone before Castle and the boys get here."
"That sounds ominous," Lanie's eyes darkened, but one look at Kate's face, which looked so happy that she was about to burst piqued her curiosity.
"I wanted to tell you yesterday, but I kind of got tied up. I don't know which bit of news I should share first. Lanie, they offered me the job in D.C. and I accepted it. I leave in a week."
"A week? Kate, I'm happy for you, but a week? Where does that leave you and Castle?"
"Lanie, Castle . . . he asked me to marry him," Kate held her left hand out so that Lanie could see her ring.
"Oh my god!" Lanie leaped from her seat and came over to give Kate a massive bear hug. "Have you decided when?"
"No, we're just enjoying the moment. Lanie, I thought that he was going to break up with me. You should've seen how serious he looked."
"I want details and don't you dare leave anything out," Lanie told her after she sat back down in her seat.
By the time Castle and the boys arrived, the girls were laughing and crying in the booth. "So, I take it that she's happy with our announcement," Castle slid into the booth beside Kate, kissing her softly.
"Are you kidding?" Lanie leaped back up so that she could embrace Castle tightly. "I've been waiting for this moment for four years!"
"So have I," Castle beamed.
***CCC***
"Lanie, Castle's in the hospital."
"Kate, what happened? Is he going to be okay? Are you in New York?"
"No, he's here in D.C. He came out to surprise me for the weekend. Anyway, you know Castle. He has to stick his nose where it doesn't belong. Only this time, he ended up in a car where someone had put a toxic agent in the ventilation system. Lanie," Kate's voice choked up.
"Sweetie, you hang on. I'll be on the first flight out."
When Lanie arrived in D.C. early that evening, she took a cab straight to the hospital where she found Kate sitting with a woman a few years older, with curly shoulder length hair and dressed in a pants suit similar to Kate's. Lanie assumed the woman was Kate's new partner. The two women hugged tightly. "How is he?" Lanie asked.
"Tired, but he's going to be okay. We found the antidote with literally minutes to spare. Lanie, this is my partner, Rachel McCord. Rachel, this is my best friend, Dr. Lanie Parish."
"Maybe you can convince her to go home and get some rest. I haven't been terribly successful and neither has Mr. Castle's family."
"Can I see him?" Lanie asked as Kate nodded.
Kate led Lanie into Castle's room where he was dozing. There were monitors all over the place, which made the medical examiner wonder just how bad it had been. "Castle?" Kate whispered as Castle's eyes fluttered opened. "Look who's here."
"Castle, what the hell kind of a mess have you gotten yourself into?"
"Hey, Lanie," Castle groaned. "You'll have to forgive me for not getting up."
"I ought to kick your ass, is what I ought to do. When are you going to learn to stay out of trouble?"
"I think the lesson has finally sunk in. I'm glad that you're here. Maybe you can get Kate to go home and tell her to stop hovering. After all, she hates it when I do it."
"Castle—"
"Kate, go home. I'm getting out of here tomorrow. Rachel's letting you take me home and nurse me for three days. I promise I'll let you hover as much as you want when you get me home."
"Come on, Kate," Lanie urged her. "Let Martha and Alexis take care of him for a while."
"I'll be back later, babe," Kate leaned over the bed and softly kissed Castle before stroking her fingers through his hair.
"Tomorrow, Kate. I don't want to see you until morning. Please?" He pleaded with her until she nodded. "Lanie, are you staying tonight?"
"I'll stay as long as you want me to."
"Take her keys away from her when she gets home. I'm just going to sleep."
"Okay, Castle. You get some rest."
When they went down to the lobby, Lanie looked at her friend and held her hands out as Kate looked askance at her. "Give me your keys. You can direct me to the house."
They reclaimed Kate's car and Lanie got behind the wheel, adjusting the seat and the mirrors. She glanced over at Kate as she followed her directions to Kate's condo. "Thanks for coming, Lanie."
"You're welcome, sweetie. How long has he been in the hospital?"
"Two days. Even after they gave him the antidote, he was touch and go for a long time. He didn't even wake up until yesterday. The doctor said that he'll make a full recovery, but it's going to take several weeks."
"How did he get mixed up in all of this?"
"It's a long story, Lanie, and there's so much of it that I can't tell you because it involves national security. I'm sorry," Kate looked at her friend. "Castle was just being Castle. It's just that this time it almost cost him his life."
When they walked into Kate's condo, Lanie couldn't help but notice that most of Kate's possessions were still in packing boxes. "Do you have any wine?"
"Yeah, there's some . . . some in the refrigerator," Kate sat down on the couch.
Lanie found some glasses and poured wine in each one. When she turned to come back into the living room, she stopped when she saw Kate sobbing into her hands. Lanie quickly put the glasses down and came over to the couch where she sat and pulled her friend close. "He's okay, Kate," she soothed her.
"He was on the ground and he was gray, Lanie! I thought that he was dead! It was like déjà vu in reverse. I hate being away from him! What if he relapses?"
"Sweetie, he's fine," Lanie pulled back and looked at her friend. "You're going to bring him back here tomorrow and you'll start planning the rest of your lives together. Isn't it so much better now that you can freely admit how much you love him?"
"I can't do this, Lanie. I made an awful mistake."
"A mistake about what? The job or accepting Castle's proposal?"
"The job. This wouldn't have happened to Castle if I'd stayed in New York."
"Kate, this is Castle that we're talking about. If he hadn't gotten poisoned, he would've just gotten into some other kind of trouble."
"I guess you're right," she wiped at her face.
"How long has it been since you've gotten any sleep?"
"I don't know. I couldn't sleep until I knew that he was okay."
"Well, now you can. Turn your phone off and get some sleep."
***CCC***
And when we die
And go away
I'll say a prayer
And once again I'll say
Thank you for being a friend
"Can I come in?" Lanie stuck her head in the door, smiling at the sight of her best friend holding the pink-wrapped bundle in her arms.
"Yes," Kate beamed at Lanie, who entered the room and closed the door behind her. "Look, Lanie. I'm a mom."
"Oh my god," Lanie could barely breathe. "She's gorgeous. Where's Castle?"
"He went home to get the Mercedes. He'll be back soon. I'm glad that you're here. Castle and I have been talking. Lanie, we want you to be Ariel's godmother."
"Sweetie—"
"Lanie, I'd never choose anybody else. You've been there for everything. You were there telling me how I felt about Rick when I didn't want to listen. You were there when I fell in love with him. You stood by my side when I married him. You were the first person I told about the pregnancy after my father. You're more than my best friend, Lanie. You're the sister I've never had. Ariel's going to need a tough second mom to give her advice when I can't be there. Or to be her partner in crime. Please say that you'll be her godmother."
"Oh sweetie, I would be so honored," Lanie hugged Kate as the baby began to fuss.
"Would you like to hold her?" Kate held the blanket-wrapped bundle toward her friend.
"Ariel, this is your Auntie Lanie," Lanie told the baby, who stared at her with huge eyes. "I'm going to be your best friend, and your toughest critic. Just ask your mom how I can be on that front. You've got the best mommy and daddy in the whole world. But, you've also got an extended family that is always going to have your back."
Watching her friend and her newborn daughter, Kate thought about how far the two of them had come. She couldn't think of a better person to be there for Ariel and her future children in the event that her and Rick couldn't be there. Not only had she found a best friend that night so long ago, but she'd also gotten a sister that she wouldn't trade for the world.
A/N #2: Please read and review. I want to thank everybody whose read, reviewed, and put me and the story on their favorites list, so far. You guys are the best.
I can be found on Twitter Caskett1960.