7

Kate made it to the precinct with just time to spare. She made it a goal to arrive there before her captain or Espo and Ryan. Sipping her sinful brown liquid she takes the seat behind her desk. She was almost through the list that she had from the FBI database. There were only 63 names left to run down. She had given up on going to the book signings because after thinking about it, he would probably not be a writer. So she continued looking at the results from the FBI. After about an hour of sifting through the results, she had something that sounded like it could be him. This person was arrested for being nude on of all things a stolen police horse in Central Park.

She read on and found out that he had a local address close to the precinct. There was an attachment along with the file and she opened it. Kate just stopped breathing at this point. The attachment was a mug shot of the man she had picked up that night, one Richard Castle. Kate was floored. When the picture finally loaded, it showed a younger Richard Castle, but it was definitely him. She was so far off in thinking that he was not a writer and had gone on to thinking he was something else. And he was rich. Not mega rich but she knew he had money. This was not the point she could care less about his net worth. She needed to see him so since her coffee was gone she decided that she needed a refill.

Since her captain and neither Espo or Ryan were here yet, she decided to leave through the stairwell exit of the precinct. It would afford her the cover she needed so that her boss or co-workers wouldn't have even known she had come in this morning. Taking a hold of her bag and coat, she quickly left. On the way out she pulled her cell phone out and placed a call to the captain's number and getting his voice mail. When prompted she told him that she was feeling a little under the weather. A little white lie wouldn't hurt, besides she was pregnant who would question her.

/

Rick and Alexis had finally come up with a plan to get into the 12th. After she told him that Kate was expecting a baby, now he really needed to see her and talk. He had a thought that the baby could be his, but Alexis wanted a rundown of the plan once more and he quickly pushed the thought to the back of his mind telling her what they were going to do. They would gain entry with Alexis delivering a breakfast order to the homicide division and Rick would be outside on the sidewalk across the street waiting to hear what she found out with the ear bud radios. Rick bought an assortment of ham and egg sandwiches. 10 cups of coffee and bottled OJ. Alexis steadily took the box and walked across the street to the double doors of the precinct. Seeing the desk sergeant she walked up to him.

"Hi, I have a delivery for the homicide division." Alexis tried to act convincingly.

The Sergeant eyed the sandwiches. Alexis caught on with eye contact alone.

"Sergeant It seems that I might have an extra ham and egg with a regular coffee..."

The desk sergeant cracks a small smile as Alexis left the food and coffee on the desk. She turns and it's then when she hears the sergeant call out to her "Homicide is on the 4th floor. Take the elevator to the right."

/

Kate decided to take her car rather than the assigned squad car. Getting in she started the car and exited the rear lot. Rick had an eye on her unmarked car the whole time so he was sure she was still in the building. She was all nervous as she drove to So-Ho. This was it. She would finally meet him after all this time. She pulled up to Broome street and made her turn. Pulling up to the address she stopped and just stared at the apartment. It was huge and it seemed to be just one unit. Leaving the car, she walked up to the glass doors of his lobby.

/

Alexis had stepped onto the 4th floor and started looking for their target. Talking discreetly into her sleeve she said, "Papa Bear this is Baby Bear do you copy?"

"5x5 Baby Bear." He replied.

"Okay, I'm on the homicide floor and I am going to make contact with another detective."

"Copy, keep me up to date."

Alexis moves slowly over to the first detectives desk she sees. He's on the phone, so she waits. He finishes with his call, hangs up the phone and looks up to her.

"Hi, can I help you?"

"Maybe you can. I'm looking for a detective Beckett I have a delivery for her."

"Okay, I'm detective Ryan." As Ryan looks over to Kate's desk he sees that it's empty.

"Well, she does not seem to be here at the moment. Are these sandwiches and coffee all for her?"

"No, actually they are for the entire floor. So dig in. Do you expect her back anytime soon?"

"Can you hold on and I'll check with my Captain."

Ryan walks over to Captain Montgomery's office and asks if Kate is in the building. He waits as the captain explains that she is out on a sick day and returns back to his desk.

"Miss I'm sorry, but detective Beckett will not be in today. Is there something else you needed?"

"No, I'm good for now, thank-you very much." Alexis walks away confused to say the least. It's not possible since she and her dad watched Kate walk into the precinct.

/

Kate walked into the lobby of his building and stopped by the doorman's desk.

"Hello, I'm here to see Richard Castle."

"Is he expecting you?" Carlos asks.

"Actually he's not, this pertains to a police matter." Kate said as she pulled out her badge. She resorted to abusing her badge for the first time for personal gain, but who else would know.

"Detective he actually got an early start to the day. He was up and out of here by 6:00 am. Should I give him a message when he returns?"

Kate's whole body posture had changed. She thought that today was the day she finally could sit down and talk to him.

"Actually, there is no message, I'll try to catch him some other time. Thanks, Carlos."

"No problem, detective."

Kate wants to go to her apartment for two reasons. First she called in sick, and second she needs to regroup. She decides not to go back and just puts his loft under a modified stake out. That's when she will confront him. She returns back to her car and waits. It's now 10:14 am and she really needs to pee. Fifteen minutes later she notices a cab pull up and it stops right in front of her. She slides down into the drivers seat just a little bit and observes. They both get out of the cab, and she swears that they are talking about her. Something about someone not being somewhere.

They walk to the doors to the loft like they just lost their puppy. So she waits until they are out of view and moving towards the elevator. It's now or never hoping that they have both made it back to his loft she leaves her car and enters the lobby. Checking in with Carlos again, he gives her the okay to go up and see him. She takes the elevator and is now standing at his front door. She is now scared as to what will happen now. When she first wanted to find him she was happy about doing it, initially she told him that this would be a one-time meeting but now she thought that they could be something good together. Now, standing at his door, she had her doubts.

Realizing that the time is now, she raises her hand to knock. She does it lightly at first and then after she hears nothing, she then raps on the door with more force. She hears a female voice telling her to hold on and that she will be right there. The door swings open and she is face to face with the young redhead. Alexis's face drops when she sees Kate knowing who she is.

"Hi, can I help you?"

"Maybe, I'm looking for Richard Castle." Kate's mind is now reeling, just who is this woman, she can't be more than 19 or 20.

"Dad, you have a visitor." Alexis yells out with a slight grin on her face.

Dad? He has a daughter. Well, she never saw that coming. Kate instinctively lowers her hands to her baby bump. She hears heavy footsteps coming towards the door. She follows his approach to the door and it's him. She finally found him. He looks at her and then he sees the love in her eyes, as he takes her in more closely he notices her baby bump.

"Hello, how are you, Kate?"

"Wait, how do you know my name?"

"I know a lot about you detective."

"Well, we'll see about that." Knowing that she needs to tell him about what happened the night they met and her current condition.

Alexis watches the interaction between the two and it has stalled they are not saying anything.

"Dad, manners!"

"Oh, right. Kate come in please and make yourself comfortable. Can I get you anything?"

"Yes, could I use the bathroom, I really need to pee."

He chuckles as he directs her to the bathroom and she leaves them. The computer generated image that Alexis has made had nothing on her. She is even more stunning than he remembers. And she's in his loft! As he waits for her to return he needs a way to start a talk about what he thinks are on both of their minds. The bathroom light goes off and she is again in standing in the living room of the loft.

"So Kate, is there anything you want to tell me?"

A crimson color rises up Kate's face. She just bows her head. Not knowing where to start, she opens her mouth, but before she can utter a word Rick really needs to know the answer to this question "Kate is the baby mine?"

All he hears next is Alexis gasp...

A/N: With this latest chapter comes an apology. After receiving numerous guest reviews along with some fanfic members complaining that I was dragging out their actually finding each other, this chapter fixes that. When I was writing the previous chapters, I thought the chase was what the readers would like to see. Apparently I was mistaken. There will be one or two more chapters, and an epilog. Then it will end.