Sapphire Ice Summary:
Now that Rick and everyone else is more relaxed about Ryan and Alexis' friendship, new love stories emerge and the two bond stronger on a higher level, but something Dark and Sinister is watching the two Gemstones… and what about Sonya? The Serpent's Kiss Continues...
Notes:
Dear Readers, Thank you for all the lovely support when you hooked up to Emerald Sparks. This is the second installment of 'The Serpent's Kiss'— Sapphire Ice.
Please Enjoy and Review with any and all comments
DISCLAIMER: NOW THE PLOT IS ALL MINE; EXCEPT FOR THE STARTING-SETTING OF THIS STORY IN EMERALD SPARKS(Chapter one's first scene), AND THE CHARACTERS BELONG TO ABC STUDIOS, BEACON PICTURES, EXPERIMENTAL PICTURES AND ANDREW W. MARLOWE.
THE REST OF THIS STORY AND CHAPTERS BELONG SOLELY TO ME 'SAHIBA'.
This story is rated M. Please Enjoy.
Dear Readers; In case anyone is confused about the Timeline, Alexis and Kevin's meeting, dates are as follows:
31st December – Saturday (New York… Castle's New Years' Party)
1st January - Sunday (Kiss me stupid...)
2nd January – Monday (A little insight on Aaliya and Fatima's life)
6th January – Friday (A Little TLC to go a LONG way)
9th January – Monday (Alexis' Bet)
Please Note:
This Story Part has shorter chapters but is slightly longer in Context. In short nothing would make it look like less.
Serpent's Kiss:
Part I — Emerald Sparks (Contained 25 Chapters)
Part II — Sapphire Ice (Will Contain something between 25-30 Chapters)
Part III — Ruby Flames (Will Consist of 25 Chapters more or Less).
Please Enjoy.
Chapter 7: Family Forgiveness
Jesus Christ!"
Kevin retched as he recoiled from the sight.
Walking down the alley and passing several of Lanie's assistants none of them could meet his eye, and each of them looked green, now, it made sense why.
"Not what you were expecting, right", Javi muttered staring at the dumpster a few feet in the opposite direction.
Understatement.
Puppies lay mutilated six feet in the ground, with snakes slithering around their corpses.
"Oh God!" Kevin groaned pushing himself back and staring at the New York sky, "Why? Just Why?" he cringed at Javier.
Javi shook his head, "Becks calling Castle as we speak", he answered instead.
"Who reported the—" he waved his hands helplessly.
Javi pointed up, "Lady on the third floor has a balcony, stepped out to do some Yoga, and looked down at the sight. Screamed and called the pound. The guys recognized the site as an ongoing investigation, and called us in", he explained as they walked out of the alley.
Made sense…
Kevin sighed, "And we had such a good night last night", he whined pitifully.
Javi snorted, "Maybe you did bro", he shrugged, "The rest of us, not so much", he buckled into Kevin's car and moaned appreciatively as he inhaled the somewhat warm Caffeine.
"Why? What's up?"
"Right. You were too busy tonsil-hockeying Emerald. You missed the whole Castle disaster. And Lanie and I had a huge fight as well. Castle Jr. spent the night at Em's place, it seems. And Kate and Lanie had a girl's night. Leaving me alone with a bemoaning Rick Castle griping about women with whiskey", he sipped the coffee, "My hangover did not need that", he pointed back the way they'd come. The crime scene still oozing with disgruntled EMTs and .
"I don't know which one of those I don't want to touch upon at all, the least", he offered a wry grin.
"Mine. Of course", he muttered cheekily.
Good enough.
Discussing the whole Emerald-Kay-Castle fiasco was so far off his need to start the morning with, he'd take anything to steer clear of that whole thing.
"So you and Lanie. What's up?" he asked taking the out for what it was, a distraction.
Javier turned chocolate brown eyes on him, pout and all, and "Women man, I'm telling you, God created them for the sole purpose of driving us men crazy", he whined.
Kevin grinned, "Okay", he agreed shamelessly.
Javier snorted, "Like Hell you agree. You and Em seem to be one of those straight-forward no complication relationships. Why can't I have that?" he asked desperately.
Take it. The Headache may be worth it in the end, but this torture isn't.
"Dude, all relationships are crazy. Besides mine seems easy, because I'm comparing mine to the Epic Caskett daily disaster", he pointed out drily.
Javier blinked, "Well, damn", he cursed and then fumbled patting down his pockets and juggling the coffee cup.
What the hell…?
Kevin watched as Javier found his cellphone and hit speed dial E.
"Hi, Hey, Hello… Good Morning! The name's Javier. Need you to deliver a dozen Pink Roses to this address", he rattled of Lanie's residential address, "And a dozen Red ones to this address", he rattled of the office address.
Kevin smiled softly at his partner.
"Yeah. Oh and can you make it to Lanie. The Pink ones should have the note; Lanie, you are the Love of my Life, and I am such an idiot for forgetting that, Please Forgive Me! – Javier." He recited chuckling at whatever the florist muttered, "Yeah. Men can be idiots, with a few choice exceptions", he shot Kevin a grin, "I'm serious Lady, you should meet my Partner, Detective Ryan, he makes the rest of us really feel like idiots", causing Kevin raised a brow, "Besides thanks to him, I get that I'm supposed to be apologizing as opposed to waiting for one", he snorted, "Yeah. I get that now. Yup I told you a freaking genius!" he grinned much to Kevin's amusement.
If I was a genius I'd have steered clear from Alexis…
"Okay, so for the note on the Red Roses Bouquet; Lanie, My life would be pathetic without you, I just wanted you to know I love you. May your day be Beautiful! – Love, Javier.Yeah, thanks. Yeah I'll probably have to call again if it doesn't work. Yeah", he then proceeded to rattle of his credit card details.
"So Roses", Kevin hummed, "You're forgetting chocolates", he smirked wickedly.
The comment earned him another flailing gesture.
It set him off again, calling the florist back and enquiring about chocolates, all the while he hummed and hawed praises at Kevin, who found the whole thing entertaining.
Thinking about it, he'd have to call Aaliya up and request a favor to help him make Alexis' day better, the phone call would be taxing. Maybe he felt a lot more free than he'd ever felt before. The weight he'd carried for nearly a decade had disappeared. But that did not mean he had the guts to face his family. Putting it all on Alexis that was cowardice, but he couldn't have refused the offer even if he wanted to. It was time.
Genius my ass…
Sighing, he promised he'd call Aaliya as soon as he parked the damn car, and was a few feet away from Javier, to place the request.
By the time they reached the precinct Javier looked a lot more cheerful.
"Better?" he asked just for something to say.
"Awesome bro, awesome!" he practically vibrated out of the car and skipped to the entrance.
Kevin shook his head, locked the car and shot off a text to Aaliya as he followed the Spanish detective into the precinct.
He'd barely crossed to the elevator when he's phone rang, spying the caller id, he hummed, "Ryan", he answered.
'You really do answer your phone like that', Aaliya laughed softly and then yawned.
"You okay?"
'Fell asleep on the couch, neck's got a crick, but other than that, I'm doing really well. So what's up?' She asked without compunction.
"I need a favor", he started and then just stopped, "Uh..." he trailed off. Chocolates and Roses seemed too tame all of a sudden.
'What do you need?' Aaliya asked patiently.
"Something that'll keep Alexis happy for the rest of the day and you know cheer her up", he explained.
'Alexis is upset?'
Good instincts.
"Not right now. But likely to be. The morning is going to be exhausting for her", he muttered weakly.
'So the traditional flowers and chocolates are too tame?' she asked softly.
"I think so", he answered.
'Hm... How about… cupcakes… and then some little surprises throughout the day?' She advised.
"Hm... Like if she's doing something mind numbingly tedious, you'll let me know, and I'll send something cheerful to cheer her up?"
'Exactly. And though I might not stay with her all day; Fatima, Kabir, James and Sam will send you a 'heads up' definitely', she promised.
"Thanks Aali, that's an awesome idea. Have a great day love, I'll have to call you a little later in the day", he looked up as Javi gestured wildly at something.
'Got your number bossman, will send you a head's up every hour of the day', she promised and hung up.
Kevin hummed, Alexis wasn't the only one he had to shop for today.
"You look depressed all of a sudden, what's up?"
Kevin looked up, "Hm? Nothing I was just thinking about something. So what do we have?" he asked burying his problems for the moment.
"There was a note", Javier moved to the white board, that had details of their case, and wasn't that just something, they had an entire White Board dedicated to The Serpent's Kiss, someone had drawn a cartoon Snake hanging from a noose in the corner of the board.
Children, he was surrounded by children…
You have to admit the Snake is cute…
Not you again...
Did you miss me?
Not at all!
"Kev? You okay? You look a bit stoned", Javi asked worriedly, "Stitches?" he asked warily staring at his gloved hands.
"Uh… No. I'm just a bit distracted. Ignore me if I go off into my head again", he muttered. \
Staring at the note, in floral pattern, with puppies on the bottom, which, "Seriously? Why?" he begged the detective.
Javi shrugged, "Bad taste?" he wondered.
Or Good Taste, if you think about it…which Yeuck!\
Focusing back onto the note, he raised a brow,
"Hide her away you have,
I'll find her leash her
And make her mine.
A Pet, for all Eternity".
Kevin shook his head, "I'm not quite sure which is worse, the poems or the whole damn case", he grumbled.
"The Poems", Becket answered as she and Castle came in through the elevator.
Javier nodded along side, but before anyone could carry on, Kate walked right up to Javier and hugged him, "Thank You", and she breathed squeezing him again.
Javier blinked owlishly.
"Why are you hugging Esposito?" Castle asked the obvious.
"He had Pink Roses delivered to Lanie, this morning and let me tell you this morning's shriek so much more better than last night's whining. Between Rick and Lanie, I was praying for a murder", she groaned.
"Hey!"
"Don't you 'Hey' me", Kate sent a smoldering glare at Castle, "I spent the entire night fielding both you and Lanie. Between 'Alexis is my baby, she would never lie to me' and 'Javier just doesn't get me' and 'Alexis is my baby, I remember the first time….' And 'Sometimes I just want him to….'. I was contemplating murder!" she huffed petulant, and then shot Kevin a wry grin, "Then Macho man here sends her the sweetest apology ever…Awww Espo…" she moved in to hug him again.
Meanwhile Javi still looked a few fries short of a Happy Meal.
Despite his amusement, he had a feeling today was going to be a long, long, loooooong day. He internally whined;
Humph! I want Alexis!
X~XX~X
Alexis drank the caramel flavored coffee she'd prepared in James' kitchen, sipping it slowly even as she tried to contemplate, what to say, or more like how to even start.
She'd been staring into space for what felt forever when two tiny munchkins rammed right into her.
Trace' kids were awake. Spying the time on the wall opposite her, she grinned wryly. 8 am. She'd been awake for two hours and hadn't thought of a single way as how to subtly introduce the conversation to the rest of the family.
Sliding off of the Window Seat where she'd been sitting staring out at James' garden she knelt down and smiling at the tiny intruders she greeted, "Good Morning. Hungry?" she asked softly.
Both kids nodded sleepily and enthusiastically at the same time, which was an odd combination but seemed to be an effect they could pull off with no worries. Compunction in children really was invisible.
Lily sleepily nudged Theo's arm, and curled up around him, after Alexis lifted them both onto the Bay Window Seat and bundled them under James' flannel wrap.
Granted the kitchen was already warm enough, but children were delicate entities.
Alexis shrugged, she may as well make some pancakes, James had enough different flavors, and she'd make one of each.
Fatima was coming over for breakfast and she liked Blueberry pancakes, so did Kabir and Aaliya. You could never go wrong with kids liking chocolate (unless they were allergic) and James and Sam like plain pancakes with Maple Syrup. So the trick really was trying to identify Trace' preference, hopefully he wasn't a picky eater.
Measuring the ingredients she placed them on the Island counter and hummed an old fashioned tune, her mother would sing if she were making pancakes.
Dad chose rock and roll, because that made sense to him, Grams went for Jazz or Blues depending on the mood.
Looking for the mixing bowl and skillet, she smiled as Lily curiously climbed the Kitchen chair and enquired what she was making.
"Pancakes sweetie", she turned around then, "First we start with this", she indicated a large bowl, and began the process to sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. "Then we Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter; mix until smooth", she quickly mixed the mixture with a fork. Twenty minutes later when the mixture was a smooth non-bubbly concoction she grinned mischievously at the little girl.
"We divide it equally", she poured the batter into three equal sized bowls, and pointed to the fresh Blueberries and Choco-chips, much to Lily's delight, "Then we mix the extra stuff in", she let Lily throw in a handful of Choco chips into the middle bowl, and placed a handful of Berries into the third bowl.
"Then we heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat", she pointed to the skillet already resting on the stove. "Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake", she used a cup to even out the batter into a circle.
"When do you know it'll be weady?" Lilly asked curiously.
"When it's Brown on both sides and then we serve them hot", Alexis explained as she helped Lily out of the chair, "Wanna help me set the table?" she asked.
After setting the table, both Lily and Alexis transferred three different stacks to the table on mismatched platters.
Theo was sent to wake up everyone, as both Lily and Alexis decorated the platters in different ways.
Alexis and Lily grinned at each other as they placed the required Syrup and Butter, Whipped Cream and other condiments onto the table as well.
The end resulted in the set up of:
The Blueberry Pancakes:
The Choco chip Pancakes:
The Plain Pancakes served with Fresh Strawberries:
In the end Alexis added a platter of Toast a few Goblets of Orange Juice and re-filled her own cup of coffee, she'd just about set her cup down when Lily commented, "It Looks Pretty", followed by an older man's voice, "It really does. Wow Alexis this is amazing!"
Alexis flushed as Trace picked up Lily and grinned at her, "Kevin's going to be so jealous", he teased as he took a picture of the entire table and shot of a text to him.
Alexis grinned, "Well he's loss your gain", she teased right back.
Trace laughed as he swooped down and kissed her forehead, "True, but I'm taken and I'm pretty sure Kevin has the resources to make a body disappear", he joked.
Alexis snorted, "He wouldn't hurt you", she laughed adding milk to her coffee, not everyone drank putrid black coffee, and Kevin's tastes were just mental.
Trace shot her a bemused glance, and "Sweetheart Kevin would eviscerate anyone who dares touch you", he pointed out.
Which point...?
Kevin had a mean streak a mild wide, and when he'd been trained by Yana as an adolescent, Alexis shuddered, "True", she agreed. No point arguing that.
By the time the others trickled into the Kitchen, Alexis and Lily had all but demolished the first batch of Chocochip pancakes, so they were both at the stove making some more.
Trace was the slowest eater she's ever met, so it came as a bit of a shock to realize he was standing and helping them cut the strawberries.
"You're done?"
Trace snorted, and "I'm a slow eater, according to you two, who practically inhaled their food", he snarked.
Lily stuck her tongue out, "Not inhaled daddy ate", she retorted cleverly.
Alexis laughed, "Oh Man she's awesome!" she grinned at him. As she said it, Alexis looked down as her cellphone vibrated, grinning she handed Trace the spatula.
'That is not fair!'
Alexis laughed, "Not like I was the one who had to go before the crack of dawn to investigate another corpse!" she teased, leaning against James who'd maneuvered around her to reach the fresh cup of coffee.
'It's my job Em, I want pancakes too!'
Before she could comment, in retaliation Kate and Javier jumped in,
'Pancakes?! We want them too!' that was Javier and 'After the night I've had thanks to Castle and Lanie, I want pancakes too….'
Alexis giggled, and "You're having an exciting morning", she mocked.
'Get off you two!'
There was a silent scuffle before something clattered dully to the floor, and the Chief's voice echoed between the two.
"Seriously How Old Are All of You, Really?"
You could practically hear the capitalization and exasperation in the question.
Alexis winced in sympathy, "Maybe you should get back to the Drawing board Kay", she advised.
'Yeah…' Kay trailed of weakly before apologizing quickly and hanging up.
Alexis huffed, but quickly sent a text.
Emerald – Have a Great Day Regardless of How this Morning began. I love you! 3
"Everything alright?" James asked softly as he steered her to the window seat. Trace handed him a stack of Plain pancakes drowned in Maple Syrup.
"I am, but Geez James are you sure the pancakes are fine?" she stared at the stack of basically sugar and soggy flour.
James tugged on her messy plait, "No one likes a smartass", he griped.
Alexis figured now was the best time to let James know, "Hey", she started quietly. Something in her voice triggered a sharp note of suspicion, because James gave her his full attention.
"What's wrong?"
"Its, well there really is no easy way to start this, so I'm just going to come out and say it. I know why Kay joined the police", she started.
Three pairs of eyes focused on her, Sam's heading snapping up, like a dog's. It would have been comical if the situation wasn't so skewed. Trace was focused on her mainly because James had dropped his fork on the plate, with a loud clatter.
Aaliya and Kabir took one look at them all, and stood up, "We'll entertain the munchkins", as they muttered and quietly took both kids and walked to the garden, outside.
They strayed as far as the balcony, and stayed there.
James pierced her with a fierce glance, "He told you", he stated.
It really wasn't much in the way of a question, but Alexis answered any way, "Yes. He gave me permission to tell you. And the rest of the family if we could hitch up a Skype-chat", she murmured staring up at the sky.
"Okay. Yeah Okay", James sent Sam a look, at least they communicated non-verbally. She went back to sipping her coffee.
"Call you lot in a bit", Sam scampered off with a plate stacked with Three Chocolate chip pancakes and Two Blueberry ones.
Alexis watched Trace softly murmur something to James who nodded absentmindedly and then began eating the pancakes.
Standing up, she walked to the sink; it was a silent allusion of privacy offered.
It also gave her some time, to gather her thoughts, she started the whole damn thing, with a statement that attracted everyone's attention in the kitchen super quickly, so whilst narrating Kevin's past, she might end up rambling too much, this was a freaking nightmare.
"It'll be okay".
Alexis looked up to see Aaliya in front of her, she'd somehow ended up outside on the balcony, Kabir grabbed her hand, "What she said, now quit quivering", he muttered looking away.
Alexis grinned and hugged them both, both siblings choked, 'Can't breathe' as she laughed, "I Love You Guys!" and laughed again despite their flailing.
They were right.
Everything is going to be A-Okay!
Alexis spun around in James desk chair as Sam connected Several Skype addresses, and muttered mostly to herself, "Didn't you call us in to the study, because you'd already set up everything?" she asked.
Sam growled, "Shut it!" she hissed.
James snorted and Alexis rolled her eyes.
Thirty minutes later, on James' 108 inch mammoth LCD TV screen (which manufactured by Sharp and displayed in CeBIT 2007), four screens opened up, on the corner.
"Seriously, how rich are you?" Alexis gaped as the panel moved after Sam stood up, the screen had been situated behind the bookcase.
James shrugged, "Half of its because I inherited it from dad, when I turned 18 and the other half would be because I'm a successful doctor. So pretty Rich", he shrugged again.
Sam and Alexis rolled their eyes, even as the screen was divided into two parts the Family only visible on the left hand-side whilst James and Sam's images on the right hand-side.
The Ryan Family (and extended others), in the left hand side appeared as they were:
Annaha Ryan (65) married to Eric Kevin James Ryan sipping their morning coffee/tea and eating a few Jam biscuits as their laptop captured a background of Winter Pink roses in the background.
Ariannahha Williams McGreggor married to Daniel Williams McGreggor sat in their seats at a Kitchen table with their half-awake kids Eric Williams McGreggor (10) and Samantha Williams McGreggor (7).
Illiannahha Annaha Ryan-Hughes married to Scott Magee Cullen Hughes parents to Ryan Alex Hughes (11), James Kevin Hughes (10), and Maria Annabelle Hughes (7) were all in various states of sleepwear as Lia handed Maria a bottle of OJ and Scott handed James Kevin a glass of milk. Ryan Alex sat sleepily munching on a piece of toast rubbing his eyes.
Trace O'Hurley (Daniel's Cousin on his mother's side) walked in carried a tray with extra coffee as he leant against Alexis who still sat in the huge squishy armchair.
"James, it is way too early to be awake for whatever dilemma you have, couldn't you have called at a normal time, like oh I don't know ten at night?" Lia griped as she poured a cup of Black-as-sin coffee into a cup, and emptied more than enough sugar to drown the taste of the Black liquid.
Alexis pushed her own cup of coffee away on principle scowling at the cup and shuddering. Trace mirrored her and they both chose the water instead.
James and Sam exchanged a rather long look, and Alexis groaned, "Oh for the Love of God!" she whined much to everyone's consternation.
James shot her a startled look, "Em?" he muttered weakly.
"I have projects due, I don't have time for all your misgivings, and to top it all off, don't you owe it to Kevin, to not be a coward about this?" she snapped.
"Emerald!" Sam snapped angrily.
"Stop!" Alexis intervened, "I know! I know!" she sighed, "Don't you think I know?" she sighed sinking down into the chair again. She'd been told to stay hidden, maybe fooling everyone she wasn't underage was one thing when they couldn't see what you looked like, but the charade was wearing thin on her frayed nerves. She loved Kevin wasn't that good enough.
"What is going on?!"
Trace swallowed his water as he looked at Annaha and shrugged, "Something about knowing why Kevin joined the police", he answered nonchalant.
"WHAT?"
Alexis blinked as there was a mad scramble when Lia, Ari, Daniel and Scott grabbed their kids and ushered them out of their respective rooms. And Annaha and Eric quickly sat up, clearing their breakfast.
By the time it processed, nine pairs of eyes were trained on the armchair—well Alexis actually—with baited breath.
"Um…"
"Speak up child!"
Annaha Ryan sure was formidable.
So Alexis did, she told them everything, about Yana, about Kevin's feelings for her. Of how he felt trapped because even though Yana seemed to be the best thing since fresh bread, she'd manipulated him into loving only her, that even ending up 'forgotten' he'd remained loyal to her. And because of those trapped feelings, he'd spent more than a decade separating his emotions, through a sieve, unaware and unsure about loving anyone, or giving his heart to anyone.
By the time she'd dwindled down the explanation, Alexis had twisted a few things on James' desk, just barely realizing her hands were visible to the captive audience.
"Anyway, I asked him if I could tell James, and Kay asked me if I could tell everyone else. He wanted to feel less trapped. Which he's an idiot really, I already told him, the minute he decided to speak about Yana was the day he'd been freed", she shrugged and stood up stretching.
Alexis kept her back to the camera and groaned, "Remind me to never sit for that long", she moaned stretching side to side.
Now would be a good time to give them space.
"Well I'll leave you all to, uh…discuss this development… it's more a family thing anyway", she barely taken three steps towards the door when James and Sam tackled her, "O-Oi!" she protested albeit weakly as they both yelled at her.
"Idiot!" James protested, "We don't want you to leave, you're family too!" Sam continued.
There was several choruses' echoing the statement from the LCD screen.
Trace hummed, "A valiant effort indeed. You got further than I did, you at least reached the door", he bopped her on the head with a book, a medical journal.
Alexis looked up at him, stray tears had gathered and Trace offered his trademark shrug and smirk combo, "May as well give up Princess, once you've spent Christmas with this family you're stuck with them. It's like you're doomed, you know in a good way", he teased.
James punched him, "What does that even mean?!" even as the Welcsh siblings drew him into their hug as well. Alexis couldn't help but laugh, even as her heart hurt for all kinds of different reasons.
There was a cacophony of voices as the others joined in, Annaha sighing over Ari's wishes to bake a 'Welcome to the Family' pie.
"Please don't!" Several voices pleaded.
Alexis laughed, "Is there anything y-you want me to tell him?" she asked softly as a loud BEEP interrupted her.
Sam hit a button and Leo Prionsa, Amelia Connolly, Jordan O'Brian and Cassandra O'Connell's glaring faces appeared on screen.
"Oh, oh", Sam intoned warily.
"Oh-Oh?" Alexis asked and as if given permission four voices started talking together, it seemed a bit like a mish-mash of too many languages at a UNICEF conference.
"C'est impardonnable ne sont pas trop nous famille? À penser que je devais recevoir un appel de mon neveu me disant que vous étiez à l'appel avec James. Kevin est pas important pour moi? C'est MON beau-frère!"
Rúin. Daoine Tá tú a choinneáil rúin, cad nach bhfuil muid mar chuid den teaghlach. Agus ní raibh Emerald linn a chaitheamh Nostradums ar do shon agus Kevin ! LOMAR PREPOSTROUS!
Alexis blinked, her nickname or something resembling 'Emerald' was mentioned, wasn't it?
Who knows?
Jordan's yell of Misinformation and keeping the family secrets got Ari and Lia in the argument as well, and then it was just noise. Loud, loud noise.
Alexis huffed…
"Dá bhrí sin tá Deartháir Bigger ceart go leor?"
Whatever Leo murmured so quietly, the computer speakers allowed everyone to hear, and when no one said anything Alexis sighed again, "Seriously? How old are you people?" she had to ask.
"I don't know what you just said or why it garnered that reaction, but I want you to know something. Regardless of whether Kay joined the force to escape his demons, or to find you, he has never regretted the choice to be your brother", she let the words sink in, before she continued softly but sternly, "And I know, you're worried about us, and our 'problem', but wecan handle it. Maybe it's not ideal, and maybe it's causing problems, for all those we hold close and dear to us, but we want to be love each other. And it seems like our lives are just a series of trials and tribulations, but truth is, we want to keep fighting for us, because we deserve each other. I'm not going to abandon him Leo, so you have to know, you have to believe me when I tell you, there is no way I'd ever hurt him. He's my Sapphire jewel"; she removed the dragon pendant from under her sweater, "I'm not giving up on him, I will never!" and with that she walked out of the room, this time she made sure James wouldn't stop her.
The message was for all of them after all.
Ten minutes later she was staring at the sky, under a tree in James backyard, Alexis groaned, "I should not have said that!" she muttered weakly flushed all over
And in front of his mother and sisters… How embarrassing!
"Said what?"
Alexis sat up as Fatima plopped down next to her; she was holding a basket that seemed to be twice her in size.
"What are you carrying?" she gaped staring at the gift basket.
"Oh this, it came for you", Fatima set the basket down between them and plucked a card and handed it to her
.
Alexis read the card and flushed a deep seated red, "Oh Kevin":
"I don't always have the words to tell you how much you mean to me, but I do have ways to show you.
I love you.
Forgive this idiot for asking you to face my family without me by your side; I didn't think I had the strength, until I met you, to reach for that final bit of happiness. Thank You for loving me Alexis.
Yours Kevin"
Fatima grinned, "That's beautiful. You should call him, while I steal one of those delicious truffles", she snagged a packet of peppermint popcorn and hummed, "Tell him I said Hi!" and she waltzed back to the house.
Even as Fatima said it, Alexis grinned, "Yeah, Yeah shut up", she barely dialed the number when James skipped out and deposited another basket in front of her, "What?" she asked. This one filled with an assortment of cupcakes.
James grinned, "I think it's another apology", and he snagged a cupcake and pushed back. "When you're done, come back inside Aunt Annaha wants a word with you", he said and lifted a box of cupcakes.
"I'm sharing this with everyone else" and he jogged off leaving her staring at all the sweets around her. Smiling she couldn't help sigh, "Oh Kevin, this was so unnecessary, but thank you. It's definitely cheering me up!" she pressed the call button and hummed waiting for him to answer.
'This is Ryan. I can't take your call, right now. But please leave a message and I'll get back to you'.
Smiling softly Alexis picked up a colorful cupcake and swiped her finger through the icing before she licked her finger and through the mouthful hummed;
"I Love you too Kevin Ryan!"
Before disconnecting the call.
I will always love you.
Translations:
C'est impardonnable ne sont pas trop nous famille? À penser que je devais recevoir un appel de mon neveu me disant que vous étiez à l'appel avec James. Kevin est pas important pour moi? C'est mon beau-frère ! = This is unforgivable aren't we family too? To think I had to get a call from my own Nephew telling me that you were on call with James. is Kevin not important to me? He's my brother-in-law! Amelia in French
Secrets. You people are keeping secrets, what are we not a part of this family. And Emerald didn't we spend Nostradums for you and Kevin! Prepostrous behaviour! = Rúin. Daoine Tá tú a choinneáil rúin, cad nach bhfuil muid mar chuid den teaghlach. Agus ní raibh Emerald linn a chaitheamh Nostradums ar do shon agus Kevin ! Iompar Prepostrous ! Casandra in Irish
Dá bhrí sin tá Deartháir Bigger ceart go leor? = So Bigger brother is alright? Leo In Irish
