Two days after their first and magical date, Kate still couldn't erase the huge smile from her face. Lanie kept asking her what had happened but Kate wouldn't tell her. Not yet anyway. She still felt ashamed by her admission to Rick, even if she knew she shouldn't be.
The two girls were in a café, getting some coffee between two apartment visits. They had just left a place that was rather good and in their price range but they wouldn't take it. As they were leaving the café, Kate was looking at her phone for the address of the next place when she crashed into someone and almost fell face down on the sidewalk. She felt two hands grab her by the waist just before she hit the ground. Once she was back on her feet, she looked up at the person and smiled. It was Rick ... and there was the last sign she needed. They were definitely meant to be together. She didn't even talk, she just launched herself and kissed him with everything she had.
"Well, I definitely wish I had been the one to catch her." a guy said, walking by with a friend.
Lanie couldn't help but laugh, which seemed to bring Kate and Rick back to the real world.
"You made some jealous guys here girl." Lanie laughed.
"Sorry." Kate said, blushing deeply. " I got carried away."
" Clearly. But it was nice." Rick said, smiling down at her.
"What are you doing here? I thought you said you'd stay home with Alexis." Kate inquired.
"Well, that was the plan. But she was asked for a play date yesterday so I just dropped her off at her friend's. What are you two doing here, except from crashing into people?"
"We're doing visits to find a new place." Lanie said. "And we better get going Kate or we'll be late."
"Do you want to come with us?" Kate asked Rick. " If it's ok with you of course." she added, turning to Lanie.
"I don't mind. Actually, I think it could be a good thing to have a man with us. In case we get a creepy old man like yesterday."
They didn't get a creepy old man. Instead, they got a very nice old woman. They got to the last floor and discovered an apartment which was way bigger than they had thought it would be.
"Wow, that place is amazing!" Rick said, looking around him.
"It really is!" Lanie said, walking further in the apartment. "It didn't look so big on the photos, right?" she asked Kate.
"It certainly did not. It's ... perfect. Two bedrooms, a big living room/kitchen. Everything we need." Kate said, excited.
The three of them walked all over the apartment, studying every nook and cranny ... nothing was wrong with this apartment.
"I'm sorry but ... there has to be a catch somewhere right?" Kate said, turning to look at the landlady.
"No darling. The apartment is as you see it, all the appliances work. The building is rather quiet. There are only three apartments. I live on the first floor, there is a young man who moved in two weeks ago on the second floor, and this is the third floor. On the ground floor you have the lobby with the mail boxes and there is a small laundry room too. Oh and you can access the roof through the door at the end of the stairway. There is a cleaning lady coming twice a week to take care of the hallways, the stairs and the elevator." Mrs. Jefferson explained.
"How is it possible to find places like that in Manhattan?" Rick asked, still turning on himself to try and take everything in.
"My husband and I bought the building when we got married and we decided that we wanted a kind of family building. That's why we are quite selective in our tenants. And when I read your email, you seemed serious enough so here you are. But I have to say, it helps that both of you have a paid job, even if it's only an internship for now. It's really becoming a problem to get the rent paid nowadays you know and ...
"Don't worry about that, we'll never be late on rent." Kate said.
"Does it mean that you'll take it?" Mrs. Jefferson asked.
Kate looked at Lanie. They didn't have to talk, everything was written on her face.
"Yeah, we'll take it." Kate said.
"Great. Well, take all the time you need in here. When you're ready to go, swing by my place and I'll give you all the papers that I will need filled."
She left the three of them. At first, no one talked, as if they were afraid that this apartment was just a dream and that a single noise would make it disappear.
"I can't believe a place like that exists ... and in Manhattan!" Lanie said, voicing what they were all thinking.
"I have to call my Dad, tell him to take some days off, we're moving as soon as possible. I love my parents, I really do, but I can't wait to have our place." Kate said, taking her phone from her purse and walking into one of the bedrooms.
"This place is really amazing." Rick said, hugging her from behind as she was staring out the window after having talked to her father.
"I think we'll be really well here." Kate confirmed, turning in his arm so as to face him.
Irresistibly, they were drawn to each other, and soon they were kissing. What had started gently soon became more passionate. They were once again interrupted by Lanie who came looking for them.
"Are you ready to g ... ok this is your room. And this kind of behavior will be restricted to bedrooms, understood?"
"Yes Lanie." they both said, blushing.
"I'm kidding ... but try to control yourselves when your out of the bedroom." she said, winking at them.
"Do you want to go and check the roof before going to take all the forms?" Rick asked.
A week. That's how long it took for all the papers to be in order for the girls to move in. Everyone was in the lobby, getting boxes out of the car when a police officer entered the building.
"Hey, you must be the new neighbors. I'm Javier Esposito, I live on the second floor." he said.
"I'm Kate. Beckett. And Lanie is over here somewhere." Kate said, looking around to find her roommate.
"Do you need any help getting all your stuff to your place?" Javier asked.
"No, that's fine we ..."
"Kate! Come quick, Daddy is stuck in the door with the bed!" Alexis said, running to Kate with a box of pillows that was almost as big as her.
"Oh. We might need your help after all." Kate laughed, walking out with Javier and Alexis.
"You can leave your box here Sweetie. You'll bring it up later." Kate said, smiling down at the girl who was ready to go back outside with the pillows. "And you'll need your two hands to help save daddy."
