Asside from Leon, I really don't have any gay men running around in this and I don't want to be sexist so let me introduce you to Iman. If I was casting this only, Ian McKellen could play this small roll. Mostly because he's a favorite of mine and he can appear very well-to-do and still come off as casual. Truly a fine actor but alas, it's only fanfiction. Enjoy. Oh by the way, I'm so poor I have no idea what gold or diamonds are worth so bare with me.
This one goes out to Storryfreak0083 - WISH GRANTED!
Immanuel's Jewelery
Uptown Manhattan
Alex Groaned as Jane hunched over yet another ring that Horatio placed in front of her, Jane very carefully picked it up and slid it on her finger as she examined the small diamond and the elaborate gold setting.
He smiled, "Fourteen Carat gold with a 1.5 carat oval cut. Color rating G with a clarity of SL1. A fine purchase for a beautiful Detective."
"How much is this one?" Jane said staring into the glittering stone.
"For you, Detective?" He said, "Twenty two thousand."
Alex snorted loudly causing Jane to look over at the woman.
"He's overcharging by about seven thousand dollars."
Although she and Alex didn't get along as a rule, Liv had managed to convince her to lend her high class upbringing and experience to Jane to help her select a ring.
Horatio bristled, "Young lady, I assure you that these are the market retail values and that for the beautiful Detective I am including a four per cent discount."
Alex neatly slid the ring off of Jane's finger and handed it back to him, "Well, sir, I can assure you that the Market retail value of a one and a half GSL1, of which by the way this," she pointed at the ring, "is a HSL2 with this amount of gold is only worth about fifteen thousand."
She jerked a ring off her finger and held it up. "That is a twenty two thousand dollar ring. And it has no stone at all. How about you pull out that jeweller's glass and we see where that extra seven thousand went."
Jane looked at the ring that she held up, simple yet elegant. She looked at Alex and wondered if she should ask but thought better of it.
Liv however picked up the look and intervened.
"Alex Dear." The blond looked over at her, "Would you mind if Jane looked at your ring?"
Jane started to protest but before she could, Alex dumped the gold band in her hand as she turned back to Horatio.
She shook her head as she slipped the ring on. The brightly polished gold band nestled against her knuckle and she stared at it. Without markings of any kind it was both plain and beautiful, almost ordinary except for the flawless finish on it.
Liv watched Jane's eyes light up and knew they were making progress. She placed a hand on her shoulder and Jane looked up, fingers lightly touching the piece.
"Something simpler, I think." Liv said with a smile.
Jane smiled and nodded, she was embarrassed as she eased the ring off of her finger. She held it tightly as she tried to get Alex's attention.
"Tell you what, you call Iman at home and tell him that Alex Cabot is here and let's see how fast he gets his ass over here."
Horatio sneered at her, "Madame I'm afraid that I'm going to have to ask you to leave now."
Alex started digging in her purse, "Forget it, I'll call him myself."
Jane put a hand on her shoulder and she stopped. Jane handed her the ring and shook her head, "Forget the stones." She turned back to Horatio, "Lemme see the bands, please."
He passed a look to Alex before nodding to Jane. Placing the try back inside the case he locked it before he headed off to another case.
Jane looked back at her, "Was he really over charging?"
It was Alex's turn to smear, "Yes Jane, By a lot. Just because I don't like you doesn't mean I'll let you get ripped off."
She nodded, "Thank you."
Alex waved her off as she kept digging, Jane stopped her again.
"I mean it, Alex." She said, "Thank you for helping me do this."
The gold haired blond nodded again, "I don't begrudge you your happiness Jane, I don't. You get to marry the one you love, the one you've loved since I've known you. Regardless of how I feel about you, you deserve that chance." Pulling out her phone she scrolled through her contacts and walked away.
"It's not you, Jane." Liv said.
"Sure feels like it." She replied as she looked over some more of the jewelry cases. More than anything else she wished Maura was here but that would defeat the purpose of buying an engagement ring.
"We've been having a rough go lately." The older woman tapped the glass, "It's me, not you."
"What's going on?" She asked turning her attention to her friend.
Liv sighed as she stared off into nothing, "It's me. I keep waiting for it to end again, for her to get a job offer or a new cause or some political topic to come up that will separate us again."
"Babe," Jane said, "She loves you."
"And that isn't enough, Jane." She said softly. "I wish it were."
"Tell her," she said, "Tell her what it's doing to you. Believe me when I tell you that keeping things like this to yourself is only going to hurt you in the end. Just tell her."
Liv looked up at her and Jane could see real pain there, "It's not unrequited love. We know how we feel but I'm not going to ask her to give up her dreams, her career. I don't want her to resent me for it. I…"
Jane looked over her shoulder to see Alex dropping her phone in her purse, "Okay, lesson number one for buying jewelry is to be with someone in the know. Now that we've established that Horatio is full of it, Iman will be here in a few minutes to take care of you, personally."
She looked down the glass bar to see Horatio was answering the phone. A few minutes later he hung up and bustled over with the tray of rings. He set it down in front of them.
"My apologies for keeping you waiting," Horatio ran a hand over the tray, "These are some of our finest bands. Starting with white gold here in the upper left corner and moving left to right all the way to the lower right corner is our yellowest gold. Would you care for a refreshment while you're waiting?"
Jane heard the doorbell ring as Kate walked in, "Thank you but my partner has it covered."
He nodded as he withdrew.
Kate came over with a carrier full of coffees and started passing them around. "A super low fat latte for our resident jewelry expert, a cup of Columbian for the newest Lieutenant in the NYPD, some flavor that I can't say right for the lucky groom and for old time's sake, a hazelnut for me."
"Sweetie," Jane chided in her best Maura, "If I'm the groom than you're the Best Man."
"Best Woman you mean." She chuckled. "So what did I miss?"
"Just Alex almost bitch slapping Horatio for apparently trying to overcharge me."
Alex glared, "I would never resort to violence to get my point across. Remember Jane, I'm a lawyer. We wheel and deal, cajole, threaten, intimidate, and even on occasion, we extort but we never ever get violent."
"I am so relieved to hear that," came a haughty male voice from the counter.
Alex looked over to see Iman standing next to the selection of Jewelry on the tray.
He was six feet with white hair and piercing blue eyes and a tight face that was heavily wrinkled with age. Dressed in expensive blue slacks and a matching blue cashmere V-neck sweater he smiled at them.
"Alexandria." He said with a voice that held a slight hint of a British accent. "So good to see you again."
She smiled and took his outstretched hands before kissing the old man on both of his cheeks.
"And you Iman." She looked him over, "You haven't changed a bit."
"Well I guess that I should be flattered. After losing the first few battles with father time I guess I've held my own since then."
She smiled at him, "So this is my friend Jane and she's proposing to her girlfriend if she can find a ring worthy of her."
Jane shuddered, "You just put it out like that?"
"Oh, I hear the distinctive accent of Boston in your voice." He smiled warmly, "Such a wonderful city I must say though I have not been there in years."
Kate sat down on the soft couch with Liv while Jane joined Alex at the counter.
"Funny thing about Boston is their tolerance for the gay community."
As Jane straightened slightly, Alex put a hand on hers and shook her head.
"It's quite alright, Jane." He said raising a wrinkled hand with a gold band on it, "I have no animosity towards gay men and women or Boston for that matter. You see, my husband is from Boston."
Her eyebrows raised she smiled, "You must have been one of the first ones then."
"As a matter of fact, we were the third couple married on the steps of the Boston courthouse. We wanted to be first but wealth and influence can only carry you so far."
He leaned against the glass, "It's been a while since I've done this but tell me about your potential new bride and understand that anything you say to me will never be repeated, not even after I pass the Pearly Gates."
Jane looked at Alex who nodded and went to sit with the others. She looked up at the man and his kind eyes made her smile.
"She's the most beautiful woman I've ever seen and she makes me want to be better than I am."
"She's going to love it." Kate said confidently as she looked inside the velvet box.
"That is an understatement." Liv added.
Alex smiled at Jane, "A fine choice, Jane. Congratulations."
Jane shook her head, "I wish I could say it was me but all I did was talk about Maura and Iman pulled this one out and that was it."
She nodded, "Someone in the know and Iman knows."
"Thanks again for doing this, Alex." Jane's eyes met hers, "I know you didn't have to and I owe you."
"You know my fee, Jane." She said, her blue eyes suddenly gaining a cold look, "Just do that and we're straight."
She smirked, unable to resist, "Actually we're gay."
Alex tried to hold the look but her amusement shined through. She shook her head and took Liv's arm before whispering in her ear.
"On that note," The older woman smiled, "We're going home."
"Don't do anything I wouldn't do." Jane barked in laughter.
"No problem there, no men involved." came the reply.
They jumped into a cab as Jane slid into her car with Kate right next to her.
"It's beautiful Jane." Kate said as she eyed the ring again, "When are you going to propose?"
She sighed, "I don't know. Before we move to Boston that's for sure."
"Why before, I thought you wanted to take it slow?" Her amusement was an attempt to lighten Jane's mood. Unlike most people, Jane appeared almost somber.
"I do but…" She stopped at a red light and looked straight into her partner's eyes, "We're going to have a baby soon. I thought we should be married before then 'cause I wanna do this right, ya know?"
Kate smiled and nodded, "For Maura."
"For Maura and the kid." The light turned green and she drove on, "I mean this is it, Kate. I can't imagine my life without her anymore. I know I'm ready. I think Maura's ready but I know she's ready to have that baby and although I'm nervous about it, I think I'm ready for a kid too."
"It's crazy, isn't it?" She said to her partner, "Neither one of us was looking for this but there it is. Right in front of us and it feels so right."
"It is crazy." She shook her head, "Ma pushed this on me all my life and now I'm here, I'm ready and I get to do it with someone that I never thought I'd find. But it was there the whole time." Her voice cracked under her emotion and she cleared her throat. "Plus it'll finally get Ma of my back."
They chuckled together as Jane pulled up to Kate's building.
Kate handed the velvet box back to her partner. "Okay, well I'll see you tomorrow."
"I'll be there." She said as her partner shut the door. Jane looked at the box again and opened it to find the most expensive thing she'd ever purchased inside. She sighed as she closed the box and tucked it inside the glove box and locked it. She'd put it someplace safe tomorrow. Right now she had the urge to go home and once again make love to her future wife.
She felt her blood rush through her veins in anticipation as she put on her blinker and sped off the three blocks home.
"UGHHH!"
Twirling a lock of wild red curls through her fingers, Alexis Castle groaned as the internet connection stopped. She slapped her laptop closed in frustration and shoved it back in her book bag. She reached over to her bedside table and unplugged her iPad and tried to log in to Columbia U's pre-med access site. She had just entered her username and password when the connection timed out.
"Sonuva!" She dropped the tablet on her bed in frustration and stretched her long thin legs before planting her feet on the floor. As she stood she stretched her lithe body as far as it would go before rubbing her fingers over the scar that was on the webbing between her index finger and thumb.
The sound of eleven gunshots tore through her and she had to focus to contain the horrific memory, just like her Ma and Aunt Jane taught her to. It took her a few to regain control of her thoughts but she did. She was going to have to make a note to tell Dr. Burke of her success in her next session.
As her phone started ringing she smiled at the timing as she listened to the lyrics for the few seconds it took to grab it. Her Aunt had the oddest timing, like she knew.
"Makes me that much stronger,
Makes me work a little bit harder,
Makes me that much wiser,
Thanks for making me a fighter."
Ever since she told the truth about her jealousy over Maura her Aunt Jane realized that she hadn't been there for her as she used to be and made it a point to call her every night before the teen went to bed. It wasn't the same as when she lived here and would personally tuck her in but it was enough.
"Hey, Aunt Jane." She said as she answered the phone.
"Hey, baby girl." Her Aunt had a jovial tone and she couldn't help but think that Maura really was good for her. "Did you get the score from that test you were worried about?"
"I passed." She said casually, as if she hadn't been pacing all night the night before. "No big deal."
"That's my kiddo." Her Aunt was pretty open with her praises for the most part. "So, any new boys in your life, or maybe girls?"
Heading down the stairs to her father's study to try to finish her homework she groaned, "No boys, no girls. I really just don't have the time. These pre-med courses are kicking my ass."
"Well you know you can always ask your Aunt Maur for help. She explains that stuff better than I can."
"Oh very funny." Just like her aunt, she wasn't one to pass up a pun, "Icahn. Nice word play."
"That wasn't what I was doing you little snot." She could hear her Aunt trying not to laugh. "Though she probably can."
After walking across the living room she knocked gently on her father's study but received no answer. She knocked a bit louder, determined not to walk in on him and her Ma again. She really didn't understand the big deal about sex or why they did it so much but she suspected that it was because she was still a virgin. The thought brought a rosy hue to her cheeks as she realized that she would be nineteen in a few short weeks.
She peaked into the study to see that it was empty and stepped inside.
"Hey, you still there?"
"Yeah, just had an odd thought." She sighed as she keyed up her father's laptop, "I'm going to be ninteen in May."
"I wish I could say that." Her aunt grumbled.
"Aunt Jane, I'm a virgin." She whispered shyly.
"So, what's wrong with that?" She said as if this wasn't an embarrassing conversation. "Kiddo, I wish I had been as smart with my body as you are with yours. Seriously, I almost gave my virginity to a football player under the bleachers when I was fifteen."
"You told me that story." She said with more heat in her cheeks. "And you dated him a couple of years ago, remember? Besides, you had options."
"You have options too and you've been amazing. Let me tell you something about sex. It's fun with the right partner but not as much as when that person means something to you. I look back on all of the guys I've dated and all I wish for is that I could take it back."
"If you could take it back and came out in high school. How many girls would you have dated?"
She could just imagine her Aunt biting her lip. "A couple and this is getting kinda awkward now so let's go back to how great a person you are."
She shook her head and had to push her aunt, "Aunt Jane?"
"Yeah?"
"What's it like?" She tried not to grin at her aunt's discomfort, "What's it like with a woman?"
"Um, Yeah. This isn't awkward." She sighed, "I'm really not the best person to talk about this with because I… I never really liked it with guys and… and I… really… don't feel comfortable talking about this at all but… and this is only for you so… I've only been with Maura… and… you should really call your Aunt Maura or even Liv. They know the ins and outs of both ways, no pun intended."
She giggled, "You really don't like talking about this do you?"
She could hear her aunt blow out a huff of air, "Sex isn't one of my best conversation pieces, no."
Alexis laughed softly and turned back to her father's computer and tried to log on, nothing. "Well this sucks."
"Look I'm sorry Kiddo, I don't even like to talk about it with your Ma so why don't you talk to Maura. She'll be upfront and honest and in graphic medical detail that I really don't want to be around for."
"No, that's not what I meant." She grumbled, "The internet is down and I need to finish my homework."
"Oh!" the relief was tangible, "I thought you… Nevermind."
Alexis giggled again as she ran her hand through her artificially curled hair. After asking her Aunt if she could make her hair like hers, Jane Rizzoli and Kate Beckett had gotten up two hours early the next morning just so they could curl her hair the first time. She still had that picture as her background on her phone and her tablet. She loved her Aunt's hair and spent hours learning how to copy that mass of ebony, though she loved her own color far too much to change it.
"Well I guess I'm going to have to go to bed early so I can finish tomorrow before class."
"Didn't your dad say he has that new tablet with the Wifi thingy hot something on it?"
"Wifi Hotspot. I'll try that." She caught sight of the tablet sitting on his bookshelf and picked it up. "Anyway, I got ten bucks that says Aunt Maur is waiting for you to go to bed so…"
"Alexis Harper Castle Beckett Rizzoli!" Jane took a deep breath, "Whew, that's a mouth full."
"I know, don't bet on your sex life." She exaggeratedly groaned. "Night Aunt Jane, hug Aunt Maur for me."
"You got it, kiddo. Good night."
The phone disconnected as Alexis sat in her father's chair and tried to open the tablet. It was locked.
Alexis was going to set it down but the temptation to guess his password was too great not to try at least once.
It wouldn't be Kate. And it wouldn't be Alexis. Gram's out as well as Jane. But it would have something to do with him and something to do with her. Rick and Kate, no. Beckett and Castle, nah. Castle and Beckett hmm. Cast… Beckett. Cast…kett. CASKETT! How appropriate.
She keyed in the seven letters and the tablet opened. She was about to do one of her Aunt's victory dances when she caught sight of the app on the screen. It was a word processor.
It was the words on the screen that stopped her cold. She should close it and leave. She knew she should but she couldn't. The words glowed in the low lit room.
"My name is Nikki Heat." She said as she knelt next to the bed and braced herself for the reaction from the unpredictable woman in front of her, "I'm your younger sister."
She held one of her delicate hands to her mouth as she read the manuscript from the beginning.
After toweling off from the shower, Rick gently rubbed his face as he searched for any stubble he might have missed when he had shaved. Although he personally liked the look of the five o'clock shadow, Kate had told him that it tends to feel like sandpaper on some of her more sensitive skin. He smiled as he found nothing but smooth cheeks and chin. Tonight he was going to make sure she knew how much he loved and treasured her. None of the elaborate things worked on Kate but he'd figured out quickly enough that it was the little things that got to her.
She loved to watch him as he washed dishes or swept the floor. When he made sure that her work things were placed where she could find them easily. And when he made sure his face was shaved when he nuzzled her neck. The simple things had always been his greatest tool when it came to his hardnosed detective. It's what always kept him in her mind when she dated someone else before they got together.
He smiled as he thought of the night to come. Since it was all spur of the moment which meant it would be a surprise, he had to either get Alexis to head to Jane's or more likely, sequester herself in her room with her iPad and headphones. Either way he'd better get moving. He threw his robe on over his PJ pants and t-shirt and headed off to find Alexis. He barely made it past his study when he caught the light on.
He stuck his head in and found her sitting at his desk with his tablet in her hand. She looked up at him, her eyes wide with shock.
"Aunt Jane is gonna kill you and Ma's gonna help her get rid of the body."
Stepping inside he opened his mouth to speak when the front door opened and Kate walked in. "Castle, I'm home."
He jerked his head at the sound and turned back to see his daughter relock the tablet and scurry towards the door.
"But it was good right?" He said.
She stared at him, "Yeah, Dad it's a good start, it's just a shame you'll never live to finish it."
Alexis scooted past him and hugged Kate before running full tilt up the stairs. Kate watched her almost leave a vapor trail in her wake as she disappeared.
She looked back at her man and lifted one finely shaped eyebrow. "Something I should know?"
He shrugged, "She stopped making sense to me a couple of years ago."
Kate sighed, "I'll check on her in a minute." She hung her coat up and slid her arms around him and as she rubbed her cheek against his she murmured, "Nice." in a low sweet tone.
He heard his phone beep from the bedroom and smiled. "So shall I draw my lady a bath to relax in after a hard day of fighting crime and picking out engagement rings with her friends?"
She let him go and looked at him as if he was trying to get away with something. "Okay, you're being awfully thoughtful, tonight."
That lopsided grin creased his face as he stepped into the kitchen, "It gets better." He said as he poured a small glass of red wine and carried it to her.
A half smile preceded a narrowing of eyes, "You're up to something."
"I am." He agreed. "But you'll have to figure it out on your own, Detective."
She rolled her eyes and sat down to take off her boots when he knelt in front of her and eased the stylish footwear from her feet. He immediately followed up with a brief foot rub.
"Castle, you don't have to go through all of this to get me in bed." She said as she ran her fingers through her hair, "I'm yours anyway."
"True, but there's no harm in tending to my lady's whims and wishes."
She smiled as she realized the game he was playing, "Then your lady would like a bath to go with her wine."
In that exaggerated exalted voice he calmly nodded, "As my lady commands, so it shall be done." He let her feet go and held his hands up. She took them and he guided her to their room. He paused at his phone on the night table and read the text from Alexis.
24 hour reprieve because you're wooing Ma.
He smiled and turned off his phone.
Since he started this game Kate snapped her fingers loudly from the bathroom.
"Forgive me; I was just making sure my lady was uninterrupted." He rushed into the bathroom to start the water. As the tub filled, he gently began to remove her clothes while she stood, as regal and as majestic as a queen.
