CH7

Rick pulls up outside Kate's apartment. "Thanks for the trip to the Zoo it was fun." Kate tells him.

"Go upstairs and pack an overnight bag Kate." Rick tells her.

"Pardon me?" Kate is confused.

"The deal was that you spend the entire next two days with us. The operative word being 'Entire'. I am a writer after all and I know my words." Rick tells her. Besides there are bugs in her house he has to take care of first.

"Kate!" Alexis calls from the back.

"A deal is a deal." Rick tells her.

(Me and my big mouth) "Fine, I'll be right down." And Kate gets out of the car and heads up to her apartment.

Kate packs a bag for 2 days just in case. Throws in some make-up so she doesn't have to use Martha's again. And not sure why but adds a frilly pair of matching bra and panties as well as a couple of condoms. Really not sure why.

And runs back downstairs. Hoping into the car. "Ok lets go."

"Your wish is my command my dear." Rick tells her and drives home.

Rick unlocks the front door and everyone can smell food cooking. "Castle?" Kate asks.

"Well I knew we would be at the Zoo for a long time and wasn't sure we would have time to cook something so I put together something in the crock pot again just in case." Rick explains.

"You're going to spoil me you know that." Kate tells him.

"You two can set the table and check on the crock pot. I have a phone call I need to make. I'll be in my office." As Rick gives his daughter a quick kiss and takes Kate's hand and brushes his lips over it.

Once in his office. "Jack call the operator for me."

"Dialing." Jack tells him.

"Operator." Says a voice.

"This is operative Jess Carson, code Operation 28 West Alpha Zeta 1244 Bottoms Up." Rick tells him/her.

"ID and code confirmed. How may I help you?"

"I need all information available on 3 people using the photo's I'm downloading." Rick tells him/her.

"Download received. Expect response in 24 hours at the next location."

"Understood. End of line." And Rick ends the call.

Rick heads back to the kitchen. "Looking good ladies. Smells good to." As Rick takes in a big breath thru his nose.

"Castle this is really good. Are you trying to get me addicted to your home cooking?" Kate asks him.

"Is it working?" Rick counters.

"Maybe." Kate answers softly.

Then there is a noise at the front door. "Richard darling are you home?"

"Grams!" Alexis calls out.

"My mother." Rick tells Kate.

"Richard where have you been? You've been gone all day. OH! You have company." Martha stops.

"Mother this is Katherine Beckett. Kate this is my mother Martha Rodgers." Rick makes introductions.

"You're lovely my dear. No wonder my son has been gone all day."

"Mother?"

"Oh Posh. Tell me dear what do you do?" Martha sits at the table next to Kate.

"I'm a homicide detective for the NYPD." Kate answers.

"Homicide detective, how exciting. Who have you killed now Richard?"

"No one mother." Kate however is grinning wide at Rick's expense.

"Grams?" Alexis asks.

"And how are you Alexis dear? Have you shown Kate a good time?"

"Alexis is terrific Mrs. Rodgers." Kate answers for her.

"Call me Martha dear. Mrs. Rodgers makes me feel even older than I really am. So tell me dear how did you two meet?" Martha presses on.

"Mother really?" Rick tries to put a stop to the inquisition.

"Honestly Richard it's a perfectly honest question." Martha counters putting Rick in his place.

"We met where I work. Seems my boss is one of Castle's old friends. He invited my boss over for drinks and asked me to come too." Kate answers her.

"And what's his name dear?" Martha questions.

"It was Roy mother." Rick answers for Kate.

"Roy Montgomery? He was such a nice man. You two got into so much trouble back then. You two were a real pair. I thought sure you were both going to get arrested, locked up and have the key locked away." Martha explains.

"Oh really!" Kate is interested now. "What did Castle do?" Kate asks not so innocently.

"Mother please." Rick begs.

Martha leans into Kate. "We'll talk later dear." And pats her leg. "I have tons of pictures too." Martha whispers into her ear.

This gets a big smile from Kate.

"Well I'll let you three have fun. I hope to see you again my dear." Martha tells Kate and pats her leg again and starts to get up.

"Kate will be here all day tomorrow grams." Alexis volunteers.

Rick groans and puts his forehead down on the table top.

"Try and keep my son out of trouble and we can talk tomorrow." Martha gets up and lets herself out like she let herself in.

"She's nice Castle." Kate tells him enjoying his pain.

"My Mother is, …. unique." Rick tells her.

"Dad Grams is nice and you love her. Just admit it." Alexis chastises her dad.

"Why is her name Rodgers and yours Castle?" Kate asks.

"My given name is Richard Alexander Rodgers. When I tried to get my first book published the publisher didn't like the sound of it. Ricky Rodgers sounded too much like a cartoon character to them. So they changed it. You should have heard their first few tries." And Rick shakes his body while making a shiver sound.

"They were pretty bad Kate." Alexis agrees.

"I finally settled on Castle and I took Edgar for a middle name in honor of Edgar Allen Poe. Hence Richard Edgar Castle." Rick explains.

"Well I think Castle suits you." Kate tells him.

Rick decides to change the subject. "Help me clean up pumpkin while Kate picks a movie for us to watch."

"ME?" Kate questions his sanity.

"You're the guest here so we watch what you pick for all of us. The selection is over there." As Rick points before taking plates to the kitchen.

Kate reluctantly goes over to look at the movie options. And can hear Rick and Alexis cleaning and putting dishes in the dishwasher.

Suddenly Kate is young again. She can hear her mother and dad working in the kitchen while she selects a movie to put in the VHS for them to watch. She had selected a Disney movie for them to watch. She can hear her mom ask if she needed any help in there.

"You alright out there? I know there's a lot to chose from. Don't worry we trust you." Rick calls from the kitchen.

With tears running down her face Kate races for the front door, opens it and starts to run down the hall. Only to slam into Martha. "Katherine dear, are you alright?" Martha can see the tears flowing down her face.

"You better come with me dear." And Martha escorts Kate into her apartment and closes the door. "Sit down dear I'll get us some wine and then you are going to tell me everything."

Martha comes back in with two glasses and a bottle. "Sit down dear, here drink."

Kate wipes away a few tears and drinks the entire glass.

Martha picks up the bottle and re-fills her glass. "So what got you doing sprints down the hallway? Did my son say something again?"

"What? …. No, no. Castle is terrific and Alexis is amazing." Kate takes a more civil drink this time.

Martha noted the words Kate used. "And yet you were running away crying. Tell me why dear. It can't be that bad."

"It was nothing Mrs. Rodgers, just a memory." Kate brushes it off.

"Please call me Martha and it must be a very strong memory to get you to run from my son. I'm a good listener dear. I'm old so I've had a lot of practice."

"Your not old Martha." Kate corrects her.

"Oh dear I like you already." As Martha takes her free hand. "Now tell me what got you out into the hallway."

"Castle and Alexis had me choosing a movie to watch after we got back from the Zoo and had dinner. The sound of them in the kitchen reminded me of a time when I was a kid." Kate tells her.

"That sounds sweet. Not like something to be running down a hallway in tears with." Martha prods.

"My mother died when I was 19. Murdered actually." Kate confides. (and why am I telling her this?)

"Oh dear that is so sad. And what about your father?"

"He didn't take it well and drowned himself in the bottom of a bottle. Well a lot of bottles actually. He says he's better now." Kate continues.

"And my son and Alexis got you to thinking of her and how much you miss her." Martha guesses.

Kate can just nod her head.

"You like them don't you dear?"

Kate nods her head again. "Castle was my mom's favorite author. She dragged me down to one of his book signings one time. I was bored out of my mind. I didn't see what had her so interested.

But Castle was nice. He asked her questions and I can remember him staring at me. Then he signed her book and hoped he would see us again some time.

She was murdered about a month later. I used Castle's books to escape from the loss of her being gone. They helped me decide to become a homicide detective. I've read each book so many times." Kate stops talking and takes another big drink.

"And suddenly it all came back and now you're scared? Why run my dear. Running only delays the inevitable. The pain may go away for a moment but it's only a false relief.

You are a detective you should be facing it head on and deal with it. I'm sure my son and my granddaughter would be only to willing to help you.

Or is that part of what scares you?"

However before Kate can respond her front door opens. "Grams have you seen, …. KATE!" As Alexis yells and runs to wrap her arms around Kate.

"You disappeared, we got worried. Dad is downstairs to see if he can find you." Alexis tells her. "Are you alright? You've been crying. Did we do something? …. Did I do something?" Alexis adds softly.

"I'm afraid this is my fault dear, I wanted to talk with Kate and decided not to wait so I stole her for a moment. You can have her back now." Martha takes the blame.

"I''m fine sweetie, you didn't do anything. I was just remembering my mother and it made me sad." Kate tells her softly while wrapping her arms around her and giving her a quick kiss.

"Are you sure? You scared me." Alexis tells her and Martha begins to melt.

"I'm sorry sweetie I didn't mean to. How about we go find your father and put him out of his misery." Kate offers.

"You go ahead dear we can talk again later. Alexis dear why don't you go find your father. I'll let Kate into your place for her to wait." Martha offers.

"Ok grams. You sure you are going to be ok Kate?" Alexis is really unwilling to leave Kate behind.

"I'll be there sweetie, you go ahead. I'll be waiting." Kate tells her.

After watching Alexis leave. "Thank you Martha."

"Oh posh dear. It was nothing. How long are you staying tonight?"

"Actually I'll be here until the day after tomorrow when I have to go back to work." Kate confides.

"Really?" Martha is shocked.

"It was part of a deal with Castle. I spend my two 'Entire' days off with them and Castle will take down the wall and create one big apartment by adding yours." Kate tells her.

Martha grabs Kate and gives her a hug. "Oh I knew there was a reason why I liked you dear.

Try not to be afraid my dear. I think my son already likes you. I can tell my granddaughter is already fond of you. Unless I'm mistaken she may already have you wrapped around her little finger."

Kate can only chuckle. "She is so sweet. …. Martha can you tell me about Meredith?" Kate asks shyly.

"Who told you about Meredith?"

"Alexis did a little." Unwilling to tell her much more. It was more between her and Alexis.

"Meredith. I'm not sure what my son ever saw in that, …. woman. Alexis is the only good thing that came out of that. Except for that sweet child, …." Martha doesn't finish but it's clear she doesn't think much of her.

"Meredith blows in when she is in the mood. Upsets everyone and then blows right back out again. Meredith is her own little world and no one else exists in it. At least not for long.

Come on dear let's get you back before my son has the entire police dept. looking for you." As Martha escorts Kate back to his apartment.

"I'll see if I can invite myself over for dinner tomorrow and we can talk some more." Martha offers.

"I'd like that. Maybe I can convince Castle to let me cook for a change." Kate offers.

"And she cooks to. Oh my dear where have you been hiding?" Martha is impressed. (Please don't lose this one son.)

"My mother taught me. She had all her own recipes. I haven't had a reason to cook for some time. It'll be nice to see if I still know how."

"Well you decide what you want to make and I'll go shopping with you for what you need. It'll give me an excuse to get out of the apartment. Plus I need to re-stock my wine supply." Martha winks.

"My friend Lanie introduced me to a new one, maybe I can find it and see what you think."

"I'd like that dear. Now where is that son of mine?" Martha intends to stay so she can take the blame.