AN: I don't own Castle, if I did we'd have a new episode sooner.
So Big Sister continues. I'm pretty proud of what my little story has accomplished. It's odd to think that something I have typed into a laptop can suddenly be enjoyed by thousands of people around the world. Thanks again to all my followers and favourite-rs, you're awesome. So is everyone else who has managed to drop a review by, special thanks to an Anon who had been writing brilliant and oh-so-helpful reviews, keep it up guys.
IN OTHER NEWS:
- Poor Penny Johnson Jerald, how can they kick someone out after all those seasons? I don't want Beckett to be a captain, all she'll do is sit on a desk and boss people around :(
- I'm presently stuck at home with a sinus infection or something similar, this means more Big Sister has been written, more novels have been read and more Castle has been re-watched for the millionth time.
- Also Happy Birthday Mum, it's my mum's birthday today!
Okay so without much further ado (apologies for the long note...) here is chapter 7!
" Tough girl
In the fast lane
No time for love
No time for hate
No drama no time
For games
Tough girl
Whose soul aches "
CHAPTER 7
Kate positioned herself in her squad car before she turned the key and heard the gentle sound of the ignition whirring to life. She pressed her foot against the accelerator and she began on her way to Castle's loft. After a long day of collecting fines and breath testing idiots it was finally time to go out for the dinner that she had been looking forward to since Wednesday. Unlike last Saturday Kate couldn't get the day off so she had been forced to drive around all day. That also meant that she had to arrive at Castle's place dressed in her police uniform. She didn't think he'd mind though considering during the playful banter they had shared on the phone that morning he had claimed that he had a thing for women in uniforms. She smiled at the thought of him and had to scold herself yet again, she felt a touch like a star struck teenager.
X-X-X-X
The doorman flashed her a second look for the first time today and Kate looked back at him briefly to wave. It seemed that she was becoming a common fixture around these parts. She boarded the lift and disembarked on his level. When he had told her that his mom was eager to meet her she was a touch worried. She had never, ever been in a stable enough relationship with another man to actually go to the meet the parents stage and she didn't know what to expect. She feared for what she would say if Rick's mom asked about her parents. Could she straight out tell her that one was stabbed to death in an alley and the other was a man living for nothing more then alcohol. She almost turned back but she heard Alexis' excited tone through the door and decided against it.
She knocked lightly against the door with the back of her hand. After about a second of waiting time the door was flung over not by Alexis but by a tall, older lady with bright orange hair. Each and every one of her fears was destroyed when the woman grabbed her into a hug and dragged her inside the loft.
Pulling out of her grasp Beckett smiled toward the older lady who had to be Castle's mom. "Hi darling you must be Katherine I've heard heaven knows how much about you. My name's Martha, I'm an actress, world renowned Martha Rogers." Her long arms flipped flamboyantly through the air as she smiled toward the cop.
Kate immediately liked Martha; she had an infectious personality and a smile so wide that it could light a whole country. "Yep I'm Katherine but you can call me Kate, nice to meet you Martha but I do hope I'm not intruding on a family dinner here."
"Oh darling you aren't intruding. I live here and I have dinner with those two every night. Anyway I was thinking about my son and I think Richard might have developed some feelings for you..." Her orange eyebrows waggled as she elbowed Kate slightly.
Beckett went a shade of beetroot red as she shuffled her black leather shoes over the floorboards. "Nah we're just friends."
"Oh okay…" Something about the way that Martha's eyes glinted showed that she didn't fully believe her though.
X-X-X-X
"Mother are you already traumatising our dinner guests?" Castle hurried into the hall followed closely by Alexis who had a large smile filling her face.
"Oh Richard don't always be so dramatic Katherine here is a lovely girl." Martha's arms motioned toward Kate who was adjusting her police hat over her hair.
Richard and his mother engaged themselves in a little argument as Alexis hurried over to the cop's side. The small redhead tugged at Beckett's jacket, which caused the cop to bend over so that she stood at her height. "Hey Lex so how was your week?"
A smile escaped from between the young girl's lips as she nodded to herself. "School was awesome I did more second grade math and dad and I have done so many fun things after school." The child's arms flapped about flippantly as she bounced.
Beckett nodded slowly, "So how was Paige, did she say anything mean?"
Alexis' young jaw dropped "You actually remember that?"
"It wouldn't be like a big sister to forget would it?"
No response had come from the child but she had thrown her arms around the cop's waist and pulled her in for a hug. Somewhere in the back of Katherine's mind secretly desired to take the police issued side arm from her waist and blow out Paige's brains but she didn't know if she could take the jail time.
Castle, Martha and Alexis lead Kate to the table where she was met with a much-needed glass of Chardonnay. Sipping it to her lips she felt six eyes blaring into her side. She turned around and the two Castles, and one Rogers (as she later found out) all had different requests. Castle wanted to know if she had cuffed anyone today, he had claimed that it was kinky. Alexis wanted to tell Beckett about a sight words test and Martha wanted to talk all about herself.
After she knocked back a large gulp of her white wine she turned to the trio. She knew that it was going to be a very long night.
X-X-X-X
"So Katherine do you have any family, any brothers or sisters?" Martha didn't know that she had just let hell break loose as she asked the simple a question. Kate quickly downed her glass of red wine and tried to come up with a lie. She knew she was taking a bit long when Martha started looking at her strangely. "Darling are you all alright, you look like you need to throw up."
Suddenly an idea struck the young cop, "Throw up yes I do, do you have a bathroom I think I've ate a bit too much." She knew that that sounded utterly awful but she couldn't possible answer Martha's question.
Castle pointed toward the downstairs restroom and she hurried over to it. When she reached the security of the locked room she collapsed on the ground beside the toilet. Leaning with her head against the wall she began to sob. This made her even more out of his league. She was alone; she had no family, no one that loved her. She continued to sob as she pictured herself as a child seated atop her dad's broad shoulders. What she would give for that moment again was incredible.
After a while she heard knocking at the door and she ignored it. "Kate it's Rick, are you all okay in there?" He knocked again.
She had risen quickly from the ground and unlatched the lock. Castle's eyes examined her and she knew from his first glance that he thought she looked like crap. "Don't you ask what's wrong because nothing is. I'm fine, I'm god damn fine."
Castle nodded taking her seriously and stepped into the bathroom closing the door behind them. She heard it lock as he sat down on the ground beside her. "I know you're not fine. You haven't been fine this whole time we've known you and I remember you Kate from one of my signings. I remember you were crying, don't lie and say you've forgotten." His tone was serious, one that she only remembered hearing when he was telling Alexis off for opening the door by herself.
"Okay I'm not fine but do you seriously expect me to confide in you? I haven't told anyone and what makes yourself so special?"
"I doubt you've spent many dinners at anyone's house if they weren't special and I especially doubt you'd baby sit their children."
He had gotten to her she knew that. "Okay but do you seriously care? I'm a crazy, broken woman, I don't want to burden you or your family with my crap life."
"Katherine Beckett sitting before me is a beautiful, smart, witty, caring woman and no matter how hard I look I don't see crazy or broken. We all experience hardship, I do, you do, and that doesn't mean that I see you any differently."
She had never heard anything so nice being directed toward her. Suddenly she wanted to open up, she wanted to take those walls that she had be building for years and let them come down just slightly. "I was happy, I came from a slightly well off family living in Manhattan. My parents were both lawyers, I was blessed but when I was nineteen the blessings became a curse. My father and I came home one night to find a detective standing in our living room. He told me that my mom had been stabbed in an alley. She was dead Castle. My dreams of becoming a lawyer crumbled before my eyes as my search for justice became practically unquenchable. The dirt was still fresh above my mom's grave when dad turned away from me and to the bottle. He became an alcoholic and nothing I could do could make him stop drinking. At nineteen I had nothing worth living for so I decided to become a cop, justice for my mom was the only thing that I had left. So I joined the academy and rented a little apartment because I couldn't bear seeing my dad passed out drunk with a bottle of scotch held tightly in his hands. I don't want much now Castle but I want to put this son of a bitch who killed my mother behind bars, no I want to put a bullet in his head. He took my life so I want to take his."
She was now slumped over crying into the author's chest. He slowly rubbed at her back with the palm of his hand and whispered some shushes into her ear. It was the first time in two years that she had actually opened up to anyone and in some twisted way it made her feel a bit better.
"Hey, shush, you'll be okay. You're not alone anymore Kate you have me, you have my mom and you have Alexis. We'll all be here for you even if your dad can't." The way he said 'your dad' took on a bitter tone.
Kate nestled herself further into his soft white shirt. It smelt sweet and spicy, like cologne. For the first time in years she felt safe and that sensation was something very special.
"I really care for you Kate, I don't want you to forget that."
"I won't Castle and can you just keep holding me like this?"
"Always." Castle muttered the word quietly into her hair and let his arms tighten around her.
X-X-X-X
The pair re-joined Alexis and Martha at the table. The little girl was laughing with her grandmother, as she seemed to be mocking pictures in an issue of a gossip magazine. Katherine felt as though a huge weight had suddenly been lifted from her shoulders and the relief coursing through her veins was a wonderful sensation.
Alexis looked up at Kate and much to the cop's surprise she didn't ask any questions, Martha didn't either, which was a relief. The redhead smiled toothily and pointed toward the magazine. "Look at that lady's bum!" The child's mouth formed a perfect o shape
Beckett chuckled at Alexis' complete surprise toward Kim Kardasian's bum. As Alexis continued to show her the remainder of the magazine the rest of the walls separating her from this family had slowly begun the continuation of their crumbling.
AN: Yaay the confession chapter, I'm glad Kate is feeling more at home with the Castle's now. Expect the next update Wednesday week, also keep up the reviews because they are inspiring. Virtual hugs for all of you!
UP NEXT: Beckett picks up Alexis from school and puts Paige in her place...I've always hated Paige since she smashed Alexis' egg back in season 2
