Rick heard the door open and close quietly. It was as if there would be a rant coming his way and soon which usually did happen. But when he walked into the living room and saw his wife with tears running down her face leaning heavily against the front door he knew something was terribly wrong.
"Kate, what is it? What's wrong?"
Trying to control her sobbing she tried to answer her husband.
"Dr. Hall wants to have me tested for certain blood markers."
"Blood markers? Which ones?"
"The ones that can identify cancer."
He walks over to her and draws her into his broad body. Then he whispers this in her ear,
"Kate, I am sure that Dr. Hall is just being thorough. She knows that you worked the pile for those three months and patrolled, worked, and live in lower Manhattan. She just wants to make sure that she has all of her bases covered."
"Are you sure?"
"Kate what else could she be looking into? She only wants to make sure that you and peanut are doing well and are staying healthy." Rick said as he lowered his hand to her abdomen relaxing her by caressing he not yet there bump.
Xx
One week later…Kate was in the kitchen making lunch for Rick because once he gets into his writing zone, he never comes out. Then he usually forgets to eat anything. He was right about why Dr. Hall had ordered those extra tests. In recent years there have been many first responders that have become ill and died from complications while working the pile immediately after the buildings collapsed. She had lost so many friends over the years and it never got any easier. But today she has to tell Rick that one of her best friends passed away yesterday. And she only found out because of the pending lawsuit she had filed. She finishes making her husband's lunch places it on a tray and carries it into his office. She sees him furiously typing on his laptop. He probably has Derrick Storm in another perilous situation. He never noticed her walking up to his desk and placing the tray down next to him.
"Rick. Rick. RICHARD CASTLE!"
Kate giggled as Rick almost fell out of his chair when she yelled his name out. He recovered quickly and asked why she was yelling at him.
"I made you lunch babe. So why don't you take a break. I have something to tell you as well."
All Rick did was look at her not knowing that what she was going to say. But whatever it was it had to be serious by the look on her face. He got up from his desk picked up the tray she brought in, walked over to the coffee table and placed the tray down and sat gesturing her to come sit with him. She did.
"So Kate what's going on?"
"Well, I know that you know Jillian Stedner. She's been over to the loft a couple of times when we were partners."
"I remember her. She was partnered with you for five years after the two of you worked on the pile."
"She was. We were partners on patrol before I became a detective 3rd grade. When I took the promotion, she stayed in blues."
"What about her did she make detective too after all these years?" Rick asked.
"Rick she was still a patrolman. She loved the neighborhood and never wanted to leave the people there she was one of those cops who loved her job. She actually passed away yesterday and the only reason I know is that a lawyer contacted me about the lawsuit she filed. I must have been a contact that she added to her lawsuit since she was never married. Anyway, the attorney asked if I wanted to be added to the clients he already had but I told him I'd have to think about it. That's when he told me that she had passed away yesterday and not to wait too long to file any type of legal claim."
"So I'm taking it this was related to what happened on 9/11 and after?"
"As far as I can tell it is because she was in perfect health by before that. So, I'm not sure what she died from but I can only guess that it was related to what happened on 9/11."
"So are you going to join the lawsuit that this lawyer is filing on her behalf?"
"I'm not too sure Rick. I don't think this is a class action suit. Jillian filed this suit to receive medical treatment benefits after the insurance company denied her claim."
"Red tape. I can't believe they are treating first responders this way."
"I'm glad that I haven't been diagnosed with anything serious. Dr. Hall sent me to that oncologist I think his name was Dr. Khatri. All he told me was that I had those small spots on my right lung and that they were on prior scans. Compared to the previous chest X-Ray and my last CT scan they have not grown in size. He sent me for a biopsy just to be certain that those spots were benign, which they were but he recommended a checkup every six months."
"I am glad that you had these tests done and nothing was wrong. Kate, I don't know what I would do if I lost you." Rick said.
"Babe, I'm not sure that I won't be affected by something from that day in the future but I will never purposely leave you. You are the father of my children and I don't think that I could leave you in a situation like that."
"I love you, Kate."
"As do I Rick, always."
Xx
Six months later…
"Okay, Kate now it's time to push. So, give me a long push and we'll welcome your daughter into the world." Dr, Hall said.
All Rick could do was watch as his daughters head crowned. Within 5 minutes she was here. As he cut the cord he was in tears as their daughter was placed on Kate's chest to feel her mother skin to skin. It was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen.
Kate did what came naturally she started to coo to her daughter telling her everything would be fine as she held her close to her body. She loved being in this moment but could not wait until they were back home and together as a family.
"Rick I think that her name should be Lily after my grandmother. To me, it seems to fit her well." Kate suggested.
"I agree. She does look like a flower."
"My thoughts exactly!" Kate agreed.
After a few minutes of mother-daughter bonding, Kate asked Rick the question he been wanting to hear since his daughter was born.
"So Rick would you want to meet your daughter?"
In a flash Rick had his arms extended waiting to hold his daughter for the first time. the second Kate placed her in his arms, it was nothing short of exceptional. It's the same feeling he had when he held Alexis in his arms for the first time. It's an indescribable feeling of total love that comes over you for this tiny little human being. And he can't wait to do everything with her. He looks up the Kate and sees these tears coming down her own cheeks at the sight she's witnessing. To him, this will never get old.
Xx
At Ricks urging he had told Alexis to get a complete workup so she was aware of any possible surprises from 9/11. The doctor she had seen was a young professional and after he told her that she was clear health-wise he drew up the courage to ask her out on a date. One date turned into another and then another and before he knew it, he was walking his oldest daughter down the aisle on her wedding day. His name was Kyle and he was the most down-to-earth person he could ever wish for his daughter because they complimented each other perfectly. They are quickly approaching Lily's first birthday and now all attention was on his youngest daughter who was hitting a milestone of her own. In less than 2 hours everybody from the 12th Precinct from the captain to the detectives and some patrolman that Kate worked with will be invading the loft. Kate's friend Lanie will also be in attendance. Now he has more balloons to hang as well as banners for his daughter.
The loft has been decorated with everything that a one-year-old could possibly want with the exception of a pony. Rick wanted it but Kate said it was way too much for a one-year-old and made him see that it would be overkill because she won't remember it. Since 9/11, Kate had lost a lot of friends from that day and more in the years that followed. She is healthy and frequently sees ads on TV urging people who have health issues that were directly related to 9/11 to get in contact with the law firms to fight on their behalf. For now, she would just leave it until it became an issue. She was healthy she had her family around her and she saw no need to file a claim when there was no need to. But she had registered with the victim compensation fund as well as Rick and Alexis, you never knew. In the future, if they needed to file one well that would be a different story. Her husband had an army of lawyers at his beck and call and she could use them if she needed to file a claim. But today she had to celebrate her daughter's first birthday and nothing would take away from that.
