Wednesday

"Come with me," Rick blurted out over the breakfast table.

"At least buy me dinner first," Kate shot back quickly and Rick was so shocked he almost spat out his orange juice.

"Katherine Beckett, did you just…make a sexual innuendo?" He asked incredulously.

"Well technically you made the innuendo, I just expanded it," she grinned. "God you're so easy. Okay, so where do you want me to come with you."

"Can we please use a different word?" Rick choked. "After your dirty joke I can't use that word in relation to us unless it's about us actually…you know."

Kate's cheeks flushed at the sudden onslaught of mental images of her and Rick in various positions without clothes. "Okay," she began again. "Where would you like me to go?"

"To visit my mother with me."

What? "I…um…"

"You don't have to," Rick added quickly. "But you know, you've been so great to me, inviting me to stay with your parents for the week and I kinda thought I could introduce you to my mom..."

"We aren't a couple, Rick," Kate replied coldly, more venom in her voice than was wanted or needed. "We aren't dating, and just because you're here with me and my parents doesn't mean you have to introduce me to your mom."

"Do you think I don't know that we're a couple, Kate?" Rick hissed, trying not to attract the attention of Kate's parents. "Do you not realise that I spend every single night thinking of you and what we could be before I fall asleep, only to get up the next morning and just be your friend?"

"Don't you dare turn this around on me!" Kate returned angrily. "I never asked you to wait until I was ready and I'm pretty sure that last night you said you were fine being my friend? So what's changed?"

"Nothing's changed, I am fine being your friend, I just wish…god, you have no idea how much I want to be more than friends with you. And I'm trying my hardest here, I really am, because all I want to do, all I've wanted to do for months is push you onto the nearest flat surface and-"

"Rick," Kate growled as a warning, glancing over her shoulder to the door. The last thing she needed was either of her parents overhearing this particular conversation.

"I'm sorry," he sighed, "I shouldn't have said that and I know how far we've come and how much trust you've put in me and I'm grateful, I really am, it's just hard sometimes being so close to you and yet I always seem so far away."

"You're not," Kate replied quietly. "Far away, I mean. You and Lanie are my two closest friends and I would trust you with anything, I promise. I just…I have issues and stupid insecurities that mutter away to me every time I even think about starting a relationship with you. And that's not fair on you, I know and I wish I could say go and find someone else, but I can't because the thought of seeing you with another girl would break my heart." She hadn't meant to say so much but she was beginning to feel a little guilty about how she was acting with him and it wasn't fair. He might have told her he'd wait but she couldn't expect him to do that, he was a 21 year old male – a rather attractive one at that – and it wasn't fair to make him wait like this. "But," she sighed, "if that's what you want, to have someone else who can make you happy then please don't let me stop you because I'd rather you were happy being with someone else than miserable waiting for me."

"You know, for a smart girl you really can be incredibly stupid sometimes," he mused.

"Seriously?" Kate said, raising an eyebrow. "I spill my heart out to you and you call me stupid?"

"What I meant was that I can't believe you could still possibly think that I would want anybody other than you. And I don't know what these insecurities are because you won't open up to me but please, at least think about telling me because if that's all that's holding you back then maybe I could talk through them with you and we can figure whatever this is out."

"Okay," she agreed, "I'll think about it." It was about time she faced up to her feelings and nothing was going to change if she didn't just pluck up the courage to tell him what had her so worried.

"That's all I ask," Rick reassured with a smile. "So, does this mean you'll go with me to meet my mother or not?"

"Do you really want me to?" Kate asked. "I know you don't see her very often and the fact that you have a morning with her this week is so lucky and I don't wanna get in the way of your family time."

"I wouldn't have asked if I didn't want you there," he pointed out. "It's not like my mom and I have deep and meaningful conversations when we're together, it's just a catch up and I know she'll be delighted to have someone else to talk to."

"Okay fine, if it means that much to you then I'll go, okay?" She knew she'd never be able to resist the second she looked into his eyes; she was a sucker for them. For him. Once this week was over and they were back in California, she'd talk to him. Tell him what had her so worked up and worried about starting a relationship and see how it went from there. It could be that he'd end up telling her something she didn't want to hear and this friendship they had going now would be gone but that was a chance she had to take because every moment she spent with him, she fell for him a little more.

"Great!" Rick grinned. "I told her to meet me at this little café we love on the upper west side in an hour from now so you need to get your pretty little butt into gear – unless you want to meet my mother in your pyjamas, that is."

"What is your obsession with my ass?!" She asked, rising from her seat and dropping her mug into the sink. "Actually, on second thoughts, please don't answer that question."

"...And then, he ran out onto the stage - stark naked!"

"Oh my goodness, Rick," Kate gasped, fighting for breath through her laughter, tears streaming down her face. "Please tell me there's a video of that somehwere?"

"If you want to see me naked, Kate, you don't need to watch videos from when I was six years old."

"Richard," Martha scolded, "don't be so crude, Katherine is a lovely young lady and I will not sit here and let you scare her off with your vulgar behaviour."

Rick could see Kate grinning from the corner of his eye, clearly finding it highly amusing that at twenty one years old, he could still be scolded and shut down by his mother. They'd been at the little café for just over half an hour and despite Ricks initial reservations that Kate would be overwhelmed by his eccentric mother, things were actually going really well. After the polite introductions and some small talk about her latest role in whatever play she was currently in, the two women had quickly struck up conversation with what they had in common - him. Yeah, he hadn't thought that one through properly. His mother had regaled them with tales of his youth and the mischief he had got up to as a child - but he had to admit, if it meant he got to hear Kate laugh then he'd give her an all access pass to his life story.

"Oh I know he's only joking, Mrs Rodgers," Kate smiled, "I've learnt by now when to not take him seriously."

"Katherine, dear, please, call me Martha," the older woman insisted once again. "And don't you let him get away with being cheeky, he knows I brought him up better than that and sometimes I swear he does it just to annoy me."

"Don't worry, mother," Rick replied. "I can promise you that there have been many threats to various body parts when I've stepped over the line, honestly, you're lucky I'm sat here today."

If he was looking for sympathy he wouldn't be getting any from his mother. "Good," she said, "it's about time you found a girl who didn't put up with your crap, you need someone to challenge you."

"Oh, mother, we aren't-" Rick began to protest, not wanting to make Kate feel uncomfortable.

"Yes yes, so you've said," Martha replied with a wave of her hand. "But trust me, I think it's rather obvious that the two of you have more between you than just friendship."

"Mother," Rick warned, shooting worried glances to Kate, they were just beginning to open up and talk, making progress and he really didn't want her changing her mind because of his persistent mother.

"It's fine, Rick," Kate told him quietly. She liked Martha and it was clear where Rick got his charm and exuberant personality from and what did it matter if Martha thought they were together? If things worked out, they probably would be before Christmas and Kate knew how it worked, all Martha would want was for her baby boy to be happy and if thinking he had Kate as a girlfriend made her happy, it wasn't the end of the world.

The rest of their meeting with Martha passed quickly and before they knew it, she had to get back to rehersals. Kate felt a little sorry for Rick, not that she'd say it to him directly as she knew he wouldn't want sympathy but still, it couldn't be easy only getting to spend and hour or two with your mother over the whole week they were off. Kate excused herself to use the bathroom before they left, giving mother and son a few moments alone.

"She's a lovely girl, Richard," Martha told him. "Does she make you happy?"

"Mother," he sighed, "Kate and I-"

"Just answer the question."

"Yes," he admitted. "She makes me happy. Happier than I've been in years and I'm so scared I'm going to screw it all up."

"Richard, if there's one thing I've learnt working with actors over the last years it's to work out when someone is acting and when they're being sincere, and I can tell you that girl is crazy about you. Just give her some time, I'm sure she'll come around."

"It's complicated. Kate..she's different. It wasn't like this with Kyra and after that it was barely long enough to remember their name but with Kate..god, I just want to make it work."

"And so you will," Martha told him simply. "If it's meant to be, it will be and you and Kate..I can see how good you are together, don't let this one go."

"Don't worry, mother, I have don't have any intention of letting her go anywhere."

"Thank you for inviting me today," Kate said to Rick as the two of them began their walk back to the subway station. They'd agreed to help her parents prepare things for tomorrow's dinner so after a quick stop to the supermarket for last minute supplies, they were heading back to Kate's place to get started.

"No worries," Rick smiled. "Are you glad you agreed to join me?"

"I am, actually," Kate replied. "Your mother is a lovely woman and it was a pleasure getting to meet her."

"She liked you too, you know?"

"I'm glad."

The silence between them was awkward, which didn't usually happen and Rick had the feeling Kate wanted to say something but was debating whether or not to say it.

"Did she like Kyra?" Kate blurted out and Rick had to hide his grin. So she was jealous, was she?

"Kyra never met my mother," he replied evenly. "Believe it or not, I'm very protective of my mother and yes, I trusted Kyra with my life and yes, I was in love with her at the time but it just never felt right to go to all the hassle of finding a time when all of us were free."

"Okay."

"By the way - the whole jealousy thing? So hot." He tried to keep his mouth shut but seriously? She was jealous of his ex girlfriend and he couldn't help himself.

"I'm not jealous," she muttered. "Just curious."

"Mmhmm."

"Don't give me that or I'll get my mother to put you on washing up duty when we get home."

"Wouldn't happen," Rick replied cockily. "Your mom likes me too much."

Kate had to laugh at that, he was right.

A/N: just a short one today! Things are getting busy for me now, I move to university in four days and I haven't actually started packing yet. I will try my hardest to get another update done before I go but I can't promise anything, and after that I have no idea whenupdates will come but I will aim for at least once a week! Thank you so much for all of your reviews so far :)