Jim Beckett was a kindhearted man. Always had been. He was now however given an insight to the demeanor of who would have been his future son-in-law. He asked to see him at the FBI's holding area and was granted entry by using the guise of being his attorney. He just sat there across from Will, handcuffed to the table and listening to him rant at what his daughter had put him through yesterday. He could not believe his ears. He painted a picture of him being a god that she should admire, obey and bend over backward to please. His views of Will Sorenson had changed right then and there.
He was about to help this man out of the situation he was currently in and now all he wanted to do was to leave the room with whatever self-respect he had left for the man. This would not happen because just as he made the decision to leave with him still ranting, an older serious looking man had entered the holding area.
"SORENSON SHUT THE HELL UP!" The man yelled.
Jim startled at the outburst quickly got up and headed towards the door. The man took hold of his arm and sat him back down. He paced around the two of them and after looking at them he started his speech.
"You're his lawyer?" He asked Jim.
All Jim could do was nod yes.
"Well sir, I don't think that Mr. Sorenson here will be needing your services. This time around!."
"Why? He needs to be defended." Jim tried but was quickly cut off.
"Actually, no. His disciplinary punishment will be handled in-house. It won't matter either way you see, this was Mr. Sorenson's third strike. And sir you look like a baseball fan to me, do you know what happens after your third strike?"
"You're out?"
"You're right. Mr. Sorenson has been given so many chances and he keeps screwing up both professionally and with his abuse of power in situations that, oh shall we say of are a more personal of nature. Well, that ends now."
"Will Sorenson, as of this moment and by my decision, you are no longer a member of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. You have 24 hours to return your weapon, shield, and any Bureau equipment…. like your car back here without delay!"
Sorenson just bowed his head, knowing that his actions had been his demise.
The man escorted Jim out of the holding area and up to the front door of the field office.
"Mr. Beckett I appreciate your efforts in trying to defend Mr. Sorenson, but this has been an ongoing issue with Ex-agent Sorenson for some time now."
"You know who I am?" Jim questioned.
"I do, so let's just leave it at that. Please express my sincerest apologies to your lovely daughter on behalf of the Bureau. No one should have to tolerate that man, especially someone as patient as your daughter."
The man turned and left. Jim made his way back to his car and now he needs to set things straight with his daughter. She'd been right all along and he just did not want to hear it. He thought as he drove and after a while, he suspected that he was not going to win her back so easily.
Xx
Rick and Alexis were still staring at each other when the knock sounded again only a little louder this time. Neither had moved since the first knock then Alexis said,
"Dad, you better answer the door."
Rick broke the gaze with his daughter and got up to answer the door. Thousands of thoughts were running through his mind and he hoped that it was only one person who was on the other side of the door.
She was just about to knock for the third time and then give up when the door swung open revealing his large frame standing in the doorway.
"Kate?" He asked. Then he noticed the overnight bag hanging from her shoulder.
"Hi, Rick. Am still I allowed to come in?" She asked with a nervous voice.
"Of course. Please come in. You are always welcome here." He answered.
As she walked over the threshold, he closed the door and as he turned around his hand met with the small of her back. He guided her to the couch and offered her a seat. Rick gently extended his arm and motioned to her for the overnight bag, which she gave him and as he walked away he asked if she wanted anything to drink.
"A shot of whiskey would be a good start, but with what I need to talk to you about I think that can wait until later. But if you have coffee, I'd love a cup."
"One cup of joe coming up."
Kate took in her surroundings once again and this time she had paid particular attention to her observations. His loft was the definition of a warm and welcoming home. It characterized his need to provide a living space that was more in line with being a father than a playboy chasing skirts and bimbos. One that had the comfort to raise a daughter and in her mind, was not at all like what she had read in the tabloids and papers. When she looked around again he drew her out of her musings.
"Penny for your thoughts?" He said.
She looked into his eyes and there standing in front of her was Rick holding steaming cups of coffee, one for her and one for him. He handed her the cup and told Alexis that she had a cup of hot chocolate complete with mini marshmallows on the on the breakfast bar waiting for her.
He sat next to her and waited for her to get her thoughts in order.
"Rick, first I need to tell you and Alexis how sorry I am for leaving without even saying goodbye, and to thank you for all you've done for me."
Rick felt like this was the beginning of the end. Something that he did not want to hear.
"Kate I only did what I thought was right. When I picked you up yesterday you were having one of the worst days imaginable, I was only trying to ease the situation."
"I know and for that, I am so grateful, but you did more than ease the situation, you have shown me that I was about to make an enormous error in judgment."
Rick looked at her with a bitter look on his face.
"Rick, while I wanted to believe that I could overlook his faults, I wanted this to work. But you see, Will was controlling to put it nicely. Everything had to be run by him before we did anything together."
"Kate, I did not know. I'm so sorry."
"That's okay, seriously Rick it's fine… now. But that's not the worst part of it. His mother was ten times as bad. I'm glad that you rescued me."
"Your knight in shining armor." Rick said and Alexis giggled.
"Rick, I need to apologize for my father as well. He was the one that was hell bent on keeping us together and was trying to defend Will."
"About that, wait he still wants the two of you together? Where is he now?"
"Yes, he does and as far as I know he went to try and "save" him."
"Well, he must think that you still have a future with him, right?"
"I really don't care what he wants. This is my life. When he told me his plan on the way over to save him, I told him that wanted no part in it. So I told him to pull over and let me out of the car."
"Wow. He did?"
"Well I'm here aren't I?"
"I guess so. Kate, can I ask a question?"
"Sure. Ask away."
I noticed that you had an overnight bag with you when you came back, are you going to leave us again?"
"Rick, I was hoping that I could stay here with you. I know that I'm practically inviting myself into your home, but I have nowhere else to go. I'm not looking forward to staying with my father and there's no way in hell that I am going back to the apartment that Will and I shared."
Kate nervously looked at Rick hoping for the best. What she saw was nothing but reverence on his face.
"Kate I think that we'd love you to stay with us. Wouldn't we Alexis?"
Alexis placed her now empty hot chocolate mug on the end table and got up, faced Kate and leaned in to give her a hug.
"Yeah Kate, I'd like you to stay here too."
Kate returned her hug as Rick looked on wondering how all this would work out…