Chapter Eleven: Heartbreak Hotel
"When you say an impromptu Bachelor Party what the hell does that mean?!"
Kevin winced, "Now, now, now Alexis sweetie, come now, Calm down", he raised both hands in a gesture of peace.
Alexis growled and picked up the nearest object and threw it at his head, "You want me to calm down?" she hissed, "I'll give you calm", she picked up another object and chucked it at him.
Kevin ducked, as the pottery vase hit the wall and smashed to bits.
"You liar!" she shrieked.
"Hey now, I didn't lie!" he protested.
"You went to Atlantic City for a Bachelor party?! You and my dad and Esposito! And you didn't think for one second you could have told them that you and Jenny were done?! Or that her brothers weren't actually your best men?!" she growled angrily, and picked up another one of James' random trinkets and threw it at his head, again.
Kevin ducked behind the sofa, "Sweetie", he urged, "I really haven't done anything wrong", he stated.
James hissed and even Fatima usually level headed, face palmed.
"What?" he asked them.
"How are you this intelligent, and yet so stupid at the same time?" Trace wondered idly, even as he collected the fallen vase fragments in a dustpan.
"I Hate You!" Alexis screamed—unreasonably mind you—and stalked off.
Kevin faltered, "What?" he asked.
Alexis paused mid-flight, "I love you Kevin, I really, really do", she murmured with her back to him, "But When you say you celebrated your pre-wedding moments in regard to Jenny", she turned and a tear fell, "You damn near broke my heart, and I will not give you the satisfaction to see me break", she hissed at the end and walked off.
Kevin barely paused as he ran after her, "Hey no, hang on just one second", he moved in front of her, "I know it was stupid", he agreed, "I know, I know", he repeated, "I'm just selfish Em—Alexis", he urged.
"Selfish?" she asked now wary.
"I-"
Alexis glared, "What?" she asked.
"Nothing. It's nothing", Kevin shook his head, "I am sorry though", he whispered.
"No Kevin, tell me what you wanted to say", she argued, "What words of profound depth were you going to share, tell me…"
"Let it go Alexis, I told you it was nothing", his eyes crossed to James, only to look away guiltily.
James moved back just an inch, and maybe Alexis didn't catch the move but she raged on regardless, "NO! I want to know, what you are hiding now?" she hissed.
"I literally hate sharing you with anyone!" he confessed abruptly.
Well he yelled really, his voice seemed to ricochet off the walls.
Before pausing and sighing, "Well in for a penny in for a pound", he sighed and faced her head on, "I'm inexplicably jealous of Aaliya and Fatima, I loathe Kabir despite him now following Sam like a puppy, I can't stand the bro-hood thing you have with Trace and I despite my promise to James and my sisters absolutely hate having them spend time with you!" he listed, "And I know its remarkably selfish of me! Are you kidding? It's the worst thing ever, and I hate it, I hate myself. But Baby, we both know, us a thing as we are, it's no sane logical step. We didn't meet at a party, my colleagues didn't introduce me to you, Javi didn't set me up with you, this", he stepped closer indicating between them, "was not a blind date, but it's blindsided everything around me", he whispered.
"Kev—"
"Fuck! I love you Alexis—not Emerald a name I gave you because your eyes shine like the jewels, especially when you have blue-green eyes, rather than just green eyes. And when the light hits 'em just writes, they shine more blue than green", he rambled, "I love you, a seventeen year old girl, who happens to be the teenaged daughter of my colleagues partner. I love you who happen to still be in High School, I love you and I can't bear the thought of losing you. I have new nightmares when you're not around, I have an intense fear I'll be forced to stay away from you. That, that faster than any bullet will kill me Alexis", he stressed.
"I can barely get a few moments alone with you, while under the disguise of meeting Aaliya, and I hate it. because I want to hug you in public, I want to keep photos of you, I want to scream from the rooftops about you, I'd even go so far as ask Rick for permission to date you, keep you forever. But,
A). I'll be murdered by Castle in a very creative way, or B). Have my ass thrown into jail, and though I'd go happily, to prove how much I love you, but the worse thing on earth would be to be separated from you", he answered, "And I would tell them that Aaliya and I are a thing and Jenny I are not, but I was ambushed okay. And I can't do that to Aaliya", he whispered at the end.
"Aaliya?" Fatima asked, "What's wrong with Aaliya?" she asked warily.
"Javi, saw her with some guy, there was a lot of heavy petting and things going on, and at the same time I was arguing with Jenny, about her asking me to take her back, and I was trying to call you, but there was too much signal interference, and between all that I was assigned to go to Atlantic City, I admit it's not an excuse, and I can't give you one", he broke down then, "But when Rick suggest an impromptu bachelor's party, it's the straw that broke the camel's back, and I just gave up, I can't, I couldn't kepe all the angst in, and I need a damn break. Next thing I know, they're talking about Jenny and I getting back together, and I couldn't stop them if I tried", he whispered.
"You could have just told them no", Fatima muttered.
"I'm sorry, have you met Rick?" Kevin snarked, "The guy steamrolls everything", he winced as his eyes slid to Alexis who was standing quietly and rigidly still, "Uh… no offense", he muttered.
"Why didn't you try?" she asked softly.
"Because after the bank and the tension with everything else, I just couldn't say no, despite everything else, I'm not going to be able to just say no to your dad or Javi or Kate", he kept his head down, "It's, my hands are tied. I'm so sorry", he whispered instead of continuing.
"Hey Kevin", Alexis murmured.
"Yeah?" he asked.
"Someday, if all goes well, maybe we could tell them?" she murmured.
"Together?" he couldn't help ask, feeling a tad lonely.
Alexis hummed and walked towards him, heels hitting the wood, he counted her steps;
Tap, tap, tap…
"Together", she promised even as she collided with him and looped her arms around him, "I want to stay with you forever", she whispered.
Kevin squeezed her tightly to him, "I'm never letting you go", he promised and tilted her back, without really separating their embrace, and "I love you Alexis Castle", he whispered and kissed her gently.
And because best of all, Kevin loved to hear Alexis whisper, "I love you too, Kevin", like it was the most simple truth in the world. "I love you Kevin Ryan", she repeated and kissed him back equally chaste as he had.
James sat down the heavy tome of Medicinal herbs he'd been reading for fun, while Fatima solved his pop-quiz.
"By the way, when are you two heading for the Catskills?" he asked.
Both Alexis and Kevin looked up, as they cuddled and played thumb war against each other;
"Technically we're heading to a small town at least three to four hours away from the Catskills", Alexis corrected, she then proceeded to completely overpower Kevin's thumb.
"Hey you cheated!"
"Not my fault your attention span—for a detective—is completely shit", she retorted even as they started another game.
"I have to say, the two of you are handling the aftermath of your first fight quite simply. Shouldn't there be some heavy making out?" he asked no one in particular.
"First fight?" Kevin asked, "But it wasn't our first fight", he stated.
Alexis nodded, "Actually I think the precinct one was, right?" she asked.
"You did yell at me as I recall", he agreed.
"And trust me there was a lot of making out after that and during their fight."
All five of them looked up to find Aaliya leaning against the doorjamb, Fatima sighed;
"Hi trouble maker", she greeted and went back to answering the questions.
"Wha—what? Why? Why am I being labeled a trouble maker?!" she whined walking into the room.
James answered whilst Trace shrugged and went back to whittling the piece of wood he'd been whittling.
"Detective Esposito saw you making out with your new beau and Kevin had a Jenny related thing, and Rick Castle thought they were back together, and threw him an impromptu bachelor's party which resulted into a coalesce of Alexis' temper flaring at the injustice of it all and they had a fight. Hence the discussion of first fights", the doctor finished and called a times-up taking Fatima's answer sheet, much to her protests.
Aaliya gaped at them, "What beau?" she shrieked.
Alexis blinked, "You weren't on a date?" she asked.
"Unless you define being in a bank in another country and haggling with the accountant, in Scotland for a week, I'll have to go with nope. Haven't been on one", she agreed.
Kevin blinked, "Huh", he hummed.
"I wonder is this the part where you murder your partner." Trace asked amused.
Kevin huffed, "I can't", he pouted, "Homicide detective and all that", he grumbled.
"Well we could always instill a prank war against him", Alexis hummed carelessly and pinned Kevin's thumb again, "Pinned ya again", she informed.
"Wow! You really suck at that game", Trace muttered even as Kevin whined about her cheating again.
"How do you even cheat at Thumbs war?" Alexis asked even as she jumped up and went to the fridge.
"Is it just me, or are wall always in the Kitchen?" Aaliya asked no one in particular.
"It is connected to the lounge area, it's comfortable, it's also New York, this may look like a picturesque Manor, but its ostentatious designer", Kevin waved at James sardonically, "designed it according to his London Flat", he rolled his eyes.
Alexis smirked, "I like it here", she shrugged, "Kinda feels like we're in a mystical faraway place, like", she paused, "Oh! Like we're the folk of the Far Away tree", she grinned jubilant.
"The what folk?" Aaliya asked confused.
"Books written by Enid Blyton, a series of book s were published under the series name The Faraway Tree. The Enchanted Wood is a children's novel written by Enid Blyton, the first in The Faraway Tree series. The Plot summary, is based on three kids, Jo (also known as Joe in later editions), Bessie (Beth in later editions), and Fanny (Frannie in later editions) move to the country and find an Enchanted Wood at the back of their cottage. In the wood stands, The magic Faraway Tree, which is home to the magical characters that soon become their new friends: Moon-Face, Silky the Fairy, Saucepan Man, The Angry Pixie, Mister Watsizname and Dame Washalot. Together they visit the strange lands that lie at the top of the tree and have adventures", Fatima informed even as she waited patiently for James to check her answers.
"How do you even know all that?" Aaliya asked stunned.
"I read a few of them, I liked them", she shrugged, "I used to imagine, Joe was Kabir and you were Bessie and I was Frannie, it got easier when Uncle was being truly mean, at times", she whispered.
Aaliya froze before easing slowly and settling besides Trace.
Kevin walked to Alexis and nuzzled her as she cut up some fruit, arms circling around her waist.
No one spoke for many minutes until James;
"Hmm not bad, but I still think you could have solved this faster", he returned the paper to Fatima, and leaned in closer, "Although there are somethings you seemed to be confused about, this and this, similar no doubt with this, in Medical Sciences, the Anatomy of a human…", he continued quieter as Trace turned to Aaliya and handed her the wolf he's been carving.
"Hey", Kevin hummed.
"Yeah?" Alexis turned in his arms, settling easily into his arms, "What's wrong?" she asked.
"Wrong?" Kevin shook his head, "Nothing's wrong, I was wondering when exactly is Mandy's thing?" he asked.
Alexis hummed, "If I remember correctly and she'd invited the whole school", she paused, "Uh… about a week after my birthday", she snorted, "Oh wow I just realized I'm older than Maddy, sweetheart not Mandy", she corrected then.
Kevin shrugged, "Mandy, Maddy freaking Mad Hatter, don't care, at all", he pulled her closer then and kissed her sweetly.
Alexis smiled against his lips, "Not so fast Hotshot, speak to me about damage control, we can't have dad and Javi think you and Jenny are a thing now can we?" she asked with a smirk.
"Oh", Kevin pouted, "Right", he sighed, "I guess we have to agree on a cover story, I could just tell them, we had another fight, she gave the ring back, and it's done?" he asked.
"No", Alexis shook her head, "That would just invoke more questions", she informed.
"Yeah?"
"Oh yes", Aaliya agreed as she moved around them to grab one of the apples, cut on the plate.
Kevin watched her, "So Genius any clues? Ideas? Lies?" he asked questioningly.
"Why does everyone keep looking at me, for help, what about James, or Trace, or Kabir?! Speaking of, where the bloody hell is he?" she asked looking around, "He wasn't at home, or at the restaurant and he wasn't at any other of his classes, and mom was freaking out and I can't contact him at all!" she hissed angrily.
"Whoa!" Kevin pulled himself and Alexis away, "Why are you suddenly so angry?" he asked.
And just like that, the wind released in her pissed off sails and she slumped forward, "Nothing", she whispered defeated, "Mr. Sharma was on my case again, he just kept going on about how I've started corrupting Kabir and Fatima, and my immunity shield dissipated when I went to UK, I stopped shielding myself from him, so when I came home yesterday, he blew up at me, and I couldn't control it. we had a major fight and well I told him", she muttered.
"Oh wow, really?" Fatima blinked at her in shock, standing up, he long skirt swishing around the floor.
"Yeah…"
"Told him what?" Trace asked as he walked towards her handing her a glass of water.
"That I was leaving", she whispered so low, it was practically inaudible.
"Oh Dear Lord", Fatima reached out and pulled her in for a hug.
"I am such an idiot", Aaliya whined.
"Oh baby, you are not stupid or an idiot", Fatima whispered. "I'm so proud of you", she squeezed her close and held her as Aaliya started crying.
"But, but you didn't see mom's face", she sobbed, "She looked so disappointed", Aaliya cried, "Like, like I wasn't her daughter, like I was just somebody who hurt her husband", she screeched throwing herself at Trace and cried really, really loudly.
"Know what's happening?" Kevin asked.
Alexis shook her head, "Not a clue. I knew she had issues with her dad, but I have no idea what's going on now", she sighed even as she turned in his arms, her back to his chest.
Kevin hummed, "I think we should give them some space", he murmured and they frog-walked to James, who was back to reading his book, "Seriously, you're reading?" he gaped at his cousin.
"What!" and then James sighed, "When exactly did my house turn into Heartbreak Hotel?" James wondered.
Kevin groaned; his internal thoughts the same as he voiced them;
"Man I need a vacation!"
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