Disclaimer not mine
End of the Beginning.
Kate stared at the older woman as she tried to process the information Martha had given her. It seemed that the shooter had never met Rick. That he was never really the target. Martha had been. Kate shook her head sadly, knowing how guilty the older woman felt. Rick was her only child. She had never really wanted anymore and had brought him up almost single handedly. She knew Martha had been heartbroken when it turned out that he was going to be a single father to Alexis.
"And you are sure about this?"
"Kate." Martha closed her eyes. The guilt written all over her face. "If you had asked me if all this was possible a month ago I would have thought you were some crazy woman. Now? I'm certain. Richard has a half sister by his father. I never knew he had a daughter. Kate, I'm not proud of the fact that I didn't even remember his name."
"He said you never told him who his father was."
"He never really asked." Martha sighed. "Anyway, she turned up here the weekend before, what happened."
"And?"
"Told me she had been fired. I sympathised but she said that I could be the one to put a good word in for her. That I was the one that owed her that."
"Why?"
"Because I had stopped her from ever knowing who her older brother was. I swear I told her what I am telling you. I never knew he had a sister. I was young, stupid and drinking. It was the 70s, anything went. I forgot my pill and well, Richard was the result of that." She waved a hand in the air as if it explained everything.
"You honestly have no idea who his father is?"
"No." Martha sighed. "I told you I was in with a bad crowd."
"So you think this woman, Dianne tried to kill Rick?"
"She said I would be made to pay. Hurting him and Alexis. Well that's the only real way to make me pay." Martha blinked as the tears filled her eyes. "I was 23, not much older than Alexis is now. I never intended for anyone to get hurt. When I found out I was pregnant I was terrified but that one night stand turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to me."
Kate smiled slightly as the cell phone in her pocket rang. She knew Martha adored her family. There was no way she had intentially got herself involved in anything that would harm either her son or granddaughter. She stood as she answered the call, knowing that Martha would still have questions to answer.
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Alexis smiled slightly as she looked out of the hospital window. She was relieved that Martha had turned up safe and well but couldn't shake the feeling that something had happened. She turned to her father as she heard him talking to one of the nurses that had arrived to check his wound and vital signs. It seemed the young nurse was suitably unimpressed with the fact she was nursing a world famous author. She waited until the nurse had closed the door before crossing the room and sitting next to her father.
"What is it?" He knew when she was worried.
"What do you remember?" Alexis asked. "I mean the doctors said you have amnesia but you seem to know alot of stuff." She stared at him. "I did some research. There are hundreds of different types of memory loss, depending on the cause."
"Alexis." He took her hand as she met his eyes. "Alot of things are still hazy. I know I thought you were still a little girl and that your mom and I were still married."
"But?"
"But things are coming back to me slowly." He smiled. "I remember the important things. Just some things are hazy. Like I am never sure whether I take sugar in my coffee."
"Two." She smiled. "You take two."
"Oh, thank you. I think I'd like to test that theory." He flashed his trademark charm smile as Alexis rolled her eyes. Her dad was back and she couldn't be happier.
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"Dr Parish?" Esposito walked towards an older doctor as he tried not to think about how Lanie had been when he had last spoken to her. She had not wanted to go to the ER, he had almost had to blackmail her and he knew that she would not be happy with him. The doctor narrowed his eyes as he turned to face him.
"And you are?"
"Her fiance." Esposito lied easily.
"She's in the treatment area with the nurse. She should be allowed to go home shortly but she will need to rest. And I mean rest. I know she has a stressful occupation." Esposito narrowed his eyes as the cut glass English accent began to grate on him. "But in her condition she needs to rest."
"Her condition?"
"Good day." The doctor nodded before walking off in the direction of the OR. Esposito took a deep breath and leant against the wall as his cell phone began to ring. He was tempted to ignore it but knew that Ryan and Beckett would only be angry with him if he did.
"Yeah?" He snapped into the phone line. "What? Ryan that's great. You certain we got enough to pick him up? We have an arrest? It's over?" He couldn't help but smile as Ryan confirmed that a man had been arrested for the sniper killings. He closed his eyes and rested his head against the cold hospital wall. He knew the person who had tried to kill Castle was still out there but the serial killer was currently being picked up by Ryan and two of the other detectives that had been drafted in to help. He couldn't help but feel relieved that there was a final breakthrough in the case. He had no idea how Ryan had found it but he was glad he had. He ended the call as he heard the door to the treatment room open and Lanie appear in front of him.
"Hey." She smiled weakly.
"Hey."
"You ok?"
"Shouldn't I be asking you that?"
"Honey." Lanie smirked slightly. "I'm always ok."
"The doctor said." Esposito stepped towards her as she smiled slightly and nodded.
"Yeah."
"So?"
"So?"
"We are. It's true? I mean you are?" Esposito looked away as Lanie smiled, his sudden inability to form a sentance seemed to amuse her more than ever. She nodded as he took her hand in his.
"Yeah. That is. I am. If you don't want this. I." Her words were cut short as her lips were covered with his. He smiled into the kiss as he felt her wrap her arms around his waist. He had a feeling everything was going to be alright.
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A/N More soon. Nearly finished.