Chapter 14
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IMPORTANT AUTHORS NOTE AT THE BOTTOM PLEASE READ AFTER CHAPTER
The first night of the trip between Persephone and Ariel Zoe gets her chance to talk to Martha. She enters the kitchen to see Martha drinking a glass of.. well what she's not sure.
"Hi Mrs R." Zoe says walking over and sitting down.
"Zoe dear how many times have I told you to call me Martha." Martha says to Zoe.
"About as many as I have told you I can't do that." Zoe tells her.
Martha laughs at that and the two sit in silence before Zoe begins to asks what she wants to know.
"Mrs R can I ask you something." Zoe asks.
"Of course dear." Martha tells her.
"What's the story about Alexis's mother, Alexis and I we were talking when she was in the infirmary and she said growing up you and the Captain were here only family and then I realised that neither her or Mal ever mentioned her mother, I didn't want to ask them because I didn't want to make things worse but what's the story?" Zoe asks curious.
"That is a long story, one I am glad you decided to ask me not either of them about." Martha tells Zoe.
"Why what happened?" Zoe asks not sure what to think.
"I have to start from when Malcolm and I arrived in the part to explain a few things." Martha tells Zoe who nods in understanding.
"When we first got to the past Malcolm became 17 again and he wasn't too happy about it, though that wasn't surprising he wasn't too happy about anything. The only times I saw him with a smile on his face was when he was either looking at pictures of all of you or at the moving postcard of Inara, something he looked at all the time, he started to write, and he went to Collage." Martha tells Zoe.
"The captain went to college." Zoe says shocked.
"Yes his grades were very good. When he went to collage he met a girl called Kyra and for the first time since we got to the past I saw him happy." Martha explains.
"What happened?" Zoe asks realising that that isn't the end of the story.
"After she finished collage she said she needed some time, and she went to England and never came back and in a second he was back to being miserable, closed off to everyone he was almost as bad as he was when you two came to see me after the war." Martha tells Zoe using an example she would understand so she could understand just how he was back then.
"He must have been pretty bad." Zoe realises.
"He was, once again the pictures and postcards came out along with the Alcohol, and I tell you now I was worried, I didn't know if he was going to come back from how bad he was, Then he came to one of my shows and afterwards he meet Meredith and he was less miserable he wasn't completely happy but it was an improvement, they had been dating for four months when she found out she was pregnant and Malcolm being the gentleman he was proposed." Martha explains.
"That sounds like somethin he would do." Zoe says with a smile.
"The day Alexis was born I saw him happier more together than I had seen him in so long. His life became all about Alexis being the best father he could possibly be. Meredith on the other hand didn't have too much interest in being a mother, even before they were divorced. She always cared more about doing what she wanted than Alexis. When Alexis was two Meredith left for California with her agent she sent Malcolm the divorce paper in the mail and didn't even say goodbye to Alexis." Martha explains anger clear in her voice.
"That Yao Nu." Zoe says.
Martha smiles at that "I've called her that more than a few times. Meredith would call maybe once a month and send a present on Christmas and Alexis's birthday but it wouldn't be something inappropriate for her age. As Alexis became older she would visit occasionally but it has been 3 years since Alexis has seen her mother. "Martha tells Zoe who is shocked as if she had a child she couldn't imagine going years without seeing it.
"After that I could tell that Malcolm was once again angry and hurting so much but it was Alexis who stopped him from completely falling apart. Even though he was doing and amazing job as a single father Malcolm thought that Alexis needed a mother and that's where Gina comes in."
"His second ex-wife correct?" Zoe cheeks making sure she is right.
"Yes, by this time I think he truly believed that he would never come back here never see you again, the amount of times I saw him looking longingly at the postcard of Inara." Martha says with a smile.
Zoe also smiles at that.
"Gina had clearly had a thing for Malcolm from when she became his publisher so they started dating and they got married once again I could tell that he wasn't truly happy, even though he wanted a mother for Alexis he didn't let her near her, he didn't want to let her into their special relationship, so they got divorced. As Alexis began to get older and not need Malcolm as much anymore I saw him begin to go down the dark path again, then 4 years ago he met Kate and the others and he was back the only time I had seen him that happy not counting his time with Alexis was those two months I spend on here, and the only other time I had seen Malcolm as comfortable as he was around Kate was when he was with Inara. Over the last four years he was happy he was living being a part of something once more, he was doing so much better, until last summer." Martha explains her voice becoming sadder at the end.
"What happened last summer?" Zoe asks worried.
"We were all at the funeral for the captain of the precinct Kate was giving the eulogy when Malcolm saw as sniper flash he tackled Kate but it was two late she had been shot, she was dying in his arms and he told her he loved her." Martha explains once again her voice sad.
"Oh poor captain." Zoe says sadly.
"That's not the saddest part, she got through the surgery ok and when she woke up she told him that she needed time she also told him that she didn't remember the shooting." Martha says and Zoe can detect anger in her voice.
"What do you mean she told him?" Zoe asks though she has an idea where this is leading.
"I'll get to that in a minute for three months Malcolm didn't hear from Kate and he became angry even Alexis noticed how different he was, then Kate came to see him and they began to work together again and I could tell he was opening himself up as much as he once did. A couple of months ago Malcolm discovered that she was lying that she did remember exactly what he said, and he was heartbroken he continued going to the precinct but he was cold, Kate didn't now why she didn't know he had found out." Martha explains.
Hearing that Kate lied about Mal telling her he loved her Zoe can't help but be angry at her.
"When she found out that he knew she confronted him and discovered that he had been keeping something a secrete as well but what he was keeping a secrete was to protect her even though it could have killed him, once they talked everything out they started to date and Malcolm truly loves her though he doesn't seem to be letting her in." Martha explains.
"I don't blame him for not letting her in, he doesn't want to be hurt once more." Zoe points out.
Zoe and Martha sit in silent for a few minutes before Zoe asks something else "How do you think Alexis feels about Kate after everything that has happen?" Zoe asks.
"She's angry at Kate I know that much, she likes Kate they got along really well before last summer Alexis even asked her for advice occasionally, but now I think she doesn't want to get close to her in case she leaves again that summer she didn't call or see Malcolm Alexis felt that Kate was abandoning her as well. " Martha explains sadly.
"Poor girl." Zoe says sadly "Do you think it's odd how close Alexis has gotten to Inara, considering how things went with Meredith, Gina and Kate, you see like the only woman that Alexis can count on in her life" Zoe asks curious.
"I do and thanks for saying that sometimes I do feel like that but Alexis needs someone closer to her age someone who can be a mother figure to her, Alexis must trust Inara because she hasn't let any other woman in her father's life including her own mother get close to her so she doesn't get hurt, and I think it's good for her. I just hope Inara doesn't leave, I don't know how Alexis would handle that." Martha says sadly to Zoe.
Zoe nod and makes a note to have a conversation with Inara at some point "Do you think he still loves her?" Zoe asks curious.
"I do." Martha answers not even having to ask who she is talking about "But he loves Kate two and I don't know who he loves more I don't even think he does, I just hope all three of them don't get hurt because of it."
"I think their already hurting." Zoe tells her as from what she has seen it does seem like it.
Martha and Zoe sit there in silent for a few more minutes before Zoe decides it time for bed "Night Mrs R." she says as she gets up.
"Zoe, don't give Kate a hard time I know you will want to for Malcolm sake but it may be better if you didn't." Martha tells her realizing that Zoe may.
"I can't promise anything Mrs R." Zoe says heading to bed.
Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle
The following night Zoe decided to have a conversation with Inara, she decides on that because Alexis is the captains daughter which means she is hers to protect and she needs to make sure that Inara isn't going to leave like all the other female role models she has known in her life, plus she wants to see how Inara is doing with the whole Mal/Kate thing.
"Hey Inara can I come in?" Zoe asks.
"Sure, Alexis, Kaylee and River just left for the night." Inara says from her spot on the couch.
Zoe walks in and sits down on Inara's couch.
"What do you know about Alexis's Mother?" Zoe asks interested.
Inara looks confused but she answers "I know that she has never really be there for Lexis and that I talked to her more In a week about things that she cares about than her mum ever has why?"
"I was talking to Mrs R last night she was saying that Alexis has never had a woman role model in her life that hasn't left her." Zoe explains.
"What about Kate, she has been in Mal's life for 4 years." Inara asks.
"Alexis or the Captain haven told you what happened last summer?" Zoe asks surprised.
"No what happened?" Inara asks interested to know what happened.
"Mrs R said that last summer they were at a funeral and Kate got shot by a sniper and almost died in the Captains arms and that after that she didn't call or contact him for 3 months and that he went back to being very cold." Zoe explains feeling it may be best to leave the whole Mal saying he loved her thing out of it.
"So Alexis felt that Kate was abandoning her as well." Inara realises.
"Exactly."
"So you're here making sure I'm not going to leave as well, hurt Alexis even more." Inara realises.
"Yeah."
"Zoe you don't have worry I have no plans to leave Serenity or Alexis at any point." Inara tells her.
"Good I would have to hurt you if you did." Zoe jokes though they both know that she isn't completely joking.
The two are silent for a few minutes before Zoe speaks again "Speaking of hurt how are you?" she asks concerned.
"Speaking of hurt? I don't know what you're talking about." Inara tells Zoe.
"Being on probation, seeing the man you love with another woman, any of this ringin a bell?" Zoe asks.
"Being on probation is different I didn't really want to go see clients when we were on Persephone but I had to because I haven't been seeing a lot of clients lately I don't know if I love it as much as I used to." Inara explains.
"Have you told the captain that you are on probation?" Zoe asks curios.
"Yeah do you know how that conversation would go, Hey Mal you know that job you hate and disapprove of I'm on probation from it, not a conversation I want to have." Inara tells Zoe.
"You should tell him." Zoe tells Inara knowing even though Mal doesn't approve of Inara's job he may be able to help in some way.
"No."
Zoe sighs realising that there is no point debating any more "You didn't answer my other question how is it watchin the man you love being with someone else, and don't deny that you love him I know you do." Zoe tells Inara.
"It hurts and it feels like a knife is stabbing my heat every time I see them together but I want him to be happy, so if he's happy with Kate then I have to deal with it and I will, all I want is for him to be happy." Inara tells Zoe sadly.
"Even if you are heartbroken?" Zoe asks surprised.
"Even if." Inara answers.
"Well I have to go River is flying Serenity tonight so Wash has the night off" Zoe tells Inara.
"Go have fun with your husband." Inara says smiling.
"Remember what I said about telling the Captain about your probation." Zoe says before leaving.
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The next night Alexis is walking around Serenity late as she can't get to sleep. When she arrives in the common area she runs into Kate.
"Hey Alexis." Kate says to Alexis when she sees her walk in.
"Hey Kate." Alexis says walking over and sitting on the couch next to her, the two sit in silence for a while before Kate decides to talk.
"Have I did something to upset you Alexis? you once talked to me but lately you haven't" Kate asks wanting to know why Alexis has been pleasant to her but not really talked.
"It's nothing." Alexis tells her.
"Please Alexis talk to me." Kate asks wanting to know what she did.
"You didn't just abandon Dad last summer Kate, you abandoned me to. I was starting to trust you, I was ok with you being around dad and me I thought you cared then you disappeared just like all the rest." Alexis tells her angrily standing up. "You apologised to Dad but you never apologised to me."
Neither Kate or Alexis have noticed but Zoe is standing on the top of the stairs watching waiting to see if she should interfere between the two at some point.
"Oh Alexis, I'm sorry I didn't know I didn't realises." Kate tells Alexis not realising that when she disappeared last summer it had an effect on Alexis.
"No Kate you just didn't care. You needed time you didn't think of what me or Dad needed. From the time Dad started working with you became important, when I came to you for advice you should have realised that you were important to me, I watched you bleed out in my father's arms and then just disappear." Alexis says pacing the room angrily.
"Alexis I'm sorry, I was in a bad place and I didn't know how to deal with everything, please forgive me." Kate tells Alexis sadly.
"After Dad got kicked out of the precinct he locked himself in his offices for hours at a time, he was so angry and he wasn't dad anymore YOU did that to him, then he started working with you and he was better than he found out you lied to him and once again he was back to as bad as he was. So I don't know if can forgive you Kate" Alexis tells her standing in front of her "I know I can't trust you."
"But you can trust Inara." Kate says angrily.
"Yes I can trust Inara she has given me no reason not to." Alexis tells her.
"You know she's just being nice to you to get to you Dad." Kate says and as soon as the words leave her mouth she regrets it, she realises that it is said out of jealousy.
"Alexis I." Kate begins to say but is cut off by Zoe coming down the stairs and hugging Alexis who looks heart broken.
"That's not true it is?" Alexis whispers to Zoe.
"No Honey it's not go to her shuttle tell her I'll explain everything in a minute." Zoe tells Alexis.
Alexis nods and leaves and makes her way to Inara's shuttle, once she is sure that Alexis is out of hearing range Zoe turns to Kate.
"I can't believe you said that, you broke that girls heart. From what Mrs R has told me Inara is the first older woman who Alexis has let get close to her, you may have just filled that with doubt, something she needs. How could you do that Kate, I thought you loved the captain you should know better." Zoe says not raising her voice for a second but Kate can hear the absolute fury in it.
"I do care about Alexis I let my jealously blind me, I can't believe myself that I said that." Kate tells Zoe sadly.
"You have to get over that jealousy, Inara is the Captains best friend there is nothing that is going to change that, and she is important to Alexis you have to deal with that Kate. As for Alexis you may never get that trust back." Zoe tells her angrily. "Now if you excuse me I have a heart broken teenager to deal with." Zoe says walking off.
"Zoe, are you going to tell Rick?" Kate asks.
"Should I yes, am I no, but that is because he's happy with you and I don't want to ruin that make him go back to being how he was before but I can't guarantee that he won't find out. For now just stay away from Alexis, let her come to you if and when she is ready." Zoe says stoping on the stairs Turing to face her before heading to Inara's shuttle.
Kate stands there for a few minutes before heading to bed unable to believe what she did.
Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle
While Zoe is having a conversation with Kate Alexis walks into Inara's shuttle crying her eyes out.
"Lexis honey what happened?" Inara asks as the crying girl throws herself into her eyes.
Inara lets Alexis cry it out not knowing what to think worrying more and more every second working what is going on.
After a few minutes Zoe walks in.
"Zoe what's going on?" Inara asks worried.
"I don't know the whole story I'm assuming that Alexis couldn't sleep so she went for a walk she ran into Kate in the common area, I was standin on the stairs listenin Kate was questioning about why Alexis had been acting odd around her and Alexis explained everything, and then Kate asks why does she trust you, and Alexis said because you had never given her a reason not to, then Kate said that you only being nice to Alexis to get to the captain, that is when I interfered." Zoe explains.
Inara is shocked "Hey Alexis, listen to me I promise you I am not spending time with you to get to your Dad I love you because you're a great kid, your amazing and I love talking to you, spending time with you." Inara tells her.
"Really?" Alexis asks through her tears.
"Really." Inara answers with a smile.
"Now do you mind staying with Aunt Zoe for a minute I have a conversation to have with Kate. " Inara says getting up and leaving.
"INARA." Alexis yells after her worried about what she is going to do.
"Aunt Zoe?" Alexis says looking at her.
"It's something she has to do Alexis, Kate doubted Inara's intentions you have to let her deal with it in her own way." Zoe tells Alexis walking over sitting next to her on Inara's bed.
Firefly/ Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle
Inara quickly makes her way to the passenger dorm area, she climbs the ladder to make her way up to Kate's bunk. She opens the door and walks in, Kate is sitting on her bed and doesn't look to surprise to see Inara.
"Don't speak just listen. How could you have done that Kate, I get that your jealous of my friendship with Mal but there is no reason to take that out on Alexis, she is no part of what is going on between You, Me and Mal. In the last month I have slowly gotten Alexis to talk to me to trust me and you could have destroyed that you almost destroyed that poor 17 year old girl made her doubt so much. Apart from her grandmother she has been abandoned by every female role model she has ever known, including yourself, you made her think that I'm just using her. Whatever you feel towards me tell me, be angry or rude to me, don't bring Alexis into it. I want to make something perfectly clear I am not spending time with Alexis to get to Mal I'm spending time with Alexis because I want to spend time with Alexis get to know her because I can sense that see needs that she needs someone she can count on, in the short time I have known her she has become like a daughter to me, and you hurt her Kate, and that that is over the line. I'm not going to tell Mal what happened tonight because he's happy with you and that's all I ever wanted was for him to be happy, so I'm not going to destroy that In any way. But listen carefully stay away from Alexis, let her talk to you when she feels she can, if I find out you did anything, said anything else to make that little girl upset you're going to regret it and you're going to wish I told Mal, that is a promise." Inara says angrily before walking out of Kate's room and back to her shuttle.
Kate sits on her bed still not being able to believe what she said to Alexis and feeling that Zoe and Inara are right, she went too far.
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Inara makes her way back to her shuttle and find Zoe and Alexis still sitting on her bed. "Oh baby girl come here." Inara says opening her arms for a hug, Alexis was over and hugs Alexis "I love you ok; don't let anything anyone say make you doubt that, I will always be here for you." Inara tells her running her hand through her hair.
"I'm going to go." Zoe tells them.
"Thanks Aunt Zoe." Alexis tells her.
"No need Alexis." Zoe tells her.
"You threatened her didn't you?" Zoe asks Inara as she walks past and Inara just nods in reply.
"Can I stay here tonight?" Alexis ask.
"Of course." Inara tells her.
"I'm taking the couch." Alexis tells Inara not wanting to kick Inara out of her bed after everything else that has happened.
"Fine." Inara says sighing knowing that she isn't going to win, she walks over to her bed pick up and pillow and blanket and hands it to Alexis.
"Thanks." Alexis tells her.
Alexis makes her bed on the couch while Inara heads to bed in her bed.
"Night Inara."
"Night Lexis."
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AN IMPORTANT : I would like to make one thing clear I LOVE Kate and I LOVE Caskett, I wrote this chapter soon after seeing 47 second that is what lead to a slight anti Kate in this chapter but I apologise for that, but it was necessary for where I want this story to go but I will fix the damage I done that is a promise I didn't just write it because I was feeling anit Kate I wouldn't do that it has a purpose for this story that will become clear in about chapter 16, I tried writing it another way but I couldn't and this chapter was very very hard for me to write, because like I said I LOVE Kate and Caskett.