Disclaimer: Who knew the North Pole had its own legal system...
Santa Baby
Chapter 14: Adeste Fideles
Monday December 24th – Close to Midnight
The scent of incense; it's the first thing that hits her. Incense and the familiar feel of her partner's hand at her back.
Castle has wrapped his fingers around the belt of her purple coat, and the intermittent tug she feels when she gets too far ahead of him, or the nudge of his large, bony knuckles into her spine, make her smile and her heart contract. Because both sensations – the push and pull - telegraph the feeling of being wanted by him, needed, connected together.
The incense is heady, overpowering even; a rich mélange of salty, smoky, glowing embers that smoulder, reminiscent of a hundred spent matches, and the musky, spicy, aromatic perfume that is so evocative of the exotic Orient, a spice market in Marrakesh, a souk in Tangier.
The fragrant smoke fills her nostrils, making her a little lightheaded, as it curls through the church, leaving a blue-grey haze, heavy like smog, hanging over the heads of the congregation.
The second thing she notices is the charged atmosphere; the cathedral's echoing, vaulted corners filled up with the low, expectant hum of many chattering voices; like theater-goers waiting for the orchestra to tune up, the curtains to open on the corps de ballet, the opera star, the company of players. The excitement is infectious, and Kate squeezes Alexis' hand tighter, tugs on Lanie's arm to keep her close as they move away from the doors at the back of the church.
The third thing that strikes her, promptly stopping her in her tracks, is the nativity scene. It is huge, so lifelike, and suitably impressive for a church of this size: the home of the Catholic Archdiocese of New York City. The statues of the holy family are life-size, the roof of the wooden stable structure is clad in fresh branches of rich, dark evergreen, and the floor is layered with sweet, golden hay. There are sheep and oxen, a camel even, and the angel Gabriel hovers above the scene, spot-lit beneath the overhanging stable roof.
"Isn't it cool?" whispers Alexis, tugging on Kate's hand to lead her down the central aisle.
"We are so upgrading our nativity next year," hisses Castle at her back, sending a shiver of anticipation down her spine at the thought of next year already.
As they travel slowly towards the front of the church with Alexis leading the way, Kate spots a few faces she knows in the congregation. There are plenty of cops scattered among the crowd; people she's worked alongside over the years, met at funerals, drank in cop bars with before she made detective, and she raises her hand to acknowledge a few as she passes by, even spotting the NYPD's Chief of Detectives, Phil Pulaski, a few rows further down.
Mayor Bloomberg is in the front row, alongside Cardinal Dolan, and the former Archbishop of New York, Cardinal Egan. Kate spots the Police Commissioner, Ray Kelly, in the row behind them, standing beside his wife, Veronica. As is typical of the snappy-dressing Commissioner, he's wearing a bespoke navy suit and an eye-catching silk necktie by his favorite, high-end, French label, Charvet. Other wealthy, powerful, influential figures from the worlds of business, finance and politics litter the front few pews of the church, where seating is reserved for specially invited guests, though there is a good smattering of influence throughout the congregation as a whole.
Kate feels Castle's fingers pressing into her spine at the same time as Lanie's grip tightens on her arm.
"Iron Gates, your ten o'clock," hisses Castle, and Kate's head snaps to the left, as she tries to school her features, keep looking nonchalant and relaxed, even although she feels neither of these things at this moment.
People stare and whisper occasionally, as their little group makes its way down the center of the church. The odd person spots Castle first, and points, eyes quickly seeking out 'Nicki Heat' as soon as they recognize the author and his attractive muse. Kate isn't too keen on the scrutiny, though she has attracted attention since she was in high school for her striking looks and her height. But it's the knowing, familiar gaze of her Captain settling upon all of them that catches her breath most noticeably, sending her heart rate rising instantly, from 'resting' to 'fast jog in the park'.
Kate raises her gloved hand to give her boss a quick wave of acknowledgement, and then she ducks her head in a matching, formal little head-nod.
Castle stumbles a little, knocking into her back at the most inopportune moment, and she drops Alexis' hand, stretching behind her to catch him by the elbow until they can resume their procession a few rows further down, people swirling around them all the while as everyone tries to find their seat at the last moment.
Alexis edges into the pew first, squeezing between the leather kneeler and the wooden bench, since Ryan is bowed down in silent contemplation beside his wife, head lowered, eyes closed, midway along the row. Esposito and Martha are chatting quietly, and Espo's face lights up as soon as he sees the rest of the gang arriving.
Kate slides in next, with Lanie at her back, followed lastly by Castle. The image of Gates' eyes boring into them is singed onto Kate's brain, and she's still too flustered to register the shuffling going on in their little pack, as Javi edges past her to sit beside Lanie, and Castle finally bumps her shoulder, after switching with the M.E.
The church is so warm with this many bodies packed into the massive space, and Kate squirms to get out of her heavy winter coat, grateful for Castle's helping hands. She feels instantly cooler, freer, in just her tuxedo jacket, her scarf and gloves safely tucked in the tiny shelf in front of her.
She feels his hand reach for hers once they are seated, hips and thighs pressed together, the solid warmth of his body as reassuring as a Glock at her hip.
"You doing okay?" he whispers, keeping his head focused forwards, fingers pulsing against hers in a comforting cycle of squeeze and release.
"Mmm," hums Kate, nodding, eyes swiveling to the side to look at him. "Did you see her clocking us?"
"Did you see the monster-in-law?" hisses Castle in response, tugging on her hand. "If Gates is Chucky, she's got to be Freddie Krueger," he pantomimes, earning a quick jostle in the arm and a giggle from Lanie.
"Behave," chides Kate, though she's unable to suppress the smile his comment draws from her, because Gates' mother-in-law does look all kinds of scary.
A hush falls over the assembled crowd of devout parishioners, invited guests, vacationers, and non-believers alike, and then the powerful Gallery Organ below the Rose Window comes alive with the opening strains of the familiar tune to 'O' Come All Ye Faithful'.
And so they rise as one, shoulder-to-shoulder, this tight-knit little group of friends, far closer, more loved shared between them, than a lot of families related by blood.
There's a loud shuffling of feet, creaking of furniture, and a rifling of hymnals, and then finally the sweet, angelic voices of the Cathedral choir drift out into the air with the Latin opener, 'Adeste Fideles'.
Kate feels Castle shift in surprise beside her, as he holds up the worn, red leather hymnal between them so that they can share. But she keeps her chin up, eyes on the altar instead of the tissue thin pages, her voice rich, harmonic and strong.
She knows ever word by heart, in Latin, and she sings them with more feeling that he ever thought possible. It's beautiful and it's her, and he wonders why these discoveries even surprise him any more.
"Adeste fideles laeti triumphantes,
Venite, venite in Bethlehem."
Yellow-thumb marks measure the passage of time on every page of the hymnal, and Kate curls her fingers around his left wrist, helping to support the weight of the book with him.
Partners.
Once the priest who is to celebrate this Midnight Mass, together with the group of angelic altar boys, have made their way from the back of the Cathedral to the altar, everyone settles into their seats, and the service commences.
As Kate turns to watch them process down the aisle, she catches a glimpse of Captain Gates looking towards them, and she quickly turns away after acknowledging the woman's brief nod with a hesitant, worried smile.
The first reading is delivered by a nervous looking man in a little pair of round, tortoiseshell-framed glasses, a yellow bowtie, and a professorial, tweed sport coat with leather patches on the elbows. He reads surprisingly fluently from Isaiah 9:1-6.
"The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom
a light has shone.
You have brought them abundant joy
and great rejoicing…"
Kate reaches for Castle's warm fingers as the words echo in her mind, strike a cord, and weave their healing around her heart. She walked in darkness for years before she met him, and in a way Richard Castle is her savior, her light, her joy.
Castle turns his head to smile at the gentle caress of her hand, the way her fingers burrow into his palm, seeking him out, his touch, his warmth, her hand firmly gripped in his. Things are working out far better than he could ever have hoped. Kate is here with him on Christmas Eve, holding his hand in church, beside his daughter and his mother. He feels as if there is nothing in life he couldn't achieve now if he set to his mind to it. Because he set his heart on Kate Beckett, and here she is standing beside him like a Christmas miracle made flesh, holding onto his hand, as if there's nowhere else on earth she would rather be.
The gospel story is from Luke 2:1-14, The Adoration of the Shepherds, and it follows several other readings from carefully selected parishioners and one precocious child.
"You will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes
and lying in a manger."
And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying:
"Glory to God in the highest
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests."
The priest then delivers the homily, relating the theme of the readings and the gospel to the times they are all living in, to the modern world, to the soldiers serving overseas at this time of year, separated far from their families.
Eventually they rise to recite the Lord's Prayer, the Our Father, and then the time arrives for the rite of peace.
All around them people are turning to shake hands with complete strangers, to hug friends and family, to kiss loved ones, and Kate and Castle are suddenly frozen, like two Roman statues, staring at one another.
"You said I couldn't kiss you in church," Castle finally says, sticking his hand out to shake hers, while Esposito kisses Lanie loudly behind his back, and the M.E. giggles.
"Turns out I say a lot of stupid things," grins Kate, staring into his eyes. "Lucky I have you to keep me straight," she adds, sliding her hand up to his shoulder to steady herself, before she reaches up to kiss him tenderly on the lips.
"Peace be with you, Kate," he whispers, when he can look into her eyes once more.
They lean against one another for a couple of seconds, breathing together, cheeks touching, before the maelstrom of activity around them breaks them apart, and then Alexis is hugging Kate, and Lanie is kissing Castle, and Javier is reaching for both of them, dragging them into an unruly group hug.
But the only people Captain Gates notices in the melee happening around her, are her star detective and the mystery writer she has grudgingly come to respect; two still figures, wrapped up in one another like the couple in the famous photograph, 'Unconditional Surrender', captured on camera on V-J Day in Times Square; completely oblivious to the rest of the world carrying on around them.
Kevin, Jenny and Lanie go to receive Communion, while the rest of the gang remain in their seats, lost in their own private thoughts, as they watch the steady flow of parishioners down all three aisles. Eventually, the choir strikes up again with the beautiful hymn, 'Silent Night, Holy Night', and those still in their seats rise to join in the singing.
Kate finds the correct page in the hymnal, and then she holds the book out between her and Castle, ready to share. This time he slides his arm around her back, drawing her up against his side, and she feels the last vestiges of resistance melting away as she lets herself lean against him, her voice barely faltering as his fingers flex against her waist.
His voice is deep, melodic, and she feels the low rumble coming from his chest and vibrating against her whole body. When her eyes slip closed, he whispers, "Don't go to sleep on me yet," against her hair, making her shiver.
Kate nudges him playfully, and straightens up to carry on singing. "Got plans for me, Mr. Castle?" she teases, once the carol ends.
"Maybe. Can't say in church," he winks, releasing his grip on her waist, and regaining her hand instead, both of them unwilling and completely unable to stop touching.
The service ends pretty quickly after that. The priest finishes with the concluding words, "Go in peace," to which the congregation responds, "Thanks Be to God."
Then everyone is on their feet for the final hymn, "Away In A Manger".
"Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
the little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head.
The stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay,
the little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay."
By the end of the first verse, the priest, altar boys, and other celebrants have passed up the aisle to the back of the Cathedral, and then it's only a matter of time before people start to file out, following them.
Progress is slow, since there are so many people packed inside. Kate wraps up in her coat again, anticipating the sharp crack of cold, frosty air on her face. Castle playfully drapes her scarf around her neck for her, bundling her up as if dressing a helpless child. He frees tendrils of hair from where it's caught at the back, and then he tucks the fringed ends of the scarf inside the lapels of her purple coat.
"You fixing me?" she teases, repeating the same task for him with a long scarf made of soft red cashmere.
"Guys, our turn," warns Lanie, as it reaches their opportunity to exit into the main aisle. "Quit your fussin' you two. It's all kinds of adorable, but Gates is only a few paces up ahead."
"Gates can go…" Castle is mouthing in Kate's ear, after he ushers her out ahead of him, hands on her waist.
"Ahem, still in church," Kate reminds him, with a light jab of her elbow to his stomach.
She grabs Alexis' hand and lets Martha go ahead of her so that they don't get lost in the crush.
Once they reach the steps, Kate stops in wonder, and Castle knocks into her back, crushing her to his chest to stop them from toppling over.
"Look," she whispers, pointing upwards towards the black velvet sky. "It's snowing."
And it is, thick, fat flakes that drift slowly to earth, or get whisked sideways by the cold, chilling breeze.
"Detective?"
Kate hears the authoritative call, but doesn't see its owner until her partner at her back points down towards the sidewalk.
Several people in the crowd are staring at them, whispering behind their hands, once it becomes apparent just who this particular Detective is.
"Gates is calling for you," Castle sing songs, smiling a little crazily.
Like she isn't going to make him come down there with her, silly man.
"I'm pretty sure she means you too," she replies, reaching behind her for his hand.
"Oh, no. No, no, you are on your own for this one, Kate. I've got mother and Alexis to…" he protests.
"What happened to partners?" grins Kate, enjoying the look of absolute terror on his face.
"Dad, we can all go," suggests Alexis, linking arms with Kate. "Maybe she'll let me intern at the Precinct next summer," she muses. "You can get me in, right?" she grins, bumping shoulders with Kate.
"Not happening," Castle calls out, reluctantly trailing after them.
Captain Victoria Gates is standing beside a tall, distinguished gentleman in a dark overcoat, and on her other side is a small, grumpy looking woman with a permanent scowl on her face, as if she smelled something bad back in 1982 and it hasn't quite gone away yet.
"Merry Christmas, Sir," says Kate breathlessly, shaking her boss' hand. "Lovely service."
"It was indeed, Detective," agrees Gates. "Ralph, can I introduce you to one of my finest teams?" she says somewhat proudly, turning to address her patient-looking husband. "This is Detective Kate Beckett and her partner, the crime writer, Richard Castle."
Castle steps forward to shake Ralph Gates' hand after Kate, and then there remains the tricky subject of old Mrs. Gates.
"Beckett, Mr. Castle, my mother-in-law, Ida Gates," says the Captain, barely able to conceal her distain for the woman behind a thin-lipped smile.
Kate re-introduces Martha and Alexis to her boss, and then the group splits up, leaving the women chatting together, while Castle converses with Ida and Ralph.
Gates' eyes go wide when she hears a snorting giggle emanating from her husband's tiny terror of a mother at some joke or other that Castle has just made.
The woman has her fat little, bejeweled fingers pressed against her mouth in mirth, and she looks like she's about to bust a gut holding her laughter in.
Gates finally gets Kate alone, like a wolf separating a stray lamb off from the herd.
"I see you and Mr. Castle have a lot to celebrate this Christmas," she says, looking Kate straight in the eye.
Though there's a glint of teasing humor in those dark chocolate eyes, Kate is too flustered to pick up on it.
"Sir, I can…I can explain," Kate begins, toeing the ground with her shoe and shifting uncomfortably, wishing her mind hadn't gone spectacularly blank right now.
"Kate," says Gates quietly, resting her hand on the detective's arm. "Just enjoy this Christmas with his family. And think yourself damn lucky you get Martha Rogers for a mother-in-law," she adds sotto voce, nostrils flaring and eyebrows shooting heavenward as she jerks her head towards a still guffawing Ida.
The little group begin to say their goodbyes.
"The man certainly has a way with women, I'll give him that," mutters Gates as a parting shot to Kate, wryly shaking her head at Castle, as he continues to charm the pants off her mother-in-law.
The car service is waiting for them on the Rockefeller Center side of the street. They gather there with Lanie and Javier, Jenny and Kevin having already said their farewells and headed home.
"So, what'd Gates say?" asks Lanie, eyes full of concern for her friend. "And are those real diamonds, Kate Beckett?" she blurts, reaching up to stroke her friend's earrings.
Kate shakes her head in disbelief, only adding to the spectacular display her jewels are giving off, as Lanie stares, mesmerized, at her ears.
"She told me to enjoy Christmas with Castle's family. That...that I'm lucky I have Martha as a mother-in-law," she adds in a whisper, so Castle won't hear.
"Your mother-in-law?" exclaims Esposito loudly, to violent shushing from Kate and Lanie.
"Did I hear someone taking my name in vain?" queries Martha, arriving on Castle's arm, along with Alexis.
"Eh, no," lies Kate. "We were just…talking about Ida," she rushes out, giving herself away by blushing despite the cold.
Castle raises an eyebrow at her, but decides to let it drop for now.
"Well, you guys, we should really get going," says Lanie, taking Espo's arm.
Kate smiles at the bashful pair.
"Yeah, we got some place we gotta be," adds Javi mysteriously, squeezing Lanie's hand in the crook of his arm, as she gazes up at him all smitten and coy. "Stockings to open, right, mi amor?" he grins, eyes only for the M.E.
"You guys stay safe now," sings Kate, waving their friends off, and getting a squint-eyed glare from Lanie.
"Who wants to see the tree?" asks Castle, once it's just the four of them again.
"I think I'll pass, dear. It's a little chilly out here for those of us with less…padding. I'll wait in the car," says Martha. "But take your time," she adds, ushering the younger ones away.
"I'll stay with grams," offers Alexis, allowing Kate and Castle to walk the half-block alone to see the spectacular tree at Rockefeller Plaza.
It really is breathtaking; a Norway spruce, seventy-five feet tall and forty feet wide, lit by more than 30,000 tiny lights and crowned by a Swarovski crystal star.
There are a few people milling around, but they're largely alone due to the cold and the heavy flurries of snow now drifting down around them.
Kate stands quietly with Castle at her back, his arms wrapped tightly around her as she rests her head against his chest to look up at the top of the tree. They rock slightly from side-to-side, both absorbing the magical view.
"It's so beautiful," she whispers, turning into him, her breath rising in curling clouds between them.
"You are so beautiful, Kate," Castle tells her, brushing a few flakes of snow out of her hair.
The moment stills, and suddenly everything just feels right, even although it's producing a mild, racing panic in her chest. They've been to church as a family, she appears to have the blessing of her boss, they're holding one another in front of one of the world's most iconic Christmas scenes.
There really is nothing else for it…
"Castle?" she breathes, turning her face into the warmth of his neck.
"Mmm?" he hums, brushing his cold nose against hers, smiling.
"I love you," she whispers, following these longed for words with the soft press of her lips against his, swallowing the moan of surprise that rises from his throat.
"Kate?" he gasps, breaking away, breathing hard, wide eyes roaming her face. "Did you just…?"
She nods, smiling, cheeks flushed pink, so healthy, so beautiful, eyes shining bright with everything she wants to tell him, everything she feels able to give him now.
"Merry Christmas, Castle. I love you."
"Oh, Kate," he chokes out. "I love you too. So, so much," he declares, hauling her against his chest in the tightest hug, before surging against her lips for a deep, lingering kiss that's full of promise and longing.
The black Mercedes sedan creeps along the curb behind them, until the driver can see the tall, handsome couple framed against the glittering Christmas tree.
Two swift pumps on the horn have the startled pair spinning around, only to see Alexis grinning and waving at them from the open back door to the car.
They grin up at one another, no longer embarrassed to be caught embracing.
"Shall we?" asks Castle, offering Kate his arm once more.
"I guess we should. It's getting late…and cold," she says, shivering, looking up at the mass of snowflakes now drifting down towards them, the whole sky like a giant, swirling, snow globe.
"Let's go home, Castle," she agrees, holding on tight. "See if Santa thinks you've been a good boy this year," she jokes, tugging on his arm, feeling as if something as sparkly and magnificent as that Christmas tree has just taken up residence in her chest, her heart as light as air now that these special words have finally been shared between them.
A/N: I know a church service isn't everyone's cup of tea, but it is a big part of a lot of reviewer's Christmas traditions. I replaced Mayor Weldon with the actual Mayor of NYC to keep all the extras mentioned in this chapter real. Hope you're still with me?
Thank you for the lovely reviews and messages. This chapter is for my dear friend, Vandi. Keep smiling. Liv