Title: The Biggest Heart in the World
Summary: Gina and Paula arriving together… not good news. Alexis was about to tell Kate something, and she will tell that also.
Disclaimer: I don't own them are they would be together, but I'm going to trust them to fix this. I remain a devoted viewer.
A/N: I know the sneak peek for "The Nose" looks bad because she wants the rest of her things… but I'm going to write them together whether they want too or not.
Chapter 21: A Leap into the Future
After entering the house Gina looked at Rick. "Oh I see you're on your feet, glad to see there was no permanent damage from the fall." Then she looked at Kate. "Of course if you hadn't been storing things for others that fall wouldn't have happened."
Rick cut in when he saw Kate's frown. "So you came for a reason, other than to badger my fiancée?"
Paula smiled and shoved past Gina. "Yes Rick but we need to see you in private."
He looked toward his mother and Grace. "Would you mind fixing some kind of snack and some drinks? We'll all be in the dining room."
Gina huffed. "We said in private."
"This home is private so anything you need to discuss with me, you can say in front of my family."
Gina looked at Jenny and Lanie. "They aren't family."
He laughed. "They are Kate's precinct family, makes them family enough for me and nothing can be that private. It's not like I won't be telling them after you leave so they might as well hear it first-hand."
Martha started to the kitchen with Grace behind her. "We'll get those snacks ready darling."
He put his hand out to motion to the dining room. "Everyone else can just go have a seat, Kate and I will join you in just a minute." When they left the room he pulled Kate over by his walker. "Please don't let anything she says bother you, she didn't like it when we first got together so she really hates it now. But we need to decide right now just in case I say something in there, let's get married on Saturday?"
She leaned forward and kissed him. "Saturday it is babe, now let's go join the others before they think I took you to the bedroom."
"If I had an option I would choose the bedroom with you over this meeting any day."
She laughed. "I know Rick, me too." She started walking then turned around and smiled. "You coming Castle?"
He laughed, she had said that to him a few times when he went to observe her at work. "I wish but not until later baby." He heard her laughter as she entered the dining room.
When they arrived in the room she helped him sit down and then she took the seat beside him but then she stood up. "You'll need your day planner from our bedroom, I'll be right back." She left the room.
Paula looked at Rick. "Before we get started, how are you really doing?"
"I'm improving everyday but I think more since Kate arrived. At least I'm on my feet now, plus Lanie and Jenny are helping around here and with my PT."
Kate came back in and sat down putting his planner between them then she addressed Paula. "You said something needed to be discussed?"
Paula knew when someone was trying to rush them to hurry them out. "Yes, we wanted to see if we could try to reschedule the remainder of the book tour that Rick missed?"
He looked over at Kate. "If you and Alexis go with me then I can go any time after the wedding."
Gina made a sound of disapproval. "We can't wait that long, you'll have to go before the wedding."
He looked at Gina, he wasn't smiling. "Well I can't go before, we're getting married on Saturday and that is just four days from now."
Gina immediately looked at Kate. "Are you pregnant?"
Kate smiled, she knew what was going on with Gina. "I might be but it's too soon to tell right now, we just wanted to get married this week. It's not like we have a full calendar right now plus the guys are going to be here this week and they may not be able to later."
Martha and Grace came in with food and coffee, Martha spoke up. "Richard, shall we join you in here?"
"Yes mother, both of you." He opened his planner to the date. "We are trying to figure out when I can go back on my book tour, with the wedding being Saturday what is your opinion?"
No one acted like they didn't know about the wedding on Saturday, no one wanted to give Gina the satisfaction. "Well darling if Katherine is going with you, then I would say give it a week after the wedding."
He nodded. "We can get a suite for the three of us and we'll have to be back before the first Wednesday in September so Alexis can go back to school."
Paula opened up her planner. "So we can schedule beginning a week from next Monday and go for three weeks? That gets you home before the middle of August and plenty of time before Alexis begins school again."
He pushed the planner over in front of Kate and nodded. She picked up the pen beside him and started writing. "Okay a week from Monday for three weeks, just send us an itinerary and we'll be there."
Paula nodded. "That's great and I'll get with Black Pawn on the room arrangements for the three of you, we'll get a suite arranged plus the flight schedules. I'll fax all that information to the office number here and then just call me with confirmation."
Rick nodded and then spoke up. "Please make sure that all the venues know that my wife and daughter will be joining me for each signing, usually they only arrange a chair for me but I'll need space for them as well."
Gina opened her mouth but Paula gave her a look that shut her up quickly. "Will do Rick and congratulations to both you of, I knew this was coming eventually." She stood up and pulled on Gina's arm to join her. "We'll see ourselves out, I'm sure you still have some things to take care of for Saturday."
When they heard the door open and then close, Martha spoke up. "So when were the two of you going to let us in on the wedding being Saturday?"
Kate smiled at her. "We just decided in the hallway but if that's too soon then we can change it?"
Martha waved her off. "No darling, we can do a small family wedding by then but we do need to shop for you a dress."
"I have my dress Martha, I bought it before the shooting just after Rick left the first time. Alexis and I went shopping, when we saw it we both fell in love with it and well Rick and I had talked about getting married. He asked me the night before he left, so I bought the dress and it's at dad's house in a storage bag."
Alexis smiled. "That dress is gorgeous Kate, dad is going to flip when he sees it."
Kate spoke up. "So now we just need to get dresses for the wedding party, also we need to shop for dresses for Martha and Grace." Then she turned to the older woman. "I have a favor to ask you Grace but feel free to say no if you're uncomfortable with it."
Grace nodded. "What can I do for you Ms. Kate?"
"I don't want my dad to have to sit alone, this day will be hard enough on him with my mother gone. Will you sit in that place with my dad?"
Grace blinked away the tears forming in her eyes. "I would be honored Ms. Kate but you ask your dad and make sure it's okay with him, if he is then I will sit there and keep him company."
Kate nodded. "Of course Lanie you'll be my maid-of-honor, I know you've waiting for this day since I told you I met Rick in the coffee shop. Jenny and Alexis I would love for you to be my bridesmaids."
Lanie got up and hugged her. "Of course I've been waiting for this moment, I mean I listened to you talk about the man for years and read those books to almost falling apart. Remember I was the one you called after that book signing when you were so excited because his hand touched yours when he handed you the book back."
Alexis laughed. "Lanie is the one that busted the we're just friends thing like a month in, you guys were so transparent even then."
Kate stood up. "I'm glad everyone is having fun but we have planning to do for Saturday and we have to get someone to marry us."
Martha got up. "Consider it taken care of, I'll just call a judge that's a friend of mine from way back."
Jenny smiled. "You have a friend that's a judge?"
Rick shook his head. "It's probably best if we don't get that story, most of the stories like that are embarrassing."
Martha started out of the room. "Fond memories for me are embarrassing stories for you darling."
The doorbell rang so Kate jumped up and waved Grace back down. "You sit Grace, I'll get the door." She went in and opened the door to her friends and former partners. "Guys, come on in and join us. We're planning the wedding."
She walked in and saw Rick texting on his phone with a smile on his face. He looked up at Kate. "Montgomery's wife and kids can't come but he'll be here on Friday, I asked him to be my best man." He saw the guys standing there. "I really didn't want to choose between the two of you but I would be honored if you guys will stand up with us as groomsmen."
Esposito spoke as Ryan nodded. "The honor is ours bro, we're just glad the two of you are making it legal now."
Kate walked over and put the walker in front of Rick. "We have some final arrangements to make, if you all of you will excuse us? Just plan shopping and we'll take care of it, Grace I trust you as far as the cake so just order what you think is appropriate. Alexis you take care of music and the girls can help you with the flowers."
Alexis looked at them as they left the room. "And what will you two be doing?"
Kate looked back toward the group at the table. "Making plans for the book tour, such as fun things to do when Rick isn't actually signing books."
Lanie laughed. "You are not, the two of you are going somewhere private to make out."
Kate laughed as she left the room. "And that too."
TBC
This one is winding down… thanks everyone for sticking with me during my hiatus. Sorry this chapter is short but let me just address a couple of issues I know are going to come up. Alexis is not asked to be maid of honor in this one, because she is in my other one. Will there be more angst? Not really, that's not a no but not really because this story has had enough. Will it be happy ever after? Read and find out!