A/N1: Hello peoples and WELCOME to the latest Chapter of Dancing with Death I have titled 'Foxy Trotting'. I am so so sorry for the long ass wait between chapters! Life got in the way and the motivation for writing waned the life happened again (Get the idea? LOL) But then a couple of days ago the writing bug really bit me and this chapter grew into something that needed plitting in two (Final word count was 10,590!) I hope you enjoy this chapter!
Kate was the first to rise the morning after her and Rick's return to New York. She pulled on her dressing gown over her pyjamas and padded her way downstairs to fetch the latest copy of the Ledger. Returning inside, she shuffled into the kitchen and began making a pot of French press coffee and soon the house was filled with the alluring scent of her favourite brew. Sleepily she make toast and Nutella then placed all the breakfast items on the tray with the Ledger and made her way back upstairs to the master bedroom where Rick was still sound asleep sprawled out on the mattress the covers bunched very low around his hips. Pausing a moment to savour the sight of her husband sprawled out in their bed Kate sighed happily then rested the tray on the side table and climbed back into bed running her nails from his crotch up to his neck, she then pressed her lips to his neck and began sucking a hickey onto the tanned skin just below his ear.
"ThatzzgunnashowandRyspositowilllmakefunofme," Rick moaned sleepily a moment later as he roused from sleep.
"They always make fun of you," Kate murmured cheekily as she sat up to look her sleepy husband in his bright blue eyes. "Good morning, Writer Man."
"M-m-morningmizzuscassel," Rick replied, sleepily kissing her on the lips then sniffing the air enquiringly. "You made coffee."
"I did," Kate replied awkwardly sitting up and reaching for the tray. "And Nutella toast."
Rick yawned then sat up then reached for his favourite mug bearing the Twelfth Precinct insignia he had swiped from the homicide department's break room back during Montgomery's Captaincy. He took a deep sniff then sipped the scalding hot liquid.
"Mmmm niice." He said as the hot liquid slid down his throat warming his entire body. "What time is it?"
"Just after six," Kate replied. "What time d'you have to be at the field office?"
"Eighthirdy," the Writer replied through a mouthful of Nutella toast. "We're in the middle of an investigation at the moment and Brian needs all hands on deck. UGH, I wish we weren't quite so busy. The precinct is the opposite at the moment, far less paperwork."
"Yeah until we catch a case then we'll be as busy as the field office," Kate countered. "Doing any field work today?"
"Not unless something comes up," Rick replied with a sigh. "Brian didn't want to call me in because he knows how busy I've been with Dancing but apparently the new director wants all available staff on this. Damn him, all I want to do is have a sleep in with my gorgeous and sexy pregnant wife and he wants me to be a contributing member of society. I mean what the hell? Where does he get off telling me what to do?"
Kate laughed as her husband leaned down and kissed her swollen belly. "Oh you poor hard done by soul you," she informed him squirming as he lifted up her nightie and pressed an ear to her stomach. "Hear anything?"
"Nope, but our kid just kicked me in the head," Rick replied with a smile that lit up his entire face. "Oooh there he goes again."
"He?" Kate repeated with a raised eyebrow. "He?"
"Yeah I think we're having a boy," Rick told her.
"Yesterday you were convinced we were having a girl," Kate reminded him. "I had to stop you from going out and buying a pink unicorn and daisy print onesie and jumpsuit set. We agreed seeing as we're not finding out the gender of our baby til the birth only to buy gender neutral colours, white, yellow, red, green etcetera."
"I know," Rick sing-songed. "I just can't help but be excited. I want my son or daughter to have everything. I want to be totally prepared, material items wise before our little nugget arrives."
Kate turned to mush as she felt the Writer encircle her rapidly expanding belly with his arms and hug it. "We have got everything we need," she informed him in a soft voice. "With all the gifts we got from your fans after we announced I was pregnant, we didn't actually have to buy any clothes. And newborn babies grow quick so there's no point in getting anymore than we have or we'll have a heap of clothes that don't fit our child."
"You're too sensible," Rick informed her affectionately. "We're having more than one, aren't we?
Everything surplus we have can be used on the next one and the one after that unless of course this one vomits and poops on everything so much it's just easier to drop the offending item of clothing in a barrel and drop a gallon of gas and a lit match into it."
"I'd like to have more than one yeah," Kate confessed. "Now that my morning sickness is under control I'm finding I absolutely love being pregnant."
"I absolutely love you being pregnant," Rick added with a grin. "And I want to get you pregnant again as soon as I can."
"I am not a broodmare," Kate groused, the barest hint of a smile flitting across her lips as she watched him fall back on the bed laughing uproariously. "Oh, don't be an ass. It's unattractive."
Rick sat up and leaned in to peck his wife on the lips.
"We'll have another one when the time is right," he informed her with a smile. "Let's meet this little one first huh? Boy or girl."
Kate smiled mid-kiss. "Sounds good," she said happily. "So do you want a proper breakfast here or shall we go to Angelo's?"
"Let's go to Angelo's, we haven't been there in ages," Rick replied.
"Well, you finish your coffee and toast and I'll have my shower. I always take longer to get ready than you do," Kate informed him. "My shout at Angelo's, I'm feeling generous."
"Can I join you?" Rick asked wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.
Kate rolled her eyes. "No, because if you do I'll take even longer to get ready," she informed him forthrightly. "Keep it in your pants Writer Man."
"But I don't wannaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" Rick joked; jutting out his bottom lip and making Kate's insides melt with the pure adorableness of it.
"Well you're gunna haf'ta," Kate told him with a grin.
"Mmmph."
After a leisurely breakfast at Angelo's, Kate dropped Rick off at the FBI's New York field office
"Want to head to Remy's for lunch?" she asked as she pulled up in the short term parking lot.
"Sure, twelve thirty?" Rick suggested. "I should be ready by then."
Kate leaned over the console of the Ferrari and kissed her husband on the lips. "I'll see you then," she murmured "I love you babe."
Rick smiled. "Love you too Honey."
With a wink Rick unfastened his seatbelt then got out of the Ferrari, Kate returned the wink then tooting the horn drove off heading towards the precinct building. She arrived there a mere ten minutes later and quickly parked before making her way into the elevator and heading up to the homicide department. The first person from her team she noticed was Ann who was at her desk elbow deep in paperwork.
"Ann?" she questioned in surprise. "You're here early."
The young detective jumped in surprise at her superior's voice and her head snapped around. "Oh hey," she said. "Sorry I was miles away."
"How long have you been here?" Kate asked shucking off her jacket and hanging it on the back of her desk chair.
"A couple of hours," Ann confessed sheepishly. "The body in the sports bag case you, Ryan and Esposito caught just before I joined the department - its bugging me."
"How so?" Kate asked in interest as she dropped down into her chair and turned on her computer.
"Ethan Matheson, the vic-Caroline Bannister's ex," Ann replied holding up a sheet of paper with Ethan's details on it. "There's something not making a lot of sense."
"Oh?"
"Mmm yeah, when you and Rick interviewed him he said he was playing in a chamber music gig in North Carolina with his best friend Tom Bellingham, who's a violinist in the quartet that played at Diana and Eddie Pilkington's wedding - but he can't have because I did a little digging and I can't find any record of Ethan Matheson or Tom Bellingham having ever been in North Carolina period. I'm about to ring airlines and check bus companies and train services to see if their names are on any booking sheets but it's gonna be a massive job."
"Let me get things set up here and make a coffee and I'll help you," Kate informed the young detective. "I'm glad you're taking an interest in the case, it's a hard one."
Ann smiled. "This case has grated on me since I started in Homicide," she confessed. "I knew it was going to be a hard one when even Ryan and Esposito were having trouble making any sense of the evidence. Nothing gets those guys."
"That's true but if you break this case you'll get major brownie points for getting one over on the boys and as your direct supervisor I will allow you to brag about it in front of them." Kate informed her younger colleague. "Might even let you make the arrest, that'll really piss off Esposito."
Ann grinned. "I'll work extra hard then," she said cheekily. "I was only woman in Vice after Dunham got promoted to SVU at the nineteenth and Lewthwaite went to homicide at the twenty sixth and was always down for one upping the boys even after they left. That's not going to change now that I'm in homicide. You and Karpowski must have fun."
"Yeah when we have cases that overlap we do," Kate replied truthfully. "That was especially the case when I came from Vice at the twenty second. She was the only woman here at the time and we immediately bonded. You'll quickly find homicide is full of testosterone, it's nice to have another girl in here to talk to."
"The service period is full of testosterone," Ann countered dryly as she began sorting the folders in front of her.
"No kidding."
A short time later Ryan and Esposito arrived to begin their daily grind and Kate helped Ann diving back into the Body in the Sports bag case checking over transport passenger records when her cell phone rang.
"Castle," She answered smartly.
"Hey honey," Rick's voice responded.
"Hey," Kate replied brightly. "How's things? How come you didn't ring from your cell?"
"Official business I'm 'fraid," Rick replied, donning a serious tone.
"NYPD-FBI case relations?" Kate queried.
"Ah no, it's a bit more personal than that," Rick revealed.
"Go on." Kate instructed, trepidation pooling in her stomach.
"The jury have returned and recommended a sentence in the Phil Robertson case and the judge has retired to deliberate on a sentence," Rick continued. "Frank just rang me from Quantico. It's time to get together with your Dad and write that victim impact statement. The judge has designated Friday at four PM for the sentencing hearing."
Kate's stomach fell through the floor. "Shit," she cussed just loud enough for Esposito to hear her and stop in his tracks. "I was hoping it would be a while before this came to be."
"Yeah well word on the ground is the AG totally destroyed the defence counsel's argument leaving nothing for him to go on," Rick informed her. "But you didn't hear that from me. Got it?"
"Got it," Kate replied, worrying her bottom lip.
"Someone from the AG's office will probably be in touch with you today about writing a victim impact statement," Rick went on. "But Frank figured you'd rather hear it from me so I took a coffee break to ring you.
"Thanks for doing that," Kate informed her husband, fixing Esposito with a raised eyebrow as the Latino detective sat on the edge of her desk. "How's the office going?"
"Busy as usual," Rick replied dryly. "But I'm ahead of schedule so we might be able to have an extended lunch."
Kate's insides leapt joyfully. "Remy's is definitely on the cards then." She ventured.
"Uh huh, it is" Rick replied. "Dammit I'm needed, see you at twelve thirty?"
"See you then babe, love you."
"Love you too honey."
"You okay?" Esposito asked kindly.
"Yeah, that was Rick ringing from the field office," Kate relayed. "The jury in Robertson's case have reccomended a sentence and it's time to write my victim impact statement ahead of the sentencing hearing."
"Ah I see," Esposito replied. "And how do you feel about that?"
"Apprehensive," Kate admitted flopping back in her chair with a sigh. "I mean I'm just days away from seeing the man responsible for Mom's murder facing justice. Even now months later I sometimes find it hard to believe it's all over that I arrested the Dragon."
"When's the sentencing hearing?" Esposito asked.
"Friday...four o'clock."
"Would you like Ryan and me to come along for moral support?" Esposito asked. "The whole department would be there for you Kate. You're our friend and we want to see you and your Dad get some closure."
"Would you mind?" Kate asked her voice wobbling with emotion. "You boys were part of the initial investigation and were with me when I arrested Robertson."
"We're there."
"Who's where?" Ryan asked as he went to his desk stuffed folder in hand.
"We are," Esposito informed his partner. "At the courthouse on Friday, the jury in Robertson's case have rsen and reccomended a sentence and Castle just rang and told our girl here - it was time to write a victim impact statement to read before sentencing. I figured we could go along as a bit of moral support."
"Totally!" Ryan agreed enthusiastically. "I'm there."
"Thanks a lot boys," Kate told her friends with a small smile. "If I wasn't pregnant I'd take you out for a drink."
"You still can," Ryan joked. "We can drink, you can't."
Kate rolled her eyes. "How about Friday night?" she suggested. "You, Jenny, Espo, Lanie, Castle and me, the girls and I can have a mocktail, you two and Castle can get into some of his French brandy."
"Sounds great!" Ryan agreed as Esposito nodded. "Maybe a round of poker?" he added hopefully.
"Sure, I'm sure Castle will be down for that," Kate replied with a sigh. "Well time to hit the books, any luck with the passenger listings from United?"
"Yup," Ryan piped up holding aloft the thick folder he had brought to his desk. "It's all here. Six weeks either side of Caroline Bannister's estimated TOD. Took me two hours and two packets of copy paper to print it all out. Ann was just about to do the Amtrak listings."
"Wouldn't it be easier to go through them on the computer?" Kate queried. "HR will kill me for letting you use so much paper."
"I've been doing that all morning and my eyes were getting sore," Ryan explained. "I needed a break."
"You sure it was from checking out passenger manifests, bro?" Esposito teased getting up and playfully whacking his partner over the head with a folder of his own. "Or were you checking out hot sexy leprechaun's dot com again?"
The Irish detective rolled his eyes and promptly delivered a dead arm to his partner's bicep. "Go fu-" he began.
"Guuuysss," Kate scolded gently scolding her colleagues. "It might be an idea to head back to work, mmmm?"
"Well I was working," Ryan piped up with a very Castle like cheesy grin. "This jackass wouldn't know the definition of the word."
"Low blow bro, low blow."
"Keep me up to date, won't you?" Kate requested as the two detectives got back to work. "Ann thinks we might be onto something with Matheson's best friend."
"Will do." The two detectives chorused.
It took Kate along with Ann, Ryan and Esposito the entire day to get through all the passenger manifests from all the regional and interstate airline, train and bus companies and none of them could find any record of Ethan Matheson or Tom Bellingham having anything to do with North Carolina when both men had told Kate and Rick earlier in the investigation they had been to the southern state.
"We've caught them lying to us," Ann piped up as the last page of manifest was examined. "They said they had been to North Carolina and they haven't been, that's enough to bring them in for further questioning."
"You're right, good pick up," Kate praised the younger detective. "If it wasn't for your persistence we'd still be languishing. It's home time now but first thing tomorrow morning I want you to find Ethan Matheson and Tom Bellingham and bring them in for questioning. Let's see what they'll say when we present them with the fact they've been lying to us."
Ann lit up. "Sounds great," she said happily. "Home time now?"
"Yeah, I'm beat, you three are beat," Kate replied as she began shutting down her computer. "Head home, have a drink and be here at eight thirty tomorrow morning to get things going. I'll see you then."
Kate waited til Ann, Ryan and Esposito had left for the night before she made her way downstairs to the parking garage beneath the precinct building. She climbed into Rick's Ferrari then made her way through the thick evening Manhattan traffic til she came to the fancy apartment building in which her father lived. Parking the Prancing Horse under the building she made her way into the foyer and travelled up to the tenth floor where Jim lived knocking on the door gently as she arrived.
Several seconds passed then there was soft footsteps and a short pause before the door swung open and Jim appeared. He immediately grinned and strode forward embracing his daughter in a fierce hug.
"Hey sweetheart," he said softly, his bright blue eyes shining happily. "How are you doing?"
"'m exhausted," Kate admitted returning her father's hug then striding forward into the tastefully decorated apartment. "It's been a harrowing day."
Jim's face was full of understanding. "I know," he said in a low voice. "Rick rang you too, didn't he?"
"Yeah, he said he wanted to let me know about Thursday before the AG's team," Kate replied dropping down onto the sofa and kicking off her shoes. "I told him at lunch I might be home late because I wanted to visit you first. I thought maybe we could work on our Victim Impact Statements together."
Jim dropped down on the sofa beside his daughter with a sigh. "I don't know if I can, Katie," he admitted as he rubbed his face with both hands. "I really don't know if I can.
Kate stared at her father incredulously. "B-but Dad-" she began. "This is our moment to stick it to the one guy responsible for taking Mom from us. To tell him how you feel. To tell the world what it was like to lose your wife, the love of your life. And you don't want to?"
"It's not that I don't want to sweetheart-" Jim began his voice laden with apprehension. "I just can't."
"Why?" Kate asked a slight whine in her tone. "Dad this is your moment. Mom was the love of your life, the very definition of your soul mate. You haven't been with anyone since she died-not that I know of anyway."
"I know she was-is darling but I'm not ready to face the public with my innermost feelings," Jim confessed. "This is a televised hearing you know and I don't want the media to know exactly how what Robertson did made me feel. I have no doubt you can convey that feeling to him quite adequately for both of us on your own."
"I was kinda hoping we could both get up there and give the same speech," Kate wheedled.
"Katherine..." Jim scolded in the exact tone he used when disciplining Kate as a small child. "I have made my decision and I'm sticking to it, nothing you or anyone else can say will get me to change my mind. Understand?"
Even in her mid thirties Kate knew not to argue with her father when he used that tone on her.
"Oh okay," she replied with a long sigh. "I suppose I didn't really want to do it on my own."
"I understand, sweetheart. I really do," Jim informed her in a low voice. "But I have the highest confidence in you. I know you can tell the court what your Mom's murder did to us. You are one of the best public speakers I have ever heard. You speak very eloquently and with authority."
Kate blushed at her father's praise. "Thanks Dad." She murmured.
"Have you spoken to Jackie?" Jim asked referring to his former sister in law.
"Yeah, I rang her a few hours ago," Kate replied. "She and Graham are coming down to the city tomorrow night and staying with Rick and me. The AG's office has asked her to give a victim impact statement too."
"Have you started writing your statement yet?" Jim asked. "I'm not ready to give my own statement but I could help you with yours if you like."
Kate smiled. "I'd like that," she said pulling a notepad and pen out of her handbag. "D'you mind if we work on it now? Rick won't be home for a while yet and I have the time to spare."
"Sure, show me what you've got."
A couple of hours later Kate made to leave.
"I better go Dad," she informed her father as she packed up all her notes. "Rick would be home and its dinner time. See you at the courthouse on Friday?"
"Yup, you got it," the elder Beckett replied enveloping his daughter in a hug.
Kate's baby decided it didn't like being squashed and kicked hard against her stomach. Jim felt this and his face lit up like a Christmas tree. "The baby kicked!" he exclaimed excitedly.
"Yeah right on my diaphragm," Kate groaned rubbing the spot on her stomach where her son or daughter's foot was currently jammed. "Would you like to feel?"
"D-d'you mind?" Jim asked, hesitantly. "I know you don't like people touching your stomach."
"Without asking yes," Kate replied. "But you're going to be this baby's grandpa Dad, if he or she is kicking I want you to know...here."
Kate took her father's hand and placed it high on her stomach by her diaphragm. The baby instantly reacted to the extra pressure and kicked hard right into its grandfather's palm. Jim's fingers twitched and he lit up. "Oh that never gets old!" he exclaimed happily his blue eyes welling with happy tears. "Reminds me of when your Mom was pregnant with you, you always kicked her in the diaphragm too."
"Well maybe this apple doesn't fall far from the tree then," Kate joked wincing slightly as he baby kicked her insides again. "I hope it quits this diaphragm kicking business soon I have a permanent sore spot."
"Have you talked to your OB/GYN about that?" Jim asked in concern.
"Yeah and he said that's not unusual," Kate replied. "He said if the pain gets intolerable to go to see him or go straight to the ER. At the moment it's only a mild annoyance. When I lay down the pain goes away."
"Well rest up and do what you have to, to keep your bub healthy, sweetheart."
"Will do Dad; see you at court on Friday?"
"Yeah see you then Katie."
Kate left her father's apartment building and made her way back to Queens pulling up in the garage shortly before eight. She shut the front gates and roller door then went inside to be immediately enveloped by the alluring smell of melted cheese and tomato sauce emanating from the kitchen.
"Rick you here?" she called. "Babe?"
"Upstairs!" the writer called. "Be down in a minute."
Kate followed the source of the smell to the oven where one of Rick's homemade pizzas was cooking on the shelf. She donned a pair of oven mitts and retrieved her meal from the oven, putting it on the sink just as her husband bounced down the stairs her face the pure expression of delight.
"Hey you," he greeted, wrapping his arms around her thickened waist and kissing her soundly on the lips. "How did it go at your Dad's?"
"Good and not so good," Kate confessed taking a plate from the cupboard and sliding the pre-cut pizza onto it. "I asked Dad if he would write his own Victim Impact Statement and he refused. He can't bring himself to do it Rick."
"Can't say I'm surprised to hear that," the Write replied. "He did sound a bit down when I rang him this morning. If I wasn't so busy I would've kept him on the line a bit longer."
"I don't think there's anything you could've done babe," Kate informed her partner as she took her meal over to the dining table. "He was in a pretty dark spot. But he did offer to help me write mine and that seemed to distract him a bit."
"Will he be alright?" Rick asked in concern.
"Yeah he'll be fine," Kate replied as she picked up a slice of pizza. "I'll say my bit for both of us; you can read what I've written later if you like."
"If you're comfortable with me doing so..." Rick said. "But you don't have to, this is a private thing for you."
"Yes and no," Kate replied thickly as she wiped her mouth free of tomato sauce. "I'll be reading it out in public for the world to see and I'd like your opinion. You're my husband and the writer of the pair of us, I value your opinion the most."
Rick smiled. "Well if you're sure," he said. "What d'you think of the pizza?"
Kate grinned. "Brilliant," she informed him "you should open up your own pizza shop."
Rick threw his head back and laughed heartily. "What should I name it?" he asked. "Terrific Rick's?"
Kate shook her head. "Nuh uh," she replied around a mouthful of pizza. "Terrific Authentic Rick's. Open it across the road from the precinct. You'll become a millionaire independent of your writing."
Rick grinned. "Great business idea," he told her. "I'll speak to my lawyer and accountant and see if it's a fiscally viable thing to dive into. It could be a nest egg for when the little one comes along."
Kate smiled as her husband placed his hand on her stomach and splayed his fingers wide in an effort to feel his offspring move.
"What...the million dollar savings account you created when we found out I was pregnant isn't enough?" she questioned in amusement. "By the time this one is eighteen, there will be enough in that account to buy them a fancy car and send them to college for four years...and then some."
"Only joking honey," Rick told his wife as he got up and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "My life is busy enough without having to worry about overlooking a small business anyway. The idea is nice though."
"How did training go?" Kate asked several slices of pizza later.
"Great, we're doing the Foxtrot this week-so I've been busting my ass Foxy Trotting under Anastasia's evil eye."
"Foxy trotting?" Kate repeated accepting a glass of juice from him. "Thanks...I don't even think that's a thing."
"It is now," Rick replied with a grin. "I shall submit it to Urban Dictionary dot com."
Kate rolled her eyes. "You're a good off," she informed him.
"You got it sweetheart."
A/N2: Reviews fed the beast peoples!