Note to the Readers: I can't wait for this evening's part two, Linchpin. Rumor has it that Kate's secret comes out along with something about Rick's dad. I just hope that this means that they are closer to being a couple. If they are still at odds by season's end, I don't know if I will spend another year with the whole will they won't they bit.

To everyone else…thanks for reading. Your encouragement has helped carry me this far through a particularly rough year. But, at the end of this school year I am changing schools for the first time in almost a decade. It's time for a different pasture. I can't take my boss much longer at this one.

Disclaimers: No, I don't own them. If I did Andrew Marlowe would have already had our beloved couple getting on with a life together and stop all of this stupid jealousy/misunderstanding garbage. Yes Marlow, it is getting very TIRESOME. To quote Stana, "It's time to let them say I love you, get married and start having little Castle babies."


Chapter 29

The Suite Two Days before Thanksgiving

Kate, Meredith and Martha shared a cheese cake, fresh strawberries and non-alcoholic champagne while they received their pedicures in the suite. Kate had enjoyed a massage earlier, as did each of the women in the luxury of their own hotel rooms. Now, they were gathered for their mani-pedi sessions and some catch up time. Each of the women was wrapped in a warm robe and was in various chairs surrounding a large coffee table.

Although it took almost all of Kate's strength not to behave like the Spanish Inquisition, she wanted Meredith to feel welcome. Alexis had been important to Kate since moments after she met Rick. If their household was to be happy, Meredith would have to be a part of it whether Kate wanted her to or not. She had accepted that idea. Carrying through with it was an entirely different matter.

"So tell me Meredith, have you had any interesting roles of late?" Martha asked trying to keep everyone in a friendly mood. She could feel the prickliness coming off of Kate, but she wasn't sure of the source. This had been Kate's idea.

"No, everything I try out for they say I am too old. All the other parts are for much older women, something you could do."

Martha rolled her eyes desperately fighting not to take Meredith's head off for that dig about her age, but then again she remembered being that age. She was telling the truth you are too old for some and way too young for others. Bit parts were the best you could get unless you could sing and dance, which Meredith could do neither. "That is when I spent most of my time in Broadway productions playing a middle aged mother. I think I won two or three Tony awards in that stage of my life."

Meredith's facial expression soured immediately.

Hiding her mirth, Kate smiled at Meredith, "I think something will be coming your way soon, you just have to hold out until this law suit is over."

"What do you mean?" The two actresses said in stereo.

Kate leaned toward them, "We have to have this conversation finished before Rick returns because he will be pissed that I told you." She took a deep breath and continued. "The same network and production company that is involved with doing the Jesse Stone series with Tom Selleck has decided to do the same for the Derrick Storm novels. I have heard Rick strongly suggest that the part of the liaison officer between Derrick and the CIA should be played by Meredith and I have also heard him suggest that the roles for extras should come from Martha's acting school when possible."

Both women sat stunned and staring at Kate. "But, of course, I never told either of you anything.'

Meredith looked like she was ready to cry. "I don't understand why Rick is so good to me after everything I have done to him. I destroyed our marriage; I abandoned our daughter to him and then I aired your private business on television. Why would he do this for me?" Meredith played up the melodrama and dropped an arm over her forehead in what may have been a 'woe is me' pose. Kate and Martha shared a mutual eye roll.

"Meredith you will always be the Alexis' mother. According to Richard, that is a strong motivator to keep you happy, employed and comfortable with all of us." Martha shared her thought easily.

"I wanted you to be a part of it too. Alexis' needs all of us in her life. In a few years she will meet the right man for her. I don't want us to have to fight over who can and cannot attend; who does she spend holidays with or even who she tells first that she is engaged. We are family. I want us to act like one." Kate said as she sat her dish down and began soothingly rubbing her baby bump. Occasionally Kate's face would twinge.

Meredith, who sat next to Kate, said, "You shocked me with this invitation. I don't want to intrude."

Why change now Kate thought, "You do need to know that we haven't told Alexis you were coming. We were afraid she would choose to stay at school rather than stay at the hotel for Thanksgiving. She has a lot of studying to do, but I thought-no we thought this was more important."

"Whose idea was this anyway?" Martha asked. "It doesn't feel like one of Richard's."

Kate shook her head. "No, Rick had not thought about it. He has been so tied up with dealing with Gina, the new publishing company and keeping up with the remodel of the loft that he hasn't had time to think. But, I love my husband and I love Alexis. I wanted this because this is best for them."

"Don't you hate having me here?" Meredith asked.

Kate didn't respond right away. "I don't hate it, but I don't trust you. You will have to earn that. If your name hadn't been included on that lawsuit, you wouldn't be sitting here. You demonstrated that you did care more about your family than money when you did that."

"No one is a shocked as Gina. The speech she gave me over the phone could make sailors or porn stars blush and let me tell you I would know."

"Yes dear, you definitely would." Martha couldn't resist throwing that one back at her. The three women finished with giving their pedicures, put their things away and then disappeared quickly.

"Since you brought Gina up, do you mind sharing what that meeting with her was about, the one that made the paper?" Kate asked.

"Gina tripled her offer. She threatened me with all kinds of things. But, I couldn't do it. Alexis would hate me more than she does now." Meredith's poor acting skills demonstrated how she wasn't physically afraid of Gina at all. She may have been while in her presence, but now it was kind of like talking about the boogie monster while sitting in your grandmother's lap. No threat at all.


Gina Cowan's Office

"What do you mean my attorney is not available now? I just got served papers about a counter suit. Yes, I have heard of a motion for discover. How am I supposed to print out that many emails and cover up the clients' names? My personal assistant quit and…" The secretary on the other end had hung up something about not having to listen to her scream on the line.

She stepped out into the lobby 6 young men and 3 women sat waiting impatiently for their interviews.

"You three can go and you, the one who looks like Clay Aiken, you can go too; you play for the wrong team to work here."

Gina scrutinized the remaining 5 candidates. "Let me so those resumes. Hmm."

She paused and flipped through the 5 documents. "Mr. McNair this says you have been steadily employed with a modeling agency until now. Were you a model?"

"Yes, I was, but I found God and felt it would not be the best thing for me to continue with that line of work."

"God wouldn't like you here either." She dismissed him easily turning to the remaining 4. Why did God always have to find the ones that were young enough to have great stamina and a perky ass? Why couldn't she just find a sex addict with typing skills? Are they that rare?

"Esposito, are you related to any cops? I think I am familiar with one name Javier Esposito, do you know him?"

"Javi's my cousin. Our fathers are brothers. We spend time together frequently at family gatherings. Next time I see him I will tell him you said hi."

Gina scowled down at Emilio. It was a shame to because he looked like he would have had a great body. He could work for Chippendales if the way that shirt fit was any indicator.

"In that case, you can go out the door. I didn't like him much. And then there were three. Gentlemen I will call each of you into my office one at a time. The last one of you should know that this may take some time. If you have somewhere else to be today go. If you are still interested in working here then stay where you are. And, I think you will be first." She poked the blonde James Dean look alike in the chest.

He followed her to her office where she sat down on her sofa and patted the spot next to her. "Your name is David. "

"Right."

"What did you do before this?"

"I went to college during the day, but I was a stripper to help pay for school." David looked embarrassed by his confession, but Gina patted his thigh.

"All of us have to suffer a little humiliation to get what we want out of life. What is it that you want?"

"Right now I want a job that will give me time to figure out what I want because no one is going to pay me to sit around all day watching TV in my underwear."

Gina raised her eyebrows. "That depends, what do you look like under these clothes?"

An hour and a half later, Gina had hired a new personal assistant, a new guy for the publicity department and a new bed warmer for her house. Not bad. Just when she thought God had turned his back on her, it was raining men.


AN: Tomorrow-Alexis and Thanksgiving