Rick was carving the bird when a knock at the front door was heard.
"That is them calm down everyone." Rick said.
"Oh Richard if you do not answer the door I will" Martha said.
"Well maybe you should Mother after all it is your betrothed standing out there." Rick said letting everyone know his Mother was off the market.
Martha strode to the door and opened it. Immediately she was engulfed in Jackson's strong arms.
"Hi ya Red you miss me?" Jackson said kissing the older woman.
"You bet!" Martha replied.
They broke the embrace and Martha got the first look of Caroline or Card as Jackson called her. Martha gazed at the poised young girl at first glance she thought she was looking at a young Alexis. Same red hair and same pearl blue eyes she was smaller of course but it brought back memories.
"So this is Caroline? Welcome Caroline to your new home." Martha said.
Looking up she spotted the brunette.
"Sophie! My how you have grown! Look at you!" Martha said.
Rick hearing Martha saying the word Sophie got his danger radar up!
Rick got up and ran to the door.
"Oh Mother get away from her!" Rick said alarmed. "That is Sophie Turner! She is a bad person. Sophie what are you doing here?"
"My job and it is Sophie alright but it is Hunt. Not Turner. Rick won't you let us in?" Rick was standing in front of the door.
"Yes of course it is. Sophie I never knew it was you that they were taking about." Martha said grabbing her by the arm then allowing them all to enter.
Rick stood there looking at his father and he said.
"Later I will answer them later first is to settle Card." Jackson said.
"Right Dad but you need to tell me all!" Rick said not satisfied at getting no answers to his questions at this time.
Rick but turned to Card as Jackson called her.
"Welcome Card I am…" Rick said.
"You are Richard Castle my favorite author! I loved this new recent book please say you are going to write a sequel?" Caroline squealed. Her fan girl was running at the extreme.
"Yeah that is a possibility so won't you come in and I will introduce you." Rick said closing the door.
Soon Caroline met with most of the Family she hugged Kate who was still relegated to the couch.
Then she was seated between Rick and his father and so she could look at Alexis.
Caroline looked at the young woman and marveled at how she looked so similar.
"Good genes Huh?" Alexis said.
"Card you can not talk to Alexis she can not hear you. She is partially deaf right now. But if you write it on the iPad she can answer you." Rick said pointing at the device and showed Alexis what he wrote.
"Is that not right Pumpkin?"
"Yeah Dad that is it for sure." Alexis said.
Kate on the couch was excluded from most of the conversation so Alexis was texting her. Kate had not heard what happened at the front door and could not see Sophie at the table.
Soon the living arrangements were made and Sophie left to go to her apt still without Kate knowing the brunette was ever there.
Jackson made sure of the room Card would be in then showed her with Alexis's help.
Alexis and Card were becoming fast friends.
Jackson smiled as Rick did the clean up with Jim helping.
"Jim you do not need to help me go watch the game with your daughter and Espo." Rick said.
"No Rick you guys did an excellent dinner it is only fair I help with the clean up." Jim said.
"Ok Jim you wash I dry?" Rick asked about the mound of pots and pans. Since the dishes were already loaded in the dish washer and it was turned on.
"Yeah sounds fair. So what is it with Sophie I thought she was a bad guy listening to you two carrying on?" Jim asked.
"I'm waiting to get that from Jackson myself. But as far as I knew Mother knows her. She is a relative. A cousin to Colin I understand." Rick said trying to get his head on straight about Sophie.
"And she did lots of bad things to you?" Jim asked.
"Yeah she did but I think there was a good reason. Jim. She said she is doing her job. I guess she is protecting Caroline." Rick said.
That would make sense. Since Jackson said he was staying during dinner. He said and I quote 'No more missions Jim I'm here to stay.' unquote. Jim stated verbatim.
"Yeah I know. Maybe we need to buy a bigger place with all these relatives crowding in." Rick said.
"Well Rick you do have to think in about 5 months two new arrivals too." Jim said.
"Yeah well that is it we are done thanks for the help." Rick said wiping his hands.
"My Pleasure Rick I'm glad to assist family." Jim said walking into the room to hear the screams of some sort of loss on the play. Espo's groans were the loudest.
Kate was close to Espo and it was Half time. She wanted to be brought up in the investigations.
"Lt. The task force is over. Everything has been turn over to the US attorney's office. We are done. Lanie and I are on a much needed break for 2 weeks but that means we both are working Christmas." Espo said.
"Oh you got my old shift congrats Espo!" Kate teased.
"Yeah when you said I was being advanced to Detective First Grade I did not know Lt. It came with your normal shifts of all holidays working." Espo said smirking.
"Oh Espo are you on call?" Kate asked
"Kate vacation?" Espo looked at her.
"Oh Right I remember now…No I meant on Christmas." Kate said.
"Oh yeah… on call... So is Ryan the poor guy!" Espo said.
"I see Gates is spreading the wealth?" Kate asked.
"Yeah it would be your job but you are flat out not there." Espo said.
"Hey don't blame me what I saw you'd still be working it even if I was not flat on my back." Kate said.
Rick now came in and gave his wife a kiss.
"Rick Espo said the task force is finished." Kate said.
"Oh I see well I guess I will be back on your team? Espo…?" Rick asked.
"Not what Gates' has said?" He said. "You are banned until Kate returns. Or if NYPD needs you expertise." Espo said.
"Is that what she said if she needs my expertise? Espo…?" Rick asked.
"Yeah Bro it was her exact words." Espo said.
"Wow I finally got her to like me!" Rick said stunned.
"Rick I will let you on a little secret. She has always liked you. She just does not show it all the time." Kate said kissing her husband.
\\\\\
Soon the games were done and pies were eaten and everyone had gone to their rooms or left. Then Jackson came down and saw Rick sitting with Kate.
"Guys it is time." Jackson said.
Kate and Rick listened as Jackson stated his case for Sophie.
Rick was astounded when he learned everything Sophie did was under orders from Jackson's boss the Deputy Director.
"She could not tell you anything. I am so sorry she led you to panic when you saw her on the video." Jackson said.
"So when she allowed me to craft Clara Strike character that was because…" Rick asked.
"The Deputy Director told her to do it. You see what she told you were not all that wrong. Just she omitted telling you the truth." Jackson said.
"You mean she was a KGB plant in the CIA?" Rick asked.
"Yeah she was but as a double agent or maybe a triple. It does not matter. My father Alex was a spy for the CIA and fell in love with a Russian woman also a spy. They had a son and then he had a son. This grandson of my father had Sophie with another Russian woman so she was told of her dual heritage and that was why the KGB recruited her." Jackson said.
"Rick, why are we discussing Sophie Turner?" Kate asked.
"Well because she is assigned to be Card's bodyguard out side the loft." Jackson said.
"What that woman who almost convinced me you would leave me is going to be here?" Kate said.
"No she does not have to come here just she will be tailing her." Jackson said. "Please Kate calm down. You knew that access came with a price. Sophie is your price."