Moving right along…
-d-d-d-d-d-
"How's my favorite gremlin?" Esposito greeted Alexis when he and Kevin walked into the morgue.
"I am going to kill my dad," Alexis groaned.
"Is that a metaphorical statement or a literal one?" Javier grinned, "Kev and I are homicide detectives. If it's a literal one, we're going to need to take you into custody."
"Here's a literal one for you. Call me a gremlin again and Lanie's going to have to find someone else to get freaky with."
"Ouch," Javier covered his privates with a file folder he'd brought with him, "You autopsy people have no sense of humor."
"We do too," Alexis frowned at him. "It's just about the response."
"Prove it," Javier challenged.
"Okay. A guy walks into a bar. He sits down and orders a glass of water. The bartender pulls out a shot gun and fires a shot just past the man's ear. The man thanks him, leaves a tip, and exits. Why the thank you? Why the tip?"
"What the hell kind of people were you hanging out with in New Orleans where that was considered funny?"
"See? All about the response," Alexis motioned.
"That's supposed to be funny?" Javi replied, "Seriously these gremlins are just odd, even Lanie. Can't feed them after midnight, go psycho when wet…"
Kevin snorted at the last bit when his mind flashed to a time he and the beautiful M.E. got into it in the rain.
"You still with me, Ryan?" Javier waved a hand in front of Kevin's face.
"Yeah," Kevin cleared his throat. "Just thinking about Lex's joke. Anyway, what have we got?"
"I think you're looking for someone who loved the victim."
"Lex, the guy was shot five times by the same gun," Javier scoffed.
"Exactly. You shoot someone once, you just want them dead. You shoot them five times? That's love."
"I'll keep that in mind," Espo snorted, "Anything else?"
"Yeah. Either of you have an answer for my earlier question about the guy in the bar?"
"There's an answer?" Javier looked to her in bewilderment.
"You're hopeless, Espo," Alexis turned to an open file.
Just as Esposito turned to open the door Kevin walked up next to Alexis, "Lex?"
"Yeah?"
"Guy had the hiccups," he smiled.
Alexis turned and tapped her nose.
"Dinner tonight?" he asked.
"Chinese?"
"Sarah Grace and I'll pick it up on the way to your place," he kissed her cheek before he turned to leave autopsy.
"You're turning into a Gremlin, Detective," Javier told his partner when they walked out.
"I always did like that movie," Kevin smiled.
"And getting Alexis wet?"
"None of your business," Kevin said flatly.
"So the Doc gets freaky when wet. Good to know," Javier assumed by Kevin's lack of response.
"Javi, keep that to yourself, okay? Have some respect for her."
"Always," Esposito turned serious for a brief moment. "You proposing yet?"
"I'm still married. I'm doing it right this time," Kevin said.
"You can be engaged to someone while still married to someone else. There are no laws against that," Javier responded.
"I promised Castle I'd dissolve my marriage to Jenny before I ask Alexis to marry me."
"Then do it already."
"Easier said than done. Jenny's fighting it," Kevin admitted as the two got into the elevator.
"Isn't there somewhere you can go to get a quickie divorce, like the Caymans or something?"
"I don't know if I can do that while she's incarcerated."
"No, I swear I've heard something about getting divorce in the Dominican, I think it is," he responded, "Without the other party having to be there."
"I guess I could," Kevin leaned against the wall. "Can I ask you something?"
"Go for it."
"If I do this, am I a bad guy?"
"Getting divorced so you can be happy?" Javier inquired.
"Sneaking off to do it," Kevin clarified.
"You're doing what needs to be done," Javier responded, "Your wife is in prison for likely the rest of her life for trying to kill the woman you love."
"When Lex and I get married, you're best man," Kevin smiled.
"That's a given," Espo laughed. "Had it been me last time, this whole mess would never have happened. I'm good luck."
Kevin laughed.
"How are the kids handling everything?"
"Better," Kevin nodded. "Hunter and Sarah Grace get along pretty well."
"What about Cade and Maggie? Do they know yet?"
"Cade, yes," Kevin nodded. "Maggie's four. How is Lex supposed to explain the situation to a four year old?"
"Like she would to anyone else," Javier shrugged.
"She's Castle's granddaughter. She'd probably figure it out before any of us."
Javier laughed, "You are turning into a gremlin. You know that, right?"
"If it means me and Lex until the end, then I'll happily turn into a psychotic, fury creature."
"I'm glad for you, Man," Javier smiled. "You look happy."
"Finally feel happy."
-d-d-d-d-d-d-
Kevin picked up the phone and waited for Jenny to do the same on the other side of the glass.
Jenny's icy stare sent a shiver down Kevin's spine as she lifted the receiver. "Where's my daughter?"
"At home with my mother," Kevin said calmly. "I wanted to see you first."
"You've kept my daughter from me for months," Jenny hissed, "You have no right to do that."
"Considering what you tried to have done and then what your father tried to have done, do you blame me?"
"I've owned up to my mistake," Jenny snapped at him, "I'm serving thirty years in this hell hole because I didn't want to put Sarah Grace through the turmoil of a trial. I can't control what my father did. I certainly had no knowledge of it. Let me see my daughter, or I'm going to get a court order. I'm her mother. I still have rights."
"Jenny, I'm here because Sarah Grace wants to see you, but we have to talk first," Kevin said. "I'm grateful you love Sarah Grace enough not to take this to trial. I wish your father was that considerate."
"Get to the point, Kevin," Jenny spat.
"There are some restrictions to you and Sarah Grace spending time together."
"Yeah, there's a thick wall of glass between us. That's pretty obvious," she tapped at it with her knuckles.
"I meant conversation wise," Kevin told her.
"You don't get to dictate what I discuss with Sarah Grace," she snarled at him, "You lost any bargaining chips you had when you started doing the horizontal mambo with that bimbo of yours...Tell me, Kevin, how long after I was arrested did it take her to wrap those spindly little legs around you again?"
"Alright Jen, if that's how it's going to be, Sarah Grace will be here when she can drive herself," Kevin went to hang up the phone.
"Wait," Jenny halted him.
"I'm listening," he put the phone back to his ear.
"I just want to see her," Jenny was nearly in tears, "I want to...I need to..." She took a deep breath to gain a hold on her emotions. "She's all I have left, Kevin. I'm going to be over sixty years old by the time I can get out of here. She's going to be married and a mother by then, and I'm going to miss all of that. I just want to be as much a part of her life as she'll allow."
"She misses you, Jenny. She wants to see you. No matter what went down with us, you're still her mother. I don't want to mess with that, but you can't try twisting her into knots," Kevin said. "I'm going to be with someone else. You don't have to like it or accept it, but that's the way things are."
Tears welled in Jenny's eyes at the thought that Kevin was moving on so quickly.
"I'm sorry, Jenny. I should have been honest with you when things first started to go bad all those years ago. I should have had the courage to end what was making us both miserable."
"I loved you," Jenny said.
"I loved you, too," Kevin nodded. "But it was over a long time ago, Jenny."
"What went wrong?" she asked, "How did we get to this point?"
"I don't know," Kevin shook his head. "I wish I did, but I don't."
"Was I not pretty enough for you? Not smart enough? Not what?" she pressed, "What didn't I have that made you look outside our marriage?"
"I didn't go looking for anything, Jenny. The first time I realized I wanted more than friendship from Alexis, I ran as fast as I could."
"Then how did she end up in your bed?" Jenny pressed, "Damn it, Kevin, what was it?"
"You and I grew apart," Kevin snapped at her.
"So what happens when you grow apart with this new girl?" Jenny asked.
"Jenny, I'm still in love with her after eight years apart," Kevin told her. "You and I were together every day, and we couldn't make it work."
"She kept you from your son," she reminded him.
"You kept me from my son," Kevin responded calmly, "You chased her away with threats of taking Sarah Grace from me."
"You would've left us eventually," Jenny told him.
"I still would have been Sarah Grace's father."
"Until she'd popped out a couple of your mutts," Jenny's venom came back out, "Then you would have forgotten all about our daughter."
"Is this really the woman I married?" Kevin looked at her in disbelief, "How could I have been so wrong about you?"
"I thought you were the faithful type. Looks like we were both wrong," Jenny said coldly.
"Jenny, I'm sorry. I never wanted to hurt you."
"Well, you did."
"So did you," Kevin returned, "You nearly left three kids orphaned. Do you know that?"
"I want to see my daughter," Jenny closed off all further discussion.
"And you can, but there will be restrictions," Kevin nodded.
"Fine," she sighed dramatically, "What are your damn restrictions?"
"You don't badmouth anyone," Kevin started. "You don't blame anyone for your predicament."
"So no quips about your little tartlet, got it."
"Jenny, I mean it," Kevin said firmly. "I get any kind of feeling you are trying to twist Sarah Grace around to make her feel guilty for liking the people in my life, you will never see her again."
"You can't do that," Jenny responded.
"Yes, I can. Judges aren't likely to side with a woman in jail."
"They've sided with me so far," Jenny taunted him, "We're still married, aren't we?"
"Not for much longer," Kevin told her.
"Let me see my daughter," Jenny demanded again, "I'll do whatever you ask, just let me see her."
"I'll bring her in a week or so," Kevin said. "I have something to take care of this week. Once it's done, we'll be back."
"Thank you," she replied.
"You're welcome," he said. "Take care of yourself, Jenny."
Jenny hung up the phone and turned her back on him.
-d-d-d-d-
"You gonna tell me how it went?" Javier asked his partner who had yet to say two words since he'd gotten into the car after leaving the prison.
"It went as well as it could have," Kevin growled.
"Where am I taking you?" Javier asked. "Home?"
"Yeah, but I need you to wait."
"Wait for what?" Javier looked to him in confusion.
"I need to pack a bag. You're taking me to the airport."
"Off to the Dominican?" Javi asked.
"I want my marriage to be over with," Kevin nodded.
"About damn time, Partner," Javier responded.
They drove to Kevin's mom's place, and he quickly packed a few things before telling Bridget where he was going. Then he got back in the car with Javi.
"I need to make a call," Kevin took his cell phone out and dialed as his partner drove.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Lex," Kevin smiled.
"Hey, you," Alexis's voice cheered him right up, "How's your day been going?"
"I've had better," Kevin admitted. "Look, I just wanted to let you know I'm taking a little trip."
"A little trip to where?" she asked, "I thought we were taking the kids to the Jersey Shore this weekend."
"I'll be back by the weekend," he promised. "There's something I need to get done, and I want it over with."
"Do I get a hint?" she asked sweetly.
"Let's just say, it's been a long time coming. I love you, Alexis."
"I love you, Kevin," she sighed, "Travel safe."
"I will. I'll call you tonight."
"Why didn't you tell her what you're up to?" Javier inquired as he navigated the New York City traffic.
"I want to tell her when I ask her to be my wife."
"So you're going to say, 'Hey, Baby, I'm divorced, so let's get hitched'?"
"No, I'm going to show a little more finesse than that."
"I would hope so," Javier snorted.
"How about you taking the plunge, Partner?" Kevin suggested, "You and Lanie could join us in a double wedding."
"Lanie and I decided a long time ago we weren't the marrying kind of couple."
"Coward," Kevin shook his head in amusement.
"Bite me," Javier muttered.
"Lanie's mad at you again, isn't she?" Kevin asked.
"Don't want to talk about it," Espo shut down their line of conversation.
"What'd you do?" Kevin asked.
"It was nothing," Javi responded.
"You didn't cheat on her, did you?"
"No," Javier said. "Not that I could, seeing as how we're not exclusive."
"Who'd you flirt with?"
"I didn't," he insisted.
"What did you do?" Kevin pressed.
"I said something during the heat of the moment that I shouldn't have," Javier responded.
"What did you..." Kevin suddenly realized what he'd said, "You told her that you loved her."
"Shut up," Javier grumbled.
"Oh man! You did," Kevin laughed. "And what? Now you want to take it back?"
"Oh look, we're here," Javier stopped the car.
"Double wedding here we come," Kevin pulled out his bag in the same motion as he spoke because he knew his partner would peel out.
=d=d=d=
"Men are scum," Lanie said when Kate and Alexis walked into autopsy.
"Sorry, can't agree today," Alexis smiled. "You ready to go?"
"Men are scum," Lanie repeated.
"What did Javi do?" Alexis asked.
"He's being a guy," Lanie grumbled.
"Rick does that all the time."
"Come on, Boss, first round is on me," Alexis tugged at her boss's shoulder, "Dead people will still be here when we get back in the morning."
"And we will listen to you bitch about Javi all night if you want. Rick has all the kids at the loft."
"Yeah, let's go," Lanie agreed while shedding her coat.
deet-deet
"Hang on, that's me," Alexis said. "I'll catch up with you in a few."
"Don't take too long," Lanie replied, "I need to get my drink on in a hurry."
"Be right there," Alexis promised. "Hello?"
"How's my favorite M.E.?"
"I'd be better if my favorite detective wasn't on some mysterious vacay," she replied.
"My reasons will become clear when I get home. I promise," Kevin smiled.
"Well, since you're out of town, the ladies are having a girls' night," she announced, "I'd be worried if I was you. We've discussed exotic dancing as an option."
"Yeah, I don't see you guys as the exotic dancing type," Kevin smirked. "And if you are, I want a lap dance this weekend."
"Deal," she giggled, "Trip going okay?"
"Yeah. I won't be long," Kevin said. "Stay safe tonight, okay?"
"I will if you will," she responded.
"I love you," Kevin told her. "I'll call you tomorrow?"
"You better. I love you, too."
"Come on, Doctor," Kate called out, "We're wasting time."
"The mistress beckons," Alexis giggled. "Night."
"Night."
"So I'm the mistress now," Kate laughed as she linked arms with her stepdaughter,
"Dad told about one of your early cases," Alexis smiled. "Mistress Venom?"
"Oh God. Why does he tell you these things?" Kate groaned.
"He has no filter," Alexis reminded Kate.
Lanie giggled as she listened to her friends, "Come on. Let's get our drunk on."
"Lead the way," Alexis replied.
-d-d-d-
Alexis pulled her hair back as she got ready for bed a few nights later. Just as she was about to turn off the light, her cell phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Open your front door," Kevin told her.
"Are you back?" she gave an exciting little squeal.
"Open your door and find out," he said.
Alexis left her room and walked quickly and quietly across the apartment. She unlocked the door and opened it to a smiling Kevin.
"Welcome home, Detective," she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him long and hard.
"I missed you," he said when she let him up for air.
"Missed you more," she dove in for a second kiss.
"Not possible," Kevin laughed.
"Come to bed," she asked.
"You don't have to ask me twice," he willingly allowed her to pull him to her bedroom.
