Alexis Rodgers

Chapter 20

"This is hand-to-hand training?" Alexis got up off the floor yet again and tried to suck in some much needed air. It seemed to her that hand-to-hand training was letting Kate throw her to the floor. AND. IT. HURT!

"You have to learn how to fall. The idea is not to try and win every battle but to win the war. So you're going to get thrown around some and you need to learn how to land. Otherwise when you land you're going to break something and the battle and the war is over," Kate explained. "Ready?" She got into her stance and waited for Alexis to get into hers.

"Do I have choice?" Alexis got into hers and in moments was hitting the floor.

###V##][##V###

They were still at it only now they had an audience. "Ouch!" Ann cringed as Alexis hit the floor yet again.

"You could at least let her win once in a while, Kate," Ann called out.

"She is winning, Hastings. She's learning how to hit the floor and not break something," Kate said and got into her stance.

"That's not winning, Kate. That's called…OUCH!" Ann cringed as Alexis hit the floor yet again. "Okay, time out." Ann used her hands to make that time out signal that refs used in football all the time.

Kate walked over to her towel and picked it up to wipe away the sweat. She did have to admit that Alexis was getting better at hitting the floor. So they were making progress.

Kate turned around and watched as Ann went back to where she was and Kate walked out to keep teaching Alexis how to hit the floor.

Kate was in her stance and Alexis was soon in hers. Kate used her move that would have Alexis on the floor yet again only to find she wasn't actually there. At least not for long enough and suddenly she was hitting the floor.

Kate was lying there, looking up at a triumphant Alexis who was holding her arms high.

"Nice work! How was that, Kate? Did you hit the floor and not break anything?" Ann started laughing.

Kate assumed that Ann must have told her something so this time Kate was going to be ready for whatever it was. It had been fast she knew that much. It had also had her ending up on the floor for a change.

THUMP! And Kate was on the floor again. Kate got up slowly. "Leg sweep, huh?" She had caught on fast to what Alexis was doing.

"You don't weigh as much as that bozo at the train station." Alexis got into her stance and watched as Kate did the same.

THUD! Alexis hit the floor. Her little trick hadn't worked that time.

###V##][##V###

Kate was a little sweaty and Alexis was a mess as they sat down next to each other.

"So why are you two up here?" Ann was curious. She had heard rumors that Kate had someone special in her life and there was good money on it not being a guy.

"I have hand-to-hand training coming up soon at the Academy. I want to be ready." Alexis was still motivated to be first in her class.

"Well so long as Kate doesn't kill you, you're going to do great." Even as short a time Ann had been watching Alexis was doing pretty well. "So the rumors are true. Guess I know who I'll be putting my money on." Ann got up to leave.

"MONEY! What money?" Kate called after her but Ann kept walking and they didn't see the smile that was on her face.

"You don't suppose?" Alexis was smart and quick.

"There's a secret pool in the office about who I'm involved with," Kate finished. Finding out should be easy. All she had to do was get Lanie drunk enough to loosen her lips.

###V##][##V###

By the time they were home Alexis was feeling it. She was, at best, shuffling her feet and was quietly thankful for the elevator. Though not quite as thankful that Kate's apartment was closer to the end of the hall.

"I need a shower. I feel like shit." Alexis dragged herself toward the bedroom.

"What I need is coffee." She could shower after Alexis was done.

"And I'm using up all the hot water, too," Alexis yelled from the bedroom. Which had Kate thinking her shower might be much later after her water heater had had a chance to recover.

Kate was standing there watching her coffee maker working and trying to breathe in the fumes of it making coffee. Then Alexis screamed.

Her weapon was in the bedroom where it always was, but Kate went running anyway. She didn't see her in the bedroom and the closet door was open so not in there.

"Lex?" It really only left one place unless she had chosen to hide under the bed.

"In here." Kate leaped for the bathroom door that was closed and when she opened it, it slammed into Alexis who was just the other side.

"OW!" Now even her nose hurt. Still she backed up and this time Kate carefully opened the door to see Alexis standing there, naked.

It wasn't right and she knew she would pay for this later but... Kate began laughing her ass off.

"Laugh it up, fuzzball." Alexis was not amused as Kate just stood there, or tried to keep standing there as she looked at her and kept laughing.

"I'll go get…" Kate went back to laughing. "I'll get…" She continued laughing. "Ice pack." Kate managed to barely walk while still laughing.

Alexis meanwhile had closed the door since the full length mirror was on the inside of the bathroom door. Alexis twisted and turned to look at herself. Or what used to be her. "JUST ONE!" Oh, she was in so much trouble! Alexis was still looking at all the bruises that she swore covered every square inch of her body. It did at least explain why she could barely walk.

Alexis heard a knock then the door slowly opened and an ice pack was passed to her. "How much ice do we have?" Alexis asked Kate since they had a tub that only Kate used.

"Not that much." She had like four trays of ice cubes in the freezer and that was only thanks to Alexis. Kate typically didn't have any ice. "I'll go get some bags of crushed ice. Take a shower, cold water only," Kate called out to her and left. She had just made it to the door when the visual of Alexis popped up in her head and she broke down laughing again.

"NOT FUNNY!" Alexis yelled from the bathroom.

###V##][##V###

"How you doing?" Kate checked on her after emptying three bags of crushed ice into the tub then filling it with cold water. She'd watched as Alexis gingerly stepped into the tub and complained all the way until she was lying down.

"I'm going to turn into a Popsicle if I stay in here much longer." Alexis wasn't sure which was worse: her bruises, of which she had plenty, or the damn ice water.

"Okay hop out and let's get you dry." That ice water should be able to keep most of the bruising down. "I'm really sorry, Lex." Kate knew she had done this to her.

"You should be. I look like one of those aliens in Star Wars or something." She was exaggerating but it did have Kate snickering while trying not to laugh outright.

"I want you to get into bed and let's wrap you up, nice and warm." Cold first then hot to relax the muscles.

While Alexis slowly and gingerly tried to work out how to get into bed without causing herself pain, Kate began stripping off her clothes.

Once Alexis was in bed Kate got into the bed and worked at snuggling close. It was just that everything she did had Alexis moaning. "Damn it, Lex, where doesn't it hurt?" Neither of them were going to get any sleep if they couldn't wrap themselves around the other.

"Here." Alexis moaned as she reached to touch her cheek and instantly Kate kissed that spot. "Here isn't so bad." Alexis touched her lips and saw Kate finally smile and kiss her.

It did hurt a little but soon they were doing nothing but kissing as Alexis tried not to move. Sex was certainly out for tonight. However that didn't stop them from kissing the other.

###V##][##V###

Kate was barely half dressed the next morning while Alexis was sitting on the bed, working out how to get her shoes on and tied. Last night had been bad. This morning wasn't any better.

"You want me to tie your shoes for you?" Kate teased her.

"Oh, shut up," Alexis snapped tartly since she wasn't amused. "Okay, fine." Alexis held out her shoe and lifted her foot off the ground.

Alexis watched as Kate put on her shoe for her and tied the laces. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Alexis thought she saw a hint of a grin.

Kate lied through her teeth and hid her ever widening grin. "No, of course not!"

"If we had straps I'd tie you to the bed tonight just for that," Alexis threatened and as Kate turned to look at her with a mix of shock on her face and one of glee. "Kate?" Was she seeing what she thought she was seeing? Kate had an excellent poker face so it could be hard to tell sometimes.

"I'll pick them and a couple of other items up on the way home tonight. Provided you feel up to using them since you can barely move at all." Now Kate was really smiling.

"We have Advil or Tylenol or something to kill the pain. Speaking of which, I need to take some with me or I might not make it home tonight to even try to tie you to the bed." Alexis stuck out her other foot since Kate was done with that one. "And I am tying you to the bed tonight so you better remember or it's a spanking instead."

"Decisions, decisions," Kate answered and grinned at Alexis.

###V##][##V###

Alexis was gone and as bad as Alexis felt, Kate almost felt even worse. It was supposed to be a simple hand-to-hand class. She had wanted to teach Alexis how to land without breaking something. It hadn't really occurred to her that Alexis would end up so bruised.

Still that was one of the things she loved so much about Alexis's body. It was young and supple and terribly tasty. Now she was bruised all over.

Alexis went to school hurting and Kate went into work dejected. She had hurt Alexis and she hadn't meant to.

###V##][##V###

Kate got off the elevator and saw Eva at her desk with a dog lying at her feet.

Kate stopped at her desk. "That's a dog."

"Very good, Captain." Eva smiled at her and saw the look she was getting. "His name is Royal and he was Francisco's dog. I can't find any of his family and he needed somewhere to stay."

Kate knew Francisco was on the murder board.

"He's not staying with me," Javi sounded off since he didn't do well with dogs.

Eva patted her legs and Royal was up and his front end was now on her legs. "You don't want to go home with him do you, Royal?" Eva cooed at him. "You wouldn't tell anyone if he went down a well would you, Royal?" Eva played with him and kissed him.

"Ha ha." Javi wasn't amused.

"Fine, he can stay. Just make sure he isn't here when Alexis shows up." Kate knew Alexis. Her heart was so big they would have the dog in the apartment and all that it entailed. Not that Kate knew Alexis was going to show up. In fact she was betting she would be asleep when she got home.

"You're such a good dog. Oh, we need water bowls, food bowls, and most of all, dog food." Eva had his leash and collar.

"Javi will got get it." Kate volunteered him for the job.

"Beckett? I mean, Captain?" He didn't want the job.

"Go get what he needs, Eva. Just don't be gone too long. And take Royal with you. …Wait! Does Lanie know about this?" They'd found a place just a couple of days ago and had likely spent just one night in it together.

"Of course. Royal even saw his master killed." Eva walked over to the elevator with Royal.

"Make sure Royal sees all of your suspects. If he liked Francisco he's going to recognize who was in that room." Kate pointed at Javi and Kevin.

###V##][##V###

Kate was standing next to Eva, Kevin, and Javi. "When Miss Cappuccio went past my desk, the bug detector we found that Francisco had went off," Kevin explained and displayed the detector in the evidence bag.

"She's bugged?" Kate questioned. Partly because just where was she hiding the wire wearing that! It was sprayed on.

"Well no, not here." Kevin wasn't sure this was going to go over well.

"Show her," Eva asked him and Kevin walked over to the TV monitor and turned it on.

"Boobs!" Kate saw nothing but boobs.

"Not just any boobs. Her boobs." Eva indicated Cappuccio.

Kate looked between the two. "The dog collar has a camera in it?"

"Word has it that she takes that dog everywhere with her. And I mean everywhere," Eva said with a sigh.

"More bugs." Kate pinched the bridge of her nose. "Get Toni up here and find out what she can learn. This looks a little better than that over the counter stuff."

"Javi, Kevin, now!" These two were still watching the TV and her boobs.

"Men!" Eva shook her head. "Oh the power of cleavage." Eva smiled since while she wasn't as big as Cappuccio, she wasn't that much smaller than she was.

Kate smiled wide since she did know what she was talking about. "Good thing I don't have to worry what men think about my boobs." She knew Alexis loved her boobs given how much attention she paid to them.

"Find out who's watching this." Kate left her to watch Cappuccio's boobs and went back to her office.

###V##][##V###

Kate needed coffee and while the stuff in the office was still crap, she needed coffee and wasn't interested in going down the street for the good stuff.

"Miss Cappuccio." She was literally sitting on Eva's desk with her dog in her hands while Royal was sniffing up both of them.

"I had no idea, Captain. I swear. I don't want to think what someone has seen. My image is everything." Kay really couldn't believe it.

"Kay here has agreed to watch Royal for me," Eva told her.

"Royal is such a sweet dog and we both love him already. Don't we," she cooed and kissed the dog in her arms. "Oh, then we're going out on a date." Kay sounded so happy about that.

Kay saw the look of shock on Kate's face. "Privately I make sure my friends know that I'm a lesbian. Just don't tell anyone. My image needs to be maintained. I don't like it but I can't control it."

"My lips are sealed." Kate smiled at Eva who had a massive blush working its way up her face.

"I love that blush. It's so sweet," Kay told Eva as Kate went to the breakroom only to turn around and go back to get her purse.

"I'm going to go get coffee in case anyone wants to know," Kate said.

"Espresso with some steamed milk, milk foam, and a sprinkle of cocoa powder on top, please." Eva searched for her purse to give Kate money.

"Keep your money." Kate repeated her order," steamed milk, milk foam, and sprinkle of cocoa powder."

"I got hooked on the stuff in France," Eva explained.

"I love her little accent." Kay was bubbling over, enjoying her time talking with Eva. Since Kay was no longer a suspect Eva was free to talk to her and make a date with her.

###V##][##V###

"You're home." Alexis was starting to wonder just when Kate was planning to come home.

"We needed groceries if either of us are going to cook." Actually cooking again had become fun. It was a fun time with her mother that she could actually enjoy doing again. Not that learning to cook had really been all that much fun at the time. Still Kate was glad that she remembered what her mother had taught her.

"So what do you want for dinner tonight? I bought most everything we normally use," Kate questioned her.

"Later, come sit." Alexis patted the floor space next to her and waited for Kate to sit next to her.

"What are we doing?" Kate saw paper, envelopes, crayons, glue, and even a little glitter. She didn't do crafts.

"This one is yours." Alexis laid a blank piece of paper in front of her. "You are going to write a letter to Santa."

"Lex!?" Kate had no plans whatsoever to write a letter to Santa. When suddenly she felt Alexis's fingers was lightly taking hold of her ear.

"You're going to tell Santa that you're very sorry for not believing in him. After that you're going to tell him what you want for Christmas. Then put on some lipstick, kiss the paper, and sign it." Alexis used her free hand to set the tube of lipstick in front of Kate.

"If you don't." Alexis squeezed her fingers just a touch but still didn't cause pain. …Yet!

Kate thought about removing Alexis's hand from her ear. Problem was she loved Alexis and if she did that it would just make her angry. "This means a lot to you?"

"Yes. So tell Santa that you're sorry and that you believe in him again. …WRITE!" Kate was too slow in responding to her command. Alexis tapped her finger on the blank piece of paper.

"You are very, very sorry." Alexis was watching each and every word that Kate wrote. If it wasn't perfect Kate would get a fresh piece of paper and start over.

"Now tell him what you want for Christmas. I won't look." Alexis removed her hand from Kate's ear and turned away. Though she did peek to see if she actually wrote something.

"Done." Kate couldn't believe she was doing this. What she had asked for was stupid with no chance that Santa would deliver. Thereby proving that Santa didn't exist.

"Sign it with your full name and here's the lipstick." Alexis moved the lipstick just a touch and watched Kate sign, apply the lipstick, and kiss the paper after folding it first.

"Perfect! Here's the glue, and the glitter, and the crayons to draw trees, Santa, reindeer, snowmen, snowflakes, whatever." Alexis moved those a little closer to Kate.

"Lex." Kate thought she had done enough and saw Alexis raise her hand toward her ear. "This is blackmail, you know. You're going to get a lump of coal for this."

"See, you already believe in Santa! Now get to work. You want your letter to stand out from all the others. Make sure it's one that Santa himself will read."

Kate narrowed her eyes. "I thought Santa read all the letters."

"And you said you had stopped believing in Santa! Sounds like you know all about him to me. …Now DRAW!" Alexis tapped her letter with a finger and watched Kate draw various things around the edges.

"Happy?" Kate was done.

"Very!" Alexis kissed her cheek. "You can make dinner while I deliver these." Alexis folded her letter and stuffed it into a red envelope that was already pre-addressed and got up.

"Don't you need stamps?" She was mailing these to the dead mail bin at the post office after all.

"Nope! Not if you know where to take them." Alexis waved her letter and Kate's letter at her and was beaming. Her dad had taught her just where to take the letters. She almost always got what she had asked from Santa. "I'll be back."

It wasn't even officially December yet and Kate was starting to wonder just what Alexis was going to do to the place. She hadn't celebrated Christmas since her mother had died.

It wasn't that her place was small but it wasn't the loft either. She didn't want to think what Castle had spent to buy that place. The building wasn't all that tall but it was the penthouse for that building.

Kate assumed she would just have to wait and see.