REALM OF THE FAERY: CHAPTER SEVEN

Ricky You Got Some 'Splainin To Do

The 12th precinct Monday morning, 07:00

When Rick arrived in the precinct Monday morning, he hoped that his peace offering would be enough to at least distract Beckett long enough for him to get sanctuary in Captain Montgomery's office. The distraction was the same make high end coffee maker but a newer model, much simpler to operate. Five pounds of Hawaiian blue mountain coffee, real cream, even a container of sugar free vanilla. He'd come in early and had the tech install the machine to have it up and running when the team came in. Hopefully Beckett would be too busy with learning the coffee machine to notice the girls when they were introduced to the captain. He then left to return to the loft, have breakfast and get the girls ready.

.

He told the girls to wait with the desk sergeant while he cleared it with the captain. Alexis was the darling of the precinct and often came in, after school, if Rick was there but Kenzie and Maureen were unknowns. (The desk sergeant didn't mind in the least)

Rick walked into the bullpen. He'd called the captain earlier but he wanted to double check to make sure nothing had changed. He gulped when he saw a grinning captain leaning against his desk with a fresh mug of coffee.

"Good morning Captain. Is it okay to bring the young women up?"

"Yes, it is, but bring them to the break room. My office is rather small, you know."

Rick looked like a deer caught in the headlights. Ryan, Esposito, Roz and LT were all in the break room, grinning and holding mugs of coffee. He was so busted. At least he didn't see Beckett.

"Where's Beckett?"

"She hasn't come in yet. She had an early dentist's appointment."

Rick breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe he could get the girls in and out before Beckett got back. Putting up with the other's comments would be bad enough. He went down to get the girls. Bringing them up in the elevator, Rick noticed that Alexis was perfectly calm, although sporting a sly smile. Maureen and Kenzie were both a little nervous.

"I know that you're both nervous, but you've nothing to worry about. These are all friends of mine." Kenzie smiled.

"It's only like anyone's nervous about meeting new people. Kenzie said. But all will be right, we're with The MacNeil."

Alexis said;

"Be careful, Kenzie, here he's Mister Castle. Never forget that. A slip could be disastrous. And I'm Alexis, not Brigid."

The exited the elevator and walked towards the break room. A beat cop passing through, let out a long wolf whistle. All three young women blushed. Alexis didn't realize it, but she looked a little older than she was, the Faery blood at work.

They entered the break room, to surprised looks and indrawn breaths.

Before Rick could even say anything, Esposito quoted an old sitcom line.

"Ricky, you got some 'splainin to do." Rick stammered for a moment, then got control and said;

"You know that Alexis and I had to go to Europe on an emergency. It's rather complicated. A distant cousin of mine was terminally ill. His wife had died and I was his only living relative. Maureen MacNeil is his daughter She is fourteen and is my ward. I have all the documents with me. She, of course is living with us. Kenzie MacNeil is her first cousin and was living with Ian MacNeil She's an orphan and didn't want to be separated from her cousin. She is twenty. She is not living with us, but will be working as our housekeeper."

Kenzie was a brunette with brown eyes and Maureen a green-eyed blonde. But their facial features were close enough alike to be sisters. (they weren't, they were first cousins) Rick introduced everyone to the girls. Ryan blurted out;

"Fourteen, you've got to be kidding. She doesn't look fourteen." She was and had the typical redhead's temper.

"Who are you to be saying what I look like, you overgrown Leprechaun? * I'll thank you not to challenge Mister Castle's word."

The break room erupted in laughter at a red-faced Ryan's expense. Beckett chose that moment to walk in. She took one look at Castle and the girls and said;

"Just what the hell is going on in here?"

Captain took the documents from Castle, with a grin.

"Let me have a look at these, Castle. I wouldn't want them incinerated. Young ladies, would you like soda's?" Alexis answered for them.
"Yes, thank you, Captain Montgomery. We would. Come on, Maureen, Kenzie."

"The rest of you, clear out. Castle and Beckett need to discuss this in private.

Beckett is seething. "What the hell Castle? You're gone for two months, back not even two weeks and you're off again with that black-haired witch for almost another two weeks and you come back with two gorgeous young women. You're supposed to come back to me!"

"Kate, calm down. You're overreacting. Please let me explain."

"Explain that you're back to your playboy ways? You take off with MS sex on wheels, come back with two gorgeous babes! Damn it, Castle!" She was both furious and close to tears. Castle's own temper, already stressed, exploded.

"Damn it, Beckett shut up! There you go pre-judging me, again! You don't get to do that anymore. You're going to sit there and listen to me, while I explain or I walk out of here for good. There are at least five other precincts that have asked for me."

Kate stared at Rick in shock. He'd never openly lost his temper with her, never took her to task.

"Aine lives. in Scotland. Alexis and did go there for things that needed to be done. As for the Babes, they are that. Maureen is fourteen and my ward. Kenzie is twenty and will be working as our housekeeper. I don't molest children and I don't sleep with women who work for me. If you want conformation, talk to Alexis and the girls. On second thought, don't bother. If you don't trust me by now, you never will. You can go back to your biker boyfriend. He opened the door and stormed out. Alexis, Maureen, Kenzie, come on, we're out of here!"

Still frozen in shock, Kate almost didn't react in time. Rick was pushing the button for the elevator. She caught up to him just as the elevator door opened. "Please don't go, I'm sorry."

"I'm going for a walk, to cool down. I suggest that you have a coffee from the new machine and talk to Alexis. The MacNeil girls too, if you want to. Give us a minute.

Rick turned toto the girls as Beckett walked back into the break room.

"I lost my temper with Beckett. I'm going for a walk to cool down. Alexis, I think Beckett's going to talk to you. Stick to the story." He stalked out of the precinct.

The three girls joined Beckett in the break room.

Alexis took a sterner tone than Beckett thought a girl her age could.

"Detective Beckett, you're on very thin ice with my dad. Accusing him of being a playboy again. That stopped a long time ago. That rather thin apology you just made may not do it. Dad very seldom walks away from a discussion. Maureen is indeed Dad's ward, and Kenzie is Maureen's cousin. Dad agreed to hire her, so Maureen will have someone familiar in a strange household and country.

Maureen said;

"I know that ye may not ken it, but I truly am fourteen. I ken that I look older, but I'm not, and Kenzie is my cousin. We would say nighean- frithealaidh." Kenzie said;

"Handsome as the very devil, he is, Mister Castle, but he's my boss and way too old for me. I do not like what you were saying. He's a fine man to do what he has for us."

All three girls were using their mental powers, lightly, so that Kate would believe them.

Kate was just a little hazy, listening to the girls, but shrugged it off as stress and finally believed them. She was on pins and needles for the next hour. The girls were chatting, easily with Karpowsky and Evans, Karpowsky's partner.

Rick finally walked in; his anger cooled. It was partly an act, but not entirely. He was going to have a hell of a time, explaining everything to Beckett if he ever got her to Faery. Hopefully he would have help. (And a good suit of armor)

Beckett came to him as soon as he walked in. The look on her face, a mixture of confusion and a little of sorrow. She took his arm and said;

"Please come to the break room." She closed the door and shut the blinds. She then took both his hands.

"I'm so deeply sorry, Rick, it was jealousy speaking and I'm so insecure when it comes to you. Please forgive me." Please don't leave me Rick was almost as shocked as Beckett. Even with the girls' influence He could hardly believe Beckett would admit any weakness, or show him any contrition. Rick said, in a cool tone;

"I forgive you Beckett, but my toleration has a limit. Another accusation like that and I'll be gone, for good. She looked into his eyes.

"Thank you, Rick, I'll really try to be better." I so want to kiss him, but we're not there yet. He'll think it's a ploy

"Try won't be good enough, Beckett. You will have to do."

Rick looked at his watch. "I'll see you tomorrow, Beckett. I've got to get the girls home; Alexis has some schoolwork to catch up on and I've still got arrangements to make for Maureen's school." (that was true)

Rick came in the next three days, but no new bodies dropped in the 12th. Precinct and Kate's team had the weekend off. Rick decided to take Alexis to Epona and sign Maureen and Kenzie up. Charis was more than happy to see them again although Charis did look askance at the two Faery girls. Mr. Whitsett was overjoyed to not only get two more members but also the sale of tack, boots and riding apparel. Rick bought Guinness and Jamil. Maureen and Kenzie would have their choice of available horses after a couple of rides.

They started out slow but as soon as they reached the main trail, Rick took Guinness out for a hard run exorcising more of his anger and frustration. Charis was surprised not only that Kenzie and Maureen were already experienced riders, but how much Alexis had improved in just a couple of rides. Rick returned, grinning happily. He suggested that they all have dinner at The Paddock. Charis was happy to be included in the invitation and managed to sit next to Rick, pressing her thigh against his.

He was well aware that she was hoping for another date, He wasn't sure if he should ask her. He was able to evade going to her apartment the last time but was certain that he wouldn't be able to do it again without hurting her feelings.

At one time, a night or a few nights of sex without commitment would have been fine with him, but he wasn't that man anymore.

He sure as hell couldn't explain his reasons to Charis.

Alexis, sensing his discomfort and the reasons for it said;

"Dad, hadn't we better make it an early evening? You have to prepare for Monday, in the precinct."

"The precinct?" Charis asked.

Rick explained his situation with the NYPD. Charis accepted the story and was disappointed but wasn't about to give up.

Alexis' excuse was stretching the truth a little but Rick was happy to take advantage of it, as he wasn't about to take advantage of Charis, even if she was a willing participant. He decides to at least honor the excuse and, on Sunday spent a couple of hours on the range, scheduled a spar at a friend's gym and finished with a saber-fencing session. He was tired after his work out and didn't feel like cooking. He decided to treat the Faery girls to a meal they'd probably never had. He ordered a barbecue sampler platter from Texas Ted's. Happily watching as the girl's faces lit up in delight at the tangy new tastes. He followed with pralines and ice-cream. He watched an old John Wayne movie, North to Alaska and went to bed early, after bidding the girls good night, as Monday was a school day and they needed to be in bed.

His phone jarred him awake. He blearily looked at the time displayed time. 05:30. What the hell? The call wasn't from Beckett, but straight from dispatch. How did that happen?

(Captain Montgomery, noting the tension between Castle and Beckett and fearing Rick might ignore her call, had talked to the commissioner who authorized the access.)

Rick took a quick shower, shaved and dressed in black trousers, a dark blue button-down, a dark gray sport coat and black boots. He almost forgot his pistols, turning back and arming himself, including the Kershaw folding fighter. Errol would have had a sharp word with him for his almost forgetfulness. He laughed at the thought of that.

He didn't want to waste time calling a taxi, so he took his SUV. He stopped at his favorite shop and bought five coffees, a bear claw for Beckett a breakfast sandwich for himself and doughnuts for Lanie, Ryan and Esposito.

He arrived at the address and as he got out of his SUV, LT handed him a NYPD placard to put on his windshield. Rick thanked him and walked into the rather5 upscale apartment building. Another uniformed officer directed him to the second floor. Kate was waiting outside apartment 204. She smiled at him and even larger at the sight of the coffees and pastries. Oh, I hope that means we're headed back to where I want us to be.

"Good morning Rick."

"Good morning Kate, what do we have?"

"One of your specials Rick. A weird one. It's a couple, they're in the bedroom."

Rick walked in, set the food and drinks on the coffee table and followed Kate into the bedroom. Lanie was leaning over the bodies, Ryan and Esposito writing in their notebooks.

A couple who looked to be in their late twenties or early thirties lay, face up on the bed. They were semi-dressed in high-end costumes. She as a queen, he as a knight. Their hands were tied to the headboard, both gagged. Her skirt was hiked above her waist, her panties gone, she'd been shot in the groin and abdomen His pants and boxers on the floor, he'd also been shot in the groin and abdomen, as well. There was a note, printed in gothic script. A shameless queen, a faithless knight did truly earn this dreadful plight. Esposito looked up.

"Hey Bro, all are cases pretty standard till you got back. What di8d you do, bring the weird fairies with you?"

"Shut it, Espo. Kate said. If you're done taking notes go out in the living room and give us room to look this over."

"There are doughnuts and coffee out there, Rick said, but leave the bear claw and sandwich alone." Ryan and Esposito quickly left the bedroom.

"What have you got, Lanie?" Kate asked.

"I can't say for sure, until I get them back to the morgue but preliminary cause of death is gunshot wounds. Medium caliber, .32 or .38.

"Who found the bodies?" Rick asked.

"Neighbor, going in to work at Sal's bakery. Saw the door ajar. Called out, no answer so he went in. He immediately called 911. He's next door, waiting to be interviewed. He was pretty shaken."

"Any ID's?"

"Yes, this is her apartment. She's Gwen Pender, 28. He's Lance Lake. 30."

Rick shook his head and groaned.

"You've got to be shitting me."

"What do you mean?"

First the costumes, then the note and now the names. Queen and knight. Gwen Pender.

Lance Lake. Guinevere Pendragon. Lancelot Du Lac. Either some nut-job is living out his fantasy or the perp wants us to think that. Either way, this one is a going to be a pain in the ass." Kate sighed.

"the CSU guys are on their way. Let's get out of here. I want my coffee and my bear claw!"

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Swordwriter

In the Faery world Leprechauns exist, although they are not magical creatures, they are simply a smaller breed of humans, like the pygmies of Africa but Caucasian. The males averaging 1.3 meters tall, the females 1.2. They tended towards red or auburn hair and green or brown eyes. The pot of gold stories came about because they seemed to have an acumen for finance and were most often the bankers of Faery.