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"Hey Pumpkin," he greets as Alexis enters, "Do you need something else."
"Yeah," she says, a little shaken," When you and Grams were talking...I was…I was…"
"Eavesdropping?
"Yea, sorry?"
"Between your Grams, Meredith, and me," Rick smirks, "It's likely hereditary."
"Why didn't you tell me the real reason you and mom split up?" Alexis blurts.
"It's not that simple," he deflects in a forlorn hope.
"SHE CHEATED!" Alexis yells, "How can you stand to be civil to her."
"She brought you into this world," Rick smiles, "And that counts as everything for me,"
"I'm sure she'll remind me when she wants money someday," her face gets angry.
"Come on, Pumpkin," Rick replies calmly, "She loves you as best she can."
"You remember the same childhood as me?"
"Okay, she's just little messed up," he replies.
"Dad, the Middle East is a little messed up," Alexis spits out, "When you and Gina were getting close, mom tried get me to split you up.
"She said if you two had kids, you wouldn't have as much time for me. I'd have to divide everything with them. Took ne a bit to figure out she meant money for her."
"Well, she was wasting her time," Rick responds, "You're too honest and I managed to wreck things with Gina all by myself."
"I still think you should've told me," Alexis counters.
"She's your mom," Rick responds, "When would've been good time to reveal she's a…"
"A slut, a whore, a prostitute!" Alexis snaps.
"Watch it!" Rick gets angry, "However I feel about her, you show her respect."
"What about my respect for you?" Alexis asks, "The way you wouldn't talk about it and after Gina, I started to think…well."
"That it was my fault?" Rick points at himself, "Why didn't you just ask me?"
"Not that easy," she replies, "This was when you were going on all those red-carpet dates and signing all those chests."
"Made easier to think I cheated, huh?"
"So, I asked her," Alexis reveals.
"What did she say?" Rick narrows his eyes.
"She said you didn't cheat," Alexis replies, "She said the marriage was great. Then one day she realized you knew everything about her, enough to fill a million novels."
"Well, I'm observant," Rick Replies, "And Meredith…well…isn't. I people watch. She self-watches."
"Alright," Alexis sighs, "She also said that she didn't know enough about you to even write a pamphlet. She said your marriage went one way, and that wasn't enough."
Rick pinches the bridge of his nose and chuckles.
"Your mom is a master of spin," he says, "I'm surprised she's not on FOX News. She and I didn't have a lot of time to get to know each other.
"Your mother likes to talk on and on about her favorite topic, herself. Of course, I was going to know more."
"You had a 24-hour news feed," Alexis chuckles.
"Exactly," Rick nods, "I'm a very private person which I made clear to her and we didn't have a foundation of trust before we got married.
"Deep down I guess I knew that anything I shared would end up in the press, spun to her advantage."
"Yeah, I get it," she makes a sour face.
"Pumpkin," Rick continues, "Knowing your mother's ability embellish, why did you just accepted her explanation without asking me. I'm not mad or anything, simply curious."
"It was a very harmless explanation," Alexis replies, "One I could live with.
"It satisfied your curiosity but without wrecking your world?"
"Yes," she says hesitantly, "You never lie to me. I was afraid what the truth might be if something different, something aweful. I guess I was right."
"Life isn't a buffet where you pick the answers you like," Rick responds, "How many times have you told climate change deniers the same thing?"
Alex chuckles but gets serious.
"Dad, there's something more."
"This does not sound good."
"It's not," Alexis answers nervously, "Remember when mom stayed with us and Beckett when I had mono."
"How can I forget," he rolls his eyes.
"I eavesdropped on mom and Kate," she continues, "Kate asked the same question and got the same answer almost word for word."
"Actresses rehearse," Rick rolls his eyes, "I'm sure she told the story dozens of times."
"And I caught a glimpse of Kate's face, and what mom said seemed to unsettle her."
Rick sighs.
"I'm sorry daddy," Alexis says on the verge of tears.
Rick takes her in into a tight hug.
"It's not your fault," he says, "Your mother could've driven Gandhi to violence."
"Growing Pains?" She guesses the sitcom he pulled the quote from.
"Family ties."
Alexis chuckles.
"Maybe I'm not ready to make a decision as an adult?" she laments.
"Oh, no, you're going to," He counters, "But I don't want you to base it on guilt."
Then he kisses her forehead.
But her eye catches a glimpse of something.
"What is that?" she points at an object on his desk.
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Office of the Police Commissioner
NYPD Headquarters
1 Police Plaza Path,
New York, NY 10038
"Captain Gates is here, Sir," a female voice says over the intercom.
"Thank you, Baker," The Commissioner's gruffly responds, "Send her in."
"Captain Gates is escorted in by a young, blonde plainclothes policewoman.
"Victoria, thank you for coming," the Commissioner says rising and extending his hand.
"My pleasure, Sir," Gates responds.
"That will be all Baker," he dismisses his assistant., "Please have a seat."
The Commissioner gestures to a chair in front of his desk before sitting back down.
"May I ask why you wanted to see me, Sir?" Gates asks.
"Rick Castle."
"I should mention something before we start?" she replies.
"Please," he signals her to proceed.
"Mr. Castle may soon end his association with the NYPD," she says nervously.
"You mean Detective Beckett's job prospects in DC?" he raises his eyebrows.
"You know about that, Sir?" Gates asks, surprised.
"Yes," he replies, "However, the outcome of her interview is irrelevant."
"It is?" she says confused.
"It's a private matter between them," he replies, "I sill leave it at that."
"Understood," she nods.
"Rick's relationship with the NYPD will no longer be tied to Detective Beckett."
"What will be his relationship with the NYPD?"
"We'll get to that in a minute, but I want to talk with you for a bit," he replies.
"Alright, sir," she's getting really nervous.
"When you took over the 12th," he begins, "I informed you that both the mayor and I considered Rick Castle a valuable asset.
"And the first thing you do is eject him without so much as reviewing his past work with us, talking with him, or meeting with me."
"Sir, you told me that your Captains had a free hand in running their precincts."
"The Mayor did not," he replies.
"So, I'm supposed to run my precinct around the Mayor's poker buddy?"
"You really didn't do your research, did you?" he responds.
"I've seen this type of politics before," she replies, politicians doing a ride along for a wealthy doner wanting to play cop."
"You actually believe that to be the case?" Commissioner asks.
"Isn't, Sir," she's starting to get nervous.
"1981," he expounds, "Our mayor was a skinny, underweight 9-year-old set upon by some older kids, bullies. He was getting the snot knocked out of him.
"Out of nowhere, another 9-year-old, someone Weldon didn't even know, jumps into help him, Rick Rodgers now Rick Castle."
"I've never heard this before," she says a little in shock.
"Because they don't talk about," Commissioner relies, "In Vietnam, complete strangers became lifelong friends when fighting for our lives.
"We barely talk about it to each other much less outsiders. It's something I thought only happened with adults, but I guess it can happen with 9-year-olds too."
"If they don't talk about it," she asks, "How do you know?"
"The two kids weren't doing so well," he answers, "But they still, they manage to get away. The bullies give chase. Luckily, two cops happened by and broke it up."
He takes out a framed photo and hands it to her. It has two adults and two eleven-year-old boys holding a trophy.
"It was taken a couple of years later," he states, "The two scamps are Rick and Bobby, and I'm sure you recognize the two adults."
"You and Roy Montgomery," Gates says.
"I was Roy's Lieutenant back then," he explains, "We encouraged the boys to join the
Police Athletic League. Roy especially kept an eye on Rick since he had no father.
"He helped raise him from a pup. He even got the budding writer to enter the 'Commissioner for a Day Essay Contest' which he won.
"This picture was from when the kids won a science fair. Roy and I helped them with their project, on police forensics."
"Why are you telling me all this."
"I wanted you to understand how badly you screwed up," he replies.
"Then why wasn't my decision reversed?"
"Rick was too pissed off to come back," he replies, "Because you cold cased the attempted assassination of Detective Beckett at Roy Montgomery's funeral."
"Sir, I was following procedure," she counters.
"A decorated Officer was hit," he snaps, "Eulogizing her Captain, my friend, the Mayor's unofficial godfather at Cypress Hill, the Police Arlington, NYPD's most hallowed ground.
"The Mayor, most of the top brass, and I, and were there. This was an attack on the entire NYPD! By a professional mercenary similar to the ones Roy died fighting.
"If it takes one hundred years, we don't let this pass. The Mayor was so pissed he wanted you reassigned to godforsaken command in the NYPD.
"The only reason you weren't is the support of your Rabbi, the Speaker of the City Council who wants you to be the first Female African-American Police Commissioner."
"I wasn't aware of her interference," she says honestly, "But sir, I couldn't do miracles. It's not like I had a secret weapon."
"Yes, you did," he snaps, "But you showed him the door."
"Now, I can't lose an asset like Rick Castle, again," he states, "So, I need to make changes."
"Changes?" her blood runs cold.
"For one, he explains, "He's being removed from your direct authority. Your style of command may not be conducive to his best work.
"Does that mean he's leaving the 12th?" she asks.
"Not even close," he replies.
"I don't understand, Sir," a bigger feeling of dread hits her.
"I've decided to promote Rick Castle."
"Sir, how can he be promoted?" Gate stifles the urge to yell. "He's not a cop."
"He's going to be an Assistant Deputy Commissioner."
"Oh, God no."
"His rank will be equivalent to an Assistant Chief," he adds.
"Oh, God no."
"And as such, he'll be authorized to carry a sidearm and outrank you."
"Are you out of your freaking mind!" she yells, then clamps her hand over her mouth.
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A few things.
In the slang of the NYPD, a Rabbi doesn't refer to a Jewish Religious official.
It's a slang for a patron. It's either a senior officer or politician who aids in a junior officer's advancement.
First, Dysgraphia: It's learning disability similar to dyslexia except dysgraphia make the act writing difficult while dyslexia has to do with reading.
I suffer from Dysgraphia. Writing stories is an exercise to keep it under control. That's why I don't use a Beta Reader so stop suggesting. I have to learn to catch my own errors.
Writing requires a lot of concentration which is a problem when I'm angry or stressed specially caused by reviewers.
I hope we're clear on this.
To those who have favorited and followed my stories and me personally, THANK YOU!
KBeckettcastle: Pretty interesting observation. By now you've realized Rick won't be full time with Jordan. But it's interesting idea.
FDWojo: I like to keep people guessing with the improbably but not impossible.
Pmt0622: Rick has had his petty moments in Cannon.
castle2126: Dealing with maternal issues are as old as Oedipus. He didn't know she was his mother when he married her. Yew. So, it's not easy.
They bring us into this world and try to drive us crazy before we leave, especially with guilt. It will be a great day when some invents the artificial womb, and no child will ever have to hear the term stretchmarks ever again.
Pmt0622: I think Marlowe used an unimaginative approach. You have all these TV shows the same approach, couple meets, couple fights, couple falls in love without admitting it, lots of angst, and maybe they get together.
I liked the 90's show, News Radio. The couple gets together on the second episode and we go from there, hiding the relationship like Caskett did, and then the forced revealed. They broke up, but it doesn't have to be that way.
Cabreradepartamento: Ahh, Andrea Parker. I liked her better in the 'Pretender' because of the short skirts and stiletto heels.
If I'd user her, I would write her more as Ms. Parker not just because of the outfits but she was more predatory like but without being on the bad guy's side.
JessTELLOBO: As I keep saying, you can't really hate Kate. She's a fictional character who does what the writers and showrunners tell her to do with some possible input from Stana. I think her motivations changed each season or even episode.
Jbug47: Thank you for your kind words. I'm glad you liked it.
Manxkid: Thanks!
troygibson88: Thanks for having my back. I appreciate it. 😊
gbad: Thank you!
troygibson88: I appreciate you support.
Trude: It's tough trying to resolve mother child dynamics.
TallCajun: Thank you for sharing.
Just an old guy: Thank you again