Beckett Behind Bars
CHAPTER ELEVEN
All standard disclaimers apply
Kate soon found herself being dragged down to the prison store. Val was looking over a bin full of clothing odds and ends. Most were just accessories since only regulation pants and shirts were allowed. But there were hats, gloves, and vests that inmates used sometimes when the weather got cooler.
"Yes!" She shouted out as she pulled something out of the bin.
"What were you looking for? We have to hurry if we don't want to miss our work detail." Kate huffed at her nearly frantic roomie.
"This." Val held up a black cap. The ones that were called stocking caps when you were a kid.
Kate frowned. "Why do you need that?"
Val grinned. "I don't, but you do?" She laughed outright at the strange look on Kate's face.
She took it and used her card to purchase the cap for only about five times what it was worth and three times what it would have cost out in the real world.
Kate shook her head when Val gave it to her. "Why do I need this? It's not like its cold out or anything."
They continued their walk as Val grabbed her arm. "We are heading for the kitchen prep area to unload a truck with several women who actually signed up for this."
Kate nodded. "Yes."
"And your buddy, the guard, is slipping us into the group, though we weren't on the duty roster."
"And?"
"And, when we preform our disappearing act, there is going to be an investigation. Hellicson will investigate any and all possible escape plans, and she will surely look into the food delivery. She will ask every woman who was on that work duty roster, which is good that we won't have been on the original roster."
Kate looked at Val. "Do you think they'd rat us out?"
"I think that if Hellicson makes it worth their while they would. I just wanted to make it a little less easy for the Lieutenant to figure out when and how we escaped. You have to admit, that even though not many inmates here have had time to get to know who you are, or have even seen you. They are bound to remember a woman with a tiger tattooed on the side of her head."
Kate let her eyes roll upward. "I suppose you've got a point. Originally, the point was to make sure no one could recognize me as Detective Kate Beckett. I've probably been responsible for several of the ladies who presently reside in this twisted facility."
Kate took the cap from Val and pulled it over her head. She pulled it far enough down so that it covered most of the Siberian Tiger tattoo.
"What about you?" Kate slapped Val on the arm.
"What do you mean?" Val asked.
Kate grabbed a handful of the long blonde mass of hair which flowed around Val's head. "It's not like you have a head of chin length, mousey brown hair. Your look is almost as recognizable as mine is. And you've been here a lot longer."
"Well since we don't have access to a pair of scissors, nor is there time to see Laverne. I'll just have to tie it back in a big bun, or you can braid it for me." She smirked.
Kate grinned. "Too bad we don't have access to a pair of scissors. I'd be happy to give you a cut that no one would recognize."
Val glared at Kate. "I take it the way you currently wear your hair is not the norm for you?"
Kate rolled her eyes. "Yah think?"
As they approached the kitchen receiving area, Kate twirled Val around and spent a couple of minutes twisting her long hair into a braid.
Kate smirked at her when she finished. "If we can find a good butcher knife I can saw the braid off for you."
Val swatted Kate on the arm.
They approached a gathering of women by the kitchen door. Without greeting any on them, Kate and Valeria stood with the group. There were twelve women standing awaiting their instructions, so the two of them joining in wouldn't be all that obvious.
"Okay ladies, and I use that label loosely. I'm Officer Albertson and this youthful cherub is Officer Hancock." Chloe pointed at a young looking women who had come with her. "We will be your supervisors. Which means, we'll be standing around watching you ladies do what the kitchen manager tells you to do."
Chloe opened the door to the kitchen area and led the group of inmates through the door as Officer Hancock took the back of the line.
A large, middle-aged woman dressed in a blue shirt and pants overlaid with a large white apron came over and faced the group. Kate guessed that she was the head of the kitchen. The prison employed a person to run the kitchen along with four other cooks. None of the employed cooks were in attendance yet.
"Okay," she started. "I'm the Kitchen Manager, you can address me as boss. We have a truck, a fairly big truck, with a lot of food stuffs in it backing into our dock as we speak. The truck will be filled with various containers that contain the food you will be eating over the next week or two."
She walked over to one side of the room and pointed to a wall of cupboards and refrigerators. A little farther down was a large freezer.
"You will take the containers off the truck bring them in here where I will tell you where to put the contents. When you've put the contents where I directed, you take the empty containers back to the dock where when we have all of them emptied, A couple of you, under the supervision of one of the officers will put them back into the truck."
The 'boss' paced back and forth in front of them. "If your tiny minds have any problems figuring out what you are supposed to do. You can ask me, or one of the officers." The kitchen manager laughed. "Now I'm not a slave driver, and we're not in a race of any kind, but…" She stared at everyone. "Nobody eats dinner until everything is put away."
From the mention of dinner, Kate was guessing that her kitchen crew would be able to handle lunches with what they still had on hand.
Chloe blew a whistle and led everyone out to the dock door. Hancock opened the overhead door and walked up and cut the security strap on the door handle.
Chloe motioned everyone to gather closer. "Okay, the driver and his second are not allowed out of their cab until they leave the grounds through the front gate." Hancock pulled on the handle and the large rolling door opened to reveal an 8 by 26 foot box truck stacked over six feet high with various containers which held their food just as it had been loaded initially.
Chloe continued her instructions. "It's not rocket science. So grab a box bring it over to the Boss, and she'll tell you where to put the contents."
Everyone stood and stared at her until she clapped her hands. "Let's go!"
Suddenly everyone found their legs actually worked.
Kate used the back of her hand to wipe the sweat off her forehead. None of the containers were all that heavy, but it was a lot of hauling them out and them taking everything out of them. Then you had to take the empty containers back out to the dock. It was tedious and more strenuous than you'd originally imagine.
She and Val had been at it for nearly two hours, but there weren't too many containers left to unload, and the pile of empties were stacked up on the dock at the back of the truck.
Kate noticed Chloe talking to Officer Hancock and pointing at her and at Val. The young officer nodded and walked over toward her.
"You, and the blonde braid over there." She pointed at Val. "You start putting the empties back into the truck. Stack them in an organized manner or you won't get them all in, and that would mean you'd have to take them all out and redo it."
Kate nodded. "Yes sir." She didn't like Officer Hancock at all.
Kate caught Val's attention and waved her over. She relayed the 'orders' she'd gotten and they began to load the empties into the back of the truck.
It took nearly an hour to get the empties all loaded on the truck. Of course it took Kate and Val a little longer than normal because they had arranged a small space up near the front that was going to be their hiding spot.
Everything had just about been put away and it was nearly time for the work detail to end. Kate and Val hung back by the truck hiding behind a cabinet that they'd edged a bit out from the wall.
Suddenly, there was a loud crash. Kate didn't see what had happened but somehow a large shelving unit got tipped over and crashed to the floor. Most of the stuff on the shelves had been boxes of plates and utensils.
Chloe's voice rang out. "Okay, I don't care who knocked that shelf over. You all are going to pick up everything and put it back the way it was." She turned to the young officer. "Hancock, you watch over them while I go shut the door on the truck."
Chloe walked back toward the truck. Kate and Val had been watching and as soon as everyone else was engaged with the shelf problem, they sprinted for the back of the truck. They had left a very narrow walkway along one side which they used to shuffle past the containers. They then settled into their little hidey hole they had constructed from the empty containers.
They could hear the roll down door being pulled down. Kate wasn't sure but she thought she heard 'Good Luck' as the door hit the truck's deck and the latch was thrown. Kate crossed her fingers that Chloe had been able to get in touch with Esposito, or would be able to get in touch in time for him to get to the Wilkenson distribution center before someone opened the back door and found them.
Wearing prison clothes and prison I. D. cards would make it a bit problematic to explain themselves.
Kate heard the engine of the truck start, and they were bumped around a bit as the truck began to move. It was dark in there, but she knew that Val had her fingers crossed just like she had.
Only a couple of minutes had passed when they felt and heard the truck slow down then stop. Both Kate and Val held their breath and didn't move a muscle. The back roll up door was partially opened. Then almost immediately closed again. They both released their breath.
The truck began to move again. They were out, and on their way.
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Meanwhile:
Esposito was standing in the doorway of Gate's office with his phone in his hand. The expression on his face was hard to read.
"Detective, come in and close the door." Gates snapped at Espo.
Castle levered himself out of the chair and grabbed Javier by the shoulder. "What do you know? Is Kate okay?"
"Mr. Castle, if you'd just let Detective Esposito catch his breath I'm sure he plans to fill us in on this phone call that has him so excited." Gates glared at Castle.
Esposito looked at everyone in the room. "It was kind of crazy, but I just got a call from an Officer Chloe Albertson. She claims she's a guard at Belmont Prison. She said that Kate asked her to call me."
Walters frowned. "Beckett gave her identity to a guard? That isn't the way we had it set up."
Espo just waved the lieutenant quiet. "That's why she called. Everything is fubared at the prison. Apparently the warden has suddenly retired."
"What?" Walters yelped. "She was the only one who was supposed to know Beckett's assignment. What's going on?"
"Lieutenant, if you'd quit interrupting my detective maybe we can find out." Gates just shook her head.
Espo took a breath. "Okay, everything is a mess out there. Apparently the warden, fearing for her life was forced to retire from her position. The officer who took over for the warden is a Lt. Hellicson." Everyone watched Javi, waiting for the punchline. "It seems that this Hellicson is in Anitovich's pocket."
"How do they know that?" Walters interjected again.
"She's Kristoff's sister."
"Shit." That was Castle.
"Anyway, the old warden managed to confide in this Officer Albertson who Kate was and what she was doing there. So since there was no way to get Kate out of there the way they had originally planned, this officer arranged for Kate and her cellmate, Valeria Denov, to work on a food unloading detail this morning."
Castle rolled his eyes. "And!"
"She managed to allow them to sneak on the delivery truck and hide behind the emptied food containers. By now the two of them are on their way to Wilkenson Food and Beverage in Yonkers. Kev and I have to get there before that truck docks and unloads, or they'll be detained as escaped convicts, and Belmont will be notified."
Gates took over. "Okay, you two go now, and be there to pick up Beckett. In the meantime I'll contact Wilkenson and tell them that you are coming, and to only turn Beckett and her cellmate over to Esposito and Ryan. We don't want anyone to know that we have them any sooner than we can help it."
The boys ran out of Gate's office.
Walters just shook his head. "I asked Beckett to get the information on the incoming shipment, not bring in the person who had it." He looked over at Gates. "Is she always such an over achiever?"
Gates chuckled. "You have no idea." Gates then gave Walters a glare. "And don't even think about trying to recruit her for your unit. She's a homicide detective. One of the best."
"If not the best." Castle piped up.
Gates rolled her eyes at the writer. "If not the best. And I'm not about to let her to leave the 12th."
Walters raised a brow. "I guess we'll have to see, won't we."
Castle raised his hand to gain attention as if he were in a classroom. "I'm afraid Kate is a born homicide detective. And the 12th is her home away from home. She'll probably be running this precinct when Captain Gates moves up to 1PP."
Castle smirked at the glare Gates gave him. What he didn't bring up was, Kate would never leave homicide as long as her mother's murder stayed unsolved.
Castle gingerly moved toward Gates' office door. "I don't know about you folks, but I'm getting hungry. How about I order in some food for everyone."
Walters and Gates stared at the writer. "Is Chinese good?"
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Esposito and Ryan were moving as fast as they could. Yonkers wasn't all that far away, it was just that they had to drive through just about all of Manhattan to get there. There was no way to move quickly without the flasher. Espo was holding that idea in reserve.
The traffic was maddening and Espo slammed his fist on the steering wheel at least a couple of dozen times when someone in front of them wasn't moving as fast as he thought they should.
Finally his irritation, and worry for Beckett overcame his composure and he flipped the switch and let sing his siren and flasher.
It helped but not as much as what you might see on a TV cop show. Much of the traffic in front of the unfortunate police cruiser didn't have the means to get out of the way. You couldn't move over if there was no place to move over to.
Still it helped and they were eventually out of the traffic jam that was downtown New York.
The two detectives released a big sigh of relief when they finally were able to see the large sign on the side of an old brick warehouse proclaiming it to be Wilkenson Food and Beverage.
They were held up for a couple of minutes while an overly consciences gate guard did multiple checks with different supervisors before he let the two detectives through.
Their vehicle was escorted through the parking lot and around to the back of the building where the docks for the trucks were located.
Javier parked the car just at the end of the 12 bay loading dock and the detectives were escorted into the warehouse.
Both Esposito and Ryan had their badges out when the warehouse foreman came out to meet them. They shook hands and introduced themselves.
"Hello detectives, I'm Gerald Potssell. I run the warehouse and oversee the shipping and receiving. I understand there is a problem of some kind."
Javi stepped up. "I need to ask you if there was a delivery to the Belmont Women's Prison this morning."
The man flipped through the papers on his clipboard. He nodded. "Yes there was a full 26 footer that went out their today."
"Has it returned to this warehouse yet?" Ryan asked, so as not to be ignored.
Gerry checked his papers again. "Nope, but they should be coming in shortly. Is there a problem detective?"
Espo smiled. "Not any more. We are here to solve any problems."
Potssell shook his head in confusion. "I don't understand."
Espo smiled bigger. "You see a couple of inmates from the prison decided to hook a ride back to the city on your truck. We are here to take care of that little situation."
"Should someone from Wilkenson be contacting Belmont?"
Ryan stepped up. "It won't be necessary. They called us, and we will handle everything. As far as you and this company are concerned nothing of consequence happened today. We don't want other ladies getting the idea that your trucks are taxis for their use."
As they stood there looking at each other, Gerry's walkie talkie buzzed. He put it to his ear, listened for a bit, then he quickly stuck it back into its holster at his hip.
"That was dispatch letting me know that the truck you are waiting for is backing into dock 4 as we speak."
The three of them walked over to the dock door with the big number 4 stenciled on it. Gerry thumbed a button by the dock door, and immediately the segmented roll up door was lifting. It only took seconds for the door to reach its end.
Potssell reached down and flipped the door lock and pulled the truck's rolling door up to its open position.
Esposito stepped up to the edge of the truck. "Katya Koslikov and Valeria Denov, I'm Detective Esposito and I'm with Detective Ryan. We're with the NYPD. Please come out slowly, with your hands out in front of you." Ryan stepped up so Kate would hear him. "If you cooperate no harm will come to you."
There was some noise, then some of the containers were being pushed out of the way. The two women navigated the tumbled containers with their hands out in front of them as they made their way out of the truck.
Kate had to fight a smirk, but Val looked a bit apprehensive. The boys stepped forward and each slapped a pair of handcuffs on the woman closest to them.
Esposito leaned in close as he fastened the cuffs. "Nice… tatts." He smirked.
Kate fixed him with a bland look. "I know a guy, if you're interested."
Espo spoke again. "Please step this way." He indicated the direction toward the door to the outside. "You are both under arrest for the unlawful escape from the Belmont Women's Prison. You will come with us." Then Ryan stepped up and read them their rights.
Kate was having a hard time keeping a straight face. She wanted so bad to laugh at the deadly serious manner in which her boys were laying on the performance.
Espo had his hand on Kate's shoulder, while Ryan did the same with Valeria.
Javi slid his hand up her shoulder and flipped her ragged hair. Kate turned her head and raised a brow.
"You don't want to know what happened to the last person who messed with my hair." Espo smiled at her.
They marched them to the car, and carefully placed them in the back seat of the cruiser. They did everything by the book in case someone was watching.
Espo held up his hand to keep everyone quiet until he'd started the car and had managed to leave the grounds of Wilkenson Food and Beverage.
As soon as they had gotten a few blocks away, Kate stuck her cuffed hands over the back to the front seat and stared at Ryan. With a smirk, Ryan unlocked the cuffs securing both ladies.
Kate grabbed Ryan and gave him a smooch on the cheek. Then she grabbed Esposito and did the same to him.
"Hey!" he exclaimed. "I'm driving here. It would be rather unfortunate if we got in an accident after we just rescued you two."
Kate smiled. "Val, I want you to meet my partners. Javier Esposito, and Kevin Ryan."
Kate noticed Val giving her boys the eye. "Sorry Val, Kevin is married and Espo is dating my best friend, who happens to be the M.E. So she has access to a lot of sharp instruments."
Val rolled her eyes. "Just my luck."
Suddenly Kate's good mood disappeared. She'd been trying to push it to the back of her mind since yesterday because she had to concentrate on them getting out of Belmont first. But they were free, and on the way to the precinct, so she needed no longer keep her emotions in check.
Tears began to fall from her eyes. "Guys? Did they find Rick?"
Esposito snorted. "Not exactly. He called me from the crash site and had me and Lanie come pick him up."
Kate felt such an explosion of joyous warmth she wanted to laugh with joy. "He's alive!"
"Yeah, he didn't want anyone to find him. He wanted Kristoff to think he was at least missing, if not dead. So Lanie and I brought him back to her place."
"So he's alright then?" Her voice was barely above a whisper as if she was afraid to hear the answer.
Javi shrugged. "He's banged up pretty good, but he's getting around. He's at the precinct waiting for us."
Kate allowed herself to fall back against the padded back of the seat. She closed her eyes, which didn't stop the tears from sneaking out.
The rest of the ride to the precinct was spent in a comfortable silence. Both Esposito and Ryan really wanted to bombard Beckett with hundreds of questions as to what she experienced behind bars, so to speak. And even though they did now know what her purpose was regarding her 'special assignment', they wondered why she brought the gang leader's girlfriend back with her.
Kate, on the other hand, was just glad it was all over. With her head resting on the back of the seat, she let go of all the fear and anxiety she'd been living with for the past few days.
She rolled her head back and forth on the seat back when it struck her that all the chaos and near catastrophes had happened in such a short time. She allowed herself a bit of pride for her handling of her situation at the prison, and thanked whomever would listen for her survival and escape.
And a special prayer was aimed at Castle's apparent miraculous survival of the terrible crash. It wouldn't have mattered what Kate was able to accomplish on her assignment if she was coming home to an empty loft.
Finally they were pulling into the precinct's garage and Kate couldn't help but smile as she was surrounded by the dark and dingy underground parking for the precinct's vehicles.
She got out of the car and went around and made sure Valeria got out and was okay.
Kate felt bad the she had gotten lost in her own head on the way to the station and hadn't really been there for Val. She realized that the young woman was probably feeling all sorts of emotions. From joy for having escaped the awful situation at the prison to fear as to what was going to happen to her now. Val had to be wondering what was waiting for her.
Kate needed to give her some reassurance. She put her arm around the young Russian and guided her toward the elevator.
"Don't worry, Val. I'm going to introduce you to someone who's going to love talking to you. And I'm pretty sure that he is going to be the one who will make all the crap you've had to live through since you got to America go away."
"Espo stepped up next to Kate and smiled. "If you're talking about Walters, he's here."
Kate smiled. "Good, that will save a lot of time."
The ride up the fourth floor seemed to take a lot longer than she'd ever experienced before, but eventually they reached their destination, and the doors parted like the Red Sea for them.
Kate stepped out and was greeted by an instant hush as everyone turned and looked with expressions of disbelief upon seeing her. The silence only lasted a few seconds until someone began to clap, which was quickly picked up by all those around her.
She blushed furiously and moved quickly toward the captain's office.
"Welcome home, detective. An interesting new look you've adopted." Gates said as an invitation to Kate and her 'friend' to come in.
Kate knew there were other people in the room, but she only had eyes for one. Sitting on one of the chairs in front of Gates' desk was a somewhat disheveled man in a long trench coat and a somewhat battered fedora. A man who was smiling at her even though she could see the pain that he was feeling. Both his own, and hers. The man who was her reason for living.
Tears fell from her eyes again as Rick unsteadily got up from the chair and gathered her into a right armed hug, and kissed her soundly on the lips. There were smiles all around the room.
She pulled back and let her finger trail down his cheek. "I'm sorry that you'll never get your money back from Katya Koslikov's account." They kissed again.
Needing a few moments to gather her thoughts. Kate finally turned toward Walters.
"Lieutenant Walters, I'd like to introduce you to the woman who is going to do more than just make your day." She reached out and put her arm around Val. "This is Valeria Denov, former girlfriend and currently disgruntled former employee of one Kristoff Anitovich. I think you two have a lot to talk about."
Walters nodded, with a big grin on his face. "That we do, that we do."
Kate gave Val a squeeze. "I'll be seeing you again once I get myself squared away." She glanced up at Walters and gave him a Beckett glare. "You'd better treat this woman right."
"Oh I plan to."
"Good." Kate nodded, then turned back to Castle. "Rick take me home."
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EPILOGUE
It had been a long session, but a satisfying one. Kate and Rick dragged their over-tired bodies into the loft and collapsed onto the sofa. Kate let her head rest against Rick's left shoulder, then suddenly pulled away.
"I'm sorry," she cried. "Did that hurt you? I should have remembered it was your injured arm."
Castle chuckled. "My shoulder isn't damaged just some broken bones in the arms and fingers."
"You were so lucky you weren't killed." Kate glared at him. "I am still mad at you for being so stupid as to try and trick Kristoff into saying something incriminating."
Castle smirked. "Well I kind of did."
Kate shook her head. "Not worth it." She bit on her lower lip. "I really liked that car."
Castle laughed. "The Ferrari is replaceable. You aren't."
"Neither are you!" Kate sucked on her lower lip. "What did the doctors say about your hand? After all it is your main means of income."
Castle shrugged. "They said it would be a wait and see situation. It all depends on how it heals. It could heal almost like new, or it could form knots and not heal straight. If that happens some to a lot of functionality could be impaired or lost all together."
Kate was near tears. "I'm so sorry. You should never have been involved with this."
"It's okay. I'll be fine. Besides, I can still do this." He took his right hand and placed it on her chin, directing her face toward him, where he kissed her long and hard on the lips.
He grinned. "I'm good."
She shot him a watery glare. He just smiled. "Don't worry about us being tossed out on the street anytime soon, either. My portfolio is more than strong enough to live off of even if I never write another word."
Kate wiped at her eyes then grinned. "Do we have enough for me to retire too?"
He patted her on the cheek. "Financially, not a problem, emotionally, I not so sure you would be happy just staying home helping me with the kids."
Kate pulled back. "Kids? We aren't even married?"
Castle laughed. "That's another thing we are going to have to take care of."
"Richard Castle, are you asking me to marry you?"
He waggled his brows. "Soon, very soon." He smirked. "And what do you Katherine Beckett, believe you'd have for an answer to that question?"
This time it was Kate smirking. "I think I can have an answer soon, very soon."
They both grinned and hugged each other.
Suddenly Kate fell into a pensive mood. Rick noticed right away and turned her face toward his.
"What's the matter?"
"I'm worried about Val. I feel like I abandoned her."
Castle gave her shoulder another squeeze. "I wouldn't worry about that girl. She's pretty tough, and I get the feeling she'll land on her feet."
Kate bit her bottom lip. "I guess. It does sound like Walters is going to do right by her."
Rick nodded. "Yeah, I'd say so. In exchange for information already provided, and testimony at Anitovich's trial. She's been promised to be put in the witness protection program."
Kate nodded. "The feds were pretty quick to jump on board when they found out what Walters had. Anitovich is a pretty big fish in the seas of organized crime. He crossed state and national borders years ago."
Rick kissed her cheek. "Val will be just fine."
Kate frowned. "I'll miss her."
Castle let Kate ruminate about her former cellmate, and let her regret the goodbye she never got to say.
"Do you know how Officer Chloe Albertson is doing with all this?" Rick asked.
Kate nodded. "The feds reached out to her, and she's temporally in charge at Belmont, and has agreed to testify against Hellicson. She'll probably wind up running the prison as the warden."
Rick frowned. "Won't she be in danger from blow back like Val would be?"
Kate shook her head. "No, Val is testifying against an organized crime boss. Chloe's testimony would only be against a woman who oversaw a drug selling scheme in the prison. Which will only laterally impact Kristoff's problems. Hellicson will be just another solider who falls when Kristoff does."
Finally after what Rick decided was an appropriate time he reached up and pulled the ball cap off of Kate's head, and let her three quarter hairdo fall out of its confinement.
"So," he smiled as he spoke. "Have you decided, what you plan to do with your do yet?"
She frowned as she ran her fingers through her black and white locks. Then also ran her fingers over the stubble on the left side of her head.
Martin Appel had come back to town and had helped her with her disguise. He had brought the solvent so her 'scar' was removed and he had some stuff that he rubbed over the tattoos that speeded up their fading. Now they were barely visible. You could only really see them if you were looking really hard right at them.
She'd been a little reluctant to lose her Siberian Tiger, but she decided that having to shave that one side of her head constantly would be too much of a bother. Plus, she really didn't want to always look like a bad ass.
Everything that could be undone had been undone. Except for her hair.
She looked at Rick. "Do you have any preference?"
He laughed. "I want you to do what you want. It's your head."
She frowned. "Yeah, but you will be the one who has to look at me all the time."
"And I will thank the heavens for that privilege every day."
Kate rolled her eyes. "I think I'm not going to try and dye this back to my original color and have it look weird as it grows out. I think I just crop it all really short, and wear a wig, or a hat until it grows in enough for a cute short pixie cap that will grow in naturally."
She slaps him on the shoulder. "Which reminds me. We need to go look for a wig or two to get me through the initial transition."
He leaned back and smiled at her. "Funny you should bring that up."
He stood and held out his hand to her. Warily, she took his hand and stood up next to him. He led her into their bedroom, then into the en suite bathroom.
He stepped back and with a flourish of his arm he guided her eyes toward the far end of the sink's countertop. Sitting there on its own foam head, was a wig. The hair was chestnut brown in color and flowed in careful waves to what Kate would guesstimate to be shoulder length or just short of that.
She walked over and ran her hand across the soft brunette strands. Suddenly a strange look came over her face. She turned toward Rick with a huge smile on her face, and a tear in her eye.
"This is my own hair, isn't it." She shook her head. "I told you to donate it."
He shrugged. "So, it was donated to you. Who better deserved it?"
She grinned. "How did you manage this? I know you know guys, but you were too busy getting yourself pushed off a cliff."
"As soon as you gave me that bag of your ponytails I thought of this guy that mother actually knows who makes wigs for the movies and theatre. I brought him the hair and several pictures of you and your styles over the years. It looks like he picked one from about three years ago." He smiled. "I had Alexis pick it up for me."
Kate was stunned that he had done that. "How could he size it for me?"
"I brought him your uniform hat, and he also adds a little bit of elasticity in the cap."
She shook her head slowly, then a feral smile came over her face.
She walked over and pushed Rick out of the bathroom. "You go watch TV or make us some dinner. I'll be out in a little while."
Castle allowed himself to be pushed out of the bathroom and out of the bedroom. She closed the door and hurried back to bathroom.
She rummaged in the drawer under the sink and pulled out Rick's trimming scissors, then pulled the trach can out from under the sink.
She looked at her reflection in the mirror, then picked up the scissors in one hand and grabbed a handful of black and white hair.
"Well here goes nothing."
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Castle was just finishing up the spaghetti and meatballs he'd prepared and was checking on the warming oven for the garlic cheese breadsticks. Not exactly a low calorie dinner, but Kate had had to eat prison food for several days, so he thought that it wouldn't be bad idea to put some real food back into her system.
He'd been slowed by only the use of one arm, but he managed. He just hoped that their timing would be close. He began to set the table when heard the door to the bedroom open up. He turned waiting for the big reveal.
She stepped into his view with a somewhat shy look on her face. The wig of her hair flowed around her face to land just at her shoulders. It was almost like going back in time.
"Wow," he said. "I can guess what picture that I gave him he chose."
Kate cocked her head to one side. "Oh really, which one."
"It was one I took when we were on that case of the painting forger and that guy who wound up with amnesia that we thought was the killer."
Kate nodded. "Oh yeah, I remember. I wonder if he and his ex-wife managed to make a go of it again."
Castle shrugged. "Who knows? The only thing I know right now is that you look great."
Kate returned the shrug. "I wouldn't say that I look all that bad ass anymore though."
Rick shook his head. "No, you look better. You look like Kate."
FIN
A/N: Well another one behind us. I hope that this story entertained some of you. It was fun to write.
All Readers are Appreciated, Review if you wish