Once Lost But Now Found
Chapter 11 - Graduation
After they had become a senior class, the time to graduation seems to be flying by. Kate was at the top of her class, having set several Academy Records. Many were first's for a female cadet. The past holders of these records had all been male cadets. The situation with Edwards and Demming continued outside the academy up to graduation. They still asked her out for weekends away, and Kate continued to say no. At the academy, however, there were no signs of the two classmates pursuing her romantically. There would be no fraternization from either of them while at the Academy.
Still Kate avoided becoming too close with either one of them, holding them at arm's length, choosing to keep them as friends and colleagues. The group of classmates continued to party on the weekends off. Studio being their 'go to' place for R&R on those weekends. Her two suitors however were always aware of Rick's presence, so with Kate they were constrained. Under Rick's watchful eyes and that of Kate's female classmates, each man behaved as best they could. Demming however was the one who tended to get inappropriately aggressive, but Kate always called him on it.
Dancing with Kate at Studio was the only time the two men ever got to be physically close with her as they danced with her. Dancing had always been a way for a man and woman to be physically close. Her two pursuers tended to take the slow dances a little further with her than should be, especially Demming. Demming always managed to get 'handsy' with Kate as he danced with her. Kate had to slap his hands when this happened and he then would back off. Still, Rick Castle never showed a reaction to Kate dancing with the two.
Rick however continued to be Kate's guy for all these group's weekend outings. One such occasion had even been a BBQ at the loft. The roof to the loft having a guest center with picnic area and BBQ grills. These facilities were for exclusive use by the loft owners and where the BBQ was held.
When her classmates got to the loft that first time for the BBQ, they were all impressed with the size and accoutrements of the loft. They all knew it was a million-dollar home and that just made Rick even more intimidating for Edwards and Demming. Each now realizing that Castle was a extremely good 'catch' for any bachelorette interested in becoming Rick's significant other. A position currently filled by Kate, even if it was not spoken of openly, or explicitly declared by the couple.
The Mercedes and Ferrari belonging to Rick and parked in the loft's basement parking area were to become known by the group. This was initially revealed to Kate's male classmates when Kate picked them up in the Mercedes and delivered them to the loft for the BBQ. When she parked the Mercedes AMG next to the Ferrari upon arriving at the loft basement parking lot , Kate's male colleagues got a personal look at Rick's other car.
Kate's female classmates had shared a ride to the loft with Anne and Paul who picked them up in Paul's Buick SUV. They had been told to use the guest parking that Kate had mentioned was available for them in a space next to the Rick's red Ferrari and Mercedes AMG. So Kate's fellow female classmates likewise got an up close and personal view of Rick's vehicles.
The BBQ at the loft proved to be another intimidation factor for Edwards and Demming. Both men were starting to realize more and more that Rick was a very strong contender for Kate's affections. And even though Kate herself was not swayed by Rick's affluence, the two men pursuing her romantically could not help but feel inadequate. They each saw the evidence of Rick's ability to provide for Kate's material well being and that of her daughter.
During these weekend class get togethers, Brent and Tom continued to flirt with Kate. Rick never said a word about this interaction, he trusted in Kate's response to these suitors for her affections. Lanie Parrish was intrigued by this situation. At the BBQ she had managed to get Rick alone by herself for a personal query with him on the matter.
"So, Rick, it does not bother you that these two men flirt openly with Kate? That they speak to her with innuendo's that are hidden dares for Kate to get romantically involved with either one of them", she had asked him.
"Lanie, Kate's a big girl and knows what she wants. If she chooses to be involved with either one of them, I will not stop it. If Kate and I do become a serious couple it will be because she wants me as a life partner regardless of the fact that I got her pregnant. Our relationship will not be based on that nor on any sense of obligation Kate might feel for me in fulfilling my responsibility to her on the matter of our daughter."
"Rick, I think Kate is already there, since she has avoided the romantic approaches of these men and sees them only as classmates and close associates. Need I point out, you have been her one and only date for all of these outings. A clear indication that Kate wants only to be with you intimately."
"Lanie, it is what it is. Kate and I have agreed to a non-exclusive relationship for the meantime while we evaluate our feelings for one another. We have agreed that on the one-year anniversary of graduation from the Academy we will revisit the matter of becoming exclusive. That also allows her to complete her rookie year as a cop, during which time we can experience life together caring for our daughter with her on the job. She will have fulfilled some of her goals by then. That leaves her free then to concentrate more on our unusual partnership and where we want it to go. I need to know that his thing we have is for real. I made the mistake of choosing the wrong women in my first marriage. It ended in betrayal and divorce. My ex cheated on me despite our vows to each other."
Lanie comes to realize that Rick had been seriously wounded by his ex-wife. Lanie had not known of the cheating by Rick's first wife. That explained so much about Rick's behavior and his actions to date in their unusual partnership. He was still healing from his disastrous failed marriage.
"Rick, most men would want to claim Kate as their significant other just to keep other men away. To have and to hold as it were. How is it you can be so different?", questions Lanie.
"What if Kate and I decide to be exclusive, and we wind up crashing and burning? I don't want that and neither does Kate. The pregnancy has complicated matters. Had I not got her pregnant, I still would have taken it slow. My ex claimed she loved me, and it would be lasting. But in the end, she slept with her producer! That is how little she thought of our marriage and our vows to one another. I think the sex, my wealth, and my celebrity influenced her decision to marry me. I need to know that what Kate and I have is real. That nothing else matters but being together, her at my side for the good and the bad."
"Rick, being in love means taking chances on the person you want to be with."
"I can't make that mistake again Lanie. I still bear the scars from that first mistake with my ex. But I do trust Kate to make her own decisions. I have faith that those decisions will be the best choice for herself and our daughter. Even if it means she ultimately chooses to be with another man in a committed exclusive relationship. She cannot come to a sound decision by me not letting her see other men. That being said, I do not want her to be with other men. But having a daughter with her should not lead to a shot gun marriage. We need to explore our feelings for each other before we commit to being exclusive."
"The both of you are so incredible but also irritating. You both have feelings for each other beyond just friendship, but you are so cautious not to define it."
"That is because we have another little person to consider. Our decisions impact her. Think of the effect on our daughter if Kate and I got together hastily because of the pregnancy and then years later discovered it was wrong and we divorce? If we become man and wife, we want it to last for us and our daughter. We don't want it to be solely because of the pregnancy. So our 'trial' period gives us time to evaluate. So, yes, we both are being cautious."
"Rick, I think Kate is anxious for the end of that evaluation period. Till then she continues in your unusual union because she cares about you and Alexis. What happens if she declares she wants that serious relationship now?"
"She already has, a couple times, but I am the one who insists we see this thru. We need to see if we are meant for each other, before we make the choice to be exclusive. We need the time to consider what we have and how to move forward for the future. In our current relationship, we test our compatibility, our feelings, and our commitment for a more serious relationship. But, seriously Lanie, just between you and me, it is getting harder for me to stick to our agreement. We have not been intimate since that first time. The test period comes with a mutual agreement for no carnal contact until we resolve our true feelings for one another."
"Well, the two of you do know each other intimately, you guys have a daughter together."
"Yes, that makes it more difficult. Once you have bitten of that apple, hard not to return for another bite! Sex would cloud the issue. That first and only night together was the best for me. I hope it was for her. Lanie, you cannot know how much I do want her. How much I long for her."
"Your secret is safe with me Rick", Lanie had gotten her answer
"Thank you Lanie. I appreciate your discretion."
Lanie was glad for her private talk with Rick. Knowing how each of them felt about the other, Lanies wanted them to declare openly that they are a couple. The two were just being blind to what they already had in each other. They did not want to define it for fear of the consequences of a failed and rushed commitment to a marriage. This dance that they were doing needed to come to an end, sooner, rather than later. Lanie was clearly in the Castle camp on this. She vowed to herself to help the couple see clearly that they were right for each other.
Lanie needed somehow to help them see what Lanie and her other classmates already saw, that the two of them were an ideal match. Lanie wondered if Edwards and Demming realized this. She wonder if they knew that their chances of capturing Kate's heart was almost nil. But male vanity and ego being what it is, each man probably thought they had a chance with Kate.
Lanie was more concerned for Edwards than with Demming. Between the two, Edwards was the more earnest in his pursuit of Kate. Lanie did not trust Demming. She had early on decided he was just out to seduce Kate. Edwards was the one who would be truly hurt when Rick and Kate finally decide to declare they were officially a committed couple.
Graduation Day
The graduating class by tradition was always Alpha Company for the Battalion of Police Cadets at the Academy. Today was Graduation Day for Alpha Company and the Battalion of Cadets were assembled in the weekly Parade and Review Formation held every Friday afternoon before weekend leave for upper classmen commenced that evening. Today however the battalion formation is now a graduation formation and the pass in review is to honor the graduating class.
Every other month a class graduated from the Academy. That came to 6 graduations a year. Each class experienced at least two graduations during their four-month academy stay, theirs and another class. If the class caught the graduation cycle early in their first month, the class could experience three graduations, two for a senior graduating class, and one for when their class became the graduating class. Today, Kate's class is the graduating class.
Company Commander for Alpha was always the top man in the class, based on grades, policing skills (weapons quals, hand to hand combat proficiency, close quarters combat skills, mob control procedures, etc.), leadership abilities, and the high potential to uphold the best values, ideals, and goals of service of the NYPD. The class itself participated in the selection by submitting a name for the best cadet for the position of Company Commander, which contributed to the final score. Kate Beckett had all those qualifications in place and was selected by a majority of her class for this honor. Thus, Kate had finished at the top of the class, the Top Man. She was the first female to hold this title causing the renaming of the title to 'Top Person' of the class.
Kate is standing at Parade Rest in front of Alpha Company, which she had ordered to Parade Rest before she herself came to that same position. Her company commander sword is held in her right hand and at parade rest. Kate is wielding a unique sword given only to the Alpha Company Commander for use at this special Pass and Review. It is a sword with an inscription of Kate's name and the title "Top Person, Class 2-03". The sword had been presented to her by the police commissioner himself at the Graduation Dinner for the whole battalion in the Academy Mess Hall the night before. The class number was unique for the class and indicated they were the 2nd class to enter the academy during the 2003 year.
In the reviewing stand are all the top brass of the NYPD, including the Police Commissioner. Facing the reviewing stand, now at parade rest, and at the head of the Battalion, is the Battalion Commander, the Senior TI of the academy.
The Commissioner gives the order, "Battalion Commander, Parade the Battalion of Cadets for Review."
The Battalion Commandant snaps to attention and gives the Commissioner a Sword Salute and then acknowledges the command with a "YES SIR!". He parries his sword into carry position, does an About Face, to bring him directly facing the Battalion, renders a sword salute and commands, "Company Commanders, pass the Battalion in review".
All the company commanders snap to Attention and render an acknowledging sword salute all done in sync and reply "YES SIR!" together in one loud voice. The company commanders then execute an About Face movement once again all in syn with one another. The maneuver by the company commanders has them directly facing their respective companies. Kate renders the first set of commands that will start the Parade. Those commands will be echoed in like fashion by the other Company Commanders in sequence beginning with Alpha and ending with Echo Company, the last company of the battalion.
She calls Alpha to attention, "Alpha Company, Atten..shunt!"
Alpha snaps to attention with her command.
"Alpha Company", barks out Kate, "Pass in Review!"
Then another execution command, "Alpha Company, left faaace."
Once the movement is complete, Kate marches to the Company Commanders slot, in the front of the company column that is now facing left. In the background, Kate hears all the other company commanders giving the same commands. Once Kate hears Echo Company coming in place, facing left, she does a 30 count. This allows Echo Company Commander time to come into place at the Company Commander slot.
Once Echo Commander is in place, Kate gives the last command, "Alpha Company, forward maaarch!"
Alpha Company marches forward with Kate at the head of the full battalion formation. Alpha will be the first company to pass the Reviewing Stand. All the other Companys follow in Alpha's lead the fact of which is known as Kate hears bravo company commander issuing a forward march.
Rick, Alexis, and Jim are behind the reviewing stand, seated in bleachers, watching the whole ceremony. Rick and Jim are beaming with pride for Kate, and Alexis is cooing in her cute baby voice and moving her arms up and down excitedly.
"Hey sweet-pea", Rick says lovingly to his daughter, "that's mommy out there leading this whole parade. Wave to her when she passes the reviewing stand."