Thank you all so much for your reviews and your patience.
O-o-o-o-o
To say Kate Beckett was surprised when she walked into the bullpen would have been an understatement.
When she saw Claire sitting in the lap of Richard Castle beside a redheaded little girl she wondered if she fell asleep in her police car and was now having a very surreal dream. Because it could not be reality that her daughter was sitting in her favorite author's lap with his daughter while he read children's books to them.
All three of them were absorbed in the book and didn't notice her standing right in front of them, still not understanding what was going on. Surely this was a dream. She cleared her throat and Richard Castle stopped reading to look up at her. His eyes landed on her and widened slightly.
Wow, his eyes were blue, Kate thought when their eyes met. Like really, really blue. And he was even more handsome in reality than on the book covers or on TV. Not that Kate cared about that. No, not at all.
She couldn't indulge in his looks for very long anyway because when he stopped reading the girls looked up and Claire sprang from his lap to jump in her arms.
"Mommy!" she exclaimed. She hugged her quickly before she excitedly wriggled free from the embrace.
"Look mommy, this is my friend Alexis and her daddy Mr Castle. I found them at the playground. Alexis is my best friend forever and ever. And Mr Castle invented a game to find your workplace when daddy left me with them at the playground. It was really fun. We were following leads. Just like you do. And Alexis says her daddy invents games a lot and sometimes they even…" Claire was talking in a rush but there was one detail that stuck with Kate.
"Slow down a little, Claire. Daddy did what?" she asked. Had she heard that right? She probably hadn't… but how else would her daughter end up in Richard Castle's lap? She had no logical theory how that could have happened.
Claire rolled her eyes in clear Beckett-fashion. "He got a call from work and had to leave. I didn't want to go because I wanted to play some more with my best friend so he left me with them. Then we noticed that Mr Castle doesn't have your number so he couldn't call you to pick me up and then he invented the game. But that's not important now, mommy. Alexis told me that she and her daddy are building forts in their living room that look like real castles and then they are playing princess or fairy or astronauts or…."
Claire was super excited about all the things Alexis had told her on the drive to the precinct, about all the cool things her dad was doing with her but Kate currently couldn't listen to the things her daughter was telling her.
"Daddy left you in the park with Alexis and Mr Castle?" Kate asked again, just to be sure.
Claire rolled her eyes annoyed. "Yeeees. I already told you that twice, mommy. Didn't you listen?"
"Of course I listened, baby" she assured her. "I just wanted to make sure I understand you right. And I will listen to all the exciting things you want to tell me but first I have to talk to Mr Castle for a few minutes." Rick could see that she was furious. She was hiding it great but he was great at reading people. He noticed the little fire in her eyes, the tension in her shoulders.
Kate looked around. Esposito and Ryan were standing nearby. They had listened to the conversation. "Maybe Uncle Javi and Uncle Kevin can show you and your friend Alexis the break room and you tell them about the forts Alexis builds in her living room. If that is okay with Mr Castle?" For the first time since Claire had started telling her about her afternoon she looked at him.
He looked at Ryan and Esposito, then back to Alexis who was looking at him with questioning eyes, asking for his permission to go with Claire and the detectives. Then he looked at Kate again. He didn't really want to let his little girl go out of his sight with strangers.
Kate noticed his hesitance. "The break room is just over there" she pointed towards a door.
Rick looked at her again and gave into her pleading eyes. She really needed to know what exactly had happened. He could relate. If he were in her place he would want to talk to him too.
"Alright Alexis, you can go with them. Just call for me if you need me, okay?" He agreed.
Alexis nodded and took Claire's hand, who was currently holding Ryan's hand. Esposito walked backwards in front of them and made funny faces. The girls laughed when Ryan closed the door that separated the bullpen from the break room.
"I'm sorry Mr Castle" Kate started. Her tone was friendly but he could tell she was more than furious. Not with him of course. "I'm a little confused about this situation"
Then she noticed she hadn't even introduced herself. "Oh, and sorry again. I'm Kate Beckett, Claire's mom." She held out her hand which he took and shook. Her hand was delicate and soft in his.
Rick smiled. He was proud of himself that he had returned the girl to her mother instead of calling child services. His first impression of her was pretty good. And not only because she was probably the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.
"I know. I've heard quiet a lot about you in the past" he glanced at his watch "three hours."
Kate's eyes widened in shock. Her baby girl had been with a stranger for the last three hours while she had thought she was with her dad. Josh was gonna die. "Yeah. About that: can you tell me how exactly my daughter – who was supposed to be with her dad – ended up in famous mystery novelist Richard Castle's lap in my chair at my workplace?"
Rick was absolutely enthralled with this women. She had gorgeous eyes, an amazing body. She clearly was a devoted mother and the way she controlled herself was fascinating. There were only little telltales that she was very angry with her boyfriend and Castle could probably only see them because he watched people for a living. And despite of how furious she was with the guy she still had been super sweet with Claire and was absolutely friendly with him. Also it hadn't escaped his notice that she obviously knew him for his books.
"It was pretty much like Claire said. But I can tell you my version of the story too. Maybe it's a little more comprehendible and less rushed." He gave her a smile which she returned. But hers was tight. She really wanted to know what had happened so she knew exactly what she was going to do with Josh.
"Well, I was at the playground with Alexis. She found a little girl to play with. I thought that she maybe was the new student in her class. The other girl's father was on the other end of the playground and was busy with some papers"
At this point Kate muttered angrily "Of course he was" but motioned for Rick to continue.
"Then he got a call and obviously wanted to take Alexis' new friend with him. She didn't want to go though and got a tantrum. The man seemed to be in a hurry and lost patience pretty quickly. That's when he approached me on my bench and asked me to watch his daughter and call his girlfriend to pick the girl up. Before I could say anything he was jogging away. And I couldn't follow him because I now had not only one little girl to watch but two" Rick finished and watched as Kate's jaw clenched further with every word he was speaking.
He watched the glint of fire in her eyes with utter fascination. He definitely didn't want to be on her bad side. She was intimidating. But to watch her was quiet inspiriting too.
Kate almost couldn't believe what she was hearing. Josh had left their little girl with a stranger. And she hadn't known for three hours! It could have happened who knows what. Oh, Josh was going to pay for this. She couldn't wait to hear his version of the story. Or better: his excuses.
"I'm so, so sorry Mr Castle. I hope Claire at least behaved herself?" He nodded and Kate continued. "And thank you so much for returning her to me. I don't know how to repay you"
"Don't worry about it." Castle told her.
"If you excuse me now, I have to make a call" she said, already pulling her phone from her pocket.
"Of course." Rick gave her an encouraging smile. She was going to kick this Josh in the ass. Rick was sure of it. "I'm going to look what Alexis is doing"
She nodded but was already on the phone. She watched him disappear just as the line connected.
"Kate, hey" Josh greeted her as if nothing was wrong. "Can this wait? I have an important surgery in five minutes."
Kate cooled the upcoming fury down. She would wait until she saw him to unload everything on him.
"No" she said with an icy voice. "This can't wait. You are coming down to the precinct right now!" she ordered, steel in her voice.
"Is something wrong with Claire?" Josh asked, sounding a little worried but his voice wasn't as panicked as a father's should be when he knew that he had left his daughter with a stranger in the park.
"You could say that" Kate stated.
"Oh" Josh said. Kate got furious again and tears of fury and disappointment were collecting in her eyes. How could he be so cool at the prospect that something had happened to his child? Did he even care about her? If someone would call her and tell her that something had happened to Claire she would be panicked out of her mind. "What happened?"
"Come down here" Kate ordered again and disconnected the line. Then she slumped down in her chair and tried to regain her composure. It wasn't going to do her any good to indulge in her misery. She had to hold onto fury for her talk with Josh. She could deal with her disappointment later. At home. After Claire went to sleep. Kate mentally counted to ten.
When she had collected herself again she went to cuddle her little girl. She was still in the break room with her uncles and Alexis and her father. When Kate opened the door she saw Claire talking animatedly. Alexis occasionally chimed in and Ryan and Esposito were trying to follow the girls' words.
Castle was the first one who noticed her and his curious eyes landed on her. He gave her a compassionate smile and she could see understanding in his eyes. An understanding that ran deeper. She felt like he understood how she was feeling right now. Like he had felt the same at some point in his life. She smiled back but could feel that it was strained.
Then she turned to Claire and kneeled down. The girl noticed her but continued with the story she was telling. She was quiet a hand-full, Castle thought. Very vivid. She hadn't been like that when they were still trying to find her mom. In retrospect Castle recognized it as distress.
"Claire, baby, come here" Kate said in a soft voice. Claire approached her mother who picked her up to cuddle her. But the girl wriggled free.
"Mommy" she protested. "I'm trying to tell a story here. It's not cuddle time. Put me down"
Castle caught the little flicker of disappointment in her eyes but after a second it was gone and Kate put her daughter down and chuckled as she ran back to Alexis and continued to tell her story. Something about a princess in space. Kate really didn't know where she got her imagination from. Not from her. And definitely not from Josh.
She felt a presence beside her and looked over. Castle was standing close. But not so close as he would invading her personal space.
"They don't always want to cuddle when we would want them to, do they?" he said sympathetic and Kate's cheeks flushed in embarrassment that he had caught her need to feel close to her baby girl.
She hid behind her hair and shook her head.
"Well, I know that feeling" He told her and the smile he gave her was warm. Strangely it made her feel better. Something about his presence was very calming.
But before she could think about the warm feeling that spread through her when he smiled at her she caught sight of Josh entering the bullpen and looking for her.
"Claire?" she called and the girl looked up. Slightly annoyed that her mother was interrupting her story again. "I have to take care of something for an hour tops. Are you okay to stay with your uncles for a while?"
"Yes mommy" the girl rolled her eyes as if the question itself was ridiculous. Kate shook her head at her daughter's antics. Then she turned to Castle.
"You don't have to wait for me. You probably have something better to do than waste your whole day at a precinct and after you already spent so much time…"
Castle interrupted her.
"I don't have anything better to do. And I don't think that Alexis is keen on being separated from her best friend in the world. I'm waiting." He grinned "go kick your boyfriend's ass"
Kate grimaced "you can bet on it"
When she stepped out into the bullpen all her fury came rushing in again as she saw Josh standing there, glancing impatiently at his watch. Like he had nothing to worry about. Like he didn't just leave his daughter with a stranger in a park.
"This way" she instructed and walked just past him towards interrogation room 2. Very fitting, she thought.
Josh was smart enough to keep quiet until she closed the door behind them and made him sit in the chair that was normally reserved for the suspects. Also very fitting.
"Kate, I really don't know what's so important that it couldn't wait until tonight" Josh half stated, half asked.
Kate stared him down incredulous. "You don't know what's so important" she repeated. "How about the fact that you left our daughter in a park with a stranger?" she yelled the last word at him.
Josh flinched and had at least the decency to look slightly concerned. "She said he is her friend's father, A… A… Alice or something. Doesn't she have a friend named Alice? The one with the fat mother? Claire had had playdates with her. I remember you meeting them at the park a few weeks ago. I don't understand what this fuss is about"
"This fuss as you call it is about that the girls name isn't Alice! It's Alexis. And I don't know her or her parents. And neither do you! And you didn't even care to listen to Claire when she was trying to tell you that she just met her at the playground! This fuss is about you just leaving our daughter with a random stranger you didn't even know. And you never even checked if it was okay with him to leave our daughter with him. Do you know what could have happened if he hadn't been so humanitarian to figure out where I work to bring Claire here?" Her voice was growing louder and louder. She couldn't believe how little he cared. Claire was four! Four! You couldn't just do something like this to your Four-year-old daughter!
"So we have Claire back. What exactly is the problem here? She had a great time with a friend and now she is back. No reason to…"
"Are you fucking kidding me?" Kate yelled at him. "The problem is that this could have ended a lot worse and you don't even seem to care about your daughter. He could have called child services. They would have taken her in immediately. A father who just leaves his four-year-old daughter in a park? They wouldn't have thought twice about taking her with them. I could probably have quit my job if he would have called the police" Kate's eyes glinted with fury.
„Or worse! He could have been sitting there to watch children, to abduct them, to harm them, to kill them! You didn't know anything about him. He could have done who knows what to Claire!" Strangely Kate felt bad to even suggest that the nice man would have done anything to Claire, but she pushed the thought back. This wasn't about him. This was about that he could have been anybody.
"I asked him if he was the father of Claire's friend and he said yes. No big deal, Kate"
Kate clenched her hands in fists, her nails drawing blood out of her hands. She wanted to hit him. She wanted to beat some sense into him.
"Oh, well if he told you he was her father… no problem" her voice was tripping with sarcasm. "Maybe next time a murderer tells me he didn't do it I should just let him go because he said he didn't do it!"
"Look Kate, I get that you are angry." Josh tried to soothe her. But she only glared at him. Sure, now he got that she was angry! He didn't get a thing!
"I probably should have talked to him before I left Claire with him. But she is back now and everything is fine. So can we just forget this?"
Kate's jaw dropped with incredulity. Can they just forget…
"No! We can't just forget! Even if you thought that Alexis was a friend from school and that I knew her father you still should have called to check if it was okay to leave her with him. Or at least you should have called to tell me that you left her with them! But you didn't. And not once since you got here did you even ask how she is! You don't know if she is okay or if she is terrified or scared because you left her alone. You didn't even ask! Do you even care about her at all?" Kate yelled but her voice broke on the last word.
Tears threatened to fill her eyes. Kate willed them back. Not now. Not now. Not now.
"Of course I care about her" Josh defended himself, but with way to little emotion in his voice for Kate's taste. "I just don't make her the center of my life like you do."
Not now. Not now. Stay back, tears. Just a while longer. We are almost finished here. Don't let him see you fall, tears. He doesn't deserve it. Stay back, tears.
"You don't make her the center of your life" Kate stated. Her voice now quiet but no less intimidating. There was a hard edge to it. "Well, news flash, Josh: As a parent you are supposed to make your child the center of your life. But you know what, you don't have to do that any longer. I'm breaking up with you. Neither Claire nor I need you in our life. You can pick up your stuff tomorrow. We are done."
Josh looked kind of surprised, but not like he was going to fight for their relationship. "Don't you think you are overreacting here, babe?"
"Don't call me that" Kate gritted out. "We are done. I'm breaking up with you. We can talk about details tomorrow."
Then she walked out without another word. Tears were already clouding her vision when she walked past the break room towards the bathroom.
Once she had locked the door behind her she sank down and started to cry into her knees. First quietly but soon she couldn't hold in the sobs anymore. She really hated crying. But she knew she would have had to at some point. She almost thought it was better to cry here in the precinct bathroom than in front of Claire. And she really couldn't have held the tears in even a minute longer. At least her little girl was fine and having fun with her uncles and Alexis and Richard Castle.
Or not him. Because there was a knock on the bathroom door and she heard his voice. He quietly called out for her.
"Kate?" he asked and his voice sounded honestly concerned.