Charlie III

Chapter 3

All four of them had been left feeling a little dumbfounded. Each of them knew Castle wasn't poor and while the amount of money they inherited wasn't staggering in a billion dollar sort of way, it was still a lot of money.

"I'm going to look up this address." Alexis opened her laptop. At least this had taken losing her dad off her mind for a moment.

"I'm going to make some breakfast for all of us," Lanie announced and went into the kitchen. That just left Kate and Martha at the table.

Kate had keys to seemingly everything and everywhere now. Account numbers with amounts of money in them. While having the money, loft, and cars was nice, she would give it all away in a heartbeat if she could just have Rick back. He was all she really cared about.

"Please don't start crying again, Katherine. You're going to get me started," Martha asked her.

"Sorry, Martha." Kate wiped away her tears. "I just… I don't really know what to do without him. I'd gotten so used to being on my own after Mom died and now I can't imagine being alone again." Why did living have to be so damn difficult?

"You've got us this time, dear, and neither of us are going anywhere." Martha reached out her hand to cover Kate's.

"I know, Martha, I'm sorry. I… It just hurts so much. I'm so tired of having my heart ripped open." Too many people she loved were finding a way to end up dead.

"Found it." Alexis was back with her laptop and read from the listing that still showed it but showed it as being sold. "1108 Auahi Street, unit #907, Honolulu, Hawaii. Two bed and two bath, 9 foot ceilings, floor-to-floor windows, Miele appliances, walk-in closets. 1,349 square feet of living space. The building has a pool, BBQ, beach volleyball court, tennis court, fitness gym, golf simulator, chef's kitchen, dining area, and a dark park.

"Maybe Dad only just bought it. It has pictures." Alexis pushed her laptop away a little so both of them could see. "It's listed at $1,488,000."

"Why would Castle buy a condo in Hawaii?" Kate wondered. Not that she'd ever been there and on her salary was likely never going to get to go there. Though visiting Hawaii did sound nice.

Alexis had a sudden idea as to why. "It's a Christmas present!" Granted they had only just eaten Thanksgiving and it had been an exceptional and their last.

Kate saw new tears forming and instinctively knew where they were coming from. She slipped her arm around Alexis and gave her a gentle hug. If she started they were all going to end up crying soon.

"We haven't even started decorating the loft for Christmas yet." Alexis had always loved Christmas. Her dad knew just how to make it special for her. For all of them.

Kate had finally begun to come around and enjoy the holiday. Now her husband was dead just before Christmas just like her mother. It was a time that was probably going to go back to being just another day.

"We need to figure out if Dad even has keys for it yet," Alexis said. "Looks like it's between Waikiki and Chinatown close to the water front. There's a park located between the two." Alexis brought up a map showing just where it was located.

"Breakfast is ready," Lanie called. The three of them left the dining room table along with everything Henry had brought them to find out what Lanie had made for them. Amazingly all three of them were hungry and ready to eat something.

"This looks nice, Lanie, thank you." Martha found a plate being placed in front of her. As did Alexis and Kate.

"This smells…" Kate was going to say nice but instead clapped her hand over her mouth and raced flat out for the master bathroom since it was the only bathroom downstairs and the closest.

"I'm not that bad of a cook." Lanie knew she wasn't going to win any cooking awards but she wasn't that bad.

"I'll handle this." Martha had a good idea since she had been through this before and if she was right, this just might be what all of them needed right now. Something to fill the pain with joy and heal all of their hearts.

Martha found Kate kneeling in front of the toilet, still emptying the contents of her stomach into it. She picked up a wash cloth and wetted it for her then handed it to her after she was done.

"Thanks, Martha." Kate wiped her face then got up and saw herself in the mirror. She looked like shit and blamed some of it on being sick. She rinsed her mouth out with water, quickly brushed her teeth, then rinsed her mouth out with mouthwash. "I don't know where that came from." Okay, she knew it came from her stomach, but not why. She actually was hungry and felt bad that she'd run away from Lanie's cooking.

"I have an idea," Martha said with a knowing gleam in her eye. "When did you have your last period?"

That had Kate trying to think. Through the haze of her grief it really wasn't all that easy. "You think I'm pregnant? How can I be pregnant?" Technically she knew how and God knows they had sex constantly or at least it felt like that.

It wasn't just her that started something, either. Kate loved the fact that Rick wanted her. He wanted to make love to her and unlike a number of her boyfriends, okay all of them if she was being honest, Rick didn't just fuck her. He made love to her and made damn sure that she enjoyed making love to him.

"I'm still on the pill," Kate blurted, thinking that that should have prevented her from getting pregnant. Until Martha reminded her of the obvious.

"Nothing in this world is 100%, Katherine. You might want to buy some pregnancy test sticks and go see your doctor. But I'm so happy for you." Martha hugged her and suddenly her tears started. Her son was gone but he had left behind another grandchild. Only this time it was Katherine and not that hated Meredith. "Stay, take a shower, and get dressed. You have some shopping to do." Martha hugged her again and left her in the bathroom.

Kate looked in the mirror again and she still thought she looked like shit. Even worse she'd looked like this while Henry was here and he hadn't said a word.

ooOoo

"I'll be right back," Kate announced as she exited the bedroom and walked toward the front door. Then she stopped. "Car keys." She turned and went to the dining room table to retrieve one of the car keys.

Lanie intercepted her. "I'm sorry." Lanie was thinking it was her cooking.

"It's not your fault, Lanie. I just… I need to go get something. I'll be right back." Kate picked up the keys and this time made it out the door. She took the elevator to the underground parking garage and Rick's newer car instead of the Ferrari even though it did call to her once she saw it.

"Grams?" Alexis was in the dark and was betting she knew something that she didn't.

"Just let Kate come back first." Martha had a really good idea where Kate was going.

ooOoo

All three of them watched Kate as she walked straight for the bedroom with her package.

Lanie had cleaned up and thrown out what Kate hadn't eaten since it was too late now and they all waited for Kate to show up and explain.

It was fifteen minutes later. "Maybe one of us should go check on her," Lanie suggested and began to get up just as Kate came out. The look on her face was hard to read.

Kate had three of them and she handed one to each person then plopped down on the sectional, not quite sure what to think.

"This is a pregnancy test stick." Alexis stated the obvious since it wasn't what she was expecting. "It has a plus sign on it. IT HAS A PLUS SIGN ON IT!"

Lanie looked at hers. "You're pregnant!?"

Martha simply looked at hers and smiled. Katherine might have just saved all of them without even really trying.

Kate had been sitting mostly alone until Alexis landed next to her, still holding her test stick as Lanie did the same. "You're pregnant?" Alexis was barely breathing, waiting to hear what Kate had to say. She needed to be sure.

"Looks that way," Kate nodded since so far all signs she had said yes.

"Morning sickness. It wasn't my cooking. Okay, it was my cooking, just not my cooking." Lanie scrunched up her face since none of that came out the way she had planned it.

Kate found herself being hugged by Alexis first then Lanie after Alexis let go of her. "You're going to have Dad's baby." Suddenly Alexis's heart didn't feel quite so broken. "Boy or girl? Sorry, you wouldn't know yet." Alexis knew better.

"DAD'S BABY!" Alexis hugged Kate again and even Kate was suddenly feeling better.

"I'm going to be chained to my desk now." Kate slumped a little since this was going to change how she did her job.

"Not until you're several months pregnant and showing," Lanie reminded her. If Kate wanted to work then she could. Lanie didn't see a reason for her not to.

"And risk losing the only baby I'm ever going to have? Not a chance." Kate placed both hands over her belly as if she was already trying to protect him or her.

She knew that this was going to be hard on her. She liked getting out of the office and doing her job. Now she was going to be trapped in the office at her desk.

"Morning sickness, I'm going to get as big as a house. My feet are going to hurt, my back's going to hurt. …NO MORE COFFEE!" She was dead, she just knew it.

"Technically you can have some coffee. You just can't take it intravenously like you normally do. That and there's decaf," Lanie said.

"Castle's fancy coffee machine doesn't do decaf," Kate grumbled. "It hates me anyway. It does nothing but spit hot whatever at me."

That actually had Alexis laughing a little and Lanie was smiling as was Martha.

"Maybe we can put Dad's new condo in Hawaii to use before you get too big," Alexis said hopefully.

"I do have a little time off accumulated finally." She had used up every last day trying to get married only to have Castle disappear. Then used up what few days she had managed to accumulate on her honeymoon at The Diamondback Dude Ranch that had real guns and a murder investigation.

"Hot, half-naked, beach boys for Alexis to drool over. Maybe she'll even come home with a new boyfriend." Lanie was gushing all over just thinking about all those tanned half-naked men all over the place.

Alexis was shaking her head. "Maybe?" she squeaked and the other three burst into laughter.

ooOoo

Rick stepped off the train and looked around. Suddenly everything looked bigger, however, there was one thing he knew. He was in New York City. Bark. That had him looking around for a dog that had just barked at him. It was loud so it was really close. Except he didn't see any dog. He saw a number of people, though. But why were they all so damn tall?

Looking down he saw red and they were dog paws. Flipping his head around he saw a red dog tail. "God, I'm a red Irish Setter." Whimper.

"Except I know who I am and where I am." He looked up, saw a street corner, and could read the street signs. Now he knew exactly where he was. "I even know how to get home!" Bark.

Rick began walking and found that he was actually pretty quick and not even remotely tired. The light was red so he sat down and waited. Once it was green he was up and running across the street and down the sidewalk and doing his best to miss everyone who was looking out for him.

"This is harder than it looks." Bark.

ooOoo

"I could really use a taxi." Whimper. Except he didn't have any money. He also didn't have a hand to wave a taxi down with. His primary problem at the moment was that he was on the wrong side of the city. The loft was a really long ways away.

Rick kept walking and sitting at each stop light. He still knew where he was and was aware that he was getting a little tired. So instead of running, now he was just walking. He also found himself getting a little thirsty and hungry. Whimper.

"Mommy, puppy!" He wanted to let go of his mother's hand so he could move over and pet the puppy.

"No! It's a stray and should be in the pound," she said since she didn't see a collar or tags and held her son's hand a little tighter to keep him in place.

So far Rick had gotten pretty far but still had a long ways to go. However, he was noticing that everything smelled different and everything was louder.

He even heard a siren that almost sounded like it was just around the corner and yet he never did see it. For once he was actually thankful for New York City norms. People walked with blinders and mostly never looked at anyone else. No one wanted to be involved in anything that might potentially involve the police so everyone was ignored for the most part.

ooOoo

He was sure it had taken him hours and now he was sitting next to a building across the street from the loft. However, what he saw was a bit of a surprise. "The press?" Whimper.

It meant the straight in approach was out. Plus he saw the doorman out front. It meant he needed someone to open the door for him and find a way to get past the doorman.

Maybe there was a different way in. He worked his way toward the door that led down into the parking garage. He only saw a couple of people over there and waited for the road to be clear then raced across the street. The trick getting in this way was that the only opening was the garage door down at the bottom of the ramp. There wasn't a whole lot of extra space. If he wasn't careful he could get run over by a car easily enough.

So he lay down right at the corner of the building, keeping an eye open for someone trying to pick him up and waiting for the garage door to open.

ooOoo

Rick snapped his eyes open, watching as a car left the garage and pulled out into the street. "SHIT!" Whimper. He had fallen asleep and had almost missed it.

Since the car was clear he raced down the ramp to beat the door closing on him. Thankfully there was a delay for when the door was set to close. It had started to close but his body hit the beam and the door went back up.

Now all he needed was to get up to the top floor. He looked at the door to the stairwell; it was going to be impossible for him. Then there was getting out of the stairwell at the top floor.

That left him looking at the elevator. Did he wait for someone to come out or get in to go up? The big problem was that he was a dog now. They might decide to keep him or capture him and turn him into Animal Control. So he had to get home on his own somehow.

Looking up he saw the one lone button that sent the elevator up. All he had to do was press it and get the elevator to come to him. "This might be harder than it looks." Whimper.

Rick tried to coil his legs like a spring and jump straight up. He came kind of close but not close enough. After two more attempts he realized doing it this way just wasn't going to work. It didn't help that he was tired, thirsty, and hungry. Like really thirsty and hungry.

He tried backing up and getting a running start. But all that got was him bouncing off the wall and falling onto the concrete onto his side which hurt.

He was still trying to figure out as she stood there and tried to make the pain of landing on his side go away. Maybe he had something to jump onto first before jumping up. But what?

Then suddenly the door opened and out walked Mr. Evans who he knew lived on the second floor. Thankfully he was looking toward his car and not down at him. Just to make sure Rick waited until he was well past him then darted into the elevator, causing it to to open back up since it had started to close.

Now that he was in the elevator he had the same problem: How to get the elevator to move. This time there were more buttons and naturally he wanted the very one at the top. "I'm never going to reach that button." Whimper. This button was just too high for him. Now he was trapped in the elevator and at the whim of what happened next.

Mr. Evans came home and found him and picked him up and took him to his place and called Animal Control or took him there himself. Or the Ritters came home from wherever they'd gone and found him and the same thing happened.

"Maybe I'll get lucky and Kate will go into work and find me." Bark.

"Except knowing her she'll put me in the car and drive me straight to Animal Control." Whimper.

"I'm screwed!" Whine.

Dejected, he lay down and waited for what came next. Then suddenly the elevator started moving. He stood up and looked up at where he was going. Rick watched as the elevator passed each floor until finally it was going to stop at his floor.

Rick tensed up and was ready. When that door opened he was going to be on the move. "Try and stop me now!" Bark!

The door opened and he saw Lanie but didn't wait. He ran out into the hallway, hit the wall with his feet, and raced down to his front door. Except it was closed.

"WHAT THE…!" Lanie yelped when she spotted a dog running out of the elevator and down to the door. Once the dog that looked like a puppy to her reached the door it barked its head off while scratching at the door.

Kate heard something at the front door after saying goodnight to Lanie and hugging her and thanking her for everything. The door had just closed and she had only gone two or three steps. Now she was back and opening the door to find out what was going on. Kate literally jumped out of the way as something small and red raced into the loft. She watched it slide to a stop and look around.

"Kate! I saw Kate!" Bark, Bark!

However, Kate would pick him up and lock him up until she could take him to Animal Control. What he needed was either his daughter or his mother. He loved Kate, he truly did, but this was his life that was on the line and he needed someone to fight for him.

"Bedroom!" Bark!

That had Rick racing for the stairs, ignoring Kate and Lanie who were still at the front door.

"SHIT! STAIRS!" Bark, Bark! He wasn't human any longer so these things looked like a mountain now. Rick jumped up onto the first step then the second. He was on the fourth when he heard the door close; while Kate was going to be faster than him, he had a head start.

He heard likely Kate on the stairs and thankfully Alexis hadn't totally closed her bedroom door so he got lucky there and forced himself into the room and saw Alexis sitting on her bed.

She didn't have her laptop or a book and was just leaning up against her headboard. He needed up on that bed and he needed to be there now!

Thankfully her bedroom had carpet so he had traction unlike the main floor. He jumped and had his front feet on the bed and scrambled to get the rest of him on the bed. Then he jumped for Alexis who clearly saw him.

Kate reached the door and saw Alexis holding a red haired puppy as it was doing its best to lick her face clean. Alexis finally got hold of the puppy and was holding it close. "You got a puppy?" Alexis looked at Kate who was standing at her door. Alexis assumed she had let go of the puppy she'd just gotten them and released it so it could come to her.

Rick felt Alexis squeezing him close to her and suddenly it felt perfect to him.

"I'm HOME!" Bark, Bark, Bark!