Love's Journey 2
by Castlefan6
Authors Note This is the continuation of Love's Journey, originally authored by The Muse of Apollo, chapters 1-7 all following are work of Castlefan6' IF you haven't read the original Love's Journey please do so before proceeding with this,
I don't own Castle, I only use the characters for amusement purposes only
Chapter 6
Previously
"Actually, I am on my way to a Doctor's appointment, so I am taking a half day off, I can be at the Loft around 2:00 PM if that works?
Rick is nodding his head since Jess has it on speaker, "OK Kate we'll see you're here then, we're ordering Jimmy Johns for lunch so yours will be in the warmer, See you soon,"
"That's weird" Rick Says,
"What's weird Sweetie,"
"Beckett never sees doctors, something's up and we need to find out what before we decide on sites, Agreed?"
Castle's Loft
1:40 PM Same Day
Rick and Jess have just finished laying out the tableware, sandwiches just arrived and are being kept warm when the knock on the door, Rick recognizes it as Kate's distinctive soft soft hard soft pattern, and whispers to Jess "She's here Jess"
As usual Jess and Rick answer the door together holding hands and Kate is standing on the other side of the door looking a little rattled.
"Kate come in," as Jess pulls her into an embrace, "Are you OK? Getting the I'm fine response from her,
Rick embraces her next, "You don't look fine Kate, so what's going on, we're glad you're here, but you have to be honest with us, OK?"
"Rick, Jess I'm sorry if you have concerns, Rick you remember Dr. Burke my psychologist, don't you? Well anyway he has me on these exercises and todays didn't go so well, I sorta lost it in his office,"
"I'm sorry to hear that, I didn't know you were going back to Dr. Burke, I'm sorry to invade your privacy but this project is so special I need to safe guard every detail." "Do you want to talk about the general area that caused you to lose it as you say?"
"Rick, you know exactly what it was, he pushed me about why I am hanging on to my Mom's murder as a condition for my happiness, like I couldn't have one without the other"
"Sorry Kate, I know how sensitive that area is to you, but how did it get triggered with Dr. Burke?"
"We were talking about you, Jess and how wonderful you have been, the help you provided to save my Ass and career, and some where out of the blue comes the question Why don't I think I deserve to be happy? It pissed me off, and I guess I unloaded a bit, I'm still a bit wound, sorry to unload."
Jess has been sitting quietly next to Kate on the sofa, just draws her into an embrace, "Oh Kate, we are here for you, I've been there, and I know the road you are walking. Please lean on us as your friends when these get triggered, Promise?"
Kate doesn't realize but tears are on her cheek, as well as Jess's when the embrace ends, "Thanks Jess, Rick, God I am so fucked up when will this be over, and I can live a life?"
"You'll get through this, and we will be right here beside you every step of the way Kate Beckett, you are a Kick Ass Cop, and this is not going to stand in your way, Right?" Jess asks as she continues to hold her hand. Rick sits on the other side and gently slide his arm around her shoulder and reaches for Jess's free hand, a few tears later, and as usual Kate Beckett was back.
"You know, I really didn't know what a friend really meant until you can into my life Rick, then it only got better with Jess, Thank You, I know I am a mess"
"We'll be a mess in progress then" Jess smiles, "each day make it a little better, and soon you will have better thank bad days," "Now enough of this, you ready to discuss why the meeting was called Kate?"
Kate looks over with a thank you smile, "Let's do this,"
Rick kicks off the discussion about Vulcan Simmons and possible repercussions if they try to buy his domain out from under him,
Kate countered, "I spoke to a friend in the AG's office and it seems they are very interested in Mr. Simmons but need cause to rile him into action.
They can have a full two squad tactical team here to assist on the ground for as long as it takes to rid the buildings, raze and haul away the rubble. At that point they would drop one squad till construction is under cover, and the security measures in place."
Rick is sitting back smiling, "Wow Kate you have some pull over there, should I even ask,", she laughs and replies "You know a guy, I know a Girl, let's leave it there"
"How much time did you put into the analysis Kate, we need to compensate you for your help" Jess states, "Our typical Consultant rate is $250 per hour, would that suffice?"
Kate blinks back twice, gulps and finally gets out "You pay your consultants $250 an hour? "
Jess matter of fact replies "Sometimes more if they bring special skills we need like bi-lingual, martial arts trained in hand to hand, and things like that"
Rick is grinning from ear to ear, and Jess picks up on it, "No Pressure Kate, just think of a future outside the NYPD", with people who love and care for you" "Plenty of time to talk later no rush now."
Rick now brings up the elephant in the room, "Kate, I don't know how to do this without just coming out and asking, did your Mother's murder and the possible ties to Simmons have anything to do with your recommendation? Rick is expecting Kate to return to her Postal Mode and go off on a tirade, instead she calmly states
"Rick, I could see where you would think that, but I swear on her grave that didn't enter into the computer program I used to run the probabilities of which site was better, "Now it was Rick sitting with his mouth open
"Computer Program, Probabilities What the hell Kate?"
Kate starts to laugh a deep old Beckett laugh, "Rick, ALL the football pools I won, and you never figured out I had a hacked program we lifted off of that bookie, in one of our cases?"
"Son of a Bitch" Rick can't believe he has been had in gambling by a sweet woman, Jess high fives Kate and Rick is still shaking his head, "If you can't trust a cop to run an honest illegal football pool who can you trust, I swear" Which makes the girls just laugh harder.
Kate replies "Tell Espoo or Ryan and you are dead!"
Jess steps in and takes charge, "Well Rick, I have heard enough, to go with Kate's recommendation, and I would suggest we go in with an opening bid of 30% less, also we use a blind bidder"
"Jess, I am satisfied, EXCEPT what is a blind bidder?"
"Oh Sweetie, you should be glad you have me, it's a third party acting as a proxy hiding the true identity of who is really acquiring the property." She leans in and kisses him gently, not to embarrass Kate but to assure him she has things under control.
Rick now looks over to Kate who has relaxed a great deal from when she first arrived, "Kate, got time for a glass of wine, or do you have to be anywhere? Jess and I would love to show you the initial plans for the site, that is if you have time." Jess is standing by his side, giving his hand little, I love you squeezes,
"I'd love to see them, I got the rest of the night, "** Great, we can have a chick flick later, I haven't seen a good one since Lexi went back to school" Jess interrupts, and Kate smiles.
"Well guess that's my cue, maybe it's good you two catch up in a relaxed environment Jess, and you can also work on the recruitment process," Rick smiles as he steps into the main office. "I want to check out the security plans that were proposed, may want to pull in one of my old buddies to head it up, especially since we are going the route we are now"
Kate and Jess return to the large sofa's as Jess projects her laptop onto the big screen and walks Kate through the Architects design for the overall building, then each living quarters.
"Jess, I have to admit, when I hear homeless shelter, this housing unit is the last thing I would imagine, they look more like suites in luxury hotels."
"Rick actually patterned his overview from some of the suites he has stayed in through the years travelling for book tours, and his input has been invaluable in not only appearance but also how we could provide more for less, what can I say that man can do it all" Jess dreamily looks away, then catches herself, ohhh I'm sorry I didn't mean anything by that."
Kate smiles and looks over at Jess, "Hey remember back in Jr. High, well Sr. High in my case when us girls started getting boobs, like the saying back them, "If you got him Flaunt him"
Jess is rolling on the floor, laughing, "what an image, damn you Kate, every time I look at him now I am going to think of Kathy Ferris and her 38DD's till her socks fell out"
Now it was Kate's turn to laugh loud and hard."
As the laughter dies down, Jess looks over at Kate and asks, "Kate, please be honest with me, how bad ass is this Simmons guy, should I be worried about Rick or the project, please the truth, OK?"
"I'm not going to lie to you Jess, by himself he is a street thug, but word has it that he has some cronies in high places, so this could get nasty, that's why I called in Jordan Shaw, my friend at the AG office, well she is actually FBI but reports directly to the AG. Don't worry Jess, I have already arranged to have some teams from the 12th that I trust be ready to move at moments notice should we need them, I won't let anything happen to Rick if I can help it, "
"Thanks Kate, you know how much I love him, or at least I hope you do, and I know sometimes this is awkward for you, but I really feel you need us, and we need you now, more than ever"
"Thanks Jess, being part of a family is something I haven't felt in a long time, mostly due to my own stupidity, but when I am here I do feel at home, is that weird, the ex and the current girlfriends get along better than either of us do with either ex-wife? Both just smile.
A/N we are in a good spot to stop now, lots of planning to go on now, new security wrinkle, prepare for the backlash from the hoodlums, but first we actually buy the property next chapter, Thanks for the reads, review, follows and favas Appreciate all your support Tim
