Thank you all for your continued enthusiasm for, interest in, and support of this story. We are now into January 2018 in this chapter.
Lily loved making noise, trying to talk like all the grown-ups talked. She understood a lot of what they said to her, especially Mommy and Daddy since she saw them all the time, but she just couldn't make her mouth make the same sounds their mouths made when they talked.
But she had inherited a double dose of stubbornness from both sides of her family tree, and she wasn't going to stop trying until she was talking like the grown-ups.
Mommy and Daddy were both encouraging her to talk. Her first word was a big deal to them—at least, that was the conclusion she reached after hearing them talk about it so much to her, and even Alexis and Gram and Grandpa Jim and Uncle Kevin and Aunt Jenny and Uncle Javi kept asking if Lily was any closer to saying her first real word.
Mommy was doing something she called "coaching."
"I promised myself I wouldn't be that mom before you were even born," she said to Lily early one morning when she was getting Lily dressed for the day, "but you have the most wonderful, amazing daddy in the world, Lily, and it's an easy sound to make, or at least everything I've read says it is, so, can you work on that? 'Da.' 'Da-da.' To see his face the first time he hears you say his name...It would be everything, Lily. Cra—uh, crud. I'm not putting pressure on you, sweetie, I swear I'm not. But 'Da' as your first word would be a wonderful gift for your wonderful daddy."
Daddy's approach was pretty much the same...but at the same time, it was the exact opposite. "Okay, Sweetpea, you're getting closer and closer to talking, and you only get one first word. I was Alexis's first word. This time? It's your mommy's turn, because your mommy is the most extraordinary, incredible woman on the planet, and you're gonna grow up knowing that. She deserves this. 'Mmmm.' That's the main sound. 'Mmmmaaa. Ma. Mama!' That's the word, Lily: 'Mama.' Or just 'Ma.' One syllable is easier. 'Ma.' Not that I'm pressuring you, but your first word should really be Kate's. Mommy's. Mama. Ma."
This went on for many, many days, and Lily tried saying the words, making the sounds, that Mommy and Daddy wanted her to make, coached her to make. The moment was coming when Lily Castle would speak her first word, and it would be a very memorable moment for everyone in her family, and especially for her mommy and daddy.
"Babe? Are you asleep?" Kate whispered in the pre-dawn darkness of the January morning.
Though his eyes were closed, Rick replied, "No." He opened his eyes and looked at Kate. "Good morning, Councilwoman Beckett," he said with a smile.
"I'm not officially a Councilwoman until I'm sworn in," Kate said, as she had been saying at least once a day every day for the past several weeks.
"But today's the day," Rick said, his pride and excitement clear in his voice.
"Part of me still can't believe this is actually happening," Kate said.
"You earned this. You ran a clean, honest campaign, and you really connected with the people. You're going to be great," Rick assured her.
Kate threaded her fingers through his. "I couldn't do any of this without you," she replied. "So many Council members are being sworn in today, and none of us gets to give a speech, because otherwise, we'd all be there for at least three days, and since I won't get to say anything after I'm sworn in, I want you to know that now, before we're in that whole big crowd of people, and everything's happening."
Rick smiled and brought his and Kate's intertwined hands to his lips, gently kissing the back of Kate's hand. "We're partners in every way," he affirmed, "but thank you for the reminder."
They heard Lily babbling over the nursery monitor. She was not saying actual words yet, but she was getting closer. "I'll get Sweetpea while you hit the showers," Rick told Kate. They kissed, then got out of bed, Kate heading into the bathroom, and Rick heading upstairs to get Lily. Now that she was 7 months old, Lily was eating actual food, and her favorite breakfast now was mashed bananas, which were spoon fed to her, along with a handful of Cheerios.
When Kate entered the kitchen, Lily was strapped into her high chair and Rick was feeding her her bananas and encouraging her as she ate her Cheerios. He hadn't dressed her yet, since she had proven to be something of a messy eater, but at least, to Rick and Kate's mutual relief, she was not a picky eater.
Kate was wearing a white button-down blouse with her navy blue blazer and slacks, and black boots. "Lily, you are a mess," she said affectionately, making a funny face at Lily, which made the baby laugh. Lily had mashed bananas all over her face and a Cheerio stuck to her cheek.
"I'll clean up The Sweetpea before I clean up myself," he said, "and you can get her dressed. Sound good?"
"That'll work," Kate agreed. Rick was back with one of Lily's washcloths in a minute, washing her face. Then, after planting a smacking kiss on her clean cheek, he said, "Okay, Daddy's turn to get cleaned up and dressed." He planted another smacking kiss on Kate's cheek before disappearing into the master bedroom.
Kate unstrapped Lily from her high chair and carried her upstairs to her room. "I'm so glad you and your daddy and our whole wonderful family are going to be there today, Lily," Kate said.
The sound of a key in the front door was immediately followed by Alexis calling out, "Dad? Mom? Lily?"
"Upstairs!" Kate shouted.
Alexis appeared in the doorway of Lily's room a moment later, Javier right behind her.
"We thought we'd ride over with you," Alexis said by way of greeting. "Oh my gosh, Lily, you look adorable!"
Kate had just finished dressing Lily, who was wearing a houndstooth babydoll tunic with a tiny black bow under the piping beneath the crewneck collar and black velour leggings with a tiny pair of black socks and black slip-on Mary Jane crib shoes with criss-crossing elastic straps across the tops of Lily's feet. "Can you watch her while I grab her brush and a couple of barrettes?" Kate asked.
"Sure!" Alexis exclaimed, hurrying across the room. Javier leaned against the doorjamb, his arms folded across his chest, and smiled as he watched Lily scoop Alexis up for snuggles and blow a raspberry on her belly, which made her squeal. "Oh, oops, I shouldn't wind you up, Lily," Alexis said, quickly growing serious. "Big day today for Mom. She's getting sworn in as a City Councilwoman." Lily screeched again and reached out, grabbing two fistfuls of Alexis's hair and tugging. Alexis grimaced. "And you're still fascinated with the hair, I see," she said.
Javier crossed the room quickly, gently prying Lily's fingers from Alexis's hair one hand at a time. "You've got quite the grip there, Lily," he said. "Just wait 'til we get a video game controller in these little hands."
"Not for several years yet," Kate said as she approached with Lily's hairbrush and two white barrettes in her hand. Alexis helped Lily sit up on the changing table while Kate brushed and fixed Lily's hair.
"And you're ready, Lily," Kate said, straightening one of the barrettes.
"Where's Castle, anyway?" Javier asked.
"Right here," Rick piped up as he entered Lily's room, impeccably dressed in a gray jacket, with black pants and button down shirt, and carrying two neckties. "Which one?" he asked, holding first the black-and-white-striped necktie against his shirtfront, and then the solid black tie.
"I like the stripes," Alexis said.
"The solid one," Esposito said decisively.
"Tiebreaker? No pun intended," Rick said, looking to Kate.
"You don't absolutely have to wear a tie to this, babe," Kate told him.
"You're sure?" Rick asked.
"I'm sure," she said.
Alexis was holding Lily again, and they and Javier watched as Kate crossed the room and whispered something in Rick's ear. Rick did a comic double-take. "Really?" he asked.
Kate gave him a saucy grin. "Really," she said.
"Okay, I'll just go put these ties back where they go for now," Rick said.
The doorbell buzzed, and Kate said, "I'll get that, if you guys can watch Lily for a minute?"
"Sure, Mom," Alexis said. Kate hurried downstairs; her dad was at the door, along with Lanie and Alan.
As Alexis, carrying Lily, and Javier headed downstairs to join the others, Alexis said, "You know what they were talking about, right?"
Javier pulled a face. "I'm trying not to think about it."
"Will it weird you out too much if I tell you that I want this to be us someday?" Alexis said.
"If by 'this,' you mean a home, kids, inappropriate innuendo in front of our family, then I'm in," Javier said. "I wanted to wait until you got through law school, though, to make anything...legally binding."
"You're such a sweet talker," Alexis quipped.
"I'm trying to get images of Castle and Beckett out of my head that I never wanted in there in the first place. Cut me a little slack," Javier said.
"I wasn't hinting at anything," Alexis said.
"Castles don't do subtle," Javier said. "I'll be be your side for the rest of my life. And I know how important law school is to you. So I'm not popping any questions or making anything official until that's done, but I'm in this for the rest of our lives, Lex."
They were downstairs by now. "Well, just so you know," Alexis told Javier, "whenever you do pop the question, I guarantee you'll get an answer in the affirmative."
Kate had answered the door to find her father, Lanie and Alan all three on the other side. Jim's face lit up when he saw Lily in Alexis's arms. "Lily Jo, you're so pretty!" he exclaimed. He hugged Kate and as he released her, he said, "She looks more like you every day, Katie." Alexis handed Lily to Jim before he could ask. "And you also look very pretty, Alexis. Nice to see you again, Javier."
"Thank you, Jim," Alexis said.
"You too, Mr. Beckett," Javier replied.
"I had lunch with Professor Harvey last week," Jim said to Alexis. "Not to tell tales out of school, but he was very impressed with you last semester."
"Are we talking about the same Professor Harvey? 'Hard-Nosed' Harvey, the Civil Procedure professor whose class I barely survived, and my final grade in that class I'm still waiting to get? That Professor Harvey?" Alexis asked.
"One and the same," Jim replied. "I can't rightly say law school gets any easier as you go along, but you're definitely one of the stars of your class, Alexis. You have a great future ahead of you in law."
"Congratulations, Councilwoman," Lanie said, giving Kate a big hug after Jim had turned his attention to Lily and Alexis.
"Thanks, Lanie, but I haven't been-"
"Sworn in yet, which is a mere technicality that is going to be remedied in about an hour," Lanie interrupted.
"I'll be recording your swearing in with my new phone," Alan said, holding up his phone then.
"Thank you, Alan," Kate said, giving him a quick hug next.
Rick's phone binged then. It was a text from Martha, who was caught in traffic, and had just told the cabbie to take her directly to City Hall instead of to the loft. After relaying Martha's message, Rick said, "Okay, so Mother's meeting us there, along with Ryan and Jenny, and Victoria and Gerald."
"Maddie said she and Mark will meet us there too," Kate said, having spoken to Maddie the night before.
"So that's everyone then, right?" Lanie asked.
Kate did a quick count in her head. "Yes, it should be," she agreed.
Rick grabbed the packed diaper bag he had stowed by the front door before getting ready himself. Kate pulled Lily's stroller out of the foyer closet and expertly opened it. After everyone was bundled into their winter coats, gloves, and hats for those who chose to wear them to ward off the January chill, Jim strapped Lily into her stroller, and everyone headed downstairs. Alexis and Javier got into the backseat of Rick's car, one on either side of Lily's carseat. Lanie and Alan were in Alan's car, and Jim brought his own car. They headed to City Hall in a convoy then, to meet the rest of their family for Kate's swearing in.
City Hall was a scene of organized chaos, as all of the new City Council members were being sworn in on this day. They were going numerically by district, though, which meant that Kate would be the first new City Council member sworn in, since she was representing District 1.
Victoria and Gerald Gates were waiting for Kate and Rick and the others at City Hall. Martha found them right before Kate, Rick, and the others did. Javier was texting with Ryan, trying to direct him and Jenny where to find the rest of the group. Madison arrived with Mark just ahead of the Ryans.
Martha and Jim were both talking to Lily after Martha had unbundled the baby from her winter coat, hat, and mittens.
The New York State Attorney General brought the proceedings to order, and after his opening remarks, he said, "I want to call up here now a great jurist, United States District Judge Emily Hubbard, whom you've all heard of." Scattered applause rang through the City Council chamber. When the applause petered out, he continued, "When you're a judge, you know, sometimes one ruling makes you famous, but she is an extraordinary judge in what I and many of us think is the best trial court in the United States, who has, for years and years, understood and put into action the real meaning of equal justice under law. This is a judge who is all about equal justice under law, and I cannot think of anyone who is more appropriate to swear in our Council members. At this time, I would like to ask Judge Hubbard to come up here, and also Kate Beckett, who will be representing District 1 in Manhattan once she is sworn in. Your Honor? Councilwoman Beckett?"
Judge Hubbard, a sixtyish woman with glasses and a blonde bob, wearing her judicial robe, went up to the podium and shook hands with the Attorney General. Kate looked around at her family surrounding her, taking in each of their faces individually, ending with Lily, and then Rick. "We're right beside you," Rick whispered so only Kate could hear him.
Judge Hubbard and the State Attorney General shook hands, and then exchanged a few words away from the microphone while Kate stepped up onto the platform, followed by Rick, Lily in his arms, Alexis, who was holding Javier's hand, Jim, and Martha. The rest of the family moved closer to the podium, and Alan, Victoria, Madison, and Kevin all had their phones out and recording, just waiting for Kate's oath of office to be administered now.
"Before administering the oath of office," Judge Hubbard said, "I just want to say how happy and proud I am to participate in the inauguration of Kate Beckett as City Councilwoman. Her achievements, which you've heard about over the past several months, speak for themselves. She is obviously a young woman of great talent and of great heart, who is destined to do a great deal of good for all the people of this greatest city. And now the oath."
She turned to Kate then, and directed her, "Please raise your right hand."
Kate raised her right hand. She was standing opposite Judge Hubbard on the opposite side of the podium, and would be speaking directly into the microphone in front of her, while Judge Hubbard had her own free-standing microphone into which she would be speaking.
Rick, holding Lily, stood at Kate's right side, close enough to the microphone that if he so much as whispered, the microphone would pick it up. Alexis stood next to her father and baby sister, and Javier stood next to Alexis. Jim Beckett stood at Kate's left side, and Martha stood next to him. Lanie and Alan, Kevin and Jenny, Victoria and Gerald, and Madison and Mark were right up near the platform on which the others were standing, and Alan, Kevin, Victoria, and Madison all had their phones recording Kate's inauguration. Kate took a deep breath, looked quickly at Rick and Lily, Alexis and Javier, then at her father and Martha, and looked down on the floor at the rest of her chosen family, flashing them a quick smile before her expression turned serious, as the occasion warranted.
"'I, Katherine Beckett-" Judge Hubbard began.
"I, Katherine Beckett," Kate repeated.
"'-do solemnly swear-'"
"-do solemnly swear-"
"'-that I will support the Constitution of the United States of America-'"
"-that I will support the Constitution of the United States of America-"
"-and that I will support the Constitution of the State of New York-'"
"-and that I will support the Constitution of the State of New York-"
"'-and that I will support the Charter of the City of New York—'"
"-and that I will support the Charter of the City of New York-"
"'-and that I will faithfully discharge the duties-'"
"-and that I will faithfully discharge the duties-"
"'-of the Office of Council Member of the First District in the Borough of Manhattan-'"
"-of the Office of Council Member of the First District in the Borough of Manhattan-"
"-County of New York-"
"-County of New York-"
"-in the City of New York-"
"-in the City of New York-"
"-according to the best of my abilities.'"
"-according to the best of my abilities," Kate concluded.
Judge Hubbard smiled and extended her hand. "Congratulations, Councilwoman Beckett," she said.
Kate shook Judge Hubbard's hand as she replied, "Thank you, Judge Hubbard." Applause swept through the gallery, but Kate turned and looked at Rick, only having eyes for him, beaming at her proudly, holding Lily, who was waving and smiling, and she quickly hugged and kissed him before kissing Lily's forehead.
Kate had just taken a step back to look at Lily, and that was when it happened.
Lily, her eyes fastened on Kate, exclaimed, "Ma!"-and since Rick and Kate were both still standing right by the microphone, the entire chamber heard Lily's first word...and the immediate verbal reactions of her shocked, excited, proud, happy parents.
"Did she just say 'Ma'?" Kate asked, her eyes wide with shock and filling with tears at the same time.
"She did!" Rick practically shouted. "That's my girl!" He pointed at Kate then and addressed the baby in his arms. "Lily," Rick said right into the baby's ear, "who's that?"
"Ma!" Lily exclaimed again. "Ma Ma Ma Ma Ma!" Then Lily reached out for Kate.
"Oh, Lily!" Kate exclaimed. She took Lily from Rick and hugged her close, raining kisses all over her face. "That's right, sweet girl. I'm your mama, and I always will be."
The rest of the family started going crazy over Lily's first word, which had been captured on the phone recordings Alan, Kevin, Victoria, and Madison were still filming. They were applauding and cheering for both Kate and Lily.
TV cameras recorded and newspaper photographers snapped pictures with bright flashbulbs all around them, but Kate, Rick, and Lily didn't pay any attention, all of their focus being on Lily, who was smiling and babbling and saying "Ma!" every few syllables.
As the next City Council member was called up to the podium to be sworn in, and he and his family moved forward for his swearing in, all Kate could see and hear was her family all around her, and all she could feel was Rick's hand at the small of her back as he began ushering her off the platform, and the weight of Lily in her arms, alternately babbling and then looking right at Kate and exclaiming, "Ma!"
Everyone was mindful of Lily in Kate's arms as they all crowded around to congratulate and hug Kate, and then kiss Lily or rub her back or tousle her hair and tell her how proud of her they were. Alexis and Jim reached them first, with Martha half a step behind, and after the trio had hugged and kissed and congratulated both Kate and Lily, Lanie swooped in for big hugs, followed by Javi and Kevin, Maddie, and Victoria, while Alan filmed the whole thing before handing his phone off to Lanie to hug Kate, and to pat Lily's back, for himself. Mark and Gerald both shook Kate's hand and congratulated her before complimenting Lily, though neither man spoke to Lily directly.
"I've been coaching her to say 'Dada,'" Kate told Rick.
"I've been working with her on 'Mama,'" Rick confessed. "I was Alexis's first word. It's only right that you're Lily's first word."
"Ma!" Lily exclaimed again, placing her tiny palm on Kate's cheek.
Kate took Lily's tiny hand in hers and kissed her palm. "That's right, Lily. I'm your mommy."
"You're all invited back to our place to celebrate Kate's swearing in, and Lily's first word," Rick told everyone then.
Lily continued to call Kate "Ma" on the ride home.
At the loft, once everyone had a drink in hand—ranging from bottles of water for Jim, Javier, Kevin, Alan, Victoria, Gerald, and Mark, all of whom would be heading to their respective offices after the short celebration, to glasses of wine for Lanie, Kate, Rick, Madison, Jenny, Martha, and Alexis—Jim Beckett raised his water bottle and said, "I know Rick is the professional wordsmith, but he agreed to defer to me today." Lily was seated in her swing, flanked by her mommy and daddy.
"Katie, I've known you since before you were born. And I knew even then that someday, you would take on the world. Your resilience and dedication to others are an inspiration to me, to everyone in this room, and very reminiscent of your mother. I love you, and I'm proud of you, and proud to be your father.
"And Miss Lily Jo, you seem to have inherited Martha's sense of dramatic timing. Like your mom and your Grandma Johanna, there's not a doubt in my mind that the day will come, many, many years from now, that you will take on the world as your Grandma Johanna did, and as your mommy is doing right now...nor is there a doubt in my mind that you will be as formidable and as successful on your chosen road as the two of them." He held his water bottle aloft. "To my daughter, Councilwoman Kate Beckett, and my granddaughter Lily Castle, who spoke her first word today: I love you both, I'm proud of you both, and I can't wait to see what you both do next."
"To Kate and Lily," Rick said, and everyone echoed him as they clinked glasses and water bottles.
The celebration broke up after that, since almost everyone had to return to work, and Alexis only took one sip of her wine because she was headed to class. Lanie had the day off, and Madison was going to work later in the evening, but Lanie was having lunch with Alan, and Madison was having lunch with Mark, so everyone else left after one last round of congratulations and hugs for Kate and Lily both.
Later that afternoon, while Lily was napping, Kate and Rick stood at her crib, watching their baby daughter sleep.
"'Dada' will probably be Lily's next word," Kate said softly. "We'll keep working on it."
"There's plenty of time for that," Rick replied, wrapping his arms around Kate's waist from behind and resting his chin lightly on the crown of her head. "Her first word was exactly what it should have been: Ma."
Kate leaned back against him. "She's so amazing," she said.
"She takes after her mother," Rick replied.
Kate turned around in Rick's arms then, so she was facing him. "She has a lot of her father in her too. Giving me an incredible, magical surprise when I didn't expect it at all is definitely a trait of yours."
"Yours too," Rick said, his hands wandering lazily up and down her sides, over to her hips, pulling her closer as her arms went around his neck, and his hands drifted slowly up her back.
"And at the same time, she's already so much her own person," Kate said. "My dad was right: Lily's going to take on the world someday."
"And she'll win," Rick declared. "We're gonna be right there backing her up."
Kate looked over her shoulder at Lily, contentedly sleeping in her crib before turning back to meet Rick's gaze, her eyes sparkling, as she said, "Yeah, we will." And Kate could see it, in her mind's eye: Lily, growing up, supported by her large, loving family in every single one of her endeavors, just as her future brother, or sister, would be. Growing old with Rick, raising their children together, watching their kids grow up and go out into the world to take it on in their own ways...Sitting on the porch of the Hamptons house one distant day from this moment, watching Lily's kids run around and play, with Rick right by her side…
That was exactly what was going to happen. Kate knew it with absolute certainty in that moment.
"We will be there backing her up, for all of it," Kate said before stretching up on her toes to seal that promise, to seal their future, by kissing Rick.
