A/N1: Hello peoples and WELCOME to the ninth Chapter of Absolution titled "Letters" I had loads of unrealistic fun with this one **Grins**
A week went by and absolutely no progress had been made into what the press had dubbed 'The Knick Knack Killer' case. Between them Kate, Rick and Ryan and Esposito examined public phone records, trawled through dozens of hours of CCTV footage and interviewed business and homeowners in the areas around the three murder scenes but had come up with nothing. Karpowski and her team had similar luck examining the records of any known sex offenders and Eggerstrom and his team were equally as frustrated when their examination of military records of personnel with dishonourable discharges came up with nothing.
"I seriously cannot believe we've come up with nothing!" Kate exclaimed one day at the end of shift when just her Rick, Ryan and Esposito remained in the bullpen. "One whole week and a half the NYPD homicide squads working on this and nothing!"
And the female detective kicked at a trash can, sending it up in the air and sailing across the bullpen where it landed on top of Stegner's immaculately kept desk.
"Shit, now I have to clean that up." Kate grumped, striding over to the murder board and studying it intently. "What are we missing?"
"A decent meal and a good night's sleep," Rick said patiently, getting up from his desk. "Kate it's eight thirty on a Friday night, you have been busting your ass all week. All of us have. Everything's shut for the night now there's literally nothing more we can go. Javier, Kevin go home."
"But-" Kate began.
"No buts, guys go home," Rick told the pair of male detectives. "Thanks for everything."
"No problem bro," Esposito said tiredly. "You going to be alright KB?"
"Hmm, I s'pose," Kate replied distractedly. "Thanks Javi, you too Kevin. Sorry for keeping you back so late."
"Seriously, it's no problem. We want to get this S.O.B as much as you do," the Irish detective replied, pulling on his jacket. "See you Monday morning?"
"Yeah see you two then."
Ryan and Esposito left and that just left Kate and Rick.
"C'mon, its home time," the Writer whispered, wrapping his arms around Kate and kissing her neck. "C'mon sweetheart, take the weekend off, if you don't you'll exhaust yourself."
Kate had initially tensed up upon Rick's contact but quickly relaxed and slumped against him
"My job sucks," she declared, turning around and wrapping her own arms around his muscular build.
Rick chucked. "No it doesn't," he said in amusement. "It just sucks right now. Don't worry Tulip, we'll get this guy."
"Pfft, it doesn't feel like it," Kate replied tiredly, getting up on her toes and kissing his neck on the fading hickey there.
"Sweetheart, it's only being a week, no law enforcement agency catches a serial killer in one week." Rick said. "Look at what's in front of us. There are hundreds of hours of CCTV footage and hundreds of public phone records to go through and even with all hands on deck that's going to take days, possibly weeks. You are no super woman so stop trying to be. If you keep going at this rate you'll exhaust yourself and Gates will put you on leave to rest and recuperate. And I know you don't want that to happen."
"You know me too well," Kate answered, sheepishly. "You're right it is time to head home. I just want to go home, eat then go to bed."
"How about my bed?" Rick asked softly pressing a kiss to her crown. "Spend the weekend with me. Alexis is spending the weekend with Paige and Kelsey, we'll have the whole loft to ourselves. And you haven't been there all week."
"Oh Rick I don't know-" Kate began.
"If you don't come I'll be all on my own in that big ole house and terribly, terribly lonely without you," The Writer joked, putting on his best puppy dog eyes expression and wobbling his bottom lip. "Do you really want that? Who knows what mischief I'll get up to on my own? I mean you always say I should be supervised. Who better to supervise than a high ranking member of the NYPD?"
Kate rolled her eyes extravagantly.
"Oh you are such an ass kisser!" she exclaimed, pulling away from the Writer and making her way back to her desk where she began shutting down her computer. "You know you don't have to suck up to me like that."
"Eh it was worth a try," Rick replied in amusement as he began shutting down his own computer 'worked though didn't it, Detective Hard Ass?"
Kate laughed heartily, her exhausted visage immediately loosening up and relaxing.
"You're always good for cheering me up Rick," she told the writer gratefully. "And because of that my job sucks a little less."
"You going to make my job suck a little less if I join the service?" Rick joked as he stood up and pulled on his jacket.
"Of course that's what partners do make each other's job suck less," Kate replied, pulling on her own jacket. "Geez I do hope you join you'd be sexy as hell in dress uniform."
"Which you'd take great delight in ripping off me I'm sure," Rick joked, watching her swiftly clean up Stegner's desk "Am I right?"
"Oh god, are you right." Kate giggled, putting the trash can and its contents back by her desk. "Ever since we had the meeting at Headquarters, you cut a nice image in a tailored suit."
The Writer preened at her compliment.
"Can we discuss the ripping off of clothes once we get back to the loft?" he asked hopefully. "I thought we could have a soak in the hot tub. I bought a bottle of that fancy schmancy bubble bath you like the other day."
"Oh a soak in the tub sounds great," Kate declared as the elevator arrived with a merry ding. "But we're picking a pizza up on our way back. I'm starving and feel like a super supreme with extra cheese."
"Sounds good to me."
An hour later Kate and Rick arrived back in TriBeCa, each carrying a large pizza from Rick's favourite pizza parlour. Without Alexis already home the large loft seemed empty and bereft and the Writer was glad for Kate's company.
"I'm glad you're here, this place is to quiet without Alexis," he admitted, switching the lights on and bathing the loft in warm, soft light. "It's going to totally suck when she heads off to college."
"Well I'll have to make sure to come over and keep you company more often, won't I?" Kate told him as the pair made their way across to the kitchen island where they put their pizzas on the bench.
"Ah, but if I have anything to do with it Tulip, you'll be living here by then." Rick replied cheekily, wiggling his eyebrows. "You'll notice I've already made a space in my wardrobe for you and you already have half of the vanity in the bathroom. In fact you already do live here."
"I haven't been here for a week, you goof." Kate told him, admiring the Writer's backside as he removed a bottle of red wine from the wine rack.
"I know that but before that, you were here one in every two days and-Katherine Louise Beckett, were you just checking out my ass?" Rick asked, catching his female detective ogling him as he stood up and reached for two wine goblets.
"Uh huh I was," Kate admitted with a girly giggle. "It's a nice bubble butt, it's worthy of gratuitous admiration."
"Bubble butt, what-the?" the Writer asked in confusion.
"It's perfectly round, like a bubble," Kate explained with a grin. "Gee this is civilised conversation between two grown adults before an evening meal isn't it?"
Rick chuckled.
"Well while we're discussing my arse, can we discuss you boo-" he began.
"You can discuss them with yourself. I'm going to change into something more comfortable," Kate informed him, cutting him off mid sentence. "Behave yourself."
And with that the female detective strode off to the master bedroom where she proceeded to strip off and change into a baggy NYPD t-shirt and a pair of Rick's boxer shorts. She removed her makeup and put her hair up in a messy ponytail before making her way out into the loft where Rick had taken their pizza and wine to the living room and was waiting for her.
"You definitely live here if you're wearing my clothes," he announced as she dropped down onto the sofa with him. "Mmm no bra, me likey."
"Close your mouth Castle, you're drooling," Kate teased, opening her pizza box and pulling out a gooey cheesy slice of super supreme pizza. "Oh yum dinner!"
There was silence for several minutes as the pair chowed down, exhausted and starving after a hard day at the precinct. When Kate felt her stomach start to fill she slumped against Rick and sipped her wine exhaling sleepily.
"Tired?" the Writer asked, putting an arm around her and kissing the top of her head.
"Hmmm very, but I have enough energy left to have a soak in the hot tub," Kate replied with a sleepy sigh. "Then tomorrow I'm going to sleep in til an indecent hour."
"Doing indecent things?" Rick asked with a chuckle as he sipped his wine.
Kate slapped his chest playfully. "Maybe, possibly," she said, blushing furiously. "I'm more likely to engage in indecent activity in the morning as opposed to tonight, I've had it. I haven't been this exhausted in ages."
"Hmm that's good, sleepy morning sex is the best," Rick confessed finishing his wine and placing the empty glass on the nearest side table. "If you lived here we could experience it every morning."
"Down boy, you'll bust a valve." Kate said dryly as the Writer began suckling upon her neck. "One day, not yet."
"Well if you don't want to move in yet, how about helping me organize Alexis's birthday?" Rick murmured, looking into her hazel brown eyes. "It's in ten days time and I've got no idea how to celebrate it. She's the big 1-8 and I want to make it a birthday to remember. She's becoming an adult and it deserves to be seen in, in a massive way."
"When you mean massive, do you mean loud music and the cops turn up- massive?" Kate asked with a giggle.
"No, not quite that big but I want to do something special for her," Rick went on "the only thing I've got worked out is her present."
"Oh and what's that?" Kate asked in interest.
"A car, Meredith and I are going halves in this little SUV similar to Mother's," Rick revealed. "It'll get her through College and beyond. I plan on tying a big gaudy bow around it."
"Alexis isn't a complicated girl and wouldn't want anything over the top or extravagant, how about renting out a scout hall or even use the main studio room in Martha's acting school to hold a party?" Kate suggested. "Invite all her friends, hire a DJ that will play all the latest tunes and put on a buffet. That's what my parents did for my eighteenth. Simple but genuine."
The Writer's face lit up like a Christmas tree.
"That's an awesome idea!" he exclaimed. "I knew there was a reason I loved you. You have awesome ideas!"
Kate laughed as the Writer planted a big wet sloppy kiss on her cheek.
"Ease up on the slobber boyo," she teased, wiping her cheek with the back of her hand. "And you could have a pin board at the party with photos of Alexis from when she was a baby, right up til now. I didn't have that at my eighteenth but Maddie's parents did it for her at her twenty first. I know you have tons of photos that you could make a memory board with."
Rick bounced on the sofa like an excited toddler.
"Will you help me put it together?" he asked. "I can go out and get a whiteboard or a cork board tomorrow, and we could make it a surprise party! And have party hats and party poppers an-"
"Rick, she's turning eighteen...not eight," Kate chuckled. "She's a young woman now and I don't think she's going to dig party poppers and party hats at a milestone birthday."
"You don't know that," Rick said. "I put on party poppers and streamers and party hats for your birthday last year. You loved it and you turned thirty two."
"Yeah well when you're a fully grown adult little things like that, that make you remember a happy childhood you enjoy but Alexis is nearer to her childhood than I was so she might like something a little more mature."
"Yeah, you're right I s'pose."
"I am, but if you really want sparklers and poppers and hats and streamers. I'll break them out for your birthday in April," Kate promised, twisting his ear affectionately. "Maybe a Thomas the Tank Engine or Batman theme."
Rick rolled his eyes. "I am not that much of a child," he said dryly. "I could go with a Batman theme but it'd have to be the dark brooding Michael Keaton Batman, not the Adam West Batman. I am not going to wear my underpants on the outside of my costume."
"Aw, not even for me?" Kate whined, pouting in a way she knew drove the Writer crazy. "Puh-leeeeeeeze cupcake."
Rick shivered as the female detective ran her hand down his chest and stopped just short of his groin.
"No," he replied firmly, the ghost of a smile playing at his lips. "But if you go and start filling up the tub now while I go and put our leftovers in the fridge, I'll consider wearing a similar costume just for you behind closed doors."
Kate smiled. "Bring another glass of wine and you're on Writer Man."
Rick took their leftover pizza and empty wine glasses back to the kitchen and Kate made her way into the spacious master bedroom bathroom. She stripped off then bent over and began filling the massive tub with steaming hot water.
"Now it's my turn to check out your ass," Rick announced, leering at her perfectly round backside and darkened skin of her femininity. "Hang on let me get my cell so I can take a picture."
"Richard Castle don't you dare!" Kate exclaimed as he strode forward and wrapped his muscular arms around her. "Oh you shit, you love winding me up don't you?"
The Writer chuckled.
"In more ways that one, sweetheart," he murmured, sliding his hand down her abdomen and dipping his fingers into her core. "I'm glad you're spending the night, we can have more time for this."
On the last word Rick dragged his index fingers across Kate's nub, causing the female detective to buck against him and let out a little moan of lust.
"Oh god, you really are good at winding me up," she moaned breathily as he teased and titillated her. "Mmmmmm that feels goooooooooood."
"I got my sling off and the all clear from the specialist today, how would you like to test the strength of my shoulder?" Rick murmured in her ear. "The tub takes ages to fill up and I can guarantee I'll make you come so many times and so hard I'll need to carry you to the bath."
Kate turned around and stood on her toes to kiss her Writer languidly.
"How about carrying me to the vanity instead?" she suggested with a sultry whisper.
"MmmHmm."
Rick placed his hands on Kate's backside and carried her over to the spacious marble vanity bench top. He swept aside his aftershave and deodorant and set her down before seizing her lips with his own.
"You're wearing too much clothing," Kate murmured, roughly unbuttoning is shirt and pulling it open. "Get it off now."
Rick reluctantly pulled away from Kate and shed his clothes, kicking them to the other side of the steamy room. He awkwardly kicked off his shoes before returning to Kate seizing one of her nipples in his mouth and suckling upon his greedily. The female detective threw her head back and moaned loudly as the Writer lavished attention upon the hardened peak.
"Mmmmmmmmgh!" Kate groaned as she wrapped her legs around Rick's waist and ground herself against his hardness. "Hurry Rick, I need to-"
"Nuh uh, you can wait," Rick murmured in her ear as he trailed long, languid and wet kisses down her neck and heaving chest. "I want you to beg."
A visible shudder of anticipation went through Kate's body as Rick dropped to his knee and pressed a kiss to the sole of her left foot.
"Don't you dare tickle me Richard Castle!" Kate breathed, twisting away from the writer as he grasped her leg more firmly and pressed a kiss to the inside of her ankle.
"I will, just not on your foot," The author returned with a chuckle, tickling the inside of her thighs with his fingers and suckling slightly along her leg to the inside of her knee where she was particularly ticklish. "Close your eyes, Tulip. Enjoy yourself, don't fight it. If you want to come, let go."
"Nooooooo."
Rick placed a barely there kiss on the inside of the female detective's knee, then began tracing each line and detail of her black rose tattoo with the tip of his tongue. Kate leaned heavily against the mirror and threaded her fingers through his hair, groaning loudly as he neared her pulsing centre.
"'Lucky 'Lexis isn't home. You'd be scarring her with all those vocalisations." Rick teased as he nipped, sucked and kissed his way up her leg.
Kate could only arch her back and let out a long breathy moan of desire as the Writer placed a singular kiss on her centre before continuing the journey down her right leg.
Teasing Kate was one of Rick's favourite activities and he relished every opportunity he had to do so, whether it was gentle teasing about her professional pedantic nature or at home behind closed doors, sexually. Seeing desire colour her eyes when he got a reaction from her was one of his biggest motivations and hearing her curse, squirm and moan above him from the simple action of kissing her skin drove him further. He lavished attention to every square inch of her right leg then began the journey back up to hr core. Her desire was evident and her skin shone with sweat and the liquid evidence of her arousal. With a deep amused chuckle he blew gently on the hot skin, his insides leaping joyfully as she pulled at his hair almost painfully and let fly with another string of vulgar swear words.
"Tsk tsk Detective, swearing isn't becoming for such a beautiful woman," he murmured, spreading her lips with his fingers and closing his mouth over her.
"Fuck you Rick!" Kate groaned as he greedily consumed her like an over-ripe piece of fruit. "ohhhhhhhh gaaaaaawwwwd, you're gonna kiiiiill meeee!"
Rick hooked the female detective's legs over his broad shoulders and deftly slipped two fingers into her slick warmth. Kate let out a piercing squeal of lust and raked her nails through his hair and along his scalp as he titillated the one spot deep within her that made her toes curl.
Rick knew every single one of Kate's nuances, what pissed her off. What interested her and his favourite, what made her squeal. He used his knowledge to his fullest advantage and soon had her squirming, moaning and groaning above him.
"Oh god Rick, I'm going to come!" Kate moaned as her pelvis ignited with the impending ferocity of climax. "Ohgodohgodoh-"
When Rick was sure Kate was on the point of breaking, he stood up and before she could register the loss of contact. He swiftly sheathed himself inside her molten depths.
Every time they were intimate Rick drove Kate, teased and titillated her, but every second of physical contact came with love from the deepest depths of his soul. However quick or frantic, the pair never 'fucked' or had 'sex' it was making love every time and now as Rick slammed himself into her depths it was actions of a man totally and irreversibly in love. She buried her face in the nape of his neck biting into his skin and steadied herself by gripping his bulging biceps.
Every time Rick felt himself or Kate about to peak, he backed off, silencing Kate's protests with a long languid and very passionate kiss. But eventually it was no good and trying to hold off the impeding climax was futile in the bathroom that was so was thick with steam that the door was invisible. Rick sucked upon Kate's neck and with one last violent thrust, released into her with a bellowing howl of completion.
"Oh SHIT!" he groaned as she found her own moment with a scream that literally hurt his ears. "Oh god god goddy god!"
Once she'd come down from her high Kate giggled.
"Wow...that was a good one," she said in amusement as he writer lifted her up and kissed her hard his length remaining inside her. "Mmmmmm."
"It's always a good one, Tulip." Rick murmured in her ear as he kneaded her backside with his hands. "I'm going to need hearing aids before my fiftieth birthday if you keep up with that screaming thing. Thank god Alexis isn't home or she would think I'm murdering you."
"Oh and the bellow you let out wouldn't have told her I was murdering you?" Kate asked with a raised eyebrow. "God, I'm going to fall asleep in the tub now."
"Nah you won't, because stupid me forgot to put the fan on and I can't find the damn thing," the Writer joked, slipping from her depths and setting her back on the vanity bench. "Hang on what's OW!"
Kate giggled. "You alright?" she asked as he cursed.
"No, I stubbled my pinkie toe on the end of the damn towel rack!" Rick cussed, grabbing the offending digit and rubbing it hard. "Crap it hurts!"
"Oh suck it up princess, a stubbed toe is not the worse injury in the world," the brunette told him with a giggle as she carefully padded across the clothes strewn tiled floor to the exhaust fan switch which she deftly turned on. "Want me to call Martha so she can come over and kiss it better?"
Rick rolled his eyes. "Oh ha ha." He replied dryly. "I wouldn't mind you kissing it better though."
"I think a soak in the tub will suffice," Kate informed the puppy dog eyed man as she added a little more cold water to the tub then added a generous squirt of her favourite cherry and orchid bubble bath. "C'mon, are you joining me, Cupcake?"
Whenever he had spare time at the precinct the following week Rick with Kate's help began planning Alexis's surprise eighteenth birthday party that was to be held at Martha's acting school in the largest room. He organised fancy finger food that was going to be served on buffet table and hired a DJ that promised to play 'all the latest tunes' and somewhat reluctantly put Martha in charge of the decorations.. It was now Friday and once again the Writer voiced his concerns to Kate as they completed some paperwork.
"Castle, don't worry, Martha is not going to decorate her school in a My Little Pony or Barbie doll theme," the female detective assured the worried father. "Her only grandchild is turning eighteen. She's going to make it tasteful and elegant. She isn't you, you know."
"That's good or Kid Castle would be having a Batman or Mickey Mouse party," Esposito joked, approaching the writer's desk and sitting the edge of his desk.
Rick rolled his eyes.
"Idiot," he muttered. "Oh, I've got something for you and Lanie and Kevin for you and Jenny too."
"An updated edition of 'A Thousand and One Fart Jokes'?" Ryan asked in amusement approaching the Writer's desk. "Great wedding present by the way dude, didn't get around to thanking you in the post wedding thank you notes."
"You gave them a book called 'A Thousand and One Fart Jokes?" Esposito asked. "Bro."
"It was not 'A Thousand and One Fart Jokes" Rick replied dryly as he dug around his desk drawer as Kate laughed raucously. "It was 'A Thousand and One Fascinating Facts to Read While on the Toilet' and that was not my only present. Remember the fancy ass hot tub Jenny was drooling over? And the set of Callaway clubs you wet your pants over that time I took you and Espo to Bethpage? The fact book was for both you and Jenny to enjoy."
"I think that's the hot tub, Castle," Kate said in amusement sitting back in her chair as the Writer retrieved two simple envelopes from his drawer.
"Here you go," Rick told Ryan and Esposito, handing the two detectives the envelopes. "It's Alexis's birthday tomorrow and I'm hosting a surprise party at Mother's studios Saturday night and you guys, plus Jenny and Lanie are invited to the party."
"Awesome, I'm always up for a party," Esposito declared as he opened the envelope. "Her middle name is Harper?"
Rick rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, that was Meredith's idea," he said dryly. "Apparently it's what her Mom was going to call her before she was born but I hated the name and insisted on Alexis, I did acquiesce to Harper as her middle name though, just to save an argument."
"Harper's a lovely name!" Kate exclaimed. "I would've thought you'd like the name being that 'To Kill a Mockingbird' one of your favourite books was written by a Harper."
"Doesn't make me like the name any more," Rick replied, making a face. "Personally I think Harper sounds like a brand of vacuum cleaner."
"I bet that was popular with Meredith when you said that," Kate said with a giggle.
"Come off it, I didn't tell her that to her face," Rick replied as Ryan and Esposito scanned the handmade invitations Rick had made himself. "It's grown on me though and I have to admit it does go with Alexis nicely."
The moment Rick finished speaking the department's elevator doors opened and Alexis emerged, exiting the elevator at a run and rapidly turning her head side to side as she searched for her father.
"Dad?" she called a slight tone of panic in her voice. "Dad? Where are you?"
"Hey hey hey, I'm over here. W-what's wrong?" Rick asked in alarm getting up and running over to his agitated daughter.
The tense teen held up a handful of unopened envelopes all bearing her name an address and the logos of several prestigious universities.
"These are my col-lege letter-s," she puffed, trying to catch her breath. "I can't open them. What if it's S-Stanford all over again? What if they all say no? What if-what if I don't go anywhere? I haven't applied anywhere else! I don't-"
Rick immediately wrapped his arms around his daughter and stroked her hair.
"Calm down" he told the panicked teen. "This is not going to be Stanford all over again. You will find a college. You're going to be grade level Valedictorian. No one is going to say no to you."
"C-can you open them for me?" Alexis asked pleadingly, looking up into her father's eyes. "Please? I can't do it, not after last time. I'll die if any of them say no it-"
Rick steered the teen toward the break room.
"You are not going to die," he said dryly. "Sit down, I'll fetch you a soda."
"I'm not thirsty," Alexis sighed as she dropped down into the nearest seat. "I seriously cannot do this Dad."
"Would you like Kate to sit in while you open the letters?" Rick asked. "She didn't get into the college she wanted at first either."
"Oh yes!"
"Okay sit tight, I'll go get her."
Rick left the agitated teen and returned to the bullpen where Ryan, Esposito and Kate were looking in the direction of the break room door in concern.
"Yo is she okay bro?" Esposito asked in concern.
"Yeah is she okay?" Ryan asked. "Never seen her so panicked like that."
"She fine guys, just a little agitated. The rest of her college letters came today and she's panicking," Rick told the two detectives. "You got a minute?" he added to Kate. "She wants you to sit with us while she opens her letters."
"Of course," the female detective replied, proudly. "Javi, I'm pretty much finished my stuff if you need anything signed, just leave it on my desk, okay?"
"You got it."
Kate followed Rick into the break room and shut the door behind them to afford Alexis a degree of privacy.
"Hey 'Lexis you alright?" she asked, allowing the teen to dive forward for a hug.
"No, all these colleges have rejected my applications," Alexis trilled. "I'm convinced of it! Stanford-"
"Alexis calm down," Rick said authoritively. "The pain of not knowing either way is worse than a rejection. Trust me, alright?"
Alexis gave a small smile. "I'm being ridiculous," she admitted sheepishly, dropping her head into her hands. "God, I feel so stupid!"
"How about you do it alphabetically?" Kate suggested picking up the envelopes and shuffling them into order. "Brown is first, deep breaths huh? Treat it like taking off a band aid. It's less painful the quicker you do it."
Rick caught Kate's eye and gave her an affectionate look. Despite not having any children or siblings the female detective was very good at dispensing parenting advice and seemed to have taken the youngest Castle under her wing.
Alexis took a deep breath and reached out a shaky hand to take the large 'Brown University 'In Deo Speramus' (In God We Hope) envelope. Rick and Kate each put an arm around the worried teen as she slid a fingernail under the flap and ripped open the envelope pulling out the folded letter within.
"Well here it goes," she murmured, closing her eyes briefly.
Alexis flipped open the letter and began reading. Her expression was unreadable so Rick nudged her side.
"So what does it say?" he asked.
"I got in," Alexis replied in a barely discernable whisper. "Brown accepted me! OH MY GOD!"
Alexis shrieked the last three words and leapt to her feet engulfing her father in a crushing hug.
"I GOT IN!" she shrieked, louder and repeated. "I GOT IN I GOT IN I GOT IN!"
Rick scooped Alexis up and swung her around in a circle.
"I am so proud of you pumpkin!" he exclaimed thickly, his ice blue eyes shining with unshed tears. "An Ivy league college, you've outshone me."
"I've gotta ring Mom, she made me promise I would ring her when I got my letters!" Alexis exclaimed as she scrambled in her jacket pocket for her iPhone.
"How about you open the other letters first?" Kate suggested to the flustered teen as she picked up the envelope which had fallen off Alexis' lap. "You may have gotten into more than one. If Brown accepted you its likely more than one of the Ivy League's accepted you."
"She's right you know," Rick said as Alexis let him go and dove into Kate's arms. "Not too hard pumpkin, you'll break her."
"Alright just remember you now have a college to go to, it's not going to be a big deal if any of these are rejection letters," Kate told Alexis as she gave the teen the large envelope from Columbia. "Your Dad and I are proud of you getting into Brown, we'd be proud if you got into the University of Timbuktu."
Alexis let out a snort of laughter.
"I'm not entirely sure Timbuktu has a University," she said, ripping open the envelope from Columbia. "Your Mom went to Columbia, didn't she?"
"Yup she did," Kate revealed. "If you get into Columbia you'll go to a fine College."
"And it's close to home," Rick hinted with a grin. "You'd be able to come home every weekend then. Or possibly not live on campus at all."
"Oh Rick don't smother her, she's got to fly the nest eventually." Kate said dryly as Alexis opened the envelope from Columbia. "Just so you know sweetie I think you should choose a college out of state," she added with a whisper.
"Hey, I heard that," Rick retorted. "I-"
"I got into Columbia too!" Alexis interrupted her father. "Dad...I got into Columbia too!"
"Are you-?"
"Yeah I'm serious, look!" Alexis exclaimed, shoving the paper into her father's hands. "Look!"
"Cornell's next," Kate said to Alexis as she pushed the large envelope into the teen's hand. "See? It's like taking off a band aid, the quicker the better go go go!"
While Rick was reading the acceptance letter from Columbia Alexis ripped open the envelope from Cornell and scanned the letter within.
"Oh no way!" she exclaimed reading the letter to the end. "Oh no way!"
"Yes or no?" Kat asked, eagerly.
"It's a yes!" Alexis exclaimed incredulously. "Kate, I'm three for three!"
Kate embraced the young woman.
"Keep going," she encouraged the redhead. "You applied to nine universities you could be nine for nine."
"Oh pfft, that's not going to happen," Alexis scoffed, allowing Rick to embrace her. "Dad Cornell accepted me!"
"Told ya they would," Rick said proudly, pressing a kiss to his daughter's temple. "You're a smart cookie, sweetheart."
"Try Dartmouth now," Kate told Alexis giving her the large envelope from the Ivy League school, holding back her grin. "Then Harvard is after."
As his daughter slipped her nail under the envelope flap Rick reached around and grasped Kate's hand, his ice blue eyes brimming with tears. He squeezed her hand and mouthed "I Love You" the female detective smiled back and turned her attention back to Alexis who was scanning the letter from Dartmouth.
"Oh this is unreal, I got into Dartmouth too!" Alexis exclaimed. "Look! Dear Miss Castle, I am pleased to announce your application to attend Dartmouth University has been accepted for the school year commencing September fourth. Please note places at Dartmouth are at a premium and if you decide to accept your placement you must notify us by email or direct phone call by August first, twenty twelve." She read. " Oh god I got in there too! Mom and Grams are going to go nuts!"
"Did you try and contact your Grams?" Rick asked as Alexis reached for the next letter from Harvard
"Yeah but she's taking a class to a production of 'Hello Dolly' today and Mel her new receptionist told me she'd be out all day. I totally forgot about that!"
"We'll ring her tonight then go for a celebratory dinner at Valentino's," Rick suggested. "Go on this one is for Harvard, I know this was your second choice after Stanford."
Kate and Rick each rested their chins on Alexis' shoulders and watched eagerly as the excited teen ripped open the large envelope and pulled out the letter.
"Dear Miss Castle, we are pleased to offer you a place at the Harvard University school of Forensic Science and Psychological and Mental Health studies for the tertiary school year commencing September fourth, two thousand twelve. Your submission for application impressed the board of lecturers and we have decided as a group of professionals to offer you a place. We also encourage you to apply for the Wallis McIver scholarship which for the successful applicant provides full financial support to the successful student for the duration of their degree at Harvard. Applications for this scholarship must be made and received no later than August seventh, two thousand twelve. Looking forward to having you study with us Alistair McGovern dean of the Harvard University school of Forensic Science and Psychological and Mental Health studies..." she read in one long breath. "Oh my God Dad, they've asked me to apply for the full scholarship!"
Rick's tears did fell as he engulfed his daughter in a crushing hug. Kate's eyes pricked with unshed tears and she swallowed hard in an effort to rid herself of the offending lump in her throat. She got up and made her way to the refrigerator where she retrieved herself a bottle of water.
"Well phooey to Stanford, they're missing out on a hell of a student," Rick declared as he squeezed Alexis hard. "You should apply for the scholarship pumpkin. I reckon you'd get it. Your Mom is going to be so proud of you. You've got extra reason to celebrate your birthday this year."
"There's almost no point in opening the letters from NYU, Penn State, Princeton or Yale is there?" Alexis joked as she wiped her eyes. "I-"
"Don't you dare, go on open them all," Kate urged, walking back to the sofa and dropping down besides the teen. "I don't think your Old Man would mind you accepting the place at Harvard. Boston is only a couple of hours away in a plane."
"Hey, ease up on the old man stuff," Rick retorted in mock anger. "I am not old!"
"Oh you're so easy to wind up," Kate teased, reaching around Alexis and twisting her father's ear. "If you don't want to see about the other schools Lex, open them for your father and me. We want to know if you got in. I think if you get in to all the schools you applied at, he'll put free drinks on at the Old Haunt."
"Oh definitely," the father agreed. "Go on Pumpkin, four more envelopes and I'll take you out for a shake at Remy's to celebrate."
Alexis opened each envelope excitedly and within each one was an acceptance letter with two more scholarship invitations from Yale and Princeton. The teen let out an ear piercing scream and leapt up from the sofa and began a little dance. Kate laughed as Rick joined her taking her for a very Anna and the King like dance around the room.
Footsteps sounded outside the room and the door flew open and Ryan and Esposito barged in their faces tense with agitation.
"We heard screaming," Esposito began as Rick and Alexis danced by. "Castle, you waltzing bro?"
"Everything's alright guys Alexis just got her acceptance letters," Kate informed the worried detectives as Rick swung Alexis into his arms and spun her around the room with a whoop of joy.
Gates made an appearance next, the usual stern expression plastered across her face but it softened as she saw Rick and Alexis dance around the room in perfect synchronisation.
Do I want to know?" she asked Kate dryly.
"Good news Sir, Alexis got acceptance letters from all the colleges she applied for today." Kate informed her boss. "She got yeses from Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, NYU, Penn State, Princeton and Yale and got invitations to apply for full scholarships to Harvard, Yale and Princeton. Erm, Castle is celebrating a bit."
Gates' eyebrows disappeared into her hair and she gave a small smile as Rick put Alexis down and engulfed her in a crushing hug.
"A bit? Looks like a lot, Miss Castle I believe congratulations are in order."
"The-thank y-you Cap-tain," the redhead answered as she tried to catch her breath. "Dad give it up, this is not Dancing with the Stars."
Ryan and Esposito roared with laughter as the Writer continued his own little dance not caring a fig who witnessed it
"Can I tweet it Pumpkin?" he asked.
"No!" Alexis exclaimed. "Not until I've had a chance to tell Grams and Mom. And I want to tell Dr Parish too."
"Mr Castle take the rest of the day off. You're not going to get any work done if you're performing a one man dance act," Gates told Rick dryly. "See you back here tomorrow morning, alright?"
"Yes Sir!" Rick declared, giving the older woman a sloppy salute.
Gates just rolled her eyes good naturedly and left the room to return to her office
"We better hit the desk as well," Ryan added. "Good on you Alexis, Congratulations."
"Thanks Detective Ryan"
"Ditto," Esposito added, sniggering heartily as Rick tried unsuccessfully to convince Kate to dance around the room with him. "You'll brain 'em wherever you go to school kiddo."
"Thanks Detective Esposito."
"Rick, I am not going to dance with you!" Kate scolded him, half heartedly. "Go and take Alexis for shakes at Remy's then go find Martha and Lanie. I'll see you at the loft after shift, alright?"
"But we came in the Prancing horse -"
"I'll take a taxi or the subway, don't worry I'll get there myself," the female detective assured the excited writer. "Take a chill pill or you'll hyperventilate. I'll see you later tonight alright?"
"You'll ring me if a case comes up?" Rick asked.
"No, because you need to celebrate this with Alexis," Kate replied, returning his lightning quick peck on the lips. "Go on...I'll be fine."
"Okay, c'mon kiddo let's go find your Grams!" Rick declared, grasping Alexis' hand.
"Congratulations Lex, I knew you could do it," Kate called after the teen as she was bustled out of the break room and down the hallway to the elevator.
"Thanks Kate!"
"Wow that's big being accepted into every Ivy League school in the country," Esposito said to Kate as the pair and Ryan watched Rick and his daughter get into the elevator. "Castle's going to be on a high for days after this."
"I think he's kinda more excited than Alexis herself,' Kate answered in amusement. "I wasn't that excited when I got into Stanford."
"I bet your folks were," Ryan said sagely.
"Yeah actually they were,"Kate said with a reminiscent sigh as she watched the elevator doors shut behind her partner and his daughter. "Well they're gone now, let's get back to the grindstone, huh?"
"You got it."
A/N2: Reviews are food peoples!