CH14
It was one in the morning when Lucile informed Kate that Rick was up. Lucile had opened a Transmat wall for her to step thru.
"Kate!" Rick has spotted her and looks and sounds happy to see her.
Kate walks right up to him and while kissing him takes his bracer off his arm that she had been practicing doing with Jenn and L for almost an hour.
"Hey that's mine." Rick is shocked and reaches for it. And is just as shocked as he sees Kate open a transmat wall and throw it thru and then close it.
"What did you do that for?"
"Rick my love we need to talk." Kate tells a still more shocked Rick since he has never heard her use that term with him before.
Kate sits on the edge of the bed and pats the space next to her inviting Rick to sit.
"Alexis came home last night." Kate starts.
"And of course I'm stuck in London for at least another day." Rick looks downcast. "Wait you could have just told me. So why are you here. Is she hurt? Is she pregnant? Did she lose her job? Come on Kate you're killing me here."
"Ray has decided to file for divorce."
"DIVORCE? Why?"
"He's been cheating on her and is in love with another women at his work."
Rick jumps up, while Kate follows him with her eyes. "I'll break every bone in his pathetic puny excuse of a body. I'll cut his precious ,… Wait that's why you took my bracer isn't it? And of course I can't speak Russian let alone think it. …. Oh come on Kate, he has it coming to him. He hurt my little girl. OUR little girl. … You don't expect me to sit here and do nothing to that no good, two timing, back stabbing, Nerf Herder do you?"
Kate lets a little smile reach her mouth at the Nerf Herder comment. "Jim and Natalie have already beaten you to that part." Kate tells him.
Smiling now. "Two kick ass Marines could do a lot of damage." Rick reasons wondering just what those two did to him.
"Actually only Jim did anything to Ray." Kate corrects him.
"Only Jim? Well still Jim can do a lot of damage on his own." Rick reasons liking this idea. "Wait, what did Natalie do if only Jim went?"
"Natalie explained the error of judgment to the woman Ray says he's in love with." Kate explains softly.
"Really? We seriously owe those two." Rick tells her. Then sits back down next to her and takes one of her hands in both of his. "How's Alexis?"
"Hurt, she's been crying a lot. Jen, L and the boys are watching over her." Kate explains a little.
"The boys know?"
Kate nods her head. "You should have seen them Rick. As soon as I told them a little they raced to her and offered to break both his legs for her. It was so sweet. In a morbid sort of way." Kate chuckles a little.
"That's my boys. … Wait the girls know too? Am I the last to know?" Rick sounds hurt.
"Well we were kinda busy helping Alexis and you are in London. Almost six hours ahead of us. It's after midnight back home, and I'm dead on my feet."
"Yea maybe, … Ok, good point." Rick gives in not really liking it.
"When are you coming home?" Kate asks hoping for sooner rather than later.
"We've got flights back tomorrow afternoon. I could be back sooner if you gave me my bracer back." Rick hints.
"And how would you explain it to your publisher when it looks like to them you are not coming back?" Kate counters.
Rick grumbles a little under his breath. "You are messing me up with your female logic you know that?"
"I'd make it up to you but honestly I'm too tired. And I need to be there when Alexis wakes up." Kate would like to stay but her daughters needs to come first.
Rick moves over and sits on the edge of the bed with her and leans in and kisses her. They both break from the kiss a little breathless. Rick would really like for her to stay and Kate wants to, now that Rick has gotten her blood flowing.
With her arms wrapped around Rick's neck. "I really should be going." Kate breathes into his lips that are right there begging to be kissed.
Rick stands and offers his hands and Kate takes them and Rick uses them to pull her up. And suddenly pulls her into him and kisses her again. And Kate melts at the kiss. He's always been a damn good kisser.
Rick breaks from the kiss leaving Kate breathless and barely thinking straight. "You'll keep me updated?" Rick asks.
Finding her voice and enough brain power to respond. "Of course. You just be careful over here. Remember, they drive on the wrong side of the road here."
"Then it's a good thing I will not be doing any of the driving than." Rick counters.
Kate just smiles and turns for the door to leave but suddenly turns back and grabs Rick's head with both hands and kisses him. "That's to remind you that you have someone waiting for you back home." Kate tells him then turns and opens a Transmat wall and without looking back enters and is gone.
"Oh this is going to be a damn long trip." Rick moans. "Lucile?"
"Yes Richard." Lucile responds.
"Kate wouldn't or didn't tell me, but what did Jim and Natalie actually do?" Rick wonders if Ray still deserves some of his time.
"I'm sorry but I did not watch. You will need to discuss that with them." Lucile tells him.
"Damn! I assume Alexis is moving back in?" Rick asks.
"You are correct. Kate is already planning on making arrangements tomorrow to have all her items moved out here." Lucile confirms much to her pleasure.
"Have you taken care of everything else." Hoping Lucile is way ahead of him since he is the last to find out.
"Yes Richard. Everything I can do has been completed. Her money is in a safe place and his is not."
"Thanks Lucile. Two more days. Two stinking days." Rick moans.
"We are all here for her Richard. She will be here when you get back." Lucile almost promises.
Rick ruffles his own hair. "Might as well take a shower and get these two days over with. Thanks Lucile."
Kate has returned home and goes to check on Alexis. And finds a lot of their camping gear in the room. Jenn, L and the boys are all camped out in the room with sleeping bags and the boys have even set up their little two person dome tent. Even Guiness and Maggie are camped out in the room, in the bed lying next to Alexis and only lift their heads when Kate looks in. Those two will probably stay awake to make sure everyone is safe all night long.
God she loves Collies! Now if they just didn't shed so much.
Come morning Kate checked in on Alexis and everyone was right where she last saw them, even the dogs who didn't move this time, just moved their eyes to see who it was. So Kate went upstairs to start breakfast. The smell of food cooking should get them up.
"Lucile we will need to find a mover who can go pack her things and move it all down here. Even if we have to store some of it in the garage." Kate tells her.
"I already have 3 bids from 3 different companies to do just that." Lucile replies.
"Choose the one who has the best record and/or reviews and make the arrangements, price is not really a concern." Kate tells her.
The boys turn out to be first. Next up is Alexis with the dogs at her side herding her to the kitchen. Right behind her are Jenn and L.
It kind of felt like old times except for the reason behind it.
"Boys here is yours." And they start eating at the breakfast bar. "Take it to the table guys." Kate tells them. "Jenn, L here is yours, I hope you still like this."
"It'll be fine mom." And they head for the table also.
"Alexis this one is yours." Kate passes hers over.
"Thanks mom."
Kate puts her plate together and joins everyone at the table. Breakfast however is very quiet. After everyone is done they all head down to take showers and get dressed.
"Alexis sweetie you'll find yesterday's clothes in the laundry room. I washed and dried them last night."
A little later. "Girls I have to take the boys to school and then I have to go teach my class. I'll leave it to you three as to what you want to do or where you want to be. Just one thing though. I don't want Alexis left alone so if you leave one of you go with her." Kate makes only one demand of them.
"We'll take care of it mom." L guarantees.
Kate goes up to Alexis and hugs and kisses her. "You take care of yourself sweetie. Let us help you. You are not in this alone. I'll be back as soon as I can arrange it. Your father will be here late tomorrow."
It was almost two weeks later:
Seagulls: Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine.
[repeatedly]
Nigel: Oh would you just shut up? You're rats with wings!
"I'll get it mom." Alexis calls out and has Lucile scan them.
"One is from a local Sheriff's office, the other is from a sheriff's office in Ohio." Lucile tells her. "They are armed."
"Mom, it's the Sheriff's office." Alexis calls out.
"Yes, how may I help you?" Kate uses the video panel on the side that she used on the outside so many years ago.
"Ms. Crystal, I'm Alan Dexter and this is Joe Morgan. We are with the Sheriff's office. We would like to ask you a few questions please."
"Show me your ID's please." Kate tells them. And they both hold up their badges to the panel.
Kate chuckles a little. That was just what she did when Rick had asked all those years ago. "I said your ID's not your possible fake badges. One more time please." Kate responds almost word for word what Rick had told her.
They both grumble but take out their ID and hold it up to the panel. "Thank you." And Kate opens the door.
"Ms. Crystal?" Dexter asks.
"Yes, may I help you with something?" Kate asks.
"May we come in?"
"No you may not. One more time, can I help you with something?" Kate is getting agitated. These two were fishing and wanted to see something not ask questions.
"I'm sure you would rather discuss this in private." Morgan tries this time.
"And this is as private as it gets, so last time. Is there something I can help you with?" Kate gives them one last chance.
"We can either come in and discuss this in private or you can come with us and answer our questions." Morgan who is obviously not local tells her.
"Well gentlemen if you had bothered to do your research before you came out here you would know better than to open your big mouth and issue worthless threats. Good day gentlemen." And Kate closes the door.
"Lucile fire the EMP on their car before they leave the front door." Kate tells her.
"EMP fired. They are still standing at the front door arguing amongst themselves." Lucile tells her.
About five minutes later:
Seagulls: Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine.
[repeatedly]
Nigel: Oh would you just shut up? You're rats with wings!
Kate goes to the door. "Yes can I help you?" Using the video panel.
"May we come in and use your phone?" Morgan asks.
"No you may not. Is there anything else?" Kate asks these idiots.
"No mam, you've been very helpful." Dexter tells her. And Kate leaves them at the front door.
"Kate one of them is headed for the garage doors." Lucile informs her.
"Let's first see just how stupid he is Lucile." Kate tells her.
"He is attempting open the first garage door. …. Now he is attempting to open the second." Lucile tells her.
"Allow him to open the third Lucile with only a little trouble. Just enough to give the idea that he just broke something to get it open. If he steps one foot inside the door have the alarm system go off and call the local police dept." Kate tells her.
About 30 seconds later the alarm starts blaring. "I have called the local police dept. about an attempted illegal entry. … Monitoring the police dispatch indicates that two police cruisers are responding."
About two minutes later 2 cruisers with 2 officers in each arrive. The two Sheriffs show them their ID's. At this time Kate steps out with a tablet. And Kate gets a lucky break.
"Professor Crystal how are you doing? I didn't know you lived here." Officer Kersey greets her.
"Officer Kersey, how is your father?" Kate asks him.
"Dad is doing great thanks. I still owe you one for that one." He tells Kate.
"Think nothing of it. I'm sure the students learned a lot that day." Kate tells him.
One of the Sheriffs guys comes up. "You know who she is?" Surprised.
"Professor Crystal saved my father's life a few months back. She teaches Criminal Justice at St. Johns." Kersey tells him.
At this the sheriff goes pale and his mouth drops open.
"Why are we here Professor?" Kersey asks.
"These two broke open my garage door in order to gain illegal entry into my home." Kate tells him.
"It was just a mistake. We were simply checking the perimeter of her home." He tries getting out of it.
"My video cameras that covers the entire property tells me different." Kate explains. And shows Kersey the video of one of them breaking open a garage door.
"Do you wish to press charges Professor?" Kersey asks her.
"Yes I do. I'll be right behind you to sign the paperwork. Thank you officer." Kate tells him.
Kersey and his partner take the Sheriffs guys and relieve them of their weapons and belts, cuff them and place them in the back of their cruiser.
"Give me a moment to figure out how to close my broken garage door and get my keys and I'll be right there." Kate tells him.
"No hurry professor." Kersey tells her.
Kate heads for the garage door and closes it and steps inside and has Lucile lock it. Then grabs the keys for the car. "Stay inside Alexis, Lucile will watch after you and your father should be here soon from shopping." And Kate takes her car and follows Kersey.
"This isn't really necessary Ms. Crystal. It was an honest mistake." Morgan tries to get out of it one last time.
"Honest? Hardly. Mistake? Most definitely and you made it." Kate tells him and signs the forms. And after asking Kersey if he was going to the NY Detective school still she headed home.
After getting home. "Are you sure that was wise mom?" Alexis asks her.
"If they want to talk to you they can do it correctly. I hate poorly trained officers who think just because they have a badge they can do as they please. He can still get a job as a security guard at a local mall." Kate finishes.
Alexis kisses her. "Bad ass Beckett is back."
"Damn straight sweetie. Damn straight."