"Hey," Kate's voice cracked. She hated herself for it. She was supposed to be the strong one. She wasn't. She hadn't felt her strength in a while.
"Detective."
"I just thought I should call to let you in on the…news," she was hesitant.
"That sounds reassuring."
"Alexis, your granddaught-"
"What about her? What happened? Have you found her? Is she okay? What about my son?"
"Mr. Wayne, please try to understand that I can only answer one ques-"
"Is she okay?" His voice was fierce.
"Listen," she started.
"I don't want to be handled, detective. Just let me know what is going on."
"Alexis is safe. Somehow she got away. She's in the hospital. I went to see her but," Kate said, regretting what she needed to say next.
She looked out of the window and watched as trees passed. The sound of his anxious breathing brought her to finish the call so she can put all the dread out of her head and relax with her friend.
Kate glanced to her left. Lanie sat upright. Her right arm hung out on top of the steering wheel while her left lay loosely on her lap.
"She went into cardiac arrest but she is stable now. They told me that I couldn't stay unless I was family." Kate pulled on the string of her hood. "You could go if you want. If you are willing to explain to them that you're her grandfather and give them proof," she looked down at her hand, "she's on the 4th floor, room number 7 in the A-wing."
"Thank you, Kate." The voice answered.
"Not a problem." Kate pulled the phone away from her ears.
"Hey, Kate." The sound was low and distant. Her eyes traveled to the phone and she brought it back to her ear. "It's Taylore." The only sound heard was the low engine of a Honda 2009. "My last name, it's Taylore. You can call me Alex." Her corner of her mouth tipped upward.
"Goodnight, Alex."
Her phone beeped shut.
Kate rested her head on the window. Something about the cold glass helped sooth her headache. She shut her eyes and listened to the roaring of the engine.
"Kate, everything is going to be fine. I can feel it."
Kate turned her head toward Lanie, opening her eyes slowly when she felt ready.
She smiled.
Hoping it was a convincing smile, Kate turned her head back and looked out the windshield at the open road.
One dim streetlight after another, Kate finally opened up.
"What if it's not?"
"Kate,"
"No, what if this is it? After all these years, I just can't let it go. Not like this, Lanie." Tears began to fill her eyes as Kate closed them shut tightly.
Lanie gave her friend a few quiet moments to let it all out before she spoke.
"I heard the guy from the hospital is in custody. It's a start, right?" Lanie glanced at her and back to the road, "and if there is anyone who could make him talk, it's you. We've got them Kate, you just have to wait until morning and this will all be clearer." The car slowed down to a red light, "unless you go question him right now." Lanie laughed. She turned to look at the expression on her friends face, "no, Kate. It's too late to go question him right now. He'll still be there in the morning."
"So what do you think, should I start calling you something as domestic as honey? Or babe?" His eyes lit up on his second suggestion.
"Not unless you want me to start calling you kitten again." Her lips quirked.
"You know what I realized last night?"
"Umm?" He replied while sipping his coffee and reacting to the burning feeling on his lips.
"You rock in your sleep." She stated as she handed him a napkin.
"Thanks," he said as he grabbed the napkin from her hand, "I what?"
"You rock back and forth in your sleep. I mostly find it kind of cute, but also, for a second I pictured you in a straitjacket which also creeped me out a little," she toyed with a smile on her face.
"Ah-ha, funny," he joked back. "So, what are we doing tonight?"
"Well, I was actually planning on going to get a book. I am seriously lacking good books," said Kate as she got up from her seat and headed for the milk in the fridge.
"Ah, another one," he said.
"We could order in?"
"Oh don't stop now. You're on a roll, honey." He paused and gave her a confused expression, "yeah, that doesn't sound right. How about, babe? I like babe. It sounds right."
"Castle."
"Got it. No nicknames." He waited for her to turn and look at him. He gave her a playful smile and she walked over to him.
She came up from behind him and ran her fingers in his hair. Her left hand glided down his muscular arm, entwining her left hand in his. Her right hand traveled down the back of his neck and crossed to the front. She leaned her upper body against his back and folded her right arm around his neck. Kate whispered in his ear and kissed the base of his neck, leaving a trace of shivers down his back. Rick brought his hand up and griped her elbow at his neck as she nibbled at his ear.
"I love you." His confession rang in her ears as her need for more intensified.
Kate wrapped her leg over him and landed on his lap. She placed a soft kiss on his lips and reached the depths of him. She fisted at his shirt, grabbing a fist-full of material and pulled him to his feet. The two kissed deeply and made their way to the bedroom hand in hand.
She smiled and rested her head on the window. The silence of the car lingered for an endless moment.
"Kate, I just think you need some rest and then you'll be able to think straight in the morning-" Lanie peeled her eyes off the road and looked at Kate.
Periodic glimmers of light shined upon the top of her head. Street light after street light, the lighting in the car softly bounced from light to dark. A soothing lullaby.
Lanie smiled a soft smile at the sight of her friend finally giving in to a much-needed rest. Lanie could feel the tears building up. She was glad she could help remove some of the weight off her shoulders.
The road they took was longer than normal. Lanie made a few right turns, causing them to ride past her house a few extra times.
The car pulled into the spot in front of Lanie's apartment and Kate slowly opened her eyes.
"Oh my gosh, I am so sorry, Lanie." Kate brought her hand to her head and held it.
"Kate, it's okay. The reason I asked you over tonight was so you could feel safe and comfortable enough to sleep. You need to sleep." Lanie took her seatbelt off and pulled the keys out of the ignition.
Kate looked at the watch on her left wrist. A confused expression took over her, "how long did it take us to get here?"
"I took the long way," Lanie said as she opened the door and grabbed her purse.
Kate opened her door and met Lanie outside the car, "why?"
"Why? Because you were actually sleeping. You looked so peaceful, Kate. I couldn't bring myself to wake you up knowing that you've slept less than 6 hours in the past week." Lanie pushed the button on her keys, locking the doors, and lead the way up her front stairs.
"Thanks."
Once inside, the girls made their way to the kitchen. Lanie opened the door at the bottom left of her cabinet, pulling out a bottle of red wine.
"Oh, no. Lanie, I don`t really feel like having wine tonight." Kate declined.
"There is no way you are getting out of this one, Kate." Lanie reached up to her cupboard and pulled out two tall wine glasses, "this is exactly what you need right now." Lanie placed the fancy glasses on the kitchen table and walked over to grab the cork out of its proper place in the top right drawer.
Kate stood nervously beside the round table. She placed one hand on her back of the wooden chair to her right, slightly folded her left leg, allowing the tip of her shoe to be the only part touching the floor while her right leg stood firmly straight. Her left hand came up to her stomach instinctively. "You know, Lanie, I think I am just going to go off to bed." Kate explained.
"Kate," Lanie stopped forcing the wine bottle opened, "what's going on? I mean, apart from the whole thing with Castle. It's more than that, isn't it?" Lanie's soft eyes connected with Kate's.
Confusion and sorrow built in Lanie's expression as she watched the woman before her tear up. Kate brought her hand to cup her mouth as she shook her head. A single tear streamed down her cheek.
"I took a pregnancy test this morning."