Authors note:

I thought that this story was going to be 5 parts, obviously, I was wrong. Rick and Kate keep doing different things than I mean for them to do so it keeps getting added to. I believe that I am on chapter 11 now. I hope all those who celebrate Christmas have a great holiday. Reviews are like Christmas pressies to me! Oh and this is dedicated to my friends who know that I am writting this but don't know my pen name. heehee

Chapter 6 Rick and Kate continue their dinner and movie night with Alexis and Martha.

"You trust me?" I asked as she smiled again at me. "Well, to tell you the truth, she just finally couldn't resist the Castle charm. Ouch! You kicked me."

"Who me?" Kate asked with mock innocence. I winked at her before I continued.

"Friday morning we went to work and focused on finding Tyson. I brought in my writer friends to help look at things with new eyes and we went through everything from the beginning. Esposito walked out to check on something then after a while he came back with Lanie and Dr. Murray. He showed me Tyson's death certificate but I didn't believe it. Lanie and Dr. Murray went through a stack of tests and such to prove that the guy that the cabbie had hit was Tyson."

"Why did they have stacks of stuff to prove it? Wouldn't finger prints be enough?" asked Alexis.

"I wouldn't have believed them, that would have been too easy. They convinced me that it was all over and then they left. Kate told me to go home but you two were gone and I didn't want to be alone."

"So you kissed her?" Mother asked.

"No, I picked a fight with her. I'm not proud of it but I did. We were yelling at each other when I was suddenly struck how very beautiful she was and I reached out and kissed her," I said as I reached out and took her hand. I figured that she didn't necessarily want to tell my mother and daughter too many details so I thought this little white lie would be acceptable.

"And you didn't break his arm?" Alexis asked her.

"No, he got lucky." Three eyebrows shot up while looking at her. Kate suddenly blushed and I had to try hard to not smile, but I lost. "I didn't mean that! I just meant that I've wanted to kiss him for a while, other wise I would have broken his arm."

I leaned over to whisper in her ear, "You're so cute when you blush." I knew that she was going to try to kick me again so I moved my feet out of her way. Unfortunately, they were now right in line of fire of my daughter. "Ow!"

"Be nice, Dad. Don't scare her away."

"Oh, I don't scare too easy, Alexis," Kate said with a smile.

We gathered up the dishes and took them over to the kitchen. With the four of us cleaning and putting away the food, it didn't take long to finish up. I was enjoying spending the evening with my three favorite ladies so I suggested dessert and a movie. We all made sundaes then went to sprawl over the couch and watch the movie. Mother sat on her usual chair and I sat on the couch between Alexis and Kate. When Kate moved to put her empty bowl on the coffee table I did the very obvious yawn, stretch, and drop my arm around her shoulders move. Alexis and Kate both rolled their eyes at me. I couldn't see Kate do it but I could tell.

"Come on, kiddo," Mother spoke to Alexis. "I think they would like some private time."

"You don't need to leave, Mother. I'll be good and try to keep my hands to myself," I said as I pulled my arm away. My three no longer favorite ladies had the gall to all snort at me. "What?"

"Dad, did you ever think that Kate isn't as touchy feely as you are?" I suddenly looked at her and realized that I had never thought about that. I had always been invading her personal space but being allowed to do it made me even worse than I normally was.

"I'm sorry, Kate. I never thought of it."

"That's okay, Rick. Growing up, Dad was the one I could always get hugs from but after Mom died, Dad kind of distanced himself. I know now that he was just afraid that he would lose me too but it took me a long time to realize that," she admitted. I put my arm back around her and pulled her closer.

"I hope you know that we all would be happy to give you any hugs that you need, you just have to ask," I said seriously. Mother and Alexis both nodded.

"I know," she said as she leaned in a bit closer.

"And if you need any space, you just need to ask for that too. I'll understand."

Kate realized that I was being serious and to my delight she reached up and gave me a quick kiss. We sat back to finish the movie and since I had seen it before, I let my mind wander. Kate had planned on spending the night here but since Alexis came home, I wasn't sure if she would still want to do that. I hoped that Kate would just stay until after Alexis went up to bed and we could skirt that issue.

As the credits to the movie were just beginning, Kate's phone rang.

"Hi, Lanie. What's up?" I glanced at her and shook my head reminding her that I wanted to tell Lanie.

"Sounds like you are having a good time. By the way, you were right. Oh, I'll tell you on Monday. I don't want to interrupt the rest of your weekend." She went to hang up the phone but I could still hear Lanie.

"Ima gonna smack you, girl!"

"It sounds as if Lanie has some company this weekend," Kate said quietly to me as she put her phone down.

"Anyone we know?" I asked with a smile.

"I have my suspicions."

"Oh, Kate, what was Dr. Parrish right about?" Alexis asked.

"Just something she said once about your father," she replied and I thought that I caught a faint hint of a blush.

"Oh, and what could our favorite ME have said about me?" I asked with great interest.

"I'll tell you later," she lightly elbowed me.

"Speaking of later," Alexis said. "I need to get to bed." She gave Kate a quick hug, and me a big bear hug. Good nights were passed around to everyone including Mother who also decided to call it a night. I am sure that she was just giving us some more time to ourselves. Alexis paused then turned halfway up the stairs.

"I'm going to be fixing breakfast in the morning, Kate. Which would you prefer, pancakes or waffles?"

"Waffles would be great," she said a bit surprised. I winked at Alexis before she turned and ran up the rest of the stairs.

"I told you that she approved. Shall we go to bed also?"

"Are you sure?" she asked as we stood and headed to the stairs.

"She knows that you will be here in the morning so I'm sure that she figured out that we've made love. She just went to bed to spare herself from any details."

"Details?"

"Do you want to hear about your dad's sex life?" I asked her. Seeing the shocked look on her face I can tell the answer to that. Kate amused me though when she quoted Alexis.

"Ew."