Hey everyone !
Was "Cops & Robbers" the best episode ever or what? I watched it like 5 times on Tuesday (because, yes, in France we have to wait for Tuesdayto see it ... stupid time difference !)
anyway, here is the next chapter. I'm not really happy with the last part but i needed to find something to serve as intermediary to the next chapter so ...
ENJOY !
Before Rick could react, Kate was running in the living room. When he joined her, she was hugging a woman. Well, not hugging, crushing a woman who also had a huge smile and tears on her face. He looked over to Jim and found him fighting back tears too. He walked over to Claire.
"What is going on?"
"I don't know," she answered, "we met her in the dinner down the block. We were waiting for our food at the counter and I heard someone exclaim 'Oh my God, Jim Beckett !' It was weird. I mean, you're certainly used to it but it doesn't happen a lot with Jim. They started talking and he told her to come with us."
"Who is she?"
"Your guess as good as mine!"
It seemed that nothing could break the moment between the two Becketts and the mystery woman. That was until Alexis appeared at the top of the stairs.
"Hey Dad, Gram's coming over in a few …" she stopped when she saw everyone looking at her. "… minutes."
She walked down the stairs. Claire took Andy from her and she walked to her dad.
"What's going on?"
"I have no idea …"
"I'm sorry guys," Kate said, remembering that they didn't know who she was so happy to see, "this is Tessa, an old friend and neighbor. Tessa this is Rick, Alexis, his daughter, and Claire and Andy." Kate introduced everyone.
"Nice to meet you Tessa," Rick said, shaking her hand, "if you could just stop making my girl cry, I'd like you even more," he added, putting his arm around Kate's shoulders.
"Wow KitKat, you found a good one!"
"I found the perfect one, and don't call me Kitkat!"
"You know I'm a wedding planner, right?"
"Let's just go and eat for now," Kate laughed.
O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O
As Rick was getting into bed, he could hear Kate moving around the bathroom, going over her bedtime routine. Once he was settled against the pillows, he thought back on the dinner they just shared with Tessa. It had been highly informative … and interesting to say the least. For example, he had learned that his thirty-two year old girlfriend could still act as a six year-old, whispering things in her friend's ear while 'grown ups' were talking. He had also learned where the Kitkat nickname came from. It appeared that when Miss Katherine Beckett was in first grade she had decided that she liked the chocolate bars so much she needed to have all of them. To this end, she started by buying all those that were in the school vending machines. Since she didn't have much money, she just decided that she would shake the machines until the snack fall. When a teacher tried to pull her off, she just kick him in the shin and threw a tantrum until her parents came to get her. He learned that, as a teenager, she had experimented a lot of different looks. He even managed to have Tessa promise to show him some pictures.
"What are you thinking about?" Kate asked, joining him in the bed.
"You." he simply answered. "You know what, we should get you a Kitkat costume for Halloween."
"Shut up, that's not funny." she groaned, turning her back to him.
"Oh come on, Kate, I was kidding. But I really wished I could have seen you that day, I'm sure you were sooooo cute !" he laughed.
"Well, my parents didn't think it was cute."
"What did they do?" Rick asked, turning her over so that she was facing him again.
"They grounded me from Hockey practice for a month. A month Rick !"
"Why doesn't it surprise me that you played hockey?" Rick laughed. "I can totally see you, six years old, with pigtails, beating up boys with your hockey stick because they tried to look at you when you were changing."
"Well … that did happen once or twice."
"Oh my God I wish I could have known you back then."
"I'm sure I would have kicked your ass for some reason. You were lucky I didn't have my hockey stick anymore when you started working with me. You might have turned up dead somewhere."
" That would have been such a shame! A world without me in it wouldn't be worth living in …" Rick said, looking completely outraged by the idea.
"I agree," Kate said before kissing him lightly.
"When did you stop all your mischief?"
"I don't know. My mom always told me that I had done everything possible in the first ten years of my life so they couldn't be surprised anymore after that." Kate said, smiling at the memory of her mother.
"I'm sure they were surprised the day you came back home with your pink hair."
"Yeah … that was ugly …"
"Why did you do it then?"
"What? Oh no, I liked my hair. My parents' reaction was ugly. I don't think I've ever seen my mom so pissed. She literally dragged me to the hairdresser as soon as I passed the door. You should have seen her face! On the way to the hairdresser, she kept telling me 'When nature gave you such great hair, you don't get to mess with it' and so on …"
"I have to agree with her on that one. I love your hair." Rick said, taking a brown lock in his hand and playing with it. "I love all of you," he added, trailing his hand on her body, opening the shirt she was sleeping in as he went.
"That's good to know," Kate smiled slyly. "You know, I'm going to get cold if you keep opening up my clothes."
" Don't worry love, I'll warm you up in no time," he whispered in her ear as his mouth started to follow the path drawn by his hand.
O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O
The next morning, Rick had a meeting with Paula. Kate went to the park with Andy and Alexis when she saw her father become too lovey-dovey with Claire for her state. After a short walk, Andy spotted a playground and run to it, making both Kate and Alexis run after him.
"I get him Kate, you can just find a place to sit."
"Ok, let me know when you're tired of running after this little monster," Kate answered, ruffling Andy's hair. "Your dad's supposed to come and meet us here when he's done anyway."
She found a bench that was available not so far away. She sat down, took the book she had brought out of her purse and started reading, looking at Andy and Alexis every once in a while to make sure everything was ok. She had been reading for a while when someone talked to her.
"Do you mind if I sit here?" a man asked.
"What? Oh no, go ahead." Kate answered before diving back into Heat Wave.
"Oh, I see you're reading Richard Castle …"
"Yes."
"I know him personally you know …"
"Really?"
"Yeah, we went to high school together."
"Great."
"Do you like the book?"
"Yes, and I would like it even better if I could actually read it."
"I could introduce you to him if you want. But that would cost you a date …"
"Wow, that's the worst pick up line I've ever heard." Kate said, closing her book. "I'm sorry but that will not be possible, now please go annoy someone else, I'm trying to read."
"I'm Evan McLintor, and you are?" he asked
"Not interested."
"Really, come on, just a drink …"
"Hey Kate!"
That voice she knew. It belonged to a certain mystery writer who was walking towards her.
"Hey Rick. You finished early?"
"Yeah. You're ready for lunch?"
"Sure" she answered, putting her book back into her purse. "Let's grab the kids and go."
On the bench, Evan McLintor was astonished. Among all the women in the park, he had to go and hit on the only one who was not interested in meeting Richard Castle through his services. Among all the women in the park, he had to go and hit on HIS girlfriend …