Don't worry it's me ... I just changed my name ;-)
When Kate got back from work the following day, she found everyone smiling, chatting. Rick and Alexis were even laughing really hard.
"Hey, what's going on in here?" Kate asked as she took her shoes and coat off.
Hearing her voice, Rick turned around and smiled at her. In two giant steps he was in front of her. Before she had time to react, he was kissing her. Hard and yet tenderly. He seemed to be really happy about something. He also seemed to forget that they were in the living room surrounded by Jim, Claire, Alexis and Andy. As always, she lost every bit of control when he was kissing her like that. She found herself burying her hands in his hair and moaning in his mouth.
"Come on kids, there are other people present!" they heard Jim call.
Kate blushed. She really didn't need her father to see her act like that. It didn't seem to bother Rick however.
"Not that I don't appreciate that new welcome-home tradition," she said, kissing Rick quickly, "but what is going on? Why is everyone so happy?" she asked, still pressed to Rick's chest.
"Well, we got several really good news today." Claire answered, a huge smile plastered on her face.
"Do I really have to ask or are you going to tell me?" Kate asked, getting impatient.
"Well, where do we start?" Jim asked
"Chronological order." Alexis said
"Ok, so, when we went to the hospital this morning to visit Lisa, the doctor said she had improved way faster than they had anticipated. So she can come home tomorrow night." Claire said, clearly happy to get her daughter back.
"Oh that's great!" Kate exclaimed.
"And when we were at the Hospital, she got a phone call from Brian, her boyfriend and Andy's father. He was in Iraq and he coming back home too. He's also supposed to arrive tomorrow night."
"How long was he there for?" Kate asked.
"Since the beginning." Claire said sadly. "He hasn't come home for the last year and a half. They talked regularly and exchanged pictures of Andy but it's not the same, you know. The last time he was here his son was six months old."
"I can't imagine being forced away from my child. It must be awful." Kate said, getting closer to Rick instinctively.
"Well, that's another great news," Rick said, handing her a letter.
Kate took it, read it. It was confusing. Charts and figures everywhere.
"What is it?" she asked.
"Just look at the last line." Rick whispered in her ear.
And then she saw it. At the very bottom of the letter, written was too small for the importance the two words had: DNA Match.
"Is it … What? … Rick…" Kate couldn't find her words, too shocked by what she thought she had understood.
"Yes Kate. I just couldn't bear not knowing so when I went out with Ashley yesterday, I took Dad's hairbrush and we went to Lanie's lab. The result came back about an hour ago." Alexis explained, smiling more than Kate had ever seen before.
Kate moved out of Rick's embrace to hug his daughter. She just hugged her and let her tears fall. This was such a relief! Alexis was not her daughter but she had come to think of her as such on some occasions and more and more frequently in the past few months. Alexis couldn't breathe, crushed in Kate's arms, but she didn't care. Oxygen was the least of her problem right now. She was here. In her home. With her family. DNA-approved family. Well, at least for one of them. But DNA was not always right. Her biological mother was not her mother. Not her mom. At least not according to her definition of a mother. And she would never speak to her again. That was for sure. Kate was her mother. No one else. And whatever happened between Kate and her dad, Alexis would always consider her as her mother. But these two were together for life anyway, so that would not be a problem. They were taken out of their thoughts when they heard Rick.
"Girls, take a moment to breathe please. I will not have you die in my living room after such a great news."
He was smiling but Kate could see the tears in his eyes, and also those running down his cheeks.
"Hey, everything is ok now …" Kate said, turning to him and wiping his cheeks.
"Oh, it's not that. It's just … seeing the two of you like that … it made me realize that I'm the luckiest man on this planet. I know it's probably the biggest cliché in the world but it's true."
Seeing Kate's eyes starting to glisten, Alexis took charge of the situation.
"Ok, everyone stop crying and delivering the cheesiest cues. We had a wonderful day full of wonderful news, no more tears allowed, is that clear?"
"Yes Ma'am!" Rick and Kate answered at the same time.
"So," Kate started, " do I get to know why you two Castles were laughing your asses off when I came in?"
"Oh, you're gonna love this!" Alexis exclaimed as she collected a book from the floor. "Andy was wandering around and he got this out of the shelf. It's a photo album. Not any photo album though. Inside, you can find the most embarrassing picture of Dad which I personally think should be exposed in a museum or at least printed on the back cover of his books. Here you go, Richard Castle in all his splendor!" Alexis laughed, handing the now open photo album to Kate.
She tried. She really tried to contain her laughter at the sight of this photo certainly taken by Martha. She just couldn't do it! Seeing a fully grown Richard Castle wearing a flashy pink ballet outfit next to a really small Alexis dressed in the same way would have anyone bursting in laughter.
"Oh my God!" Kate exclaimed, trying to breathe normally again. "You were so cute! A real little ballerina! You were not so bad either Alexis."
"Ha ha ha, Katherine Beckett, you are the funniest woman ever. Now, I think some context is in order here …" Rick tried to explain.
"Don't worry, I know that you're a real man." Kate whispered suggestively in his ear.
O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O
After dinner, Jim and Claire decided to go pack their things so that they only have to put them in the car the following day when going to take Lisa from the hospital. Alexis was in her bedroom doing some homework., Rick was doing the dishes and Kate was playing with Andy on the couch. When Rick joined them, Andy was asleep on Kate's lap and she was watching TV.
"You look very good with a baby on your lap Miss Beckett." he said, sitting next to her.
"Because I'm ugly otherwise?"
"OK, let me rephrase it. You always look extraordinarily beautiful Miss Beckett, but even more so with a baby on your lap."
"Yeah well … I kind of want to keep him. Do you think Lisa would mind?"
"Yes, I think she would." Rick laughed. "There is a solution though. We could always make one." he added, putting his arm around her shoulders.
"I think that was the plan anyway." Kate said, kissing him lovingly. "I have an appointment at the doctor's at the end of the week. Just to check that everything is fine.
"Do you want me to go with you?"
"No, that's fine. I have a day full of meetings with Montgomery for the whole Captain thing and I'm going straight after. It's gonna be boring for you anyway. It's just a routine exam, to make sure all the chances are on our side. I'll need you for all the real pregnancy appointments though."
"I'll be there. I will never miss any of this again."
"Again?"
"Meredith never let me go with her. She said that I didn't go with her to the doctor when she had a cold and that these exams were nothing different from a routine exam when you're sick."
"She considered she was sick when she was pregnant?" Kate asked furiously. "You know what? The more I hear about this woman the more I hate her!"
"She was really unbearable when she was pregnant. She was just so whiny! She kept saying that she'll lose her figure, that no director would hire her if she looked like an empty cow. She didn't even want to hold Alexis when she was born, not until the nurses had cleaned her off." Rick sighed. "Alexis was the most perfect thing I'd ever seen, even all red and crying her lungs out. She was just … so perfect. And she was mine. She is mine. The most beautiful thing I've done so far.
"Well, just so you know, once they put our baby in my arms, I'm not letting go. Ever!"
"Not event to give it to me for a while?" he asked, feigning hurt.
"Maybe … if you behave until then. And if you practice a lot to make the perfect baby." she smiled.
O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O
When they were getting ready for bed, Rick noticed the bear sitting on his bedside table.
"Hey Kate?"
"Yeah?" she called back from the bathroom.
"Did you hear back from the techs about the picture?"