Chapter 5
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Kate and Castle lave the loft and begin to walk, both of them are quit, Kate because she is thinking about everything she has discovered and Castle is because he is worried about how she is going to react.
"You were really going to tell us tonight?" Kate asks not sure if she should believe that he was going to tell them.
"Yeah, I was looking at and old picture of my crew yesterday morning and Mother made me realises that I had to tell you, that's why the dinner was such short notice I didn't want to give myself time to talk myself out of it." Rick explains.
"Why did you wait four years to tell us, why did you wait so long to tell Alexis?" Kate asks interested to know the answer.
"I'll start with why I didn't tell Alexis, you herd the stories I had to tell you saw how she reacted, can you imagine how she would have reacted if she was younger, I wanted to find the perfect balance between her being old enough to handle it and not waiting to long." Castle explains "As four you, they boys and Lanie, I didn't want you to know before I told Alexis, I felt that she deserved to know the same time or before you." Rick explains.
"I guess I can understand that." Kate admits and the two continue to walk a little. "The jobs you and your crew done, they weren't legal were they?" Kate asks.
Rick laughs "Should have known you picked up on that. No most of what we done wasn't legal under the Alliance law, some off it wasn' legal under this law as well" He admits "But we did do some legal jobs we did what we could." Rick explains.
"So what were you there?" Kate asks wondering just what he did.
"This is the hard part" Rick says first he looks around to make sure no one is around once he is sure that there isn't he begins to tell the story "Yes I have stolen yes, I have killed when I had to. But I had a code, still do, you attack one of my crew, you attacked me, if someone tries to kill you just try and kill 'em right back. The job for Niska can explain me best. He hired us to do a train job, he told us we were going to be stilling from the Alliance, something we did often. After we finished the job we discovered that we weren't stealing from the alliance but from people who really need it, we returned the goods back to the people and the money back to Niska, you see we may be thief's but we don't steal from people who need it." Richard explains.
Kate is in shock about what she has heard not being able to imagine the Rick she knows doing that kind of stuff "What was the job that got you caught by Niska?"she asks.
"Ahh, that job was complicated, wait to I explain everything before you say something please" Rick asks and Kate nods, "It was actually Simon's idea, the kid can come up with good ideas sometimes, we were on one of the core plants Ariel. I don't care which planet it was but I hate being on the core, the only reason we were there was because Inara needed to get her yearly cheek up. At this point Simon was doing his best for River but there was little he could do as he didn't know what they had done to her, his plan was to get her into the medical imaging sweet in the hospital see if he could get information about what happened. To get her in he needed our help, and he had an amazing idea about how to get the payment that would be worth the risk. You know how I said before the war that the core had everything the outer planets didn't well that was still the same after. The core had any medical supply imaginable and could be re stocked within hours. The outer or rim planets they had barely enough to survive and very rarely got restocked. " Kate can see where this story is going but feels like It may be best not to jump to any conclusions as she could be wrong "So we broke in to St Lucy's the hospital, Jayne went with River and Simon as Zoe and I went to acquirer what we wanted. We got what we wanted, Simon was able to get the information he needed, and the mission looked like it was going to go off without a hich, but then let's just say we had a little Allience problem." Mal tells her but doesn't elaborate "We were going to sell some of the medication to members of an outer planet when Niska grabbed us." Mal explains.
"So let me get this straight, you stole from the alliance and sold to the poor?" Kate asks surprised and Rick can tell that she is angry.
"Hell of a lot more than the Goram Alliance did." Mal tells her.
The two continue to walk in silence for a little while Kate is feeling angry and surprised after a little while she decided to ask the questions that she really wants the answer to "Inara must have been pretty important to you for you to name Alexis after her."
Mal sighs he knew questions about Inara were coming he just hopes he doesn't hurt Kate while telling her the truth "Yeah Nara was important to me" He tells Kate "still is." He adds.
"How long were you together?" Kate asks as she assumes from the way he talks about her and the way they looked at each other that they dated.
Mal smiles at that "We never dated. We were friends, best friends, as odd as it sounds Inara knew me better than anyone. Whenever I needed to get away I would usually go and hide in her shuttle though most of the time that would end with us fighting and not talking for days." Mal says with a laugh.
"Do you still love her?" Kate asks being able to tell by the way he talked about her and what he said that at one point he loved her.
"A part of me will always love Nara she's my best friend when I was around her she made me feel something I thought I lost in that Valley." Kate looks sadly at the ground wondering how she can compete with that especially when Inara is in this time again before she can respond she hears that Castle has continued to talk "When I came here I never expected to have that again, Kyra came close but then she left, Meredith and Gina were nowhere near. Then I met you." Castle says and this revelation causes Kate to look up again, Rick stops walking so that he is looking directly at Kate "The way we forget that first case reminded me of how it was with Nara that's part of the reason I wanted to shadow you. That first case is the only time I thought that, as we began to work together I feel in love with you and I love you more than I thought possible, you made me feel more complete like I wasn't as damaged as that war left me anymore. I don't believe much anymore but I do believe that you are who I belong with, that you're the person that makes me a better man, that you are the love of my life" Rick says to Kate hoping more than anything that she understands what he is saying.
Kate is in shock so she does the only thing that she can think of a kisses Rick, the two stand together in the empty park kissing for what feels like a lifetime to them.
Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle
A short time later Mal and Kate walk back into the apartment and the first thing they hear when they walk in is Inara's voice "So I closed the lid of the bin on her head and went to find Mal, who was completely naked in the middle of the dessert." Inara tells the group and everyone even those who have heard the story before burst out laughing.
"The Saffron story, really does that story really need to be told." Mal asks walking in and going to sit at the head of the table as Kate takes the empty seat to his right, which is next to Martha then Ryan then, Jenny, Kaylee, Jayne, and finally Jim. To Mal's left is Alexis then Inara, then Esposito, Lanie, Simon, River Shepard Book, and finally Wash and Zoe sharing the other end of the table.
"It's an amazingly funny story, you got married without realising it, your wife hid on your ship seduced you and tried to kill you and you whole crew then when you worked with her again you ended up naked in the desert." Ryan says laughing.
After hearing the story Kate can't help but burst out laughing. Mal faces Inara "Thank you very much."
"Surprisingly that isn't the most amazingly funny thing we have discovered tonight, that goes to the discovery that you Malcolm Reynolds is a best seeling novelest and what were you called, ah yes, civilian investigator." Inara tells Mal and he can tell that she is shocked and Mal is starting to regret leaving his old friends alone with his new ones.
"Yeah bro you crew were nice enough to tell us some stories if you did half of what you did there hear you would be arrested." Esposito tells his friend.
"Different world, I don't have to do those things here." He says then turns to Alexis "Help me serve dinner." Alexis nods as her and her father work together to bring all the food over.
"Do you need another set of hands sir?" Mal hears Zoe asks
"That would be appreciated." Mal responds and not just Zoe but Shepard Book gets up and helps.
"Mother looks like me going overboard isn't a bad thing." Rick says to Martha knowing that thanks to all the new additions it is very unlikely that there is going to be left overs.
Once Alexis, Mal, Zoe and Shepard Book serve all the food and then they sit back down everyone begins to eat all the food that Mal has made for the crew, it's the first time they haven't only been eating protein in a while. Once everyone has finished eating Mal addresses the group.
"Now that you have had your questions answered I have some off my own to ask." Mal says then looks straight at Zoe "How the Guai are you here? What are you doing here? And how long has it been?" Mal asks as those are all questions that he wants an answer to.
"I'll start with you last question, it has been six months since you and Mrs R left, we made new time traveling machines that's how were here and as to why it should be pretty obvious sir, were here to bring you back." Zoe explains.
"Zoe I want to come back with you so badly, but it's ain't up to me. It's up to Alexis, I won't go if my daughter isn't and I won't make her, I don't want to go without ka.." Mal says but quickly cuts himself knowing that he shouldn't put that kind of pressure on Kate, though everyone realizes what he is about to say. "Alexis what do you think?" Mal asks his daughter.
"I don't know Dad," Alexis admits "Do I have some time to think?" She asks looking at Zoe.
"24 hours from when we arrived so you have to make you decision by 7:45 tomorrow night." Simon informs Alexis.
"If we do decide to come back with you but want to come home, how long is the minimum time we have to spend there? And how long would have passed here?" Alexis asks curious.
"You will have to spend a minimum of 6 months and you will only get the chance once every 6 months to come back, and for every 6 months you spend in the future, 6 hours would have passed here." Simon once again answers.
"Think about it Alexis, whether we go or not is up to you." Mal tells his daughter.
"If you guys are going then I'm going with you." Kate tells Rick and before Rick can object Ryan, Esposito, Lanie, Jenny and Jim all say "So are we" the boys, Lanie and Jenny say It because if Castle and Kate go then they will follow and Jim says it because his daughter is all he has left so if she goes to the future he will be going to.
"Hang on, first I don't even know if it is possible, and even if it is possible, you guys have to think about seriously about it you will be in the future for a minimum of 6 months in a place 100 times different form here trust me when I say that, you need to think about it." Rick says to his friends then turns to Simon "Is it even possible?"
Simon is silent for a few minutes "Yes it is we have 9 of the devices and the straps are big enough to fit around two people's arms."
"If we do go can we take anything with us?" Alexis as there a few things she would like to take with her if she did go to the future.
"One suitcase, that you can hold the handle off." Kaylee tells Alexis.
"If you do decide you want us to go don't worry about bringing any of your technology its obsolete and most likely won't work." Mal tells his daughter, really looking at her father she can tell that he wants to go to the future, but she still needs some time to think about it.
"What about money? I'm assuming that you use a different currency but is our money off any use?" Kate asks.
"I have a connection on Ariel who exchanges old money for the current, a few of my clients have paid like that before feeling that it makes them seem more sophisticated" Inara answers and Mal snorts at her use of sophisticated, though he does get an idea "If you exchange a lot of old currency for new would it be suspicious and get you in trouble with the alliance?" Mal asks Inara.
"No, I'm respected remember; besides the alliance has bigger problems." Inara tells Mal.
"What do you mean?" Mal asks confused.
"Weren't you wondering why it is now safe to bring you back?" Shepard Book asks Mal
"I was too caught up in my surprise that I didn't really think about it." Mal says exchanging a look with Martha who asks "What happened."
"After what happened on Miranda people on the core are losing faith of the Alliance there worried, some people are very loud about it." Jayne explains.
"How bad?" Mal asks Zoe.
"At the moment its not to bad but soon the Alliance may have a huge problem on their hands." Zoe answers.
"Kaylee, go to the bottom of the fridge there's something you may enjoy." Mal tells Kaylee wanting to get off the topic of the future for a little while until he can have conversations with both Zoe and Alexis.
Confused Kaylee walks over to the fridge and everyone notices her face brighten when she sees what Mal was talking about "Strawberry's." She says excitedly and gives Mal a hug "Thanks captain." Then with the biggest smile on her face she goes back to her seat.
"You're welcom little Kaylee, that's another thing y'all have to be aware off, food isn't exactly of the highest quality and the life we live isn't exactly the easiest. " Rick tells his friends and daughter.
"Disses aren't going to do themselves." Martha says and everyone even reluctantly Jayne get up to help.
"Alexis can I talk to you in my office." Rick says after he puts his disses on the sink.
"Sure dad." She says following her dad.
Ricks office, he closes the door behind them though he knows that it won't stop a certain psychic.
"Are you ok with everything you've herd tonight, it's a lot. " Rick asks his daughter.
"I'm ok dad, yes your right it is a lot to take in, it's surprising, but I'm ok It makes me understand you a bit better." Alexis tells her father "You want to go back don't you?" Alexis asks.
"What I want don't matter, it's up to you. But Alexis, the future is so different and if the Alliance is really losing so much favor things could get very bad, and if I go back I'm goin to go back to what I did before I came here an a lot of that wasn safe. You need to realizes that." Mal tells his daughter.
"I get that Dad, that's why I need time to think." Alexis tells her father as she needs time she is worried about some of the stories she has herd his crew tell but he saw how much his face lit up when telling them "What about Grams?" Alexis asks.
"Whatever we decide that's what she will do two." Mal tells his daughter.
"And Kate, her dad, the boys Jenny, Lanie?" Alexis asks.
"Them saying that they will come is a big a shock to me as it was to you." Mal tells his daughter.
"Do you not want them to?" Alexis asks watching her dad carefully.
"They have lives her Alexis, so do you that's why I need you to really think about it. Me I can live in either place. Because only 6 hours will past here in the minimum time they would have to spend in the future is the only reason I'm lettin them consider comin." Richard tells his daughter.
"Their your friends, you love Kate do you really think you could go to the future without them?" Alexis asks.
"The only person who I wouldn't go to the future without is you. Going without Kate and the others would hurt so much but I would survive I always do, going without you that would kill me, that's why I'm not goin to." Richard tells his daughter opening his arms for a hug.
Alexis smiles and gives her father a hug, though thinking to herself that she is going to find a way to talk to them tomorrow without her father knowing.
"Now there is something else I got to ask, do you mind sharing your room tonight?" Mal asks his daughter.
Alexis looks confused then realizes "Right people from the future can't exactly check into a hotel. It's cool who would I share with?" Alexis asks.
"Kaylee and River." Mal tells his daughter "You may also have to lend them some clothes, you three are about the same size, you about the same age as River and a little younger than Kaylee, you may also have to lend some clothes to Inara and Zoe though I don't know If they will fit into yours." Mal tells his daughter.
Alexis nods and the pair walk back out into the other room.
"Bro it's been a long night, and we have got a lot to think about do you mind if we go?" Ryan asks referring to him and Jenny as while Rick and Alexis were talking everyone worked together to get the washing up done.
"Not at all, and make sure you really think about it, but the final say is Alexis's." Mal says 'feeding the birds' with Ryan before he and Jenny leave.
"We're going to get going to." Esposito says referring to him and Lanie.
"Together?" Rick questions.
"I gave her a lift." Esposito says knowing where Rick's mind is going, so after giving Rick a 'man' hug he and Lanie leave.
"We'll go two Rick, allow you to catch up." Kate says referring to her and her dad.
"I'll walk you out." Mal tells them.
Rick walks Kate and Jim to the elevator.
"I'll meet you in the car Katie." Jim says catching the elevator down allowing Rick and Kate some time to talk.
"I can't ask you to come to the future Kate." Rick tells her.
"You're not asking I'm deciding for myself." Kate tells him and leads in and kisses him. "I'm guessing you're not going to be at the station tomorrow?" Kate realizes.
"Nah I'm not, tell Gates that I'm writing." Castle tells her.
"Yeah don't think she will except the whole you have visitors from the future thing." Kate jokes.
Rick just smiles at her, before anymore can be said the elevator beings.
"See you tomorrow Rick" Kate tells him.
"Until tomorrow." Rick says before turning and walking back to his loft.
Entering his loft he sees his mother, Inara, Zoe, Wash, Jayne, Simon and Shepard book all sitting at the table, talking, laughing and catching up.
"Where's Alexis?" He asks looking around then adds "And Kaylee? And River?"
"Up in Alexis's room." Martha tells her son, Mal nods and goes and sits down.
"Did River go up all by herself?" Mal asks knowing it is odd for River to be comfortable with someone quickly.
"Yeah she seems to be very ok around Alexis which is surprising considering how she usually is around new people." Simon tells Mal.
Mal decides to ask Zoe so questions, "So Zoe what's going on with the Alliance is their going to be another war?" he asks.
"It's too early to tell, the alliance is defiantly losing its faith and power but at the moment they haven't lost enough favor for any action against it to be successful." Zoe tells her captain.
"I haven' had a chance to say it yet but I've missed you guys." Mal says looking around the table, the members of Serenity just smile back at him.
"So there is limited space around here' so people are goin to have to share, I've already talked to Alexis and she's ok with sharing with Kaylee and River. I have two spare bedroom, there both upstairs though is that ok?" Mal asks looking at Wash.
"I can still climb stairs Mal." Wash responds.
"Ok, Zoe you and Wash will take one, Simon, Shepard, Jayne you three will have to share. " Mal says and the two out of the three men look disgusted at that "Hey, don't look like that you its only one night you'll make do." He tells the three.
"Inara, you and mother will have to share but no talking about me." Mal tells the pair.
"We have better things to do than talk about you Mal." Inara tells him.
"Come on I'll show you all to your rooms." Mal tells them.
Everyone follows Mal up to the second story of the loft, Mal waits to everyone is upstairs to show where everything is "Ok through there is a bathroom, Alexis's, mine and Mothers also have on sweets, Simon, Jayne, Shepard book you take that room. " He tells the pointing to the room that seems to be in the middle "Alexis's is right next to you incase River needs you." He says looking at Simon, "Zoe yours and Wash are on the other side, and Nara mother will show you the way." Mal says before turning knocking on Alexis's bedroom door before entering.
"Hey you three." Mal says walking in and sees the three sitting on Alexis's bed talking and smiling.
"Hey Dad" Alexis says.
"I'm very glad that you three are getting a long but you may want to try and get some sleep at some point." Mal tells them.
"We won't be up talking to much longer dad promise." Alexis says.
Mal walks over givers his daughter a kiss on the head "Night Pumpkin." Then does the same to River and Kaylee, "Good night you three." He says turning closing the door behind him, as he walks downstairs Mal allows himself to hope, hope that this wasn't just a torturing dream of what he could have but is actually real.
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AN- I don't think it has ever been said how many rooms Castle's loft has, I know it must be at least 4 as Kate stayed their once, I added another one as it fits better in my story.