There was a fresh blanket of snow covering the majority of the island. Her boots crunched the frozen blades of grass as she traipsed across the park, her hands shoved deep into the pockets of the peacoat in an attempt to keep the tips of her fingers warm. It was failing, but she wasn't about to pull her gloved hands out to see how much worse it was without the extra layer of protection.
Lanie looked up from the body of a young woman who had been found lying facedown in a snowdrift by some kids going tubing on their snow day. "Victim is a… Beckett, what the hell is on your head?"
And so it begins.
"A hat. One wears it to keep one's head and ears warm in weather such as the type we are currently experiencing." She put a hand up to pull the knit hat down further over her ears as she crouched next to the body. "The victim is a what, Lanie?"
Her friend's eyes still lingered on her hat as she rambled off facts about the young woman, apparently shot to death with a .22. She said something about bringing the body back to the morgue to check blood alcohol levels but it had trailed off as her gaze was drawn back to Kate's head. Kate shot a quick glare at Lanie as she headed back to the car. Castle was planning on meeting her at the precinct. She could only pray that he was bringing coffee with him.
He was already sitting in the chair next to her desk when she stepped off the elevator, a mug of coffee with steam curling from the surface placed at the corner of her keyboard.
Kate tossed the hat and gloves onto her desk, grabbing up the coffee and taking a sip. "Thank you, Castle."
Castle wasn't really paying attention. Like Lanie, his eyes were stuck on the hat.
When he didn't respond, Kate gave him a kick to his shin. "Are you awake?"
"You're actually wearing that thing?"
She shrugged, sitting down as she loosened her scarf. "It was a present. Of course I'm going to wear it."
"Yeah, but… Kate, it was a joke!" Castle made a move to take the hat but Kate slapped her hand over it, fixing him with a glare.
"Our five year old daughter picked that hat out. If she wants me to wear it, I'll wear it." Kate stuffed the hat into the pocket of her coat. "Why? You embarrassed to be seen with me wearing it out in public?"
"No, but… I mean, it's sort of funny looking, don't you think?"
Kate tugged the hat back out from her coat, running a finger over one of the pom-poms hanging off the hat. "It's unique. Like her."
"Unique is certainly one word to describe that."
It was a navy blue knit hat. Innocent enough. Until one noticed the pom-poms in every color imaginable hanging off of the hat by thin threads. They were hot pink one, charcoal grey, forest green, so yellow it was like looking into the sun, and the deepest of reds. A lavender one always hung in Kate's eyes, causing her to bat it out of her eyesight like a cat.
"It has good qualities. It fulfills the purpose of a hat. It goes with everything. And she gave it to me, so there's that whole love thing attached to it."
Castle was watching as Kate twisted the string of the tan pom-pom around her pinky finger. "Well then you feel free to wear that silly, ridiculous hat wherever you want."
She kept the hat out on her desk, placing it on a pile of unfinished paperwork as she returned to her coffee. "So glad I have your permission now."
When they walked in the door of the loft, that hat still sitting proudly on top of Kate's curls, the five year old who had been coloring with Alexis squealed.
"Mommy, you're wearing my hat!"
Kate bent down, letting the pom-poms hit the girl in the face playfully. "Of course I am! Everyone loves it."
The girl tossed an eye-roll that she had long ago picked up from her mother. "Except Daddy. He thinks it's funny."
"Let me tell you a secret." The girl scooted closer as Kate cupped her hand to whisper. "Daddy loves this hat, too. He told me at work." Another squeal until Kate tugged her daughter back. "Don't tell him I told you. He likes pretending to be all tough and manly."
Their daughter slid off the chair at the dining room table, running over to wrap herself around Castle's legs. "I love you, Daddy."
Castle glanced over at Kate who only gave him a secretive smile as he reached down to ruffle the girl's brown hair. "Love you too, sweetie."