A/N- My original plan was to have Martha confront Meredith alone, but Kate sorta hijacked it. LOL! I think this turned out pretty good.

The next morning, Kate and Castle took Alexis to school before they headed into the precinct. Once they left, Martha picked up the phone and called Meredith. Inviting her over to the loft. Martha waited impatiently for her to arrive. When she heard the knock on the door, she opened it immediately.

"Come in."

Meredith walked inside and eyed the older woman suspiciously, "You said on the phone that you needed to see me."

"I did. Listen, I'm going to get right down to it. You are going to stay away from my son and granddaughter."

Meredith laughed, "And why would I do that?"

"It's simple really. When you divorced Richard the reasons for it were kept out of the celebrity news magazines. More for Alexis' well being than yours. It would have ruined your career. A mother abandoning her only daughter. A daughter that threatened to take the spotlight off of you."

"What can I say? I made a mistake and I want to do it over again."

Martha laughed and Meredith sensed something evil in the laugh, "See, this isn't like one of your movies Meredith. You don't get another take at playing the loving and concerned mother. No. You only get one shot at that and you lost. Richard and Alexis are happy without you in their lives. Neither one of the need you anymore."

"I'm still her mother."

Martha shook her head, "Not according to the parental dissolution papers that you signed. You gave up all rights and responsibilities to her the day that you divorced my son. And do you remember the penalty for showing back up here?"

Martha watched as Meredith swallowed hard and said, "I will owe him five million dollars. But she my daughter and I have every right to..."

That was when Martha heard Kate say loudly, "She's not your daughter anymore!"

Both women turned and looked at the younger woman. Martha was shocked and said, "Kate! I thought you and Richard were at work."

Kate nodded, "I was, but I forgot something." Then Kate shot Meredith a look that bordered on disdain and contempt. Then, she turned back to Martha and said, "I forgot something. Castle is with Ryan and Esposito. So, I figured that I would head over here and.. What is she doing here? Is she bothering you again?"

Martha could see how fiercely protective Kate was of her and their family. She was ready to go to battle for not only Richard and Alexis, but for Martha. Smiling, Martha told her, "I actually called her."

Kate turned around and asked, "You what?! How could you call her after everything she did to Alexis and..."

Martha held up her hands, "I was just reminding Meredith of the consequences of her showing back up here again. See, she wants money from Richard and she knows that the easiest way to get that is by threatening to take away the single most important thing in his life."

"Alexis."

Martha nodded, "Yes. I let her know that she is not welcome here. And if she insists on showing up here, well I will just remind Richard of that nice little codicil that his lawyer insisted on adding to the divorce decree."

Meredith decided to plead to the woman as mothers, "Sure you both can understand why I want her in my life again. I'm here mother and she's my only little girl and I love her."

Kate felt a rage unlike any that she had felt before. How could this woman stand here and say that she loved Alexis? Castle had told her how she had treated the little girl before their divorce. No one deserved to be treated like that. She looked at Meredith and said, "You don't get to say that you love her anymore and just because you gave birth to her doesn't make you her mother. Anymore than I am. I love that little girl like she was my own daughter."

"But she's not."

She turned on Meredith and said, "No, she's not! But she isn't your daughter either. Do you know what her favorite color is?"

Meredith looked at her and said snidely, "Pink..."

Kate laughed harshly and said, "No! It's blue! Do you know that she wants a puppy for Christmas this year? Or that she's no longer afraid of the dark? She's afraid of horses, but not ponies. Do you know what it's like when she wraps her arms around you and tells you that she loves you? No! Because you were never her mother. You never could be Meredith! She isn't yours anymore! Castle isn't yours anymore! They have a new life with me. The three of us are a family. Soon, we will be four and you aren't needed."

Martha was stunned at the way that Kate was talking to her. She had meant for this to be her telling Meredith to get out of their lives, but Kate was doing a better job that she ever could have.

Meredith simply stared at the other woman and said, "Wait until I tell Richard about this. I..."

Kate shook her head and laughed, "When are you going to get it Meredith? Rick is mine. Not yours. Mine. You gave him up nearly four years ago and for that I will be forever thankful to you, but he doesn't love you anymore. He married me. He loves me. We are having a baby together. My name is Katherine Castle! He is my husband. Mine."

Martha smiled and then said, "I think you made your point Katherine. Now, Meredith, please remember the five million other reasons why you are going to turn around and leave."

Meredith swallowed, "Leave?"

"Leave this loft. Leave this state. Leave my son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter alone. Forever. I don't ever want to see your face here again."

"And if I refuse?"

Martha smiled, "Then I will remind Richard of the codicil in the divorce papers. Then money you made him pay you. Money that will need to be paid back if you break the agreement."

Then, Kate smiled and added, "Then I will make sure that you are so busy taking care of the 'warrants' out for your arrest that you won't have time to bother my family."

"Warrants? I don't have any warrants."

Kate laughed, "No, no you don't, but I can make your life a living hell. So much of a living hell that you will be begging me to let you leave the state."

"I could report you for this."

Martha laughed, "Like anyone would believe you."

"Why are you doing this? All I want is my daughter back."

Martha shook her head, "No, you see dollar signs. You figure that you can get Richard to pay you off again. Just like before. Well, I got news for you sweetheart, that isn't going to happen this time. This time, you are going to turn around, get on the first plane back to LA and never show your face in this state again."

She looked at Martha and then at Kate. Something in the way that the women looked at her made her realize that they weren't going to back down and she wasn't going to win any argument with them. With either of them. So, she turned to leave, but Kate stopped her and said, "You didn't realize how much you lost when you left them. Did you?"

Meredith shook her head, "No..."

"Well, you lost more than just a beautiful little girl. She's amazing. Has an amazing heart. And that has nothing to do with you. That has everything to do with her father. He made her into the amazing little girl she is today. She doesn't need you in her life. She has a father that loves her."

"She needs a mother also and I..."

Kate shook her head, "She has a mother."

"You? You aren't her mother and..."

"I'm more of a mother to her than you are. Than you ever were or could hope to be. One day, you will realize what you've lost. I feel so sorry for you Meredith."

Meredith shrugged and said, "If you say so. I have a job that I love and feel sorry for you. You obviously can't say that same. Nothing can be better than the feeling of accomplishment I get from my acting work. I feel sorry for you."

"No Meredith. I feel sorry for you. Feeling her wrap her arms around my neck and her telling me how much she loves me." She felt the tears in her eyes and continued, "That is the best feeling in the world. Hearing her call me mommy... I wouldn't trade that for anything in the world. No job can be better than that. I might not get paid, but it's the most fulfilling thing I've ever done in my life. I would give up everything for them. For both of them."

Meredith looked at the two women and shook her head. She would never be like them. Never be content to raise a family or settle down with one man for the rest of her life. She finally nodded and said, "I'm still her mother and..."

Kate and Martha both shook their heads and said, "No you aren't!"

The two women looked at each other and smiled. Meredith was surprised at how well they seemed to get along with each other. She'd never had that with her former mother-in-law. She finally sighed and said, "Well, I can tell where I'm not wanted."

Martha said snidely, "Apparently you can't."

Meredith gave Martha a dirty look and then turned to Kate and said, "Would you tell Richard something for me?"

"It depends on what it is that you want me to tell him."

"Tell him that I'm sorry for everything. I will leave and never come back."

Kate nodded, "I will tell him that."

Martha and Kate turned to watch her leave. Both sighing with relief when the door shut behind her. Then Kate turned to Martha and the two women hugged. Then Kate asked, "Do you think she will go away for good?"

"If she knows what's good for her she will. Thank you."

Kate looked at Martha and asked, "For what?"

"For loving my son and my granddaughter. I never thought that I would see them this happy again. Alexis really loves you and so does Richard."

Kate swallowed hard and then said, "I love them Martha. So, so much. They've given me so much happiness in the past few months. Happiness that I never thought I would have again. They've made me part of their family and for that I can't ever repay them."

Martha hugged her and whispered, "And they wouldn't want you to repay them. They just want you to love them."

Kate smiled and the two women embraced. Then she whispered, "I don't think we should tell Castle about our talk with Meredith."

Martha nodded, "Agreed. Sometimes, what he doesn't know won't hurt him."

Kate laughed and then looked at her watch, "I really have to go. He's going to think I got lost or something. Thank you again Martha. For everything."

Martha simply waved her off and smiled as Kate walked back out the door. Her son had picked a wonderful woman to fall in love with this time. A woman that loved all of his little quirks and was able to look beyond his sometimes childish behavior. A woman that was smart and sensitive. A woman that deserved a man like her son. Martha would always fight for those around her and Katherine had just become one of the few that Martha would always do anything for. No matter what...