CH18
Kate made sure that Meredith was booked for attempted kidnapping before returning to her desk. It wasn't until Kate went into the break room for some coffee that tasted nothing like what Castle had given her this morning. Which had Kate day dreaming about what happened that morning.
"Beckett? …. Beckett?" Espo is standing at the door way.
Kate snaps out of it. Looking his direction she can see the question on his face. "Yes I'm involved with Alexis. Her real mother is an ass and treats her like she doesn't exist. And it breaks my heart. Alexis is so sweet.
Deal with it Espo." And Kate goes back to getting coffee.
"Beckett I try not to involve myself in your personal life unless you invite me. But we are a team. If you're hurting than we all are hurting. Do Ryan and I need to go down there and lean on her. Because we will if we need to. And we both know just where to hide a body so it is never found. And Lanie will lose everything anyone has on her. You know that." Espo tells her. Talking like a big brother to his little sister.
"Thanks Espo but I think it's handled. And if it's not I'll let you know." Kate tells him. "Where are we on our vic?"
"Lanie got prints off her." Espo retreats to his desk and picks up a folder. "Her name is Angela Lansbury. And no, not that Lansbury. She's single never married. Her parents died in a small plane accident a few years back. No bothers, no sisters. We got an address on her and Ryan and some uniforms are on their way there now.
Still waiting on DMV about her car. We are also still looking for any phone records. First problem is finding out which carrier she was using. Provided she even has a cell phone. We are also still looking into who she works for."
"Get all the information you can of the plane crash too. Maybe she decided to visit the site and ran across someone bad. And dive into her parents while you're at it. Maybe they were silenced and she was next on their list." Kate gives him more to do. "I'm going downstairs to see what Lanie has."
Kate makes it downstairs and finds Lanie still working on Angela. "Hey Lanie."
"Hey girlfriend. I'm told there was a fire somewhere." Lanie leads where this conversation was going.
Kate takes a heavy sigh. "I had to go rescue Alexis from her mother to prevent her from taking her out of her school."
"Now you've lost me. I've met Alexis she seems like a sweet child. But what does this have to do with her mother?" Lanie asks very curious.
"Alexis is terrific!" As Kate gets all misty eyed. "But her birth mother is an ass. She uses Alexis to get things out of Castle, other than that she pays no attention to that wonderful child. Alexis is actually afraid of her." Kate explains.
"So what was this morning's fire?" Lanie asks.
"Meredith had shown up at Alexis's school with the intent of taking her out of school and to who knows where. I had to put a stop to it." Kate tells her.
"You had to put a stop to it? You?" Lanie is now digging.
"Alexis called me and asked me to help her." Kate explains a little more.
"Like any good mother you charged out there to protect the child you love.
WAIT! You do love her don't you?" Lanie squeals.
"Lanie! I'm not in love with Alexis." Kate is shocked.
"Not in love huh? Did you call her father to have him rescue her? Did you even try to call him before you charged out there hell bent on shooting her? And when you got there what was the first thing you did?
Hug her, kiss her and tell her everything would be alright? And what did it take to get you to leave her behind and not take her with you?" Lanie challenges.
Kate stands there opening and closing her mouth like a fish.
"Yup you're in love. Just admit it and enjoy it. I'll bet she already loves you back. Has she told you that she loves you?" Laine asks enjoying herself.
Watching Kate's reaction. "She has told you she loves you hasn't she? How many times has she told you? ….. Once, … twice, … more?" Lanie squeals and hugs Kate and squeezes for all she's worth.
"When is the next time you're going to see her?" Lanie asks all excited.
"Tonight actually. I'm spending the night with her." Kate cringes.
"Like a date? Your dating a six year old?" Lanie is now lost.
"No I have a date with Castle tonight." CRAP! Why did I tell her that?
"You have a date with Richard Freaking Castle?" Lanie is beside herself. "Wait how does this fit in with seeing Alexis tonight?" Lanie is really curious now.
"Because I'm sleeping there." Kate shrinks, Lanie is going to slap her big time.
"You're sleeping there? With Castle?" Lanie claps her hands together. This is just too good to be true.
"No I'm not sleeping with Castle. I'm sleeping with Alexis." Kate starts to panic that didn't come out right. "Not that kind of sleeping just sleeping." Kate corrects. Wait that didn't come out right either. And why did I even tell her that in the first place?
"So you're not sleeping with Castle but you are sleeping with his daughter. As in the same bed all night long?" Lanie tries to wrap her mind around this. "But you're going out on a date with her father tonight?"
Kate bites her lower lip and nods her head.
Lanie picks up the closest object which turns out to be a tongue depressor and points it at Kate. "Alright, who are you and what have you done with Kate Beckett?" Lanie asks intent on defending herself.
Kate starts laughing. Lanie looks at what she is using as a weapon and starts laughing with her.
Lanie steps up and pokes Kate with her weapon of choice. "Now go tell that precious child who loves you that you love her too." Lanie shoos Kate out of her morgue. "And enjoy your date with Castle."
After Kate is gone and Lanie is convinced she is gone. "It's about damn time Kate Beckett."
Kate has made it to Castle's home about an hour before its dark which will be cutting it close and since she doesn't have a key she knocks. And finds Alexis answering the door. "Kate!" And Alexis launches herself at her.
"Hi sweetie how are you?" Kate picks her up and carries her inside.
"Katherine dear, come on in, sit down." Martha calls from the sofa.
Kate continues over to the sofa and sits down with Alexis in her lap.
"I've been hearing all about Alexis's grand adventure today." Martha tells her. Kate starts to counter but is interrupted. Martha takes her hand in both of hers. "I wanted to thank you dear. I'm not sure you know how much it means."
"It was nothing Martha. I couldn't let Meredith treat her like that. To be honest I don't understand that woman." Kate tells her. "Where's Castle?" Kate twists her head around looking. She knows they need to get going since she delayed them.
"He's in his room changing I think. I get to watch Alexis while you go out on your date." Martha winks at her.
"It's just a movie Martha." Kate plays it down.
"Right, a nice romantic evening having a picnic on a blanket, in a park, sipping wine hidden in water bottles while watching a movie." Martha amends. "That face color suits you my dear. I'm sure you will have a good time. Just relax dear. There isn't going to be a test after it's over."
Kate's face only gets redder. Fortunately for Kate Rick makes his entrance. "Kate you made it. I was beginning to worry about you." Rick heads for the sofa and leans down to kiss the top of Kate's head. "We need to get going or we may be sitting in the North 40."
Kate puts Alexis down. "I'll see you tonight sweetie." And follows Castle into the kitchen.
In the kitchen Castle hands her what looks like a beach bag. "This one is yours and I'll take this one." As he picks up another one off the counter.
Upon opening the door. "Don't wait up mother. And you go to bed at your bed time pumpkin." And they both exit the apartment.
There were already a number of people there. Rick and Kate picked a site that they liked and Rick spread out the blanket and then started showing Kate what was in their bag.
He had fruit in individual containers. Cantaloupe, grapes and honeydew melon. There were pre-made mini sandwiches. Loose assortment of cold cuts, cheeses and crackers. Napkins and plastic silverware and two water bottles with that amounted to an entire bottle of wine. In each bag!
Kate also found a card in her bag. It looked to be home made. It was a first date anniversary card! Castle and Alexis had signed it. Kate was quick to point out that since it was their very first date it wasn't an anniversary.
"I'm the writer here Kate, I think I know my words." Rick countered.
The Kate found a smaller card inside this card.
The Waldorf-Astoria Guerlain Spa
301 Park Ave, (between 49th and 50th Sts)
This impressive 14,000-square-foot spa manages to be a serene oasis despite its opulent decor, which includes silver ceramic-tiled walls, white marble floors and a floor-to-ceiling glistening crystal chandelier at the entrance. The treatment rooms are the size of most New York studio apartments (complete with private bathroom, shower, locker and vanity area), making a customized Guerlain therapy the ultimate indulgence.
"Castle?" Kate looked at him with wonder in her eyes.
"It's just a little something for you in case your day at work gets to be too much for you. And to be honest, it was Alexis's idea." Rick explains.
"Castle this is the top spa in town. You have to have an appointment just to get an appointment. And hand over the keys to your car to afford it." Kate is slack jawed and starring at him.
"Really? I didn't have any trouble. You must be mistaken." Castle responds smiling at her.
"Castle I can't, …" And is interrupted when Castle leans over and kisses her.
"You can and you will. Or do you want me to tell Alexis that you refused her idea?" Rick prods her.
"That's playing dirty Castle." Kate gives him one of her death glares.
"Who's says I play fair?" Castle counters.
Kate immediately thinks. 'Two can play this game Castle.' "Thank you Castle, this is sweet." Clutching the card to her chest.
Castle picks up one of her water bottles and holds it out for her. Kate takes it and drinks deeply. She kind of needed the alcohol at the moment. The movie tonight turned out to be,
99 francs (2007) French cinema: Comedy
Octave Parango is a high-powered advertising consultant who prides himself on the knowledge that he decides what people will want to buy and how they will live their lives. He is more powerful than the President of the United States...
Rick and Kate had both enjoyed the movie even though they only ate and drank half of what Castle had packed.
"I'm taking the train to DC tomorrow and spending the night so my mother will be watching Alexis when she gets home from school." Castle informs her on the drive home.
"DC?" Kate questions.
"I have to see a man about a couple of properties and unfortunately I need to do it in person. I would have told you earlier but I only found out about it a little before lunch. So I'm not exactly happy about it either." Rick tells her hoping she doesn't take it badly.
"It's ok Castle I can look after Alexis after I get off work. I don't mind." Kate tells him actually a little sad though not sure why.
"We can take the night helicopter tour after I get back." Castle volunteers.
However Kate is now distracted by his leaving and only Uuhhmm's a response back at him.
Once inside they find Martha asleep on the sofa so Rick wakes her and takes her back to her apartment while Kate goes down to Alexis's room and gets ready for bed.
Just as Kate is sliding into bed next to Alexis. "Kate?" A sleepy Alexis mumbles out.
"Sshhh, go back to sleep sweetie." As Kate settles in and wraps her arms around her. Kate is beginning to feel guilty about this but these evenings sleeping in Alexis's arms is just so refreshing.
Alexis snuggles in closer and unknowingly know has her face right on Kate's left breast as she mumbles out. "Love you."
Kate wants to reply and remembers what Lanie had told her but she just can't bring herself to say it back. Tears form instead. "Go to sleep sweetie, I'm here and I'm not going anywhere." As Kate twists her head to kiss Alexis's head of beautiful red hair.
Kate wakes to find Alexis already awake and starring at her. "Hi." Kate tells her still a little sleepy.
"Hi." Alexis answers back. "Did you and dad have fun?"
"Yes we did, it was very nice." Kate answers truthfully.
"Are you going to take care of me while dad is gone?" Alexis asks shyly.
"When I'm not at work, yes I am." Kate tells her and she intends to. "What do you want to do when I get off work?"
"Can we go ride bikes in the park?" Alexis asks.
"I don't own a bike sweetie." Kate is forced to tell her.
"You can use dads. It's in the storage locker downstairs. It's a lot bigger than mine." Alexis informs her.
"We can see if it fits me when I get home and then we can go. How about that?" Kate asks her not noticing she has used the word HOME again.
"Ok." Alexis agrees sounding excited.
"We need to get up so I can go to work and you to school." Kate tells her.
They share another shower and while Kate sits naked this time at the kitchen counter applying her make-up. "Do I need make-up too?" Alexis asks, knowing today is not her first day of school like last time.
"Absolutely! Hop up here." And Kate lifts her up into her lap and does Alexis's face just like last time.
Once dressed they both head for the living room and find Castle waiting for them. Handing Kate her plate of breakfast that she eats as fast as she can. And finds him waiting at the open front door with another coffee to-go mug and what looks like a lunch bag. Rick kisses her as she leaves.
Kate bounces down the hall with a smile on her face. About half way down in the elevator she takes a sip of her coffee. "Damn this stuff is good. And I forgot to ask him what this is." As Kate slumps her shoulders for a moment at her memory lapse.
As the elevator hits the ground floor she steps out and decides to look at what was in the bag. And pulls out yet another bag. This one however was a bag of coffee grounds.
Kauai Coffee 100% Hawaiian Coconut Caramel Crunch - 10 oz or 24 oz
A nice touch of Coconut, Caramel and Macadamia Nut blended together for a delectable taste! Our most popular flavored coffee.
This coffee is now flavored using Natural Essential Oils.
This flavor is available in a 10 oz or 24 oz bag and ground for that long lasting flavor.
With a big smile on her face. "BLESS you Castle!"