CH45 (124)
It was now 5 years later:
Here they all were again, minus the Quellers who had both passed away 3 years ago. And of course Martha and Jim.
Kevin, Jenny and their 2 girls along with Javi, Lanie and their two boys were not family and Kevin and Javi were in the middle of training more snipers anyway, so they weren't here either.
They had all just landed, gotten off their shuttles and were making their way to a GETS train station.
Kali was graduating from detective school today. Just like her sister she would get her weapon attached later tonight and then take still more tests so she could be paired with her AI unit.
While they might be missing people, there were two new additions.
Kali's boyfriend who had already proposed was here already, since he lived here. Plus Emily's boyfriend who hadn't proposed yet but had talked to Rick and Kate about it, was also here.
Alexis hadn't met Kali's boyfriend, so this would be a first. Alexis however had met Emily's boyfriend countless times, since they were about ready to open their Athos version of Castle Gardens.
In fact Emily and her boyfriend would be leaving here for Athos when everyone else left. They would be going back with Madison, Shawn and their family.
Rick and Kate hadn't talked about the 800 pound gorilla in the room. Rick and Kate would soon be all alone in their 6 bedroom house.
The ceremony was almost a repeat of the one for Ell, except there were 6 graduating this year instead of 5.
And Kate had been wrong about there being no one on Tellus who could look in on Kali while she was here. Andre and Leon's parents had leapt at the opportunity to show her around Tellus when she didn't have school or training classes.
They had even arranged for the same party they had given for Ell.
Rick and Kate had finally gotten Kali alone. "I'm so proud of you sweetie. Look at you, all grown up and a detective. … How do you feel?" Kate had Kali all wrapped up in her arms.
"Excited, scared, worried, amazed. I don't know what happens next. … I mean I know I get my weapon tonight and then start taking tests for my AI unit. … It's just, …. I don't know what happens next."
"You'll have your sister sweetie. It's not you I'm worried about." Kate had fears, just not about Kali, even if she had chosen a dangerous profession.
"You mean Emily." Kali had a few worries too.
"She's moving to Athos to work sort of with her sister. I know Mags and Shawn are there if she needs them. It's just, …." Kate was having trouble.
"He's her boyfriend and not her husband. … Has Alexis met him?" Kali still remembered her mother's advice about Alexis's skills with people and plants.
"Several times, she says he's great." Kate was grinning. Usually they need the others parents approval. In the Castle clan you needed Alexis's approval.
"But she hasn't met Deiter till today." Kali points out. "She'll like him mom, you'll see."
Rick turned to look behind them. In the distance he could see Alexis and Andre talking with this Deiter. Alexis however was hanging onto Andre while they talked. It wasn't a good omen.
"You're still planning on working with your sister?" Rick asked her.
"Yes dad, we're keeping it in the family, and yes I'm still one of your Angels." Kali just had to tease him.
"Oh har, har. You're a comedian. I thought being a detective was serious work." Rick teased back.
"Not when you're involved dad." And she kissed his cheek.
Alexis and Andre were leaving Deiter and headed somewhere else, so Rick leaned in and whispered to Kate. Who took her leave and let Rick talk to their daughter.
Kate caught up to Alexis and Andre who were keeping an eye on their children while picking snacks off the table.
Kate decided to get right to the point. "Ok pumpkin, what did you think of Deiter?"
"Wow mom, not wasting any time." Maybe Alexis should have expected it, but it still felt like it came out of left field.
Alexis looked up at Andre. "He's, …." Alexis didn't know quite what to say. This was her sister's boyfriend they were talking about, to their mother. Who was a detective.
Kate decided to stare at Andre. Andre visibly swallows. "Deiter is, …."Jeez his wife's mother could be intimidating when she wanted to be. Or maybe it was just the topic.
"Where's your sister?" Kate looks around for Ell. Once Kate finds her she grabs Alexis and heads right for her.
"We need to talk." Once Kate gets close to Ell and grabs Ell's arm and escorts her daughters to a quieter spot, away from prying eyes.
Ell looks at these two with question marks written all over her face.
"Ok pumpkin, give. And stopping avoiding the issue. This is my daughter we're talking about. … You're sister, you're partner." Kate wanted answers.
"He's, … " Alexis didn't like this.
"You've met Deiter, haven't you?" Ell looks at Alexis. Who just nods her head. "And if you liked him you would have said so by now." Ell knew that much.
"I don't have specifics mom. That's not the way it works. I knew searching for your father, Madison, the Quellers and the Walkers was the right thing to do. Even if I didn't know why. I still don't know why.
I know now that it gave the Walkers something they were never going to get if I didn't get them to come. My heart tells me that finding the Quellers was the right thing to do still. Madison was and still is your sister. You both needed them, even if you both lost sight of that.
Andre, Leon and even Karl feel right. Andre feels right for me, like Leon feels right for Ell and Karl feels right for Emily.
I even understand now why I wanted you and dad together. You two felt right for each other. Felt right for me." Alexis pauses. They actually all still felt right. Mom and dad practically glowed that they were right for each other.
"But this Dieter doesn't?" Ell asks.
"He, …. " How to put this into words? "He feels like a fake. …. Says and sometimes does one thing, but there is another side to him. One that he is trying to hide. … I fear for Kali when he's around mom. Like he's going to hurt her, … ruin her. …. Permanently.
What I see, ... what I feel is this dark black cloud that has engulfed Kali. Suffocating her, changing her. ... What Kali will become scares me mom. Pretty soon she won't be the Kali we know at all."
Kate quickly made up her mind. Mom and detective were about to meet. "Pumpkin, I want you to go get Andre and Leon and get them to gather up all the kids and then stick really close to your sister. Sweetie, you're with me.
"We're going to go give this Dieter an offer he can't refuse, and then we're going to kick his ass." Kate strides off with Ell right behind her.
Kate came right up to Deiter and stood right in front of his face. "Mrs. Castle, it's a pleasure to finally meet you." Deiter was smiling. Getting Kate to study him. His smile looked practiced and it didn't show in his eyes.
"I think it's time for you to leave Deiter." Kate would try diplomacy first. Well more order him actually.
Deiter was taken back just for a second. "As you wish, I'll pick up Kali and we'll leave."
"NO, you won't. You'll be leaving alone and remain alone." Kate was ready to lay down the law. Maybe if she pushed him, his true colors would show.
"Pardon? Kali is my fiancé and we're getting married. If I'm leaving, she going with me." Deiter counters. He has hooked Kali and he's keeping her.
"You're mistaken Deiter. She's my daughter and my daughters partner and you're not going anywhere near her again." Kate counters.
"She hasn't told you? She's not going to be your partner. We agreed that she was going it alone." Deiter had control.
"You don't love her at all do you? You just want access to a detective. Someone to control, someone to be your personal little slave. …. well that's not going to happen. You're leaving Deiter, … now!" Kate had him figured out.
"I'll leave with my fiancé when I choose to. She loves me and you can't undo that, or interfere in our lives." Deiter counters. He knows he has Kali hooked.
"You're going Deiter, … now!" And Kate grabs him to escort him out of the building.
Deiter however yanks his arm free. "You have no say in our lives. I'm leaving but it'll be with my fiancé." Deiter tries to leave but is blocked by Ell.
Kate takes the opportunity to take his arm again. "Let's go Deiter, you're leaving. I'll explain your permanent absence to my daughter later."
Deiter takes the moment to use his free hand to take Kate's arm and try and yank his free, but fails.
"Let's go Deiter." Kate pulls and shoves him in front of her towards the door.
"Deiter however decides this is where he makes his stand. He can make Kali see his side. He always has. So he pushes Kate in the chest, to force her back.
"You're mistaken old woman, you don't scare me. Kali is mine and I'm keeping her." And pushes Kate again. If he can goad Kate into hitting him it'll just cement his hold on Kali, no matter what her ancient mother has to say.
Kate however knows where and how to hit him to hurt him and not leave a mark. Kate jabs two fingers into a vulnerable point.
"Oouch!" Deiter complains and takes a swing at Kate's face.
Kate does nothing to try and block it, even though she had anticipated it. The strike had forced Kate to turn her head. When it came back, her lip was split having been cut open on a tooth.
Kate wipes the blood away with a finger and grins at Deiter.
Suddenly Deiter started to panic. Where was Kali's sister? He figured he could take some old lady. Elena was a lot younger and probably just as skilled as Kali is.
Then he sees Kali, Elena and their older sister that he had been told about and had talked to earlier.
"Kali, …. I can explain." He was in trouble, but he knew Kali loved him.
Kali however looked at Kate and saw blood. "YOU HIT MOM?"
"You don't understand, it's not what it looks like. Your mother, …." However he is interrupted by Kali.
"I understand you hit my mother. What more is there to understand?" Kali counters.
"Kali, I love you. … we're going to get married. …. You love me." Deiter needed to regain control of the situation.
This is when Alexis steps in and starts talking to Kali.
Everyone sees the shock on Kali's face as she is listening. Then starts looking from Deiter, to Kate and Alexis.
"Kali, … baby, we're going to get married." Deiter tries to reach her.
Alexis however is still whispering to Kali while never looking at anyone but her sister.
When she's done Alexis looks at her sister and opens her eyes wide and tries to nod her head to show she's serious.
Kali turns on Deiter. "I was falling in love with you. … you used me. I was alone and feeling lonely and you used me." Kali's tears started.
"No baby no. I love you, we're getting married. We have plans." Deiter needed to try and solve this.
"You mean you have plans. I was joining my sister like the two of us talked about until you decided otherwise.
I'm a detective and I'm teaming up with my sister just like I always dreamed of doing." Kali wanted her dream back.
"But they live on Ariel, we're going to live on Tellus." Deiter countered.
It was at this time when Emily and Rick stepped up having been informed of things by Leon.
"You're going to live on Tellus, I'm going to be living on Ariel with my partner, my sisters and my parents." Kali informs him.
"But you're going to be my wife. You can't live on Ariel but with me on Tellus." Deiter counters. "We belong together."
"I'm not your wife. … And I'm not your fiancé either. … You need to leave Deiter. I'm going to Ariel and live my dream. Without you in it." Kali counters, and gets hugged by Alexis who whispers in her ear again.
"You've turned her against me bitch." Deiter spit out at Alexis.
"My sister understands you. I should have let her meet you in the first place before our first date. A mistake I'll never make again. …. You should leave Deiter." Kali moves in closer to Alexis.
Elena moves over to Deiter and grabs him in a hold that weakens him. "You heard her, jerk. … Let's go." And Elena guides him to the door and out of the room.
However what no one has paid any attention to is what door Elena has taken him thru. It's not to outside, but deeper into the building. Someplace nice and secluded.
The walls and door prevent everyone from hearing Deiter scream about the pain. Elena had started pinching him. Elena wasn't back with the others for roughly half an hour.
"I'm really sorry mom." Kali collapsed into Kate's arms.
"I got lonely and Deiter was there when I needed him. I was sure he loved me and I listened to everything he said." Kali had screwed up and she knew it, finally.
"Everything will be fine sweetie. He's gone and you definitely don't need him." Kate hugged her.
Kali tried to melt into Kate. It felt good to be truly loved. Then Kali while still in Kate's arms. "I'm sorry sis. I forgot and screwed up." Her older sister had told her to let her check the guys out.
Alexis moved in and hugged both of them. "It's alright sis. … It's not too late. You found out about him and I'm sure we can find you someone, just like dad. Someone who will love you for being you."
"Just younger than me, please." Rick offers.
Kali giggles and switches to hugging Rick. "You're not old dad. … However maybe someone just a few years younger." Kali teases. Getting Rick to chuckle.
"See babe. I told you, you aren't old." Kate adds. Smiling at him.