Chapter 27

"Not here" she said, and looked at him and then at the kids. They had all just propped themselves back on the couch in the living room, Alexis was holding Jamie and Kaylee was lying on the couch, her head in Avril's lap.

She was nervously biting down on her lip, and Rick realized that whatever she wanted to talk about, she didn't want the kids to find out.

"Yea, come on" he walked to his study and Kate followed. When they were in, he stood in front of his desk, leaning back against it, and she stepped in front of him.

"What's up?" he asked.

"I ran into Will today." she said. And she looked so troubled, so upset.

Rick wasn't sure what he was feeling about this information. But yet he asked.

"And?" Rick asked

"And I walked away." She said.

"Okay, good"

"He followed behind, Rick."

"What does he want from you?" Rick found that he was suddenly feeling really angry. He could feel his head getting hot, just the sound of the name Will had brought back memories of when Kate was going through a painful relationship with the man in question. Back when she was in a dysfunctional marriage with a man who didn't know his responsibilities and who couldn't care less about his wife and daughter.

"I told him I wanted to have nothing to do with him, and that he should leave me alone"

"Okay"

"Rick, he wants to see Avril"

Rick laughed sarcastically and stared down at the ground. Kate stepped forward and put her hands on his arms

"Why? Why now, after these years" He asked.

"I don't know. I asked him the same thing. He said he misses her. And that I can't keep him from her."

Rick didn't say anything. She continued.

"What's killing me is that I can't tell him he can't see her. She's his biological daughter."

"I know."

"Rick, I'm just as upset as you are" Kate told him, and leaned into him, letting her forehead rest against his chest. He put his arms around her.

"I don't want her to see him. It'll upset her" Rick said.

"I know"

"Is this what's been upsetting you?" Rick asked.

"Yea, you noticed?" she smiled.

"Ever since you steeped in through the door"

There was silence for a moment, both of them debating in their minds what their next step should be.

"How did he look?" Rick asked.

"I was taken by surprise Rick. I haven't seen him in quite a while. But he looked like he'd fixed up his act. He said he's been sober for a while."

"Still, it doesn't make me feel any better about the idea of letting him near Avril"

"He seemed so desperate. Like he sincerely missed her. He kept saying he just wanted a chance to meet her once"

"Kate, you know this decision isn't just ours to make."

She nodded against him

"When should we tell her?" Rick asked

"There's no time like the present" she said sadly.

He finally took her hand in his and they walked out into the living room.

The sight before them though stopped them in their tracks.

Avril was half siting, with her back against the arm rest of the couch, Kaylee was cuddling into her side, and Avril was reading to her. Alexis was near the window, showing Jamie something down in the street below. The movie had long finished.

Kate squeezed Rick's hand and he looked down at her. She simply looked into his eyes and he knew what she was saying. Not now.

Kate simply stepped closer and from the back of the couch, she ran her hand down Avril's hair and kissed her daughter's head.

"Both of you look tired, why don't you go to bed now?"

Avril nodded and said to her little sister "Come on, I'll read you this story in bed, and tuck you in" sleepy little Kaylee just nodded and got up, she took Avril's offered hand and went upstairs, kissing their daddy's cheek before going upstairs

Kate folded her arms in front of her chest and looked at Castle. Her face showed no emotion. But he could read everything in her eyes. The anxiousness, the tiredness, the anger and the fear. She didn't want to upset her daughter. Neither did he. He ran his hand through his hair; she could see it in him too. He hated this so much. He hated Will as a person, he hated that he was back to upset his happy family.

He walked back to continue with the dishes, and Kate went on to relieve Alexis, kiss her goodnight, and then put Jamie to sleep.

Rick was already in bed when Kate walked in after putting Jamie to sleep. She went into the bathroom, and 5 minutes later, she was lifting the covers and getting under them to cuddle closer to her husband. She rested her cheek against his chest, and he kissed her head.

They didn't sleep much that night.

Avril woke up earlier than usual. And she knew she wouldn't get sleep again, so she got up, freshened up and went downstairs.

She found her parents, unlike every morning, were actually apart from each other. Her father was sitting on one of the stools at the counter, while her mom was standing on the other side sipping on her coffee. She found it strange.

She greeted them a good morning, leaving a soft kiss on her dad's cheek and then sat down beside him.

"So, what's going on today? You two seem a little, distant"

She said with a smirk.

Castle looked at Kate and Kate nodded. Avril suddenly felt nervous. Why were they acting so strange?

"Avril, there's something we need to talk about." Rick said.

"What is it?" She asked.

"I met your father yesterday" It took Avril a moment to properly understand what she meant. But she didn't say anything.

"I don't know what you're talking about. You see him every day. He sitting right in front of you" Avril replied, a look of seriousness coming over her face, making it clear that she considered only Rick to be her father. No one else.

Rick took her hand in his and held it. "He asked your mom if he could meet you."

"That's not mom's decision." Avril replied.

Kate added "I know. That's why I'm letting you know."

Avril reached out for the cereal box kept on the counter and began to fill her bowl. "Okay" she said.

And that's all. Kate and Rick had both been expecting her to say something more. But to her, this conversation was over.

But Kate needed to complete. "It's completely your decision. But I just thought I'd let you know, he's been sober for a while now, and he said he's been missing you"

"And you believed him?"

Avril asked, her eyes trained on her mom. Kate simply shrugged and said "I stopped believing in him since the day he abandoned me when he found out I was pregnant with you"

"Then you know what my decision is" Avril said. And with that, their conversation was over.

15 minutes later, Alexis came downstairs, and rounded the counter to get herself a glass of orange juice. When she came and stood beside Kate, she said to her dad.

"Mom called me up last night." Rick almost spat his coffee out. And Kate couldn't help but wonder, what was this? 'The week the ex's came back?'

"Meredith called you?" Rick asked again.

"Yea, I didn't recognize her voice at first, but then she told me it was her, and I asked her why she was calling after all these years"

"And?"

"She didn't have a reason. She said she just wanted to talk to me, hear my voice."

"Oh" Rick said.

"We had a pretty civilized conversation" Alexis laughed and then continued "I told her all about our happy family"

Kate listened carefully.

"I mean... I didn't want to torture her, I just wanted to let her know that we were all fine, that I do have a happy family."

"Good, you rubbed it in her face" Avril smirked to herself as she said it.

"Avril!" Kate scolded. But Alexis laughed.

Then Alexis stepped closer to Kate, her side completely touching Kate's side, and said to her dad and sister

"She told me she wants to talk to me like this more often, but I made it clear to her, she maybe my biological mother, and I don't mind her needing to be in touch with me, but I already have a real mom and that's Kate."

Kate looked at Alexis "You said that to her?"

"It's no secret. You're my mom. No one can take your place" Kate's eyes moistened up, and Rick was smiling proudly at his daughter and at Kate.

"No, no one will take my place in your life. I'll always be here for you" Kate said, and gave Alexis a tight hug.

Avril had just finished her cereal and put her spoon down. She wiped her lips with a napkin and then said

"Mom, call Will."

"Avril…" Kate began to say something.

"Tell him I'd like to meet him here tonight" And with that, she got of the stool and walked back upstairs to her room. Alexis noticed the smug smile on her face. But her parents looked overly confused.

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