Thank you, everyone for reading and thanks to those who took time to review, you've made my day. This chapter is dedicated to you.
Disclaimer: I do not own Castle, but I do own Eleanor, Elisabeth, Grant, Nathan, Henry and Cassidy, as well as their 'nanny', Aubrey.
CHAPTER TWO: "Daisies"
April 12th 2013, Random park near the 12th precinct.
"Hiya!" Kate was startled by an enthusiastic hello, as Eleanor appeared in front of her with a huge smile. "Hi, Miss Flower, you look very pretty today!" she complimented, climbing up the bench and sitting next to the detective.
"Hello, Eleanor, thank you… I'm glad to see you're no longer hurt…" Kate told her with a smile. "Doesn't your mother worry about you running off like this?" Kate questioned, removing a small leaf from Eleanor's golden hair.
"Nuh-uh, she's not my mommy, I don't have one. She just takes care of me sometimes. Why are you always alone?" She asked quietly, swinging her head, but her curious turcquoise eyes were on Kate's.
"Well, I'm waiting for my boyfriend, he was here just now but went to Starbucks to get us some coffee. Have you had breakfast?" Eleanor nodded.
"Oat meal and juice." She made a face of pure horror, "I like juice but I hate oat meal, can't choose though." Kate nodded, a little worried about how Eleanor discribed her care-taker and how from the sound of her voice, it seemed like she was extremely unhappy.
"I like juice, too. Do you come here to the park everyday?" Kate asked, wrapping her arm around Eleanor's shoulder and caressing her right arm, where the bee had stung her two days ago.
"No, almost never, I think she's been bringing us because her boss is mad, he's the boss of everyone and he's not very nice. Aubrey's okay though, she isn't mean but she doesn't love us either. Sometimes she brings us books from the library, other times she lets us watch a movie." Kate couldn't help but think how sucky Eleanor's home life sounded. So a three year-old rarely came to the park, only sometimes got read to and in seldom, very seldom occasions she got to watch a film? What kind of home did she live in, a work camp? Kate looked down at the little girl who rested her head under her right breast, sighing comfortably, watching silently as the few other kids played and ran around driving their parents crazy.
"Miss Flower, what are those white flowers called, they're my favorites… the ones I was trying to get when the bee hurt me?"
"Oh, those are daisies sweetie, did you know that they were actually called 'the day's eyes'? With time people abreviated it to daisy. You know what, they're my favorites too." Eleanor looked up into Kate's dark green eyes lovingly. She kissed Kate's arm shyly and grinned like a mad person, her eyes sparkling.
"I love you Miss Flower…" Eleanor whispered, burying her head into Kate's side. Kate chuckled.
"I'm beginning to love you too, Ellie." Kate said endearingly, "How could I not love such a sweet, adorable little rascal?" She tickled Eleanor's side earning loud giggles and squirms.
"You called me Ellie…" Kate nodded. "I like it, Miss Daisy."
"Oh, so now I'm Miss Daisy?" Kate teased with a smile. It was Eleanor's turn to nod.
"Now that I know what they're called…" Eleanor trailed off. "Do you work?" The little girl asked, playing with the hem of Kate's cardigan sweater.
"Yes, I do. I'm a cop, a detective actually, I put all the bad guys in jail. What about you, do you go to school?" Eleanor shook her head.
"I'm three, Aubrey said I'm too young to go to school, but Henry and Cassidy are four and they don't go either. I think the boss doesn't want us to go. I'd like to, staying at home's not good. Too much quiet." Kate nodded, memorizing each of the little girl's words. She would try and look into Eleanor's living situation…
"Eleanor, what's your full name?" She asked, twirling the curls on the edge of the child's hair.
"Eleanor, just Eleanor, no last name. I don't got a family, that's why. Aubrey said when I do, I'll have a full name. Right now, it's just Eleanor and Ellie for you, Miss Daisy, just for you." Kate wanted to cry right now, but pulled herself together. Poor little kid, she wanted so much to hug all her demons away, be able to protect her from the world, not force her into eating oat meal, that she hated.
Kate didn't where all these thoughts were coming from, but one thing she knew was that she would do all in her willpower to find out what Eleanor's living conditions were and help her and the other kids she mentioned that lived with her. She knew what it was like to not have a mother, someone to protect her, and her father having spent the last few years a drunkman, had almost been the same as being family-less. She knew how lonely it was, she knew how miserable it was and she did not want that for this sweet little girl. Eleanor did not deserve any of this, she was beautiful, inside and out and God forbid that Kate Beckett wouldn't do a thing to remedy this whole situation.
"Miss Daisy?" Kate looked down at her, green eyes with a different kind of fire in them, a new kind of good energy, and lots and lots of love.
"Yes, Ellie?" Eleanor smiled at the sound of her new nickname again and hugged Kate by the waist.
"I gotta go now, but I love you okay? You wont forget me?" Kate shook her head, looking into Eleanor's gorgeous eyes.
"I promise I wont, Ellie. See you later!" She cried as the girl ran off, blowing her an imaginary kiss that Kate pretended to catch and place at her heart. God she needed a drink, all these lovey-dovey feelings were making her hot inside.
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