Happy 2013 for everyone! I'm deeply sorry for the long delay, with Christmas, New Years and travelling, it's been hard to find some free time to write, muchless internet on the road.
Disclaimer: I do not own Castle.
It was dark outside when Kate Beckett hugged her little girl goodnight in the hospital room Elisabeth, Cassidy and Eleanor were designated, across the room from Henry, Grant and Nathan.
Tomorrow a long day was ahead of them, there would be much more questioning on the missing persons and organized crimes divisions and Kate and her boys would be further investigating the children's backgrounds and later on would have to question them, with the presence of a child psychologist and a social worker.
Social worker. Kate thought she'd never dread such a person, such a job so fervently. In truth she was afraid of losing Ellie to the system and of Ellie and the other kids, losing themselves to it also.
"G'night, Kate, I love you..." Ellie whispered, the sleep medication slowly lulling her from consciousness.
"Don't let the bed-bugs bite, Ellie... I love you too." Kate placed a soft kiss on Eleanor's forhead and covered her. She turned on her heals and was faced with two pairs of wide blue and hazel-brown eyes- Bethie and Cassidy respectively.
"Miss Kate, thank you..." Cassidy's nearly not-there whisper and her teary brown eyes were enough to break and mend Kate's heart in a beat.
Kate then realized how she'd been giving all her attention to Ellie while the other five were alone, tired, scared and vulnerable as.
Kate leaned forward, towards Cassidy's bed in the middle of the room, and wrapped her in a warm, tight, loving hug, kissing the little girl's face all over and massaging her back, that shaked with frustrated and then relieved tears.
"It's okay, everything's gonna be okay, sweetheart. You sleep well and dream of a nice big park, full of pretty trees, birds flying about, lots of flowers and nice summer breeze, and tomorrow we'll all see each other, deal?" Kate's voice had been só soft and hypnotizing to the small child's ears that she fell asleep the same moment and Detective Beckett was happy to see a content expression on the little one's face.
"Me?" Kate heard a small murmur, coming from the porcelain-doll like two-and-a-half year-old girl inside the crib.
"Hmm, you, little Bethie?" Kate smiled tenderly and gently picked the child up from inside her personal jail. "Goodnight and sleep tight to you too." The little girl tucked her head in the middle of Kate's chest, feeling her heart thumo under her little hand. Kate proceeded in rocking and humming Brahm's lullaby for her to sleep, the easiest this night.
Kate just hoped things would be as okay as she'd said they would. These precious little girls. Kate also hoped Castle hadn't waited for her at home all this time. After all, women were known for taking their time...