Author's Notes: Again I can't thank you all enough for your reviews and follows. Now this chapter is the last in the 'In Plane Sight' adventures. And I have to admit it took on a life of it's own because it didn't turn out anything like the way I originally planned it.
Needless to say I spent a day running around Cardiff the week before last while I'm travelling. And I'm still on the road, except in France trying to get my head back into work mode for tomorrow. So enough with the preamble. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I did writing it.
Chapter Four – The Girl Who Waited
'Come on Kate!' Alexis yelled as she ran towards the Water Tower in Cardiff Bay. 'We have to get a photo on the Invisible Lift!' To the say the girl was excited was an understatement. The two hour train ride up from London that morning hadn't made a dent in either her husband or daughter's energy.
Kate looked at her husband who was currently 'striking posses' on the sidewalk in front of the monument, and while amusing, she still couldn't get over how ruggedly handsome he was in his blue button down shirt and long grey overcoat. 'Damn he's hot,' she said to herself. Even after working with him, sleeping with him and marrying him, he could still cause her to blush like a crazed fangirl without even trying.
'You know for someone who was completely embarrassed by her father's antics at the Tower of London yesterday, you're a carbon copy of him today,' Kate laughed as she made her way to the shimmering monument.
'But Kate,' Alexis whined, 'that was serious history….this,' she said as she flung her arms in the air and spinning in a circle. 'This is Doctor Who,' she said by way of explaining her behaviour. Yes definitely her father's daughter.
'Right,' Kate said shaking her head as she walked over to where her daughter was currently jumping on and off the sidewalk in from of the Water Tower. 'What on earth are you doing?' she asked as she reached the young red head.
'Perception filter,' both father and daughter answered at the same time like it was the most normal thing in the world.
'Of course…..silly me,' said Kate as she rolled her eyes. 'So is this Doctor Who or Touch Wood?' she asked.
Had she not been married to the overgrown man-child, stepmother to the beautiful red head and had interrogated some of the worst scum who walked the face of the earth, she would have wilted under the identical looks father and daughter were giving her.
'Touch Wood?' Rick asked. 'Seriously Kate, how long have we known each other?' he questioned. 'We've been living together for three years…married almost a year…Touch Wood…really?'
'Rick….' Kate began by way of apology. She knew how seriously her husband and daughter took their sci-fi.
'No Kate, that's just like me confusing Nebular Nine with Firefly….even if Firefly is the far superior show that should never have been cancelled after the first season,' Rick pouted.
'Seriously Rick? Firefly…..superior…you wanna do this now in front of my kid?' Kate challenged back.
'I don't mind,' Alexis interjected with an impish grin.
'Our kid Kate, and yes I want to do this with you right now,' Rick replied, but the look he was giving Kate showed his mind had wandered elsewhere.
'Hey guys, you wanna keep this to a PG13 rating so I won't need more therapy for the rest of my life?' Alexis sassed her parents.
Alexis had accidently walked in her parents during some hot and heavy make-out sessions a couple of times, and once on the dining room table…..oh dear God there was her fathers naked butt again.
She loved that her parents were head over heels in love, and that loved flowed onto her, but she was now stuck with an image of her naked parents in her head...again. And she'd only just recently gotten rid of it! Nowadays Alexis made a habit of either calling or making a lot of noise as she came home if she knew they were in.
'You ok Pumpkin,' Rick asked, concerned as his daughters sudden silence.
'Ah yeah…flashback,' she said leaving the explanation at that.
'It gets easier Sweetie,' Kate soothed wrapping her daughter in a hug not realising her flashback had nothing to do with her recent transatlantic flight.
'I highly doubt it,' the young redhead grumbled. 'And seriously mom, it's Torchwood not Touch Wood,' Alexis muttered sounding like a typical twenty one year old berating a parent. Extracting herself from Kate's arms, Alexis started running toward passing woman pushing a pram. Kate vaguely noticed Alexis waving her camera and the woman laughing and nodding.
Kate stood stock still, shell shocked came to mind. It was a slip of the tongue, no big deal, act normal. Alexis had been introducing her as her mom to strangers for a while now. 'Stop making a big deal out it,' Kate said to herself.
Rick walked over to his wife and squeezed her hand. 'You OK babe?' he asked as he took in his wife's expression.
Kate sent a pleading look to her husband. 'What do I do Rick?' Marrying Rick was one thing, replacing Meredith as Alexis's mother was another thing all together.
'About what,' he asked feigning innocence.
'Your kid called me mom that's what,'
'Just act the same as when she calls you Kate or Beckett,' Rick soothed. 'And she's our kid not mine, you got joint ownership of her at the same time as everything else,' he said as though it was the most normal thing in the world.
'But Rick…..' Kate started.
'Look I get that you're freaked out right now Sweetheart,' Rick continued. 'And I'd be worried if you weren't freaked, but Alexis came and spoke to me last month after our lunch with her and her friends,' he said.
Kate clearly remembered how it felt when Alexis had introduced her as her mom; the thrill she'd felt in the pit of her stomach.
'Yeah but Rick, introducing me as her mom and calling me mom are two different things,' Kate argued. She looked over to the girl she now thought of as her daughter to make sure she wasn't in earshot of their conversation. But Alexis was currently having a very animated conversation the mother she'd stopped.
'I get why you're worried Kate,' Rick said taking his wife's hand. 'Alexis knows you're not trying to replace Meredith, and honestly there's not much to replace,' he shrugged.
'But Rick…' Kate tried to interject.
'No Kate please let me finish,' he pushed. He knew he had to tread carefully when arguing with his wife. 'Yes Meredith gave birth to her, and occasionally visits if she finds time and if Alexis is really lucky Meredith remembers to call her for her birthday and Christmas,' Rick signed. 'And honestly,' he continued 'Alexis hasn't really tried to keep in contact with her mother either,'
Rick stopped to think of the right words to sooth his wife. 'But you...you've been one of the few constants in her life for seven years,' the look in Rick's eyes pleading for Kate to understand. 'If I could have written the perfect pre-requisite, the perfect Key Selection Criteria if you will, for the type of woman I wanted to inspire and be a role model for my daughter, I wouldn't have come close to how perfect you are,'
By now he'd pulled his wife close with his left arm, while his right hand gently cupped her cheek. 'I get that you're worried about being seen trying to replace Meredith, and Alexis came to me with the same fears, except in reverse,' he continued. 'Alexis is worried that if she tries too hard to get close to you, she'll scare you away and you'll close yourself off to her,' he told her truthfully.
'Oh Rick,' Kate sighed, clearly overwhelmed with this revelation. Her behaviour towards the the young woman while her dad was missing was almost accusatory at worst, dismissive at best. But when Alexis had clung to her father, terrified of loosing him again; instead of empathy, support and reassurance, Kate had look on Alexis and her behaviour as weird, annoying and intrusive. This would have only re-enforced Alexis's fears of Kate closing herself of towards her. And of course there was her abduction by 3XK added into the mix. No wonder the poor girl was clinging to both of them.
'I know we haven't had an easy transition to where we are now,' Kate nuzzled her husband's hand as she continued. 'Especially over the past ten months or so,' she signed. 'And I know some of the conversations you and I had when she was trying to overcome her fear of losing you would have just confirmed her fears towards me,' Rick gently swiped at the tear rolling down her cheek. 'But I love the relationship we have now, I refer to her as my daughter more often than not…' Kate stopped, not knowing how to continue.
'Do you know she asked me if I thought you would ever allow her to call you mom?' Rick's soothing smile was having the desired calming affect on her.
'Really?' Kate was clearly surprised by this revelation.
'Yeah, she read about how Bruce Willis's daughters called Ashton Kutcher Mod when he and Demi Moore were married, my other dad, Alexis justified that mom could also stand for my other mom,' Rick said. 'Her reasoning is she just has two moms now.'
'Ok…. I think I can deal with that,' Kate sighed and smiled. 'I just don't want to force anything, and honestly until recently, I've never felt like a mother figure, let alone wanting to take on a twenty one year old daughter,' she said.
'So what changed,' Rick asked. Whatever had happened when she was taken by 3XK, it definitely had a bigger impact than just escaping a serial killer.
'I don't know….I guess up until recently she saw me as Beckett, just another woman you married,' Kate started but quickly continued before Rick could interject. 'But after coming home after…well you know….and to see how upset she was that I was missing, I finally got why you indulged her when she was clinging to you after your disappearance.' Kate finished. 'And now she's in such a good place, you know she's been dropping hints about moving out next year don't you?'
'I have no idea what you're talking about dear,' Rick said feigning innocence.
'You guys ok over there?' Alexis yelled across from where she was still talking to the young mother.
'All good here Pumpkin,' her dad replied.
'Seriously dad?' she muttered whilst rolling her eyes and walked over with the woman she'd met.
'Sarah this is my mom and dad, guys this is Sarah,' Alexis said by way of introduction. 'She said she'd be happy to take some photos for us and gave me directions to some cool filming locations we can walk to later,'
'Hi Sarah, I'm Rick and my wife Kate,' Rick plied on the charm as he shook Sarah's hand.
'Pleasure to meet you,' Sarah replied in her thick Welsh brogue whilst blushing at Rick's smile.
'Your Alexis has been tellin' me about your adventures so far down in London, I just hope this little one will still want to spend time with her mummy and daddy when she gets to your daughters age,' Sarah smiled.
'She's beautiful,' Kate smiled. 'How old?' She felt Rick squeeze her hand.
'Our little Gwen is one next month,' Sarah gushed down at the tiny infant with a mop of red hair. 'So how about we get this photo taken so you can get down to your Doctor Who Experience, I haven't been myself since they moved it down the other side of the bay, but I've been told it's a must for any fan of the Doctor,' Sarah said as she walked a couple of paces back. 'They were out and about filmin' yesterday, so if you're real lucky you might catch a glimpse of 'em today,'
Alexis squealed as she jumped up and down on the spot while. 'That would be so seriously cool,' she said as she dragged her parents back to the 'Invisible Lift'
Sarah took a group shot of the family, and then Rick and Alexis insisted on possess. Rick was Captain Jack of course and Alexis insisted on Kate being Gwen, after all who could resist the chemistry between Jack and Gwen, even if Jack couldn't understand 'us quaint people and our categories'.
Kate looked at her watch before looking back at her family. 'We'd better move if we want to take a look around the bay and make our session time, thank you so much for indulging us Sarah, it's been a pleasure to meet you,'
'Oh no worries luv, the Doctor and Captain Jack pretty much keep Cardiff alive these days,' Sarah said handing Alexis back her camera. 'You'd better hurry an' catch up with your family then,' Sarah laughed as she watched Rick and Alexis run off down the courtyard.
'Oh My God!' they heard Alexis screamed.
'I'd better get over there,' the worry in Kate's voice evident as she ran towards her daughter.
'What!' Kate said breathlessly as she reached her daughter who was now leaning over the railing overlooking the wharf. 'Alexis what's wrong, where's you dad?' she said clearly starting to panic.
'It's Ianto's shrine at the bay entrance to the Hub,' Alexis squealed. She gave her mother a quick hug as she ran down to join her father who was now looking all the tributes attached to the gates in front of the 'Hub' entrance.
'I have seriously been transported to another dimension,' Kate said to herself as she walked down the ramp to where father and daughter stood with their arms wrapped around each other. All along the gates were tributes to Ianto Jones and Captain Jack Harkness. Some were old and faded, some were recent. Photos and tributes to the fictional character and his untimely death.
She wandered over to the left of the shrine to read the two plagues that were attached to the wall. 'To the Management and Staff of Mermaid Quay' the top one read. A thankyou from the fans of Save Ianto Campaign. And the second was a….was that a tombstone? Apparently he gave his life in Defence of the Children of this planet. For all the teasing she'd been giving her family this morning, she could at least respect the characters her husband and daughter were so obsessed with stood for protecting humanity against the evils of the world….universe….whatever.
'Hey guys, is that the TARDIS over there?' Kate asked pointing off into the distance.
Both father and daughter rushed over to where she was pointing…did Rick just let out a girly scream? 'Come on Kate,' he yelled as he grabbed her hand and started to walk briskly in the same direction.
Alexis had already taken off, laughing and giggling as they got closer to TARDIS and the building housing the Doctor Who Experience. 'I can't believe we're finally here!' she said as she rushed back to her parents, grabbing her dads arm. He squeezed her hand where she'd taken hold of it, memories of walking down the street holding hands with his little baby girl came flooding back to him.
'When Alexis was twelve, she asked to come to Cardiff for her birthday,' Rick started. 'She couldn't understand why we couldn't just pop over here for the day,' he said.
'In my defence I couldn't understand why mom could take me to Paris for lunch, but dad couldn't take me to Cardiff for the day to visit the Doctor,' Alexis said.
'You were mad at me for while over that,' he reminisced.
'Yeah but then everything happened with Gina and…' Alexis let the sentence go. Yet another woman who'd walked away from Rick and Alexis. Rick wrapped his arm around his daughter pulling her close whilst laying a gentle kiss on the crown of her head.
'Honey it's Ok to talk about it,' Kate said.
'I know,' Alexis said quietly, looking off across to the bay.
'Hey, no sad faces today,' Rick soothed as he stopped to pull his daughter in a hug. Alexis burrowed herself into her dad's arms and composed herself before she pulled back. Her dad's hugs had always been a refuge of safety for her growing up, and it surprised her that even now as an adult, she still needed the love and reassurance from her parents. Weren't you supposed to outgrow that?
'You never outgrow wanting a hug from your dad,' Kate said as she too hugged her daughter.
'Kate you are seriously scaring me with your mind reading abilities,' Alexis said as Rick wandered off again.
'Are you sure you don't mind us going home early?' Kate asked. She was hesitant to bring the subject up with her daughter not know what her reaction would be.
'No Kate, I'm glad we're going home on Friday instead of next week,' Alexis assured. 'I don't know if dad told you, but we'd already planned to come home yesterday after he spoke at the Sherlock Holmes Society,' she said.
'No he didn't mention it to me,' Kate said.
'Honestly Kate, the only reason dad and I are still in England is because you arrived the next day,' Alexis smiled. 'All we could think about was getting home to you,'
'Hey you promised you're dad no sad faces today,' Kate soothed as she wrapped her daughter in another hug.
'I hope I didn't freak you out too much earlier,' Alexis said as they continued to walk hand in hand along the wharf. Rick was down by the railing overlooking the bay taking selfies with the TARDIS in the back ground.
'Well I have to admit when I heard you scream and looking over the railing, my first thought was you're dad had done something stupid and reckless…..again,' Alexis giggled and wrapped her arm around her mothers.
'No I mean when I called you mom,' Alexis said softly. She was looking out over the bay, not wanting to see the rejection in Kate's eyes.
'Hey,' Kate soothed. 'Sweetie look at me,' she continued as they stopped and she turned the young red head towards her.
'I have to admit that yes it freaked me out….I've never…I don't want…I'm not saying this very well am I,' Kate sighed.
'What did you tell dad? Whatever it was it seemed to appease him,' Alexis said trying desperately to slow her out of control heart rate down.
'I'm going to be honest with you Alexis and say that until recently I never felt like a mother figure, and was definitely not ready to take on a twenty year old daughter even thought I knew you and you're dad were a package deal,' she said. She could see Alexis's eyes closing over, shutting her out and pulling away.
'But,' she continued 'When you're dad and the boys rescued me from 3XK,' she saw Alexis flinch at the name. 'When you came home from Italy after your dad sent you away to keep you safe, the way you barrelled through the front door to get to me, not your dad…..that was the first time I'd ever felt such unconditional love outside your dad and my parents, but more importantly, it was the first time in my life that I felt complete and utter maternal love for another human being' she finished.
Kate fully expected her daughter to blush and pull her in for a hug, what she didn't expect was the outpouring of utter terror that quickly spiralled into a full blown anxiety attack.
'I was so scared Kate…..when the men burst into my room…there was yelling and guns….and some strange guy pulling me out of my bed..….and dad was totally freaking out…..Gram's was screaming….and you were missing…and then being put a plane with no idea if I'd see either of you again…..it was just like Paris all over again….and then on the plane….and I had no control…..' Alexis was trying to control her breathing but failing miserably. She was hyperventilating to the point of almost blacking out.
'Hey I need to you take deep breaths Alexis,' Kate soothed. 'Breath with me….in for five out for five….come on stay with me sweetie….. you're safe..…your dad's just over by the water…..I'm right here…..can you tell me where you are…..' She yelled for Rick as she took off her coat and wrapped it around her daughter who was now shaking uncontrollably.
'Kate!?' Rick yelled as he ran over and helped guide his daughter to a seat bench nearby.
'Alexis Pumpkin, can you hear me….it's dad,' Rick wrapped himself around his daughter as her breathing slowed, but her shaking continued.
'Honey you need to answer us, I need you tell us where you are,' Kate was trying desperately to guide her daughter back from her panic attack.
'Um…..Wales….we're in Wales…..um Cardiff Bay….we came up on the train….'
'That's good baby, can you tell us who you're with,' Kate continued to coach Alexis back, carding her fingers through the girl's long hair. Rick continued to stroke his hand up and down her back.
'My mom and dad,' she said dissolving into sobs. 'I'm sorry….I'm so sorry….I'm sorry' Alexis kept repeating over and over again as she clung to her father.
'Honey you have absolutely nothing to be sorry about,' Kate soothed. 'Trust me I know that panic attacks can sneak up on you right out of the blue,' she said.
'Kate's right baby, I've helped her back from some pretty nasty anxiety attacks in the past,' he said as he rocked her from side to side. 'And she's right that they can sneak up on from out of nowhere,'
'But I should be able to control them,' she sobbed. 'I'm an adult I'm supposed to be able to deal with this sort of stuff now,'
'Who on Earth told you that?' Kate was stunned. She could barely hold it together at times and she was a Homicide Cop, and here was her daughter thinking she was supposed to keep it together.
'Just stuff I've heard people say….you know…..just stuff….' Alexis didn't want to elaborate on the whispers she'd heard about still living at home, about how she was a spoilt daddy's girl. She wouldn't let on how much it hurt her and why she started to pull away from first her dad and then Kate.
'Honey, why didn't you tell us you were struggling,' Rick asked. There was time Alexis would share all her fears with him.
'I just…..you guys have been through so much lately….and I didn't….'
'Don't you dare say you didn't want to be a burden Alexis Harper Castle!' Kate chastised. She got where the young girl was coming from, and maybe that had something to with her, but Kate refused to allow Alexis to feel like she was a burden.
Alexis grimaced at hearing her full name. 'So much for our fun day in Cardiff,' Alexis sniffed whilst trying to stifle a yawn. Kate knew all too well how exhausted you felt after coming out the other side of a panic attack.
'I'm still having fun,' her dad said. Alexis just gave in the look. 'No seriously, you have no idea how much fun I have making Kate panic,' He felt his wife punch him on the arm and Alexis couldn't help but giggle at their antics.
'Your dad's right sweetie,' she said as she pulled her daughter into her arms. 'How about we go visit the Doctor then grab some lunch, I hear the café they filmed scenes from The Impossible Astronaut is just above Ianto's Shrine,' Both Alexis and Rick just looked at Kate with their mouths open.
'What?' she said with a sly grin.
'So you've been seriously pulling our legs all morning Kate?' her husband asked in disbelief.
'I plead the fifth,' she sassed. 'Come on you two, if we hurry we can make our session,' she said as she rose from her seat, pulling her daughter with her.
Alexis handed her mother's coat back to her with a small smile of gratitude. 'We'll talk more about this when we get back to the hotel ok?' Kate said as she pulled on her jacket.
'Ok,' Alexis replied.
'So what do you want to do for our last day in London tomorrow,' Alexis vaguely heard her parents discuss what they wanted to do tomorrow. Something about Harrods and cool toys followed by a groan from her mother.
Together they walked towards to the building housing the Doctor Who Experience, Alexis between her parents. She would savour these moments, because she knew that her childhood had come to an end and it was time for her to make her way in the world.
But she also accepted that no matter how old you got, there were times where you still needed the love and reassurance from you parents.