3xk

(the girls, their hands are too full to open it, they have presents for kate)

"Kate!" Alexis dropped her bag and ran to her stepmother, crying too.

Kate gave Sarah back to Jenny and hugged her stepdaughter, holding her.

"I'm so glad you're home," whispered Alexis.

"I'm glad you are." She let Martha hug her before returning to Alexis.

"Are you okay?"

She looked at Rick and then back at their daughter. "I will be."

"Maybe we should take a raincheck," Lanie suggested. "You should rest anyway."

Castle seemed undecided at first. "Jim, you should stay."

Jim paused and then nodded, not wanting to leave his little girl, not even though he knew she would be taken care of here.

"Grandpa, will you stay too?" Alexis asked, using that endearment for the first time.

"Of course, honey," he said, almost smiling.

"We'll be back in the morning," Ryan promised Castle.

"Thank you both. For everything."

"If you need anything, if you have a cough, you call me, okay?" Lanie said, wanting to hug her friend, but Alexis was permanently attached at the moment.

"We will," Castle answered for her.

She led Esposito out, Ryan and Jenny following with Sara.

"Lanie, is it a good idea for us to leave?" asked Esposito.

"Can you imagine a situation in which those four can not handle her? Or one where they would let anyone hurt her? Give them privacy, Javi. Give them time to be a family. I think maybe that's what she needs right now."

"Alright."

She held his hand as they left. Half an hour later, Castle had food for his mother and daughter in the bedroom, as well as some extra in case Kate wanted it. Alexis and Kate were curled up together watching Temptation Lane TIVOs. Martha was trying to help her son.

"Mother, something just isn't right," whispered Castle,

"With Katharine?" She asked softly, moving to the kitchen where they could talk. Jim was sitting in a chair in one of the corners of the bedroom where he could help the girls if needbe.

"Yeah."

"Talk to me, darling. Let me help."

"I don't know what it is. I just... she refused to come home until you and Alexis where here."

"She's frightened, darling. That's understandable. She's been through a lot these past few months, especially now."

"How do I help?"

"You have. You've given her someplace safe. She was okay with the boys, Lanie, and Jenny going."

"There has to be something else I can do."

"Why don't you take her somewhere for a few days? Surely they don't expect her to go right back to work after this."

"Gates is letting have as much time off as she needs. Where can I take her? Maybe overseas?"

"Why not try the Hamptons house first? Or Jim's cabin? That way if something happens and she needs Lanie or the boys, they'll be close by."

"The cabin. We always end up in the Hamptons."

She nodded. "All right. And if she needs Jim or Alexis or myself or any combination there, we'll be there. We need to do what's best for Katherine now."

"Thank you mother."

"I never wanted two children." She paused. "But I'm so grateful we have that girl in our family. I can't imagine..."

"Me either. But I love Kate and that's never changed, and it never will."

"I know, sweetheart. I know." Her son wasn't the only one afraid for Kate. She and Alexis were both terrified, had been from the start. They knew how easy it would be to lose either Kate or Castle.

"Maybe you guys can come? I know she'd love it. She's wanted you since we got her in the car after we found her."

Martha's eyes teared at that. "Of course." The role didn't matter. She was proud of it, but if they couldn't afford to give her time, then she'd take it anyway.

"Thank you."

She nodded. "Why don't you go in with the girls? I can clean this up."

"Are you sure?"

"You look exhausted, darling. You need to make sure to sleep if Katherine can."

"As soon as she does, I will too. But I first need to make the spare bed up for Jim."

"I can do it when I finish here."

"Thank you. You don't know how wonderful it is to have you here."

"I just wish I could do more. I've loved her since you brought her home, but...she's done so much for Alexis and you over the years. I don't know where any of us would be without her."

"Tell me about it."

"You made a good choice this time," she teased, trying to lighten the mood a little. It was no secret how she felt about his other two wives.

"Go check on our girls." She smiled, continuing to clean up.

(Skip?)

Nightmare?

Kate woke up struggling to breathe, like something was sitting on her chest. She wanted to cry out but couldn't.

Alexis was awake immediately, getting as close as she could, wanting to do something, anything, to help her.