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Post by Admin on Jul 25, 2015 2:52:11 GMT
A spa wasn't exactly Kate's idea of a good time, but it had been a mother's day present from Alexis, her first ever, and she'd cherished the time with her stepdaughter. She'd always felt like Alexis was more than just Castle's daughter, even when they were just partners. She just wished Martha could have come as well, but knew how much she loved the play she was involved in, more than even teaching. "This was fun," she told Alexis with a smile. "Thank you. I loved it."
"You're welcome. I enjoyed the time with you, Mom."
Kate's eyes watered and she was speechless for a few moments. "That was my favorite part, honey. Getting to spend time with you." Alexis smiled.
It had been raining and Kate was trying to be careful. The spa had been one of those resorts out in the middle of nowhere and she was a little wary about the roads back to New York. The lightning was getting really bad and Kate was thinking about stopping at the next town they came to with a hotel and just calling Castle to let him know they were all right when lightning hit a tree and it came crashing down on a power line in front of them. Instinctively, Kate did everything she could to protect Alexis, knowing she couldn't stop the crash.
Alexis buried her head in Kate's chest as she shook and screamed.
Kate moaned when she felt the impact, biting her lip to keep from screaming out and scaring Alexis more. As soon as she could, she sat up. "Alexis. Alexis, listen to me, honey. Do you hear me?"
"Mom, I want to go home."
"I know you do, honey. I know you do. I need you to listen to me. I'm going to bust out the back glass. I want you to crawl out of it and run until I tell you to stop. Okay? Can you do that for me?"
Alexis nodded. "You are coming, right?"
"I'm right behind you, bud. I promise." Kate slid to the back seat and used her shoe to break the window, breaking her heel in the process, but making a hole big enough for them to get out. "No, honey, don't touch the door. Out the back. I'm right behind you."
Alexis did what she was told. Once she was out, she turned back to look for Kate. Kate grabbed her cell phone, the bag with the clean clothes, and the small first aid kit before running. She wasn't two feet away from the car when the lightning and electricity caused the car to catch on fire.
"Keep running!" Kate called, getting back up and running again, wanting to get away before the fire hit the gas tank.
Alexis ran as fast as she could, just barely keeping up with Kate even though she had had a head start. When Kate heard the fire hit the gas tank, she covered Alexis again, trying to make sure she didn't get hurt. She didn't realize that somewhere in the midst of the drama, her necklace with her mom's wedding ring had come off.
"What was that?" Alexis asked.
"The gas tank. It did that on your father's too, eventually." The pain in Kate's eyes was real. None of them liked mentioning those two months, even now.
"Where are we gonna go?"
Kate opened her phone. "No signal." She tried to think. "How long before the accident did we leave the last town? Do you remember?"
"Maybe half an hour."
"So we know there's a town half an hour to the north, but that's half an hour driving. God knows how long it would take walking in the rain. But at least it's something we know." If it was Kate alone, she knew what she would chose, but she didn't want to take more risks with Alexis.
"Can we try? It's cold out here."
"Here." Kate took out one of her own shirts. "It won't help much, but it will take some of the chill off, for a little while. Tell me when you need a break and we'll take one. And we'll keep trying to get a signal, call your dad, 911."
"Okay." She put on the shirt and moved closer to Kate. Kate walked with an arm around Alexis, trying to keep her warm.
*****
Martha and Castle were both worried when it was midnight and the girls hadn't called or come home. Castle's cell phone rang and the first thing he thought was Kate or Alexis, but felt measurable disappointment as he didn't recognize the number.
"Mr. Castle?"
"This is he."
"I'm Officer Scotts. Do you or your wife own a black sedan?" He read off the license to him.
"Kate." He whispered and Martha came to stand with her son. "My wife and daughter had it. Why?"
"We found it empty. It was burnt to a crisp, most likely due to lightning."
"My girls? Where are my girls?"
"We haven't found them yet."
"I'm leaving now. I'll be there by morning." He hung up. "I'll call Kevin. Can you call Espo, tell him the girls are missing and I'll be there in twenty minutes to pick him up."
"Of course. What can I do?" Martha asked.
"Stay here. If the girls get a signal, they'll call home." He kissed her cheek. "Don't worry, Mother. Kate would never let anything happen to Alexis."
"What about Katherine?"
Castle's haunted eyes looked like the same as when Kate had been missing earlier that year or when she'd been shot at Montgomery's funeral. He wanted to lie, but knew his mom knew Kate's medical history, for the last few years anyway, as well as he did. She'd been there at every turn and had long since adopted Kate as one of her kids, sometimes to the point of making him a little jealous.
"She will be okay. Alexis will take care of her."
He kissed Martha's red hair. "Love you, Mother. I'll call with updates, whenever we find anything."
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Post by Admin on Jul 27, 2015 1:52:08 GMT
"Call when you get there too."
He nodded, hurrying out. He didn't tell his mom but he knew Kate had a tendency to withdraw inside of herself when she was hurting, not say anything about it until it was too late, especially if she thought she was protecting someone. Normally it was emotional hurt, but it still scared him now.
*****
"Kate, do you think it's much further?" asked Alexis.
"Another thirty minutes, probably." She answered truthfully. "Do you need to rest again?"
"No, I just want to find somewhere warm." She shivered.
"Here." She drew out another shirt, the last one she had in the bag besides the dry one she was keeping for Alexis at the hotel.
"No, you need one too."
"I'm okay, honey. I'm fine." She smiled for her. "We should keep going. You'll get too cold if we sit still for very long." She helped her up again. "Maybe we'll find some hot chocolate at the restaurant. That would be good, right?"
"Yeah, I want to go home so much, Kate."
"I know, hon. I know. I keep trying your dad, but we don't have service yet. Maybe once we get to town." If the storm would go away, it would solve so many of their problems.
"We aren't going to be seperated, are we?"
"Of course not, honey. Why would we be?" She hugged her gently. "Someone saw the fire and called the police. The police are tracking down the car and calling the owner, your dad. And your dad and Gram will figure something out. They'll come get us. Maybe the boys too."
"I hope so." Alexis clung to Kate.
They ran thirty more minutes until Kate finally found the police station. Two officers heading out on patrol noticed Kate and Alexis. "Ladies, what are you doing out here?"
"I'm Detective Beckett from New York." She told him her precinct number. "This is my daughter, Alexis. We had an accident about thirty minutes from here." She gave him the road number of the site and what had happened. "We've been traveling all night. Is there anyway that I could get my daughter something warm and borrow a phone to call my husband?"
"Of course. Come inside. We'll get you some coffee and blankets. You can use the phone."
"Thank you." She followed them, holding Alexis's hand, calling Rick's cell phone first, but there was no signal. Then she called the apartment.
"Hello?" Martha was hopeful that it was her daughter-in-law or her granddaughter.
"Martha?" She felt the tears and brushed them away quickly, not willing to address the fact that she felt like she was talking to her mom again. "Martha, it's us." She let Alexis talk too.
"Gram?"
"Oh, thank God. Where are you?"
Kate saw the name of the town and told her. "We're okay, Martha, but the car's totaled."
"We know. Richard is heading out there now."
"I can't get his cell phone. The service is bad out here. Can you try? And if you get him, tell him we're all right, we love him, and we'll see you both soon."
"Love you too, Gram," Alexis added, still freezing.
"I love you both. Be careful."
"We're safe. We'll be home soon." Kate assured her again before losing the call. She found the dispatcher. "Is there somewhere that we can get something to eat and rest? And is there someway that we can get a message to the accident site? My husband...He was in a bad car accident last May and I don't want him thinking that we're...we're like he was. My mother-in-law is tryng to reach him, but if there's a way to reach out to whoever would be investigating the fire, that would help a lot."
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Post by Admin on Jul 27, 2015 2:01:37 GMT
"Sure, I can make that happen. There's a motel just down the road. If you like, I can drive you there. And there's a restaurant around the corner that is open twenty-four hours."
"That would be great. Thank you so much," Kate said, relieved, her arm around Alexis in a half-hug, trying to warm her.
"No problem, let's go. I'll speak to the motel owner and get you a room for the night."
*****
Esposito was driving, Castle in the passenger seat, like he usually sat with Kate, and Ryan in the backseat. When he saw the totaled car, he made an audible sound like he'd been tortured. Glass was everywhere, the fire was obvious, in fact, the only thing left was a license plate. "No," he whispered. "No, no, no." He'd been so happy when Alexis had wanted to do something with Kate for Mother's Day. He'd never thought about losing both of his girls in one fell swoop. Again he got a taste of what Kate and Alexis had gone through last May.
"Thank you." Officer Scotts saw them coming. "Mr Castle? We just got word from a town half an hour away that your daughter and wife are there, safe but probably needing some care."
Ryan put his hand on Castle's shoulder as Esposito whispered something under his breath. "Where?" Castle finally managed to say. "Where are my girls?"
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Post by Admin on Jul 29, 2015 2:08:59 GMT
It was Ryan who saw the glint, but it was Castle who picked up Kate's necklace and ring. It had broken at some point and, aside from the sun, would have been impossible to see.
The officer gave them the name of the town and pointed out the directon.
*****
Kate made sure that Alexs took a warm shower and ate somethng. "Can I try and call Dad again?"
"Yeah, of course." She handed over her cell phone.
Alexis dialled her father's number and held her breath as she waited to see if it would be answered.
"Kate?"
"It's me, Daddy."
"Oh, sweetheart. Thank God. Are you okay?" He sounded frightened still.
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Post by Admin on Jul 30, 2015 3:01:03 GMT
"I'm scared. So is Kate."
"Everything is okay. The boys and I are about ten minutes out. We're going to get you and Kate checked out and then we'll go home, okay?"
"Promise?"
"Promise. Are you doing okay? Where are you?"
"At the motel. I'm cold, Daddy, and we don't have any more clothes with us."
"Curl up in some blankets, honey. I'll ask one of the boys to get you something." He just wanted to be with his girls. "Three minutes out."
"Can you stay on the phone?"
"Absolutely, sweetheart. I'm right here." He wanted to talk to Kate, but knew Alexis needed him more right then.
"Thank you."
He talked to her about little things for two more minutes. "Sweetheart, look out the window. You can bring your blanket and the phone." Alexis did as she was told, glad when she saw her dad there.
The boys let Castle out and left to get dry clothes and a doctor. He hurried inside before it started to storm again, holding his daughter, his eyes connecting with his wife's.
"Daddy." She curled into him.
"You're okay, sweetheart." He bound her in a blanket a little more, trying to keep some of the chill off of her. "The boys are going to get you some more warm clothes and find a doctor, okay? Are you hungry?"
"We ate."
"Want to talk to Gram?"
"Yes." He handed her his cell phone, gently putting her down on the bed.
Kate smiled. "Hi."
He put the necklace in her hand and enveloped her in his arms, trying to keep the tears at bay. Just like Alexis, he didn't want to let her go.
"Where was this?"
"Near the car."
"Thank you."
He nodded. "I think, other than when you sleep, the only other time I...I've ever seen it off..." He paused. "Was when you were shot, Kate." His emotions got the better of him.
"It's okay."
"I thought I'd lost you. I thought I'd lost you both."
"We're okay." He nodded, but couldn't let her go. "I promise."
He checked every square inch of her and then held her again. "You need to dry off. Get in some warm clothes. You'll get sick if you don't." He moved some hair out of her face.
"I am. Please relax."
"You remember who you're talking to, right? I go crazy when one of you is in danger, let alone both."
"Fair point."
He did smile at this. "Are you sure you're not hurt?"
"Yes."
"I'm sorry, baby. I just..." He was as scared as Alexis was, in his own way. "I can sit with her, if you want to go take a shower."
"Thank you." He kissed her gently. "Love you."
"Love you," he whispered, stroking some of her hair back.
*****
The storm was back in full force when the boys returned with a doctor and a bag of clothes.
"Ryan!" Alexis jumped up to hug him.
"Hey, kid." He hugged her and then Esposito did.
"Thank you."
Esposito gave her his classic grin and Castle took Kate's clothes into her. "The boys are here with the doctor."
"Good. Get Alexs checked first."
He nodded. "Get dressed so you can get warm." He returned to the others. "Can my daughter get checked out first while my wife gets ready?"
"Of course." The doctor moved closer to Alexis as Castle sat beside her.
"It's okay, honey."
"Can you tell me how you're feeling?"
"Cold," Alexis answered honestly, letting her dad hold her.
"Take a deep breath." He checked her breathing.
"How is she, doctor?" Castle asked, worried. He thought the girls were just cold and tired, but he knew from experience how easy it was for his two girls to be hurt worse.
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Post by Admin on Jul 31, 2015 3:00:50 GMT
"She's okay. I don't suggest taking her home tonight though. She needs to stay warm and she currently is warming up, so maybe just wait until tomorrow to leave."
He nodded, but before he could say anythng, lightnng erupted, filling the night sky. The only thing Kate knew about it was when Alexis cried out for 'Mom', frightened.
"I'm here, Alexis." She wasn't content until Kate was settled beside her, holding her.
Esposito saw Kate's bruised and bloody feet and knew she wasn't in much better shape than Alexis. Ryan saw something he recognized instantly from his own two girls: a mother comforting her little girl.
"It's okay, Alexis."
Castle sat on one side of her and rubbed her back. Alexis lay her head on Kate's lap.
"May I check you know?" the doctor asked Kate.
"In a minute," Kate promised, wanting Alexis to calm down before she tried to move. "Sweetheart, it's just the storm. It's outside. You're safe. Your dad's here, the boys, they won't let anything happen to us."
Castle lifted her into his arms, gently cuddling her.
"Mom!"
"I'm going to be right here, sweetheart. You can see me. I won't go into the other room again. I promise." She remembered Alexis' promise that they wouldn't be separated.
"Alexis, honey, it's okay. I promise you, it's okay," whispered Castle to his daughter.
Ryan sat down with them and tried to help Castle calm Alexis long enough for the doctor to check Kate out.
Ten minutes later, the doctor was done. "Both girls need rest and warmth. I would say that they need to be in bed for the rest of today."
"What about her feet?" Esposito asked, worried about his 'sister'.
"I've cleaned them up. As long as she stays off them, it'll be fine."
"We'll make sure they both rest," Ryan said as Esposito left the room.
The doctor nodded and started packing up his equipment. "Thank you, doctor," Kate said, turning her attenton back to Alexis, who was worried about Esposito going outside.
"Where is Espo going, actually?" asked Castle.
"I'll go check on him," Ryan said, going out before Alexis could argue, walking out with the doctor.
"To get me some shoes," Kate guessed.
"Good idea."
"They'll be right back, bud. Why don't you try to get some sleep? You haven't slept in a long time." Since they'd woken up at the spa over a day before.
"We'll be right here." She held hands, Kate's in one, her dad's in the other.
Castle waited until Alexis was asleep before turning his attention to Kate. "She'll be okay, Rick. She's been so strong through all of this...She's just tired."
"I know." She lay close to him, her head in his chest. "Are you all right?"
"A little tired." Her skin was warm, flushed.
"Are you sure that's all?"
She shivered, moving closer. "I want to go home. I know she needs us to stay, but...I want to go home. To our own apartment, our own bed, pancakes, Martha..."
"Tomorrow."
"I was so scared. Not for me. For her."
"I know you were. You always are."
"She's our kid."
"Of course." She shivered again, unable to get warm. "Are you okay?"
"Cold. Like locker cold."
"Get under the blankets then." She curled under the blanket, holding him. "It'll be okay."
"You'll wake me if she needs me?"
"Of course I will."
"Love you." She whispered as she drifted off.
"Love you too."
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Post by cal54382 on Aug 3, 2015 2:34:46 GMT
(what now?)
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Post by Admin on Aug 3, 2015 2:35:54 GMT
(home?)
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Post by cal54382 on Aug 3, 2015 2:41:24 GMT
ok
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Post by Admin on Aug 3, 2015 2:56:57 GMT
Martha had a fire started, enough food for days, and was waiting with Lanie, both attempting small talk, when Castle and Esposito helped Kate and Alexis in. "Oh, my darlings," Martha said, hugging her granddaughter, then her daughter, then her granddaughter again.
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Post by cal54382 on Aug 5, 2015 1:28:11 GMT
Alexis wouldn't let go after that. She clung to her grandmother while Lanie clung to Kate.
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Post by Admin on Aug 5, 2015 1:45:02 GMT
"I'm okay, Lanie. We both are." She promised her friend.
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Post by Admin on Aug 12, 2015 1:27:09 GMT
"I don't think you are." Castle looked at Kate. "She wasn't well last night, Lanie."
She noticed Lanie's worry and Martha looked up from Alexis, looking worried at her son.
"Please, Lanie, check her out for me?" Castle was almost pleading.
"Rick, the doctor already..."
"C'mon, girl. I'll check you out and then Alexis is next." Lanie ushered her to the room Kate shared with Castle.
Castle watched them go, then turned to his mother. "Alexis is okay, but could you make her your famous pancakes? She hasn't had any breakfast yet."
"Kate..." Alexis' eyes followed where her stepmother had gone.
"Katherine will eat when she gets done, while Lanie checks you out," Martha assured her with a hug. "Go rest while I cook."
"Come here, sweetheart." Castle held his arms out to Alexis. "We can sit in here until Kate comes back, all right?"
She nodded, laying her head against her dad as she used to sleep when she was little.
"It's okay, honey. Both of you are okay."
Martha started pancakes and bacon, watchng her granddaughter fall asleep. Castle wrapped her in his arms and whispered to her as she closed her eyes.
"I still want Lanie to check her out after she's through wth Katherine," Martha said, her voice quiet. Castle nodded, rubbing Alexis' back. "Why does this keep happening?"
"I don't know."
She looked like she wanted to cry, but blinked back the tears and smiled for her daughter-in-law. Martha hugged Kate, urging her to rest as well. Kate was careful to be quiet, not wanting to wake Alexis.
"How is she, Lanie?"
"It's just a cold, Castle," Kate told him gently.
"Promise?" She nodded.
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Post by Admin on Aug 18, 2015 1:59:05 GMT
"Okay. Well, you need to rest. I'll help Mother with breakfast."
She started to argue, but didn't want to wake Alexis. She kissed his cheek and settled down near her daughter to rest.
Lanie walked over with Castle. "She will be okay, Castle. Just make sure she gets plenty of rest. I know that's hard with her," she teased lightly at the end, but then grew serious again. "From what Javi tells me, both girls are lucky."
"I would say so. I saw the car. I can't imagine how they felt when it was me."
"It was one of the very few times Katharine seemed like anything else than wonder woman," Martha spoke quietly. "She didn't speak, she didn't scream, she didn't cry, she was just..."
"Numb?"
"In shock." Lanie told him, finishing for Martha who couldn't. "She was in shock. The boys. The boys went with her and they had to hold her, keep her from going down there, even with the fire."
"Poor thing."
"Even when she came out of that, she...she wasn't our Katharine. She took care of me, helped me with Alexis, worked the rest of the time, but...I guess it's because I've never seen her without you. It seemed like half of her was gone." Martha had tears in her eyes, talking about her children.
Lanie nodded. "Javi was scared to death. It was bad enough when they thought they'd lost you, but he thought Kate..."
"I wish I could fix it."
"You were, until this." Lanie told him.
Martha agreed. "I think that's why Alexis is so frightened. It hits so close to home, to you being gone for so long. She's afraid if she takes her eyes off Katharine, she'll disappear too."
"Can't blame the poor kid," said Castle with such sadness it seemed as though he was going to cry too.
Lanie hugged him. "Call me if they need me." She wanted to go check on Esposito.
"Thank you, Lanie."
"They're my girls." She smiled slightly. She really did think of Alexis as a baby sister and Kate had always been her best friend and sister.
"I know." He smiled. "I can't see that changing either. I know Alexis loves you so much."
"Javi and I are crazy about both of them." Ryan and Esposito had 'adopted' Alexis before Castle had ever married Kate.
"Definitely." Lanie walked to the door with him and left.
Martha looked at the girls and her half-cooked breakfast. "Maybe we should wait until they wake up?"
"Good idea."
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Post by cal54382 on Aug 24, 2015 2:03:20 GMT
what are we doing with this?
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