Alexis Rodgers

Chapter 48

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Keep in mind all guest responses show up in a separate folder. All you have to do is press the delete button. All i have to do is not read them and poof they are all gone. If you are still reading to this point and hate this story i suggest that you go back to Chapter one and re-read the warning again. You were warned but failed to listen. That is on you and not me.

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Epilogue

Alexis was late and Kate was doing her best to keep Nicky happy with a clean diaper and fed while keeping dinner warm and not letting it dry out on her.

Finally she heard the door and Alexis climbing the stairs only she kept going after opening and closing the baby gate. Nicky wasn't even ready to start crawling yet, but they wanted to get in the practice.

Eventually she saw her come back down the stairs dressed in a man's oversized shirt, a bra, and fuzzy socks and watched as she walked right up to her and kissed her.

"Oh boy, what did Castle say?" That kiss barely counted as a kiss.

"I actually drove out to talk to him and Sam. Dinner, I'm starving." Alexis began to help herself.

Nicky was all bundled up on the sectional while they ate. "Lex?" Kate wanted an explanation for the monster that was still out front.

Alexis sighed and began to explain. "First of all, it isn't ours just yet. Dad bought it and plans to sell it to us for one whole dollar. Once we sign the paperwork then it will be ours. He can't officially trade in our trailer unless we sell it to him for what we paid for it."

"I suppose it's a nice gesture but there's something seriously wrong with your dad." Kate wasn't sure she believed all this. "We can afford this place especially with the money you now make and my captain's wages and we might actually be able to afford the insurance on that monster, but what are we going to do with it? Our HOA clearly states we can't have an RV. Ours is in the garage so no one sees it."

"It gets better. Dad's ordered an RV for himself, Sam, and Shawn. He has a plan. When Sam isn't teaching for the summer he wants to take her and his son out on a tour of America. Plan ahead a little and go where they want to go. Even drive all the way down to the Keys and stay for a few days or even a week."

"Okay, I suppose if Sam likes that idea it could work. …NO!" Kate was catching on to something.

"Yup, Dad knows that our little trailer is only big enough for the two of us. Pretty soon Nicky will be too big and we won't have the room. While we can't take the entire summer off he does want us to have the option to meet them somewhere, park right next to them, and spend time together as a family." That was where Alexis had stopped trying to fight him.

And Sam was in love with the idea. Her summer months had always been the boring time. Her teacher's pay didn't allow for much vacation time so she couldn't really afford to go very far or do a whole lot. This way she could and her son, while still far too young to know it, would one day grow up and they would still have the RV.

"Oh." Kate heard the word FAMILY loud and clear.

"You wouldn't believe the thing Dad bought. It's going to take them at least six months to build it. It's a special order. Dad paid… Ready for this? 1.575 million dollars for it," Alexis told Kate.

Kate promptly choked on her food. "That's almost what he paid for the house!"

"Yup. Dad showed me the brochure he had used to order the thing. It's forty-five feet long, heated tiled floors, dishwasher, washer and dryer, bunk beds, master bedroom, large bathroom with tile everywhere, the entire thing is gorgeous." Alexis had seen pictures as well.

"It better be for that kind of money. So what are we doing with this monster?" Kate asked her. "It's almost as long and it has heated tiled floor too, by the way. Doesn't have a dishwasher but it does have a washer and dryer. It even has a back-up camera."

"Like I said, it's not technically ours yet. If we don't buy it from Dad then he has to sell it," Alexis reminded her.

"It can't stay here so it has to go somewhere. We can probably afford the insurance. I'm not sure I want to know what it costs to fill it with fuel. Then what if something breaks down? We have a flat? The water heater stops working? The A/C stops working? The generator doesn't start?" Those were just the ones at the front of her mind; there were a lot more.

"It comes with a two year service plan. Except for the tires. We just have to find a place that's part of that plan and it gets towed and fixed for free. Where we stay while it's being fixed is our problem." There was both good news and bad news.

"Oh, so where is Castle keeping his monster?" Kate queried.

"I didn't ask that question. Oh, and he plans to sell the Audi. He wants to get an SUV to tow behind his RV. He hasn't decided just what yet but something. We may have to do the same if we keep it. Tow my car behind it, that is," Alexis added.

"And we have till tomorrow sometime to decide what to do." Kate sat back and turned her head to look at Nicky who was still sleeping peacefully.

"We can unload our trailer tonight or you'll have to do it by yourself tomorrow. They're going to come get it tomorrow," Alexis warned her.

"That's just…just great. You're sure we can't just shoot him?" Kate asked her.

Alexis chuckled. "I did warn you that Dad does mean well. He has money and he wants to use it to make his family happy. Since we're family he spends money on us. Remember he grew up dirt poor. Grams didn't make that much money acting. They lived in some real dives when he was young. He's just trying to prevent his family from living like that." Alexis got it, she did. It was just that her dad up and did things without asking first.

"So we pay for insurance, fuel, and flat tires for two years. And pay to park it somewhere." Kate was starting to melt and come around to keeping it. Thanks to Nicky their little trailer did have to go even if she loved it. It was cute and it fit them and their lifestyle. This monster was a totally different lifestyle.

"Dad may have an answer for where to park it tomorrow." Then Alexis got up and grabbed one of their laptops. "This is Dad's RV." She found it and spun it to show Kate.

Featherlite 2309 Custom Quad Slide with Rear Master bath and Bunks

Kate began looking at the pictures then glanced up at Alexis, her eyes huge. "HOLY SHIT!"

"I think I said, 'MY GOD, DAD,' but yeah, it's something." It wasn't really to her taste but it was nice.

"Triple bunks?" Kate found a picture. "It has four TVs and look at the size of the one up front.! Who picked all the colors?" There was a lot of gold and a lot of light colors to go with the dark woods. "It has an oven and a dishwasher? What doesn't this thing have?"

"It also has solar panels on the roof so they can camp anywhere they want. At least until the fresh water runs out," Alexis said.

"Wait! Is this a half bath in addition to the bathroom way in back?" Kate couldn't find a floor plan so was having to piece it together using pictures.

"Yeah, right across from the triple bunk beds. Sam said something about in case Nicky wanted to come and we didn't have time," Alexis added. "You married me, welcome to my family." Alexis leaned across and kissed her cheek.

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Alexis wasn't really awake the next day until after she took a shower. Then she drove into work and looked at the monster still parked out front. Kate was likely to get a warning about it today, but it would be gone today so that was okay.

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Kate was holding Nicky as she watched their little camper being towed away. Castle, Sam, and Shawn had also showed up. Kate paid him one whole dollar and signed the paperwork and watched as Rick drove it away. He had found a place that was really close that was secure enough to store it in for a monthly fee.

Sam followed him in her car and drove them all back and stayed with her till Alexis came home. Kate got the chance to see what Castle and Sam were like as they took turns taking care of both babies. It gave Kate some time off to just rest. Rick was even cooking when Alexis came home.

Sam had Kate alone with her while Rick was off changing a diaper. "So you're not angry?"

"I was at first. I liked our little camper and that thing is enormous, Sam. But I came to realize that we were outgrowing it, as nice as it was. Now we have to put a tow bar on Alexis's car and camp only where they have the space. Forty-four feet is too big for some parks." Kate knew why she had caved in and helped Alexis empty their little camper last night.

She even felt a little of her heart drive away when their little camper left. Still she was a mommy now and she needed to look to the future. This future happened to include Castle and his buying them a monster of an RV.

"Alexis showed me pictures of yours," Kate told her.

"It's a lot I'll grant you. Can you keep a secret? We're actually trying for another child already. My late husband wasn't capable of giving us children but Rick obviously is and neither of us are getting any younger," Sam said.

Rick showed up with Shawn and his clean diaper. "What are you two planning behind my back?"

"Where to hide your dead body, Castle." Kate started laughing at the look he gave her. "You really are easy, Rick." The look he gave her was priceless.

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They had found a way to use their brand new used RV twice a year so far. All of them were short trips. Drive out one day, stay the night and the next day and following night, then drive home the next day. Getting the same day off was their only real problem. Kate had also learned just what it took to fill it with fuel and it wasn't cheap.

"Nicky!" Kate wiggled her fingers at her daughter who took off laughing. She needed to find Lexi who was the only person who could save her from her mother's fingers. "I'm going to get you."

"NO!" Nicky was in her terrible twos now and to her a lot of answers involved the word no. Occasionally she learned that was the wrong word to be using and she ended up in a time-out.

"Lexi!" She had to find her so she basically crawled on all fours up the stairs since the baby gate was gone now and runs for her and her mommy's bedroom.

"Lexi!" She found her lying on the bed and proceeded to climb up to join her.

"Is Mommy after you again?" Alexis pulled her in close and gave her a kiss.

"Tickle," Nicky told her.

"I see. Well you stay right here. I'll protect you." Alexis watched as Nicky laid her head down on her huge belly. It was one of the places Nicky loved. She could hear something inside Alexis and usually something moved inside her as well.

"Can you hear your baby sister?" Alexis stroked her hair. A lot had changed over the last two years while others stayed the same.

They had attended Ann and Paul's wedding for one. They had learned that Joanne was now eleven weeks pregnant for another. Also Sam was presently three months pregnant with their second child. They had even attended Roz's wedding though she wasn't pregnant yet and neither was Ann to their knowledge.

Lanie was still Lanie and playing the field. Kevin and Jenny had had their second child and Javi was still a bachelor. He said he had met someone but wasn't willing to talk about her much. Only that he loved her a lot but they had issues that needed to be resolved first.

Alexis, while still a homicide detective and Kate was still captain, was fast approaching her due date for her baby. She had actually chosen the same man from Costa Rica and while it had taken Kate three tries to get pregnant it had only taken her two.

Kate had, of course, chided her about still needing to be first but she was happy for her. She was even happy she had chosen the same man. "Our children will be related."

Alexis turned her head and saw Kate standing in the doorway looking at the two of them. Nicky had turned out to be perfect. Except for her being in her terrible twos, she was a happy child and very open. Even Chani was happy as she laid next to Alexis and Nicky on the same bed.

"We're going to need a bigger bed soon," Kate commented since if this kept up all five of them were going to be in this bed. Alexis chuckled.

"Can you take her? I need to pee. Someone is kicking my bladder again." Alexis was still amazed at the feeling of having a live person inside her that moved when she wanted to.

Alexis was also done with being pregnant. It had started out as morning sickness that eventually went away and became her happy time. Initially the pregnancy was all about watching as her belly got bigger and her breasts got bigger and her appetite for sex got bigger.

That turned into her breasts being so tender that even her bras were a little uncomfortable. Then her back hurt, her feet hurt, and she would blow up at Kate for almost anything. Then crawl into bed with her begging her for forgiveness. She hadn't meant any of it.

Now she just wanted her daughter in her arms and to get this over with.

"Come on Nicky, up off of Alexis so she can go to the bathroom." Kate reached out to pick her up.

"NO!" It was no for a lot of reasons. She liked where she was and her mommy just wanted to tickle her again.

"I promise I won't tickle you. We can go downstairs and you can help me cook?" Kate dangled a carrot in front of her. Kate was already teaching her what her mother had taught her when she was really little.

Kate lifted her up and carried her downstairs so Alexis could get up. "Tell you what, how about if we take Chani outside into the grass instead. She likes to play ball.

"CHANI! OUTSIDE!" Kate yelled and that had Chani racing down the stairs as fast as her four legs could take her.

Nicky wasn't really coordinated enough to throw the ball all that well or even far but she enjoyed it and Chani was having a blast. It all worked out since their grass out front was rather small. Their HOA fee took care of all the landscaping needs so they didn't have to mow it themselves.

Alexis's car was in the garage now and Kate's new Charger police cruiser was parked in the driveway. Hers, like all of the detectives, was an unmarked car, but it you looked closely enough you could find the lights and see the laptop sitting inside along with the locked in place shotgun. There was even a lot more stuff in the trunk.

It was almost the 4th of July and they had been invited out to the Hamptons once again to enjoy the area and watch Rick shoot off fireworks. Djinni and Chani still didn't like them much so they usually hid out in a bedroom.

Martha was in an extended care facility. All her life she had been up and going and nothing seemingly slowed her down. Until now. She almost looked worse every time they went to visit. Of course Kate took Nicky. Martha deserved to get a chance to see her and spend time with her.

"You two ready to go inside? I'm thirsty." It was hot outside and their A/C was running practically all day.

No sooner than Kate opened the door when she heard Alexis yelling, "KATE!"Kate picked up Nicky and raced all the way up the stairs. Naturally Chani beat her and was already at the bathroom door.

Kate put Nicky down and opened the door and saw Alexis sitting on the toilet. "My water broke."

"NOW? You're early." She wasn't due for over a week. If anything she might actually have her baby in the Hamptons during the 4th of July. They had everything worked out. "I'll call Dad and see if he can come get Nicky at the hospital. That or your dad, or Sam, or someone." She would call Eva or Joanne if she had to. Hell, even Ann or Lanie for that matter.

Kate had everyone downstairs and in her car with Nicky in the back after moving her car seat into the back.

Kate was still calling people to find someone to come take Nicky off her hands while she stayed with Alexis for the delivery as she drove.

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"Thanks for this, Lanie." Kate didn't want to tell her that she wasn't the first or even the second person she had called but next to last. Ann was going to be her last chance at finding someone.

"No problem. I just want updates. You call me and tell me everything. Ready to go, munchkin? We're going to go to the park and maybe even the Zoo." Lanie knew Nicky was in her terrible twos but she was prepared.

"See you later, girl. Just take good care of Lex and her baby." Lanie walked out with Nicky and her bag in case she had to stay with her tonight.

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Kate stayed with Alexis. She watched and held her hand and listened to the doctor and her nurse. "Wow, someone's in a hurry to be born. You're almost fully dilated," the doctor announced after she took a quick look.

"I think I hate you," Kate grumbled. She had been in labor for hours and Alexis was already almost ready.

"Okay, when you feel the next contraction I need you to really push," the doctor told her.

Alexis screamed and Kate was about ready to scream as Alexis was crushing her hand in a vice like grip.

"Breathe, just breathe. Get ready for the next one," the doctor warned her.

Moments later they could all hear a baby crying. "And it's a girl just like we thought." Kate was offered to cut the cord and soon Alexis had a baby lying on her chest as she kissed her and looked her over.

"We're going to need a name," the doctor asked her.

"Ana Victoria Rodgers – Beckett," Alexis replied. "She's bald." Alexis ran a hand over her baby's head. She felt nothing but love for the baby that had been inside her but now she could hold her and actually know that she was here now. She was going to know that she was loved all her life.

"That will change fast, nothing to worry about. We need to take her for a moment and clean her and you up. Then move you to a room and her to her bed," the doctor told both of them.

Alexis soon had her baby back in her arms all nice and clean and not crying while they cleaned up Alexis.

Kate looked at her phone after it beeped at her. "I have to go. Apparently everyone who wasn't available to watch Nicky is now out in the waiting room and your dad wants to see you and the baby now!" Kate kissed her and went off to tell everyone what she knew.

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One week later and Kate was driving Alexis's car this time as she parked out in front of the house in the Hamptons.

Opening the back door, Chani jumped out and looked around while Kate got Nicky out of her car seat. Alexis gingerly and very carefully took Ana and her baby car seat out of the back.

The front door opened and out raced Djinni who eventually found a new smell that needed to be investigated.

"You made it! How do you feel, honey?" Sam stopped at Alexis and reached out to stoke a newborn baby cheek.

"A little pain still but not bad. And you!" Alexis doesn't even bother to ask and put her hand on Sam's belly. She was clearly pregnant.

Rick was next and hugged Alexis and Ana at the same time. "This 4th of July is going to be epic." He had gone out and bought even more fireworks than last year just for this.

Kate, Alexis, and Sam were sitting in the living room watching Rick do all the cooking since he had told them to just relax and he would take care of everything.

"So how are you two doing?" Sam asked them. "A lot has changed."

Alexis still had Ana while Nicky was out back in the grass playing with Djinni and Chani.

"Amazingly well, actually." Alexis was thinking way back to when Kate had rescued her from that horrible club with that handsy guy. She had risked it and kissed Kate quickly and then ran for it. Now she was married to her and she had had a baby. Life was actually better than good, it was great.

"We're in first place and the envy of every precinct in New York City. I've got transfer requests and people graduating the Academy that want in. I just don't have room for them all." Kate turned and looked at Alexis. "Oh, and Ray put in for retirement yesterday."

"What!? He wasn't that old." Alexis still had a special place in her heart for Ray. He had been her partner while she had been an officer. He had taught her what the Academy hadn't.

"What can I tell you?" He simply had and Kate shrugged. It was what it was.

"Well shit!" She was going to miss him.

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Rick had found another new method to shoot off as many shells as he possibly could at one time. It was a spectacular show and it was Ana's first that she was never going to remember but Nicky sat in her mother's lap and looked up in awe at it all.

Rick had already handed out where he wanted them all to go before Sam started teaching again. They just had to work out when exactly.

Lake Fairfax Campground

Four hundred seventy-six acres of parkland and has many activities for families such as a water park, skate park, and hiking and biking trails. It also has athletic fields and water sports on the lake.

They both had big RVs that needed to be put to use and Rick and Sam wanted them to do it as a family.

"Bring Jim this time," Rick said. "Surely between the two of us we have a spare bed he can use."

Alexis loved the idea. It had taken a number of years but she finally had a big and growing family. Just what she had always wanted. Despite what Gina and Paula had done to her dad. She didn't hate them for the idea of it. Maybe it was just all business. But they had screwed with her dad's life and she was never going to forgive either of them for that.

She didn't even miss her mom and hadn't seen or heard from her in years and was happy to let things stay that way.

Life was good and only getting better. Now she just had to make it to Captain of her own precinct and then Police Commissioner some day.