Carnivale

Chapter 8

"It's going to work, Will. You've got to trust me. I just need a little more time, a week or so. Say something's wrong with the show that we need to postpone. Just delay leaving a few more days."

Meredith shot Sorenson her best shy, sexy smile as she pulled on the lapels of his vest causing him to cant into her. "This sheriff woman just has a stronger hold over Alexis than I first thought. I just need to get her on my side, convince her that she can trust me and then I will be able to talk her into getting his money. After all, how could a sweet innocent girl like that say no to her mother in need?"

Will sighed, hesitant, but his hand drifted downward from her waist pulling her body more snuggly into his. "You're sure this will work?"

"Of course I am sure, once she sees that I'm 'in trouble' she'll have no choice but to help me escape in anyway she can. That combined with what we can get from stealing the admission box should be enough for us to live luxuriously all the way to California where we can hit it real big," the statement ended in a purr, her hand carding through his hair, lips brushing against his ear before pushing him back. Her hand reached down to grasp his, which was inching toward a place south of the swell of her hip that would be deemed improper by most. Her lips twisted up in a sly smile. "Now, come on William, be a man and hit me. We gotta make this look good."

Castle watched Kate as she watched Rebecca, the sheriff's eyes never leaving the older woman as Rebecca paced back and forth across the small space, the tiny bundle of the baby rocking gently in her arms. This was step one— let someone else hold the baby.

He understood her protectiveness, he really did but she couldn't hover over Emily like an overprotective she-wolf forever. Eventually the two of them would have to leave the safety of the small cabin and face the world, both together and apart. He had been the one to rock Emily to sleep the night before, coaxing her from Kate's arms after her nightly feeding. Kate had sat, hands wringing, biting back words of caution every time the baby made a sound, as normal as the cooing might have been. But she hadn't moved from her spot, allowing him to rock Emily to sleep and place the content baby into the bassinet for the night.

But still, he had awoken to find Kate in the bed, the shoulder of her nightgown slipping down to show a more than usual amount of creamy skin, Emily propped on her legs as she simply sat, staring at the girl.

"Good morning." He greeted, only receiving a noncommittal grunt in reply.

"Did you sleep well?" He tried again.

"Nightmare."

Oh, that explained why she wouldn't take her eyes off the baby.

"You want to tell me about it?"

"No." She shook her head in emphasis to the words, her eyes still not leaving their daughter, her thumb brushing over the downy hair on the baby's forehead.

He sighed knowing any further attempt to push an answer out of her would just end with her closing up even tighter. Instead he was content to push himself up to sit beside her, dropping a kiss to her bare shoulder before propping his chin in the same spot and joining her in staring at their daughter. Kate had been better with physical contact recently and that he was grateful for; he could once again touch his wife without her seizing up in fear.

He was silent for the next few minutes, allowing himself the pure joy of the moment, and in reward he felt her hand sneak up to stroke the hair behind his ear, fingers fumbling and awkward from the angle but not less loving as they played with the short strands.

"I have an idea."

Her motion paused with his words, only to resume again as she nodded her head in silent invitation to continue.

"Why don't you come with me to work on the cabin today?"

"The cabin," she echoed.

"Yes."

"It's a little too cold for Emily to be outdoors especially for that long."

"Well," he sucked in a breath. This was it. "Why don't we leave Emily in here with Rebecca?"

He felt her freeze and forced his next words out in a rush. "Just for a little while, between feedings. And we will only be across the property. If Rebecca needs anything she will be able to call from the front porch and we will come running."

He could see her thinking it through. His head tilting from it's spot still perched on her shoulder to study her expression, her lower lip worrying between her teeth, the furrow of her brow, and finally the slow nod of her head.

"All right."

His voice rose in surprise along with his brow. "All right? Really?"

"Yes, Castle. Like you said, we can't hide in here forever. But only for a little while and I'm staying within hearing distance."

"Of course." He allowed a slow smile to spread across his lips.

"Are you ready?" He whispered the words in her ear, the question prompting her out of her daze.

"One more minute."

He sighed as he swayed back, allowing her one last minute before ushering her out the door. He was trying to be patient, but he didn't understand this level of protectiveness. Meredith had never had a problem leaving Alexis with the nanny. In fact most days it seemed like she had welcomed the reprieve. Of course, looking back on it that might have been a telling sign for the later abandonment.

The next time he looked up she had spun around to face him, her fist still clenched at her side but her features resolute. And with a nod echoing his own head bob of a question he reached out, wormed his fingers between hers and guided her out the door, down the steps and onto the short path leading from the small cabin to the larger homestead.

"It's going to be easy," Alexis whispered as she crouched next to Laura and Olivia behind a pile of discarded crates and barrels. The camp was quiet around them in the early morning hour, all the carnis still sleeping off their stupor for the night before. "All of the animals are in cages in the back of their camp. We sneak in after dark the evening before the show. They are normally all in the mess tent imbibing on moonshine. We open all the cages; let the animals out. They won't even know we were here."

She grinned to herself as Laura and Olivia shared a look, smiles breaking across both their faces. Laura's arm wound around Alexis' shoulders, pulling her in for a sideways hug.

What could possibly go wrong?

A/N: Thank you for sticking with me on this one. I apologize for the delay. I am trying to get into a new writing routine to work with the new changes in the other aspects of my life. Hopefully I'll be updating more regularly on all of my stories. Flew beta-free on this one, so any mistakes are mine. Feedback always welcome. :)