Finding My Way Back To You (A Castle FanFic) (ON HOLD)

Battlefield

Kate was sitting in her and Castle's big double bed, Karen sitting between her legs and she was holding a big storybook in front of them, reading her a bedtime story the night before the trial.

They had been preparing for the trial for the past two weeks, even Brooklyn and Alexis had to be present in the courtroom, with Karen in the other room, being looked after by an official.

"Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair..."

Kate was reading Rapunzel to Karen, who seemed really interested at the picture of Rapunzel with really really long blonde hair.

"Mama," Karen said quietly.

Kate became frozen, she believed she just heard Karen call her mom.

"No, honey, it's Aunt Kate, your momma's Katrina."

"Mama," Karen repeated and tried to turn her head to face Kate.

Kate suddenly understood why Karen would be mistaking her as Katrina, Katrina and her looked really alike, babies start remembering faces at a couple months old, she has been substituting Katrina as Karen's mom for the past few weeks and now Karen started mistaking Kate as Katrina.

"Hey Kate, I just finished another chapter, wanna maybe get some rest? I'll watch Karen," Castle popped his head into the room.

"I'll be fine, Castle, you seem like you want to write another chapter, I'll put her to bed, go do whatever you have to do to prevent Paula and Gina from murdering you," Kate joked.

"Okay," Castle said and went back into his office.

"Yeah honey, I'm your momma," Kate said quietly and continued to read Rapunzel to Karen again.

~~~
"Brooke, that's inappropriate, change into the suit I told you to put on yesterday," Kate scolded as Brooke as she came out of the room.

"But Mom!"

"That's not appropriate for going to court, change," Kate said sternly.

Brooklyn showed an annoyed face and went into her room.

Castle was cooking breakfast in the kitchen, Kate settled Karen down on her high chair and Alexis came down a bit later, then Brooklyn showed up with some strands colored in different colors by the end of her hair.

"Brooklyn!"

"What? I changed into my suit!"

"Go wash out the hair dye, it's not appropriate," Kate said.

"But I just spent thirty minutes coloring them! And I used chalk, not dye!"

"Go wash them out."

Brooklyn yelled in frustration and went into the washroom.

"And blow dry your hair and pull your hair into a high ponytail while you're at it!" Kate called after her.

"Fine!" Brooklyn yelled through the closed bathroom door.

The family ate in silence, Brooklyn came out twenty minutes later in a high ponytail.

"Eat your breakfast, we are setting off in ten," Kate said and shoved a plate of bacon and eggs in front of her daughter and left the table.

"Why is she so grumpy and strict about what I'm wearing?" Brooklyn asked in annoyance when her mom was out of earshot.

"She's nervous," Castle said, "People are grumpy when they're nervous."

"And she's worried she couldn't get Karen's custody, she has been worrying about that for ages," Alexis added.

Brooklyn sighed in annoyance and wolfed down her breakfast while holding her phone in front of her.