Serpent's Kiss Vol II: Sapphire Ice

Ch 7: Family Forgiveness & Sweet Apologies

Jesus Christ!"

Kevin retched as he recoiled from the sight.

Walking down the alley and passing several of Lanie's assistants none of them could meet his eye, and each of them looked green, now, it made sense why.

"Not what you were expecting, right", Javi muttered staring at the dumpster a few feet in the opposite direction.

Puppies lay mutilated six feet in the ground, with snakes slithering around their corpses.

"Oh God!" Kevin groaned pushing himself back and staring at the New York sky, "Why? Just Why?" he cringed at Javier.

Javi shook his head, "Becks calling Castle as we speak", he answered instead.

"Who reported the—" he waved his hands helplessly.

Javi pointed up, "Lady on the third floor has a balcony, stepped out to do some Yoga, and looked down at the sight. Screamed and called the pound. The guys recognized the site as an ongoing investigation, and called us in", he explained as they walked out of the alley.

Made sense...

Kevin sighed, "And we had such a good night last night", he whined pitifully.

Javi snorted, "Maybe you did bro", he shrugged, "The rest of us, not so much", he buckled into Kevin's car and moaned appreciatively as he inhaled the somewhat warm Caffeine.

"Why? What's up?"

"Right. You were too busy tonsil-hockeying Emerald. You missed the whole Castle disaster. And Lanie and I had a huge fight as well. Castle Jr. spent the night at Em's place, it seems. And Kate and Lanie had a girl's night. Leaving me alone with a bemoaning Rick Castle griping about women with whiskey", he sipped the coffee, "My hangover did not need that", he pointed back the way they'd come. The crime scene still oozing with disgruntled EMTs and M.Es.

"I don't know which one of those I don't want to touch upon at all, the least", he offered a wry grin.

"Mine. Of course", he muttered cheekily.

Good enough.

Discussing the whole Emerald-Kay-Castle fiasco was so far off his need to start the morning with, he'd take anything to steer clear of that whole thing.

"So you and Lanie. What's up?" he asked taking the out for what it was, a distraction.

Javier turned chocolate brown eyes on him, pout and all, and "Women man, I'm telling you, God created them for the sole purpose of driving us men crazy", he whined.

Kevin grinned, "Okay", he agreed shamelessly.

Javier snorted, "Like Hell you agree. You and Em seem to be one of those straight-forward no complication relationships. Why can't I have that??" he asked desperately.

Take it. The Headache may be worth it in the end, but this torture isn't.

"Dude, all relationships are crazy. Besides mine seems easy, because I'm comparing mine to the Epic Caskett daily disaster", he pointed out drily.

Javier blinked, "Well, damn", he cursed and then fumbled patting down his pockets and juggling the coffee cup.

What the hell...?

Kevin watched as Javier found his cellphone and hit speed dial E.

"Hi, Hey, Hello... Good Morning!!! The name's Javier. Need you to deliver a dozen Pink Roses to this address", he rattled of Lanie's residential address, "And a dozen Red ones to this address", he rattled of the office address.