Her legs were burning and she was getting tired. Exhausted, actually. There was a limited time left for her and she needed to make some calls. Trying desperately not to shift her weight at all, she slipped her phone from her pocket and called her dad. "Hey, Dad, it's me. . ." Unable to say much more, she tried not to sound too upset so he wouldn't worry. She just needed him to know she loved him before she died.
Oh, she was gonna die. In a matter of minutes, she was going to die and there was so much left unsaid. She had to tell him she loved him. He had to know how she felt before she was gone from him forever.
She swiped her phone open and speed dialed, not Castle first, but his mother. She had just a few minutes left, so she had to be quick. She knew Martha was at one of her classes, so her phone went to voicemail. "Hey, Martha, it's Kate." She tried to sound cheery and light but was pretty sure she failed miserably. "I just wanted to say thank you for always being supportive of me, encouraging me, and being my substitute mother. I appreciate it more than you will ever know. Please make sure Rick understands that this isn't his fault. This is not his fault at all. Goodbye, Martha, and thank you. I will always cherish you."
Next up: she had some explaining to do with a certain red-headed Castle. She dialed Alexis's number. By some stroke of luck, Alexis was in class so her voicemail picked up, too. "Alexis," Kate began, unsure of what to say or how to begin, her voice becoming breathy. "First of all, I want you to know how amazing I think you are. I've always respected and admired you so much. Secondly, I need you to know how much I care about your father. He is the best thing that has ever happened to me and I never ever meant to hurt him in any way, though that may not seem so apparent to you. Just know that I love him—"
The words slipped out of her mouth before she could stop them. A huge smile spread across her face at her realization and then an enormous wave of grief when she remembered her situation. "Alexis, I love your father very much and I need you to remember that, okay? I'm so proud of the woman you're becoming and I know you'll do great things." She clicked the line dead and immediately hit his speed dial number.
Beckett almost breathed a breath of relief when his phone went to voicemail; he was probably too distracted trying to find another way to get her out. His charming, upbeat self was so contradictory to their situation it immediately brought tears to her eyes and laughter to hear heart. Hey, you've reached the famous, crime-fighting novelist, Richard Castle. I can't come to the phone right now because I'm either off fighting crime being awesome or hanging out with my perfect daughter. Don't worry, I'm probably fine so leave me a message and I'll call you back.
Beckett started her message with a teary laugh. "Hey, Castle," she said, voice thick. "You know what's going on by this point, so you know why I'm calling. I just need to thank you, Rick, for changing my life all around." Tears were steadily streaming down her face and she knew they bled into her voice, but she wasn't hiding from him anymore. "I'm so happy with you, Rick, you make me a better person, you make me laugh, you make me feel loved, and you constantly give me hope." Her voice was mangled with grief. "You've seen me at my worst and loved me in spite of it and for that I will be forever thankful." She let out a soft sob at her situation.
"Please know that I'm not crying because I'm afraid. I'm not afraid of dying; I'm sad because we got such a short time together. It was wonderful, though. Really, it was perfect. I will always be grateful for the life you breathed into me and I will always cherish our time together." She took a deep breath and smiled into the phone. "I love you, Rick," she whispered. "I love you, I love you, I love you. . ." she chanted it into the phone until the call automatically ended. That didn't stop her from continuing her mantra of hope as she pictured their time together, all of their time.
"Beckett!" Castle yelled as he burst through the door, interrupting her chanting. "Kate, please don't cry," he said, noting the tears streaming down her cheeks. He whispered, "Don't give up on me."
She looked at him desperately. "Castle, get out of here!"
They spent very little time arguing about whether or not he would stay when they figured out the code for the bomb, thanks to help from Ryan and Esposito. By the time they made it downstairs and out of the building, Jim, Alexis and Martha were all there waiting. After running to her dad and throwing her arms around his neck, Alexis threw herself at Beckett, wrapping her arms around the older woman's neck.
"I'm so glad you're okay," Alexis said. "I'm so sorry for everything and I'm so thankful for you."
Beckett smoothed the girl's hair down, more tears filling her eyes as she tried to sooth the frightful teen. "Everything's okay, Alexis. We're good. I meant what I said about you."
Castle was looking between all his women in confusion. Beckett's look at him told him she'd explain later.
Next, it was Martha's turn to hold Kate close. "Katherine, I am honored," was all she said. "Please know that you will forever have a place in my heart." All Beckett could do was nod as she drew the older woman back into a hug, Alexis throwing her arms around both of them.
When Kate pulled away from them once again, she found herself in her father's arms—her father who was openly crying. Castle felt four arms wrap around him and bring him back to his senses. "I'm okay, guys, I'm okay."
"Oh, Richard," Martha began, too emotional to finish her sentence.
Alexis buried her face in her dad's chest. We were so afraid for you guys and then we got Kate's messages and—"
"Kate's messages?" Castle interrupted. "What messages?"
Pulling away from him ever so slightly, Alexis looked at her father, confused. "She didn't leave you one?"
"Richard, darling, when was the last time you checked your phone?" Martha asked.
Thinking for a moment, Castle reached in his pocket and pulled out his phone. Sure enough, there was a voicemail from Kate. Holding his daughter close, he listened to the message. His eyes had filled with tears at the first sound of her broken voice and he looked at her now. She was standing close to her father, a smile on her lips, quietly talking to him.
By the end of the message, tears were flowing freely. I love you, I love you, I love you. It haunted him, how mournful she was, how bittersweet that moment was for her. He hung up the phone, broke free of his daughter's and mother's grasps and strode purposefully toward Beckett.
Grabbing her arm, he swung her around and crushed his mouth against hers. The rest of the family watched in shock as Castle kissed his girlfriend with everything he had in him. Kate could feel her face turning red, but she gave as good as she got despite the proximity of her father. Her arms circled his neck and she lifted on her tip-toes to deepen the kiss.
Once air became an issue and the broke the kiss, Castle looked so intensely at Beckett that her heart raced and the butterflies in her stomach fluttered in a frenzy. "I love you, Katherine Beckett. I love you so much." Her smile blossomed and her eyes filled with tears yet again, thinking of what she came so close to losing.
"You're it for me," he whispered to her, unashamed and uncaring about the looks their family was giving them. "I want to spend the rest of my life making you laugh." She exhaled a laugh and nodded vigorously. "So no more near death experiences, okay?"
She kissed him again before whispering, "You got it, lover."