Disclaimer: Castle and all its characters belong to Andrew W. Marlowe, and ABC. "I'm Already There" belongs to Lonestar.
Author's Note: I really don't have anything to say about this one other than I really hope you all enjoy it. This is meant to be more of a piece that was written to ease my own issues in my head, and I just thought that I would share it with you all. Please review, I'd really like to know what you all think, the favorites/follows are always good but the reviews mean the world to an author. Thanks, guys.
He called her on the road,
From a lonely, cold hotel room,
Just to hear her say 'I love you' one more time.
But when he heard the sound,
Of the kids laughing in the background
He had to wipe away a tear from his eye.
Little voice came on the phone,
Said 'Daddy, when you coming home?',
He said the first thing that came to his mind.
Rick sighed and shrugged out of his jacket, settling it onto the leather desk chair in his hotel room. He eyed the mini bar cautiously, contemplating going to grab himself a drink, but decided against it and settled himself into the desk chair in front of his laptop.
He qued the word document that held the latest chapter about the secret agent that will not be named and stared at it. He cursed himself once again for abandoning Nikki and Rook for this. Writing the Bond books wasn't nearly as much fun as he had thought it was going to be. Of course, that had almost everything to do with the fact that he had been in London for nine weeks already, and had another four to go.
He missed Kate and the kids. Sputtering something about a time difference he glanced at the clock on the lower right hand screen of his laptop. 11:30 at night. That meant it would only be six in New York. He pulled up the Skype application on his computer and quickly pressed the 'Call Kate' button. The computer rang loudly until a familiar brunette's face filled the high definition screen.
"Miss me, Writer Boy?" She quipped immediately, shooting him a dazzling smile.
"Always, Detective." Rick retorted with a grin of his own. "How are you?"
"I'm okay, just finished feeding the boys dinner and doing the dishes. Now they're playing with those damned Army men you insisted on buying them that I always end up stepping on." She leveled a half-hearted glare at him, before the grin broke out again. "Alexis and Scott stopped by today, told me to tell you 'hello' and that they miss you."
"Give them both my love." He felt his heart warm at the mention of his daughter and son-in-law. "Speaking of the boys, where are those two ruggedly handsome men?"
"Well, conceded one, I will go get them. Hold on." Kate chuckled as she stepped out of the view of the camera and he heard her calling for their twin boys. He leaned back, loosening his tie, and kicked his feet up on the desk before balancing his laptop on his crossed legs. On the other side of the camera he heard a ruckus before two flashes of brown hair erupted into the den.
"Daddy!" Riley and Roy screeched in unison, bouncing wildly on Kate's lap as they adjusted and got settled in to talk to him.
"Hey, guys! How are my two favorite boys doing?" Rick beamed, wanting nothing more than to wrap his arms around his two four year old boys and never let them go. He was missing so much of their childhoods because he was on a completely different continent and he despised himself for it.
"Daddy, today we went to the park, and-and Riley, h-he pushed me really high on the swings, just like you do!" Roy exclaimed, gesturing wildly with his hands to illustrate the swing set.
"Oh?" The boys nodded. "That's awesome, boys. I'm sorry I couldn't come to the park with you guys."
"It's okay, Daddy. Mommy says that you'll be home before we know it." Roy replied, looking at Kate for confirmation.
"That's right, we even made a countdown to when we get to go pick him up at the airport, huh?" Kate ruffled his shaggy brown hair. The boys nodded once again and Roy let out a large yawn.
"Looks like someone is getting sleepy." Rick chuckled, pointing a finger towards the camera.
"Roy, why don't you say good night to Daddy and go brush your teeth." Kate suggested turning the laptop towards him.
"Night, Daddy! I love you!" Roy kissed the air and blew it towards the general direction of Rick in the camera.
"I love you too, Monkey." Rick caught the air kiss and placed it on his cheek. "Good night, sleep tight..."
"Don't let the bed bugs bite." The boys finished and Roy bounded towards the bathroom. He saw the camera shifting towards Riley and felt his heart break when he saw the small tear trailing down the young boy's freckled cheek.
"What's wrong, little man?" Rick asked, his voice cracking.
"Daddy, when are you going to be home? I miss you a bunch." The squeaky voice on the other side of the camera replied.
Rick thought a minute before replying the only way that he thought was fitting. He lifted his hand out in front of him so that Riley could see it and saw the small boy do the same. This was the closest he had come to holding his son's hand in far too long.
"I'm already home, Ri."
"I'm already there.
Take a look around,
I'm the sunshine in your hair,
I'm the shadow on the ground.
I'm the whisper in the wind,
I'm your imaginary friend,
And I know I'm in your prayers,
I'm already there."
"How are you already home if you're all the way over there, Daddy?" Riley asked, confusion blanketing his small face.
"Because, it doesn't matter where I am in the world, if there is a place with you, Roy, mommy, Alexis, grandma and Scott I am home." He pointed to his chest, directly over his heart. "Daddy's always with you right here, Riley. Don't you ever forget that, okay?"
"Okay, Daddy. I can't wait 'til we come get you at the airport so you can give me a big hug and twirl me around." The boy giggled, any trace of sadness having disappeared from his demeanor. "I love you, Daddy." He blew Rick a kiss, which Castle also placed against his cheek and gave the boy a gentle smile.
"Always, Riley." He wiped at his eyes gently as he watched his son run from his room and heard the commotion that the two caused while brushing their teeth.
"They'll be okay, Rick. They just miss you." Kate broke him from his concentration and he looked into her deep green eyes lovingly.
"Yeah, I know they will. They're strong like their mother." He grinned. He had an overwhelming urge to reach out and brush the strand of hair that had fallen into her eyes away , but when his fingertips struck the computer screen he growled in frustration. Kate chuckled at him and brushed the hair back. "I want to be able to hold you again, Kate."
"Believe me, Rick, I know the feeling. I wish I was there with you. I can't sleep when you're gone. The bed is too big." She sighed, the bags that had formed under her eyes confirming her statement.
"Not too much longer now, babe." He tried to comfort her, even though his own heart was aching to have her in his arms.
"Any time when you're away is too long, Rick."
She got back on the phone, said, "I really miss you, darling.
Don't worry about the kids, they'll be alright.
Wish I was in your arms, lying right there beside you.
But, I know that I'll be in your dreams tonight.
And I'll gently kiss your lips, touch you with my finger tips.
So, turn out the light and close your eyes.
I'm already there,
Don't make a sound,
I'm the beat in your heart, I'm the moonlight shining down.
I'm the whisper in the wind, and I'll be there 'til the end.
Can you feel the love that we share, oh I'm already there.
"I know, Kate." He sighed, rubbing his hands over his face. "I'm sorry, I wish it wasn't in my contract."
"I understand, Rick. I knew it was part of the territory when I married you. How are things with he who shall not be named?" She teased.
"Ugh. Horrible. I miss Nikki and Rook. At least they cooperated when I needed them to. Bond is...well, he's more defiant." He chuckled humorlessly.
"I'm sorry, honey." From somewhere in the other room she heard the boys had gone back to playing and smiled softly. "The boys can't wait to see you. You know that you probably won't get to leave their sight for weeks, right?"
"Oh, come on now, if you think those two are even going to have time to nap in between all the fun stuff I have planned for us you're crazy, woman."
"Rick," She warned. "Do you remember the last time you let the boys play without napping?" Rick's eyes widened as he recalled the incident involving a flying plastic fire truck, Kate's favorite glass coffee table, and four stitches in Riley's arm.
"Yes..." He said slowly. "Forget that I said that. But, when they're awake they're all mine for at least a week. No trying to steal them with your 'mommy-ness'. That's cheating." Kate laughed loudly, causing the grin on his face to widen.
"We'll see about that, Mister Castle. I better go make sure they aren't killing each other. Good night, Rick. I love you so much." She blew him a kiss, which he returned to her.
"I love you too, Misses Castle. Sweet dreams, my love. I'll see you soon." He closed the Skype window, but not until he saw Kate's face disappear into the LED screen. Sighing loudly he glanced around the hotel room. He tried to decipher when he had changed so drastically. When had he gone from the playboy who specialized in one-night-stands, to the dad who video chatted with his kids before they went to bed and blew his wife cyber-mail kisses.
He wasn't exactly sure, anymore. He glanced around once again before he began throwing things into his suitcase and bolting out the door once he was sure he had everything.
We may be a thousand miles apart,
But I'll be with you wherever you are.
I'm already there,
Take a look around,
I'm the sunshine in your hair,
I'm the shadow on the ground.
I'm the whisper in the wind,
And I'll be there 'til the end.
Can you feel the love that we share?
Oh, I'm already there.
Kate tossed and turned in her bed, trying to find a spot that she could be comfortable in (unsuccessfully). Sighing loudly into the empty room she decided to turn on her side and stare out the window at the moon. She thought about how Rick must be just waking up, as it was seven in London.
She pulled her phone off of the side table and opened up a new text message.
-Can't sleep :(
The response was almost immediate.
-Why not, honey? :(
-Your pillow is empty. I miss you.
-I miss you, too. But it won't be long now.
-Won't be long? Rick, it's four more weeks. That's, like...an eternity!
-I wouldn't count on four weeks, sweetheart.
Kate's heart sank.
-What's that supposed to mean, Richard :-/
She glared at the phone, waiting for his response, probably telling her that Paula was making him stay longer. The door to their bedroom swung open and her detective instincts had her up and out of the bed with her Glock 9mm pointed at her assailant. Her breath caught in her throat when a pair of piercing blue eyes fell on her, his face illuminated only by the moonlight streaming through their midnight blue, lace curtains.
"Rick," She breathed, setting the gun back on the night stand and running to him. He shrugged his bags from his shoulders onto the floor and caught Kate as she hit him, twirling her in a circle and pressing passionate kisses to her lips, jaw and throat. "God, I missed you so much." She mumbled, her lips pressed against his temple as she ran her hands through the short hair at the base of his neck.
"The feeling is mutual." He chuckled, his face buried in the crook of her neck and inhaling the sultry smell of cherries.
"What are you doing here?"
"I called Paula and cancelled the rest of the tour. Jumped on a plane and eight hours later here I am." He smiled as she pulled back to see him. She cupped his face in her hands and ran a thumb over his cheek bone as if she was trying to discern whether or not he was really there. "I couldn't wait four more weeks to hold you."
"Me neither. I'm so glad you're home." She wrapped her arms around him once again, tighter than she had previously thought possible.
"As happy as I am to see you, I am exhausted. Can we sleep?" He asked in a high pitched, whiny voice. She chuckled and took his hand, leading him to the bed. "Hold on! You lay down, I'll be right back." She couldn't help but laugh at his retreating form as he bolted down the hallway. She slid under the feather comforter and waited for her husband to return. Moments later he walked back into the room, the two small figures of Riley and Roy babbling a thousand words a minute and rubbing their sleepy eyes.
Rick snuggled under the comforter next to Kate, the boys curled into his right side and her into his left, and sighed contentedly.
"I missed you guys." He murmured, his eyes slipping shut. The only response he got was a half-asleep feather-light kiss to his neck from Kate and snores from the boys. He hummed happily and slipped into a deep slumber, feeling more complete than he had in nine weeks. Richard Castle was, finally, home.
Oh, I'm already there.