Well You Never Know
"Just like us…" Rick said right before the couple began kissing in the elevator. Embarrassed he looked towards Kate to see if she was getting ready to yell at him for insinuating that the two of them had kissed in a public elevator. But the look he saw was not at all what he would've expected he saw one of longing. To say he was confused was an understatement not only did Kate supposedly not remember his confession of love for her she also said they had to wait until this case was over before they even had a chance. She caught him staring and quickly looked away blushing like crazy.
"It could be us you know." Kate's quiet whisper was barely heard by Rick and he was sure he hadn't heard her right. But looking up and catching her eye he saw she was serious.
"Want to get out of here?" Rick nodded towards the elevator and Kate nodded her head. Calling to the boys to head home she grabbed her jacket and headed out with Castle in tow. Once they were in the elevator Rick spoke up asking "My place or yours?"
"How about mine aren't Alexis and Martha home?" Rick's eyes widened at the realization that his mother and daughter were in fact home.
"Yeah your place sounds great." The elevator dinged alerting them that they had reached the ground floor. They went outside and hailed a cab, giving the cabbie her address Kate relaxed into the seat. Her and Rick were closer together than they usually were almost touching with only a silver of space between them. The cab went over a bump and Kate almost landed on top of Rick thanks to the fact neither felt the need for a seatbelt in the back of a cab. Blushing profusely Kate straightened up and they continued on the drive to her place. Some 5 minutes later they arrived and Rick was paying the cabbie while helping Kate out of the back of the cab.
"You know that I do know how to get out a car Castle." Slightly embarrassed Rick began to draw back his hands but Kate grabbed one and held onto it. Shocked at the physical contact Rick stared down at their joined hands for a second before smiling at Kate and walking to the door to head up to her apartment. They walked in and began their 3 floor trek up the stairs so they could get to Kate's apartment. They didn't talk during the walk and the silence was welcome to Kate, she needed to figure out what she had just started and what it meant. Apparently she didn't have as much time as she needed because sooner than she would've liked they had reached her door. She mechanically reached for her keys and stuck them into the lock opening the door. She set the keys down and took off her coat once she was inside. Rick shut the door and did the same. "Do you want to talk in the living room or kitchen?"
"Umm living room is good." Kate rejoined their hands and they walked to the couch. Kate sat down sighing.
"Rick I have to tell you something and before you get screaming mad I need you to hear everything I say." She took her hand back and began twisting her hands together in her lap. "I lied when you asked me if I remembered, I remember everything." She took a deep breath to continue but Rick interrupted.
"Everything?" She didn't need to look at his face to know the expression he wore right then.
"Yes Rick everything, even the color of the god damn sky! Even the fact that you told me you loved me. That's why I separated us for 3 months I needed to process and think and I was still with Josh and I needed to figure out what I wanted. I came back and I knew who I wanted I broke up with Josh and wanted to see you so badly but I just couldn't I wasn't ready. I knew as soon as I saw you I would want to tell you and I'm so scared of what happens if we get together. Next to Lanie you're the best friend I have and to have a relationship fail would mean everything we have now would be gone and everyone is gone Rick, everyone I can't lose you too. It would break me I would go down that rabbit hole and never come out. I just wasn't ready but I am now. I want to try this I want to be with someone I actually love, you were right I could be happy I just wasn't but I want to be.
"Kate I'm not screaming mad I understand. I don't want to lose what we have either but I want to try and the one thing I regretted when I had to watch the life drain out of you was the fact the you didn't know how I felt and that we never got a chance to have that always. I do love you and if you want to try I'll try with you. We won't fail Kate you won't lose me. You're stuck with me as long as you want me."
"Rick. I- I love you too, and I'm going to want you for a good long time so don't plan on going anywhere anytime soon." Smiling she leaned in and kissed him, it was a light kiss but it was so full of promise and love Kate had never felt safer. When they pulled apart she smiled and said " See I told you it could be us, you just never know."