So this is my take on what happened between the woods and being at the precinct. It's also AU, some things I wrote differently than how it went on in the show (even though I couldn't not use Kate's speech at the precinct omg).
Rating: T.
Disclaimer: Nope.
You were with me the whole time: Chapter I
"Lazarus."
It's still echoing in her mind, as she watches Elena walk away from her, disappear in the woods. She's still on her knees, hands still tightly bound together on her back. Lazarus. He wanted her to stay alive? He said he owed you. Her mind is reeling. There's only one person that once said he owed her. It means that Vulcan Simmons is not him. There's only one man she can think of and it makes her shudder.
But she has to stop thinking about that now. She has to think about how the hell she's going to get out of here. It's cold, dark, and she doesn't know how far they walked into these woods. How will she find her way back? To him.
Him.
It's like a flame has started within her body. A flame that grounds her, strengthens her, that gives her the willpower. To push through. Because of him. She has to get back to him. But how? She doesn't have her phone, her hands aren't really free to do anything, how-
Her eyes fall upon the dead body that's on the ground before her. The thought is cringe worthy, but she has to try. Dragging her knees forward, she scoots closer. Maybe he'll have a phone, or something that can help her untie her hands. Her eyes fall upon a blade, it's in his jeans pocket. Carefully watching what she's doing, she turns around, her hands reaching out for it.
After a few seconds, the tips of her fingers finally find cold steel and she grabs it, pulling it out. She turns it around in her hands, trying to find the right angle so she can free herself. After a few tries, she finally manages to get through the rope, her hands being freed from each other. She releases a breath she was apparently holding, examines her hands, carefully rotating them because they've been in the same position for too long.
She turns around, back to him, and searches his body. He has to have a phone somewhere, he wouldn't go out into the woods without something to contact 'Lazarus' to say it was done. She searches his body, and finally finds it in his back pocket. Enough battery, thank god. She taps for an emergency call and dials the Precinct, knowing they're probably looking for her.
It rings once, twice, three times – "Detective Ryan?"
"Ryan!" Kate releases on a breath, her voice cracking.
"Beckett? Guys, guys it's Beckett! Where are you?" He asks as she hears a lot of noise in the background of people running around, probably getting ready to get to her.
"I'm- I'm in the woods. I'm not sure, it's so dark, I can't-"
"Walk around, tell me what you see?" Ryan says calmly, and it helps her.
So she stands up and walks, tries to remember where they came from and following that path back. She walks and walks, tries to find a hint of a road that she can get on. She goes up the hill she fell off just before.
She stays on the phone, hearing Ryan breathe as people are still running around in the precinct. "Kate?!" She hears then, in the background. She stops walking, her body freezing at the sound of his voice. His voice. "Is that her?" He asks on the background and Ryan replies with confirmation.
She releases a breath, as she hears his voice loud and clear now.
"Oh my god, Kate, where are you? Are you okay?"
She wants to smile. It hurts her face, but she doesn't care. The flame erupts in her, warming her from the inside at hearing his voice. She's going to be okay. She's safe. He is her definition of safe.
"I'm- I'm okay, Castle." She lies. Because actually, she's not. Things have become even more complicated with 'Lazarus', and she's hurt. Her knees hurt, her hands hurt, she still feels the cold water on her face, the wounds hurting her, her pulse pounding in the scrape on her forehead, giving her a headache. But she can't think of that now, no, she has to get back. So she finds the strength and remains walking.
"No you're not." Castle states and Kate huffs out a breath. Of course he knows.
"I will be." Kate replies, walking further and further until she sees a glimpse of road.
"Where are you?" He asks again, so much worry in his voice. She needs to see him. Needs to tell him she's alive. Needs to feel his strong warm arms around her.
And she will. So she starts to walk faster, to the road. "Hold on, I found a road." She finally reaches the end of the woods. And she's lucky. She finds a road map on display, stating exactly where she is. She gives him the information and he repeats it, passing it on to Ryan.
"We'll be right there, Kate." Castle reassures her, and she smiles.
"Stay with me on the phone?" She asks, hearing his voice is what she needs right now. She feels she might break if she's alone with her thoughts.
"I'm here." Castle says, his breathing speeding up as she hears him walking. Then she hears a car door slam, engine powering up and it gives her a sense of relief.
They're going to be here soon.
"Almost there, Kate." Castle says, relief washing over his voice, but the worry still there.
She hears the sirens then, sees them flashing in the distance and she releases another breath, relief washing over her, her body becoming numb as she let's go of the willpower that got her through this. They're here. He's here.
The cars reach her, and she stands up, phone still in her hands but not at her ear anymore. Car doors open and people step outside and her eyes search. For him. She needs him. Doesn't care about anyone else. To the left, she sees a silhouette moving rather fast, and then she hears him. "Kate!"
She falters, a sob leaving her as she walks to him. She can't run, she's too numb. But he's close to her in seconds. His arms come around her, their bodies connecting rather harshly and it hurts, but she doesn't care. Her arms link behind him, her hands clawing at his shoulder, clinging to him as she lets the tears fall. She holds onto him like a lifeline, her face buried against his throat.
"You're okay. I'm so glad you're okay." Castle breathes, stroking her back, her hair, holding onto her as he feels her tears against his throat.
Esposito and Ryan walk to them, looking at Castle with worry and he nods in reassurance. They nod back, knowing that she's going to be okay. They leave them again, giving them time. They continue to stand there for a while. After a short while, Kate's tears have subdued, her breathing coming back to normal and he eventually pulls back.
His hands immediately find her face, and their eyes connect. The moment he sees her face, his features grow worried.
"God, Kate, what did they do to you?" He asks, his right hand very lightly brushing over her bruises. It all looks so painful and, damn it he should've been careful when he approached her, probably hurt her when he enveloped her in that hug. Her eyes are glassy from tears, and he brushes his thumbs under her eyelids to wipe away the moisture that's still there.
She shivers when a wave of wind hits her body "Can we go, Castle? Please?" She asks, indirectly telling him they'll talk about it later.
"Of course." He says, pulling off his jacket and putting it around her. She pulls it around her tighter, the warmth of it making her feel just a bit better. They walk to the car together, and as they sit inside, Castle carefully puts his arm around her, and she buries herself against his side. His strong warm arms and his warm body, it's exactly what she needed. The car moves then, one of the assisting officers driving them back to the precinct.
"I was dunked." She reveals after a few minutes of silence. She feels him drag in a breath, knows that with his vivid imagination this is not something he likes to hear. Then his breath starts to quicken, and she thinks – knows – he's gotten mad.
"Stop, Castle, no." She says as she pulls back, their eyes connecting, and she was right, he looks mad. Extremely mad. Her right hand raises up to his face, her fingers brushing his right brow, trailing down to his cheek. "It's okay. It's done. I'm here."
"But what if-"
"No what if's." Kate shakes her head at him. "I'm here. I'm alive."
His breathing starts to slow at that, and he reaches out for her, his arms coming around her as he envelops her in a hug, his right hand cupping the back of her head. "I was so worried." He whispers into her hair.
"I know." She reassures him "But I'm back."
"What happened?" He asks again, knows there's more to this story. They break apart, and Kate looks down, her hand reaching out for him. She laces their fingers together, needs to hold him.
"Elena was a contract killer. I tried to play along as best as I could. I told them I wanted to meet this Lazarus, and at first it didn't look like it would work out. But eventually, he agreed to meet with me. It was all so intense. I eventually met with him and he.." Her breath hitches "It was Vulcan Simmons."
Castle's eyes look up in shock. "Vulcan Simmons? You mean-"
"Yes. And he recognized me. He wanted to know everything that the NYPD knew about him. In the process, he dunked me." She shivers at the thought, instantly feeling that ice cold water again. "I didn't give anything to him. It got to a point where.. where I could barely breathe. So he ordered one of his men to take me out into the woods and kill me there."
Castle's hand squeezes hers. He wants to hug her. He wants to put his arms around her, for eternity, keep her safe at all times. To be with her 24/7, never leave her sight again. This shouldn't have happened. This wasn't supposed to happen. They had a day off? But he knows she has more to say so he refrains from doing anything, let's her talk it out first.
"Once there, before he killed me, Elena showed up and killed him. That's how I survived." She states, still not believing it herself. "I asked her why, and she told me that, he owed me. That 'Lazarus' owed me."
"But then Vulcan Simmons couldn't have been-"
"Exactly." Kate interrupts him "And there's only one person I know that once said I owed him.."
She waits him out. Knows that it'll get to him, that he'll remember. She told him the night after the incident, what he said to her. She sees it then, realization hitting him.
"Kate-"
Before she can reply, his arms are around her, his body pressed against her as he holds her. She closes her eyes, relishes in having him here, his warmth surrounding her. Inhaling his familiar scent, she holds onto him as his body warmth soaks through her skin. She's exhausted. So tired.
They arrive at the precinct then, the car coming to a halt. Castle pushes back, holds her face in his hands and leans in, carefully brushing his lips against her, not wanting to hurt her. But he's too careful, he feels Kate's hand coming around his head and push him more firmly against her.
It warms her. This kiss. His lips are on hers, and it sends this warmth through her veins. She holds him there as long as she can. Eventually, she lets go, but not before coming in for another peck, brushing her lips to his one more time. Their foreheads connect then, a sigh leaving her lips.
"We should go inside." Castle states, and she nods against him. They both step out of the car, a chill running through her as her body connects with the wind. She grabs the sides of his jacket that's still on her, pulling it more tightly around her as they walk inside the precinct.
Captain Gates and Captain Fowler are waiting for her, and they sit down together. They talk about Vulcan Simmons, eventually stating they have nothing against him. Kate reveals what she saw about Future Forward, and Gates and Fowler step out to work on that new lead.
Castle leaves the seat next to her and sits down on the one right in front of her.
"See what happens when I leave you alone?"
"Babe, I wasn't alone." Kate replies. "When they were interrogating me, the only thing that kept me going was thinking about you. About our future. The wedding. You were with me the whole time."
A loving smile crosses his features as he hears her words, and as her hand cups his left cheek he leans in for a kiss. As they part, her fingers gently brush his jaw and she lets go, her hand coming to rest on his, his hand cupping and holding hers on his lap.
"Take me home?" She suggest then, and he stands up, hands still clasped together as they walk out the precinct. It's what she needs most right now. Home.
Him.
To be continued.
Reviews are greatly appreciated!