You Said Always…
Kate kicked at the pavement and refused to talk to anyone. She didn't care that her dress was probably getting torn or that it was her mom's. She ignored the firefighters and looked at the hunk of burnt metal. She didn't care. That was all. Her forever was ripped away from her. She really thought that they'd make it. He told her they would. To never give up. So she vowed to do just that. She thought of all the ways this wasn't real.
She wasn't in denial, at first she sobbed for the loss of him. But after further review, this wasn't an accident, well it was, but a very well staged one. The tire tracks weren't supposed to be so on course, if he was about to crash, he would have turned the steering wheel and there would have been circular marks. But there wasn't.
She thought of one person who still had a way to seek revenge. Jerry Tyson. He wasn't dead, both Rick and her were sure of it. It hadn't slipped from her mind ever since that song, sent chills down her spine. He took her Happily Ever After, away, for now. She would get Rick back. Maybe not now but soon. In the mean time, she had to act like she believed that this was really real. Good thing she was a hell of an actress.
I mean after all, she had him fooled that she didn't love him for how long? She looked around and made sure she was safe to crack that wise ass grin that he loved so much. And then she let them have it. This was sure to be her biggest acting job she ever took on. But she could do it, after all Jerry could be watching. And she had to keep Castle safe at any cost.
Rick opened his eyes to blackness. He had a hard time breathing and felt cotton sticking to his mouth. He had no idea where he was or why he was there. All he could think about was Kate. But he couldn't say anything. Every time he tried to speak a word, his words got stuck in his throat. He panicked and kicked around but to no avail. He was stuck somewhere, without an inch of moving space. He heard faint music in the background. He tried to pick up the words, but it was too quiet for him.
His foot moved ever so slightly and his heart cracked. Kate was waiting for him, wondering what happened. He didn't even know how long he had been gone. Was it minutes? Hours? Days? Couldn't be longer. The last thing he said was that he loved her. He let her down. What if she thinks he ran off without her? No, she isn't stupid. She should know by now that something is up. But what if she doesn't? Who is behind all this?
One name came to mind. Who else would seek revenge on both Castle and Beckett? Tyson. But everyone thought he was dead and that his girlfriend was doing his work now. But they knew the truth. It was all an act. It was his M.O. Stage an accident, let everyone think that he's dead? Check. Shit. Castle finally realized that this plan might actually work, Everyone probably already thinks he is dead. Kate! This time, his words didn't fail him.
"KATE!" He kicked once more but soon his world slipped away from him again.
"KATHERINE?! What is going on?" Martha came running, her shoes clicking along the pavement. Once she reached Kate, on the side of the road, tears streaming down her face, she knew. "Oh no! Richard?!" She yelled at the burnt car as if he would magically appear like in that magic trick she had been teaching him. He still couldn't get down the reappearing part.
"Kate?" Alexis came running after Martha, her shoes absent. Her bare feet pounded along the hot pavement as she collapsed right next to Kate. "What happened? Where is dad?" She looked up to see both tears in Martha's and Kate's eyes. "No! That isn't possible." But she didn't need to see the wreck, she had confirmation in their eyes. And with that, she collapsed in Beckett's lap.
Kate rubbed Alexis's head as she fell apart before her eyes. And that's when it hit her. If she was to get anyone to believe her, it would be Alexis. She sure believed her dad's wild theories, why not Kate's? Now was too soon, she still needed time to grieve but not Kate. Kate was ready to take action. But how? How could she convince that the evidence before their eyes isn't real? One way, by telling the truth. And if that meant bringing Alexis, her only hope into the loop, then so be it.
Castle could forgive her later, he would understand. Hell he would do the same if it was Kate. She wanted to tell her friends, get their help but they would just say it's the grief talking and would think she is insane. Martha, wouldn't be able to handle it. Jim? Jim would tell her that it never gets easier. And Gates? Gates, yeah right. Pipe dream right there. No the only hope was coming apart in her lap.
Alexis was being pulled away from Kate by Ryan and Espo but Kate didn't want that. She didn't want to talk to anyone, she wanted to let Alexis come apart in her arms. She pulled Alexis to her chest and let her tears run down Kate's dress. She grabbed at Alexis's back and began to cry as well. This was the time, to grieve for what isn't there. Grieve for the fact that she was just now beginning again with him, that nothing was truly over. Not until she got her Always.
"Alexis, honey, come on." Jim was right there, with his hand out. Kate took one look into her father's eyes and suddenly couldn't face everyone's grieving faces filled with sympathy. She wanted to, no needed to run. This wasn't the time to crumble in defeat but yet, that car seemed so real.
Once Alexis was safe in Ryan's arms, Jim turned around and laid out his hand for Kate. Kate took one look at it and thought of her mom. Her mom had one mantra in life, "Vincent Omni Veritas". Kate would have the truth of all this, her missing husband-to-be, conquer all in the end. But right now, she was allowed to fall apart. She was expected to.
She allowed her dad to pull her up but once her feet were on the ground, she kicked off her heels and ran. She ran past the parked cars, the police, fire department, and the ambulance. She ran down the long, and hot pavement. She ignored the car that was waiting for her, she ran. She didn't know how long she would get but that didn't matter.
He promised her and she wasn't going to stop until she had her Always. In due time, she would be able to look him in the eye and say "I do."
Rick moved his jaw and felt a ping of pain creep underneath his skin. His mouth was filled with blood and he still couldn't see anything. He heard the same song, faintly. He moved his head to the side and suddenly, he knew what he was hearing. Just the melody, brought him back to his loft, seeing Kate with tears in her eyes.
"We'll meet again, don't know where, don't know when, but I know we'll meet again some sunny day. Keep smiling through, just like you always do…" Those words, that song, he could never have unheard those words. Nor can he not replay the reason that song got her.
"Castle, that song." He watched her try to find the words. It was chilling but it obviously hit her in some way. He stopped it and watched her run to him. "That song, that was my mom and dad's song. Well, not their "song" but they played that every night after she came home from work. They would dance and drink wine and think that I was safely tucked in bed. But how did he know that?" Her words stopped and the tears came rushing out.
He held her in his arms and tried to calm her down. But the back rubbing wasn't working. She was shaking. "Kate, he's gone. It's that doctor now."
"No it's not. You know just as well as I do now, that," She pulled back from him to look him in the eyes, "that Jerry Tyson is back. And he wants blood."
Now hearing that song playing, he couldn't do a damn thing but come to the realization that he was back. Jerry Tyson was back. And he did want blood. Castle's blood.