NO GOING BACK
Love doesn't conquer. It's not some kind of a weapon that you wield.
Love simply opens you to feel more deeply than you could ever have imagined. It tears down your walls and floods your body with something like a drug. You lose all control, all wish for control. You lose yourself in someone else.
But for this pleasure there is a price. Because everything ends one day. And there is no going back.
PREFACE - UNTIL DEATH DO US PART
Kate stared up into Rick's piercing blue eyes and grinned from ear to ear. The chapel was stunning, the sun shone through the stained glass windows and they were here. They were finally here.
"I do," she heard him say, and that was it. They were married.
"Always," she whispered as he hooked a hand behind her and scooped her up for a passionate kiss. When they finally broke apart, after several throats were cleared in the audience, Kate knew there was no where else she would rather be. She had been completely discharged by her therapist – he had said she had one of the healthiest, strongest minds he'd ever encountered. Rick was so good for her...
"I love you," she said to him, loud and clear, those words it had taken her so long to muster up the courage to say the first time. They still held just as much meaning as they had done the first time.
"I love you too," he replied, taking her hand. They walked together back down the aisle, being congratulated over and over again.
"Made for each other," Kate overheard.
"About time!" Rick laughed at this one.
"Won't last the year."
"Espo!"Kate said. "Shush."
"Just kidding, boss."
They were all the way there now, about to take their first steps outside as a married couple.
"Mrs Katherine Castle," Kate murmured.
"Perfect," Rick said. She blushed. She hadn't realised he would hear. He touched her freshly coloured cheek and smiled at her. She smiled back, a glowing smile that was still miraculous to him, even though he got to see it every day now.
Rick looked out at the courtyard, the beautiful old fashioned buildings, the windows reflecting the light so it sparkled like stars. He couldn't believe he was here, breathing air, feeling the sun on his face, holding the hand of his wife, the woman he loved, the woman who loved him, and who would love him, always-
"KATE!"
He dived before he even knew what he was doing, tackling her to the ground in a move that was all to familiar. Except this time it succeeded.
The red contrasted so fantastically with the white of her dress, warm, flowing freely, rippling like a river over the silk. Kate stared at it for a moment, not knowing what had happened. And then she realised that the dead weight on top of her wasn't moving. Wasn't moving at all.
"CASTLE!" she was screaming, crying, people were gathering round and running and calling ambulances and the police and trying to help but there was so much blood, too much blood, and he was lying on his back now and she was above him and he tried to speak.
"I love you," she said and forced her mouth to his. She could taste his blood. There was blood in his mouth but she still kissed him, breathing into him. He was still warm, he was still alive and he loved her and he would stay with her, he would stay with her because he had promised...
She pumped his chest for far too long. They had to drag her away from his limp, lifeless body. Sweaty, dirty, covered in blood and tears and screaming, screaming like a little girl because he had her heart, it was iniside him and he couldn't be, he couldn't because he loved her and he had married her and he loved her and she loved him and they were going to be together forever, for always, have children, have a house, get old together, do everything and this couldn't be it. It was OVER. It was supposed to be over.
He had saved her. He had pushed her out of the way. Because she was the one who should have died.
Because this was her fault.
