Note: I don´t own Castle / The story is set a year after the actual Castle´s season.
No damage to third parties
By Elishak
It was the day before to New Year, and Kate Beckett was dragging an overweight trolley through the parking lot of the shopping mall, looking for her car, when someone shouted her name.
Beckett... Kate!
She knew who he was even without turn around to look at him. It was Castle, and the only fact of hear his voice made goose bumps on her belly.
She tried to evade him, but he made the way to her. He had a trolley too, but empty. When he was almost there, she finally turned around.
Kate!
Castle.
I am so glad to see you… It has been a while... Almost a year…
Yes, it was.
I really have missed you, Kate.
It was hard to her hear that. She really has missed him too, but she wasn´t going to admit it aloud.
How are you, Castle? Are Alexis and Martha alright?
Yeah. They are great… How are you?
I am fine, thanks.
How is the precinct? Ryan, Esposito, Lanie, the Captain…
Oh, they are very good. Lanie and Esposito are dating you know.
Really? That is amazing! I wish could see them together. Send to all of them my best regards.
I´ll do it. Thanks!
The entire situation was odd, with a lot of awkward silences, but neither of them both wanted to say good bye. She continued walking to find her car, and he walked with her.
So… you were doing some shopping, weren´t you? For New year´s party I guess.
Yes, I was. I am spending New Year with Josh´s family and… well, he has a big family, with a lot of nieces and nephews, so… I bought some presents…
Oh! That is nice of you…. He is really a lucky man.
And what about you, Castle? Shopping for New Year too?
Yeah… but I am only buying a present to Alexis. Mother is abroad with some friends.
Did Gina not will spend New Year with you two?
No, we aren´t together since… well, since almost a year ago.
I am so sorry, Castle.
It is okay. It was the best I could do. I couldn´t lie to my heart.
She found her car and started putting all the things in the trunk. He helped her.
Kate… I know you don´t want it, but we need to talk about us… please…
No, please, Castle… We already talked about it, and there isn´t an us to talk about.
You talked about it, but I couldn´t say anything. You didn´t let me. You just shouted at me and told me to go away and never come back near you. And it was so unfair, Kate, because I loved you… I love you.
I don´t want to hear you, It is too late to talk about it, Castle.
She went into her car. He went to her window.
Too late, Kate? You are the one who allowed me to kissing you, you are the one who allowed me to making you love that time, twice, and then you didn´t let me to talk to you at that moment, and now you are telling me that is too late. Come on!
You can´t burst into my life like this, Castle. So please, go away.
She switched on the car. He started knocking the window. She started to go in reverse.
No, no… Kate… Give me the chance to talk to you, please. It´s really important. I have been troubled the entire year, ask Alexis… I missed you a lot…
He was almost crying. He looked so sad, that she finally stopped the car and went out of it.
Only one coffee, okay?
Perfect! Thanks.
They went inside the shopping mall and took a sit in a café shop.
Kate, listen to me, please… I know you felt the same as me when we kissed, and then when we made love…
Castle…
…Just listen, please. I know that you were with Josh, and I were with Gina at that time, so we were playing to be happy with them… we were like blind to not to wait for dreams… or for fear to being alone. But when we were together that night all change for me, atthatmomentI knewI had reallyfoundwhat I always dreamed, and it was you. Still it is you.
Castle you can´t know how is my relationship with Josh… you can´t know what I feel or not… that night was… I was really shocking because all what happened in that case and couldn´t think clearly and you were so sweet with me…
…no, no, don´t tell me it was all for the situation, Kate… Don´t tell me I was only a nice company so you could make face to your sorrow, to your pain. All this past year… all I did was dream about you and miss you without have you, all I did was invent you so I didn´t missed you so much… I stopped through the streets like a madman to find you, without finding you nowhere… Don´t tell me I get confused friendship with love… I felt love between us when I was with you…
Castle, could you please calm down?
I am sorry… but I feel so… I do not mean to bother you, Kate. I do not want you to hate me. Even I try to forget you, like if you never have existed; like if it was all a dream or a nightmare. But I could not make it. Ijustwanted tokiss you,tooverlapwith you somewhere,tobenear youandtie youinahug,look into your eyes…
Kate started crying just like him.
Castle, I hate I made you feel that way. I was really cowardly at that time… I could barely with myself and all the staff about my mom´s case, so I couldn´t really make face to what happened between us… and tried to convince myself that I really loved Josh… and then when I realized that… well, It was too late… I didn´t want to make damage to third parties.
Wait, but you are with Josh now, so…
I lied to you. I am not with him since almost ten months…
But the gifts…
…the presents are for the people in the precinct and for my dad. The captain organized a party so…
Kate, please don´t do it now the same as that time… You are single, I am single… Tomorrow is New Year… Give us a chance, please… I can´t live anymore without you to my side… I love you… I haven´t been with another woman since that night, not even Gina, nobody… Iwantedthatyou're thelastwomanthat mybodyfelt,and my lips kissed.
Come with me to the party tonight! Bring Alexis.
Really?
Yeah… Maybe you are right, tomorrow is New Year and we should do new memories…
So, are you giving us a chance, Kate?
I think I am.
Castle smiled for almost the first time in a year. And Kate smiled too.
I am not going to kiss you now, but I am doing it at the party, so make yourself the idea, Kate.
Okay.
Great!
He paid for the cafes and then walked with her till her car.
Well, I see you tonight I guess.
I will pick you up at your apartment at eight, is okay?
It is fantastic!
I see you later, Kate.
I see you, Castle.
He gave her a sweet kiss on the cheek and went away to find a nice present to her, Alexis and to the people in the precinct.
She smiled and then went away to choose what to wear at night.