Love's Journey 4
by Castlefan6
Authors Note This is the continuation of Love's Journey, Parts 1,2,3, IF you haven't read the original Love's Journey, and Love's Journey 2 and 3 please do so before proceeding with this, This is my AU interpretation of events from Season 2, all started during the Demming story arc.
I don't own Castle, I use the characters for amusement purposes only
Chapter 1
Previously
FLASHBACK
The Hampton Beach Home
10 weeks Past Death of Jess
As they pulled up to the gate, Kate moved from holding Rick's hand, to cup his face towards her and gently kisses him, "We'll get through this Babe, together, Always, OK?
Rick answered with his own sweet kiss then Kate heard the word, "Always"
Rick had called and had the home opened, aired, pool serviced, and laundry all put out fresh. As they walked to the front door, hand in hand, each were lost in their own thoughts. Both remembering the last visit with Jess, deciding on visiting their spot before entering the house. They moved slowly to the boat launch, where Rick noticed carving into the wood, funny he didn't remember it being there before, and he was fairly certain Jess couldn't have done it.
Kate notices it, and then says, "She did it, she actually pulled it off"
Pulled what off Kate, Rick asks, then he sees the words carved into the wood, "I love you both, Always, Jess"
"She told me the next time I came to see a sunset here I would find a message to us from her, I should have known to never doubt her, no matter how poorly she felt"
As they enter the main house both know something is different, but just can't describe it, that is until they enter the Master Bedroom, there taped to the headboard was another note that was addressed to Rick and Kate.
Dear Kate,
The bedding is new along with the furniture, I replaced every single memory in this room with a blank canvass, now Sis, what are you waiting for, make YOUR memories and don't waste a minute, time is fleeting
Love,
Jess
PS If Rick is too shy to rip your clothes off, then you start it, Girl Please you promised Love you Both.
Rick smiles with tears in his eyes, then he sees Kate, looking at him like she has never looked before. As he moved closer to her, he knew then that the wait was over, and it was time to follow Jess's request. He made sure that Kate knew, felt and believed she was his one and only and that he had found his life partner.
She hadn't ever been made love to the way that Rick did, he almost worshiped her body, so slow, so patient, and God did he know the spots to hit. She almost lost conscious with the last orgasm, but as she lay in Rick's arms, she felt all was right with the world, they now had an Angel watching over them and no matter what happened they would be together, Always.
As they lay together enjoying the feel of bodes together, in a far different setting than the last time they had intercourse, that was sex, today was making love, and Kate vowed to never let this man get away again.
Rick was the first to notice it, it was the three shells he had quickly gathered the night they took Jess home for good. They had been framed and something else**
"Kate, did you see our shells we took home from our last trip.?"
"Babe, I'm not sure what happened to them, with all of the health issues, I'm sorry.
"No, look at the wall, in the picture, I can't make it all out but those are our shells" He slides out of bed and brings the picture back to Kate.
They both smile, then kiss passionately, finally Rick has the courage, "Kate, this isn't fancy and I can't get down on one knee but" as he reaches into the night stand he pulls out a beautiful 3 carrot Marquee Diamond ring, "I know in my heart, I never want to be with anyone else, and I couldn't bare to go through life without you, Will you marry me?"
"Yes, Yes Babe you know I will" Kate says through a new wave of tears.
As they lay together, they both look at the painting closer, One shell had Rick in a tuxedo, embossed on the body of the shell, the shell next to it was a picture of Kate in a wedding gown, beautifully embossed, and above then was a smaller picture of Jess smiling down and the artist had pained her with Angel wings and a fading sunset to her right.
"I don't know how she could have pulled this off, but she was adamant about the two of us getting married and soon" Rick smiles as he caresses Kate's back
"How soon do you want to get married Rick?" Kate asks shyly
"Tomorrow would not be soon enough, but I know you want to plan out your big day"
"Don't be so sure of that Babe, I would be happy if we went to the Justice of the Peace and I made you mine forever"
"Are you sure? I mean don't girls plan their wedding day from when they are old enough to read Brides Magazines."
"To be honest, I was never that big on the big wedding, we could have a reception in a few weeks for just close friends and family and I will wear my wedding dress then, OK?"
"So, you are serious, you want to go to City Hall and get married?"
"Yes Babe, you asked, and this is what I want. We can keep it low key for a few weeks when we get home to be sure we tell Lexi and all our family, and avoid the press if we can, if not let them eat their hearts out, you are mine" she smiles
They look at the painting, then Kate looks to heaven and says "I'm trusting you Jess, watch over us, and know we love you and always will.
Rick smiles, and adds his "Angel, well you are one for real now, protect those we love, like you did when you were here"
Hampton City Hall
4:00 PM Same Day
Rick had made some calls and pulled some strings, and by 4:20 Katherine Beckett, was now Katherine Beckett Castle. As they were driving back to the beach house, both were playing with the new rings Rick had purchased from the local jeweler, when a brief shower passed over them, lasting less than 10 minutes, soft gentle rain. As they pulled through the gate of the house they both spotted it at the same time, the sun bursting out and a double rainbow stretching across the entire sky.
This was the first of many days to come where Mr. and Mrs. Castle just stole away for some quiet time, each time they felt a very comforting presence with them, both never forgetting just how fortunate they were to learn the "Guide to Forgiveness" taught by a very special woman whose life had directed them both when they were lost, back to the highway that would define their Love's Journey.
ONE YEAR LATER
Rick, Kate and Alexis had just returned from the Memorial Service for Jess, hard to believe that he had been one year and 3 months since Jess had been called to a higher place.
Kate found herself thinking of her often, as she looked at Rick, and Alexis who was now officially her daughter, having adopted her through Rick's lawyers shortly after their wedding at The Hampton's City Hall, last year.
"Mom, do you think Jess knew we had the service today to remember her?"
"Of course, Lexi, Jess was our Angel on earth and now she lives in heaven, BUT she's still with us all, still loving us all just like she did when she was here."
"I miss her Mom, I mean I'm glad I have you for my Mom, but I miss her, so much especially on days like today when we remember the day, we had to say goodbye."
"Oh, baby I miss her too, she was my best friend, she's why your Dad and I finally got it right, and got back together again, she loved us all Sweetie so much.
I don't look at it as the day we had to say goodbye but rather the day Jess said goodbye to pain, and worry, and now has all the time to look after us all. Does that make sense Sweetie?"
"It does Mom, did I ever tell you that Jess wrote me a letter, I mean it was pretty personal and I cried every time I read it for almost the entire year, but now, I think she wanted me to be happy, not sad."
"No Lexi, I never knew Jess wrote you a letter, but it's not surprising, she wrote one to your Dad and also to me as well, and we cried a lot too, so that's OK."
"I know Mom, I heard Dad say one night that he was so grateful to Jess for writing those letters even if they made you both cry, you had her wishes forever in black and white."
"Well Jess loved us all Lexi, more than we could even understand then, but now, looking back, look at all the good she has accomplished. I mean your Dad is happier now writing books for Lost Innocence than any Heat or Storm book ever made him."
"Yeah, and you don't have to worry about Gina making a play for him either Mom, he's always loved you, even when you didn't think you loved him. Kelly is such nice man, and Dad doesn't have to go away like he did then, that makes us both happy, right Mom?"
Kate smiles and pulls Lexi in for a hug, "Hey how did you get so smart so fast? You're growing up way to fast, and yes Baby, It makes me happy."
"Mom, can I tell you something and not hurt your feelings?"
"Sure Lexi, you can always tell me anything Honey, you're going to be 16 soon and I expect you to have a lot of things you'll want to talk about. I'm here, I'll always be here for anything that you want to talk about, OK?"
"I wanted you to quit the Police Force since I met you, even before you and Dad got together because I was always afraid," as tears come to Alexis eyes, "I was afraid something bad would happen to you,"
"Oh baby, I'm sorry, I never knew, I'm glad I quit to stay home with your Dad and you, especially now that your Grams is not doing so good,"
"Grams is not as strong as she wants everyone to know, I worry about her and Grandpa Jim both, is it me or are they moving a lot slower than they did just a few months ago?"
"You know for a young lady, you are pretty smart and have some great observation skills, you're right Grandpa Jim is not doing well either so we have to be strong, and just do things without them asking, then let them complain," she smiles at Alexis.
Alexis gives her Mom a hug, and says "Thanks Mom, you've always been here for me, I love you."
Rick observes as he walks out of his office where he had heard the conversation, "Wow Mom, what brought that on? Rick asks
"She's missing Jess then she started thinking that Grandpa Jim and her Grams aren't doing as well, so I think she's worried, that something's going to happen to one or the other."
"She's too young for that I me*"
"Babe, she's almost 16, she's growing up, and no matter how bad we both want to keep her Daddy's little girl, we can't, we have to prepare her for the world, and all of the good and ugly parts of it."
"I know but I mean, it, damn it why does she have to grow up"
"Because she's a teenager, and you're lucky she loves you as much as she does, she turns down a lot of dates to keep your Movie Nights with the family, we are both blessed to have such a sweet daughter."
Kate's phone chirps a new text has arrived, as Rick frowns and goes back to his office trying to find a way to keep his little girl frozen in time. Kate gathers her phone and opens the text from Lanie,
"Kate, I ran your bloodwork as you asked on the DL, you don't have anemia, or the flu, what you have is Pregnancy! Congratulations, I take it this is a surprise, to both you and Rick, call me when you can, so thrilled for you, and of course this is confidential till you announce it."
Kate's mind is a blur, yeah the sex had been wonderful, who's she kidding mind blowing would better describe both the frequency and duration of her husband, God she has never been loved like that, but she had been on birth control, how did this happen?
Oh shit, she was on antibiotics 6 weeks ago with the sinus infection, and that was the week they had set their all-time record for love making. God, what would he think? Would he be upset? Alexis had said she would be OK with a brother or sister; would she still feel the same?"
She looks to the heavens and wonders if this is more of Jess's work, the anniversary of the actual day of her death had found Rick and her huddled together all day long, just professing sweet love to each other, and that would have been just about the height of her fertile period. She has to tell Rick, then they decide what to do together, that's how all their decisions since they were married had been made, together.
Kate walks slowly over to Rick's office door, and sees him engrossed typing away, zoned out with a scene from the next Innocence series, Innocence Found, about the redeeming qualities of some of the kids on the streets, finally he looked up and saw a very pale and shaking Kate Castle, and rushed from behind his desk.
"Babe, what's the matter, are you OK", as he leads her to the sofa in his office and sits her gently down.
"Rick, I'm pregnant" she half cries, half whispers,
"How, I mean I know how, Babe how did you find out?"
"I didn't want you to worry but I thought I had a touch of the flu and I had Lannie do a blood test, she drew blood in the lady's room today at Jess's memorial service."
"Kate, why didn't you tell me sweetheart, I mean I would have taken you to the doctor, knowing Lanie and how thorough she is, I know she wouldn't tell you till she was sure"
"Rick, are you upset? I mean we haven't talked about more kids since we first got back together. Do you still feel the same way, Babe please say something" Kate is crying loudly now?
"Kate, I am (long long long pause,) OVER THE MOON, Hey Alexis please come here, Mom and I want to tell you something please" he yells,
Alexis is down the stairs in a flash, taking the stairs three at a time,
"What is it, Mom, Dad, Everything OK?"
Rick looks at Kate and nods for her to tell her,
"Well Lexi, you're going to be a big Sister"
The screams could have pierced the walls two floors down as Alexis started holding Kate, "Mom I'll be here for you, I'll do everything, want me to bring you something to drink," as the questions come flying out of her mouth,
"Lexi, are you OK with this honey?"
"Mom, I am more than happy, I've prayed for a brother or sister for years, and now I'm getting one"
As Rick, Kate and Alexis huddle together, all basking in the glow of the moment, the lights flashed throughout the loft just for a moment, and all three respond in unison,
"It's Jess, she's with us still"