She can hear it in Espo's voice, he's not at ease. They're all so eager to get a lead on anything at this point. She needs answers and she needs them now. They're running out of time.
'Look we don't have time to wait for a return phone call so-'
The floor beneath her trembles and she recognized the sound of an explosion somewhere in the distance. Of course, she knows exactly what bomb just went off and her periphery vision goes black for a whole two seconds. She blindly opens the door and takes in her surroundings. Smoke. People; people running in every direction. Realization dawns on her and suddenly she's moving on instinct. There's no turning back now; she's going in. No matter what that entails for her safety or wellbeing. She doesn't give it a second thought at this point.
He's alive. It's like a mantra; she keeps repeating it to herself as she runs towards the banks' double doors. Her legs feel like jelly and she curses under her breath. So much for her daily run every morning.
She pushes through the crowd not thinking twice about it when she almost knocks another officer off his feet. He gives her a sideways look but he knows that at this point, there's no stopping this women. She isn't aware of any sounds as she moves forward. There is a slight buzzing in her ears, an after effect of the explosion.
The doors seem so far away. She can see them, but even as her feet hit the ground at an even rhythm, she never seems to get any closer. She thinks she hears a women screaming from behind her. Thank goodness Alexis is safe. Oh God, Alexis. She had truly believed that she'd be capable of getting to her father and grandmother out, when she'd promised so to the teen. At the time, it was easy to sound so optimistic. What had she done? Promising to get them out like that? What if it's too late? It is too late.
No.
No time for silly thoughts like that. He is alive. Her feet increase their pace.
Someone hands her a flash light. She reaches for the gun in her holster with her right hand. She clicks the flash light to life and places it under her gun using her left. Someone is holding the door open. It's there. He's so close yet so far. How did she let him get this far? They haven't started yet. Haven't started anything. They had all the time in the world. They were meant to be together. Life, wasn't supposed to get in the way like that. It wasn't even because of her job. He was just in the wrong place and that wrong God damn time. This wasn't how it was supposed to play out. Perfect timing. That's what she had been waiting for. She feels a prickle in her nose, and she realizes that she's holding back tears. Kate Beckett doesn't cry; she hides. No time to hide now though. What was she still doing standing there? Her body is pushed forward and she passes the man holding the door.
No one says a word. There is a faint sound of a walkie talkie right beside her. She ignores it, it's useless at this point. She just needs to see him. Because he's alive. He wouldn't let her go like that. He wouldn't leave her.
He waited. Four years.
He promised her always.
He wouldn't leave her, not without a fight.
Suddenly her voice surges out into the room, 'Castle.' It's strangled and breathless. She calls out to him. Nothing, there is no response.
'Castle?' This time it's more like a question.
No, it's not supposed to be a question. He's alive. That's a fact. She believes. There is no time to be questioning anything.
'Castle!' It's impatient now. This is not the time for him to stay silent! She needs for him to answer. Just as she feels like her legs are about to give out, she hears it. His voice.
'Beckett?' It's tentative, and sweet and him. Him. He's alive. He really is. She doesn't quite believe it. She jogs, almost trips over her own feet, towards the sound of his voice. And then she sees them. They're in a cellar. He's there too. They make eye contact and she almost loses herself in the pools of his deep blue eyes. She would recognize those eyes anywhere.
He smiles then. It's a shy smile but it's perfect. It's reassuring. His hands are tied together but he manages to give her a slight wave. Her heart flutters. She knew it. He's okay. They're okay. Or at least they will be.
She allows herself to stare for half a second and she hears herself say 'They're here'. Then she's moving again. Towards him; she only sees him. He's laughing now, not at her but at the absurdity of the situation.
'I told you, huh?' He says it in his usual joking tone. It soothes her. 'Oh my God!' she sighs in relief as she collapses to her knees in front of him and he laughs. She smiles then. For the first time since they talked on the phone she smiles. She realizes in that moment how happy he makes her. She stares at him, relishing the fact that she can see him again, that he isn't a pigment of her imagination or a mirage. He's here and he's alive. Her smile widens. Her body gravitates towards him, she needs the proximity. She grabs hold of his hands, those big yet soft hands of his, but never leaves his gaze. She reaches for her pocket knife and puts the blade on the plastic holding his wrists together. 'Here I go, ready?' she asks him. She doesn't want to injure him. He nods, probably looking forward to having full mobility of his hands again.
She breaks eye contact to watch what she's doing. She hears the plastic snap and just like that, he's free. 'Okay,' she mumbles.
She looks into his eyes again. Suddenly, it's not enough anymore. She needs to touch him. She grabs hold of his lapel and slides her hand across his collar bone. It dawns on her that he might be hurt. 'How are you?' she asks a little breathlessly, their closeness catching up with her beating heart. It leaps in her chest. He doesn't answer but he smiles. Her smile widens in return, if that's even possible.
As she looks into his eyes, she realizes how close she was to losing him. How close there was to never being a 'them'. There still isn't a 'them' now. She needs to fix that. Immediately.
She pulls on his lapel with both hands and brings them closer together. Their lips are separated by mere inches now. She can feel his hot breath against her cheeks and it sends a shiver down her spine. His eyes are wide; he was obviously not expecting this. But he isn't backing away. She takes that as a sign that they still stand where they were only hours ago. She locks her gaze with his for a second, shuts her eyes and them closes the distance between them.
She feels an electric current run through her. She applies the barest pressure against his mouth. His lips are soft and parted and at first they don't react. He doesn't seem to think this is really happening. That touch is all it takes for the embers in the pit of her stomach to ignite. She applies more pressure now. Her lips making full contact with his. This time he does move. She feels his hands surround her neck from behind and intertwine with her hair. Her hand do the same on the back of his head and a small moan escape her lips as he takes control of their moving mouths. His tongue traces her bottom lip, seeking entrance, and she's about to grant it, but she hears someone clearing there throat. It seems a million miles away but it gets her attention.
She reluctantly lets their lips part and sees his mother. 'He's not the only one here you know.' She remembers where they are and her face turns crimson. She can feel her face flaming under his mother's gaze. 'I'm so sorry Martha,' she says as she moves away from him and helps the older women out of the restraints on her wrists.
When they are back on their feet she glances at him and her mouth curves at the corner when she sees the grin he's wearing. He takes hold of her hand and seems surprised when she doesn't pull away. She craves his touch. She'll take anything he has to give in order to hold it together and not jump him in the middle of the still flaming bank. They make their way to the exit and she contemplates what comes next. It almost makes her blush a darker shade than when she spontaneously started making out with him in front of his mother.
