Summary: All secrets eventually see the light of day. Spoilers for Rise.

Author's Note: I wasn't going to expand this. I really wasn't. But you guys are just so convincing. And since the first chapter was all about secrets being revealed, I figured this was an appropriate addition. Chapter 1 takes place in December-ish, making this chapter set at the end of season 4. I've never bothered to go into depth on cases before, so if any of this sounds completely stupid or unrealistic, that's why. I did enough research (thank goodness for Wikipedia) that I think everything makes sense, but if you guys see anything weird, please let me know! Oh, and if anything I've written is even remotely similar to the way this case actually plays out, I will be amazed!

I marked this as complete after the first chapter and I'm going to leave it that way. That being said, I've left this pretty open ended...I don't want to promise more chapters, but I may add to it if inspiration strikes. And now, enjoy!

Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own them.


Answers

May 18, 2012

They had done it. Six grueling months had passed since the nasty fight in Castle's loft, and tonight the team had finally taken down the man responsible for the murder of Johanna Beckett and her colleagues, the man who had nearly succeeded in killing her daughter as well.

It had been a stressful few months for the team at the Twelfth. They had spent weeks hiding the investigation from Gates until they acquired enough evidence to reopen the case. Needless to say, she had been furious when she discovered that they had been sneaking around behind her back, but as soon as she had seen the evidence they had compiled against the former New York City Police Commissioner, she had quickly switched sides.

Edwin Olvedo was an army veteran who joined the police force upon reaching the end of his military obligations. An expert in tactical weapons training, he also had a knack for thinking outside of the box, and as a result, he quickly rose up the ranks to Police Commissioner, head of the NYPD. He served as such for sixteen years, stepping down just after Joe Pulgatti was wrongfully convicted of Bob Armen's murder.

Among Olvedo's responsibilities was the fact that Internal Affairs officers reported directly to him, so when two of his detectives approached him one day bearing shocking evidence of three cops who had been 'kidnapping' mobsters, he took action.

However, it was not the type of action that the Internal Affairs detectives had been expecting. Instead of forcing the three rogue officers to undergo examinations, reviews, and disciplinary action, Olvedo demanded that they turn over the millions of dollars they had collected in ransom. In return for their silence on the matter—and, therefore, their lives—Olvedo promised that they would not be subjected to any punishments and would be allowed to keep their badges. To silence the Internal Affairs detectives who had uncovered the scandal, Olvedo promoted them each to higher-ranking positions, placing them in precincts in which they could keep an eye on the three dirty cops to ensure that they maintained their end of the bargain.

Meanwhile, Olvedo used his newly acquired fortune to ensure that his actions would never be revealed. He took advantage of his military, police, and professional connections to ensure that Pulgatti stayed behind bars, to make sure that no one started digging into the case, and to continue to intimidate the three guilty detectives—and the two who had uncovered the scandal—into silence. Only today, once Olvedo was behind bars, were the two now-retired detectives willing to talk.

By this point, Olvedo had retired from the force and was living the life of luxury, splitting his time between a luxurious Long Island getaway and an enormous house in the Hamptons. When he received news via one of his connections that Joe Pulgatti was seeking an appeal and that the lawyer fighting his case was getting too close to the truth, he employed an old military buddy of his to put a stop to it. That lawyer, of course, was Johanna Beckett.

Upon combing through all of this evidence, Captain Gates granted the team permission to continue with the investigation, but to do so without arousing any suspicion, as they did not yet have everything they needed to take Olvedo down. She even used a few of her own connections to acquire relevant information. Now that she knew the killer was one of their own, she was willing to do whatever it took to put him behind bars.

They had given her the evidence the previous Friday. For the next few days, Ryan, Esposito, and Castle worked tirelessly to unravel the rest of the conspiracy, and by Wednesday, they had finally gotten to the bottom of it.

True to his word, Castle immediately called Kate and instructed her to meet them at the loft, where they filled her in on everything. They briefed Gates the next day, and this afternoon, once she made the necessary calls to ensure that they had adequate backup, they set off to take down the 'dragon,' once and for all.

It had been a messy take-down; all four of them had narrowly dodged bullets and one officer was shot in the abdomen during the process. Despite their discretion, Olvedo had somehow found out that they were closing in and had procured his own miniature army to fight back, but with the help of a large number of officers and other high-ranking members of the department, they had taken Olvedo—and anyone thought to be associated with him—into custody.

As the day drew to a close, Castle, Beckett, Ryan, and Esposito all headed to the Old Haunt for a celebratory drink before heading home and succumbing to their exhaustion. Gates, who was also feeling the effects of Olvedo's actions and the hit to the public image of the Department, had surprised them all by giving them a three day weekend to recover, telling them that they had earned it, and offering something resembling a smile before shooing them out of her office.

Castle and Kate shared a cab to her apartment and when they arrived, Castle did not hesitate to pay the driver and follow her upstairs. The fact that she did not even bother to fight him on it was a testament to Kate's fatigue. She opened the door, dropped her purse, kicked off her shoes, and collapsed on the couch. It had been the most stressful day she had ever had on the force and now that she was home and the adrenaline and alcohol were wearing off, she was finding that she was completely drained, physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Castle headed to the kitchen and filled two glasses with water before joining her on the couch. Kate drank almost all of it before setting the glass aside; she had not even realized she was thirsty until just then. She could not remember the last time she had eaten either, but right now she was in no mood for food.

Kate relaxed against the arm of the couch, her body stretched out along the length of it, and was caught off-guard when Castle lifted her legs, sat down, and placed them across his lap. She opened her eyes, intending to glare at him in protest, but when he began gently massaging her feet, the words died on her lips.

"Just relax," Castle urged softly, sensing her hesitation. "You've earned it."

As his fingers worked, she felt the tension ebbing away. She opened her eyes and studied her partner, an adorable look of concentration on his face, and she felt her walls begin to fade away as well. Her eyes drifted shut again and she did not bother to fight it. Castle worked his way up, over her ankles and up her calves. When he reached her knees, he tugged gently, attempting to pull her closer. Kate's eyes snapped open before she had a chance to try to hide her tears, and naturally, Castle noticed right away.

"Kate?"

She shook her head. He tugged on her legs again, coaxing her to him, but when she refused to move, he simply scooted closer so that her thighs were now resting across his lap.

"Kate, what is it?"

He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer, and she bent her knees up as she burrowed into him.

Castle ran a hand soothingly up and down her back. "Just let it out, Kate."

If she had been holding back before, it was clear that she had now given up on her effort to appear unfazed. Kate buried her head in Castle's neck, her tears soaking his shirt and skin as the sobs wracked her body. It was heartbreaking for him to watch, but even more upsetting for Castle was the fact that this was one pain he knew he could never take away. It was a part of her, and although she finally had the closure she deserved, he knew that the pain of losing her mother would never, ever fade. So, he did the only thing he could do…he held her close, whispering quiet words of comfort and planting soft kisses in her hair.

At long last, the worst of her breakdown subsided and Kate lifted her head, embarrassed.

"Sorry," she muttered, her fingers tracing the wet splotch on his shirt.

"Don't apologize, Kate," Castle told her. "It's okay. That's what I'm here for."

Almost before she realized what she was doing, Kate leaned up and kissed his cheek. "Thanks, Castle. For...for being here."

He squeezed her tighter. "That's what partners are for."

She smiled, and though it was somewhat forced, Castle was glad to see that he had at least partially succeeded in cheering her up.

"Do you want to watch a silly movie or something?" he asked. "Take our minds off of it."

Kate shook her head. "I kind of just want to go to bed. I'm exhausted."

Castle ran his thumb gently across the skin beneath her eyes, wiping away a few lingering tears. "I can tell."

Kate snorted. "Wow, you sure know how to flatter a girl," she teased.

"No, I didn't...I meant...I just..."

As comical as it was to watch him stutter, Kate cut him off with a finger pressed against his lips. "I'm kidding, Castle."

She offered a smile as proof and before his brain caught up with him, Castle kissed her finger and smiled back. Kate's eyes grew large and Castle looked at her in surprise as they realized what he had just done.

"Sorry," he muttered as Kate pulled her finger away.

She leaned her head against him again to hide the blush she could feel rising up her neck. Since when did a kiss on her finger cause that kind of a reaction?

"It's okay," she murmured, her breath playing across the skin of his neck.

They were crossing lines right and left tonight, and although Johanna Beckett's case was now closed—Kate's criteria for being available for a true relationship—Castle knew that tonight was not the time to start something. They were drained, nightmares were bound to strike, and neither was emotionally sound enough to jump into anything. However, just as Castle was about to suggest that it might be best for him to head home, Kate threw a monkey wrench into his plan.

"Will you stay?" she asked, her voice so quiet he barely heard her.

Castle was taken by surprise at her request. "What?"

"Stay with me tonight."

He hesitated. "Kate, I..."

"Castle," she interrupted, lifting her head off of his shoulder to meet his eyes. "We're exhausted. We've had a hell of a week. And quite frankly, I don't think either of us should be alone right now."

Despite the warning lights flashing in his mind, he knew she had a point. Even if he did go home right now, there was no way he would sleep. And the thought of Kate here, alone with her nightmares, was not something he would wish upon anyone, especially the woman he loved.

"Okay." He glanced around in search of blankets. "I'll sleep on the couch."

Kate rolled her eyes. "No you won't."

Castle looked at her questioningly. "What?"

"Sleeping on the couch defeats the point."

"You...you want me to...to..." he stuttered.

She rolled her eyes again. It really was adorable when he was flustered, but right now she just wanted to go to bed, and that was not going to happen until he understood her intentions.

"Do I seriously have to spell this out for you?"

"Apparently."

Kate sighed. "Fine. Yes, Castle, I want you to sleep in my bed with me."

Despite the exhaustion, Castle could not pass up the opportunity. "I never thought I'd see the day that Katherine Beckett tried to get me into bed with her."

Kate sat up straighter and whacked him in the chest. "Sleep in my bed. Sleep."

Castle feigned disappointment. "You take all the fun out of it."

Kate swung her legs off of his lap and stood, offering her hands and pulling him up after her. She squeezed his hands briefly before releasing them and was taken by surprise when he wrapped her up in a giant bear hug.

"Castle," she squeaked, clutching his shoulders.

He set her back on her feet. "What?" he asked innocently.

They separated. "What was that for?"

He shrugged. "You looked like you needed it."

Kate did not respond, but the tender way she took his hand and led him to her room conveyed her graciousness. It was not something Kate admitted easily, but she needed Castle tonight, and he was being everything she could have asked for and more.

When they reached her room, Castle pulled off his socks and shed his button-up shirt as well while Kate headed into the bathroom to change. Castle unbuttoned his pants but hesitated, unsure if Kate would be okay with him sleeping in his boxers, before deciding that he would take the risk. There was nothing appealing about sleeping in jeans and he was sure that she did not have any pants large enough to fit him.

A couple minutes later, the bathroom door opened and a shorts and t-shirt clad Kate poked her head out. She was brushing her teeth and waggled a spare toothbrush in his direction.

"Thanks," he said as he joined her in the bathroom, not missing the way her eyes were raking up and down his body in the mirror. "Like what you see, Detective?" he teased.

Kate rolled her eyes and ducked her head down to the sink to spit out her toothpaste in an effort to hide her blush.

"Seriously, though, is it okay if I sleep in this?"

"Yeah."

Castle finished up and leaned against the doorframe, watching while Kate removed her makeup and washed her face. She was sharing a bathroom with Castle, and Kate felt a strange sense of domesticity to which she was not accustomed. Sure, men had been at her apartment before, and they had shared a bathroom, but there was something so familiar about being in this situation with Castle even though tonight was the first time it had happened. Kate tried to convince herself that it was just because she had known Castle for a while, staunchly ignoring the fact that it probably had more to do with her feelings for him and the fact that he was watching her wash her face with an honest interest rather than an expression that suggested he simply wanted her to be done so he could take her to bed. After all, with other guys, that was what this situation almost always led to.

When Kate finished, she headed back into the bedroom and Castle used the bathroom before joining her in bed. She was sprawled out on her stomach, her head half-buried in the pillows, but she turned her head to face him when she felt him crawl under the covers. The lamp on her bedside table was the only light in the room but it was enough for Castle to be able to see that she was still fighting back tears. He scooted a bit closer and propped himself up on his elbow, his other hand reaching out to cover hers.

"Kate, you don't have to hide from me," he said softly. "I know you're upset and angry and I'm not going to judge you for crying or for missing your mom."

A couple tears slid down her cheeks and she completely hid her face in the pillow.

"Kate," he tried again.

When her only response was a mumbled sentence, he gave up trying to keep his distance and repositioned himself so he was lying right next to her. Without allowing her a chance to protest, he slid one arm underneath her head and wrapped the other around her torso, pulling her to him and shifting so that her head was pillowed on his upper arm and shoulder. To his surprise, rather than attempting to escape, she draped one arm across his chest and intertwined their lower legs.

He could feel her tears soaking through the sleeve of his t-shirt and simply hugged her tighter in response, planting a gentle kiss in her hair and whispering a soft goodnight.

And despite everything they had been through in the last forty-eight hours, both detective and writer fell asleep with a smile on their face.


When Kate woke the following morning, the first thought that made its way through her head was that she had slept through the night with no nightmares, despite recent events. The second was that she was much warmer than she was accustomed to when waking up; it was as though she was wrapped in a heated blanket. The third thing she became aware of were fingers gently playing with her hair, and it was that sensation that brought back memories of the previous night. The Old Haunt. Cuddling with Castle. Falling asleep with Castle. Kate smiled to herself, savoring the feeling of waking up in his arms.

During the night, they had moved even closer to each other, and her head was now snuggled into his neck. She had one arm around his torso and both feet tangled with his. He had one arm wrapped securely around her and the other was buried in her hair, carefully teasing out the tangles and very gently massaging her scalp.

Now this is something I could get used to, Kate thought happily.

After a few more minutes cuddled in his embrace, Kate slowly lifted her head and was met with the gaze of her favorite pair of blue eyes.

"Morning," she murmured, shifting so that her head rested on his chest.

Castle kissed her hair. "Morning. Feeling better?"

Kate nodded, her cheek sliding against the fabric of his shirt. "So much. This was exactly what I needed."

"Well, I'm always happy to satisfy a woman in need," Castle teased.

"Castle!" she mock-scolded.

"What?" he asked innocently, and though she was not looking, Kate could picture the exact smile he had on his face.

"I was trying to be sentimental and you had to go and say that."

"Kate Beckett, sentimental?" he joked.

She whacked him on the chest, hard.

"Ow, apples, apples," he exclaimed. "I'm sorry. Really, you're very welcome, Kate. To be honest, I needed this too." He twisted her hair around his fingers. "And for the record, you're adorable when you sleep."

Kate snorted. "Right."

"I'm serious."

Kate lifted her head and fixed him with an altogether ineffective glare. "Were you watching me sleep?"

"Just for a few minutes," he replied as though it were no big deal.

"Uh huh."

"No really, I've only been awake for a few minutes and the first couple were spent removing your hair from my face."

"Yeah, sorry, I usually sleep with it braided." Kate automatically reached up to brush her hair back but Castle caught her hand and stopped her.

"No, leave it, it's fun to play with. And really soft."

Kate would have rolled her eyes at the cliched nature of his words had he not used that tone-the one that was so absolutely sincere, regardless of the cheesiness of the actual words. And, she admitted to herself, as she laid her head back on his chest, it was a pretty amazing feeling to wake up to.

"God, Rick, you're so incredibly sweet to me," she said in a low voice. "I don't even know how to thank you."

He shrugged. "You don't have to. I'd do anything for you and you know that."

Kate looked up and lifted a hand to tenderly cup his cheek. "Thank you."

Before he had a chance to respond, Kate feathered a kiss across his lips, so light that he was not entirely sure it had happened, until she repeated the gesture, slightly more confident the second time.

Castle returned the kiss but quickly pulled away, shaking his head. "Kate, not like this." She looked away, slightly ashamed of herself, but Castle mistook it for anger and gently tilted her chin back up to face him. "I just meant...not right now," he clarified.

She touched his cheek again, letting him know that she was not upset at him. "I know, I'm sorry. I just..." she trailed off.

"I want this," Castle clarified, "Us. Don't ever doubt that. But this isn't a good way to start."

Kate nodded in agreement. "I know. And I want that too, but..."

"But you need some time to deal with all of this, to adjust to your life without your mother's case hanging over your head," he profiled accurately.

"Right."

Castle wrapped his arms around her again and pulled her flush against him, resting his cheek against hers. "Take all the time you need. I'll be here whenever you're ready," he promised, knowing that this was not going to be something from which she recovered overnight.

Kate hugged him tightly. She knew that things were not going to go any further just yet, but she was not ready for him to leave. She was enjoying his company and knew that she would not have slept at all last night had he not been here. In fact, she was not sure how she was going to sleep without him any time soon.

"Castle?" she asked quietly after a few minutes.

He pulled back slightly. "Yeah?"

"Please don't judge me for saying this, but I'm not sure I'll be able to sleep alone for a while."

He tightened his grip even more. "Well, Detective, my bed and I are always available."

Her arms were still wrapped around him so she kicked him in the shin instead. "Castle!" Leave it to him to turn this into a joke too.

"I know, I know, you're being serious," he placated. "And my serious answer is that if you would like to stay at the loft so that you always know there are other people around, you are welcome to do so."

Kate could not help the smile that spread across her face at his invitation. "I just might take you up on that."

Castle unsuccessfully tried to hide his own smile. "In that case, I would be honored to offer my services." There was a pause before he added quickly, "Services being food and a place to sleep and such, not my personal services. Although I suppose I could be persuaded to offer those as well."

Kate kicked him again. "Always have to ruin the moment, don't you?"

Castle laughed. "You know you'd be disappointed if I didn't."

Now it was Kate's turn to laugh. "I guess you're right."

The pair stayed wrapped in each other's arms for a few more minutes until both of their stomachs made clear their desire for food. They shared a laugh and Castle placed a kiss on Kate's cheek as they untangled themselves and climbed out of bed.

While Kate showered, Castle dressed and headed to the kitchen, where he brewed coffee and dug through her refrigerator, managing to find enough eggs and cheese to scramble up some breakfast.

Over the meal, they stuck to light topics, shying away from anything that had anything to do with Kate's job. She had always assumed that once all of her questions were answered, she would feel relief; in reality, all she felt was everything she had ever known crumbling down around her. She was angry at Olvedo and anyone else who had ever worked for him. Despite the fact that she had told Montgomery that she forgave him, anger at him was surfacing as well. She was mad at Gates for holding back this investigation for as long as she had. And she was even a little bit mad at herself for how much she needed Castle right now. After all of the feelings she had experienced throughout the course of this case, Kate had no doubt that she would have spiraled down the rabbit hole long ago if not for him. She had always thought herself strong, but after crying herself to sleep last night, she was doubting even that.

"So what do you want to do today?" Castle asked, bringing her back to the present.

Her face fell and he immediately regretted asking. "I need to go visit my mom," Kate choked out, tears already filling her eyes again.

"Do you want me to be there with you?" he offered sweetly.

Kate shook her head. "I need to do this by myself." She reached across the table and placed her hand over his. "Someday, though, I want you to come with me."

Castle felt his own tears well up, completely touched to know just how much Kate trusted him; he doubted many people had ever received that offer from her.

He flipped his hand over and intertwined their fingers. "I would like that."

They held each other's gaze for a few moments, paragraphs of words being spoken with just their eyes. In that short time, everything they were not yet ready to say aloud was abundantly clear, filling them both with hope for promising times ahead.

Kate broke first, looking away, releasing his hand, and standing to gather the dishes. She dumped them in the sink to wash later and turned back to her partner who was helping straighten the kitchen, stalling, because he knew that it was time for him to go.

"Do you mind if I head over to your place around dinner?" she asked as they pushed in their chairs and stepped into the living room.

"Not at all. Any menu requests?"

"Are you cooking?" Kate asked. She was almost as big a fan of his cooking as she was of his books.

"For you, absolutely."

Kate grinned. "Then whatever you want to make sounds fantastic."

She approached him tentatively, but when he opened his arms for her, she did not hesitate to step into his embrace.

"Thank you, Rick," she said sincerely. "For everything. I don't know where I'd be without you right now."

"You're welcome." He stepped back and made his way towards the door, Kate trailing closely behind. He gathered his shoes, wallet, and keys

Kate leaned in to give him a last kiss on the cheek but before she could step back, his hand snaked around her waist, trapping her there.

"Anything, Kate," he whispered, his breath fanning across her ear and neck and making her shiver. "Anything you need, anytime. You know where to find me."

She was not sure if it was his touch, his proximity, or his words, but when he stepped back and opened the door, Kate found herself completely at a loss for words. So, she did the only thing she could...offered him a genuine smile and watched like a love-sick teenager as he left her apartment and walked down the hall.

Dinner time really was not that far away.


Thoughts?