Chapter 3 – In This Boat Alone

Castle looked around the deck of the boat and scrubbed a few of the places that had caked up with saltwater in the last few weeks. He hadn't planned on the backtracking stopover but he hadn't expected his sudden change of plans until the last couple of days. He glanced down the pier and checked his watch. He'd leave in six hours with or without her.

"Richard, how's it going?" The man, Charlie, who owned the slip next to his leaned out of the porthole.

"It's going good. I got some of that beer you were asking about. Come on over in a few and have one with me." Castle smiled as he started to drain the live well to clean. Harry had someone deliver another week of supplies the night before and Castle figured he could go a few nights without having to fish.

As he checked the gauges and fluids in the engine, he waved Charlie over to his boat. "You having trouble?"

"Nah, just making sure I don't. I've got a decent handle on it now but I'm not good with surprises when I'm not the expert." Charlie nodded in agreement. The man was what Castle would describe as scruffy. He was a retired accountant that sold everything off in Boston and moved to St. Thomas, bought a boat, and sits in port most of the time. Castle had figured a way to weave him into his strange tale last night and had spent several hours writing, drunk. Boy, Charlie could drink.

Castle handed him a beer from the collection of his supplies and sat back in the seat across from Charlie. "So what has you docked? I thought you were going out today?"

Castle looked down the pier again before out to the water. "Later, wait until I lose the buzz I still have from last night. Your friends really can drink. Anyway, I'm waiting on someone."

Charlie watched as Castle looked out on the water. He sat silent tearing the label of the beer off the bottle and could see the strange glaze over on Castle's face. "You know there's a saying 'The cure for all that ails a man is saltwater-in the form of sweat, tears or the sea.' My man, you have been to sea, and I've seen you've sweat the last couple of days. Am I expecting tears now?"

Castle took another swig of his beer and glanced over at Charlie. "I've had my fair share of those too already."

Charlie stood up and clinked his beer to Castle's bottle before starting up the set of steps out of the boat. "Whatever you're waiting on, I hope it's worth it because you're losing a beautiful day." Charlie held up the beer before chugging the last portion and throwing the bottle in the garbage. Castle watched the man make his way off the pier and walk into town. Castle shook his head; the man was something like he had never met before.

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Kate stared out the window nervously, picking at her fingers and trying to not tap the seat in front of her. All she could see was water and dots of land for miles as the plane was dipping down into its descent. She bit her lip and closed her eyes as it started to land. She had always hated flying but alone was worse.

She thought back to the night before as Lanie appeared at her door after talking to Esposito. Lanie flew through Kate's closet grabbing every sundress, tube top, shorts, and bikinis that she could find and dumped them into the luggage that Beckett had only been able to pull from the closet. She had no idea what she was doing once the boys talked Montgomery into giving her at least two weeks off.

He had sent her home once Ryan had explained the whole story. Lanie had come up to the precinct and explained to Kate what was going to happen. "He asked you twice to the Hamptons, then you got the guts and he showed up with Gina after you let Demming go. So don't you dare try to outthink this. You're going." And that had been that.

She thanked the crew and retrieved her bags. As she glanced around at the public meeting area, her eyes fell. He wasn't even there. Starting to breathe heavier with nervousness, she felt out of place and lost. What was she doing she thought to herself. She gritted her teeth and then saw her name on a board. "I'm Kate Beckett."

The man just smiled and introduced himself as Harry. He stayed quiet most of the trip even when Kate asked him questions about where they were going. "You have good weather for your time here; the boat will probably be able to go out today just for a short trip."

Kate curled her face in confusion. The boat, she thought questioningly. She watched as the airport disappeared behind her and the roads became more cluttered with downtown shops and restaurants. Beckett sat silently as she watched the car never veer far from the crystal blue water. She could already feel her body relaxing even though she felt emotionally tense.

She saw the car slow. Harry opened her door and then pulled her things from the trunk. "You'll need to turn to the right when the pier splits off." Before Beckett could get another word in, Harry was back in the car and she stood in the middle of the parking lot.

"Here's goes nothing," she said to herself as she picked up her bags off the asphalt. She got to the split in the pier and turned toward the right. Glancing at the boats, she was in awe. They were yachts, some were yachts with sails. She looked up and then saw it. In leather slip-ons, cutoffs and an open button-down, he stood next to one of the smaller boats in the harbor.

She stood just feet away from him but couldn't seem to move the last few feet. Castle closed the space and took a bag from her hand before breaking into his signature grin. "Thanks for coming."

Beckett felt his other hand touch hers and slightly tug her in the direction of the boat. "Wait, this is where you've been?"

Castle looked back over his shoulder before dropping her bag in a chair and holding out his hand to help her down the stairs. "Not exactly. I've been around Tortola and out to some of the islands, but this was the closest big airport. We'll make our way tomorrow."

Beckett was amazed. "You've been boating alone all this time. Do you realize how unsafe that is?"

Castle shook his head and laughed at her. "Turn off cop mode for a couple of weeks. The guy, Harry, I have to file my plans with him each week. He knows exactly what coordinates I'm going to each day." Castle started down under the main part of the boat after removing his sunglasses. "Come on, I'll show you around."

Beckett was more and more impressed, and slowly relaxing into her surroundings. Silently she was convincing herself that she could do this for two weeks.

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Beckett had to admit to herself that Castle had really outdone himself. As she had freshened up, he whipped up a dinner unlike anything she had ever had. Fresh vegetables and some fish that was topped with a fruity glaze. Later she learned that even the fish was fresh, fresh from his line to the freezer. She shook her head in amazement that he had learned to adapt so well. She secretly was getting concerned that she would end up never wanting to leave.

"A drink?" Castle said as he snuck up behind her on the deck of the boat, handing her a plastic flute of something blue colored. "To relax you." He watched as she tried the colored concoction and nodded approvingly.

"Castle, this is all wonderful." She took his outstretched hand and lowered herself to the couch seat that took most of the top deck up. She leaned her head back into his shoulder and closed her eyes. "I'm glad I came."

Castle put his arm around her carefully and waited for her to pull away from him. She glanced up at him and still saw he had his sunglasses on. Castle loved the look from her, but hated having to know the next answer. "So, how did Demming take it you coming out here?"

Kate sat up and turned to him. Her expression tensed and Castle removed his arm from behind her. "He doesn't know." Kate saw Castle physically pull away before she placed a hand on his thigh and he froze in shock.

He was already shaking his head. "Kate…"

Beckett's face broke into a small smile followed by her biting her lip nervously. She turned more to face him, curling her legs up underneath her. "I didn't think he would care when I broke up with him the day you left for the Hamptons. That's what I really meant to tell you that day."

Castle cringed figuring out how stupid he had been for the last month, feeling as they had lost the last six weeks. As his mouth opened, Kate covered it with a finger and smiled. "It's in the past." She let her hand slide down his chest and watched Castle's eyes close as he let out a small moan. She scooted back into him and intertwined her fingers in his. "Open your eyes, the sunset's amazing."

"I've seen a few, but you're right. It's extraordinary," he paused and saw her turn to him with a glint of understanding. It was one of their words. He saw her eyes soften and he removed his sunglasses.

Beckett could feel her stomach clench as his hand cupped her face and she closed her eyes. She could feel her body move closer to him and wasn't quite sure who was giving in. As she felt his hand snake around her neck, she swallowed before feeling his breath against her lips. He closed the distance and brushed his lips across her mouth pressing for an opening.

Feeling the intensity increase, Kate opened to meet Castle with a sudden rush of heat emanating from his tongue. Her body felt as if it was on fire, her face flushed in his hand. She let out a soft moan as the kiss deepened and her body shifted on top of his, straddling him.

Her moans continued as Castle pressed harder into the kiss, balancing Kate over his legs, feeling her knees hug the sides of his hips. Pulling out of the kiss, Castle wrapped one hand behind her neck and another fell to the small of her back. He could feel her small pants. "You ok?" He whispered as she met his intense blue gaze.

With her breath calming, she noticed her hands in his hair but didn't remove them. She hadn't noticed when she ended up on his lap but loved feeling his arm hold in place there. She noticed warmth in places that had been cold for way too long. "Yeah."

Castle eyed her once more until Kate plunged her mouth to his while scraping her nails through his hair, now making him moan for her. She could feel him shifting under her, and she ached for something more to happen. She just wished her brain would turn off, that she could block out all the logical reasons that she shouldn't do this. She had no reason why not to.

Finally pushing out of the kiss, she stared at him, breathless. They were both gasping for air as if they had run a marathon. Kate ran her hand down his five o'clock shadow that he was sporting like when they first met but never left his eyes. She felt like she could see his soul. She was terrified if he could see hers.

"Kate," he choked out finally. They missed the sunset from the darkness that had fallen over the harbor since they first touched that night. She closed her eyes when he tucked her hair behind her ear and ran the back of his hand down her cheek. "It's late."

She could only nod. She felt pressure against her legs and stood up. She followed Castle silently down the steps and then into the main saloon before letting go of her hand. He closed the gap between them, brushed her hair out of the way, and kissed her once more, opening to feel the taste of rum on her before parting. "Goodnight," he whispered as he let go of her hand and headed into the main cabin.

Beckett watched as Castle was closing the door. "Rick."

She called his first name. Pulling the door open again slowly, he met her eyes and saw the tension building on her face. He could see her breathing still hitch and just then realized that the light in the main cabin showed how revealing her dress really was.

"I didn't come all the way across the country to play it safe, which I know you're trying to do for me. And I appreciate it, you being careful and all knowing my feelings, but…"

"Kate," was all he said as held out his hand.

Taking his hand, she closed the door behind them in the main cabin. She stood at the foot of the bed that took up almost the entire space of the room and shivered. She closed her eyes, feeling his hands run up her arms and into her hair. He pulled her to him and kissed her neck. "I want you to know before things get misconstrued that I'm in love with you."

Castle pulled back and held her face in his hands. Her eyes never left his. "I'm falling pretty fast; I just need to make sure you're there to catch me," Kate responded.

"Always," she heard as Castle nodded slowly as he backed her up to the bed and cut the lights. Only the moon and the other harbor lights lit up the cabin as Castle gently laid her down in the pillows.


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