Chapter 4 Looking Back; Moving Forward

Three days later, Kate kicked off her heels as she entered the loft, and moved directly to the soft sofa in the living room. Castle went first to the kitchen, uncorked a good bottle of red wine and poured two generous glasses before he followed Kate into the living room.

They both smiled big open smiles at each other, eyes softly shining with more happiness and calm and loving feelings than they'd allowed themselves to feel since Castle's false arrest.

"Kate," Castle began, feeling the need to speak with words about something so important. "It felt really good these past few days, to know how much you believed in me, had faith in me, and knew I could not have done such a horrible thing to another human being. The boys too, even Gates, that you all believed in me...well, right now I can't find words for what that means to me."

Kate snuggled up against Castle and held her face mere inches from his. Her eyes locked onto his gaze and she nodded her head ever so slightly. "I can't begin to know what it felt like, really felt like, to be falsely accused but yes, I'm so glad we were able to let you know how hard we were working to clear your name, even while we were the team of record on the investigation."

She took a shuttered breath then and continued. "Rick, you have to know that the 'Kate' in me was dying inside, wanting to stand by you and scream at everybody that you didn't do this and to leave you alone!" Rick couldn't help but smile and chuckle a bit at the intensity of his girlfriend's emotions right now. Kate wasn't done and she continued, "But the Beckett in me had to do things by the book and be professional and look for proof rather than faith. Oh, Rick, it nearly killed me." She looked at his eyes again, seeking understanding and acceptance of all that she has spoken.

And in Rick Castle, she found both. "Yeah, seeing that imposter on my building's security footage at the same exact time I was with all of you at the crime scene was a pretty solid alibi. Made my saying I didn't buy the jewelry have some credibility too. Now, tracking down 3XK'ss hired thug in that seedy part of town at night wasn't my first preference but I was so glad to be by your side, figuring it all out."

"If only we had actually gotten 3XK as well" Castle continued, mistakenly thinking he was talking with Beckett. But he was not. The beautiful, peaceful woman on the sofa with him was all Kate right now, with only Rick and Kate thoughts on her mind.

Kate smiled loving at Castle as she picked up her glass and took a sip. She had one more thing to say. "Rick, if I ever doubted you, even for just a moment, I fear it was the callous detective in me pushing the loving partner aside. I'm hoping we can take these next few days that I have off from work to be together and to share more of our feelings and our thoughts and our memories of experiences with each other. I mean, such as how we each interpreted things at different times over these past years. I think it will help me to understand where we are at right now, and where we are heading. And I would like to begin by saying..."

Kate paused to smile at Rick, and lightly kiss the tip of his nose, then his forehead, before she looked into his open, ocean blue eyes with all the emotions in her heart, and softly said, "Rick, I love you."

A/N I hope you have enjoying reading this; my first Castle fanfic story. If you are inclined, please let me know what you thought. Guppy in the ocean