I promised more didn't I? I plan on keeping it. I have a lot of catching up to do, just you wait and see... Love Always, ChelseaMarieC

Chapter 4

Rick's eyes drooped and burned for sleep. But what would Tyson do once his eyes closed? He couldn't risk anything happening to him. What would Kate do without him? Sure she had a life before him but she hadn't allowed herself to be happy. Not until she met him, did she truly let love in again. He wasn't trying to fluff his ego, it was true. She had admitted so, just as they were about to fall asleep, she silently whispered to him.

"I hadn't let any love or light in me until I met you Rick. You're my sun." She leaned over him and gently pressed her lips against his. She was sure he was asleep.

But Rick never told her that he heard that. He wished he could tell her now. He knew that she was a wounded bird when he first met her. He could tell, but that didn't stop him from falling for her. He hadn't planned on fixing her, he planned on her fixing him. He had a problem falling for the wrong women. But did he really fall for them? Not really. He was infatuated, yes, that was it.

"Kate? I know you can't hear me but I love you. You said that I saved you, you saved me. You made me be free, I let you in. I love you more than anything! I love you Katherine Houghton Beckett! And I will get back to you!" Rick didn't care that Tyson could hear him, he had to let it out.

"Awe Rick, that's so cute. I love watching you two, really, I do. Don't you know how I operate?" Tyson pulled a chair right up in front of him. He tossed back a shot of tequila and relished in the burn.

"Why did you even want me here? You tried to ruin me last time and failed. Why try again? Why not let your girlfriend carry out your work? You sure as hell have her wrapped around your finger." Rick barely got the words out because he was too drowsy.

"Tired Rick? Go ahead and take a good nap. I got a bed if you'd like it. You'd have to stay cuffed but I figure you'll be here for a while so why not let you be a little comfortable. See I'm not such a bad guy." Tyson got up and tossed the chair aside.

"You're a monster. I want nothing from you." Rick forced his burning eyes to stare directly at him. "I will never bow to you."

"I'm not a king Rick but I did save you. I could have killed you many times but I didn't. You're welcome for that. And your little fiancé too. I could have killed her too. See, I'm good. You just need to realize that." Tyson walked behind Rick and yanked on his head. Rick jolted and Tyson laughed.

"Why bring me here? Why take me at all?! Why not just kill me?!" Rick's head ached and that only made Tyson grip it even tighter.

"There is a reason for everything Rick. So just wait and see what surprises lay ahead." Tyson shoved his head forward and laughed as he walked away.

Rick heard light talking from another room and his body chilled when he heard Smith's voice. Why help Tyson? He had vowed to help him and Kate, had sacrificed his life to. Why betray them now? What changed? Rick wanted to know more than anything but his body was betraying him. His eyes shut and his mind went black.

Alexis lightly knocked on the door and caught Kate's teary eyes. "Can I join you?"

Kate nodded and moved boxes out of Alexis's way. "I was just looking at some of the photos we took here." She handed a pile to Alexis and warned her. "Some of them you can't see so…"

"Ew." They both laughed and Alexis lightly bumped Kate with her shoulder.

"It was so much fun. I have never had that much fun ever." Kate's whole face lit up at the memory of it all. How they had made love everywhere and how they skinny dipped the whole time.

"You know I have never seen my dad look as happy as when he's looking at you or thinking of you. Even before you guys got together, I saw what affect you had on him. You made him so happy. And me. Sure, you aren't technically my step mother but a piece of paper doesn't stop you from being family to me Kate. I need you to know that."

Kate let her happy tears fall and she grabbed Alexis and pulled her into a tight hug. They both needed each other to heal and in this moment, right here, they were realizing that. They didn't let go right away but instead held each other like a life saver, knowing that they would save each other through this. They weren't alone in the world and that alone would save them.

"Thank you. I know I'm not your mom but I think of you like my daughter. I love you Alexis as if you were my own." Kate grabbed Alexis's head and kissed her. She pulled back and held her cheeks and smiled.

"Kate, I love you like a mother. You never took my dad's side just cause you're with him, you held your own. You treated me like an adult when no one else saw me that way. And you brought me home." She returned the kiss to Kate, on her cheek.

"No more tears. Ok?" Alexis nodded and Kate went back to the pictures. "Look at this one." It was of Rick rubbing his hand along his body.

Alexis laughed and snatched the picture out of Kate's hand. "Where was this taken?"

"We sang karaoke together and the crowd wanted us to go again and we did. But we got to pick what the other one sang. I picked "Like A Virgin" for him. And he made me promise no video but he said nothing about pictures." Kate laughed and watched Alexis laugh as well. She was laughing so hard that she gripped her stomach.

"What did he pick for you?" Alexis took the picture from Kate and laughed. "Wait, you rapped? To what song?" She examined the picture where Kate was waving her hand in the air and leaning her body over.

"'99 Problems'." She laughed at the memory of her really getting into that song. "It was so much fun. I never expected for him to pick that for me. I know he only did that to get back at me for what I picked but his plan backfired, I loved it."

"I got 99 problems but a bitch ain't one." Alexis started to nod her head but began laughing again. "Thank you for that, maybe one day, I'll get to hear you sing it."

"Nice try dear. But it was a blast. All was fun really. Even after that murder happened, it was great. It was just the two of us. Something I had been wanting for six years. Just like when I realized I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him." And at that, Kate lost it again. "We were so close, why?"

"I know Kate, I know." Alexis pulled a crumbling Kate into her arms. Kate's head laid on top of Alexis's chest and she felt Alexis rub her face. She swiped at her tears and she tried to calm her down. "I know, I know. I'm sad too. It's ok to be." And in that Alexis joined her.

Martha splashed cold water on her face and when she looked in the mirror, she was frightened. She had never looked so fragile. She never looked like a complete wreck, even in disasters, she was done up. But now, she looked worn out and all her emotions showed. She left her room and crept across the hall.

Kate and Alexis weren't in the room so she ventured downstairs. She heard tears and sobs coming from the back. She followed the noise and found Alexis and Kate sobbing in each other's arms. She couldn't stop her tears from coming either, especially when she saw all the pictures of Rick scattered across the floor.

"Move over ladies and make some room." Martha squeezed between Kate and Alexis and pulled them into her arms. "Come on my babies." She held them both and kissed their heads.

Rick tried to force himself awake but his eyes were betraying him. He couldn't draw himself out of sleep. When he had his eyes closed he thought of Kate and how he couldn't be there to tell her that he was alive. He wanted so badly for the nightmares to stop. He saw her falling apart and not bothering to do anything. He saw her slowly dying of heartbreak. He saw his life being torn to shreds.

He saw Alexis falling apart as well. She would not bother going back to school, she wouldn't get out of bed. She wouldn't eat or drink. Nothing. She would lay there like she was dead as well. He saw her fading away. Then he woke up.

He screamed and his tears fell on his sweat soaked face. He shook himself awake and looked around. The room had grown dark but then he caught a figure moving closer to him. He tried to see who but the room was too dark for his eyes to adjust.

"Nightmares?" He couldn't really hear, his body was rejecting his advancements.

"Who are you?" He tried to get a better look but the figure stayed in the shadows.

"Your worst nightmare. Just you wait…" Then the figure disappeared once more.

But Rick knew that person was wrong. His worst nightmare was being lived through the suffering that Kate, Alexis, and Martha had to go through. He couldn't do anything but survive.

"I'll get back to you. Always. I will find you, Always."

Kate heard Rick's voice saying Always. She wasn't crazy, she heard him. She silently whispered back, "Always." And somehow she knew he heard her too.

Kate's voice traveled to him. "Always." And he smiled.