A/N Hey Castlefolk, you will notice, that up to this point, my story timeline has been canon. Not so anymore. 'Til Death Do Us Part' has no bearing on this whatsoever. Needless to say, enjoy!
Castle popped up from underneath the table. "Hello, Mr. Beckett!" Beckett's happy expression rapidly turned to a very annoyed one. What the heck am I going to tell my Dad?
"Well, hello, Rick. What were you two doing exactly?" Castle slapped his small towel over his shoulder and walked towards Jim Beckett. "We were just having-a little fun." Jim shot a look at his daughter. "Is that what they call it now?" He smirked and turned to leave out the door. Before either of them had a chance to react, Jim had closed the door behind him. Without hesitation, Castle rushed out the door and slammed it.
"Mr. Beckett! We weren't-doing that! We were just-"
"Rick, I know. What you were doing was bonding with my daughter. Showing her that love is not dead. That those other women you married were at fault, not you. You're a good man, Rick. Stop waiting to tell her how you feel. I bet she feels the same." A smile stretched across his face and then he stepped in the elevator. Castle started after him. "Jim!" He saw Jim reach for the elevator button.
"Just go after her. Have a nice day, Rick." He stood in front of Kate's door for a minute as he thought about what to do. Just go after her. With those words resounding in his ears he opened the door to find her exactly where he left her.
"Why did he leave, Castle?"
"He wanted to give us our time together."
"Why?" She asked.
"Kate."
"Castle."
"Will you-" His breathing grew heavy.
"Castle, you don't want to do this."
"Actually, I do." He moved until he was about six inches from her. Her warm breath nearly melted him like a bar of chocolate on a hot summer day. "Will you be my plus one at Ryan's wedding?" She let forth a huge sigh and kissed him lightly on the forehead. If Castle had even and ounce of composure left, it disappeared into the kitchen along with Kate.
"I thought Alexis was your plus one." She said over her shoulder.
"Well, I asked her and she said no. Not sure why though. She's been a little withdrawn lately." Castle walked to the kitchen and leaned on the counter next to her. She was making some coffee for them both.
"You ever wonder if she's still—" Kate set two mugs on the counter and made quote symbols with her fingers. 'Circling the drain of love'?"
"You mean from Ashley?"
"Yeah."
"I'm sure she still hurts. But she said she would be better."
"Castle, it doesn't happen over night." The thick, rich smell of the coffee stole through the kitchen. Castle forgot he was having a serious conversation. Kate noticed his distraction and slammed the dishwasher closed. He snapped back to the conversation.
"Well, I—" Castle turned his head towards the living room hoping to get some reprieve from Kate's searing green eyes.
"How long did it take you to get over your ex-wives, Castle? Huh?"
"That's different!" Castle shouted and immediately hung his head in shame.
"How? You tell me how it's different." She was now back inside that six inch gap, gasping for air in between words.
"Being cheated on not once, but twice? How do you think that even compares? I only pray that nothing like that ever—ever happens to Alexis. I'm going to smack her man around a bit before I even let him put his hands on her!" As Castle turned towards the living room, Kate reached for his hand and pulled him back.
"Wait, Castle stop! BOTH of your wives cheated on you?" She stepped towards him. Her eyes were serious and concerned. As she surveyed the room from right to left, he saw the look he was searching for. She nodded her head ever so slightly, urging him to continue.
"Yeah, Meredith loved me at first but she then fell in love with my money. I thought because she knew me before I was famous that she was really in love with me. Well that just turned around and punched me in the face. Then there was Gina. You know when you spend a lot of time with someone—something just happens. You work together long enough, things just click. Then there was outside of work flirting. One thing led to another and then we were married. After a year or so she started going out late at night, she wouldn't tell me why. I finally confronted her and she spilled everything. She had been having an affair with my PR guy. Sorry, you probably didn't want to hear all that."
Kate was now filled with compassion and sorrow for her partner. Castle's eyes were so sad. The faint mist of tears nearly overwhelmed him but he somehow managed to contain it. Kate nudged him in the arm.
"You're a good man, Castle. Don't forget that."
"I just wish I'd never married either of them. I wasted so much time trying to love women who didn't love me back. The only time well spent was bringing Alexis to this earth. I so desperately want my 'one and done' card back."
"Not everyone gets it right on the first try, Castle. It seems it was very little your fault. Start fresh. Make a new start." Castle lifted his head and looked to Kate with a love in his eyes she'd never seen before. The small gap between them became smaller. They no longer had personal space, only shared space. He grabbed her petite chin and drew her close to his face.
"Cas—what are you doing?" He began stroking her cheek with his soft thumb.
"I'm making a fresh start."
Just because my author's note was at the beginning, that's not a promise I won't bug you again at the end of the chapter. Give me some feedback and this Swede will be very delighted =)
