I started working on monday, so there will be less updates than the past weeks...
Sorry it took so long but I couldn't find the words even if I knew what I wanted to happen in this chapter.
Chapter 4 :
A few moments had passed and she was still huddled on the floor, her back against the door. She was silently crying, but she knew what she wanted more than anything : him. And she was ready to do everything she can to have him back, no matter what it takes.
In the living room, Castle was staring at her bedroom door, feeling remorse for the sharp words he had just told her. He put his book on the table, and after a few steps he was standing in front of her door. He hesitated again before he slowly knocked on it.
"Kate ?"
His voice made her startle. She wasn't expecting him to be there after their 'discussion'. But she didn't answer him. She didn't want to face him right now, she didn't want to have to handle his anger again for tonight. She held her breath and bit her lower lip, waiting for him to leave. Castle knocked again and repeated her name, and she still didn't move. He finally let it go, and went to his bedroom, silently.
The following morning, she was up early, and before him. She was making coffee when he showed up in the kitchen. They stared at each other's look for a while, without speaking, and for a minute she forgot what she was doing. Castle immediately noticed her red eyes and easily guesses that she has been crying for the biggest part of the night. They didn't say anything until the coffee was done.
"Anything new ?" she asked him.
"Nothing for now." He took the coffee she was giving him, and sat down at the table, next to her.
"We'll make a stop at the loft, maybe there is something there. "
"Okay. But... don't you think he or she knows where I am ?"
" I don't know, but it is still a possibility. We don't know anything about that person, we can't predict what he or she is going to do next. " She looked at him again, and she added, putting her hand on his arm : "But I have to admit that I think he knows exactly where you are... After all, he, or she, knows where Martha and Alexis are."
" I know Beckett... I thought about that too. "
She made a small smile, and drank her coffee. A few moments later they left her apartment and went to his loft. Nothing was waiting for them there, no notes or anything. They went to the precinct where a new case popped up not long after they arrived.
For two days, this case took all their time. There was no new threat during these two days, and tension was still palpable between them when they were together. But by the end of the second day they finally caught the killer after Beckett made him confess his crime. They headed to Kate's apartment late that night, to find out that a new note was waiting for them, hang on the fridge.
It was a photo of Castle and Beckett drinking their coffees together, with a short sentence written at the back of the photo.
"Don't think I don't know where you're trying to hide Castle."
She turned to him after reading these words, and she says.
" That, confirms what we were thinking... He knows where you are, he knows I'm back too, we have to be even more careful."
" Yes, but maybe he helped us with this note."
" How ?" she took her phone, and started to type Esposito phone number.
" Look at the photo" he said, taking it in his hand, and showing it to her. "It seemed to be taken from one of the buildings across the street, and I'm sure you can find from where it was taken."
She nodded slowly, and when she heard Esposito answering, she told him about what they found.
"I'm on my way with Ryan." He answered before he hung up.
Once they had a pretty good idea from which apartment the photo could have been taken, they go there, and started their investigation. The first 3 apartments were not the good ones, either they were occupied and their inhabitants could prove their innocence, or the third one didn't have the good angle for the photo on Beckett's place. The 4th apartment they went in was an empty one. Once it was sure that nobody was hiding in there, Castle and Beckett follow the other 2 detectives in.
It was Ryan who found another note, made just for them : " I knew you would find this place after you got the photo. You guys are so predictable. "
Kate took the paper from Ryan's hands and with frustration she said.
"He's playing with us and he loves that !"
"We will find him anyway, Beckett. We found that place, where he was, we will probably find something that could lead us to him." Said Ryan to calm her down
" I'm not so sure Ryan."
" We will... we always do, right ?"
She smiled at him and nodded. She knew he was trying to be the positive one since Castle was still in shock.
"I called CSU, they're coming as soon as they can, and they let us know if they find something tomorrow. For now, there's nothing else we can do here." Explain Esposito as he came back in the room with them.
The boys went back to the precinct. As they all were expecting, there was no fingertips on the notes, and nothing about the photo or notes could help them to find that person. In her building, Beckett and Castle were doing door to door, but of course, nobody noticed something different than usual. The next day, they learned that that except from the fact that the neighbours saw a brown haired man coming in or out of this apartment several times nothing seemed unusual there too. He had avoided security cameras all the time he went there.
"Do you think we're going to hear about him today ?" Castle asked to Beckett a few days later, as they sat in her couch.
" I don't know. It's been almost a week since the last time. And he's playing with us, so he probably wants to catch us of guard..."
" But we won't be of guard any time soon..."
"Yep, so basically, he can do something anytime, I know. I'm sorry Castle."
"For what ?"
"For not being capable of finding this guy for not being able to put an end to this..." she shrugged and look at her hands.
"It's not your fault Kate ! You're not the one who wants to kill me, and I know you're doing everything you can." He put one of his hands on hers and she sighed.
" It's just... I don't want you to get hurt Castle."
"I won't..." She looked up at him, ready to argue with that, but he started to speak before she could. "YOU are protecting me, remember ?"
She smiled shyly at his words, and watched him in the eyes for a long time. His words, as they always do, warmed her and made her feel confident for the first time of this whole thing.
"Speaking of that... I have a favour to ask you..."
"Tell me."
"Tomorrow night, I have a meeting with Gina. We have some things to talk about for the next book, and we're going to the restaurant, and I know you won't let me go there alone but if you're coming too, is it okay ?"
"Do I have a choice ?" she asked sarcastically.
" You can come with Lanie or Esposito, I booked another table anyway. It's a nice restaurant. You're going to like it."
"Like what ? Spending my night watching you and you ex-wife on a date ? I don't think so !"she couldn't help but feel the jealousy growing inside her, and she hasn't been able to contain her comment.
"Oh Beckett am I detecting some jealousy ?" he asked, even if he knew it was this, and that it wasn't really fair to ask her to do that.
She glared at him, and got up on her feet, before she replied.
"Fine, I'll come Castle, but you better do what I tell you !"
"Thank you, Kate."
She didn't answer him, and she go to the bathroom to take a shower and calm her down. She was upset with that new plan, especially with the fact that it was Gina. After that, she called Lanie, and she agreed on coming with her the next day.
As it was planned the next evening, Castle and Gina were at a table of a good restaurant in the city, and Lanie and Kate were next to them, where they can easily see them, in case Kate had to do something.
"Like he can't have his meeting with her in an office like everyone else !" she exclaimed, when she once again, noticed how Gina was acting around him. Kate wasn't containing her jealousy which was making Lanie laugh, even if she understood her friend.
"Hey calm down, or the boys will have to arrest you girl !"
Beckett sighed and she tried to ignore Gina behaviour and focus on Castle, and the people around them. Nobody seemed suspicious to her, but she didn't stop to be aware. Kate had the impression that the evening would never end even with Lanie doing her best to distract her from her jealousy that she tried not to show anymore.
When finally their meal was over, they went out of the restaurant, and Castle hailed a cab for Gina, before leaving with Beckett. The trip to her apartment was silent, she didn't want to talk about their evening, and apparently, he seemed to understand that.
She opened her door and let him in. He went to his room to put all his papers together, and she went to the kitchen, but she stopped halfway. Something was bothering her, something wasn't normal. When she realised that there was no light only in her apartment, she started to panic.
"Castle !" she called him several times, before he answers, and she hurried up in his room. She right away noticed the shadow of an intruder with a gun. She didn't think twice, and she jumped on him exactly when the shot was heard.
"Goodbye Castle." Said a low male voice, but they didn't really pay attention to him. She was on him and was watching him with a worrying look.
"You okay ?"
"I am, but you're hurt Kate ! You're bleeding !" He said, already reaching for his phone, calling 911. She look at her left arm where she was now feeling a sensation of burning through all her arm. She hadn't realised the bullet touched her on her way, but at least Castle was safe.
" Not this, not again !" She heard him saying. She recognized without any doubt the panic in his voice, and with her right hand she squeezed his, with the strength she still had.
"I'm sorry." She said. She didn't exactly know for what she was apologizing right now. She didn't know if it was for the mess their relationship had become or if it was for not having been able to protect them better than that, or if it was for being shot in front of him once again, even if this time, it seemed less painful for her.
She didn't know how much time she spend like this but it was becoming harder for her to breathe and keep her eyes opened, even when she tried to focus on Castle. She felt something tightening around her arm, and some tears rolling down her cheeks.
"I love you, Rick." She whispered staring at his blue eyes before all went black for her.
