Collection of Memories by Castlefan6
Authors Note: This is a continuation of Down for the Count, my AU version of events immediately following the end scene of Countdown where Kate is in the arms of Josh watching Castle walk away after several near-death experiences. Please read that before continuing with this. I had severe anxiety when Beckett just watched as Castle walked away watching her in the arms of Dr. Motorcycle Boy, and once things were back to Caskett, how could we get Rick back to the precinct? NO Doctor MB, but some old characters, owned by both Marlowe and me will pay a visit in this story.
I don't own Castle, I use the characters for amusement purposes only
Chapter 4
Previously
Rick has a puzzled look on his face, until Beth says, "Uncle Rick, you really didn't think that these two weren't going to compare notes now did you?" causing the entire group to break out in laughter as a look of panic crosses Rick's face.
"Relax Babe, it's just two women you've been intimate with, comparing notes and techniques" Kate whispers as Rick stiffens and is very uncomfortable, till he finally steals a peek at Jacinda, who can't hold in the laughter any longer.
10:30 PM Local Time
Rick and Kate's Penthouse, Four Seasons
Rick and Kate stood together as each of the dinner participants files out of the room, each stopping to thank them for the wonderful meal and evening.
Courtney approached and took Kate into a hug, "You take care of him Kate, he looks tough, but his heart was in a thousand pieces when we first met him. I can only hope I find someone that loves me half as much as he loves you. You are one lucky woman"
"Thanks Courtney, I know just how close I came to losing him, and believe me, Nothing in this world is ever going to come before him, Thank God you and Jacinda were the type of beautiful women you were, or I would have lost him for sure."
"Well you might still if you break his heart, I'll be over in a heartbeat to pick him up" she says with a smile, but Kate is not so sure she is joking.
"Not going to happen Courtney, but we can be on the lookout for nice single guys for*****"
"No, No, No, another couple trying to fix me up, I love you all, but No", she laughs as Kate is grinning.
Rick is hugging Jacinda, as Kate walks over and gives Ray a goodbye hug, which to others may look strange, but to the four of them it was understood. They both took detours but wound up on the right road with the right partner. "Drive Safe Guys, we'll see you tomorrow for the ceremony then dinner." Kate yells as they are walking away in the same pose she and Rick love, arms around each other's waist, stopping to kiss every few feet.
Rick looks at Kate, who is looking back at him, and without a word a sprint to the elevator and their room. Rick is pressing her against the door, kissing her deep and passionately, and then he starts to talk "I didn't kn**", his words are silenced as his fiancé takes over and says, "you talk too much, I got other ideas for now" as she deepens the kiss and leads him to one of the bedrooms.
It was a few hours, and sessions later that they lay in as Kate put it, her position, Rick on his back, Kate with her head on his chest, and him just kissing her head gently as she stroked his arm and chest. The champagne that Maurice had sent up was still in a server, with a few chards of ice, and very cold water,
"Babe" she asks. "The champagne is still on ice, well cold water and in our haste, doing other things before dinner we forgot to open it"
"I think I can handle that for the Future Mrs. Castle, oh yeah we need to talk about things like that. Do you even want to change your name?"
"I think for work, I should stay Beckett, but everywhere else I am proud to be Mrs. Richard Castle."
"Well I'm good with that, I know you are going to get flack from the cops that you married the Cop Want to Be, when the news gets out, and ***"
"Stop right there Mr. Castle" as she sits up and glares at him. "YOU were NEVER a Cop want to be, you were the best damn partner I ever had, including my TO, Royce. I never want to hear you say anything like that again, and I dare anyone to take potshots at you, if I don't kick their ass, the boys will."
"Babe, I appreciate the kind words, but even you thought at times I should just wait in the car, that my skills weren't enough to protect you."
"Rick, it was NEVER that, it was I was so damn afraid of losing you before I could get my shit together. I have loved you since the Candela case, you proved to me then that your heart was bigger than your bank account, and all you wanted was for that little girl to come home.
I fell in love with you when I awoke to find you crawling around looking for that damn rabbit in the pictures, then seeing you with Alexis I was gone, couldn't help it".
"Kate, I fell in love with you during the Delgado case, you always were so empathetic with the families, and you looked so beautiful in that dress. In my mind we were together that night, so at least I had that dream to hold on to."
"I'm Sorry" both said in unison, displaying the shared brain they had been accused of having.
"Think of the time we could have been together Rick, if I wasn't so damn stupid,"
"You know I believe in the Universe and that things happen for a reason, Babe, neither of us were ready then, I know now without any doubt, you are it for me.
There could be no one else and my love for you grows each day as I see you fight for us, for our love. That's something I have NEVER experienced, a partner who is fighting just as hard as I to secure our world together."
Kate lets the covers drop as she is sitting in bed, "Care to go another round, lover?"
Rick has her in his arms and this session is more than raw heat, it is almost like a pledging of love to each from the other's bodies.
JFK Airport
New York 11:54 PM Local Time
Same Day
Mike Royce had done a lot of things in his life, many of which he's not proud of, but he thinks back to the time when a raw Police Academy recruit, much like the young lady sitting next to him, had been forced on him to be a Training Officer.
She was young, beautiful, and wouldn't back down from anything. Kate held a soft spot in his heart, but after losing his wife of 35 years, he knew he would never be able to love like that again, even if his gut feelings were right that she had feelings for him.
He had never told her what happened, only that it was a great 35 years. Never adding until his drinking to forget the job, cost him the only thing more important than his badge, his wife.
Naomi died before she saw him stay sober, and when she died, so did his love for being a cop. He blamed the job for robbing him of what he most treasured, and it took a few years to finally own his actions, and finally go straight. His options were limited, retire or take reduction in rank and suspension that would impact his pension, he chose retirement and started his PI business.
The bounty hunting job that reunited him with Kate, was a fluke, but there was so much money at stake, he took the risk, and what he lost was as Kate said, "Worth so much more than money,"
Now that he had straightened his act out, his business was starting to grow, thanks to his buddy Gene Simmons who referred him to everybody. That's how Violet had found him, she got mixed up with the wrong crowd and served as a pawn to steal something very valuable.
Now that the job was done, the thieves needed to get rid of any one who could incriminate them, and Violet was top of the list. Mike only knew of the gang by reputation, but if it was the same leader Ganz, he had dealing with in New York, knew this was serious.
Violet had friends in New York, so the plan was to fly there, spend the weekend, then fly back to LA with stops in New Mexico to allow Mike to gauge the level of activity by the gang. If they had the money, most likely many would return to Mexico to live like kings, until they blew it all then return for another heist.
He would meet up with Violet on Monday, to arrange the flights home, so each went their separate ways from the airport, Violet to an ex-boyfriend, Mike to an SRO to get some rest.
Los Angeles CA
Bridges Academy School for Gifted
Saturday 6:45 PM Local Time
Beth had been pacing back and forth for the last several minutes, Ceremony was supposed to start at 7:30 and Uncle Rick and Aunt Kate were not here yet.
"What if they are stuck in traffic and miss it Auntie J."
"Beth, your Uncle Rick and Aunt Kate aren't going to miss this, Sweetie they flew all the way from New York just to be with you." Just as the limo pulls up to the door and out steps Kate and Rick.
"Aunt Kate, Uncle Rick, I'm so glad you made it, hugging one then the other, then "Oh my God, I have to practice my speech" as she kisses each on the cheek and runs behind a door.
"Kate, Rick, Thank God you got here, I thought we were going to have to sedate her, she was so worried. Kate, you look lovely, I love that cut of dress you wear, it makes you look like royalty" as Kate blushes.
"Thanks J, you are Always gorgeous, how is Courtney holding up?" Kate asks sincerely
"Honestly, she's a wreck, I already gave her a Xanax, and she still is just a ball of nerves, I don't know why she is so nervous."
"Could it be empty nest syndrome J? I know Rick is going through withdrawals from his daughter and she hasn't even left yet for more than 2 weeks,"
"You may be on to something, what do we do to help,"
"Well we just keep reminding her than Beth will be home, either to do laundry, go food shopping from Courtney's pantry, or just to eat, but she will be home" Kate replied
"I'm sorry Rick, didn't mean to leave you out of this," as she pulls him into a big embrace and kisses his cheek."
"Hi Ray, are you surviving the two aunts OK so far" Kate asks smiling.
"Barely" he whispers as he embraces Kate and kisses her quickly on the cheek."
"Hi Rick, Good to see you always" as the two men exchange a Bro hug
"Always good to see you as well Ray, make it home OK last night I trust?"
"For sure, only one of us has more than one drink when we are driving, last night was J's turn to drive, so tonight I have a one drink limit" he smiles.
"We better take our seats they will be starting soon," Rick smiled
The band played the High School song and the welcome speeches were heard from the Director and Board of Education President, then finally it was the moment they had been waiting for.
Please welcome to our stage, Class Valedictorian, Ms. Beth Roberts. As the applause lowered Beth shyly strode to the microphone, with her cap and Gown and the colored sashes representing National Honor Society, and her position as Valedictorian.
Welcome friends, family, and teachers that helped me get to where I and my classmates are at today. It is an honor to be standing before you on such a memorable occasion.
I want to begin by saying thank you to all my friends, family, and most of all, my belief in a Higher Power, for when I lost my parents He provided Aunt Courtney, then added my Uncle Rick and now Aunt Kate to continue to guide me through life every step of the way. For any who do not believe in Karma, do good and you get good we can talk after this ceremony and I will prove it to you. I was able to continue in school, even heartbroken and I dedicate tonight to my Mom and Dad in heaven, we love and miss you every day, but could not have asked for a better guardian, friend and mentor in Aunt Courtney, We as a class also dedicate tonight to all those unable to attend, but have played such key roles in our successes.
It has been an amazing journey and one I or my fellow Class members will never forget
Four years ago, this Class was just walking through the doors of Bridges Academy High School and we have had many memories over the course of our high school journey. We all had one goal in mind and that was to make our mark on the school that we attended and make our mark on the world once we graduate. We all have different career choices, but we're all bound by the same common cause and that is to GRADUATE!
It's not all about if you look good, or fit in at your school, it's about the legacy that you will leave once you graduate. I know most of you don't know the artist, but Drake put it the best in my opinion,
"Live without pretending, Love without depending, Listen without defending, Speak without offending." -Drake
I will add one more I recently came to love, it's from my Uncle Rick, who you may know as Richard Castle, who said
"Rejection isn't failure. Failure is giving up. Everybody gets rejected. It's how you handle it that determines where you'll end up."
― Richard Castle
I know today brings with it a sense of fear, sadness, joy, and wonder, none of us know what our tomorrows will bring, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't chase them, just as hard as remembering our yesterday. My Grandparents had a song they listened to when I was very little, I never understood it, till just recently, and this is for our class, it is sad to say goodbye to yesterday, but we must do so to chase tomorrow,
How do I say goodbye to what we had?
The good times that made us laugh, outweighed the bad.
I thought we'd get to see forever, but forever has blown away.
It's so hard to say goodbye to yesterday.
I don't know where this road is gonna lead to.
All I know is where we've been and what we've been through.
If it gets me to tomorrow, I hope it's worth all the pain.
It's so hard to say goodbye to yesterday.
And I'll take with me the memories to be my sunshine after the rain.
It's so hard to say goodbye to yesterday.
In conclusion, once again I want to thank with all my heart everyone who has ever had anything to do with my success or rejections, through you I learned to overcome, and to that I say Thanks and God Bless. Class, Dr. Seuss once said, "You're off to great places, TODAY is your DAY, Your mountain is waiting, so get on your way!"
Thank You
When Beth concluded her speech, not a dry eye was to be seen. Courtney and Jacinda had hugged each other, mostly for Jacinda to keep Courtney from totally losing composure. Kate had squeezed Rick's hand and turned her head into him briefly as she dabbed her eyes, and Rick was fighting as hard as he ever had to hold back his tears.
"Rick, you have opened the door to a great future for Beth, and I'm sure she has seen her Uncle Rick in action enough to know, it doesn't stop until you pay if forward,
Thank you is such a small expression, but our hearts will always have you in them, as well as Kate, and we pray you both are as blessed as you have brought to us." Courtney gets out between tears.
Kate wraps her in an embrace, and whispers "let's go fix our faces before Beth see's us, so we can look decent at the celebration dinner. Three ladies, total strangers a mere few months ago link arms and head to the ladies' room, united by a common person, Beth, well actually Rick played a big part as well, but Beth was the main focus.
A/N We'll stop here, I don't want to break the next chapter into pieces. As you can see we are incorporating PART of To Live and Die in LA, but it will continue to be AU, not cannon. Also, I really didn't like the snippets of the backstory we got from the series about Royce, other than KB was in love with him, in awe of him, and he worked well with her in the field. I made up a backstory that I thought would fit his lifestyle. More to come on that. Thanks to all for the Reads, Favorites, Follows and Reviews, all greatly appreciated,
The song Hard to say Goodbye to Yesterday is available on You Tube, by Kenny Vance
Tim