Just want to thank all of the reviewers. I always allow all reviews to stay unless they are offensive.
As for the Guest reviewer who questioned my family history. Yes I know my father, so that kind of negates you assumption that I am a bastard. I would rather you no longer read my works if you are going to make comments like those, you can rest assured they will never see the light of day.
Again I own nothing.
Chapter 106
With Lanie in the passenger seat of Castle's SUV Esposito pulled out of the alley taking his position as the third vehicle in the caravan headed to Castle's Hampton home. He was having a hard time with the things he had learned in the basement of Castle's bar. How could I not see what was right in front of me? Is it possible that the signs were there and I missed them? I'm a pretty good investigator, not as good as Beckett, but I hold my own and yet I didn't see it. But to my defense neither did Kate. She was just as fooled and she works more closely with Castle than I do.
Esposito was broken from his thoughts as Ryan sheepishly asked. "Javi, I am having a hard time believing I didn't see this side of Castle. I mean yeah, he's cool under pressure but then he gets all girly over little things. Acts all scared on little take downs and then handles Dunn like he's been doing it for years. And then he diffuses that bomb, but now I'm starting to wonder if he knew what he was doing all along."
"I know bro, I am having a hard time believing that all of this is true. And what about his father, he told me it didn't bother him not knowing who he was. Another lie I'm having a hard time with at the moment."
It was Lanie's turn to speak up. "Javier Esposito, don't you dare question the things he has had to do to make sure Alexis is safe. If he felt it's best for everyone not to know then it's best not to know. And no one in this god for saken truck will say a thing, understand!"
A chorus of 'yes ma'am' came from the two detectives and a snicker from Ryan's fiancé. Then Jenny O'Malley spoke up. She was the new comer to the group but had a question or two for Lanie. "Okay I know that I have only been around Rick and Kate a few times but I didn't think they were that close. I mean sitting in his lap. What will her boyfriend think? I know if I found Kevin with a woman sitting in his lap, much less one like Kate, I would hit the roof, the doctor must be pretty close with Rick to not get upset."
Lanie turned in her seat to face Jenny. "I'm not sure what that was. But I can guarantee that Josh and Castle aren't close. I would go so far as saying that Josh hates Castle. But I have been after Kate to give Castle a chance since the second case they worked. That was almost three years ago. A few weeks ago, when they got locked in the freezer, she was talking about a future with Josh. Now tonight she is sitting in his lap whispering in his ear like they have been dating for years. But I will be getting to the bottom of it tomorrow."
It was Ryan's turn to speak up. "Well I for one am glad to see that tonight. I am getting tired of the eye-sex and the will they won't they have going on day to day. I mean he clearly loves her and I think she loves him back. If she doesn't then she is close. Hell they have been practically dating for the past 3 years."
"Ah, listen to Mr. Relationship Guru back there. Thinks he knows what is in Beckett's head. I'm not sure even Beckett knows what's in her head when it comes to Castle."
"Javi, that's why I am engaged and sleeping with a beautiful woman when we get there, and you are hoping Lanie lets you sleep in her room tonight." Kevin said with that grin he saved when he was trying to get under Espo's skin.
Xx
Where Castles SUV has bucket seats in the second row the one he is riding in has a bench. He is sitting behind the driver leaning his head against the window and his eyes closed. He is trying to calm his nerves, he has already had one panic attack tonight and he sure does not want another. As the make their way to the Long Island Expressway he feels Kate snake her body next to his. When she raises his right arm and places it around her he opens his eyes to see her stretched out with her legs pulled up on the seat effectively laying on him.
As Castle looks to the front passenger seat he sees Roy leaning against his window, looking asleep if anyone was to ask.
Rick begins stroking Kate's hair and she begins to silently cry. "I could have lost you tonight before I ever told you how much I love you. I know that I have treated you like a doormat, but you're not. I have never been as scared as I was walking into that hangar. If you were dead, I'm not sure I could have gone on."
"Shhh Kate, it's okay. Everything is going to be okay. I'm not going anywhere. You said earlier that you were right where you need to be; well so am I. But I am afraid that tomorrow when the adrenaline wares off you are going to see the real me and run for the hills as fast as you can."
"No Rick, like Roy likes to say, this is where I make my stand. I'm here with you and that's where I want to stand. I know that I've always pushed you away but not anymore. You will never get rid of me." Kate gives out a little laugh and continues. "You might want to, but you never will."
"Kate." Castle was using his father's voice now. "I am scared that when you wake up you will realize that I am no different that Coonan. I killed people, I killed some of them in similar way as he did." The unspoken words were 'the same way he killed your mom.' "When you realize that and leave, I'm not sure I can handle that."
Kate, who had been fisting Castle's shirt and using her index finger to draw small circles on his chest, suddenly sat up and grabbed his face with both hands. "Richard Castle, did you advertise that you would kill someone?" She acknowledged the slight shake of his head with a nod and continued. "Did you profit from anything that you did while working for our government?" Again the same response came from Castle and Kate nodded. "Did you ever choose who you killed? Did you ever target someone because you could? Did you ever decide that it someone should die because you would enjoy it? Did you every commit a murder, not a mission for our country, but an honest to God murder? The kind we investigate every day?"
Castle shook his head and Kate continued. "Then this is the last I want to hear of this okay? Soldiers have to take another's life every day for our country, and you were no different. Gabriel did what he had to for our country, Richard Castle didn't. And that's the man I love. Richard Castle, do you understand me? Not this Gabriel but you Rick, I love you!" When she was done with her diatribe she captured his lips with hers. She put all of the pent up frustrations she had into the kiss. She wanted Rick to know that no matter what she would always love him. Always.
Rick pulled her closer to his side and held her as tightly as he could. "Always Kate, I will love you always." With that they both held onto each other as exhaustion and sleep claimed the back seat.
Xx
Roy Montgomery had been leaning against the window trying to sleep when he heard the start of the conversation from the back seat. He knew that he should try to avoid listening to the conversation taking place behind him, but he couldn't. He had watched these two dance around each other for so long he wasn't sure they would ever get to this point. He felt invested in their relationship, as most of the officers at the twelfth did. All he ever wanted was for Kate Beckett, was for her to be happy. And he always thought that the man with his arm currently wrapped around her could make her happy. A smile crept across Roy's face as he heard Kate declare her love in no uncertain terms. With that he knew that if everyone made it out of this mess no one would be the same again. His smile seemed to grow as he drifted off into sleep.
Xx
Alexis woke up later than she likes to. She and the Montgomery girls had stayed up late watching movies. They weren't really watching movies, they were waiting for their fathers to arrive. Evelyn had told them that everyone was ok and on their way to the Hampton's, but the girls would feel much better when they saw their fathers. But they had fallen asleep before they arrived.
It was now ten in the morning, when she started down the stairs heading to the kitchen. When she reached the bottom of the stairs she could smell fresh coffee had been brewed. As she went to get a glass of juice, she could tell at least one cup was missing from the pot, not seeing anyone else roaming the first floor she decided to check her dad's room. Since it's on the first floor she thought he made coffee and returned to his room.
As Alexis passed her dad's office she noticed the door was closed and thought nothing about it. She knew she had left the door open when she had finished in his office. As she got to his door she opened the door slowly and crept into his room as quietly as she could. What she saw confused her; there were woman's clothing folded neatly at the foot of the bed, and there were men's black boots and black pants. These were definitely not her dad's clothes.
She slowly backed out of the room and closed the door. Dad must have given his room to Detective Beckett and her boyfriend. She stopped at his office door and decided to see if he was in there. What she saw startled her to say the least.
Kate Beckett was sitting in one of the leather wingback chairs in her dads white terry cloth robe. Kate was clutching her mug with both hands close to her chest, and she had pulled both legs up beneath her. Her eyes never leaving the sleeping form on the chaise across the room. She didn't seem to notice Alexis enter the room, if she did she said no a word to Alexis.
Xx
Beckett had awoken about nine in the morning, and was surprised how well she felt considering she was operating on five hours sleep at the most. She entered the bathroom and found a robe laid out on the counter. She couldn't believe Castle had thought to lay it out for her last night, well really this morning.
Kate finished in the bathroom, wrapped herself in what was probably the most luxurious robe she had ever worn, and went in search of coffee. When she found the kitchen she noticed that there was an expresso machine similar to the one that Castle had donated to the precinct when he declared their coffee tasted like a monkey peed in battery acid. She made herself and Castle a cup and went in search of him remembering the discussion they had when they arrived.
"Castle I'm not sleeping in your bed."
"Yes you are Kate, I'm use to sleeping on the chaise in my office. So please sleep in there."
She smiled as she remembered that conversation. Martha really did raise him right didn't she? Kate opened the door to the office to find him sleeping so peacefully. She decided to let him sleep as long as she could. She placed his cup on his desk and took up a vigil watching him from a chair across the room.
A few minutes later she heard the door lock click as it slowly began to open. She looked up expecting to see Martha but was presently surprised to see Alexis.
Xx
As Alexis slowly padded across the office to the vacant chair to Kates left. Once she took up occupancy in the chair she turned to Kate with questioning expression. "How is he?"
"He came in here after we all got settled. I imagine that as tired as he was he fell asleep pretty quickly. We got a little sleep on the way here, maybe an hour but probably a little less."
Alexis hid her face and looked up from behind her eyelashes. "Detective Beckett I can sit with dad if you want to go and check on your boyfriend."
"Alexis, I'm not sure I understand what you're talking about. What makes you think that Josh is here?"
Kate could tell that Alexis was nervous to answer but decided to wait her out. When Alexis finally spoke if brought a smile to Kates face. "I went into dad's room and saw your clothes folded up neatly on the bed. In the corner were boots, a black jacket and pants. They look like stuff a guy riding a motorcycle would wear."
Kate bit her bottom lip to keep from laughing. When she got herself under control she looked up at Alexis and softly spoke. "I don't have a boyfriend here, or anywhere for that matter. What I have is a writer that I am in love with, one who along with his brilliant daughter and eccentric mother put a smile on my face every day."
Alexis was out of her chair wrapping her arms around Kate, bringing her into the biggest hug Alexis could muster. "Does he know?" Kate's electric smile gave Alexis the answer she had longed to hear.
Thoughts?
