Chapter 10. My best friend.

A lot has been going on in my personal life… So, I either totally didn't feel like writing, or I just didn't have the time. I planned to write my entire vacation, but my teachers had other plans…

Btw, to my besty, I hope you get the message. I wrote that part when we were okay, but I just felt like writing this for you. 143

They were almost done with their dinner together as friends. The four of them, Kate, Rick, Amy and Jason. Only dessert still had to come. They had talked about their lives, and stories to get to know each other more. Nothing too personal, because they still didn't know each other that well, but it was nice.

"So, since I know you're from New York, Rick, what are you going to do after this trip to California?" Amy asked.

"We are planning on going back to New York for a day or two, to pack a bag, and then travel around." Rick said as if it was nothing while the other couple shared a look.

"Travel huh? Travel where?" Jason asked.

"Uh… we aren't sure yet, just Paris, London, Rome stuff like that. Just to get away from our lives in New York."

"Oh, we did that too. It was amazing wasn't it darling?" Jason smiled at Amy.

"It certainly was. And if you're going to visit all those cities, I recommend, if you want a little smaller town, with a lot of history, go to Antwerp, in Belgium. They have lots of nice shops there and it's just an amazing city. Not too big, not too small."

"Thanks guys!" Castle smiled at Kate.

"Yeah, we'll do that." Kate smiled lightly and got back to her dessert. She had been off the entire night, but now it was worse than in the beginning. And of course, it didn't go unnoticed by Castle, but he decided to just leave her be, for now.

They said goodnight to Amy and Jason, but not before changing contacts. It could be fun, new friends, who knew nothing of their trouble, and just… a fresh start. Not entirely of course, they weren't planning on leaving New York for good, but it was nice getting away from it all.

When they were back in the hotel suite Kate said goodnight to Rick, ready to just crawl into bed, but he had other plans. He wanted to cheer her up.

"Come here Kate." he said as he reached out and turned her towards him. "Wait just a second, and don't even think about going into your room." He smiled as she gave him a confused look as he walked to the stereo. He put it on and was happy with the song that came on. 'Breakaway' by Kelly Clarkson. He started singing along with the radio and she couldn't help but smile.

"What are you trying to do Castle?"

"I" he started as he took her hands in his, "am going to dance with you, not just trying. I want to see a smile. Not just a fake one. I want to get a smile that reaches your eyes."

She smiled a little bit and he smiled back. "Now that's a start."

He pulled her in his arms before she could refuse. He felt her body stiffen up, but after a moment or two swaying around, she loosened up and put her head on her hand that was resting on his shoulder.

He didn't ask a question, but she answered the one he had in his head.

"Tyler called me." She said silently. He turned his head towards her, but said nothing. "He called when we were at the beach. I forgot my phone here." She swallowed back a lump, failing, but she went on.

He basically yelled at me for not picking up my phone and told me to not bother calling back. And now I lost him…" Although she tried to stop it, she couldn't help that one tear that rolled down her cheek.

"I lost my best friend from collage… the one who I used to tell everything. We've known each other for so long now, and no matter how far we lived from one another, we always kept in touch, and now I've hurt him so bad… I lost him Rick. For good."

"Kate, listen to me, he might be mad now, yes, but you didn't lose him. I can't promise you, I know that, but once he accepts what all went happened, and calms down, he'll be your friend again."

"I don't know Rick… I think it's messed up too bad to fix." Kate sighed as she pulled out of his arms.

"Kate, you don't know that for sure."

"But you don't know it for sure that he might forgive me either! You don't!"

"No, Kate, I might not know for sure, but he is, or was, your best friend right?" he received a nod, "well, there is one thing I know. Best friends, real best friends, don't just split up. They don't just have a fight and then never talk again. Otherwise they weren't best friends in the first place."

He took a step closer to Kate again and pulled her in for a hug. "Listen to me, and listen closely. A best friend is someone who will be there for you through everything. From where ever in the world, to whatever it is. It doesn't matter. A best friend is someone you can always rely on, no matter what. And that doesn't mean they never fight, it means that even though they fight and are angry at one another, they still miss each other. They still wish they could be with each other. And yes, sometimes that friendship can end, badly or just growing apart, but you don't know if that is the case right now. So don't be too fast in thinking it's all over when you don't know for sure."

Kate nodded against his shoulder and said a muffled 'thanks, for everything' in which he replied 'always'.

The word, their word, made her pull her face away from his shoulder. They locked eyes, and something in her eyes gave away what she was thinking of, because somehow, he knew. He leaned in closer to her, as did she. Their lips slowly connected. It was sweet, soft, slow, passionate, comforting and everything she needed, and he wanted to give her.

The kiss stayed this way. He knew she wasn't ready for more. Not now, later yes, and he was willing to wait. Because the way he felt, holding her, and kissing her this exact moment… it was worth it. Worth the wait.

When their lips finally untangled, their foreheads connected with one another.

"Thank you for understanding Rick."

"I understand it Kate, completely. Always." He placed his lips against her forehead as the song came to an end.

"Rick? Can you…?" she didn't finish her question because she seemed a little embarrassed to be asking.

"Whatever it is Kate, you can ask."

"Can you- Can we-…" she closed her eyes and took a breath. "Can you hold me as we sleep?"

He wasn't surprised, and just nodded. He didn't think it was weird at all. But he knew how she could maybe find it hard to ask. He wasn't really sure where they stood. He knew they wouldn't be seeing other people, it wasn't like he wanted to, but they weren't really in a relationship either.

He took her hand and lead her to his bedroom. They crawled into the bed, and as she longed, he held her and stroked her hair as they were both lulled to sleep.

I know, way too short for the time you have waited for this. But I literally just wrote everything from the hotel on till they went to bed, now. In the last half hour.

My exams are coming up, so: sorry! But again, you won't get much updates. And this story might be put on hold for a few weeks. Or, I'll finish this one and write a second part later when I'm not that busy. But I have Because She Was Different, and Falling To Pieces also to write. And I totally wasn't planning on them to get this long.

I am planning on finishing one of my stories. Maybe write a sequel to it, yes, but for now, 3 stories are way too much with having stacks of homework and a best friend that I want, and need, to talk to everyday.

As I expressed in this chapter, I need her. I just do, and I can only chat or write, one at a time, so sorry.

Thanks for still being with me if you're reading this.