The Return – Chapter 10

The sun had yet to make its appearance above the horizon when Kate woke up that morning—or rather early morning. She was lying on a slightly odd angle in bed, Castle behind her, her body curved deliciously into his as they spooned. The bed sheets were rumpled, barely covering their naked bodies, and did little to hide the fact of what they'd done for most the previous night. He'd been as good as his word. He'd made her forget. For just last night, all Kate could think about was him. It had been what she'd needed, and Castle had given it to her without question or hesitation. Because he loved her.

Kate let out a soft sigh of contentment, and relaxed back into his embrace. His arm was draped lazily over her waist and his hand was sprawled wide across her stomach, protectively cradling the small bump that was now evident. She blinked a few times; permitting herself a moment to simply bask in the warmth of his embrace, remaining in a state of blissful contentment for just a few more minutes, before she allowed herself to fully awoke.

She'd never felt as safe as she did wrapped in his arms, a realization that had startled Kate, since she had always been so fiercely independent. Yet there it was, filling up an empty place inside of her she'd never known was bereft of such need. He was her safe haven, the one place she knew she could truly be herself without fear of judgment or ridicule. When he did tease her, it was all in good fun, and never in malice or cruelty, just as it was when she teased him. They completed each other in ways that Kate had never imagined possible. And as a result, she was reluctant to part from him, wishing she could just lie there all day in his embrace, but other matters needed her urgent attention.

Careful not to wake him, Kate gently slipped out of his arms and padded across the bedroom to the ensuite bathroom. She quickly relieved her bladder, sighing with relief as the pressure that had been bothering her relaxation ceased. After washing up, she quietly tiptoed back into the bedroom, wanting Castle to get as much sleep as possible. Kate felt that after last night, he deserved it. Plus, it was still really early, and she knew he'd grumbled and whine about being woken up. Even though it was adorable, she would rather not deal with right now, since Castle would probably then entice her back into bed for some more sleep.

As she stood there watching him sleep haphazardly on the tousled sheets, Kate was once again hit with an overwhelming sense of mental disorientation. Truth was she was still reeling from the shock of being rescued and back in civilization. She didn't realize it, but she had actually begun to believe that she would never see the sight before her—Castle lying in the tousled sheet of their bed—for a very long time. Before the appearance of John, the hitman Bracken had hired to take them out, Kate had begun to believe they'd spend many years on that island, perhaps even the rest of the lives. The thought sent a sudden chill down her spine, and she shivered. She frowned, and hugged herself, rubbing her hands up and down her bare arms to generate some heat.

New York was cold in the fall. Kate had always enjoyed this time of year, going out in a fashionable coat and walking the streets of the city. But now it was different. She felt a little befuddled, wondering why she even felt cold. Back on the island she could have wandered around naked and never once felt as cold as she did now. Kate was beginning to dread the coming New York winter.

Reluctantly, she pulled her eyes away from the sleeping form of her fiancé, and padded across the bedroom to the walk-in closet. Stepping inside, Kate almost felt like she was being transported to another world that consisted of endless forests of clothing. It had been so long since she'd seen so many fresh and clean clothes. On the island, they'd had to make do with what had survived the crash, and even though they did their best to wash them in fresh water, it just couldn't compare with a closet full of clean clothes.

Standing there, amongst designer shirts and faded tees, Kate almost didn't know what to do with herself. She had to close her eyes for several moments to remind herself that it wasn't a dream, that they really had been rescued, and she was sore in all the right places because last night she'd had crazy and wild sex with the man she loved in their bed and not on some make-shift mattress in a crudely built love shack.

Shaking her head, Kate cleared her mind of the love haze that it so readily wished to go. She grabbed some black sweatpants and quickly tugged them on. She found one of her more utilitarian bras and slipped it on gently, as her breasts were a little sensitive now. Looking around the closet, she found one of Castle's t-shirts that she'd absconded with early on in their relationship, unashamedly needing something of his that had his scent for those nights in which they'd spent apart. When she pulled it on, she couldn't help but smile widely. It was like being reunited with an old friend. She paused at the threshold to the walk-in closet, tugging the collar up to sniff the fabric.

It still smelled like him… like them.

It smelled like home.

XXX

Bundled up in an oversized NYPD hoodie, Kate sat comfortably in Castle's luxurious leather desk chair, one leg tucked under the other, as she scrolled through online news articles, searching for anything that would tell her more about the case against Senator William H. Bracken.

There was still a large part of her that wished she could have been part of the investigation, and specifically that takedown. But, at present, she was more concerned with the upcoming trial. Bracken had to be found guilty. He just had too. She didn't know what she'd do if he somehow got away with it due to some fancy legal razzle-dazzle by his attorneys, who just happened to be some of the best in the world. So in the vein, she needed more information than what was provided to her last night from the cable TV news stations she'd flipped through after her father had told them about the corrupt senator's arrest.

As with most things on the internet, Kate had to take what she was reading with a grain of salt. There were some conflicting reports about what evidence had been gathered, along with some sketchy sources, but most of the articles she found online all seemed to point at the messily handled sabotaging of Trop-Air Flight 8147 as the main act that got Bracken caught, or at the very least, started the pebbles rolling down the hill before the avalanche followed. It also appeared that Bracken had gotten a little cavalier in his criminal enterprises after the toppling of SuperPAC leader Ben "the kingmaker" Moss.

Kate pursed her lisp and read over each article, absorbing every word. Having spent the vast majority of her adult life on a mission to uncover the truth behind her mother's death, she wanted to be as informed as possible about the case against the senator. The Washington Post had an article that named the lead special prosecutor assigned by the Attorney General's office—Kyle Talbot, nicknamed "the Fox". He was a rising star within the Justice Department and seemed competent. What little she could find about him online was reassuring enough. She supposed he could be trusted to get the job done.

She sighed, leaning back in the chair and ruffled her hair with her hand. Kate Beckett was not used to sitting on the sidelines, especially on her mother's case. It was difficult to watch others take the lead, but she supposed that even if she had been part of the takedown, she still would have had to relinquish control at some point.

"Kate?"

She blinked and jerked her head up, immediately spotting Castle standing there with sleepy eyes and deliciously sex-mussed hair. Her eyes dropped when she noticed he was wearing nothing but his birthday suit. He yawned, and blinked his eyes as he stretched, seemingly oblivious to his state of undress. Kate took a moment to appreciate the sight. It was like this back at their hut on the island. They'd built it far enough away from everyone else that sometimes they'd just lazed around with nothing on, losing themselves in each other. Clearly Castle found the habit hard to break… not that she had any complaints.

"What are you doing up?" he queried in a groggy voice. "It's 3 o'clock."

She flicked her eyes to the glowing laptop screen before returning her gaze to his glorious nude form. "I couldn't sleep."

Castle bobbed his head languidly, as if he understood, but then his brow furrowed in confusion and he glanced down at himself. "Kate? I'm naked."

She pursed her lips together in a smirk; her eyes alight with amusement. "That you are, Castle."

He brushed back his tousled hair, and scratched the side of his head. His eyes blinked slowly as he fought to clear the sleep-induced cobwebs from his mind. "Perhaps I should get dressed?"

"No, that's okay," Kate asserted, making up her mind. "I was just about to come back to bed. And besides…," she added saucily, "I'm enjoying the view."

Kate powered down the laptop and closed it. She had been sitting there for over an hour pouring through articles, the majority of which were just a regurgitation of the same facts over and over again. Standing up, she arched her back and stretched her neck. She was feeling a little tired, come to think of it. She brushed her hair back and gave Castle a quick nod and reassuring smile, watching with delight as he turned around and walked back into the bedroom. Her eyes dropped to admire his ass.

Truthfully, if he hadn't interrupted her so gloriously in his birthday suit, Kate probably would have stayed up the rest of the night scouring the internet for information. It wasn't healthy. Besides, they had plans to meet up with Lanie and the boys at the precinct tomorrow. She'd need to be well rested in order to deal with her best friend when she learned about the pregnancy. Plus, Kate wanted to be on the top of her game when she questioned the boys about Bracken and their involvement in the case.

Returning into the bed room, Kate noticed that Castle had tidied the sheets as best he could. They slipped under the covers, easing back down onto the mattress at the same time. It didn't take long for them to gravitated towards one another, meeting in the middle of the bed. Castle wrapped his arms around her as she ducked her head down against his chest. She inhaled deeply, finding comfort in his familiar scent, and smiled when she felt him press a lingering kiss to the top of her head.

It was odd to be back home, at the Loft, which had only recently officially become her home before they'd been stranded on an island for almost half a year. Everything was so familiar, yet different at the same time. It was going to take a while to get used to everything that came with living in a big city again.

But first sleep. She needed to sleep.

The soft snores coming from her bed companion informed her that Castle had already fallen back asleep. Kate snuggled closer to him and closed her eyes, willing herself to follow his example.

XXX

Walking into the precinct after close to half a year away was an unusual experience, almost surreal. Kate didn't know what she should be feeling; her emotions were all over the place. Just like the Loft, it was so familiar, yet different at the same time. However there was one thing that remained the same. Castle. The thought brought a smile to her lips. There had been times she'd had doubts, times that were full of pain, hurt, confusion, and regret, but if there was one thing she'd learned while stranded on that island, it was that no matter what, Rick Castle would always be by her side.

The desk sergeant greeted them enthusiastically, and it amazed Kate that Rick remembered the man's name, and the fact he and his wife's son just graduated high school last May.

"It's good to have you back, Detective Beckett," he said with a warm smile, and she returned the sentiment, though technically she was no longer a detective, but old habits die hard.

They rode up the elevator in a comfortable silence, standing a little too close together than was strictly necessary. Castle's fingers brushed against hers, and she turned her head to look at him. He flashed her a reassuring smile. She sucked in a quick breath, and returned his smile, slowly slipping her hand into his, intertwining their fingers. When the bell dinged, signaling their arrival, and the doors rattled opened, they entered the homicide floor hand in hand.

Kate led the way into the bullpen, where they were greeted with a round of applause. Kate was reminded of her return to the precinct after her shooting. But instead of being alone, this time she had Castle with her. They're hands fell apart as they shook hands with some of their colleagues, thanking them for the welcome back. The loudest whistles and hoots were coming from two very familiar looking detectives standing in the center of the bullpen. Everyone exchanged hugs, smiling broadly, all happy to once again be reunited.

"So, how was paradise?" Esposito joked, when the precinct had finally calmed back down and everyone else got back to work.

"Sunny," came Kate's retort with an indulgent smirk.

"I'd imagine," Esposito nodded. "Glad you're back, Beckett. You too, bro."

"Thanks, 'Sito," Castle said, clapping him on the back. "It's good to be back."

Kate stood there awkwardly for a moment, not doing a very good job of avoiding looking at her former desk, whose new occupant was currently absent. Esposito noticed, and gave her a pointed look. Seeing that she'd been caught, Kate sighed and turned towards the desk, dropping all pretense and overtly examining her former workstation. It was a complete mess. She could hardly see the desktop through the litter that covered it. She wrinkled her nose in disgust when she saw what appeared to be week old fast food cartons. Turning away, she glanced up at the boys for an explanation.

"Detective Grant 'Sully' Sullivan," Ryan offered.

Esposito merely folded his arms across his chest and shrugged his shoulders. "Sorry, Beckett," he said. "What can I say, the guys a slob."

"Come on, Javi, he's not that bad," Ryan tried to defend the guy, always the polite one. "He may be disorganized—"

"That's an understatement," Esposito mumbled under his breath.

"But he's… um… competent," Ryan finished, losing steam.

"At least we were able to house train him, to a degree, unlike your boy here," Esposito added as he slapped Castle on the back.

"Should I be offended?" Castle inquired, raising his eyebrow. "I feel like I should be offended."

The boys shook their heads, suppressing smirks. Kate watched the exchanged with mild amusement. It was clear the boys were happy to have them back.

"Well, are you two at least playing nice?" she asked, stepping back to join them by their desks. Just from their quick exchange, Kate could tell that they'd enjoyed bossing around this Detective Sullivan far too much.

"Hey, it's us," Esposito objected. "We always play nice."

Ryan scoffed, and gave his partner a knowing look. "Since when have you ever played 'nice', Javi? Correct me if I'm wrong, but it took you like what… four months until you stop hazing me."

"Hey, it wasn't just me!" he exclaimed, gesturing towards Kate. "Beckett was the ringleader."

Ryan turned to her with a shocked expression on his boyish face. "Beckett?"

"Sorry, Ryan, you were just such an easy mark," Kate said, her lips quirking up in a smirk as she got lost in the memories of all the gags they'd pulled on him. "It was hard to resist."

Ryan feigned a pout, pretending to still be emotional scarred by their friendly teasing when he'd been the fresh face in the group. Esposito laughed and Castle watched the entire exchange with childish delight, always eager for more details. He began to question Ryan about what sort of pranks they'd played on him, when everyone fell silent by the appearance of Captain Gates.

"Detective Beckett," she greeted. "And Mr. Castle. Welcome back."

"It's good to be back, sir," Kate said, quickly falling back on old habits. "Even if it's just as a civilian visitor." She unconsciously glanced over at her old desk—now Detective Sullivan's pigsty of a desk.

Gates noticed and gave her an understanding nod. "Sorry, it had to be done," she said in an authoritarian voice. But then her demeanor softened, and she placed a hand on Kate's shoulder. "Right now, all that matters is that you've survived and are now back home. The job can wait. Concentrate on readjusting to life back home first."

Kate nodded, believing she understood. "So I still have a job?"

"If you want it, yes," Gates said. "And pending a physical and re-qualification, it's yours when you're ready."

Kate smiled, and looked up at her captain, truly grateful. "Thank you, sir."

Gates nodded, and then paused, glancing tentatively at Castle. "You too, Mr. Castle. It goes against my better judgment, but if Detective Beckett decides to come back, you're welcome as well."

"Thank you, Captain," Castle said, clearly touched.

Gates narrowed her eyes for a moment, and then shook her head, leaving before things got too sentimental. The boys released a breath, and looked at each other with stunned expression.

"I did not see that coming," Esposito admitted. "Then again, Gates did make that bet."

"What bet?" Castle asked, intrigued.

"Oh, nothing," Ryan said, glancing nervously at Kate.

"No, really, tell me," Castle pushed, not backing down. Kate watched with amusement, knowing that he was like a dog with a bone when it came to previously unknown information about their stern and by the book captain.

"Just some silly bet," Ryan said, evading. "Nothing to get too work up over, Castle."

"Come guys, you gotta tell me," Castle pleaded. "This sounds so… so non-Gates!"

"Guys, just tell him, please, otherwise he's going to be like this all day," Kate asserted, her fiancé bobbing his head in agreement. It's not like she wasn't happy to see her friends, but she really wanted to get to discussing the case against Bracken as soon as possible.

"Lanie started it," Ryan quickly blurted out, silencing when his partner glared at him.

Esposito grumbled a curse under his breath, before explaining. "We never gave up hope that you guys were alive, and one day we were just bouncing off ideas as to what you two would be doing if you were stranded on an island—"

"Ooh, I'm liking this already," Castle interjected with a mischievous grin. He glanced over at her and waggled his eyebrows suggestively. Kate wasn't all that sure she did, but she gestured for Esposito to continue.

"Lanie suggested that you two might have gone all Blue Lagoon," he finished and shuddered at the thought. "She just wouldn't let the idea ago." He shook his head. "She was convinced you'd come back pregnant, which is ridiculous, obviously." Esposito gestured towards Castle. "Like you'd let this schmuck knock you up while stranded on an island. You've got better sense than that. I assured her that you'd never let that happen."

Kate swallowed and blinked her eyes, remaining completely silent. Castle raised his eyebrows and his mouth bobbed open and shut. Esposito looked back and forth between them, and then shook his head, unwilling to believe what he was reading from their matching expressions.

"No… no… no way," he muttered a silent curse and waved his hands up in the air in disbelief. "¡Dios mío! Really!? Really!? You've got to be kidding me?"

All Kate could do was nod in confirmation.

"What?" Ryan asked, confused, looking to his partner for clarification. He looked back at Castle and Beckett, and noticed the way her hand dropped to her stomach. His eyes grew wide in realization. "Son of a—"