Down for the Count by Castlefan6
Authors Note: This is 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. He believed she had almost confessed she loved him, but she lost consciousness one second too soon. This story is dedicated to Norman, hope it is close to what you wanted my friend. We both had severe anxiety when Beckett just watched as Castle walked away watching her in the arms of Dr. Motorcycle Boy. WARNING: Caskett is NOT a guarantee in this AU story.
I don't own Castle, I use the characters for amusement purposes only
Chapter 10
Previously
"Well, I guess I know what he meant by "being busy this week and would talk to me next IF he had time now. Do you think it's really him Lanie, I mean there's been hundreds of doctored photo's printed**"?"
Lionsgate Studios
Los Angeles CA
1:30 PM local time as Rick exits Gates
Rick decides that he's had enough work, and Jan Henderson would not interview until this evening, Jacinda did say she was keeping the day open for him if he could make it back, dialing her using the blue tooth device,
"Hey Rick, where you at?"
"Hi Jacinda, I'm just leaving the studios headed back to the Four Seasons, what have you got planned for today?"
"Not a thing, remember our talk this morning, I'm holding the day open just in case you could get back to spend time with you,"
"Jacinda, you shouldn't sit around waiting for someone to maybe call you, enjoy your time off, don't you go back to work tomorrow?"
"That's sweet Rick, but I am doing what I want to do, and not waiting for someone, I'm waiting for you. I go back day after tomorrow, so I have the rest of today and tomorrow then it's back to work for three weeks, then Beth's graduation."
"Well speaking of that would you like to go somewhere for lunch or grab a show?"
"How about we get room service, and I put on a show for you, last night was all about me and my pleasure, and I want to return the pleasure." She purrs which has Rick fighting his arousal already.
"Jacinda, please don't take this the wrong way, and please let me finish before you say anything OK?"
"Rick, if you are going to tell me you're not ready for a relationship and that you have just been hurt, and hurt very deeply, I know that."
"I don't expect anything but for us to enjoy ourselves, no strings attached, maybe in time, but Hun, it's way to early for you and I know that. For now, I'll take what I can get, did that sum it up for you, or did I jump the gun"
Rick is smiling as he speaks "You're pretty special you know, and Thank you, I am just fresh off a heart break, I'll tell you about it if that won't bother you when I get to your room in 5,4,3,2, Now" as he knocks on her door.
The door fly's open, Jacinda holding her phone and now jumping in Ricks arms smothering him in kisses from the neck to the ear, then lips, first one side then the other.
"If I get this welcome every time let me come back a few times" Rick laughs,
"Rick, can we go to your suite, more privacy, I do want to hear about what turned off the lights in your soul, you were a shell of the man we met in London to this trip, OK?" Do you feel up to it, or should I just keep quiet?"
Rick smiles slowly and takes her hand gently, "You ready?"
As they enter the penthouse Jacinda chooses the living area, she wants to talk, and if she is anywhere near the bed she knows that's not what will happen.
"Is this good Rick? She asks as he is at the bar making them each a drink
"Perfect," as he set her drink in front of her, and pushing her chair in so she is closer to the table, as he is leaning in she kisses him sweetly,
"It'll be all right Rick, I Promise, OK?"
"Where should I start?"
"I think I've heard you say in your books, "at the beginning would be a logical place" imitating a male character out of one of his Storm books, that brings a deep laugh from Rick and relaxes the mood.
"Well, you know about the playboy past, you've read all about it, and I think we talked about the family dynamics at home with Alexis, Mother and what I do for inspiration for the Nikki Heat books"
"It's the extraordinary KB isn't it Rick? She's the one who has almost extinguished that torch inside of you" Jacinda asks sweetly
"Well, I'm not blameless either, I've done things that I'm sure have hurt or at least pissed her off, but it seemed like we were moving closer then out of the blue comes this new boyfriend, a doctor no less who travels for DWB (Doctors without Borders), I mean how do you compete with that?"
"You don't Rick, you put your Best self forward, if that falls short, move on, you and she weren't meant to be" Jacinda says with a tear in her eye,
"Memories of your breakup? As Rick gently reaches for her hand
"Yes, but hey we are talking about you now, we'll get to me when we're finished OK?" she asks through tear filled eyes
Rick continues to describe his feelings when Sorenson returns, then Demming, the hurtful lie before really out of desperation he invited Gina his ex-wife and publisher to avoid being alone, then finally the day the Doctor walked into the precinct, surprising him, her team and even the Captain.
He is honest when he admits that Gina and he both were so tired of being alone their relationship the second time should never have started, but she was good for companionship,
"Bet she wasn't bad in bad either Rick, I could see that working for you had it been a friends with benefits type, but exclusive? No typically if it doesn't work the first time, it won't the second" Jacinda softly interrupts
"How did you know that"
"Rick, you're a hot man, women throw themselves at you, from age 14, to 90 and you have needs, all of us do." "If you aren't being satisfied by the one you love, you, well people, look for who's close to what your heart wants, and you try to make it fit"
"Is that what we're doing now, or at least is that what you are doing and think I am doing Jacinda?"
"No Rick, I told you straight up, no expectations, you're a hunk, who is very sweet and one of the best lovers I have ever had, and don't go there, no woman will give you their number, at least the honest one, we all deserve some secrets."
"So, it's just sex with us Jacinda is that how you feel?"
"Rick let's finish one discussion before we digress to another please, but the short answer is "Hell No, it's more for me" she smiles
Hearing the emphatic Hell no it's more for me seemed to allow Rick to regain his confidence, as he proceeded to tell her as much as he could about the incidents leading up to his trip to Los Angeles, including the three near deaths, the ALMOST confession of love, and finally his last picture of her embracing her lover as he walked away, barely able to vocalize the last part.
Jacinda steps from the table, takes Rick into her arms and kisses him sweetly, gently and pouring all the passion in her heart into her lips, whispers "It'll be OK Rick, I promise you, not today, not tomorrow, but it'll get better" "You asked me a question before, the sex is the best I have ever had but there's more to this than that, BUT you're not ready Love, you may think you are but you aren't." "You're still in love with Kate, and until that ends it's not fair to you, or anyone to even begin to start more than a physical relationship, and Rick?
"Yes Jacinda, "comes a sad and quiet response,
"Please, Please don't think of her when you make love to me, I would rather go without any touch at all to think I was just a substitute for the one you want."
"Jacinda, PLEASE I never have or would ever do that, I care about you deeply, you're right I need to stop loving her before I can move on, BUT she has never been on my mind when we are in the bedroom, you must believe me"
Jacinda sits quietly for a moment, then takes his hand and leads him to the bedroom, "Rick, prove it to me, and Please don't close your eyes, I know when I see them exactly where you are" See A/N
Rick proves he is telling her the truth more than once, and Jacinda opens to him that she is coming out of a long engagement that just didn't work out, and now she is searching for that love, Rick has done well, very well on the interview *****
Lanie's Apartment
4:00 PM EST
Kate knocks on her best friends' door, happy to be there to reconcile, but is still a bit nervous how this will play out. A few seconds later the door opens, and her fears erased, as Lanie pulls her into a hug, both shed a few tears as "I'm sorry from both are uttered in unison, and finally they make it into Lanie's apartment.
"Lanie, I can't tell you how much I hate what happened, I guess I had to hit bottom to see just what a bitch I've become to all those who care about me, please forgive me?" My biggest regret is the hurt I have done to you all, but especially to Rick, a man who did nothing but try to help me, and now Alexis hates me, and without her support no woman stays in Rick's life, so I am screwed"
"I got to tell you girlfriend, I thought you had been taken over or something, my friend Kate would never behave like that, not to her team, not to me, and certainly not to the man we all know she has been in love with since he saved her from her bathtub, and apartment fire."
"Lanie I'm not**"
"Not what Kate Beckett? Look me in the eye and tell me this picture of Rick kissing someone else is not killing you." Kate glances down and just the glimpse of the picture has her tears falling again.
"Like I said you've been in love with him, now what we have to do is figure out how to get him and you in the same room, so you can finally tell him, once you apologize of course" Lanie states
"That's going to be hard when he's in Los Angeles and I'm in New York, and I'm not sure when he comes back if he will even let any of us know IF he comes back, Lanes I know I hurt him so badly" and the tears pour once again.
Lanie reaches over and pulls Kate into an embrace, "Shh, it's OK, we are going to figure this out, the man ain't married yet and till he says I do, we got a shot" which gets a soft laugh out of Kate,
"Have you had contact with him at all Kate?"
Kate goes through the nightmare of the texts, her conversation, if you could call it that, with Alexis then the apology text from Alexis after she had spoken to Rick, Kate's text to Rick after he had spoken to Alexis and finally she showed her his last response,
"He's gone Lanes, I finally did what I said I was going to do all along"
"What? He doesn't sound like he's been shot, at least not yet" Kate smiles but still through tears
"We'll figure this out, just gotta figure out how to get you to Los Angeles so you can ask forgiveness in person, then see if you can bring your boy home "
They open the wine, order pizza and have a catch-up session of Girl Talk some laughter some tears, Lanie is still devastated by Javi breaking it off, she never saw it coming, and finally Kate leaves with her friend back in her corner, that felt good. Now she had to work on Rick.
Rick's Penthouse
Los Angeles CA 6:30 PM Local Time
Rick and Jacinda had spent the better part of the afternoon, with Jacinda now in the take charge position, and making Rick feel like his body had been worshiped over and over, sleep, make love, sleep, make love till finally Beth had called Jacinda's cell phone.
"Hi Auntie J, I won't ask how or what you are doing", as she laughs but would you and Uncle Rick like to join us for dinner?" Rick nods yes since Jacinda has her phone on speaker,
"That sounds great, what time and where?"
"Maurice has a car arranged to pick us up in one hour to take us to Uncle Ricks favorite restaurant, is that OK Uncle Rick, I know you have the phone on speaker"
Rick laughs, "Beth that will be perfect, meet you downstairs in an hour ok? Bye"
"What's your favorite restaurant Rick, I need to dress accordingly"
It's casual and you've got 45 minutes as he picks he up kissing her and places her on the bed gently.
Rick is thinking I could get used to this, while Jacinda is thinking my God how can I keep this man, both almost are late getting downstairs for the limo as Beth just smiles seeing how happy her Auntie J is.
As they stepped into the limo more paparazzi shots were taken, the door closes but the car doesn't leave. A few minutes later Maurice and a film crew are setup and Rick and the ladies replay the entrance to the car, except this time Rick stands, kisses Beth appropriately, then Courtney on the cheek and big hug, and finally he and Jacinda lay one on each other with hands dangerously close to being inappropriate, finally they break.
"Hate to disappoint you guys who are trying to sell your grainy photos to the gossip rags, this will be on Entertainment Tonight, sorry you wasted your film", as he enters the limo and the car pulls carefully away with only Rick and the driver aware of the final destination. Jacinda is lost in her thoughts, she doesn't care if it's a hamburger joint, as long as she is spending time with Rick, she is happy.
A/N Good Spot to stop, we have Lanie and Kate mended, one more day for Jacinda to spend, coming up the interview with the mysterious Legal Lady, and how can we get Rick and Kate in the same time zone. Thanks for your comments, reviews favorites and follows, much appreciated,
Tim
A/N 2 When Jacinda asks Rick to Don't Close your Eyes its from a song by Keith Whitley, Female covered by Kelly Pickler
I know you loved her
A long time ago
Even now in my arms
You still want her I know
But darlin this time
Let your memories die
When you hold me tonight
Don't close your eyes
Chorus-
Don't close your eyes
Let it be me
Don't pretend its her
In some fantasy
Darlin' just once
Let yesterday just go
And you'll find more love
Than you've ever known
Just hold me tight
When you love me tonight
Don't close your eyes
Maybe i've been a fool
Holding on all this time
Lying here in your arms
knowing he's in your mind
But I keep hoping someday
That you'll see the light
Let it be me tonight
Don't close your eyes
Chorus-
Don't close your eyes
Let it be me
Don't pretend its him
In some fantasy
Darlin' just once
Let yesterday just go
And you'll find more love
Than you've ever known
Just hold me tight
When you love me tonight
Don't close your eyes
Chorus-
Don't close your eyes
Let it be me
Don't pretend its him
In some fantasy
Darlin' just once
Let yesterday go
You'll find more love
Than you've ever known
Just hold me tight
When you love me tonight
Don't close your eyes