Chapter 14

Kate startled even herself. She kicked the light blanket off of her and bolted upright on the couch. She was careful enough to not wake up Jackson. Somehow, she felt he might let her down. And she wasn't about to call it in to the guys. They were still probably at the empty warehouse. She did the only thing she could, she quietly tiptoed into her room and there Alexis was, book in hand. She had the lamp by Kate's bed positioned right over her book. The room smelled of coffee.

"Sorry. I didn't know if you'd mind me reading your books or drinking your coffee it's just I couldn't sleep. There is still some left in the pot." Alexis bookmarked her page and waited Kate out.

"That's not why I came to check on you. I got something. I know where Rick is. And I need your help."

Rick freaked when Tyson set him into a chair. He freaked because this building, this particular motel. This is where they first met him as Tyson. Before that, he was just a witness. But when Rick figured it out, Tyson attacked Ryan and tied Rick in a chair with a gun on him. Much like now. Only thing that was different was that Ryan wasn't there. His hands chafed once more from the rope Tyson had to use on him.

"Look, we're back. See I can be sentimental. Do you think your precious Kate will get here in time. She didn't last time, I got away. But that is not what I have in mind today Mr. Castle. See, I'm rewriting our story. It's you and me for now. Once she hunts me down, if she can, then and only then will I draw her out. I waited patiently for her to come there but someone had to go and ruin things."

"If you're expecting me to apologize for surviving, I won't." Rick hoped his words conveyed how he truly felt. His voice was weak at the thought of her being too late. Of her not being able to save him and in return save herself from Tyson.

"No, I'm not. But I won't wait forever." Tyson looked worn out and frantic over the fact that this was never in his plans. He wanted Kate to catch them so he could put her down as well. His hands twitched and his nerves were shot. But he fought to keep control, he couldn't let Rick catch on, just how nervous he was.

"You can't rewrite this because she will come for me. She always has and always will. So end this game now. I don't care but leave her out of this. Leave my family alone." The words sounded so natural to him. Family. Whether married or not, they were family, she was family.

"As I recall, I think I ended that cord when I took you away. See, you're not married. Sorry to burst your bubble but it had to be done. You won't get that chance, I have to make sure you're aware of that. But I will make this fun for us. See, I brought you to our special place." Tyson came closer and placed the muzzle of the gun on Rick's jaw. He laughed while he traced Rick's face with the muzzle of the gun.

Rick sat there, tense and just closed his eyes. He closed his eyes and thought of Kate. She must have been waiting for him because there was an instant connection. He closed his eyes tighter and thought of the moment when she came and comforted him by the pool. She gave him a coffee and wrapped her hand in his. Their clasped palms rested along his thigh. He thought of the warmth she brought and the chill in the air. He closed his eyes tighter and just thought of that scene, over and over. He tried to send her that message but he had no idea how long it would take to actually get to her.

Kate saw him sitting, tied up in a chair. The ropes chafed him, she could feel his discomfort. She could feel his nervous sweats and his quickening heart rate. She saw Tyson playing with a gun along Rick's face. She felt him shudder. But she couldn't focus on Rick or Tyson, she knew this place. She had to get him out of there.

This was the place where she ran to him. And he waited for her to come and get her. Ryan was on the floor and Tyson was no longer in sight. He was trying to reenact it but this time, Kate wasn't on her way. She couldn't tell if that was his plan, to have her find him there once more but this time, dead. She was pulled out of the room as if a gust of wind blew her out of the room. She was now sitting with him by the pool. She remembered doing all of this. She was just standing there, watching her and him like a movie. She watched as she grabbed his hand in hers. She couldn't help but smile at the fact that this is what he was focusing on. And just like that, her vision blackened out.

Now, she was standing in front of Alexis, all light bulbs going off in her head. "Are you ready?"

Alexis sat there, shocked. "Wait, what? You know where my dad is? Where? And shouldn't we wake Jackson too?" Alexis was already pulling on a light jacket over her pajamas.

"I only know because he told me. I don't know how but I know where. I'm not waking Jackson, I don't feel comfortable with him coming along. But we have to go now before he wakes up. Let's go." Kate grabbed Alexis's hand and they both quietly tiptoed to the door. Kate grabbed her keys and her two guns and slid her feet into her moccasins. Alexis kept quiet, only making noise when slipping on her Uggs.

Kate drove in her pajamas and knew that what she was about to do was crazy. She shouldn't be rescuing him herself, well she had Alexis but Alexis wasn't a cop. Kate felt for her spare gun, the one she kept off duty and slid it out from her hiding place under her pant leg. She reached out and handed it to Alexis.

"I hope you know how to shoot one of these. I'm gonna need all hands on deck. You with me?" She allowed herself to quickly look at Alexis. What she saw wasn't fear but fight.

"Of course I am. And I know how to shoot a gun. My dad showed me once." Alexis allowed herself to laugh. "That didn't help my case did it?"

"I trust you. And we're on our own. It's just you and me. So I need you to have my back. And I will have yours."

"I'm right by your side Kate." Alexis grabbed Kate's shaky hand and warmed it within hers. "It's okay to be nervous. Just because you do this all the time doesn't mean you can't be afraid. Especially because this time, my dad's involved. I know how much he means to you. Don't worry, he will be okay. All the great love stories have some obstacles to overcome."

Kate smiled at the words all too similar to her. Rick had said that to her when she thought she was getting nowhere close to getting married. She was right. She needed to focus on the mission in front of her. It was almost four in the morning and the morning chill ripped through her white t-shirt. But she could feel herself getting closer to Rick.

In her mind, she tried to remember every detail about that motel, she had to get to him without Tyson catching on that she was there. She took the stairs but there were two stairwells. If she took the once farthest from the room, that would give her an advantage on him. She had to make sure that Alexis stayed safe. She would never, nor Rick would, forgive herself if anything happened to Alexis. She was family, you watch out for your family.

"When we go in, you must stay out of view and only if I need you do you come in. Rick is in there and if he sees you then he might get distracted. I don't want you guys going in alive and coming out dead. Ok? I sound harsh but it's only because I love and want to keep you safe." Kate caught Alexis staring back at her.

"I get it you know. He would kill you if he saw me but I want to have your back, I have to have your back. So I will listen but if I sense anything amiss, I am going to storm into that room, gun at the ready. Ok?" Alexis looked right at Kate, waiting for her to continue to fight her on the subject.

"Ok. You're right, it would be nice to have you at my back but I trust you and I know you'll make the right decision. You're an adult and in the end I can't tell you what to do." Kate allowed herself to take a deep breath and could feel that in all her decisions, she forgot to mentally prepare herself. But what would she say to herself? Relax, he might not be there, he might not be alive. She shook those horrible thoughts from her head and turned all of her attention back to the road.

"Is your woman coming Rick? Can you feel it? Please, she isn't coming but I'll give the poor girl a break. I will give her one day to figure it all out and if she doesn't then goodbye to you. And if she does, well then I get to kill you both. Yeah, that's what I've wanted all along. Both of you gone. I have a feeling that this time, I'll get what I want." Tyson laughed and laid back on the bed. "Shall we pick something to watch?" He laughed once more then put on some baseball game.

Rick tried not to think of the possibility of her coming to find him but he also didn't want to be rescued because if she came, then he'd kill both of them. But who would he kill first? Rick figured that his time was up. He couldn't do anything to save himself but he could still save Kate.

"Hey Tyson?" Rick tried to yell loud enough so Tyson could hear him over the TV.

"What is it now?" He hit the mute button and turned his eyes to Rick.

"When you have to kill us both, kill me first. Please. Better yet, don't wait. Do it now." Rick couldn't get ahold of his thoughts quick enough. They just kept coming at him. "Spare her."

Tyson's snicker echoed off the walls. "No can do, Mr. Castle." Then he turned the volume back up and proceeded to count down the clock.

"Ok, I'm going to pull over there and then will hoof it till we get there. I don't want my car giving it away." Kate parked the car at a coffee shop two blocks down. And in the quiet morning, Alexis and Kate walked to the motel. Alexis never said a word and Kate became worried.

"Alexis, how are you doing?" Kate whispered and stopped within ear shot of the motel.

"I'm ok. Just ready to get my dad back." She smiled and they continued on foot. "Um, Kate?" She grabbed at Kate's arm and turned her towards her. "I'm glad you're letting me do this. I love you and I won't let you down." Alexis smiled and pulled her into a hug.

"I know you won't. I love you too." She returned the hug which was made difficult by the bulletproof vests they donned.

Kate held her index finger up to her lips and Alexis knew to make no sound. Their sight of the room was blocked so Kate quickly hurried on to the farthest stairwell to the second floor. She had her gun out and aimed and turned to see Alexis mimicking her moves. She crouched down lower and quietly stepped closer to the rooms. She passed every room quickly and stopped two rooms down from where Rick was.

She knew he was in there, she could feel it and the TV was blasting. She just hoped that no one bothered to call the cops, sirens meant fleeing and she had Tyson right where she wanted him.

She motioned for Alexis to follow but once they reached the room next to Rick, she held up her palm. Alexis didn't fight it but just remained holding her gun at the ready. Kate took a deep breath, pushed her ear up to the door and only heard baseball in the background. She hoped her vision had been right and not just him remembering that time they shared by the pool. She stepped back and lifted her leg and gave a swift kick to the door.