Chapter 14
It was early, he could tell as the few trees outside had yet to sketch their outlines on the wall opposite the window. It was open slightly and the ocean could be heard soothing away the beach sand in the moonlight, encouraged along by the gentle breeze weaving through the mist that wasn't quite the full rain it had been earlier.
He loved it here. Truth be told, he felt more at home here than in the city. He preferred the quiet; how it worked with his words to create a perfect sentence, paragraph, chapter, story. Worked with him, but did it's best not to influence him too much with distracting ideas that really had nothing to do with the progression of the story. He liked when it was just him and his characters whispering softly in his ear, eagerly telling him what they would do next.
Derrick Storm was difficult; always wanted to go in one direction while Castle tried to force him in another. He smiled fondly in honor of his fallen hero. After the final installment of the series his fans desperately wanted to know why he had given Storm such a bitter ending and he found he was never really able to give a proper answer. Storm had become boring, predictable, but that wasn't really the reason. It was the interchange between author and character that was predictable and Castle found that no matter how he baited Storm, tried to harness him, keep him down, expose a flaw he always found his way out of trouble. Castle would find himself at the end of typing an entire scene, where he intended to have Storm brought down a few notches, only to have been taken over by the character himself to ensure Storm's triumph over every kind of evil, obstacle, or even love. If he was honest with himself, Castle knew that by killing Derrick Storm he was trying to squelch his own hubris that inevitably came out in Storm's every victory.
He didn't want to be that man. The kind that had nothing to fear, nothing to lose, nothing to love.
Nikki was different. She was beautiful, smart, independent, but most importantly, she was flawed. She felt deeply and purely and put up defenses, only allowing him to write what she wanted on the page. No, not that. They don't get to see that part of me yet. She would always tell him when it was too much and he often found he had no argument against her. She would reveal herself to her audience in her own time, but not too quickly.
That was what made her extraordinary. The readers could relate to her. The way she struggled for independence but still longed for that deeper connection to another person. She was strong and guarded yet sympathetic and compassionate; layered...like an onion. She wrote herself. All he did was fill in the story in between.
He inhaled deeply the scent of ocean salt, rain kissed air, and Katherine Beckett. Perfect. True, she inspired the creation of Nikki Heat, but he had no idea the depths she would lend to her character. She unfolded the mysteries of herself to him just as carefully as Nikki had, if not more so. And even as he breathed her in and touched her skin, her hair, without hesitation or fear of rejection he knew this was big. Immense.
He smiled lovingly at her soft, sleeping form, hair falling in her face in funny, mussed waves, and gently pulled her close. He had a hard time deciding if he would rather stare at her in wonder or hold her as close as he desired. Now that he actually had the choice it was almost impossible to make.
She didn't wake as he moved both of them so he could tuck her head against the inside of his shoulder while she made slight mewing sounds in her sleep as a protest for being disturbed. He slid one arm under her pillow so it was propped against the headboard and the other he rested casually on her hip so if she moved he could make sure to go with her.
He took in her moonlit features once more before closing his eyes and wondered what Nikki would have to say about this new step they'd finally taken.
He walked briskly in the cool night air, nice and casually. He always enjoyed strolls in the darkness and he inhaled deeply as he relished the extra confidence it lent him. This was such a pretty little beach lined neighborhood with its two to three story wood slatted houses complete with white porch railings and well manicured yards spanning far between each home.
It must be nice to travel with a famous writer, but there was no bitterness in the thought as he turned to pass through the yard of one home so he could walk along the beach for a while. What a beautiful place to live.
It made him tingle a little. He loved stark contrasts; black to white, loud to sudden silence...beauty to tragedy. And this place was beautiful...and so was she. He decided it was safe to think on her for a bit, in the darkness, alone, the sea for company.
She was challenging, and he liked that. Overcoming something difficult made him stronger and fulfilling his desires so much more satisfying. He'd yet to meet a mark he couldn't take down, defeat. At first easy contracts did the trick and quelled that dark force inside. That part of himself that would never quiet unless he gave it what it wanted. Power.
He wasn't a fool. He knew it was getting harder and harder to still the voice within. The norm just didn't cut it anymore. It was so easy for him to avoid being caught, too easy. So, he'd purposefully began taking more risks, raising the stakes.
Well, he chuckled at the thought, he'd almost never been caught, but he didn't really count that one time. This man he had respect for, admiration even. The stalker had become the stalked in this instance and he'd instantly known this man was special. He had always worked alone in the past but he couldn't help feeling he had something to learn from this man who had so much power, persuasion, and stealth. But his new boss knew the conditions of his employment; he would play by his own rules, but get the job done without consequence.
He'd been even more confident of his decision when he was given his first assignment; his only assignment. And she made a beautiful target. True, she was physically striking but he'd never really been appreciative of the human form, more the human mind. And her's was gorgeous.
She was passionate, driven, focused, just like him. And he could always appreciate his own qualities in someone else. When he took their lives he could feel their strengths absorbing into his veins, pulsing through him and oh...the rush. And he wanted her; all her passion, carefully controlled anger, and intelligence waiting to be released for his taking.
He stopped and dug his toe a small divot in the beach sand, letting himself imagine for just a moment how it would feel when he snuffed out her light. The look she might give him as she registered his victory over her. He shut his eyes against the surge of pleasure that threatened to take him. Not yet. Patience.
On the other hand there was this other man, Richard Castle, who he just couldn't seem to shake. He suspected she would be unable to either, even if she'd wanted to. He was boyish and exuberant, which made his stomach turn in disgust. How could she want someone like that? Someone so opposite to her cool and protected exterior.
He was comforted that when he took her the author would be punished for disrespecting such a brilliant creature. He would make her understand how much he appreciated her first, so she would know that she was taken by someone worthy of her.
He turned from the ocean and raised his eyes to the balcony of the house in front of which he stood. The door and window were open, no doubt letting in the cool, briny breeze. He bet she was there with him, sleeping soundly, stupidly, thinking she was safe with him.
He took a last look and then started back in the direction he'd come from. He needed to prepare, so everything was ready. Soon.
Castle was having trouble sleeping which he found odd since the want within had been satisfied not five hours earlier. He'd wanted this for so long and she had given it to him; that little part of herself that spoke volumes but that she kept hidden from almost everyone else...her love.
He shifted carefully next to her. She slept peacefully still, her breath flowing deep and steady. He imagined a great weight had been lifted from her tonight and he more than understood the significance of that moment which had now become this moment. A continuous point of being for the two of them on which time had no effect.
Maybe that was why he was restless. The gravity of the situation had not escaped him, and though he'd known somehow that she loved him and just had to sort it out herself, he was still amazed. He was the luckiest man on earth.
He slowly slid off the bed and padded quietly to the open window, keeping hidden behind the thin curtains to protect his skin from becoming chilled in the night air. The sea remained calm and the waves only gently lapped against the tired shore.
He squinted into the dark. Was there someone down there? He felt himself immediately become protective of his space, his woman. What was that person doing right outside his house? Way to be a caveman. He took a deep breath. People were allowed to enjoy the beach at whatever time they wanted, and whoever the figure was just seemed to be enjoying the view along the waterline. Maybe they had trouble sleeping tonight as well. And Jensen was around, somewhere, to make sure no shifty characters came too close.
Suddenly the figure turned to face the balcony. Castle instinctively stepped to the side to avoid being seen. Man, whoever this was was nosy. Narrowing his field of view, Castle tried to follow the silhouette's gaze which was occluded by the night. Yep, just as he thought, kind of creepy. It looked as though the figure was trying to look straight through the open window.
Just admiring the house, maybe? Turn around, jackass. Hmmm. ESP is underrated, was Castle's errant thought as the shadow did just that and started back down the beach, quickly fading into the darkness.
Castle shivered. I am so weirded out right now.
"MmmmCastle?" His name was a sleepy mumble on her lips and he heard her shift to reach for him.
"I'm right here." He answered softly, but quickly so she wouldn't worry.
She sat up a little to see him and stretched. "What're you doin'? It's early."
God, he loved her. Being in his room, wondering where he was, why he'd deviated from the norm. It had been so long since someone had cared enough to...care why he did the things he did. He smiled, "I couldn't sleep."
He shut the sliding door and windows, "Maybe I got a little cold." That wasn't the case but he knew she'd only tell him he was crazy if he told her some creepy, shadowy guy was looking at the house.
She gave a little half smile at him and held out her hand, "Well, come back to bed, I'll warm you up."
He gravitated towards her like a magnet. She pulled him down next to her and settled against him so fast it was like they'd been sleeping like this for years. She was heavy with sleep and already her eyes had closed again, content now that he was there. She had him so close, keeping her promise to warm him and he could feel the heat from her leg pressed to his, her arm around his waist, and her cheek against his chest. She'd even pulled her pillow down next to his side and her breath warmed his t-shirt over the pumping of his heart. He was absolutely sure it would pop at any second. So much love it hurt a little.
His mind finally quieted and he slept, dreaming of a shadowed figure sweeping in and covering Kate in darkness. But somehow he must have known it was a dream, and even in his sleep he could still sense her beside him. He made the decision to brave the dream, and didn't wake until sun peeked in through the window panes, chasing away the rain clouds temporarily.
Even when he woke he couldn't remember details; only the pain of loss that he quickly remedied by holding her as she freely stroked his hair in the morning light.
A/N: Gawh! I'm so sorry! That took forever! It absolutely sucks when school starts and suddenly you don't have as much time to sit on your butt and write till your heart's content! Also, admittedly, I can't pull myself away from Tumblr and all the Castle sneak peeks! Just kill me now with all the sadness and heart poppy moments! Ugh. Anyway, this is a bit of a filler chapter but I needed one to kinda introduce the bad guy a little more. Hope ya liked it! I will get to work on chapter 15 ASAP! I love your reviews! More! More!