A/N1: Hello peoples and WELCOME WELCOME WELCOME to the 32nd Chapter of Dancing with Death I have titled 'Assumptions' First off I MUST apologise for the long ass wait all you fans of this story and the Revelations series have had while waiting for this chapter. I got into writing another pairing in a different genre and TOTALLY lost all interest for this story. But I rearranged my thinking and after an awesome fun trip to New Zealand to visit my bestest bud in the fandom Naybaybay I came back to Dancing with Death with renewed vigour. I hope this long ass chapter makes up for the long ass wait you've all had. A bazillion apologies for the long wait. I will try my hardest to update more frequently. And of course I always value your feedback or story ideas to please don't hesitate to message me privately if you have any concerns or story ideas, I'm an open book and value all constructive feedback!

Additional note: Please open this link www. youtube . com watch? v= NUy9MX zUrVo (omitting the spaces) in another tab and watch where I indicate (It's important to the story)

"Are you going to go the whole of 'Dancing with the Stars' not telling me what dance or music you're going to perform to?" Kate asked Rick later in the week as they ate their lunch in their favourite booth of Remy's. "Four days into the new week and I'm yet to hear anything about this week's dance."

"Tango and something extra," Rick announced once he had swallowed a mouthful of his triple cheeseburger.

"Something extra?" Kate enquired in surprise. "What does that mean?"

"I can be honest in saying I have no idea, neither does Anastasia," Rick informed his wife truthfully. "The producers rang her Tuesday morning and said 'be prepared to perform an additional dance to the usual."

"And that's all the information you got?" Kate asked in surprise. "Shouldn't you be getting more detail than that? Like music, theme and actually dance style?"

"Well you'd think so but Anastasia and I talked and we've both come to the conclusion that the producers are going to spring some sort of interpretive dance on us for Monday night. So of course yesterday's session was even more intense than usual. We trained for two hours on the Tango then spent another two hours doing everything from the Charleston to Freestyle, more Jive and even this weird hip Hop Zumba mix that made my ass burn. That's why I was home so late."

"So will you have more of the same today?" Kate enquired as she sucked down a mouthful of strawberry shake.

"I expect so," Rick replied. "Anastasia is the sort of woman who when she sets her mind to something doesn't deviate from the planned course. She's going to kill me. I was so sore last night, Kate. I really was."

"I know you came home, skipped dinner had a shower and went straight to bed," the female detective commented. "I was even doubting whether I should wake you up to come to the precinct today."

"Glad you did," Rick said. "I needed to get up and spend the morning and early afternoon moving around and loosening up my muscles so this afternoon's training session doesn't make me even more sore. The training for 'Dancing with the Stars' is killing me Kate but jeez it's worth it. I'm the fittest I've ever been and just about got a ten pack happening and I'm having the best fun of my life."

"Mmm I'm becoming intimately familiar with your 'almost ten pack," Kate murmured looking her partner up and down and licking her lips lasciviously. "You're looking fi-i-i-i-i-neeeee."

Rick threw back his head and roared with laughter. "And just think I used to be the one doing all the perving," he said with a snort of amusement. "Ah, those were the days."

Kate just threw a cushion at him.

"You heading out bro?" Esposito said to Rick the following afternoon as the Writer retrieved his bag from the locker room.

"Yeah 'duty' calls," The writer joked. "This woman is gonna kill me, Espo, even when I was in the academy at Quantico I never ended a training session feeling so sore. It's like she's ex Russian army and learned all those torture techniques people reckon the KGB was expert in."

"I heard that!" Kate called from her desk as the two men emerged into the bullpen. "You overreact Castle."

"Okay then you can have a training session with Anastasia then," Rick shot back. "Then see how sore you are."

"Hey everyone, Caskett's having an argument!" Ryan announced to the nearly empty bullpen. "I'm taking bets on who will win and how quick Mr Castle will piss off Mrs Castle, even odds for under thirty seconds!"

Eggerstom and Karpowski collapsed in a fit of giggles.

Kate screwed up a piece of paper and lobbed it at her colleague, it hit him directly in the centre of his forehead then onto the edge of his desk before landing in the trash can on the floor.

"Nice shot," the Irish detective commented.

"Why do you assume I'm always the one to piss Mrs Castle off?" Rick asked his friend as he leaned down to press a quick kiss to Kate's lips.

"Because you usually are!" Ryan, Esposito, Kate, Eggerstrom and Karpowski chorused.

Rick rolled his eyes dramatically. "Oh very funny," he responded dryly. "Well I better go, catch you round."

"See ya."

Rick swiftly left the precinct building and headed out to the curb where he hailed a cab and took the short ride over to Gramercy Park where Anastasia and her competition dancing partner Valeri's studio was located. He gave the driver the fare and a generous tip before exiting the vehicle and making his way inside the building.

"Howdy Rick!" Anna, Anastasia's receptionist called cheerfully lifting her hand to greet the Writer. "What's doing? Keeping busy?"

"Your boss makes it impossible for me to be anything but," Rick replied with a grin "I dance and go home and die from exhaustion every night. I was so tired last night I got home and skipped dinner because parts of me that I didn't know could cramp did cramp. It was like the first time I went horse riding with Alexis."

"I know exactly how you feel, just head on through to the office. Anastasia said she was going to go through some paperwork before you arrived."

"Okie dokie, see you when the EMT's come and wheel me out on a gurney, okay?"

Anna rolled her eyes. "Don't be a drama queen, the boss isn't that bad," she called after the departing writer. "You're a big wuss Richard Castle!"

Chuckling Rick made his way through the reception area into the main dancing hall where Valeri Anastasia's business and competition partner was currently instructing a group of senior citizens on the correct posture for a Viennese waltz. The Bulgarian flashed Rick a thumbs up then made his way over to a man who was slouching. Rick returned the thumbs up then made his way down the hallway towards the office which was just off the private rehearsal room he and Anastasia worked on their routines together. Hearing slightly muffled noises coming from Anastasia and Valeri's office he lifted a hand and gently knocked.

Nothing

Rick knocked again and when he didn't get a response he grasped the door handle and pushed. The door opened and immediately his eyes fell upon his dance partner. Her eyes were closed, her head resting against the back of her chair while her legs were spread and a brunette woman performed enthusiastic oral sex on her.

Instantly Anastasia's eyes flew open and she sat up in a hurry.

"YEBAT!" (FUCK!) she screeched.

The woman who had been performing oral sex on Anastasia tipped back when the Russian's legs clamped around her head then fell back and hit her head on the leg of the desk.

"Fuck!" she cussed.

Rick's jaw fell open in shock and he almost dropped his bag in surprise. "I-I b-better erm..." he stammered. "I'll leave you two ladies alone."

And before either Anastasia or her 'partner' could respond Rick made his way out of the office, shut the door and down to the private rehearsal room. He changed into his workout clothes and passed the time by stretching on the floor and against the ballet barre. Eventually he heard the office door open and shut and low conversation follow.

Anastasia then entered the room her round face a magnificent shade of scarlet. "Okay now let's get zis session going!" she announced overly enthusiastically as she made her way over to the stereo system which played the music they had picked for their routine.

"So how long have you two er been dating?" Rick asked with a huge grin on his face.

Anastasia's face deepened in colour. "Ve need to start on today sess-ion," she stammered avoiding her dance partner's eyes.

"You can talk about it, you know," Rick replied. "Especially with me, I'm the most liberal person out there. I don't care about what I just saw."

"It's embarrassing!" Anastasia exclaimed covering her face.

"What is?" Rick questioned. "The fact I walked in on you getting busy or the fact it was with a woman?"

"I-I er." Anastasia stammered "Vot der'mo." (Oh shit)

"You don't have to tell me;" Rick went on. "But I won't judge if you do."

Anastasia closed her eyes and inhaled before exhaling in a rush. "I've never told you why I came to the United States, have I?" she began, her thick Russian accent trembling with apprehension.

"No," Rick replied "but you can if you like."

"I'm from a city in Russia called Volgograd," Anastasia began as she sat on the floor and began stretching. "It's about six hundred miles north of Moscow. You might be familiar with the name Stalingrad no?"

"Sure," Rick replied.

"I was born there and zat's where I began dancing," Anastasia explained. "With my brothers and sisters. I had a happy childhood and young adulthood til I got to high school. All my friends were getting boyfriends and going out to clubs and dates but I never felt zis way about boys..."

"You liked girls instead," Rick supplied.

Anastasia nodded. "Yes," she answered. "But I never said anythink. My family is very religious. They go to church every Sunday and ve, my brothers and sisters and I were always expected to be involved with church life somehow. I knew I couldn't tell zem I liked girls because they are all how you say? Homo-homo-ph-"

"Homophobic?" Rick supplied

"Yes, zat," Anastasia agreed. "But I needed to tell someone so I confessed to my best friend, but she prove not to be such good friend. People found out and one night I was coming home from dance practice and I was set upon by some boys I knew from youth group at church. Zey all took turns..."

"You were gang raped?" Rick exclaimed incredulously. "Jesus Christ!"

Anastasia nodded. "They say 'we fuck the gay out of you' They also not just rape me;" she said her brown eyes filled with tears. "They punch and kick me too. They left me bleeding in the street. I woke up in ze hospital and when my parents ask me what happened, I told them I was hurt because I liked girls. They s'row me out of ze family and I left on my own."

"How old were you?" Rick asked gently.

"Twenty one," Anastasia replied. "So six years ago. A nurse in ze hospital was very kind; she knew I was a ballroom dancer. She had a cousin in Los Angeles, a lawyer who was visiting Russia and who came to see me. She offered to help me create a new life in America, so I come here and start to study law. I apply for political asylum because where I am from it is dangerous for gay people, so many hate crimes. Bashings, murders, rapes. I can now stay in America and I dance for my new country. I met Valeri in Los Angeles when he lived there. We started dancing together and now we Latin world champions."

"Does h-he know you're gay?" Rick asked carefully.

Anastasia nodded. "Yes," she replied. "But he doesn't care. He say 'your sexual orientation has no impact on the sort of person you are, to me someone's sexual orientation is like their hair color, it's just part of them."

"I agree with him totally," Rick responded, touched that the Russian would trust him with her revelation. "I'm sorry for walking in on you, I had no idea you had company."

Anastasia blushed. "I should've locked ze door," she declared. "I usually do."

"Soooooooooooooooo," Rick sing songed teasingly. "Who is she? You must be on fairly good terms if you allow her to e-"

"Alright zat is enough," Anastasia scolded, cutting across the Writer's question her cheeks turning a fiery shade of red and a smile forming on her lips. "If I tell you about her vill you zatknis?" (Shut up)

Rick grinned and rocked backwards and forwards like a small child. "Promise," he said at once. "So?"

"Her name iz Jenna," Anastasia revealed. "She vorks for the same firm I do when I practice law. She does corporate law whereas I do family law. Different departments. We met when I first came to New York three years ago to do my Masters at Columbia. She was already working then. We became friends, then I told her I like girls and...well..."

"You started dating," Rick supplied.

Anastasia nodded. "Yes," she replied with a smile. "She's a very good person, she loves me and I love her. We have a lot of fun together."

"Hmmm I see that," Rick teased with a chuckle.

Anastasia gave Rick a playful shove. "And for zat I vill vork you extra hard today!" She scolded.

Rick laughed heartily and stood up, bouncing on the balls of his feet like a boxer about to enter the ring. "Let's do this!" he announced cheerfully as his partner set up the camcorder she set up each session. "I'm ready for some hard core Latinising!"

"Zat is not a word!" Anastasia exclaimed.

"Actually it is," Rick replied a smart assed grin forming on his face. "It pertains to the customs, lifestyle and language of the Latin Church,or to make something Latin American in nature. It also means..."

"Katherine is right," Anastasia cut in. "You are very much a shikarnaya popka." (Smart ass)

"Born one always be one," Rick joked. "And better to be a smart ass than a dumb ass."

"You also must be very irritating to live with," Anastasia commented as she set the camera up then approached him. "Okay, time to concentrate!"

"Okay zat's it for tonight!" Anastasia announced four hours later. "You are getting better and better Vichard. I zink the Tango is as the locals say 'your jam'"

Rick's grinned and he roared with laughter at his partner tackling the peculiarities of the English language. "I h-hope it is-s," he chuckled. "It feels good; I like the feel of the Tango, same as when we did the Rumba."

"They're emotional dances," Anastasia informed him as they sat on the floor and began cooling down. "And you are an emotional person. You are very suited to dances of the heart."

"Thanks," Rick replied with a smile as he leaned forward to touch his toes. "Can't wait til we do Freestyle, I'm totally going to pick a gangsta hip hop song."

Anastasia groaned and rolled her eyes. "Ve vill not be dancing to such sheet," she informed the Writer forthrightly. "Zat is not music, rap is crap."

Rick chuckled at his partner's unintentional rhyme. "Okay here's the deal," he said. "If we get a ten from Len this week you have to let me pick the music for freestyle week, anything less music and choreography is totally up to you."

Anastasia raised an eyebrow. "You're on," she said at once. "I 'ave been watching 'Dancing with the Stars' ze whole time I have been in America. He is very picky with scoring the Tango. IF he give us a perfect ten, I vill let you pick the music and the choreography. Maybe Katherine's friend from the dancing group can help."

Rick lit up with glee. "We will get a ten, and a perfect set of tens," he declared. "You just watch, I bet you anything."

"Vell if you perform as well on show night as you 'ave during practice so far we shall get a perfect set of tens," Anastasia decided. "But zat is five days away and ve have much more work to do!"

Rick groaned and flopped back onto the floor. "You're evil, he informed her. "Even when I was in the academy at Quantico, I was never this sore or tired after a training session. You should seriously develop a training regime for law enforcement departments the world over. You could make a fortune."

"Oh pffft," Anastasia scoffed. "I am not zat bad. A hot shower and a good sleep and you'll be fine. Don't be such a drama queen."

"Only kiddin'" Rick said with a grin as he got to his feet. "I might head home, I'm starving and need a bowl of whatever gastronomic delight Kate has magicked up tonight."

"Take ze tape with you," Anastasia instructed as she got to her feet and strode over to the camera which rested on its tripod. "Show Kate how you've been training. She's danced before. A fresh pair of eyes could help you."

Anastasia popped the memory card out of the camera and held it out to Rick.

He took it and smiled. "I'll go over it tonight," he promised. "Three o'clock tomorrow then?"

"See you then."

"I promise I'll knock louder this time," Rick teased as they made their way toward the door.

Anastasia blushed hard. "Shut up," she shot back. "Zat was embarrassing."

"I know but who else is going to tease you about it if it's not me?" Rick said.

Anastasia smiled. "Do you mind not telling anyone else what I told you today?" she asked her heavy Russian accent thick with emotion. "I haven't come out to anyone but Valeri and Jenna in America and..."

"Your secret's safe with me," Rick promised with sincerity. "And when you get to the point of coming out to everyone let me know, I'll support you okay?"

"Spasibo." (Thank you)

Rick gathered up his bag and left Anastasia and Valeri's studio then made his way down and hailing another taxi. He travelled back to the Queens house checking the dozens of emails he had received during the day on the journey. He tipped the driver a twenty then made his way inside the house his senses immediately being hit with the alluring smell of roasted garlic.

"Kaaa-aaate?" he called. "I'm home, you gorgeous sexy pregnant wife of mine!"

A snort came from the direction of the kitchen. "Ass kisser!"

Rick followed his nose and ears and headed to the kitchen where Kate was supervising an electric frypan full of simmering tomato sauce and meatballs.

"Mmmm balls for dinner," he murmured as he wrapped his arms around her from behind and lowered his lips to her neck. "How's bub?" he added trailing his hands down her sides and onto her rapidly expanding belly.

"He or she is sleepy today," Kate replied, tipping her head to the side. "A kick here or there, even when I worked out with Espo in the gym today he or she hardly moved. Bub only seems to move after we've gotten busy."

Rick chuckled. "Maybe we can explore that line of entertainment at bedtime," her whispered in her ear his hot breath sending a thrill of excitement up and down her spine.

Kate grinned. "Maaaaybe," she responded. "But go and have a shower first, you stink of stale sweat and that's decidedly unsexy."

Rick chuckled and grabbed at the female detective's ass. She jumped and turn around to smack him on the chest.

"Don't goose me in the kitchen, it's rude," she informed him trying in vain not to smile.

"Goosing is rude but having sex in a kitchen, isn't?" Rick questioned. "Dare I remind you about our interruption to breakfast this morning?"

Kate immediately turned a magnificent shade of scarlet. "Shut up," she scolded pushing him in the direction of the stairs. "Go and have a shower."

"Ooooh I have something for you to watch while I'm away washing my man parts," Rick piped up as he reached into his pocket. "Stick this in the back of the LCD and have a look at what I've been working on."

Kate looked at the memory card her husband placed in her hand questioningly. "You record your training sessions?" she asked in surprise.

"Well I don't-Anastasia does," Rick replied. "Partly because she wants to see what I look like from another point of view and for the producers of 'Dancing with the Stars.' They always want some sort of vision to add to the little bit they put to air before we dance. Valeri normally films us but he had to take a seniors ballroom class today and couldn't."

"I shall watch with interest," Kate informed him. "Now go, you stink."

Rick bowed deeply. "Yes ma'am no ma'am three bags full ma'am," he joked stepping onto the bottom stair.

As he climbed the stairs ad headed toward his and Kate's spacious master bedroom Rick felt his muscles contract and cool as his body recovered from his training session. His hamstrings hurt, his back was sore and his calf muscles twitched as they tried to cramp. The writer dumped all his clothes in the laundry basket by the bedroom door then naked he walked into the spacious black and white tiled bathroom where he turned the shower on and adjusted the water to a temperature just short of scalding hot lava. Waiting til the bathroom was thick with steam Rick stepped into the shower recess and took some time to relax and wind down from his physically exhausting day. For a solid ten minutes he just stood there letting the scalding water sluice over his muscular frame before he squirted a blob of shampoo into the palm of his hand and began washing his hair.

For half an hour Rick stood in the shower washing his hair, scrubbing his body with soap and a new body wash Kate had purchased for him. He then shaved, having not done it that morning before cutting off the water and stepping from the shower and wrapping a towel around his waist. He dried off then redressed in worn sweat pants and an old FBI shirt. Padding down the hallway he skipped down to the lounge room where he found Kate on the couch in front of their new LCD screen sitting stiffly as she watched that day's rehearsal of their Tango routine.

"So whaddya think?" he asked brightly sitting down next to her and focusing his eye on the screen.

"The Tango?" Kate questioned archly her eyebrows raised and her voice thick with jealousy. "The Tango?"

"Er yeah?" Rick responded confused by his wife's reaction. "You knew that, I told you on Tuesday when Anastasia and I got our dance card."

"I know that," Kate replied acidly. "I just didn't think you would be so into it. Your face was in her boobs, Rick!"

"When?" the Writer exclaimed loudly as he became aware of his wife's jealousy. "I have never put my face in the boobs of any woman that's not you. Well not since we got together anyway."

Apparently this was the wrong thing to say.

Kate swelled like a bullfrog and rewound the video to the part where Rick dipped Anastasia, from the angle it did look like Rick was about to bury his face in the Russian's ample cleavage but in reality he knew given the physical effort required for the choreography that would be impossible even if he wanted to.

"Then," Kate snarled as she paused the video with a vicious finger stab to the remote control. "You look like you're about to eat her nipples!"

"Oh don't be so irrational!" Rick exclaimed incredulously. "I was not about to eat her nipples, Kate. You are the only one I do that with and want to do that with. It's called acting. That is all part of the performance for Monday night. Anastasia and I have to perform as if we are lovers."

Okay that was definitely the wrong thing to say.

Kate's rage increased and she shot him the deepest of death glares. "Since day one that airhead has been after you, Rick!" she snapped. "With her huge tits and god damn barbie doll ringlets and I don't like it! Can't she go after someone that's single?"

"Are you drunk?" Rick asked incredulously. "She is not after me! Jesus Christ!"

"How do you know she's not?" Kate galloped on. "She looks like it from that video."

"By your assessment she could be snorting lines!" Rick exclaimed his voice rising in pitch to match his wife's. "he isn't after me Kate, I know she isn't!"

"How the hell do you know that?" the female detective shrilled.

"You know how I know?" Rick yelled back.

"HOW?"

Rick opened his mouth to tell Kate why when he remembered his promise to Anastasia about not revealing her sexual orientation. "It's none of your business how I know!" he shot back. "I can't tell you. Stop being so god damn jealous. I have never given you reason to doubt my loyalty or fidelity to you Kate and I have no idea why in the hour since I've been home you've flipped your shit and turned into a jealous teenage school girl"

"WHY CAN'T YOU TELL ME?" Kate yelled. "I'M YOUR WIFE, RICK. YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO TELL ME EVERYTHING!"

"I-MADE-A-PROMISE!" The Writer yelled back, giving up all pretences of trying to keep the discussion volume at a reasonable level. "I DON'T BREAK PROMISES, YOU KNOW THAT!"

"What did she say to you?" Kate shrilled her face getting redder and redder with every passing minute. "What did that whore say to you?"

"Anastasia is not a whore!" Rick shouted back. "You have no idea about her, Kate. What she's been through, what she had to do to come to the States-so don't go telling me bullshit like that."

"She probably blew some immigration official at the airport." Kate muttered.

"Oh uh-uh," Rick responded shaking his head. "Don't tell me you didn't just say what I think you said."

"Alright I won't then." Kate snapped.

"I can't talk to you right now when you're being so irrationally jealous," Rick informed is angry wife as he got up and ejected the memory card from the back of the television. "I'm going to take a bowl of what you've cooked and spend the rest of the night in my office. I don't want to talk to you while you're being so stupid. I haven't done anything in the time we've been together to make you doubt my faithfulness so I don't know why after so long together you're doubting me."

And with that he left the room.

Rick and Kate barely spoke to each other for the rest of the week. They ate separately and made their way to the precinct separately each morning. They only spoke in clipped tones about work related subjects and avoided each others company at every opportunity. Rick worked from nine til two at the Twelfth Precinct or the FBI field office then travelled to Grammercy Park to train with Anastasia for four hours. It was now Sunday night and the pair had just arrived in Los Angeles and was making their way to the Beverly Hilton.

"I'm still mad at you," Rick informed his wife as they checked in and went up to their suite. "I think what you're accusing me of if repugnant but I want you to know I still love you even though you're being a total idiot."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Kate snapped as she hauled her suitcase on top of a side table on the far corner of their room. "Because it doesn't. I don't think calling your spouse an idiot helps matters."

"Neither does deciding they're committing adultery with absolutely no factual proof." Rick replied mildly. "I know you don't think I'm cheating on you, Kate. If you did you wouldn't be here right now. You would've stayed back in Manhattan."

"Like hell," the brunette replied in clipped tones. "I came so that whore doesn't try anything."

Rick rolled his eyes. "Oh here we go again," he said in a sing song voice. "Anastasia is not a whore. You know nothing about her. And so what if she was a whore? That would totally be up to her. Someone's sexual morality has no impact on the sort of person they are. She graduated from Stanford and Columbia with a Masters in Law and when she's not dancing she practices law in one of the best known law firms in New York, your Dad probably knows her. You're being petty and unreasonably jealous and right about now I'm kinda wishing you had stayed back in Manhattan."

Kate's hazel green eyes widened in shock. "You don't mean that." She said, a lump forming in her throat.

"Like hell I don't," Rick told her. "Kate, I love you. You're the mother of my child and the pure definition of my soul mate but you're acting like someone I don't even know right now-not my Kate. Not even Meredith acted like that when..."

"Why do you feel now is the time to bring up your ex?" Kate shrilled swelling in front of him. "I am nothing like HER!"

"Well I'm starting to doubt that," Rick informed her steadily. "She often accused me of doing things I hadn't, especially when she was pregnant with Alexis."

"Are you calling me an irrational hormonal pregnant woman?" Kate shrilled

"YES!" Rick bellowed. "You have never been like this the whole time I've known you, Kate and certainly not since we got together but since we found out you were pregnant-I've come to the conclusion your mood swings should be a state fair ride with a ten buck a go fee on it. I don't know how to deal with you when you're like this. I love you so god damn much but this is ridiculous! Jesus Moses woman, I don't know what the hell is happening with you!"

"I'm pregnant with your child and working my ass off at the precinct every day, while you're either at the field office or off 'dancing' with Anastasia! Then you come home eat for five minutes then go to bed!" Kate wailed. "I HARDLY SEE YOU!"

"Kate, I'm not avoiding you!" Rick informed his angry and upset wife. "I'm just at a point where the field office needs me more than the precinct does. I need to train four hours every day to put in a half decent performance each Monday and I try extra harder so of course I'm going to head straight to bed when I come home after training. And I literally come home straight after training Gramercy Park to Queens, that's it. I am too exhausted to do anything else!"

"QUIT THEN!" Kate yelled.

"I am NOT going to quit because you're being a jealous hormonal narcissist!" Rick yelled back. "I am not your possession, Kate you have no reason whatsoever to be jealous of Anastasia or the time I spend with her. I have absolutely no sexual or romantic attraction to her at all. You are my wife not her, you are the mother of my baby not her. I spend four hours a day with Anastasia max. I spend all day with you at the precinct or home except for when I'm at the field office. Do you think if I was cheating on you I would be at home so much? NO! I have never ever cheated on any of the women I have been with and I'm not about to start with you. Remember I've always been the one to be cheated on and I would not wish that feeling upon anyone. It's the most horrible and crushing thing to experience being cheated on Kate and you are demeaning our relationship if you so easily believe I would stray."

"I trust you I just don't trust HER!" Kate bellowed tears spilling down her reddened cheeks.

"Kate, she isn't going to try anything!" Rick bellowed back. "She hasn't yet!"

"HOW DO I KNOW THAT?"

"BECAUSE-SHE'S-GAY!" Rick yelled in frustration, running his fingers through his hair "Jesus Christ, Kate. She's not into men!"

Clearly this was not the sort of information Kate was expecting. The female detective stopped in her tracks and opened and closed her mouth like a confused goldfish.

"H-how d'you know?" she stammered in a small voice.

"Because on Wednesday afternoon. I arrived at the studio to find her in her office, being eaten out by her girlfriend!" Rick groaned in frustration. "I shouldn't be telling you this. She's only come out to a couple of people since she's been in the States and I promised I wouldn't say anything to anyone. You were just frustrating me so much I came out with what I knew because I didn't know any other way of convincing you I'm not cheating on you."

Rick abandoned his unpacking and dropped onto the bed letting out a groan in frustration. "Now I feel like shit for breaking my promise to Anastasia," he informed her, rubbing his face hard. "Dammit Kate ... why did you make me do that?"

"I-I didn't know," Kate replied in a small and sheepish voice. "I feel so stupid."

"And so you should!" Rick told her his bright blue eyes shimmering with tears. "The whole time I've known you Kate, I've been the one to constantly show you I love you obviously or subtly because I am so god damn into you, even more so now that we're married and you've always been the closeted one being snarky with your jealousy when I've spent my time with people other than you. Its ridiculous, you're my wife. You've got no, absolutely no reason to doubt my fidelity and that changed in an instant on Wednesday night after watching thirty seconds of vision from my training video. You've acted like a bitchy teenage girl and that is so not you!"

Kate dropped down next to her husband and burst into hysterical tears. "I-I d-don't know what I'm-m f-feeling, Rick!" she wailed. "The only time I've seen you in the last couple of weeks is just after training when you come home, eat then go to bed. You've only been to the precinct for three hours this week and have spent the rest of the time at the field office, even Saturday and today. I'm fat and unattractive and just feel like you're going to go off after some young bimbette with tits and hips who is..."

"Hey hold on a minute!" Rick exclaimed. "You are not fat, you're pregnant Kate. There's a vast difference. And you are far from unattractive. You're pregnant with my child and I find that so god damn hot that I have to use all my self control to keep my hands off you til we get behind closed doors. You are the most beautiful, patient, gorgeous, funny and caring person I've ever met and I'm lucky enough to be your husband. I am not going to go after some young bimbette with tits and hips, I went through that stage years ago. I'm going to go after you and tell you how beautiful you are and make love to you at every opportunity I get because I love you. You're my wife and I don't want to be with anyone else ever for the rest of my life. Can't you understand that?"

Kate was so overcome by emotion and broke down totally. Tears poured down her cheeks and she collapsed against Rick as she began hiccupping. "I'm s-so sooooor-ry!" she wailed once she'd calmed down enough to form proper conversation. "I have been such a hormonal bitch to you this week and I shouldn't have been! F-forgive me?"

Rick enveloped his wife with his arms and gave her a tight squeeze. "I forgive you," he said in a soft voice. "Don't ever doubt how I feel about you 'kay? There's no question about who does it for me. You do it for me every single second of the day. Even when you're grumpy."

A flicker of a smile flashed across Kate's lips and she thumped him on the chest. "Oi boyo behave yourself," she scolded in a thick voice.

Rick chuckled and stroked her hair softly. "You've been tense this week," he said. "Would you like a Richard Castle special massage? I bought a bottle of our fancy massage oil with me."

"Mmmm define special," Kate mumbled as she snuggled into his bulk.

"That's up to you," Rick replied withholding a chuckle as her hands began to wander. "But I can pretty well accurately guess what sort of massage you'd like."

"Can we start it in the shower?" Kate asked her hazel green eyes sparkling with mischief.

Rick wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "I think you know the answer to that," he said. "You gather up all that fancy smelly stuff you like to use in the shower and I'll finish unpacking, okay?"

"You got it Writer Man."

"You know until you got invited to compete on this show, I would never have said sequins suited you," Kate informed her partner the next night as the Writer prepared to go on and perform his Tango. "But they do in a rather masculine manner."

"Er...thanks?" Rick responded standing still with his arms out as she ran a lint roller over his costume one last time.

Kate giggled. "My pleasure," she said with a grin. "Well I think you're ready to go on, how d'you feel?"

"Ready," Rick replied as Anastasia exited the ladies change room and approached them.

"Gotovy li vy Richard?" the Russian questioned. (Are you ready Richard?)

"Da! Dav-vayte sdelay-yem eto!" (Yes! Let's do this!) Rick replied stumbling over the difficult pronunciation.

"You're getting better," Kate informed him admiringly. "Not bad at all."

"Can we start rude words this week?" the Writer asked cheekily.

"You already know the basics," Kate responded dryly with a well practiced eye roll. "Yebat (Fuck) and der'mo (shit) cover most bases. How about you get a bit more confident with basic conversation before we teach you to swear in context? Because if Anastasia and I take you to the Russian Club for a meal one night you'll get us kicked out if all you know is how to swear."

"Ah she haff a point," Anastasia chimed in. "Best to learn the basics first."

"You two girls are set on ruining my fun," Rick groused. "If I was teaching anyone English, the first road I'd go down is swear words."

"Yeah well you have no standards," Kate teased giving her husband a little shove toward the green room. "I'm going to go and take my seat. Have fun out there, love you."

"Love you too!"

Rick and Anastasia disappeared behind the red curtain leading to the green room and Kate snuck her way into the studio where she slipped into her assigned seat. The crew were just making their finishing touches and the house band was tuning up their instruments as Rick and Anastasia prepared to go on. Tasks were quickly completed then the back to the break music began and the show went back to air.

"Welcome back to Dancing with the Stars, on next is ruggedly handsome mystery Writer Richard Castle and his partner Anastasia Smirnov but first take a look at their week of prep!"

Despite having totally made up with Rick and apologised to Anastasia Kate still felt a tinge of jealousy apprehension as through the darkened light she saw her husband and his dance partner make their way over to the middle of the dance floor where they would begin their routine.

"And now to perform the Argentine Tango, please welcome Richard Castle and his partner Anastasia Smirnov to the floor!"

There was a polite smattering of applause then the sultry opening strains of Tango music began playing...

(Now watch that video I linked you to. It's EXACTLY how I picture this routine)

As the piano trailed off every one of the audience members leapt to their feet and roared their approval. Despite raging jealousy pooling in her belly Kate joined them and applauded her husband and Anastasia's effort. Her baby which had been quiet most of the day decided to 'wake up' and join in bouncing around her belly and stomping on her diaphragm. Kate winced slightly and began rubbing soothing circles on her belly as she watched Rick scoop Anastasia up and swing her around before setting her down and slapping her a very enthusiastic high five.

"Eto bylo ZAMECHATEL'NO!" (That was BRILLIANT!) Kate heard Anastasia inform her partner over the loud praise of the crowd.

"Rick and Anastasia everyone!" Tom announced as he made their way over to the elated pair and gave Rick a sequin studded microphone. "Rick, how do you feel?"

"Out-of-this-world!" the writer exclaimed his sweaty face alive with elation. "That was worth all the back breaking training and pulled hamstring during the week it really was."

"Anastasia?"

"I haff to agree," The busty Russian concurred. "Training vas very hard zis week but Vichard sailed through it."

"Alright over to the judges, Carrie Ann?"

The diminutive blonde leaned forward and fanned herself with a number paddle. "Holy Moses you two that was HOT!" she exclaimed. "Seriously, you two played the part of lovers perfectly! Rick, you have grown so much as a dancer since your first week when you were all stiff in your shoulders and unsure about your choreography but this, wow. Your choreography was graceful and fluid your technique was perfect. I loved every single second of that performance. Tango is your jam, if I was pressed to say what my favourite performance in the series so far is I would say this Tango. That was great!"

The audience cheered their approval.

"Len, your thoughts?" Tom asked.

"Brilliant," the gruff judge replied leaning forward and jabbing his pen at Rick and Anastasia. "Carrie was correct, your technique was perfect and your choreography had a nice fluidity to it. That performance was textbook Tango and I daresay you'd win a prize if you competed that somewhere on the international circuit."

Rick and Anastasia immediately shared an enthusiastic high five, and then before Tom could introduce him Bruno cut in.

"Rick, Anastasia bellaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" he exclaimed flopping back in his chair and patting his chest as if his heart was aflutter "that was hot and sexy and just all sorts of GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR. "I looooooved it. Richard you're really settling into this competition and I really think you could go all the way. Latin is definitely your genre and Tango is definitely your dance. I can't wait to see what you bring to the table next week!"

The audience applauded raucously.

"Alright that's it for Rick and Anastasia this week; we'll have their scores after the break. Back soon everybody!

"Nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah!" Rick sing songed later that night as he Kate and Anastasia headed to LAX to catch their jet back to New York. "Now you have to let me pick the music and choreography when freestyle week comes up I knew Len would give us a ten!"

"What are you on about?" Kate questioned wincing slightly as their baby gave her a hard kick.

Anastasia groaned and rolled her eyes.

"Earlier in the week after training-Anastasia and I were warming down from a session I referenced Freestyle week, seeing as there is always one every season and said when it comes up I was going to pick a gangsta rap song and do all the choreography. She said 'we are not performing to that rap is crap' so I said if Len gave us less than ten for out Tango she could pick the music and choreography. So tonight Len gave us a ten and Freestyle week is totally up to me."

"Ice Ice Baby..." Kate chanted with a snort of laughter.

"Rap is not music!" Anastasia declared. "It is fignya!" (Bullshit)

"Ah don't worry having Castle in control isn't that much of a scary experience," Kate informed the Russian. "It's actually fairly painless after a while."

Anastasia gave Kate a doubtful look.

"I wouldn't have let him stick around for this long otherwise," Kate said with a grin lacing her fingers through her husband's.

"Oh gee thanks." The Writer piped up dryly.

"Vell I suppose I just haff to hope Freestyle week isn't til ze end of ze series," Anastasia announced. "Zen I vill haff 'ad time to get used to the idea of dancing to 'gangsta rap'"

"I promise I won't make it a painful experience," Rick promised as the Taxi arrived at LAX. "promise. I know if I do make it painful you'll make our next training session twice as hard as normal."

"Spasibo."

"Ugh!" Kate exclaimed wincing again as they got out of the taxi.

"You okay?" Rick asked in alarm as he saw his wife clutch at her belly.

"Yeah, bub is kicking me in the diaphragm and it hurts," Kate replied leaning against the taxi and allowing him to haul their suitcases out of the trunk. "I'll take some Tylenol on the plane, he or she been quiet all day but ever since you performed he or she has been kicking the hell out of me."

"Would a belly massage help?"

"I think so."

"I'll see to that when we're buckled in," Rick promised as he hauled their luggage onto a trolley. "C'mon honey let's head home."

A/N: WELL? what didya think **Bounces**