Once again I thank you for the amazing response to the last chapter and well I hope you enjoy it, I honestly have no idea where it came from but it seemed to work and I couldn't decide whether I liked it or not so I shall have to wait to hear from you, hint hint!
"Hey why did you text me?" Rick asked as he stepped out of the lift with Johanna in his arms to see Ryan and Esposito standing there, there arms crossed as concern covered their faces. "Is Kate alright?" he asked as they shrugged, moving away slowly to reveal the brunette detective who was just sitting in the chair, staring at the murder door, misery covering her face.
"We're going to talk to some people but Montgomery wants you to try and get her to go home, this case is really getting to her and he doesn't want her back until it's over" Ryan explained as they entered the metal box, staring at the writer as the doors shut on them and he turned to look at his fiancée once again. Creeping towards her, he slowly turned her chair, shock covering her face as she stood up and flung her arms around his neck, the feeling of tears running through his shirt worrying him.
"Let's go home Katie, we'll discuss it when we get back because someone's hungry" he whispered into her hair, the two of them staring down at their daughter who was already playing with Kate's hair. "I got worried when Ryan texted me that we sort of just left before I had a chance to feed her" he explained, Kate sighing as she lid their daughter into her arms, tears still running down her cheeks as he wrapped an arm around her hips. "Montgomery wants you to take the rest of this case off" he explained as he led her towards the lift, noticing the man who was nodding from his office as he watched them leave and enter the metal box. Not moving her eyes off her daughter, she remained close to him as he kept his arm firmly around her hips, holding her to him.
"I love you Jo, I promise I'll never hurt you" he heard her whisper to their daughter as she kept her close, pressing a kiss against the small child's head before she sighed, her eyes shutting for a moment as Rick turned and pressed a kiss against her head, desperately trying to give her some sort of comfort.
XOXOXOXO
Creeping upstairs a few minutes after they arrived, he entered their bedroom to see Kate sat on the bed with Johanna resting against her thighs as she kept her knees bent, tears running down her cheek as she continued to hold onto their daughter's hands, sometimes bringing them together to make a clapping noise. Walking towards her, he sat himself down beside her, his hand running to Kate's cheek to wipe away the tears that were disturbing him. Kate very rarely got this emotional about a case and it scared him when she did.
"Tell me, let me make it better" he whispered as she slowly stood up and put Johanna in the cot at the end of their bed which they only used when she refused to go to sleep in her own room and they needed to be close. Moving back towards the bed, she slowly rested against him and allowed him to wrap his arms tightly around her, the tears running down her cheeks slowly as he felt them run through his shirt once again. "What happened to make you like this Katie?" he asked.
"Our victim was a child. A two year old child Rick" she sobbed, unable to look at him as he kept her close to him. "She had been stabbed and dumped in a bin in the middle of an alley Rick" she whispered, thinking about the young face in the pictures that had been staring at her all day. "Angelic face, a beautiful face, blonde hair and blue eyes, she was such a beautiful little girl Rick and someone stabbed her to death" she sobbed as he stroked up and down her back, not knowing how to comfort her.
"Why don't I run you a hot bath, let you relax in there and make you some lunch?" he asked as she slowly nodded as they both sat up, her hand clinging to his as he moved her closer and pressed a kiss against his lips, the smile growing on her face as he smiled. "I'm going to go and run you a bath future Mrs Castle so you find yourself something comfy to wear after your bath" he smiled before climbing off the bed and disappearing into the en-suite, Kate lying on her stomach as she looked at her daughter who was kicking her arms and legs in the air, her hand running to Johanna's stomach to tickle her.
"No one's ever going to hurt you Jo, daddy and I are going to make sure you're safe from all the monsters we've met" she mumbled, smiling down at the child who was staring at her. "You have the best family in the world Jo, you have your beautiful big sister who is clever and will spoil you rotten" she smiled as she thought about the teenager who she adored so much. "And you've got your gram who although a little crazy and dramatic is always going to be there for you and will make you laugh and smile" she continued to explain, not hearing as the bathroom door opened a crack and Rick stared at her from behind it. "And there's always my parents and even though there not here in person they're always going to love you and will protect you from up there because you're their granddaughter and they'll love you no matter what" she added as a tear ran down her cheek. "Then there's all our friends at the precinct who see you as family and will love you as much as everyone will" she explained, Rick smiling at her as she listed everyone in their family. "And then there's me and your dad and although sweetie you weren't part of our plan at the time you're the most amazing gift I've ever had" she whispered as she sighed. "And I know you're dad feels the same way too and you will never meet anyone who will love you and protect you as much as him because when he loves someone he will never let them get hurt" she explained, looking up to finally see Rick standing there.
"Bath's ready" he announced as she nodded and climbed off their bed, smiling as she moved closer and pressed a kiss against his lips. "I thought we could watch some movies, just spend the day relaxing" he suggested as she nodded and slipped into the en-suite, leaving him alone with their daughter again.
XOXOXOXOXO
"Dad are you home?" Alexis called as she entered the apartment later that day to hear the television playing upstairs, confusion filling her veins as she thought about how she normally came home to find her dad lying normally asleep on the couch with Johanna on his stomach, the television playing some Disney film. "Dad?" she asked as she knocked on his bedroom door and entered the room to see Kate and her dad lying fast asleep on the bed, Johanna kicking the blanket that was over her in the cot. "Hey you" she smiled as she slipped Johanna into her arms who immediately began to play with her red hair. "What's your mommy doing home so early hey?" she asked, pressing a kiss against her sisters head before turning the television off so the couple could remain asleep as she continued to hold Johanna close. Walking downstairs, she smiled as she saw her gram standing there as well, a smile on her face as she held her hands out for her youngest granddaughter, her lips pressing against Alexis' cheek as she took hold of Johanna.
"Where's Richard?" Martha asked as Alexis looked up the stairs.
"Asleep with Kate upstairs" she summed up, the older redhead's eyebrows rising as she thought about how Kate was home extremely early for her. "They were watching the Disney collection, I think they were about five films in actually. When I went up they were watching Beauty and the Beast" she explained as both women stared at each other and nodded, Martha slowly looking down at Johanna who was staring up at her. Hearing the door open upstairs, they looked up to see Kate standing there, her brown hair a mess as she kept her arms around her chest before running down and taking Johanna into her arms, worry clearly covering her face.
"Kate are you okay?" Martha asked as she watched the young woman stare at her daughter before holding a little tighter and nodded, afraid to admit that she was scared that someone might have taken her daughter even though she knew it was stupid. "Alexis and I are going to make dinner, anything you fancy in particular?" she asked, Kate shaking her head as she walked up the stairs and disappeared, leaving two very confused redheads.
"Hey where were you, I was starting to worry about you? You were comfortable Katie" Rick asked as she re-entered their bedroom to sit beside him with Johanna, worry covering her face as she stared at her daughter, Rick staring at her. "You had a panic didn't you because of my beloved redheads took her" he explained as she quickly nodded, Rick's arms wrapping around her as she sighed. "Honey it's okay, you've had a tough day and they won't blame you for being protective, I was like it a lot with Alexis" he admitted as she shut her eyes, feeling Rick move Johanna from his arms before he walked towards the cot and placed her in it.
"Your mother and Alexis are cooking" she declared, wanting to get the memory of the small child out of her head again.
"Oh god, I'll get the take out menu out again, what do you fancy Chinese or Indian?" he smiled as she smiled, staring up at the man in front of her. "You really are beautiful Katie" he smiled as she bit into her lip, smiling at him as he sat himself beside her and kissed her gently. "And no one is going to hurt Johanna or take her away from you so stop panicking, whatever happened to that little girl was terrible but with us around no one is ever going to hurt our little girl" he whispered to her as she slowly nodded and hugged him.
"I don't know what I'd do without you Rick" she admitted as he continued to hold her close to him, her eyes continuing to remain on her sleeping daughter. "I love you so much Richard Castle" she smiled as he pressed a kiss against the end of her nose, a laugh leaving her lips as he continued to cuddle her. "I can't wait to be your wife".
"I can't wait for you to be my wife Kate, that reminds me that since you've got the next couple of days off as well as the weekend, I thought we could do some of the wedding plans and spend some time together. Just you, me and Johanna" he suggested as she nodded and smiled. "We only get the weekends really to spend as a family".
"I know and I'm sorry about that but I love my job even though I hate cases like today" she admitted as he nodded. "But yes I'd love to spend some time with my amazing family who I love very much and think about our wedding which is going to be the best day of my life" she added before kissing him. "Now can we save our food please? I am actually quite hungry" she smiled, standing slowly as he joined her, his arms wrapping around her slowly making her realise that she had all the protection she needed.