CH25

It is now one month later: (February 1, 2000)

New Year's turned into a bust, though that was not what they intended for the evening. Kate hadn't wanted to go anywhere, so they ended up staying home and watching the fireworks overseas on TV with the sound coming out of the stereo speakers with the touch of a button.

Kate was forced to admit that adding this Bang & Olufsen system really had been a good idea. Even better was the fact that all of the components were hidden away where you couldn't see them. They didn't clutter up the place.

Everything was going just fine, relaxing in each other's arms while drinking wine. Right up until the two of them noticed it was 3:00 am local time and they had missed the local time changing to the New Year.

Drinking their now warm wine, they made it down all the stairs and crashed into bed with Kate in Castle's arms, right where she liked to be. It was so comforting to be surrounded by his soft skin and strong arms. Kate was drifting into peaceful sleep in minutes.

Come morning Kate soon found herself in the shower with Castle trying to catch her breath while her legs were wrapped around Rick. "So close Castle… so close."

Kate's cries as she shattered all over Rick were muffled since he was kissing her, searching her mouth for her taste. Kate could feel him come inside her once again. It would come to her mind later that she was going to have to go to her OBGYN soon to have her IUD looked at or replaced.

Kate wasn't ready to be pregnant, however she had no intention of stopping making love to Rick. That was just not going to happen.

Kate was getting her breathing back under control. "I love you baby, so very much." Kate kissed him and used her tongue to ask for entrance. After getting it instantly she started searching his mouth for his taste this morning.

Kate had been keeping track of how long they had been together too, and they were coming up on one whole year since that first day Castle had left her a rice bowl to eat in the library. Now neither of them went to the library anymore though they still went to the gym.

Kate was happy to go until today. Today Kate saw someone she didn't want to see and had hoped to never see again… "April," Kate whispered to herself with pure venom. It didn't help that Kate had noticed that April had spotted them at the same time Kate had spotted her. "Maybe we should skip today Castle." Kate wanted to leave.

"Training is never ending Kate and with us both heading for Quantico in a couple of weeks, we don't have too many chances left." Rick started off with exercises to loosen muscles and was smiling when Kate started to follow.

Kate was bending herself into positions that Rick could only dream of. "You're showing off again Kate." Rick moaned.

"You could do this too baby if you would join me for yoga classes." Kate replied smiling wide.

"I even try that and I'll break something," Rick countered shaking his head.

"I thought you liked that I could bend myself like this?" Kate teased.

"You yes, me no." Rick was happy with the present status quo. He didn't need to lay down on the back of his legs like Kate was presently doing.

"Do you have time to teach someone else a self-defense class?" April suddenly showed up and ran a hand down Rick's arm.

"I don't teach self-defense classes, sorry. I'm sure you can find someone to teach you how to escape from an attack." Rick said shortly.

"I'm sure you could teach me something. I'm a willing student." April did her best to purr.

"He doesn't teach self-defense, he teaches combat techniques. Perhaps you would like a demonstration?" Kate offered, since Castle was hers and no one else's and if Castle was going to be too big of a gentlemen to do anything, she would.

"You think little you could teach anyone anything? You should leave him to someone who can teach him what you can't." April contended.

"Kate honey, keep control." Rick wasn't interested in seeing a fight, even if it was a cat fight.

"I am in control Babe. I know precisely what I'm doing." Kate moved herself between April and Rick.

"Babe?" April laughed. "Go play with your dollies little girl. Leave the men to real women who know what they are doing." April didn't back down.

Kate rocked her head from side to side a little. "You couldn't satisfy a blow up doll, which is likely all you've ever touched." Kate was goading her, hoping for an opening and April gave her one, when April reached out and grabbed her arm.

Kate put Castle's training to use and had April spinning and landing badly, dislocating her shoulder with a scream.

Twenty minutes later Rick and Kate were leaving after Rick popped April's shoulder back into place with another scream of pain. "I'll sue!" April yelled at their retreating backs.

"Next time don't start a fight you can't finish." Kate yelled back.

"Kate?" Castle wanted to know where that all came from?

"Don't Castle, let's just go home." Kate didn't know why she did that exactly. Sure it was because April was coming on to Castle, with her standing right there.

She was jealous and needed to understand why. Was it because she didn't trust Castle not to cheat on her? In a way she couldn't since they weren't married, hell they weren't even engaged.

They had been together for almost a year now, and were living together and they told each other that they loved the other, however Castle wasn't hers, even if she wanted him to be.

It wasn't even lunch time yet and Kate was hiding out up in the mezzanine trying to calm down by listening to her music when Rick showed up and sat down across from her. "I'm sorry Castle, she just pushed all my buttons. And she was hitting on you."

"And treating you like a child." Rick added. Kate nodded her head while she sat on the sofa with her legs tucked into her chest. That got Rick to get up and sit next to her and wrap an arm around Kate.

"It was sweet, but I wasn't interested in her Kate. I've already found who I want." Rick squeezed Kate for a moment. "And the more we go out together the more likely we are going to find more people like her. At least for the next couple of years." Rick thought he was doing pretty good at getting over their age difference.

"Doesn't mean I have to like it Castle. I don't want people like that guy at the ping pong place or this lady doing what they did. I just want them to leave us alone." Kate moaned.

It was almost enough for Rick to go downstairs and find the engagement ring he had gotten her and propose right then and there. It just wasn't the right time and definitely not the right place. "Your dad is getting out again today, you want to go surprise him and pick him up? We can take him out for lunch, just the three of us."

Jim had managed to remain sober for all of 2 weeks before they found him passed out drunk again. They had been warned that it was going to be a long and difficult journey. He had been back in for the last two weeks and was scheduled to be released again today.

"Come on Kate, they told us we need to give him support and a reason not to keep drinking. Get his life back." Rick stood up and offered Kate his hands and lifted her up.

The Phoenix House was just the other side of the East River in Queens and wasn't hard to get to or find. The staff was happy to see Rick and Kate here to pick Jim up. "Hi dad!" Kate stepped into Jim and hugged him.

"I'm sorry Katie, it's just hard." The staff had gotten him sober again and had taught him methods to use to avoid drinking again.

"I just want you better dad. Mom would want you better too." Kate let go of Jim and moved back to Rick.

"It's good to see you again Mr. Beckett." Rick shook his hand. It had Jim smiling. "I thought maybe it was a dream that you were with your mother's favorite author. I read so many of your books here with your picture on the back, it felt like an illusion." Jim smiled back.

"We have plans for lunch if you are up to it," Rick offered.

"If it's greasy and bad for me, I'm all for it." Kate chuckled, since he fought her mother from time to time to have something bad for him. "It should harden my arteries Jo." Kate could almost hear the words.

"I think we can handle that," Rick replied and they walked to the car with Kate taking the back seat since she was young and limber.

Jim moved the seat as far forward as he could to the point that his knees were hitting the glove compartment. "Is that enough space back there Katie?"

"I'm fine dad, you can move the seat back a little even," Kate responded as she spread her legs wide.

314 West 11th Street. The Spotted Pig.

Jim – Charbroiled Burger with Roquefort Cheese & Shoestring Fries $21

Rick – Grilled Cheese with Onion Marmalade & Mustard $18

Kate – Asparagus soup with Lemon Crème Fraiche $15

Kate was about half done while Rick and Jim weren't even that far. "DAMN IT!" Kate had refused to wear a bib like Jim had suggested and was making a mess of her top .

"I'm not a child anymore dad, I know how to eat soup." Kate had countered.

Now she was up and looking for the restroom to try and rescue her top till they could get home and put it in the wash before it set in too far.

"She's right, my little Katie is growing up." Jim lamented. Times were passing him by and he was screwing it up.

"Kate is a wonderful women who, even now after a year with her, still amazes me." Rick added, smiling as he took a bite.

"It's been a year?… I didn't know that. I really have made a lot of mistakes." Jim was sliding and Rick could hear it.

"You lost the woman who you dated and fell in love with. What little Kate had told me about you two tells me that your wife was one of those once in a lifetime loves. You have a right to miss her.

I have no idea what I would do if I lost Kate now. She has a strangle hold on my heart. Losing her would likely rip it right out of my chest." Rick confided.

"You feel what she feels, can't see your life without her… I know the feeling." Jim could still see Jo's face and hear her voice, and it was killing him. It was part of why he drank. She's gone and yet he is haunted by her. Seeing his wife in Kate's face only hurts more.

"It's why I love her with all my heart… I have a question for you. My mother raised me to be a gentleman and the Army beat dedication and commitment into me… I want to ask you for your permission to marry your daughter.

I can't imagine my life without her in it anymore. We've bought a house together and decorated it to match both our styles. I'm well aware of the age difference and in the beginning it bothered me a lot.

It's just that Kate is 20 now and is far more mature than her age suggests. As she ages that difference will look less and less." Rick looked at Jim and didn't see much reaction.

"I take it Katie loves you too?" Jim asked. Rick nodded his head. "She has told me numerous times." Rick confirmed.

Kate had only been in the restroom only long enough to give her top a couple of wipes when she gave it up and hoped the washer could take it out later. Now she was standing just around the corner when she heard Rick. "...to marry your daughter."

Kate's heart was pounding in her chest. Castle was asking her dad for permission to marry her. Castle was actually going to ask her! Kate placed a hand over her mouth as she stopped breathing so she could hear her father's response over the noise of her heart pounding in her ears.

"I can almost hear Jo screaming before hugging Katie and asking to see the ring." Jim lightly chuckles. It suddenly hit Jim that his wife was in his heart still and he could hear her voice. He couldn't see her or touch her, but she was still here.

"I bought the ring almost a month ago. If I had thought you would want to see it I would have brought it with me." Rick told Jim.

Kate started wiping away the tears and she held a hand over her mouth. They both had to know she was standing here, because her heart was pounding so hard in her chest. "A month ago." Kate said in her head. A month ago, where were they a month ago?

It wasn't until Kate saw the watch she was wearing that it hit her where they were a month ago. Christmas in Amsterdam!… That place was a diamond store! Castle had bought her ring in Amsterdam!

"I'd rather see it on Katie's finger. Jo should be here to see this and help her. I'm no good at this." Jim knew it was a woman's place to make the wedding plans. "Jo's wedding dress is hanging in the closet still. She saved it for Katie to wear if she wanted." Jim knew that much.

Kate was having a heart attack, she just knew it. Her chest hurt, she couldn't breathe and she could barely see the hand in front of her. Kate needed her dad to hurry up or she was going to die.

"I'm sure Kate would love that. To feel what her mother felt on that day. It would be special… Do I have your blessing sir?" Rick needed an answer before Kate came back.

"I can't think of anyone who Jo would want Katie to marry more." Jim told Rick.

Kate ran for the restroom and sat on the toilet and closed the stall door and locked it and commenced to fall apart.

"Thanks Jim, I'm going to make it my life's duty that she is the happiest woman on the planet." Rick was smiling wide.

"You better son!" Jim growls back in a low voice menacingly, and watches Rick swallow, Jim was now happy with himself.

Kate was breathing heavy headed for hyperventilating and passing out. "Breathe Kate, just breathe. Inhale deeply." Jill tells Kate and waits for Kate to do just that. "Now exhale slowly and then do it again."

Kate works at breathing in and out fully and slowly. "Thanks Jill."

"Are you alright? Do you not want to marry Richard?" Jill didn't understand, all these two did was make love to each other and tell the other that they loved them.

"More than anything… more than anything." Kate's heart started pounding in her chest yet again.

"Then what is the problem? Go tell him yes and get married." Jill thought Kate should be out there kissing Richard again, not in here having a panic attack.

""It's not that simple Jill. Marriage is a lifetime commitment. I'll be binding myself to Castle heart and soul and I'm only 20 and Castle is… he's going to be 27 soon. Castle is a man and I'm just a girl. An unemployed girl." Kate lamented sadly.

"Kate you have a job waiting for you, all you have to do is pass the tests. And you have a man who loves you more than anything or anyone. All you have to do is say yes when he asks you.

You celebrated your 20th birthday together. If memory serves you were also celebrating that you were an adult now and not a teenager…no longer a child." Jill pointed out knowing her memory was perfect.

Talking to Jill helped Kate to calm down slowly, remembering that day. She was an adult now, she was an adult.

It was enough to motivate Kate to get out of the stall, wash her face to get rid of the tears, and any sign that she had been crying at all. "Castle is going to propose." Kate told the women in the mirror and watched that woman start to smile.

Kate finally made it back to her seat and immediately went back to eating her soup in an attempt to cover up what she had done. "I need to wash it." Kate finally admitted since both Rick and her dad were quietly watching her.

Kate ate her soup silently while watching her dad and her future husband eat their lunch. "My future husband!" It had Kate smiling while she ate her soup quickly.

They dropped off Jim at his place and went home. "I'm going to go read the contract Gina finally got around to sending. When I'm done I'll give it to you and let you read it." Rick told her and went in search of the contract.

Kate ran for their bedroom. "I shouldn't be doing this, but it's mine and I want to see it." Kate started searching through every drawer and behind everything she could think of. Kate just had to see it on her finger, NOW!

Kate thought she knew what she was looking for, it should be one small little box, just like the one her earrings she still wears and refuses to take off.

What she finds looks more like a large cigar box. "Castle didn't say he smoked." Great now she had to help Castle quit smoking. Kate flipped the latch and slowly opened it, but what was inside was definitely not her ring as well as not looking anything like cigars.

One Gold Star with one gold award star.

One Bronze Star with two gold award stars and V Device.

Purple Heart with three gold award stars.

Combat Action Ribbon.

Meritorious Unit Commendation.

National Defense Service Metal with bronze service star.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.

Southwest Asia Service Medal.

Army Expert Rifleman Medal.

Army Expert Pistol Shot Medal.

Distinguished Service Cross.

Distinguished Service Medal.

Army Commendation Medal.

Army Achievement Medal.

Kate ran her fingers over each of them. "Oh Rick, Baby, what have you done?" What had Rick done, what had he seen, where had he gone? Kate blinked back tears. She could have lost him before she ever even found him.

"Oh Baby, please tell me you didn't try to get yourself killed because of what Meredith did. Please baby, not that, never that, ... PLEASE!"