Shotgun!

Welcome to a fanfic written on the ABC boards by several different writers. Nothing's too steamy because of the rules of the board. Enjoy!

Topic: Conversations held in the car.

Rules: Conversations can be between any of the characters. The posts can be stand-alone or build on ones already posted. They can be any tone - funny, angsty, angry, flirty, whatevery.

Your posts have to be something that could actually happen on the show, whether now, 2 years ago, or 50 years from now. Whenever. Just realistic. No Josh-zombies.

Anyone can join in. if you're not on the ABC board, and want to join the fun, send it to me in a PM, and I'll add it.

by Sarahlovesa (aka Stroppy):

'Taking the Easy Way Out'

Part 6

He opened the door and put his head inside. His daughter was still slumped against the seat, her eyes shut tightly. If you can't see it, it isn't there.

"Katie, can you get out of the car? Someone's here to see you."

Oh God, he called Josh.

Part of her was tempted to turn around and look out of the window. But she kept her eyes forward, not ready to deal with everything just yet.

Jim could see the look of fear on her face. "Katie, it's not what you think. It's someone who's here to help. Now, it's not raining, so please just get out of the car and it'll all be fine"

"What are you up to, Dad? Why can't whoever it is get into this car? It's big enough and, to be honest, this dress is not exactly easy to move around in." She sounded exasperated, which made Jim happy. It was a distinct improvement on despairing.

"Please, just do it for me. Please, sweetheart."

"It will be all wet out there. This dress was not designed to be dragged through puddles; it'll be ruined!"

"Hand on heart, do you really give a damn about that dress? Do you really think you're going to be walking down the aisle in it today?"

And she suddenly realised that the answer to that question was easy. She was not sure when she had come to a decision, but she knew, in her bones, that, whatever happened, or whoever was out there, here to give her a little pep talk, she was not getting married today. That thought filled her with a mixture of terror and relief. Relief won. But she wasn't sure if she were ready to tell her father that, just yet.

Ignoring his questions, she said, "I am pretty sure it's Lanie, so why can't she just get in here?"

"It's not Lanie."

Something in his tone made her look sharply at him. He had a slightly strange smile on his face; happiness and nervousness flitted over his features.

Without another word, her heart beating faster than normal, Kate gathered up the endless white folds of her dress, slid over to his side of the car, and gave him her hand to help her out.

Once she was standing on the pavement, she looked around. A sudden shaft of sunlight dazzled her as she noticed the red car and the tall figure standing beside it. She lifted her hand to shade her eyes, but she did not need to see to know who was waiting for her.

….

Richard Castle literally felt himself go weak at the knees when he saw that tall, impossibly slender column of dazzling white standing by the car, the sun shining on her chestnut hair. Kate Beckett, a fairy tale bride; but not his bride. Why had he agreed to come? How could anyone

She lifted a hand to shield her eyes and the sunlight glinted off a huge diamond on her finger. Castle put a hand out, to steady himself against the roof of the Ferrari. But then he remembered Jim's words. "Katie loves you." If that were true, then he would spend the rest of his life thanking the universe and he would make sure that he lived every moment to the full. If Kate loved him, then everything would have been worth it.

Kate stood uncertainly on the pavement, oblivious to the fact that the hem of her dress was half an inch deep in a puddle of rainwater, and her shoes were getting soaked. All she could think was It's him.

She took a hesitant step towards him, standing only a few feet away. Why is he just standing there?

Castle saw that tentative movement and that galvanised him into life. In a couple of strides he was in front of her.

He had no clue what to say. She had no clue what to say. They stared at each other for a lifetime.

He's lost weight. He looks tired. His hair's got longer. He still has the bluest eyes in the world… He's here.

She folded her arms to stop herself from brushing that unruly lock of hair off his forehead.

She's so thin. She looks gorgeous, but it's not her, somehow, not in that kind of dress. Too much make-up. Her hair's messy. She's so damn beautiful….. She's here.

"Hey, Kate." "Hey, Rick." They both smiled at the inadequacy of their words.

"How's it going?"

"Same old, same old. You?"

"Pretty good. Just finished a new book."

"That's great."

"You look amazing. A little over-dressed for a sidewalk."

"This old rag? Just threw on the first thing in my wardrobe."

They grinned at each other. In the midst of all the drama, they could not help grinning. Beckett and Castle were never going to be that couple. The ones running in slow-motion and then coming together for an epic kiss. But underneath the banter, they ached for each other.

Jim Beckett watched them in bemusement. He had rather been hoping for the epic kiss. But he saw that his daughter was standing up straight and the light was back in her eyes. It would all be ok.

"Katie, I have to go. I'll call you later."

Kate turned back to him. It was as if she had woken up from a dream. She had more animation in her face than he had seen in a long while. Heck, she even looks taller.

"Dad! What are you talking about? Where are you going?"

"To the church, to send everyone home."

She looked taken aback, as if she had forgotten that 400 people were waiting for her, expecting a wedding.

"Oh my God! The wedding! I can't let you to do that. This is my mess. And what about Josh? I can't just leave without a word to him!"

"You can talk to him later. Now I just need to get everyone out of the church. Then I have to call the wedding planner about the reception."

The enormity of what she was about to do hit Kate. The caterers, the band, the honeymoon, the gifts; so much planning, so much money spent.

"I can't just run away from all of it, like that cheesy movie with Julia Roberts!"

"Does that make me Richard Gere? Cool."

She had almost forgotten that Castle was there. Almost.

"Rick, this is so not the time for jokes! What am I going to do?"

It had not gone unnoticed by all those present that she was calling him 'Rick'. She loved the feel of his name in her mouth, after so long.

The writer took her hand and held it lightly. She felt herself relax a little. He spoke quietly but firmly.

"I'm going to take you home to have a shower and change. Then you need some food, because I'll bet you haven't eaten all day. After that, you can call whomever you want. We'll sort this out, one step at a time. Your father will deal with the immediate wedding stuff."

"That's right, Katie. I'll go now and I'll call you when it's all done."

"Dad, do you think I'm that much of a coward? What would everyone think of me? I have to do it. I have to go with you!"

"No, you don't. Not this time. Just for once, let someone else handle things. Please."

He kissed her on the forehead, nodded at Castle, and got back into the limousine. He shut the door, wound down the window and said, "Let me do this for you. Go with Rick. For me, Katie, do that for me." Then he told the driver to start the car and lifted his hand in a gesture of farewell, before the window shut silently and the car's engine purred into life.

She stood looking at the sleek, black car as it drove off. She could not believe that she had just let him go like that. She, Detective Katherine Beckett, who had always been on top of things, always so in charge, was standing on a wet, dirty sidewalk in a huge, white dress that had cost more than some people made in a year, holding hands with Richard Castle, while her father went off to face the music. What had she been thinking? She spun round to face Castle again, as fast as the heavy dress would allow.

"Rick, please, you have to take me to the church! I can't let him do this alone!"

"Can we just get one thing clear?"

When she looked at his face, tension had created a deep line between his brows that she wanted to smooth away with her finger. "What's that?"

He hesitated, as if afraid to voice what was on his mind. Still their hands were linked together.

"Rick?"

"Do you want to marry Josh or not? It's not too late. I can call your dad and get you there, fast."

She stared at him, her mouth open in shock. Was he serious? She took his other hand and took one step towards him, so that they were nearly touching. She studied his face, trying to read his expression. He looked terrified, dreading what she might say. Then she laughed, a peal of pure joy, something no one had heard from Kate Beckett in a long time.

"Well, Writer Boy, you've said a lot of stupid things to me in your time, but that really takes the cake!"

Now the look of adorable confusion that she had always loved appeared on his face. She lifted her hand and finally allowed herself to brush that errant lock of hair back into place.

Looking directly into his eyes, she said, with perfect clarity, and no hesitation whatsoever, "I'm standing here, in my ruined wedding dress and shoes, with my ruined hairdo, holding hands with you in the street, while the bridal car speeds off to my wedding! Can you really have any doubt about my intentions?" She brushed her lips against his very lightly; an echo of kisses past, or the promise of kisses to come. She felt him shiver the tiniest bit at the contact.

She couldn't help smiling, because his insecurity and uncertainty had somehow made things clear for her, and she was absolutely sure about what she did not want, at least. How could she ever have thought that she could marry Josh, as perfect as he was on paper?

"Are you coming home with me?" He sounded hopeful and anxious, all at once. So she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulled his head down and rested her forehead on his.

In her sultriest voice, she whispered, "Ok, Rick, but only if I get to drive."

He lifted his head up in surprise. That was not what he had been expecting to hear. He saw that she was smiling and her eyes had a mischievous expression in them that made her look more like herself than he had seen in a long while.

"Katherine Beckett, you're a tease."

"Well, you love that about me, don't you?"

He cupped her face in his hands and said, all traces of levity gone, "I love everything about you. But you already knew that."