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.

38. by: Sarahlovesa (aka Stroppy)

'Taking the Easy Way Out'

Part 7

The seriousness and sweetness of his tone, as much as the words, drove away the bravado that had her making light of this awful situation. The last time he had tried to tell her what was in his heart she had thrown him out of her apartment, in fear. Not now. She threw her arms around him and, feeling him pull her into the tightest hug the big skirt of her dress would allow, she allowed herself the luxury of crying. She wept into his shirt, as he made soothing noises and rubbed her back tenderly.

After a few minutes, she was able to say, still with her face buried in his chest, "I've made such a disaster of everything. Poor Josh, what must he be thinking right now? My dad shouldn't have to deal with it all. I should go there right now and face everyone. Josh's parents will be so mad. Oh, poor Josh."

Castle hugged her more tightly and said, "Better a mess now than being married to the wrong person. Take it from me, divorce is not pretty."

"But I'm being such a chicken. I can't just run off with you!"

"Well, I don't think you can go looking like that. You'll scare the guests." His matter of fact comment and slightly teasing tone helped calm her and bring her back to the moment. She looked down at herself, at the dress with the muddy hem, and the white satin shoes, which now had water stains on them. She could feel the tendrils of hair that had escaped from the elaborate coils wrapped around her head. She could not see her face, but she could imagine what the crying had done to the paint that covered it.

Her mouth twisted in a wry grimace. "More like Frankenstein's Bride, than a society bride."

"Kate, let your father do this for you. There'll be plenty for you to deal with later. Just let him do this first part."

She sighed in defeat, then squared her shoulders and walked to the Ferrari, on the passenger door side. She had always been a practical, pragmatic person. Time to start getting back to who she really was.

"I wish you'd brought something bigger. We're going to have fun fitting this dress into a two-seater sports car."

"How was I to know I'd be expected to transport the world's largest meringue?"

"Hey! This dress was designed by April Chan! It is not a meringue!"

"And it's not a Katherine Beckett, either. It's not your style. We need to get you out of it as soon as possible."

She gasped and turned to glare at the writer who was now standing next to her, opening the door.

"No, no! That sounded way dirtier than I meant it to! I just meant..., you know. Boy, I hope you're not carrying a gun under all that."

Her heart lifted a little at the familiarity of all this. She and Richard Castle hitting it back and forth between them. It was not the time for jokes or repartee. She knew that he was talking like this as a distraction, to help her not fall apart. She was doing a terrible thing and people were going to be hurt. But, underneath that knowledge, and the dread of what the next few days would be like, trying to sort out the chaos she had created, a tiny flame of exquisite happiness was burning, almost invisible, but there, nevertheless.

He had come for her, despite everything.

She had no idea what the future would bring, or if she and the writer would somehow find their way so that they could be a real couple. She knew she was still screwed up and needed a lot more time and therapy, if she ever hoped to be able to have a functional relationship with anyone. She knew that her physical problems were not going to disappear overnight.

But, for now, they were in it together and he was all she needed, all she wanted. She thought that maybe her father was right and it would all be ok.

She held out her hands and Castle walked forward to take them, so that they were again facing each other, standing very close.

She smiled at him, because just the sight of him made her heart sing. "Can you take me to your place and can I borrow some clothes? I don't want to go to my apartment just yet."

"Of course. Do you need me to pick up anything on the way?"

She shook her head, and then looked pensively at him for a few seconds. He was gazing at her with affection, and a certain amount of reserve, because he was still unsure about what was going on in her mind. She knew that he would be there for her, and would act as her friend, no matter what. He, that generous, unselfish and big-hearted man, would let her decide how things were going to be between them. That was just Richard Castle's way, and she loved him for it.

But she needed him to know that, whatever happened next, they were not going back to that pretend platonic relationship that had been killing them both. Today was not the day for romance and moonbeams. But she needed him to know how she felt, even if she were not ready to talk about it, not yet.

She linked her hands behind his neck and pulled his head down. She laid a gentle kiss on each eye, each cheek and then on his mouth. When she lifted her head, his eyes flew open. She smiled widely and then dragged his head towards her for a searing, passionate, opened-mouthed kiss that left them both panting and wanting more. She put her hands on his shoulders and pushed him away. He was looking at her with glazed eyes, his face flushed and his mouth open.

"That's just a sample of what's to come. Maybe not today, or even this week, but soon. Just so you are in no doubt about how I feel and why I called off my wedding. Josh is great, but he's not you, Richard Castle, and that's all the reason I need to end it with him. Now take me home."

Castle's face was split by a grin from ear to ear. He tried to whirl her round in his arms, but the dress rather ruined that romantic impulse, though it left them both laughing. "Your wish is my command, my dear Detective."

After a few minutes of struggling with the endless folds of the dress, she was in the car. Castle sat down in the driver's seat and went to start the engine. Kate put a hand out to stop him and turned round slightly in her seat so that she was facing him.

"Thank you for coming, Rick. I don't know what I would have done without you."

"Anytime, anything, you know that."

"I do. And it means more than I can say."

She settled back in her seat and placed her hands in her lap, after taking off the engagement ring. Time to start dealing with everything.

"Home, please."

"Home it is."

With that, he turned on the engine, and, with a growl, the Ferrari took off. The traffic was terrible and the supercar had to dawdle through the Manhattan streets. For the two inside, cocooned in luxurious leather, overwhelmed with the knowledge that they were once more with each other, the time flew by. There was so much to say.

Yet they drove in silence, occasionally holding hands or touching each other's arm or leg. They were together again. No words could convey how that felt. So all was quiet, but it was a deep, dear silence that spoke volumes. There would be time for all the conversations. Right now, just to hear the other person breathing was enough. He's here. She's here. Nothing else mattered.

….

"How long do you want to be loved?

Is forever enough? Is forever enough?

How long do you want to be loved?

'Cause I'm never, never giving you up."

(From 'Lullaby' by The Dixie Chicks)