I'm super sorry for the long update guys, I'm just going through a bout of insecurity with my writing, and I don't feel like my writing is as good as it was when I started this story. I'm working through it, but it's taking me a little while. And honestly, the reason this even got posted is because Jess forbade me to read anymore fics until I posted. Seriously, there are some very talented writers in this fandom. This is a kind of continuation from chapter 34.

Thank you so much to the people that have reviewed this, and also to everyone who has favorited and followed. You guys mean so much to me.

#28 Because she wanted someone who would be there for her. (And she could be there for him.)

To say that Rick was having a hard time would be an understatement.

His father had just shown up randomly-again-and then left without a word. Again.

Rick understood, to some degree anyway, that it would always happen, but he was still like a little boy sometimes, and he never could quite keep himself from hoping that one day, his father would show up because he wanted to get to know Rick a little better, not because it was convenient.

If Kate was being completely honest with herself and her boyfriend, she'd say that she hates Jackson Hunt-if that's even his real name. Because when this happens, and Rick is torn down, she's left to pick up the pieces. She doesn't mind taking care of him, that's not what gets to her. What upsets her is that there's a need to take care of him at all. That someone could willingly hurt the sweet man who had captured her heart, and then be completely unaffected by what he'd done.

"I just don't get it, Kate." Rick said that night after they'd both laid in bed for awhile, pretending to sleep.

"Don't get what, Rick?" Kate asked as she shifted to rest her head on Rick's chest.

"Why I let it happen. Why I let it upset me so much. I mean, you'd think I'd learn, so what's wrong with me? Why do I keep letting it happen?"

Kate sighed and picked her head up so she could meet his eyes. "Listen to me very carefully. There is nothing wrong with you, Rick. Do you understand? There's something wrong with him for thinking it's ok to do this to you, but you're not at fault."

Rick sighed. "I appreciate that, Kate, I really do. But it doesn't explain why I keep letting him do it."

Kate sat up and swung her leg over Rick's waist as she settled on his lap. Instinctively, Rick's hands fell to her hips and gripped, hoping the feel of her skin where her shirt had ridden up would ground him.

"Because you're you." Kate answered, a soft smile on her face.

"That makes me feel loads better." Rick replied sarcastically.

Kate shook her head. "Shush, and let me finish. You're you. By which I mean, you're the sweetest and most caring man I've ever met. You always try to see the good in people, and you aways give them the benefit of the doubt."

"So you're saying I'm gullible." Rick interrupted, unsure how this explanation was any better.

"I'm not above gagging you if you can't behave." Kate replied with a twinkle in her eyes."

"Oh, kinky." Rick murmured, rubbing her skin with his thumbs.

Kate glared at him in response, and Rick removed one of his hands from her waist to pantomime zipping his lips, before returning his hand to her warm skin.

"Thank you. What I was going to say, is that there's nothing wrong with being as sweet and caring as you are. The person who's wrong in all of this is the man who uses that against you. He knows you just want answers, so he gives you little tidbits to keep you coming back."

"So now I'm a druggie?" Rick couldn't help but ask.

Kate sighed and climbed off, rolling her eyes at his inability to keep quiet. Rick watched as she walked to the closet and stepped inside. He heard her rummaging around, and she reappeared a minute later with her hands behind her back.

"What are you doing, Kate?" Rick asked, his voice lower than it should have been.

Kate smirked as she got back in his lap and gave him a quick peck on the lips before showing him what she was holding.

"I told you I'd gag you if you didn't stop talking."

Rick groaned and cooperated as she slid the scarf into his mouth and tied it behind his head.

"Now, like I was saying," Kate started with an evil glint in her eye, "he uses your curiosity against you, and quite frankly, I'm sick of it."

"Sowwy?" Rick asked around the gag.

Kate rolled her eyes. "Should have figured that wouldn't shut you up. But no, Castle, you shouldn't be sorry. Maybe for a few other things, but not for wanting to get to know your father. But I am sick and tired of what that man does to you every time he just shows up. So I'm done. I'm done with him. I don't care if he wants to randomly show up again, that's not something I can control, not really. But I won't let him near you anymore. I don't care if this ends up being like a custody battle either. I don't want him to get near you anymore, because it only makes you suffer. He never seems any worse for wear, and I'm done. I don't care if his intentions suddenly change, I don't like him. And before you make some comment about me telling you what to do, I don't want to hear it. You've always been there for me, keeping me out of bad situations, or at least you tried. So now it's my turn. Now I get to tell you not to pursue this. Not to let him keep doing this to you. Because, Rick, it hurts me to see you so hurt all the time. It hurts to know that you're hurting, because you're always so light and carefree, and I miss that when you start getting like this. You've been there for me before, so now it's my turn to be there for you."

There was silence for a moment before Rick tried speaking around the scarf, and Kate hurried to untie it and allow him to voice his mind.

"That's really sweet, Kate, but I was originally talking about letting myself fall behind on chapter deadlines."

Kate rolled her eyes at Rick's attempt at humor and allowed him his coping mechanism. "Whatever."

She stood again and was about to turn away to toss the scarf into the hamper when his hand grabbed her wrist. "We could always use that scarf for more... fun purposes."

Kate rolled her eyes as she glared at him. "Really, Rick? I just had a heartfelt conversation with you-"

"I was gagged, so I don't think it really qualifies as a conversation."

"And now you want sex?" Kate carried on, ignoring his interruption.

Rick smiled and nodded. "You were straddling me, and you had me gagged. Besides, it's you. I always want sex with you."

Kate smiled slightly while giving him yet another eye roll. She pulled her hand away from him and continued on her way to the hamper. "Whatever, writer boy."

"Hey, I'm all man! If you come back to bed I can show you just how manly I can be."

Kate chuckled throatily. "Of that, I have no doubt." She said, her voice husky, as she crawled into bed and straddled him once again. "So, show me what you've got, writer man."

There you go! I got this idea from Kate's line in Deep Cover about Castle's father having made the choice not to be his father. So either ignore that they might potentially have kids based on my timeline, or assume that Rick's dad has a habit of showing up whenever it suits him, and this is before they've had kids.

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