I Need You Now
by Castlefan6
Authors Note: From a song prompt (Lady A) Lyrics of the song tell a good story starting with the fight in KB's Apartment. What happens next? COMPLETELY AU, Forget the proposal, the swings, let's see what happens. WARNING ANGST on top of ANGST, NO GUARANTEED ENDING. IF YOU ONLY SHIP CASKETT, WAIT FOR THE ENDING.
I don't own Castle; I use the characters for amusement purposes only, except the ones I create.
Also, we take MANY liberties with the timeline from Canon and use events from other Canon episodes to make this a more believable fiction, thanks.
Chapter 19
The Old Haunt
Friday Evening
/_/
Kate arrived a few minutes early to say hello to Bryan, and any of the staff still working there who had always been so kind to her. She had taken a cab, God only knew how much alcohol she would be consuming tonight, or why. Drink because she was happy and celebrating, or because her heart was torn apart and she was in mourning? Either way, it was a recipe that didn't bode well for driving, so thus the cab.
She saw Bryan smile when he recognized her, he came around the bar to give her a welcome hug,
"Gosh, it's good to see you, Kate, how have you been? You look well" he said, being polite. She knew the wrinkles were approaching faster each day and she had lost weight, of course always in the strategic spots where she had little to lose.
She hugged him back tightly, and whispered, "It's good to be home Bryan, thank you, how are the wife and family doing, and you don't have to lie to an old woman about looking good." She smiled as she pulled back.
"I'm not lying Kate, you look good, a little thin, but you still look good. Janice is good, she's three months pregnant, and we're excited for the next phase in our lives." He smiled,
"Well, I hope everything works out for you both, I know you work a lot so take time to be there with her, especially now," Kate said,
"Rick already saw to that, he increased my salary, but cut my shifts, normally, I'm only here till 6:00 PM Monday through Friday, but he asked me to stick around tonight to be sure you guys were taken care of." Bryan smiled, "I told him I wouldn't miss it, welcome back Kate, we missed you."
He showed her to the back private room all set up, for the 12th private party. She placed her purse on a table and turned to go to the bar when a drink appeared in front of her, "Vodka Martini is still your drink isn't it Captain Beckett?" he smiled,
"Yes, it is Bryan, thank you" she tried to tip him but was rebuffed. "Rick's taken care of everyone tonight, he's very generous so put your money away, please." She looked around to see Captain Gates, then Jenny and Kevin walk in. The first sign that things were different was when Kevin asked,
"Do you mind if we join you, Kate? We don't plan on being here too long, but Rick's gone to a lot of trouble to show us out in style. I can't disappoint him," he smiled, as Jenny remained silent,
"Please do Kevin, you know you don't need to ask. Hi Jenny how are things with you and the little angel?" Kate asked and received a short polite answer,
"Sarah Grace is doing very well, as for me, I'm tired, almost all the time, so I guess I need to see the doctor soon." No emotions, no welcome hug as was always her habit, well at least when she had been with Rick.
"Well, yeah, you have to take care of yourself, Jenny, hope you feel better soon" she knew that this wasn't going to be an easy night with anyone.
Captain Gates and a tall good-looking gentleman stood next to the table, Kate stood out of habit, "Good evening Captain Gates, Sir" she said as she nodded towards the gentleman with her.
"Kate, please, call me Veronica, this is my husband, my partner for 28 years, Paul, Paul this is Special Agent, soon to be, Captain Kate Beckett, back at the 12th precinct, as the gentleman bowed slightly and extended his hand. Kate shook his hand and said, "welcome Paul, your wife is leaving some pretty big shoes to fill" she said,
"Good evening Kate, from all she's told me, first when you were deciding to take the AG job, then when you decided to return, you'll do great. If Vicky recommends you, she believes in you, not many earn that distinction, just do your best not to let her down" Paul said gently with a smile.
"I'm going to do my best Paul, I promise. Victoria, I passed the Captain's exam today so you should receive the notification in your inbox soon." Kate said, trying to relax.
"I got a call, about 15 minutes after you passed, guess from who? Commissioner Boyle knows you passed, and have met all minimum requirements, but watch yourself, Kate, he has a long memory and can be vicious." Victoria said,
"I just wish I knew when or how I made him so angry at me, I mean if it's something I can fix, I would gladly do it," Kate said
"It's not Kate, so just do your best" Gates replied,
"You know more about what his problem with me is than you're telling me, Victoria, what in God's name did I do to earn the wrath of the Commissioner?" Kate asked, with a pleading look on her face,
"Well, let's step out on the patio, and bring your drink, you're going to need it." Gates relented, she whispered something to her husband then walked to the door leading to the small outdoor area. Kate was perplexed but obediently followed.
When they got outside, Victoria chose a table farthest from the door and placed her drink down. "You're serious Kate, you have no idea of why Commissioner Boyle is after your ass so bad?" Gates asked,
"Sir, I really don't have a clue. I have always kept my dealings with him professional, I know there were some parties when Castle, eh, Rick, and I were together that he went to, alone, I had other plans. He had talked about the commissioner, and Erin Boyle his daughter as if they were friends. I assumed it was because he was such a great benefactor to the NYPD, am I missing something Sir?" she asked,
"How much did you and Mr. Castle discuss your previous lives, I mean some of his is documented, but did you ever sit down and discuss the people before you in your relationship?" Gates asked,
"He wanted to, but I told him, that every girl has a right to her number, it wasn't important that he was my first, just that he was my last. He still wanted to have a conversation, and I threw a fit, so no, we never discussed our past. Castle lived his life on page six for a number of years so what was to research?" Kate said coyly,
"You're a better detective than to believe that crap Kate, I know you, you have to know the details so what was it about him that forced you to forget he had a past? What were you afraid you would find, or perhaps what he would discover? Gates hadn't been a cop all these years without knowing she had hit a nerve with Beckett. Her face went into panic mode and at first, lost all color, then turned a deep crimson.
Kate paused, then answered, "Sir, remember a few years ago I asked for that extended period of time off, it was three months or so before Rick and I became a couple. I discovered a college prank, at least what I thought was a college prank had blown up in my face.
"When I was in college, I did any and everything to rebel against my parents' wishes, especially in dating. I chose a real loser in Logan to drive my dad nuts since he wouldn't allow me to live off-campus my first year. One weekend four of us had too much to drink while visiting Vegas and decided it would be a great idea to get married.
"Well, we went through a drive-through Chapel, smaller than a McDonalds, and I didn't remember much, but apparently that was the night I became a married woman, to Logan O'Leary. I never thought it was legal, until a few years ago, when I got the IRS Tax Lien, addressed to him and me at my address.
"Making a very long and troubled story short, it took me months to unravel the deceit, the dishonesty, and finally testify against him, or threaten to, to get him to sign annulment papers. It was so embarrassing, when my Dad found out, he almost flipped, and that was almost 18 years ago.
"I couldn't tell Castle, not after being the One and Done girl for so long and riding him about his failed marriages, I just couldn't. Besides Rick's past was wide open, I mean Kyra, then Meredith, then Gina, and then well us, that's the way it was supposed to be anyway." Kate said, still embarrassed to confess the stupidity of a college act.
"You forgot a person Kate, maybe that was what Rick was trying to tell you when he wanted to talk, and you blew him off. You thought you knew his past; did you even research it at all? If you had you would have found a marriage license issued by the state of New York to one Richard Castle and Miss. Erin Boyle, approximately one year after Rick graduated from college, or 16 months after Miss Blaine left for England." Gates stopped as she saw Kate flinch and her knees buckle,
"Sir, he was engaged to Erin Boyle, the daughter of the Commissioner, is that why he hates me? What happened, I mean Erin married someone and had her daughter Nikki about 6 months before Alexis was born?" Kate asked,
"Well, it's all public record, as I said if you had done your research. Rick was engaged to Erin, she cheated on him when, well when he was away, and then Frank forced the father to marry her once Rick walked away.
"Of course, the marriage ended in divorce, almost 9 months before Rick and his first wife divorced, and since you didn't investigate, even public records, just ask yourself a question. How many family courts do you know, especially in California who would award full custody of a newborn to the father? If you want to know any more details, you'll need to speak to Mr. Castle, I've already said enough.
"You wanted to know why Frank hates you, it's because of your treatment of Mr. Castle. He may not have become his son-in-law, but the two, along with Mr. Mayor, and Captain Montgomery stayed very close throughout the years. Even though Rick and Erin didn't work out, Rick is still a very close friend of the Boyle family, and, well Frank was totally against re-hiring you for obvious reasons." Gates was sipping on her drink, Kate was taking in the new information and downed hers in one gulp.
"If he was against it Sir, why did he go along with it?" Kate asked,
"Because Mr. Castle asked him to, that and Mr. Mayor gave him an order, so either you came back or he retired. That's why he set up the deadlines for you, and I'm sure once you fully installed, you will see your quotas rise significantly, so be prepared, you have a powerful enemy, who happens to be your boss. Let's rejoin the party before rumors start." She said as she headed for the door.
"Yes Sir, good idea Sir." Was all Kate could mumble, numb, Rick and Erin? He tried to tell her, she blew him off, God what a fool she had been. Just as she reached for the door, her phone chirped with a new text. She stopped to read it. She adjusted the light to see the complete text, God it was from Rick, and it was short.
"Read your letter, if you want to talk, I'm open Sunday, the swings at noon" RC was all it said. She swallowed deeply and proceeded into the room to meet the others; she was good at putting on fronts. This one would require one of her best performances she thought.
XxX
Melissa's Town House
Friday Evening Same Time Frame
Rick smiled as he snuck up behind Melissa making drinks for them and kissed her on the neck. She jumped, and turned around, instead of hitting him, she pulled him into a kiss that lasted far longer than normal.
"Wow, I was expecting to get hit, I like this much better" he laughed and waggled his eyebrows,
"Well, don't get any ideas, we're meeting Alexis and Martha at the Loft in an hour, so you have to behave," She smiled,
"We have an hour, I mean it only takes 20 minutes to get there, so that leaves us 40 minutes, so" He was negotiating with her,
"Hey, I want you too, just wait till we get home, then we can take all the time in the world, OK?" she asked as she kissed him and placed her nose against his.
"Well, if I have to wait, then I can at least imagine," as his hands felt her body so sensuously as he kissed her deeply, finally pulling away, she said, "I don't know what's got into you, but whatever it is, keep it, I love it." She laughed
He opened his phone and showed her the text he had sent to Kate. This time his hands were steady, and he was smiling,
Melissa read the short message, and then she looked at him, through eyes full of tears, he gently wiped them away, and kissed each eye. "You sure Rick, I mean, I don't want you to do"
A kiss stopped her once again, but this was a sweet I love you kiss, not I want your body type, as he pulled back, "Yes I'm sure. We have the rest of tonight to tell Alexis and Mother what's going on, and then all day tomorrow, what do you want to do?" He asked still hugging her tight, her head on his shoulder,
"Well, eh"
"Do you want to go back home? We can leave tonight or tomorrow, whatever you want. Pack your riding boots and clothes or we can buy you new ones and we can make a day of it if you wish. I know Dakota would love to have you there, he's really a great horse." Rick smiled,
"You wouldn't mind Rick; I mean what will you do when I'm riding?" She asked, still concerned about him above her,
"I thought I would try out the gym and sauna, then when you got home, we could sit in the hot tub and take a swim, then go to dinner. I have reservations at the Post and Paddock for tomorrow at 7:00 PM, I hear it's supposed to be really good food, and they have a private room reserved for us." Rick smiled
"You have reservations? How? I mean?" Melissa was stammering
"Sweetie, I saw the love in your eyes yesterday when we were leaving, and if you want, pack a bag, we'll spend the night there and come home tomorrow or early Sunday. Call it our trial run, so what do you say?" Rick asked,
She crossed the room and leaped into his arms, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck as her legs wrapped around his waist. She buried her head into his neck, murmuring I love you, into his skin, and kissing him gently.
"Well, I'm going to take that as a yes, so I thought I would drive the BMW up tonight, and leave it there when we return to the city. We have plenty of time, and well, call me romantic, but I would love to be holding your hand with our windows down as we drive to our new home.
"Rick, you never stop surprising me, I love it, and yes, my riding gear is all packed, it's in the hall closet, I can be packed in twenty minutes, OK?"
"Sweetie, we have the rest of our lives, so yes twenty minutes, thirty hell an hour as long as I get to see you, I'm fine." She kissed him, "We may have all night, but what time did you tell Alexis and your Mother we would meet them at the loft?" she asked, stealing another kiss before she released her grip on him.
"I told them around 6:00 PM, so we have time, then we can drive up and take our time. The GPS is already programmed so I won't miss the turn," he laughed, as he watched her grab a bag and begin to pack.
"Don't worry about any of the bathroom or hair products, they're already there. I had Debi stage it like your bathrooms here" He called out, as she looked up, "Rick? When did you allow another woman in my house?" she was a little upset,
"Hey, I never did, I took pictures of your products and emailed them, I would never bring anyone, especially another woman into our, well your"
"You were right the first time Rick, it's ours, that's why I got touchy, I'm sorry I should have known better, forgive me please?"
He walked over, kissed her, "Nothing to forgive, always remember you, and your happiness is all I want, OK?" he asked, as he wiped the tears from her eyes, "no need for these sweetie, we have to be able to say what we think without worrying about walking on eggshells, OK?" he kissed her again,
"I love you, Richard Castle, you always know what to say, what I need the exact moment I need it, now let's get out of here, I want to go to our new home as soon as we can."
XxX
They arrived at the Loft at 5:33 PM and heard Alexis enter almost as soon as the door closed.
"I'm sorry Alexis, I didn't see you behind us," Melissa said gathering the young lady into a brief hug,
She smiled, "No problem Melissa, I took the stairs instead of the elevator, part of my cheap workout" she laughed, "So Dad, no hints what the family meeting is all about?" She hugged her Dad.
"You know the rules, no one gets advanced information until the family is here, or Grams is at least 15 minutes late" he smiled,
"What, I never, I mean you act like I'm never on time for anything Richard. I raised you better" Hurricane Martha had entered the building.
Once they were all settled around the table with a drink, Rick started, "Well, I wanted you both to know of some changes that are happening. Melissa and I are moving to the estate I showed you, Alexis, she absolutely loved it, and agrees there's really nothing to keep us in the city. I mean we could be back within the hour, but you're moving off campus next term."
"Where am I supposed to live Richard, you can't expect me to move in with you and Melissa, no offense dear, but the city is where everything I love is at" Martha objected,
"Well Mother, I don't remember inviting you to live with us but now that you've brought it up, let's discuss this. I'm deeding the Loft to Alexis, if she wants to live here next term, there are no changes to your living arrangements. If she ever decides to move out, the loft will still be your home, EXCEPT, and HEAR ME GOOD. My office and my bedroom are off-limits to you.
"Workmen will be here starting tomorrow to fortify the doors and locks, and Mother, I am very serious. If you touch one throw cushion in either of those two rooms, I will move you to Shady Rest Retirement Village as I have threatened before." He stared at her with a serious look on his face,
"Understood Richard, really you don't have to be so rude. I don't know how Melissa, sweet child that she is puts up with you" she replied. Her facial expression let Rick know that she had gotten the message loud and clear.
"So, Melissa, how is it, it looked gorgeous in the pamphlets Dad first showed me. Did he surprise you? We found Dakota not more than 15 miles from where he's at now, and Dad was like a little kid at Christmas, he wanted to tell you so badly." Alexis had walked over and hugged Melissa, who was wiping her eyes with a tissue.
"Yeah, he surprised me, twice, first with Dakota, then he had a flower garnish over his neck asking me the question, would I move in, and signed it Dakota. It was so sweet. I got a short ride in for the first time in two years, but it felt wonderful, freeing actually. We're headed back there tonight, so we'll be out of the city till Sunday morning, in case you need us." She smiled as she had her arm wrapped around Alexis, to match that of the young lady whose eyes sparkled like her Dad's.
"I'm glad, Melissa, you look happy, so does Daddy, so go enjoy the country. Daddy, living in the Loft with Grams next term sounds like a great idea. Thanks, I know you won't be happy here ever again, and I promise you no one will go near your office or bedroom, right Grams? I said RIGHT GRAMS?
"Of course, you know me well enough" Alexis smiled up at her Dad then Melissa, as she walked them out the door. Talk to you guys on Sunday, enjoy the new home. Love you both" as Melissa shot Rick a surprised look, he just smiled. Things were working out just fine. One more hurdle, Sunday, then he could breathe again.
TBC
A/N to Tank, Sounds like you need to either write your own or find another story