Six:

A stray beam of sunlight breaks through the haphazardly closed drapes in the room, hitting her directly in the eye. Squinting, she moans as her throbbing head reminded her of what had happened the night before. She glances to her left and sees Tom sound asleep and equally nude which confirms her fuzzy memories.

After several hours spent with what must have been equally divided between tossing back tequila shots and dancing, they returned to the cabin for one last sack session. Judging by the satisfied smile on Tom's face, he must have enjoyed himself. As for her, she couldn't remember. If it was anything like their couplings when she was sober, it was forgettable anyway. There was something missing and Kate knew exactly what it was, love. She didn't love Tom. She knew it, yet slept with him anyway. Why?

Determined to not let this happen again, she quietly slipped out of the bed and quickly gathered up the clothes she was wearing last night, scattered all over the room. Grabbing her travel bag she enters the bathroom, locking the door behind her. A rather cold shower seemed to awaken her completely and she dresses before exiting the room.

By the time she returns to the bedroom, Tom is awake and gives her one of his smiles that a few days ago made her feel a little giddy. Tossing off the covers, he stands before her naked, still smiling. "You're dressed already. I thought that maybe we could have 'one for the road'..."

"Last night was a mistake. We broke up, remember?" Kate frowns, not impressed by his show.

"I was hoping that you changed your mind." Tom replies while covering himself, suddenly embarrassed by his nudity.

"I'm sorry, but this isn't what I'm looking for right now." Kate remarks with a sigh of resignation, knowing it was the truth. "I've gotta go Tom. I know you've got the cabin for another day, but I can't stay any longer. If you could drop me at the station, I'll take the train back to the city. You can stay here that way."

Tom could tell by the tone of her voice as she spoke that her mind was made up and there was no point in trying to convince her otherwise. "Give me a couple of minutes to take a shower and dress... I'll take you to the station."

"Thank you." She replies as he walks into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. Kate made her way into the kitchenette and started a pot of coffee that she desperately needed at the moment. She was about to pour her second cup when he emerges from the bedroom fully dressed and ready to go.

The ride to the station was filled with nothing but silence, broken only by awkward attempts to start a casual conversation. They both seemed to understand that this would probably be the last time that they would see each other and surprisingly were okay with it. Kate thanked him for driving her there, as the two exchanged an equally awkward hug as she exited his car and searched for the train that would take her back to the city.

X-X-X-X

Rick awoke to what looked like a mass of blonde hair planted in the center of his chest and a long slender arm draped across his stomach. He gently strokes her hair, pulling it back to see Jennifer sound asleep with a serene look on her face. Looking closer, he chuckles to see a puddle of drool by her parted lips. He didn't know why, but seeing her this way only seemed to support his opinion that she was truly one of the most beautiful women he ever met.

He ever so gently runs his fingers down her spine while leaning forward to whisper. "Wake up babe. Time to rise and shine."

"Don't wanna." She mumbles and kisses his chest. "I like where I am just fine."

"So do I, but Mother Nature has other ideas for my bladder." He chuckles as she reluctantly releases him and rolls away.

Rick climbs out of the bed and strolls nude to the en-suite as she remarks. "Need any help with that? Looks like a two handed job to me." She giggles as he enters the bathroom. Just as he finishes the task at hand, she enters, still naked herself and comments. "I could use a shower. Care to do your part to help conserve water and join me?"

Thank goodness that the hotel had what appeared to be an unlimited supply of hot water as their 'quick' shower took more than an hour. Jennifer was convinced that the way he washed her hair had resulted in one of her several orgasms during their session. One thing was certain to her after this; There was no way Kate Beckett ever slept with Rick, because if she did, she would have never let him go.

It was clear to her. She was falling in love with him and could only hope that he was feeling the same for her. She knew it was crazy, but remembered her mother's saying, 'the heart wants what the heart wants'. Jennifer however, was a realist and understood that you can't always get what you want.

Rick wasn't sure what exactly he felt at this moment. A part of him was convinced that this whole thing was a huge mistake. That in spite of the fact that he and Beckett hadn't shared anything more than a kiss on the cheek, he felt that he had cheated on her. The logical part of his brain told him that he was a fool. 'A beautiful woman, that you just had sex with, is crazy about you and you'll lose her too if you dwell on what never was. Besides, Kate Beckett has already decided who she wanted to be with and it wasn't you...'

The last thing he wanted to do was to hurt her, but he needed time to cleanse Kate from his system. She had become an integral part of his life. Hell, his main character in his novels was inspired by her. He truly wanted to see where this relationship with Jennifer would go, but had no clue how to proceed.

Dressed in casual clothes, the two enjoyed a late breakfast at one of hotel's restaurants. The conversation came easy as Jennifer candidly revealed how her first marriage failed. Knowing that he was probably only one of very small number of people that she had opened up to, he did the same.

While they both had been the victims of cheating spouses, Jennifer was shocked by the way Rick had discovered Meredith's infidelity and her willingness to give up custody of Alexis. One thing became crystal clear to her, if his daughter didn't approve of her, she had no chance with him. Most women would have resented the idea, but she saw his unwavering loyalty to Alexis as just another sign of the type of man he was. She knew that if he felt that way for her, they would be happy for life.

After their meal, the two decided on a leisurely stroll down the Main Street from casinos and wedding chapels on the Nevada side to the touristy attractions on the California side. Holding hands, the two walked from one souvenir shop to the next, looking for nothing in particular and simply enjoying each other's company.

After selecting a matching pair of novelty tee shirts, Jennifer grabbed a few souvenirs for Roz and her coworkers as proof of where she had spent the weekend. Glancing at his watch, he is surprised to see how late it was as time seemed to fly with her. Rick had promised to take her to the casino after dinner on their last night here and she was curious to see if he was as good of a poker player as the stories claimed.

As they crossed the street that was the borderline between the two states, she stops in front of one of the more upscale wedding chapels, a look of longing on her face. "Do you ever think about it?" She inquires, her eyes never leaving the window.

"About what? Getting married again?" He counters, unsure the reason for her question. Jennifer turns to look directly at him and nods in response. "With my track record, I don't know anymore. Twice I married a woman that I thought I could learn to love. If I ever do it again, love will be the only reason I marry."

Jennifer can see the look of resignation on his face as he speaks and feels a glimmer of hope. Thanks to Beckett, he felt unworthy of love. She now had a mission; Convince Rick that he was worthy of her love. She gives his hand a gentle squeeze and comments. "You know what they say Rick... the third time's a charm."

"They also say, three strikes and you're out." Rick replies and the two continue their walk back to the hotel. They were standing at the entrance when his phone begins to ring and the smile on his face vanishes. He didn't need to look to see who was calling, he knew by the ring tone he had assigned just for her. He pulls it out of his pocket just long enough to confirm it was her before sending it directly to voicemail. He couldn't understand why she would be calling him unless it was to gloat about the fun she was having with Demming. Maybe she was thanking him for quitting so that Tom could be her work partner as well as her bed buddy. Either way, he didn't care.

Did he?

X-X-X-X

Kate frowns and ends the call as it goes to voicemail. It had taken a bottle of the wine that he had given her a case of as a housewarming gift, just to summon the courage to attempt the call in the first place. She had no idea what she would have said to him if he would have answered. "Gee, I'm sorry Rick for acting like an idiot with Tom to try and make you jealous... and when that didn't work, I ridiculed your theories as stupid while my boyfriend reminded you that you weren't a cop. Yeah, that'll go over like a turd in a punch bowl." Kate mutters to herself.

Yet, in spite of everything she and Tom had done to him for nearly a month, she knew that it was her apparent indifference when asked about losing him as her partner that sealed the deal. She had seen the look on his face as she showed her lack of concern and knew what a huge mistake she had made, yet her pride wouldn't let her say how she really felt. In spite of her doubts, deep down Kate knew that she had let things get out of hand with the PDAs that she and Tom had put on for the whole precinct to see.

Images of Castle with that busty blonde detective that she had seen him with, doing the same things that she and Tom had done over the last month played on an endless loop in her mind. Only now she understood what it must have felt like for him and she didn't like it one bit. Kate knew that he had feelings for her and rejected every attempt by him to be something more than coworkers.

Now she sits here in her apartment alone, wishing she could take the last month back. Tom wasn't what she was looking for and she knew it the moment they met, but her jealousy of Ellie Monroe and desire to get even, blinded her to the risks she was taking. The three day suspension she received was the least of her worries. If the conversation she had with Roy Friday was any indication, this was only the beginning.

X-X-X-X

Roy looked at the report he had prepared along with the guilty parties identified and the corrective actions recommended. He accepted most of the blame, citing his failure to prevent the harassment of a civilian consultant, offering his resignation as self punishment. Both Beckett and Demming's suspensions would be increased to ten days with no reduction in pay grade. Ryan and Esposito would have letters of reprimand for their failure to report the harassment placed in their personnel files.

All he could hope for is that would be enough to appease a very angry mayor and commissioner.

X-x-X-x

Jennifer was all smiles as she entered the precinct Tuesday morning in spite of how tired she was. Her weekend with Rick would be one of the highlights of her life no matter how long she lived. Glad that there wasn't an active case, she pulled a cold case file and enjoyed the coffee that she had brought in with her. The coffee at the precinct tasted like oil pan sludge and she was jealous of the beast that Rick had purchased for the twelfth to correct that problem there.

Maybe she could ask her new beau to get one for her?

Jennifer actually giggled at the notion of the Richard Castle being her beau. It seemed like such a quaint term for him, but boyfriend seemed juvenile and lover implied that all they had was sex. Granted, they did have sex and he made her feel things she never felt before, but they were more than that. Or at least she hoped they were.

X-X-X-X

Roy Montgomery arrived at the twelfth precinct a few minutes earlier than normal, taking in everything, every sight, sound, and smell as if this would be his last time to experience it. Entering his office, he fired up his computer and sent a copy of the report he had spent the better part of the weekend working on to the commissioner and mayor. He made sure his calendar was cleared for the inevitable meeting that was sure to follow. In a strange way, it felt as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He would no longer be there to protect Kate from her own worst enemy; herself. He had done all he could to keep her away from her mother's case and could only hope that she would continue to do so. It was time for her to be judged by the same rules that everyone else was.

He was preparing the letters of reprimand that would go into Ryan and Esposito's personnel files if the commissioner agreed to his report, when the call comes in from the mayor's administrative assistant. He was to meet them in the mayor's office at three pm. Roy thanked the assistant and returned his attention to the task at hand. He hated doing this to Kevin and Javi, but there was no excuse for their actions, or in this case, inaction.

Roy hoped that whoever took his place would recognize the talent his crew had and not focus on the few bad eggs. What Beckett did was stupid, but she was still a good cop. The same was true for Ryan and Espo. As for Demming... that was somebody else's problem.

X-X-X-X

It was a few minutes after eleven when Rick, true to his word, called and asked if she was free for lunch. Barely able to hide a giddy giggle, she said that it was a quiet day and she'd love to have lunch with him. Having no ideas about the restaurants near her precinct, he suggested that he pick her up and she choose where they ate.

She teasingly replied that that if it was up to her, they'd go back to his place for a 'working' lunch. His fumbling for words in response brings a smile to her face. Rick agrees to pick her up at noon and ends the call before things can be even more heated.

Jennifer stares at the phone and seriously starts to consider taking an extra long lunch. She hadn't felt like this since she was a teen and knew that ready or not, she was falling in love with Rick.

Rick smiles as the call ends. He'd take out the Ferrari today. Unlike Beckett, Jennifer had no problem being seen with him and enjoyed his attention. He then stops and chastises himself for continuing to compare and contrast the two women. It was time to accept the simple truth Kate chose and it wasn't him. Time to move on for both of their sakes.

Jennifer, along with a few of her fellow detectives and a couple uniformed patrolmen were waiting outside of the precinct to watch as his bright red Italian sports car came to a halt before them. Rick scrambles out of the car, opening the passenger door for her while the onlookers all cheered and made cat calls as she climbed inside.

The Ferrari roars off into the lunch hour traffic. Rick turns to look at her and inquires. "Where to?"

"I told my Captain that I was taking a long lunch... Take me to your place. I'm sure we can find something to eat..."