Rick & Kate
September 28, 2010
Sadie is chatting with the U.S. Attorney when she hears a shot go off. She rushes out into the bullpen in time to witness Montgomery send a bullet into another man's shoulder. The man crumples to the ground and uniforms scramble to cuff him. Her eyes flash to the elevator when she hears a voice cry out, finding Kate shouting for Rick to stay awake, blood sprouting from the writer's chest.
No.
Before she can jump in to help, the doors ding closed, the "Up" indicator glowing. She makes a beeline for the stairs, sprinting up them.
On the next floor, the doors slide calmly open and Rick steps out, completely unharmed, while Kate does a double-take at the sight of the investigator.
"Sadie?" the District Attorney asks, "What are you doing here?"
"What do you mean?" the investigator lobs back. "We were just downstairs together. And Rick…you were—you were hurt."
The writer does a quick self-inspection. "I'm fine."
"You know who we are?" Kate asks.
"Yes?" Sadie says.
Rick glances at his wife. "You don't think…"
"How's Fitz?" the DA asks suddenly.
"He's still recovering from his ear infection, but he's fine," the investigator reports.
"Ear infection?" Rick asks, worry lines pressing into his forehead.
"And my mom, have you seen her?" Kate asks.
Sadie's brows furrow. "She was in the office last week...are you okay?"
The pair look at each other and surge into a hug. "We're home."
And then it hits Sadie, the fog of shock wearing off.
They switched back. The Gateway was open, and the Parallels were gone.
When the TTB assigned her to work undercover with the District Attorney eighteen months ago, she didn't understand. They had promised her answers to her sister's case and she was under strict orders not to reveal anything about her identity. When the Parallels arrived three months ago, they told her to monitor, see what they had done to wind up here, and find out how they jumped from their primary.
"Holy shit, you're back," Sadie says.
The DA stills, breaking out of her embrace with the writer.
"Do you know something?"
"Not here," Sadie says. "Text your families. Tell them to meet you at the loft. Don't say anything else."
"Sadie," Kate implores.
"I'll explain everything soon. Just text them, please?" she asks.
With trepidation, they both take out their phones and tap away at their keyboards.
"It went through!" Beckett exclaims, holding her phone up to the writer to show a successful text to her mother's number.
Sadie walks further down the hall, tugging a burner from the inside of her coat pocket and shoots off her own text. Primaries have returned. Meeting at loft. Requesting permission to Notify.
It buzzes immediately with a reply.
Wait until I arrive.
The investigator guides the couple downstairs, quickly briefing them.
"Don't mind the blood. There was a bit of a shootout," she says.
"A what?" Kate asks.
"Let me do the talking, okay?"
Montgomery spots them as they rejoin the commotion.
"You two alright? Thought you got nicked."
Kate and Rick both nod wordlessly, their eyes widening as they survey the scene. A rookie is wrapping gauze around the shooter's shoulder, blood blossoming through the makeshift bandage.
"We're waiting on the paramedics for Raglan," Montgomery explains. "Detective Ryan is taking statements. He'll want yours."
Raglan. That's why the shooter looked familiar, Sadie surmises. She cuts her gaze to Ryan, who's gathered with Weston, Gates, and a couple uniforms, scribbling notes in his pad.
"Commissioner," Kate says cordially.
"Did your hair change?" Montgomery asks, giving the DA a once-over.
Kate self-consciously runs a hand through her short, dark locks, trying to come up with a reasonable reply. Sadie steps forward instead.
"I think they can wait on giving statements. I'm going to escort these two home."
Montgomery shakes his head. "Bracken might send others after them. We need to put them in protective custody."
"We have the proof. Why aren't we moving to arrest him?" Sadie asks.
"Weston wants to authenticate the tape and financial records before pulling the trigger," Montgomery says, "He's too high profile for us to get this wrong."
"They're practically sitting ducks here," Sadie argues, eyeing Raglan. "If you have a unit follow us, I can take them to their residence."
Montgomery hedges before acquiescing. "Straight to their residence. No stops." Then, he calls out to Ryan, "Detective? Call dispatch and let them know we need a unit on Miss Brooks when she leaves."
"On it, Boss," Ryan says, reaching for a desk phone.
Montgomery turns back to them. "I'm going to make sure Raglan arrives at the hospital safely."
"I'm no use to you Roy," Raglan spits out. "Brain cancer will get me if they don't."
"Aren't you one lucky son of a bitch?" the commissioner says as the elevator arrives on their floor and a pair of paramedics with a gurney pour out.
"Did he say we need to be put in protective custody? What the hell is happening?" Kate whispers angrily.
"We should go," Sadie says, moving to step into the vacant elevator cab.
"I am not getting in that," Rick says.
"Right, stairs," the investigator corrects, gesturing.
"A little context would be warranted," Kate says as they walk down to the first floor.
"That man with a bullet wound—Raglan—he helped kill my sister," Sadie provides.
"So her death wasn't an accident," the DA says. "Your hunch was right."
"The Commissioner was involved," Sadie adds.
"You're kidding," Rick says.
"But he has immunity."
"According to whom?" Kate asks.
"Um, you," Sadie replies, "You authorized it."
"Excuse me?"
"Look, this will all be easier if I tell you everything at the loft, okay? Can you withhold questions until then?" she asks, frustrated.
The couple balk at her tone, glancing at each other. A silent agreement passes between them.
"We can wait," Kate says.
When the trio arrives at the loft, Sadie's case supervisor, Hunt, is waiting by the front door.
"You," Rick says, shock cresting over his face. "What are you doing here?"
"You know who he is?" Sadie asks.
"Hold on—you know who this man is?" Kate asks, directing her question toward the investigator.
"Why don't we head inside?" Hunt suggests.
As they enter and coats are hung up, Sadie watches the gears turn in Kate's head. Hunt motions toward the living room, where they all take a seat, the silent tension rising.
The DA breaks it, saying, "You're with the TTB."
"That's right," Hunt replies but Sadie knows Kate isn't referring to him.
The DA stares her down, her eyes hard and cold. "How long?"
Guilt pierces through the investigator as she replies, "Since the beginning."
"So our entire friendship—that was a lie?" Kate asks.
"We knew there might be a potential…interruption," Hunt says before Sadie can respond, "So Brooks was assigned to keep an eye on you and Richard."
"Interruption like timeline interruption?" Rick asks. "You knew this was going to happen and you didn't warn us?"
"We don't interfere—"
"If you don't have to," Kate finishes edgily. "We heard the spiel from your Parallel already. He was equally unhelpful."
Hunt doesn't react. "What did he tell you?"
The DA stands suddenly. "You know what—this is bullshit. We should be the one asking the questions. And my first one is, why the hell are you here?"
"Kate—" Sadie tries, causing the DA to wheel toward the investigator.
"Don't get me started on you," Kate says, her expression filled with hurt and betrayal. "You are no longer allowed to step foot in this home. And consider yourself fired."
Sadie's heart sinks.
Hunt gets up. "We're here to help make sense of this," he says calmly. He sets down a white card stamped with a number on the coffee table. "Give us a call when you want to continue the conversation."
He moves toward the front door and Sadie reluctantly follows him. This wasn't how this was supposed to go. They were—
Her thoughts are interrupted by the arrival of the couple's families.
"Does anyone know why we got strip searched on our way in here?" Johanna asks as everyone spills into the entryway.
Kate locks on to her mother, who's toting a sleeping Fitz.
"Mom!" she cries out, running to her and throwing her arms around the older woman.
"Hey, Bug, everything work out with the case?" Johanna asks, slightly confused as she pats her distraught daughter on the back. Fitz is awakened by the jostling, his loud wail piercing the air. Kate retracts, turning her attention to the 9 month-old.
"Hey, Button. How are you? Mommy missed you so much," she coos as she slips him out of the carrier into her arms, softly nuzzling his face with her nose. "Shh, it's okay, baby," she murmurs as his wailing quiets and he returns to his favorite task of reaching for stray hairs to pull.
"Ma Ma," Fitz gurgles and Kate gasps softly.
"Was that his first word?" she asks.
"Katie?" Johanna asks, realizing.
The DA looks up at her mother with a smile and tears in her eyes. "We're home."
"They did it," Johanna says, in awe.
Martha whips her attention to the writer.
"Richard?"
"Hello, Mother," the writer says, grinning as he approaches them.
"Dad?" Alexis says.
"Gingersnap! What are you doing home?"
She launches herself into his embrace, hugging him fiercely.
"You're really back," she says.
"I missed you," Rick says, squeezing her tightly, "You won't believe where we've been."
The young redhead looks up at him. "I think we might have an idea."
The writer scans the room, gauging everyone's faces.
"What do you know?" he asks.
Alexis disappears into his office and rolls out his murder board.
"Anything to do with a parallel timeline?" she asks.
"How the hell—"
"Visitors," Johanna interrupts. "We have visitors," she says pointedly, noticing Hunt and Sadie for the first time.
Kate waves them off. "They know and were just leaving."
Martha's eyes land on Hunt, and a hand comes to her chest.
"Theodore?"
Sadie looks at her supervisor. Theodore?
"Martha," he says, nodding curtly at her.
"I'm sorry, how do you two know each other?" Rick asks.
The elder redhead blushes, clearing her throat.
"He's, uh…your father."
xxx
March 20, 2009 - Sadie gets assigned to work with District Attorney Kate Beckett the same day Richard Castle appears in court to testify on behalf of Kyle Cabot.
March 25, 2009 - Rick and Kate have a one-night stand.
May 10, 2009 - About six weeks later, Kate tells Rick she's pregnant and he starts shadowing her.
December 25, 2009 - Fitz is born and Rick proposes.
March 20, 2010 - Rick and Kate get married on the anniversary of the day they met.
June 25, 2010 - The newlyweds disappear while riding an elevator together.
September 28, 2010 - Rick and Kate return to their timeline.
A/N: Moving forward, the chapters will be alternating between the two timelines. (Primary—Castle & Beckett / Parallel—Rick & Kate). Thanks for continuing to read and review; your comments continue to make me smile!