So I actually have lots of ideas for the next few chapters of this story, but finding the time to write them is going to be the hard part. This chapter is for ElizabethMe2 who was the one to suggest it.
Anyway, here's the next chapter, hopefully there will be a new one in the not too distant future.
What if they'd hidden in the freezer like Rick had suggested to get away from the tiger.
"Get in the freezer," Rick suggested in a panic.
"It'll latch and we'll suffocate," Kate disagreed, switching her gaze between the man she was handcuffed to and the hungry tiger tearing it's way through the wall quickly.
"It's this or get eaten," Rick stated firmly as he opened the door.
Kate climbed in and waited for Rick to join her. He spent a few seconds trying to figure out a way to stop the lid from latching but that would still keep the tiger out and away from eating them. "Rick," Kate called before she tugged on his arm.
He fell onto from where he had been standing, pulling the lid down after him, and just in time too as the tiger came in and hit the side of the freezer, hard. What little purchase Rick had been able to get on the sides of the freezer after Kate had pulled him down vanished and his full weight fell on Kate.
"Oooooph," Kate groaned as the freezer settled and they heard the tiger start to move around, pacing around the outside of the freezer.
"Sorry," Rick hissed quickly, moving his hands the best he could to find some purchase to move his weight off of Kate, at least some of it anyway since doing it completely in this small a space wasn't going to be easy.
When Kate groaned again however he froze. "Are you ok?" he whispered, his concern for her clear in his voice.
When Kate remained silent once more Rick moved his right hand, the hand that wasn't handcuffed to hers, and gently felt his way up her body and to her face. Once he was there he stilled for a moment before he gently felt her head, making sure that there were no obvious bumps or even cuts on her head that meant she couldn't speak.
When he found nothing he pulled his hand away but in doing so he lost his purchase and his weight all landed on her once again. This time when she groaned Rick noticed that there was something about it that made him think she wasn't actually in pain.
"Kate," he whispered, aware that if he was too loud the tiger, that seemed to have lost interest for the moment, would remember that it had some nice tasty snacks trapped, "What's wrong."
The next thing Rick knew Kate had pulled their bodies even closer, her legs were wrapped around his calves, and her lips were on his. It took Rick a moment to get over the shock before he returned the kiss. He tried to keep as much weight off her as possible but with the way that she was pulling at him he was finding it very difficult indeed. He was the first the pull away, as much as was possible in the enclosed space at least anyway, and rested his forehead against hers.
"Kate," he whispered, "What are we doing Kate?"
Outside the tiger roared and the two of them both flinched in sync at the sound. "Kate," Rick muttered again, "Please Kate."
Something in his voice made her realise that she had been silent this whole time and she realised that she needed to say something, anything at all, before it was too late. "I," she started before she paused for a moment. When she had collected herself she started again. "I just didn't want us to die without you knowing how I felt Castle," she whispered, "I meant what I said on the swings when I said I wasn't ready but now I am. I know now that I can fully accept everything that happened on the day of my shooting. I can tell you that I love you too and mean it with all my heart and every ounce of my being."
Rick was stunned, he had no idea she felt that way. He had guessed that there was something there after that time on the swings when Kate had been at his book signing after that summer she had spent recovering from her shooting. It took him a moment to be able to function again, he was so shocked by what Kate had said. In the time it took him to reac he could feel as Katre bite her lip and fidgeted with her hands because their bodies were still pressed against each other. When he did finally react he didn't bother to speak, just kissed her hard on the lips, letting that say everything he was feeling.
When they pulled apart they could feel the others smile against their lips. There was an almighty bcrash as the tiger hit the freezer again and neither could help the little squeaks that came out in fear. If they had been anywhere but here Kate would have teased Rick about how unmanly that noise actually was but right now they were both too scared to do anything of much.
"I love you Kate," Rick breathed, not wanting to never have the chance to say it after the first, and terrifying, occasion of his first declaration.
They kissed again then lay in silence, wrapped in each arms, listening to the tiger as it paced around them. Just as they were beginning to get light headed because of lack of oxygen they heard it go quiet outside and both steeled themselves for the tiger to hit the freezer once more.
They were both shocked then when the freezer door sprung open and as the two's eyes adjusted the sudden light they saw Esposito and Ryan standing there, guns drawn but not pointing a them, although Kate guessed that when they'd first opened the freezer they had been pointed at them.
The two lay for a moment, both realising that they weren't actually going to die today. "Where's the tiger?" Kate asked around Rick's shoulder, since he hadn' moved from where he was lying on top of her.
"We found some tranc guns upstairs and dossed it," Esposito replied, a smirk on his face.
It was then that Rick and Kate realised just how their current positions would look to the two detectives. Rick was the first to move, he carefully placed his hands on either side of Kate's body and pushed himself up. Kate made sure the remain still as he got to his feet and then stepped out of the freezer, Ryan offering him an arm in support when he wobbled a little. Once he was out Rick turned and offered Karte his hand. She sat up before she took it and gracefully stepped out of the freezer to stand beside Rick. They shared a long look, both silently pomising to talk about what had happened in the freezer at some point, just not now.
"How did you find us?" Kate asked her boys, ignoring the knowing looks that the two were giving herself and Rick.
"We followed the evidence," came Gates' voice from across the room, where the Captian had just climbed down the ladder that led to the hatch, "And we heard the tiger's roar and decided to investigate."
"What about the old lady?" Rick questioned, remembering why they were in this position in the first place.
"She and her sons are on their way to lock up Mr Castle," Gates replied as she came towards them. Gates then concentracted her attention on Kate as she said, "All of this could have been avoided if you had told someone where you were going Detective Beckett, in the future be sure to let someone know before you go and follow a lead."
"Yes sir," Kate replied, before she glanced over to where animal control were loading the sedated tiger into a crate and then back to Gates, "Don't worry, I will."
Gates nodded and then turned and led the way out. Once they were all up the ladder Gates once again turned to Kate and handed her a cardboard box. "These belong to you I believe," she stated.
Kate took the box with a smile. She could see her gun, her phone and most importantly it looked like her fathers watch was there too. Esposito then smiled and placed her missing cuffs into the box, on top of everything else.
Kate shook her head before Ryan asked the Captain, "Are we alright to go Captain? I'm sure that Castle and Beckett just want to get out of here."
Rick nodded his head in agreement while Kate remained motionless, but if anyone looked at her face it was clear to see that she was agreeing with Ryan.
"Of course," Gates replied.
The four of them all nodded their thanks and headed towards the door.
"So," Esposito asked as they left, "Was it greeeaattt?"
They all laughed and headed over to the boys car to go home and celebrate their survival and to talk.
