The Photo Album Part Two
An AU story set just after the close of season 8. Rick and Kate are still recovering and Kate has been having thoughts about where she wants her life to go.
A/N: As the title implies, that certain Photo Album that Kate found back in year one with Rick plays a part in this story and having read that story would help.
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Kate stared out the window of the Mercedes. Rick was at the wheel. They were heading for a much needed vacation at their Hampton's place. It had been months since she'd been out to the beach home. Since she had walked out on Castle in an irrational attempt to keep him safe while she engaged in an unrealistic attempt to finally put an end to what Bracken connections had started all those years ago.
She had been a fool, and it had almost cost her and Rick their lives.
Even after Senator William Bracken had been arrested and her mother's murder had been put to rest, it turned out that she had only dealt with a small part of what was a much larger international criminal enterprise.
She had thought it was over. That the arrest of Bracken meant that she could put her demons to rest and she could concentrate on her new job as Captain of the 12th precinct and the building of her future with Castle.
But once again fate played another cruel trick on Katherine Beckett. A data search she had instigated back while she was working for the Attorney General's Office, that wasn't answered until a year later, had resulted in the murders of her old D.C. team.
She had been dragged into the mess when she'd been contacted by a former tech guy from the AG's office. He was the one who informed her of the killing of her old team, and that she was on the hit list herself.
She had met with this Vikram Singh and had been pulled into a nightmare of running for her life while at the same time trying to find a solution to the trouble she was in. It had taken days of investigation while fighting to stay alive. She had suffered a gunshot wound and only had lived through the experience because she was helped by a woman who claimed to be the wife of Castle's black ops father. A woman Castle never knew existed.
She had escaped the kill squad after her and Vikram, and she had been given a convenient scapegoat for the whole situation, but that's all that it was. A ribbon tied in a neat bow so she, and what she had learned, would just walk away and forget all about what had happened. But she couldn't. She'd been warned. That if she didn't stop then, more lives could be lost. Lives she wouldn't want on her conscience.
But she couldn't let go. She knew that the party, or parties who were responsible for the deaths of Rachael, and the rest of her team were still out there. She had to continue the investigation. An investigation which led her to make some of the stupidest decisions she had ever made.
Not wanting to put Castle, or any of his or her family in jeopardy she walked out on her marriage. She foolishly thought if she wasn't with him, he would be left alone.
Needless to say, Castle didn't go along with that idea, nor did the bad guys. Weeks of needless heartbreak and bitter confrontations had proved her 'brilliant' idea a bust. He broke her down and they finally agreed to continue to pretend to be broken up but would work together.
The sad thing was, even once they knew who they were up against and had apparently been the victor in the end. They had missed someone. Someone who was waiting for them in their own home once they got home from what was supposed to be the wrap up.
Their attacker did wind up dead, but not before he'd shot Castle in the chest and her twice. Once in the abdomen, and in the upper right of her chest. They would have died that night if a neighbor had not heard the shots and called the police.
They then spent weeks in the hospital recovering from their wounds and now they were on the way to get some much needed rest and relaxation up at the Hampton's house. No work at the precinct, no work on any new story, just Rick and Kate lazing in the sun or wading in the surf for as long as they needed.
She had apologized to him multiple times for her hard-headed stupidity, but he just would kiss her head and tell her he loved her and he always would. She knew she didn't really deserve him, but she would occasionally find herself thanking whatever greater power their might be for putting him into her life.
Kate had been resting her head on the back of the seat. She turned her head toward Rick.
"It's really been a while since we came up here. It seems to be taking a lot longer than I remember."
He chuckled. "That happens. I know that it always seems longer the first time I drive out every spring. But you'll be happy to know that mother and Alexis have been up here a couple times recently so the house will be fully stocked and we won't have to be bothered with anything."
"Are they coming out sometime this week?"
Castle shook his head. "Nope. They know we aren't in any shape to do anything aside from lounging around and resting." He grinned. "In other words. We won't be much fun."
Kate returned his grin. "I love our family, but I definitely don't have the energy to handle either of them this week." She cocked her head. "Do you think that a week will be enough?"
Castle turned his head. "Does it really matter? I don't have any place I need to be and no one expects you back for at least three weeks."
Kate sighs. "Who knows, maybe I won't come back at all."
Rick smiled. "It's entirely up to you, Kate. You know we don't need your pay check. It's always been about your need to 'do' something."
"I know, but this time I was shot three times. Once when I was on the run with Vikram, and twice in our own kitchen. Add to that, Montgomery's funeral. This getting shot is getting really old."
"Believe me Kate, there's nothing I'd rather have more than you around 24 -7." He chuckled. "It's not big secret that I like having you around."
Kate frowned. "I have a lot of thinking to do. And we will have a lot of conversations while we're are here as to what lies ahead for us."
"Sounds intriguing."
She rolled her eyes at him, then grinned.
It took another full hour to finally reach their Hampton's beach house. Neither of them were at their physical best yet so they had to make multiple trips from the car just to get the luggage into the house and into their room. Both agreed that they would put their clothes away… later.
Fortunately, as he had hoped, Martha and Alexis had left a fully stocked larder for them, and Rick began to pull out the ingredients for spaghetti and meatballs. After hugging him from behind, Kate went to the refrigerator and brought out what she'd need for the salad she began to make.
After putting the salad in the fridge to keep it cool while Rick worked on their entrée, Kate sat on one of the stools at the island counter and stared at the way his shirt stretched across the breath of his back. It brought a smile to her face.
"I can feel your eyes staring at the back of my head." He didn't turn around.
She giggled. "I'm not staring at your head. I'm just sitting here contemplating ripping that shirt off your back."
The loss of their intimacy during her misguided solo investigation into Loksat was the hardest thing she had to deal with. In all probability it was the primary factor in her choice to beg him to forgive her and help her. Even though they kept up the public separation for a while. But that didn't last too long either. It was too obvious that they couldn't stay away from each other so they used the suicide of the Asst. A.G. to allow them to reunite.
They never stopped the investigation, but they let on that they had. They publically accepted the cover story they were given even though they never believed it for a second. Unfortunately, the bad guys didn't really believe them either, which eventually led to the final showdown, which they miraculously survived and came out the winner. Which then led to the one mistake which almost cost both of them their lives.
Kate was, at that moment, glad that he wasn't facing her so he didn't chance to see the lone tear that slid down her cheek as her memory replayed that horrible moment. The moment that she thought her selfish need to be the one who righted all wrongs had finally destroyed not only her life, but his also.
She found herself back in that hospital bed crying out for Castle. Needing to know if he had survived her hubris. If they would have come and told her that Rick hadn't made it, she wouldn't have survived either.
When they told her that he was going to pull through, she made herself a vow. She would never again be without Richard Castle in her life.
Kate pushed the old bad memories from her mind. This was a happy time for them. They both were mostly recovered from their wounds. She still was on medical leave, and they had at least a full week to themselves out in one of her favorite places.
The only real bummer would be that they were both advised by their doctors to not over exert themselves. She was pretty sure they weren't talking about chopping wood or moving furniture. Still a smile crossed Kate's face. Their physical restrictions weren't going to stop them from having some lengthy make out sessions. Rick knew how to use his mouth… and not just for talking.
Castle turned and deposited a generous portion of his hot off the stove spaghetti and meatballs from the pan to the two plates waiting next to the stove. "If you get the salads out and put them on the table, I'll bring these plates over." He noticed the smirk on her face. "What's that look for?"
Kate got off her stool and moved toward the fridge where she had the salad ready. "Oh, I was just thinking about other things that we can do with our mouths… other than eating."
He returned her smirk. "We have all the time we want for that. We need to fuel up so we have the energy to follow through with what your insatiable mind has in store for this old man."
She chuckled as she set the salad on the already set table. "Well, neither of us are getting any younger, so we have to take advantage of whatever time we have left." She gave him a coy smile. "Don't you agree?"
Castle dropped his head. "Now I'm going to wolf my food down too quickly and have indigestion in the morning."
She laughed. "Oh, I think I want to enjoy this meal, and the company." She winked. "I plan to spend a enjoyable evening in front of a roaring fire in the love seat."
He sat down after she had seated herself. "Would you like to have some company on said love seat?"
"Do you have anyone particular in mind?"
"As a matter of fact I did have someone in mind, but I have to confess that your choices may be limited."
"I believe that I would be more than satisfied with whomever is available." She batted her eyes.
Rick leaned in close and kissed her nose. "I think that I could make myself available, if that would be acceptable to milady?"
She twirled a forkful of the spaghetti and slowly sucked it off her utensil. She answered with a smacking of her lips. "Works for me."
For some reason they seemed to hurry through dinner and the clean up after and were soon both sitting in the plush comfy love seat staring at the flames coming from the fireplace. She had her head on his shoulder and he had his right arm around her shoulders.
They didn't speak for several minutes. Occasional kisses were exchanged as they got more and more comfortable. Kate played with Rick's fingers until she looked up into his emotion darkened eyes.
"I think we need to talk."
He smiled at her apparent hesitancy. "We talk all the time."
She lightly slapped his hand. "We need to talk about our future. About what we want going forward."
Castle still had a smirk on his face. "I plan to keep you." He wasn't going to make it easy for her.
"And I plan to keep you." She shook her head such that her long locks brushed her cheeks. "But is that all? We say we plan to stay together, but what does that mean?"
Rick kissed her hand. "It means no more Lone Ranger moments for either of us." His mind flashed back to his excursion to California trying to find some answers to his kidnapping on their wedding day. And how it turned out to have a connection to the investigation that Kate was trying to hide from him.
She nodded. "You're right. No more going solo. But it's not like before. You aren't there at the precinct with me like before. We don't work together anymore." Her tone was somewhat petulant.
He squeezed her with the arm he had around her shoulders. "I know, and I miss being there with you and 'the boys' every day, but you're the captain now. I wouldn't have anything to do but make you coffee."
She leaned her head on his shoulder. "But you make the best coffee. I still haven't been able to get that damn machine to make me a cup of coffee that is half as good as the ones you always made me."
He laughed. "So, you want me to become your personal barista?"
She smiled up at him. "Aren't you already?"
They went quiet for a while. Content to trade soft kisses and touches.
Suddenly she spoke. "Do you think I should quit?"
He turned toward her. If he was surprised by her outburst he didn't show it. "Do you want to quit?"
She punched him in the side. "That's not what I asked?"
He chuckled. "But that's the only question that matters. Do you want to quit. Is there something else you want to do? Become a Senator?"
She punched him again. Then she was quiet for several moments. "That's something that would be far into the future, if at all. But I have been thinking of some other possible things I could do?"
"I thought you liked being the Captain."
She sighed. "I really love being able to stick my nose into everyone's investigations. It makes me feel like I'm still doing something important."
Castle gave her a confused look. "You are the captain of the most respected precinct in the city. I wouldn't be surprised if they don't push for you to be commissioner someday."
Kate frowned. "Rick, I'm mostly just a paper pusher. For all the time I get to spend with my people, I spend three times that amount just filling out forms and moving one stack of paperwork from one in box into another out box." She clenched her fists. "I know that the paperwork is necessary for an entity as large and complex as the NYPD, it's just… not me."
Rick kissed the top of her head. "No, it's not. You have to be right down there in the middle of the action." He raised his brow. "Are you thinking of going back to being a detective?"
She shook her head. "I don't think they'd let me." She looked up at him and grinned. "I have a tendency to get shot too often."
Rick returned her grin. "So what is that implacable mind of yours telling you that you should be doing with your time?"
She gave him a coquettish smile. "Well, what I really want to do right now the doctors have told us not to do that yet. But I'd like to take his conversation up to the bedroom where you can hold me closer while we talk."
A large grin creased Castle's face. "I think that can be arranged. Should I bring some wine up to help the mood?"
She laughed. "Like we need anything to put us in the mood. No, I think we can skip the wine for now. I don't want to risk us getting too frisky and risk setting back our recoveries."
He nodded. "Yeah, that would suck." He stood and reached out his hand. "Shall we move this conversation to our large and sinfully comfortable bed?"
She allowed him to pull her to her feet. "We shall."
Kate leaned over the bed and pulled back the spread. She was immediately hit with a musty smell. "How long have these sheets been on this bed?"
Rick shrugged. "Probably since we were here last. About two months?"
Kate wrinkled her nose. "I think we better change these sheets before we decide to spend the night on them."
"Fine." He waved toward the bathroom. "You know where they are."
She nodded as she moved toward the linen closet in the bathroom. She opened the closet and reached for some clean sheets. While pulling the sheets down she noticed something sitting on the top shelf that obviously wasn't linen.
She set the sheets she pulled out on the edge of the Jacuzzi tub and went back to the closet. She reached up and pulled down what turned out to be three photo albums. All were covered in a supple purple leather. She quickly opened one of them. It was empty, never been used.
A quick chill slithered down her spine. She put two of the albums back on the top shelf, but she took one with her as she went back out into bedroom proper.
"What's this?" She held out the album where he could see it.
Rick took it from her hand. "Oh, I'd forgotten about these. Where did you find it?
She jerked her head toward the bathroom. "I found them up on the top shelf in the linen closet."
He nodded. "So that's where I put them. I bought these years ago. I was in a photo shop for some reason and I saw them on a display. I remembered that one you showed me way back when. The one that you accused me of planting in your closet. So I bought them."
"Why?"
He grinned. "How could I not? Those pictures you showed me in an album just like this made me think that, even though we weren't anything approaching a couple at the time, the memory of those pictures gave me hope."
"Hope?"
Rick nodded. "Kate, I know that you were freaked out that day and thought that I might have perpetrated some trick on you, but I hadn't. That was the only time I'd ever seen that, but I couldn't help but recognize you and I in those pictures. Even the photos with Alexis made me yearn for that to be a peek into a possible future for us."
Kate was stunned into silence.
Rick took the, as yet, unused album from her hands. "Do you still have that one we argued over that day?"
She shook her head. "It was destroyed when my apartment was blown up."
"Oh yeah, that makes sense. Too bad." Rick set the album on the dresser, then pulled Kate into a hug. "Did finding these spook you?"
She looked up at him. "A little. I'd completely forgotten that album and those pictures. But mostly it made me think."
Rick nodded. "I could tell. Smoke was coming out of your ears."
She slapped him on the chest. "Real funny." She snuggled closer. "But seeing them seems a bit appropriate."
He led her over toward the bed, and they both sat down on its edge.
She took one of his hands in hers. "I know we are a bit older than most couples who've only been married as long as we have."
"But?" Castle held her eyes captive with his.
It took some effort on her part, but she managed to break his stare. She looked down at her lap. "Do you want more children? Children with me?"
He smiled. "Do you?"
She slapped his hand. "Quit doing that. I asked first." She glared at his smirk. "It's just, seeing those photo albums brought back the memory of those pictures we saw all those years ago. Even if it was some clever prank someone pulled on me… on us, those kids certainly looked like they could have come from us."
Rick grinned. "Yeah, they were pretty cute. That little girl would certainly grow up to be a heartbreaker."
Kate frowned. "Why would you say that?"
Rick laughed. "Because she looked just like you did at that age."
"How could you know that?" He smiled. She glared. "My father! He's in so much trouble the next time I see him."
Rick reached over and with a finger on her chin, turned her face back to him. "If you decide that you would like to have children, I'd love to be your partner in making that happen."
Kate chewed on her bottom lip. "If by some miracle those pictures somehow foretell what might happen if we choose that route," she took a deep breath. "There were three of them!"
Castle nodded while smirking at her. "But I'm pretty sure that the two boys were twins, so you'd only have to be pregnant twice."
Her head dropped against his arm as she groaned. "I'd have to carry twins?"
Rick hugged her and kissed her head. "Look, if we are using those pictures as some sort of indicator regarding children. From what I remember I'd say we still have a couple of years to make up our minds on the subject." He pulled her onto his lap. "I have the feeling that there was more you wanted to talk about. I don't think having children was the foremost thing on your mind."
She shook her head. "No, it wasn't." She slid off his lap. "Let's change the sheets and get in bed before we continue this conversation."
"Okay."
They worked in an efficient silent tandem to get the bed ready for them. They stripped down to their most comfortable sleep wear. They both wore a pair of worn boxers and each donned one of Castle's old T-shirts almost ready for the rag bag.
They rested their backs against the padded headboard and snuggled close to each other. They knew that, by doctor's orders they still weren't cleared for any strenuous activity like sex, but that didn't mean they couldn't make out like a couple of teen agers. So they did.
Once they had sated their selves as much as they dared she slid a little farther down and laid her head on his chest. He began to play with her hair. She rolled her eyes because she knew by morning her hair would be a nest of tangles that would take forever to undo.
"So, what was on your mind before finding those photo albums turned your thoughts toward kids?"
She wiggled a bit, getting him to snuggle a bit more. "I miss you."
He kissed her tangled hair. "I miss you too when we aren't together. But you have to admit that our current situation doesn't allow for us to be together much during the day."
She leaned back to look up at his face. "What if I quit my job? What if I left the NYPD?" She grabbed his hand and began to play with his fingers. "My mother's murder has been solved and the whole freaking organization that was behind everything has been dismantled. I don't have any ghosts left to chase."
He pulled her up tighter to his chest. "You may have started your police career in order to solve your mother's murder, but it quickly became about all those other people who needed the closure for the loved ones they had lost."
She nodded her head against his chest. "That's true, and that's why I thought that I needed to stay in police work. But it's not the same anymore. First off, I'm not down on the front lines any more. But mostly, for all the closure solving a case might bring to a suffering family, there will always be another murder and another suffering family."
He leaned over and kissed her on the lips. "You've known that for a while now. What's changed for you?"
She turned to look at him. "I've haven't made twenty years yet on the force, yet I've been shot on three different occasions, the last time I was shot twice in our own kitchen. And I could have lost you too." A tear rolled down her cheek. "Is it selfish to want to live? Is it selfish to want to be able to grow old with the man who is the love of my life?"
She shifted until she was sitting up next to him. "None of us know exactly how much time we will have, but I do know that there are a lot of things I want to do, lots of sights I want to see. And I want to be able to see them with you."
He smiled. "And I want to do all those things with you." He chuckled. "You do know that we are pretty well off. It wouldn't be bragging to even say that we are rich." He smirked a bit. "We could get by if we didn't have your paycheck."
She frowned. "I know that, but by bringing in a paycheck to add to our account allowed me to at least pretend I was contributing."
He palmed her cheek. "I'd never belittle what you contribute to this family. Money is not the only way to measure what someone adds to a family's wellbeing."
"I know that, and I love you for never making me feel inferior because I can't match your bottom line."
Rick laughed. "Oh, I don't know." He slid his hand under her butt. "I think your bottom and my bottom match up really well.
That caused her to laugh, then slap his arm. "You are incorrigible."
"And you love that about me."
"I do." She grabbed his hands. "I've had a few conversations with my cousin Sophia. She loves my old apartment that I've been renting to her since I moved in here. Apparently she and her boyfriend are getting pretty serious and they both really like the neighborhood." Kate snuggled in closer. "So I was thinking that I could sell her the apartment. With the way real estate has been going up in that neighborhood I'm guessing we could get two million easy."
Rick nodded. "Probably more, but I thought you wanted to keep it."
Kate shrugged. "Well, I'm fairly confident after the crap I pulled and you still didn't divorce me, I won't ever need it to live in, and it doesn't look like I'll need to save it for Alexis. She'll be taking her graduate courses at Oxford."
"Bite your tongue."
Kate laughed. "What I'm saying is. I sell my apartment to Sophia and Daryl and we use that money to take a vacation."
He gave her a kiss on the lips. "That could buy quite a vacation. What did you have in mind?"
She chewed on her fingernail. "Oh I was thinking we take a year to travel to where ever we feel like going. I know you have been too a lot of exotic and wonderful places," she gave him a hot glance. "But never with me."
He smiled. "And if a year isn't enough?"
She smiled back. "There's always another year."
"And once we've finished our whirl wind trip around the world?"
Kate giggled. "Well, if you haven't knocked me up by then, I guess we can discuss the idea of children."
He took her hand and kissed her palm. "I like the way you think." He then pulled her on to him and soundly kissed her.
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
The Castle Hampton's House, August of 2025
Rick Castle was tired. The boys had really worn him out today. Kate was upstairs trying to get Jake and Resse to bed. They were wound up so much from a long day of going wild out in the sun and the surf. He didn't envy Kate trying to get them settled down enough to get to sleep.
He looked up the stairs toward their bedroom. As he reached the top of the stairs he met his wife at the doorway to their bedroom. They stopped and kissed for several moments before they moved into the room.
"You were able to get the boys calmed down enough to get them to sleep?"
Kate rolled her eyes. "Why can't they be like Lily and go to bed when we tell them to?"
Rick laughed. "Too much excitement today. That and I believe they realized what it was going to mean that we were heading back to the loft tomorrow morning."
Kate leaned against him as he pulled her close. "Yeah, it's been a great summer, but Lily is excited about starting school in a week. The boys will be disappointed, but they'll be happy to see their friends again."
The two of them undressed in silence then as if of one mind they laid down and immediately rolled into each other. And a typical night with the two lovers began.
It had been a circus getting everything packed up and in the car for the trip back to Manhattan. Lily was going on and on about how cool it was going to be starting school. And the boys just fought over the same plastic truck. All normal for the Castle clan.
Rick walked up behind Kate who was frowning at her phone. "Who was that?" He asked.
She shook her head. "It was the party again. Senator Clemons is threatening to retire again and they want me to run."
Castle chuckled. Every time an election came around the party came calling on Kate to run for the state senate. She kept telling them that she wouldn't even consider it until the kids were all in school. That she wouldn't leave her husband home alone to raise her kids without her there.
"You know," he whispered in her ear. "By the time Simons actually does retire, the kids will all be in school and you'll be available to run."
She gave him a stern look. "Are you trying to get rid of me?"
He chuckled. "Never. But you know that a certain time traveler did say you would become a senator."
Kate shook her long mane. "No thanks, Simon Doyle was just a delusional person who got caught up in one of our cases." She glared at him. "He wasn't from the future."
She began to move toward the door at get out to the car before the kids destroyed everything waiting. "You coming?"
Rick waved her on. "I'll be right out there. I just have one more thing to take care of."
"Okay," she stepped up and kissed him. "Love you." She walked out the front door.
"Love you too." He said it but he knew she was already out of range to have heard her.
He quickly ran up the stairs and went into their bedroom. He looked around for a few seconds until he found what he was looking for sitting on the top of the dresser.
He grabbed the purple leather covered photo album and brought it down with him. Once in the front living room he placed the album on the coffee table.
He stared at it for a few moments. "Okay, I'm counting on you Doyle. Don't let me down."
Rick then moved to the front door, left the house and locked up after. He headed toward their SUV and prepared for the long drive with three young kids.
FIN.
A/N: Just a quick note about Kate's apartment. I remember on one of the season DVD discs they interviewed a couple of New York real estate people and discussed the probable value of the loft and Kate apartment if they were real. Based on the implied size and location, they valued the loft at around 12 million and Kate's apartment at around 4 million. So I feel that my offer of 2 million to her cousin was viable.
All Readers are Appreciated, Review if you wish.
