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Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.
Chapter 15
Kate sighs as she lays in bed. She'd finished her coffee long ago and just sat and stared, examining the contents of her room. It feels so good to be home.
She wonders where Rick is now. Did he go to the hospital to visit his mother? Has he already fled the city and off somewhere he could hide? She hopes so. She had heard the celebratory cheers from downstairs. Apparently, the man heading this whole thing had been caught. She knows she should care, but all she feels is tired. So, she remained upstairs, letting her parents celebrate by themselves.
The sound of the doorbell breaks her out of her musings. Who could that be? Glancing at the clock, the brunette notes it's nine in the morning.
A second later, there's a knock at her door and her father enters.
"Detective O'Malley is downstairs," he says, voice simmering with hope. "His says that the man who kidnapped you has turned himself in. The detective wants you go to the precinct and identify the man to make sure it's really him."
Kate's heart sinks. There has to be some kind of mistake. Maybe Bracken has another goon playing some sick game.
"But, I never saw his face," she objects. It's a horrible lie, but she doesn't care.
"You did hear his voice, right?"
She sighs, nodding, conceding his point. She would know his voice from anything.
"If you don't want to go, we understand. I can have Detective O'Malley come back tomorrow if you want." Kate smiles, finding her father's concern touching.
"What does Mom think?" Her father's look is all she needs for an answer. Why did she even bother asking?
"I'll go," she says, rising from the bed. "I'm sure it's not even the guy."
Her father nods before they head downstairs and speak with the detective. Her parents will drive her to the precinct, with O'Malley and some of the officers serving as police escort. Everyone heads to their perspective cars and drives off to the building.
The ride to the station is quiet, the tension between mother and daughter palpable. Kate stares out the window, wondering who it is that's trying to con the police. She's sure it's someone who Bracken paid handsomely. She's tempted to voice these thoughts to her parents, but decides staying quiet is better.
When they reach the front of the building, Kate spots the swarm of reporters at the front, clearly wanting a piece of the action. Groaning, she gets out of the car, Detective O'Malley leaving his own and leading the way, helping her family push past the various reporters crowding and shouting questions at the Becketts and the police.
"It's been a mob scene out here since the news came out," he says. "Thankfully, we've been able to keep your address and any other personal details confidential."
"We appreciate that, very much," her mother says as they enter the elevator. Well, at least they agree on something.
When they step into the Missing Persons Division, Kate senses the stares from the officers and detectives on her. She ignores them and fixes her glance on O'Malley's back as he guides them to one of the interrogation rooms.
"He's in here," the detective says, opening the door and gesturing for them to go inside. The family of three enters, all eyes locking onto the man behind the glass. Who she sees behind the glass makes her stomach lurch.
No, no, no! Why is he here? He was supposed to be gone, far away, safe. Why did he turn himself in? She's just about hearing Detective O'Malley's words as her gaze fixates on familiar blue eyes.
"He says his name is Rick Rodgers, says he's doing this to protect you and his mother, supposedly." O'Malley sighs. "Do you recognize the name?"
"No," Kate answers simply, leaving no room for argument.
"You said you never saw his face. However, are you able to tell if it's him?"
"No."
"Okay." Nodding to himself, O'Malley then asks. "Would you be able to recognize his voice?"
"Probably," she hedges.
O'Mallet then turns on an intercom and says, "Mr. Rodgers, I'm going to ask you a few questions and I need to speak into the microphone slowly and clearly. Understood?"
"Yes," Rick says. O'Malley's eyes flick to her, but she makes sign of recognition.
"What is your name?"
"Richard Alexander Rodgers."
Castle, she adds internally, ensuring nothing on her face betrays her.
"Why are you here?"
"I'm turning myself in for being involved in the kidnapping of Katherine Houghton Beckett."
She doesn't flinch. Disappointment colors the other three faces in the room.
Leaning in a little, Rick says, "Is all right if I say something?"
"Go ahead, Mr. Rodgers," O'Malley allows.
"Kate, listen to me, I'm doing this to protect you. The agency is looking for you and I can't protect you from them. I know that. Me turning myself in is the only way for all of this to stop. So, please, Kate, be honest, and this nightmare can end for all of us."
The young brunette bites her lip, closing her eyes, swallowing the lump in her throat.
"Can we have the room?" her mother asks the detective quietly.
"I'll give you a few minutes," O'Malley says and Kate hears the door open and close.
"Katie," her mother starts. "What's that man saying? Are you lying to us?"
"No, no, of course not," she answers a bit too quickly.
"Katie..." her father warns. Finally, she opens her eyes and glances at both of her parents. The confusion and slight disappointment on their faces has her sighing.
"I'm not, not really," she starts, but her mother cuts her off.
"What do you mean not really?" the older female Beckett demands.
Her mother's question causes something in the younger Beckett to snap.
"He's a good man, okay?" she responds, eyes blazing. "He's just a pawn in all of this just like I am. He tried to keep me safe from the man who started all of this."
"By taking you?" her mother hisses. "You can't be serious."
"He didn't want to," Kate murmurs. "And I know if it had been someone else, I would probably be dead by now. But he kept me safe the best way he could and then he took me home." The utter shock on her parents' faces urges her to keep going. "What you thought I walked home? No, he took me back, risking his own life and reaching out to someone he hadn't seen in a while from a highly dangerous organization from what he's told me. All of this was to ensure that I returned home safe." Sighing, she shakes her head as her gaze returns to the man in the interrogation room. "He doesn't deserve jail, not at all."
As she finishes, a look of absolute horror forms on her mother's face. "You have feelings for him, don't you?"
Kate shrugs. "Maybe." Another lie.
"He's a criminal," her father states. She just shrugs again.
"He's tried to move on and make a better life for himself. He should have that chance," Kate insists. "And I thought both of you believed in giving people a chance?"
"Kate, sweetheart, listen," her mother begins. "He's a part of something so much bigger than you can imagine. If he gets released, the whole thing could unwind and Bracken could be out on the streets again. He needs to be in prison. He needs to answer for what he's done."
"And it seems like he's prepared to do that," her father adds. "Otherwise he wouldn't be sitting there."
Kate glances at the man on the other side of the glass. She sees the sincerity, the emotion on his face, his eyes pleading with her. God, does he really want this? To sentence himself to years in prison? He says he wants to protect her and his mother. His mother, shit. She's never met the woman, but she's sure his mother would be devastated to hear that her son has been arrested, on top of her being severely ill.
What the hell should she do?
Rick waits pensively as he finishes his speech. He knows Kate's mulling it over on the other side. He hopes she chooses the right way. It must be hard for her, having such a crucial decision on her shoulders. However, he's certain that she'll handle the way she's handled everything else, with dignity and strength.
His answer finally comes when Detective O'Malley enters the room and gestures for Rick to stand. The younger man does so and he hears the clicking of handcuffs. Relief floods him as O'Malley recites his rights and the cool metal of the cuffs encircles his wrists.
As he's walked out the observation area, Kate and her family are nowhere to be seen, unsurprisingly. He's sure the parents took her away. However, on his way to holding, he sees them by the elevator, an expression of grief on Kate's face.
"Wait, can I say something to her, please?" he begs O'Malley.
"Okay, but I need to put you in the cell first. Parents are a little skittish, it seems."
The younger man nods as he's guided toward the cell, hearing the clank of the door as he enters the concrete space.
A few moments later, the detective appears with Kate in tow.
He can see the remorse in her eyes and the apology that she wants to say, so he cuts her off.
"You're doing the right thing," he insists. "Everyone that needs to go down will go down and it's partly because of you."
"Then why doesn't it feel like the right thing?" she demands.
"Sometimes the right choices aren't always the easiest ones to make," he states, shrugging.
"Your mom..."
"Will be fine." He gives her a sad smile. "Unfortunately, she'll have to visit me in prison, if she even wants to talk to me after this." His poor mother. He hopes she'll forgive him for everything he's done.
Sighing, Kate murmurs, "I made Mom promise that she would help find you a good defense attorney. That was my one condition in identifying you."
"Kate..." he shakes his head, almost chuckling. Stubborn as always.
"No, you deserve to have a fair trial, at least. With someone who will represent you with everything they have."
He nods, hoping the gratitude shows in his eyes.
"Goodbye, Rick." He sees her hand start to reach out for him before pulling it back to her side. "I'll come visit you when I can."
He doesn't argue, just smiles reassuringly. He's sure she'll get caught up in the college life and they'll see each other in court, most likely, but she won't have time for him, eventually. Which means she can move on with her life.
It kills him, but it's the right thing to do.