Christmas Train Chapter 11, a castle fanfic

Christmas Train

Chapter 11

January 4th

Kate was shuffling along after taking a shower, drying off, and slipping into her underwear. The entire process was taking what felt like forever. Every step reminded her of what she had done yesterday. And it wasn't just each step. Somehow muscles she didn't even know she had were screaming at her.

She was trying to figure out how to put her bra on when Castle came out of the bathroom, mostly dry. She bit her lower lip when she noticed that he was walking carefully. Well, actually moving everything carefully.

Kate spun and put her back to him. "Help me, babe." She tried to move her hands to show him the problem but that also hurt a bit. She heard him moan, but then she felt him hook her bra. "Thanks, Castle." She turned, lifted up on her toes to give him a quick kiss, and muffled a groan. Now she had to finish getting dressed for breakfast. Or was it lunch already? No matter, she needed food since she was starving to death. She was betting she'd lost at least five pounds since yesterday.

She was sitting on the bed trying to figure out how she was going to get into her blue jeans. She may have lost weight but they still felt a little tight. That was when she heard Rick groan as he bent to pick up the shirt he'd dropped.

When he stood up that was when she saw them. "OH, RICK!" Kate forgot her own pains as she stood up and traced her fingertips over the marks on his back. "Did I do this? I'm so, so sorry." She couldn't remember ever doing that before. He didn't need stitches but they looked ugly.

She bent down to kiss the first one and heard Rick groan from pain. "OH, BABY!" She had done that and it was causing a new pain she'd never felt before. "I think I've got a travel first aid kit somewhere. Don't move." She started digging through her luggage for it.

Not moving sounded just fine to Rick. He had muscles he didn't even know he had that were screaming at him. "Found it!" She opened it and unintentionally dumped its contents onto the bed. Still it allowed her to find what she wanted. It was a tiny tube but at least she had some.

She squeezed some out onto her finger. "This is gonna sting a little." She scrunched up her face since this was going to cause him still more pain. The second she touched him he sucked in a deep breath but didn't moan. "Sorry!" She spread it across one of the eight lines on his back. "I'm so sorry, babe." She was working on the last one just as her little tube ran dry. "There, all done." She looked at his back and now the lines were even redder than when she'd started. "I'm really sorry." She didn't even remember doing it but who else could have done it but her?

"I'll live." Rick turned, gently kissed her, and got to work on his buttons.

Kate went back to trying to get into her blue jeans. Eventually she succeeded but now she had a new problem: putting on her own shoes! "Babe?" She held up a foot and showed him an ankle sock and her tennis shoe. "Please."

He gave her a look but took the sock, pulled it on her foot, and put on her shoe. He couldn't resist teasing her. "You want me to tie your shoe laces, too?" He saw the look she was giving him. "Yes, ma'am. Tying your shoes."

Rick slipped on his other shoe. "Ready." He stood up and joined Kate at the door.

Kate ignored the pain and placed her arms around his neck. "Yesterday was amazing! …But can we not do that again today?" She was sure she wouldn't be able to even get out of bed if they even tried.

"Christmas songs all day instead?" Rick smiled at her.

"Sure." It meant she didn't have to move much so it should be easy.

He kissed her quickly. "Love you."

"Love you!" she replied happily then opened the door and started toward the dining car.

Rick followed her and didn't miss that she was holding onto things as she walked. He grinned a little since he was betting he was the cause of it. It might have been a tie, but she was paying a price for yesterday. Then he stifled a groan as suddenly one of his muscles screamed at him. Maybe it was a tie.

They were first, it seemed, unless Shrom and Vile had already eaten or weren't coming. So Kate took one side and Rick the other. They both groaned a little as they sat down and waited for their waiter to order drinks.

Kate found the largest breakfast that they served and ordered that. "Hungry?" Rick teased.

"Starving, actually." She wasn't even sure this breakfast was going to be enough.

It sounded bad but… "I'll have the same." Rick said and saw Kate smiling at him. "I need the energy for when we do that again."

She quietly moaned. "I've created a monster."

"And you love him," he reminded her.

"Yeah, I do." Kate reached across the table to take both his hands.

They were still holding hands when their food showed up. Kate reconsidered it not being enough. It was maybe too much actually. Regardless, they both dug in with gusto.

Then Kate saw Shrom and Vile enter the car. It was odd that both of them were moving really slowly and Vile was literally shuffling like Kate had been doing.

"Babe." Kate nodded toward them which had Rick twisting and groaning to take a look. He moved his plate and his ass to make room. Kate did the same.

They watched as the two of them slowly sat down and heard them groaning softly.

"What happened to you two?" Kate was curious.

"Pink Skin," Shrom simply stated.

Rick's jaw dropped. "What did I do?" He and Kate had been in their cabin all day. He hadn't had time to do anything.

Vile leaned into Kate since they were sitting side by side and whispered into her ear for a few seconds. Kate smiled widely, then bit her lower lip, and put her hand over her mouth to keep from laughing out loud.

Shrom glared at her that if she said anything he was going to skin her alive. Kate did her best to keep her mouth shut then mimed zipping it closed.

"Andorian Whiskey and I'll have what they're having," Shrom told the waiter. The whiskey was to kill the pain and the food was needed to recover some lost energy.

Vile gave her order. "I'll have what he's having."

"Is Bracken still in his room?" Kate queried between bites.

"We'll look after eating, but unless he has explosives on him that we didn't find or he opens a window which would kill him, there's no where else for him to go." Vile was certain of that.

Then the waiter was back. "I'm so sorry but we're out of Andorian Whiskey." They only had the one bottle and hadn't really expected for anyone to drink it.

Shrom let his head land on the table in front of him. Even if the action did cause a little pain.

Rick glanced at the waiter and made a decision for them. "They'll have the thirty-year-old Pappy Van Winkle Whiskey. Put it on my bill."

"Yes, sir." He scurried away before Shrom killed him.

"It's expensive, you'll like it," Rick promised. "So what are your plans for the day?" He was going to invite them to Christmas carols if they weren't doing anything.

Shrom yawned loudly. "Sleep! ALL DAY!" Kate clapped a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing. Rick saw her and didn't understand but he kept his mouth closed.

He and Kate were done and just sat there talking while waiting for Shrom and Vile to finish.

Then they all had to get up. All four of them groaned as their muscles complained. "We'll see you two tomorrow. It's our last day. It's also the last event for us to see." Rick didn't want to miss it.

"We'll be there, Pink Skin," Shrom assured him. He and Vile walked toward Bracken's cabin. "If I don't kill myself first," he muttered. Vile leaned into him as the walked. She was with him.

"Christmas songs?" Rick was ready.

"Lead the way, Castle." Kate stepped in behind him.

Kate hadn't planned on having fun singing. She had only agreed to appease Castle. However, there she was singing joyfully while Rick played the piano. She might never admit it, but his enthusiasm was infectious.

When Castle stopped playing some prerecorded songs took over for him. The next thing she knew she had her arms around Castle and was dancing slowly with him. This time she did her best to bury herself into him and hold him as tight as possible. She was at peace. Being in his arms was very soothing. Any troubles she even thought she had all drifted away. She was completely content.

When the music sped up she guided Castle over to a table where they could sit. "Be right back." Rick walked away. She watched where he went, wondering just where he was going. Until she saw him stop at the bar. She turned back around and watched the others dance.

Then a glass coffee cup was placed in front of her. "One coffee with vanilla, Irish whisky and a mystery spice for you and a little something for me."

"Thanks, babe." It was just what she needed; she took a sip, feeling it slide down her throat and hit her system. She still didn't know what his mystery spice was but for the moment she didn't care. It simply tasted good.

"So all of that is in that little bag of yours." She meant her dresses, the decorations and lights, and all of his clothes. She didn't know what else could be inside it.

He grinned. She hadn't seen anything yet. "You should see what fits in my big bag."

Kate looked at him and mouthed "Big bag?" Then it hit her. He meant his Santa bag filled with presents for all the boys and girls in the world. "Ohhh."

She had already learned that he used reindeer to pull his sleigh and that those same reindeer were descendants of the original reindeer. She had seen a tiny display of the North Pole complex where she would soon be living. Her mind wandered and she found herself wondering what it would be like and was a little apprehensive. It was going to change her life in the extreme.

Rick saw something. "What's wrong? Did he not make it right?" He was thinking it was the drink.

"What?" She had been caught in her own mind. "No, the drink's fine. …I was just thinking."

"Care to share with the class?" He was willing to listen.

"Maybe later." She still wasn't use to sharing her thoughts with anyone. She loved him but letting him into her head was another thing. Thankfully he was satisfied with her answer. It told her she still had a lot of work to do, though. She wanted to share, she did. It just wasn't that easy for her.

"So tell me about this job of yours. What do you do?" He knew her job title, but not what she actually did.

"I work with Kevin Ryan and Javier Esposito. Together we work to find out who killed someone when we get a case. It's basically one big mystery that needs to be solved. Some are a lot harder to solve than others. We interview people, friends, family, others that were in the area.

"The reasons vary a lot. Most are personal and acts of passion. A few are for money or love. Mostly it's men but a few are women.

"There's also Lanie Parish. She's an ME and my best friend. We've been friends for a long time." Rick saw her suddenly look sad. "I can't tell her anything about you, can I? I'm going to have to lie to all my friends. Even my dad." Kate abandoned her drink and brooded about what she was going to have to do.

"I am sorry, love, truly. It's just that our secrecy is imperative. The more people that know the greater the danger. I'm willing to leave the choice of your father knowing to the others, but your friends, …I'm sorry." The risk was far too great to keep telling people.

"Our only defense is from people, nations, or organizations is to not find us. We don't have a military. We don't kill, not for any reason. If we're found Christmas could be over…forever." He wasn't risking being the very last Santa Claus. Not even for Kate. This was bigger than his love for her.

"I know, Castle. I do. I… I'm just not going to like it." Kate played with her glass for a while.

"It's not like you can't introduce me. They can see and meet me. They just can't know that one thing about me." Rick hoped that helped a little.

"So I can call you for you to join us for lunch or drinks after work?" That would help immensely.

"Every day of the week if you want." He held out his hand. "Unlock your phone and hand it over." He took her phone and began pressing the keyboard. Then he handed it back to her. "There, now you have my number. You can reach me no matter where I am. I can be there in seconds. Just be ready. I'll show up right where you are. Where your phone is, actually. It wouldn't look good for it to start snowing and me to show up in the snow in front of them."

Kate looked at her phone and found his name in her Favorites. "Thanks, babe!" She felt a little better about it all now. "Where I am and in just seconds. What if you're busy? If you're in the middle of an emergency?"

"There's no one more important than you, love. Even if I show up just to tell you why I have to go right back, I'll be there." Rick would show up no matter what.

That was enough for her. She got up so she could kiss him. "I love you, Rick."

"I love you, too. Give it a chance, Kate. We just need to work out the kinks. We can make it work." That earned him another kiss. "Ready for another dance?" He held out his hand.

"Yes." She took his hand and followed him out onto the dance floor. She allowed herself to melt into his arms and reveled in him holding her close. She didn't know she could feel like this. Was this what her mother and dad had before she was taken from them?

Vile looked at her husband who was lying naked next to her on their bed. "What do we do when this trip ends? We're armed, counter to regulations." They hadn't as yet questioned why their room was filled with Christmas decorations and Christmas lights. They simply assumed that since this was a first class cabin that it came that way.

"What weapons?" Shrom answered. Vile glared at her husband. Just what was he thinking? They were clearly armed. Even a few of the train's employees had seen it. They'd watched her seal the door with hers.

Then it hit her. "Before or after we free Bracken from his room?" Vile turned her head back around to stare at the ceiling that was filled with Christmas decorations.

"Before we reach the station. Once we do they're going to call the local authorities and they're going search us to find them. They won't, naturally." He had no intention of being arrested for carrying a weapon.

She saw a problem with his logic. "We did seal the door."

"But not with a weapon. Did we actually show anyone our weapons? For all anyone knows we used a torch to seal the door. Which with a little work we can make using parts from our two weapons," Shrom explained.

Vile had to admit that it was possible. Their weapons were very small and hidden in their hands. They hadn't actually shot anyone. She only sealed the door. The torch would end up just as small. Even Bracken never saw a weapon. They could simply claim they duped him into thinking they had a weapon to blow a hole in him with.

"I'll get started in the morning. Shouldn't take too long. …Who's going to unseal the door to get him out?" They would be able to do it if her change got it to work. She could simply say that they used up the power sealing the door.

"They can. I'm done with him." Shrom was willing to let the local authorities figure out how to get him out of that sealed room.

They were quiet for a time. "We need to talk with Kate and Castle and get our stories straight. Kate's less likely to tell a lie than we are," Vile warned.

"Actually I was thinking Pink Skin was less likely." Pink Skin was easy to get along with, but he was way too soft to Shrom's thinking.

"They're perfect for each other. …We're going to need a lot of sunscreen for their wedding," Vile commented which had her husband laughing his head off.

"We're going to look like hell!" Their blue skin was going to turn white from the sunburn.

"We'll think of something." She didn't want to end up white either.

"How are we keeping the suit?" She knew her husband well.

"You leave that to me. That thing is ours now. It might come in really handy some day." It was far too powerful to just hand over to the local authorities. Who knew what they would do with it. Probably destroy it. That was not acceptable.

"Still think this trip was a waste?" Her husband hadn't been in favor of it.

Shrom hated it when his wife was right, but she was right. But he wasn't admitting defeat. "It's not over yet." That earned him a punch to his arm. He just smiled in response.