The Day Everything Changed Chapter 2, a castle fanfic

Everything Changes

(Adopted from Muse of Apollo by permission of author.)

by Castlefan6

Authors Note: Chapters 1-4 are loosely based on works of Courtesy of Muse of Apollo rewritten with permission. End of Season 2 AU, Everything Changes when Beckett leaves with Demming, Castle has had enough, Original concept based on abandoned story by Matt, Muse of Apollo. Rated M

I don't own Castle, I use the characters for amusement purposes only

A/N This chapter is extremely long, and before the hate mails come, the story isn't over. I couldn't find a breaking point, nor could I find it, even with a wild twist to keep Caskett, Erin has earned what she received. Let the hate begin! Remember Merry Christmas.

Chapter 15

Previously

number in his text box.

"Kate, I got your letter, all 11 pages, quite a bit to digest. I promise I will read it with an open mind, but you already know how deeply I have been hurt, just trying not to keep your hopes up needlessly. Roz is doing well, she saved mine and 2 other lives today, so take it easy on her when she returns, she took a shitty role and played her part perfectly. Main thing, Dunn is now in a place he will never get out, that closes the chapter, and probably the book, we'll discuss when I am up to it, Good Luck with your PIP,

Kate is laying on her couch half crying half reading every note, every coffee cup lid, everything that Rick had written to her, when her phone pings,

She doesn't recognize the number on the new text, then her heart skips a beat, it's Rick and he sent her a text. Her excitement turns to despair quickly as she reads what he has written, more importantly, she can read what he hasn't,

Hampton's Memorial Hospital

9:30 AM Three Days Later

Rick was packed sitting on the bed, as Roz walked across the hall,

"So, today's the day they are busting you out of her eh?

"Yep, Alexis, Nicky and Erin are on their way up now, they landed at JFK late last night, so we are going to the beach house to rest for a few weeks, been a hell of a time."

"You can say that again, and I talked to Mike, if the offer is still good, we'd like to just hang out for a while in the guest house, to get to know each other outside a hospital setting, you know? I think he thinks I'm going to break, but I love the attention, he really is all I could ask for."

"Roz, the offer is always open to you and Mike, to you, or to just Mike, regardless of what happens, but darling he loves you, has for years, and I knew you really didn't feel that way about me, I caught you checking him out many times" he smiles as Roz gently smacks his arm

"You've always been a good man Rick, never taking advantage of anyone, especially the women you could have had a stable full if you wanted, but you never did? Why if I could ask?"

"Because each of those women were some man's daughter, just like my pumpkin, and I'm hoping for good karma when it comes to her, that men will respect her like she and all women deserve."

Roz tears up a bit, then reaches up and kisses Rick on the cheek, "Whatever you decide I know you will be as gentle as possible, but I think we both know what direction you're heading. I want you to be happy Rick, what ever you do, just think of you for a change, promise me you will?"

"Hey I will, you did a hell of a job out here, I talked to Bob Wheldon and you are up for a medal when you return to work, but don't hurry back, get to know Mike, he knows everything about you already."

"Tell Erin I said Hi, I'm sorry the pictures upset her but we got the mad dog off the street, so it was worth it, and also you can tell her that I think she's lucky to get you, you're one of a kind Rick, Bye for Now, we'll see you tonight or tomorrow depending when I'm discharged" as she hugs him one final time and leaves the room.

12th precinct

9:15 Am Same Day

"Detective Beckett, may I see you a moment please," Roy shouts out his door,

Kate responds from the pile of files she has on her desk, and goes directly to his office, "you wanted to see me Sir?"

"Yes Detective, please sit down. Do you know what day today is Kate?"

"Thursday the 23rd Sir"

"Do you recall anything special happening on or around that date?"

"Sir, No Sir, Should I?"

"Today is the end of your PIP, you are officially restored, and your file has been cleared of all notifications. Congratulations Kate, it took a lot of work, and I was concerned at first, but you seem to be re-dedicated to the job"

"Thank You Sir, I just realized it was time to own my actions, and make the necessary corrections if I ever planned on any chance at happiness or job satisfaction"

"Have you heard from Castle lately Kate? He is being discharged from the hospital today and I think the girls and Erin are driving up to spend some time in the Hamptons the next few weeks. If you need to take care of any unfinished business, you do have vacation days due"

"Very kind of you Sir, but that won't be necessary. Thanks for letting me know about Castle, I got a text from him a week ago that we would talk when he was ready, He gave me time sir, so that's the least I can do for him. I think we all know that I managed to screw any chance at that up royally, so I'll wait till he is ready to talk, but my expectations are very low"

"For what it's worth Kate, I'm very sorry, I know you two could have been great if you could have only connected at the same time, let me know if you need anything, and once again, Congratulations. Dismissed"

Kate returned to her desk through tears pooling in her eyes, she had thought she would feel so much better once the PIP was lifted, and she could return to the old Beckett. That was the problem, she didn't want to be the old Beckett.

In all her career, she had put the job first, never allowing or thinking she could enjoy anything until the mystery of her Mom's murder was solved. She knows now, this course had hurt not only her, but those that did and or could love her, perhaps in a fashion she would never recover from.

If Only, two words that could sum up all of the lost opportunities, the heartache she feels and would feel the rest of her life, and the hurt she caused that shaped the life of others. She realizes that she has digressed from work, and quickly shakes off the feeling, dabs her tears dry, and returns to work, that's all she had left now.

Hampton's Memorial Hospital

11:00 AM Same Day

Rick had just stepped into the bathroom to prepare for his ride home when his girls showed up, each taking a point of attack. As soon as he stepped out of the restroom, he felt hugs from all over, Alexis had the right side kissing his cheek, Nicky was on the left and not usually one to show her emotions, had tears streaming down her cheeks as she kissed him, and Erin locked lips and would not let go till finally she had to come up for air.

"Wow, if all it takes is a stay in the hospital to get that much love, I should have done it sooner"

That comment earns him three separate cracks, one from each of his girls,

"Don't even Kid Dad,"

"Rick, I know this is disrespectful, but I will kick your ass if you put Lexi and Mom, well me too through that again,"

"What the girls said and more" Erin whispered with tears rolling down her cheeks.

Rick pulls them all into a big group Hug, "Hey, I'm fine, in fact I'm better than fine. I'm not glad it happened, but I am glad the mad man is gone away for ever and can never hurt anyone again."

He pulls Erin into a sweet kiss, "Seriously Hun, I am better than ever, we'll talk as his eyes sparkle and Erin wipes her tears feeling more confident for the first time since they had re-kindled the relationship.

"How is Roz Rick? Are she and Mike going to join us?" Erin just gets the questions out when there is a soft tap, and there stands Roz, with Mike's arm wrapped securely around her waist.

"Hi Erin, Welcome Home and I am so sorry I caused you hurt, but as you can see, Rick knew it before we did, and to answer your questions I am being discharged in an hour, and yes if we aren't imposing Mike and I will be at the guest house later."

"Roz, are you crazy? You saved Rick's life, you would never be an imposition at any time" as she has crossed the small room and is hugging Roz as she begins to cry.

"God, I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't knocked that big lug down, he's my world and has been for longer than he has known."

"Well, I'm kind of fond of him and more than a little fond of this one" as she lays her head back against Mike's chest, so comfortable as if they had been together for years.

"Well you ready Dad, I'll get the wheel chair attendant, and we'll bust you out" Alexis smiles,

"I can walk, no need to call*"

He is cutoff by 4 females and one deep male voice with one word, "NO"

Erin smiles and picks it up, "No way buster, you are following the rules, and when we get home it's light duty, so you girls ready?" as the wheel chair appears.

Roz leans in and kisses his cheek, hugs the girls and then a long hug for Erin, "We'll see you in a bit, going to give you some private time", she winks at Erin with an evil smile.

Hampton's Beach House

2 Hours Later

Rick and Erin were laying on the couch, her between his legs, head leaned back on Rick's chest, and holding hands. The girls had catered their lunch, washed the dishes, and now had made themselves scarce till the evening, allowing Erin to get caught up with the man she has loved since college, even from afar, when each had been with others, the love never died.

Erin had not asked any questions, allowing Rick the comfort of approaching the subject when he was ready, she was not going to act like a jealous bitch again, she knew he loved her just let it develop at his pace. She knew he had strong feelings for Kate, and also that the hurt she caused had run deep to his soul, but she didn't want to be a Kate Replacement, if they were to move forward, it would be because Rick wanted to be with Erin more than he did anyone else.

She is lost in thought about how nice it is just to lay here, listening to his heart beat, him holding her hand and occasionally bringing their joined hands to his lips for a gentle kiss, when she hears him clear his throat. Oh boy here it comes she thinks but doesn't change her posture or actions.

"Erin, Hun, can we talk, I mean I want to be completely honest with you and there are things you should know."

Her face flushes, as a bit of panic hits her, as she turns to sit and face him still holding his hand. "Sure Rick, what do you want to talk about?" secretly hoping it's anything but hey we had a good thing, but** then she hears his voice.

"Erin, Kate sent me a letter, it's right here, I want you to read it, and then I want to talk about what WE should do,"

"Rick, that's a letter to you from Kate, are you sure you want me to read it, I'm sure there are topics that are really none of my business, I mean it's your call,"

"Erin, did you catch the part where I said I want to talk about how WE are going to handle it, that is if you still want there to be a We."

She catches his lips in a kiss, pouring all her love out, as her tears flow, down her cheeks, she runs her hands through his hair and finally pulls apart, "Rick, you'll never know how long I wanted to hear that you and I are now WE, in any capacity, I love you, you are my life and always have been.

I just want to know, are you over her, because no matter how much it would kill me, I would rather not have you, than be her fill in. I'm sorry, that sounds crude, but I have to know it's me you are kissing, making love to, and building our life together, and you aren't seeing her when you close your eyes."

"Hun, that's not crude, it's a fair question and yes, when I was lying in the hospital, and I thought back to our early days, I was so ashamed of how harshly I treated you after one mistake, well it really wasn't a mistake because WE got Nicky." Erin eyes moisten with the wording WE got Nicky, and she just squeezes his hand with an I love you gesture allowing him to continue.

"I should have been a bigger man back then, marrying Gina was a mistake, and I wound up hurting her, because you were engaged, and I couldn't stand the thought that you could be happy with anyone else.

I know that sounds stupid, but when you called your engagement off, I was too big a coward to call off the wedding, so I went through with it, and really didn't allow Gina a chance to succeed. I never allowed her to be part of Alexis life, after a few years, it was clear that I never would and as she put it, marriage wasn't a buffet, you don't get to pick what you share. She was right then, and even though she loved me, I never allowed her to fall in love with me, so I cheated her emotionally, and I'm sure I hurt her as well.

As I laid in the hospital I often thought, was the Beckett period my Karma, for what I had done to you then Gina? I mean it wasn't my finest period. I think that my feelings, and being honest with you, I did have strong feeling for Kate, went out the window when I remembered working extra shifts to buy you that small diamond engagement ring.

The whole scene played out in my head laying there, and I can remember how happy you were and your tearful acceptance, and the way you treated that cheap little ring as if it were the Hope Diamond. I remembered the happiness, and that was the happiest I have ever been in my life, your fiancé. I know I couldn't believe that I was so lucky to have a partner like you.

When I tried to remember the hurt, I couldn't, it had been replaced with everything you had done since we were apart to make my life better, and yes Erin, that was the moment I fell in love with you all over again."

Erin's tears are falling silently, as she thinks about how blessed she was to have this man as her love once again, she would die before allowing anything to come between them ever again. She's emotional, and Rick is holding her, comforting her and assuring her once again, she never notices that he has fumbled in his pocket for something, and when he slid to the floor, she was afraid something was wrong.

She sprang up to see him on one knee, smiling, their smile, no one else had ever been able to get that out of him, as he said,

"Erin, I've thought about this moment forever, and I really thought I would have some wonderful words to say, but truth is, all I have is me, and my Love asking you to be my wife. I promise you I will always treasure this second chance, and work every day to prove to you that YOU are the one I want to lay down with at night, the last person I see at days end, the first person I see when my eyes open. Will you marry me Erin Boyle?"

Erin slips down to the floor, and puts her arms around Rick's neck, kissing him ever so sweetly, her tears are flowing steadily, but she manages to squeak out "Yes, Rick, Yes, Yes, Yes" then she falls into him sobbing happy tears.

"Hold me for a few minutes Rick, I want to remember this the rest of my days, and I never feel safer than when you hold me, "

After a few minutes she pulls back with tear stained face and a smile that lit up the room,

"You ready to make it official now Hun? Rick asks

"Yes, sorry" she smiled, she had completely forgotten the ring, it could be a cigar band for all she cared,

Rick opened the box and there was the most beautiful ring she had ever seen, it was almost a duplicate of the first ring he had given her, but much larger, then she noticed, he had her first ring incorporated into the new ring, as a wrap,

"Rick, is that*

"Your first ring? Yes, it is, I kept it and it brought you close to me when I didn't know what was going on in your life, stupid huh?"

She kissed him till he thought she was going to put her tongue through his throat, and held him ever so tight, tears flowed as she murmured into his chest, over and over, "I love you, you'll never know how much,"

She finally composed herself. "That was not stupid, it was the most romantic thing I have ever heard a man do, but Hun, this isn't a ring you pick off a shelf, When, How?"

Rick smiles, "Not all my visitors were doctors, I knew that you girls were in route and I had some privacy so I wanted to design it as soon as I knew for sure, I didn't want to waste one more minute,"

"Hun, can I ask When?"

Rick smiles and kisses her sweetly, "You mean when I came to my senses and knew what I wanted for the rest of my life? People will think it was after surgery, or in recovery, but it was on the way to the hospital, I was holding Roz's hand hoping she would make it, while putting pressure on my little cut. I thought about a song that had just played on Fran's iPod, right before I was leaving for the store, it was Garth Brooks;

If Tomorrow Never Comes

Ronan Keating

Sometimes late at night
I lie awake and watch her sleeping
She's lost in peaceful dreams
So I turn out the lights and lay there in the dark
And the thought crosses my mind
If I never wake up in the morning
Would she ever doubt the way I feel
About her in my heart

If tomorrow never comes
Will she know how much I loved her
Did I try in every way to show her every day
That she's my only one
And if my time on earth were through
And she must face this world without me
Is the love I gave her in the past
Gonna be enough to last
If tomorrow never comes

'Cause I've lost loved ones in my life
Who never knew how much I loved them
Now I live with the regret
That my true feelings for them never were revealed
So I made a promise to myself
To say each day how much she means to me
And avoid that circumstance
Where there's no second chance to tell her how I feel

So tell that someone that you love
Just what you're thinking of
If tomorrow never comes

I realized as we were driving to the hospital that I hadn't told you how much I loved you, and at that time, Tomorrow may not come for me. I knew I loved you, just not how much till I let go of the past and took ownership of all the things that I had done to block us. I know you think you own the breakup, but Erin I own something worse. Our love was worth fighting for, but I caved and gave up. Everyone makes mistakes, we're human, but quitting is never the answer, so I own the misery you and I both have felt for the last 16 years, and it is I who is sorry Hun, more than you'll ever know."

"I love you Richard Castle, but you don't get to do that, you don't get to blame yourself, let's just say we were both young and dumb, but thank God, we were given another chance with beautiful daughters."

"Speaking of daughters, How is Nicky going to take the news? I mean I don't want to upset the balance you two have, "

"Hun, she only calls you Rick in front of you, when we talk, you're Dad, she made the comment that it would be nice if Dad, Lexi and we all were able to live together."

"How about Alexis, how is she going to take this, I mean*"

"Shh, Alexis facetimed me with your ring size, when you were in London, so she got to know I was going to ask, but you were the first to see YOUR ring"

"I love you Richard Castle, more than words can express. You started this off by wanting me to read a letter you got from Kate, and now I don't need to, that's between you two."

"She wants to meet face to face to talk, how do you feel about that?"

"Public place, daylight hours?"

"Yes, and Yes"

"Then I think you should IF you feel you should"

"Well, like I always taught Alexis, we don't owe anyone forgiveness, we owe them courtesy to present their plea for it, I need this to truly close out this chapter of my life. I know she hurt me terribly, but I don't take any pleasure in hurting her, I want her to understand that. I just want her to move on, and let us do the same"

"Rick, I'm satisfied, you're over her, meet her when ever you want Hun, you're coming home to me Love" as she kisses him and smiles.

"I'll let you know when and where Sweetie, no lies, no deception, and always honesty, I promise,"

"Thanks Love, and I pledge the same."

Kate Beckett's Apartment

7:00 PM Same Day

Kate had fallen back into her routine, running, yoga, meditation and then reading good books, the only author blocked was the mystery writer she had loved for so long, it would just be too painful. As she finished a set of pull ups on her home gym, she heard her phone chirp with a new text.

Toweling off and drinking some water, she opened her phone and saw a text from Rick, she had saved his new number under her contacts with his old picture. Almost dropping the phone, she fumbles to open the text,

"Kate,

Pick a place and time to talk, we need to settle some things,

Let me know,"

She hung her head, knowing this wasn't the text she had been praying for, but was expecting. She deserved whatever came, good or bad.

A/N 2 I know I have used this song in a previous work, but if you listen to Garth Brooks sing If Tomorrow Never Comes, I think you will see why it's used again, Thanks

TBC