Love's Journey 2
by Castlefan6
Authors Note This is the continuation of Love's Journey, originally authored by The Muse of Apollo, chapters 1-7 all following are work of Castlefan6' IF you haven't read the original Love's Journey please do so before proceeding with this,
I don't own Castle, I only use the characters for amusement purposes only
A/N To the User named Cruise you have written 6 reviews, all without one complete sentence, full of demands, go find another story, when I see your name I hit delete automatically now, If you want a story to go one certain way WRITE it, if you don't have the talent, STFU
A/N To Helensorrento, Thank You your comments made my day, and this story is now dedicated to you, I hope I don't disappoint you, and please keep reading and commenting, I feed on your love.
Chapter 5
Previously
Kate Beckett, Special Consultant, RCE Enterprises read the signature line, something she was sure Jess would get a kick out of. She saved the email in her draft box, noting the time, almost 10:30 PM and also the Anniversary that she did not want to intrude on in any way. Tomorrow would be soon enough for Jess to get the facts and call her if she needed.
As she shut down her computer, she looked down at Castle's chair, just thinking for a moment of What could have been, If Only? She pushed the thought out of her head and headed for the exit, for a soak in a hot bath and good glass of wine,
Beckett's Apartment
Next Day 6:00 AM
Kate is up and out for her run before her alarm even goes off at 5:00 AM. She feels so much more rested even if the time in bed was less, must be the peaceful easy feeling she gets when she thinks about Jess and Rick. She is totally back now, in distance and time, and somehow, she thinks she dodged a personal bullet, thanks to Jess who she has no doubts has interceded with Rick on her behalf.
Once out of the shower and toweled off she throws the basics on and heads for the kitchen for her bagel, coffee and fruit, and remembers that she has an important email waiting to be sent in her new account. Quickly pulling it up and verifying she didn't type something stupid in it as she had her mental lapse last night about Rick she hits send as important and read receipt requested. Now she can settle into the remainder of her routine and kick Espoo's ass as he tries to sneak into work late again, he'll never learn she smiles to herself.
Castle's Loft
6:30 AM
Jess is up making coffee and attempting to surprise her marvelous man when she hears her phone chime a different tone. As the coffee is brewing she checks out an email, and begins to smile, at the author, Kate Beckett, Special Consultant, RCE Enterprises.
She agrees to the read receipt option and opens the mail and is overwhelmed with the detail Kate has poured into each property and the options. She never in a million years would have expected such a detailed and thorough report as a favor, she'll have to do something nice for Kate for all of her work.
As she reads through Kate's briefs for each site, she sees her recommendation and pays special attention to the details, Drug Lord, Twice the Murders, that was all Jess needed to approve the purchase of the land currently being governed by Drug Lord Vulcan Simmons.
Jess has been around long enough that this might bring problems, well bigger problems than Rick may want to get into, so she decides she wants his input on a decision of this magnitude.
Jess feels two arms slip around her from behind and Rick mumble "Good Morning Angel, Sleep well?"
"Yes, like a log, and I'm sorry I was trying to bring your coffee to you while you were still in bed, but Kate sent back the information on the three sights and I was blown away with the details she put into the report. I'll bring it up on the big screen after you have a chance for coffee and to wake a bit, OK?
"Thanks Sweetie, I definitely need coffee, someone wore me out last night or this morning, or both," he smiles,
"Happy Anniversary plus one day to you to my Love, and you better get used to it, I plan to do the same thing every year" she giggles
"Oh, with our Anniversary I forgot to tell you the great news I got yesterday about First American Publishing, after our coffee, I'll share the email as well, but I am very pleased with the initial contacts with them"
"That's great Rick, I know you fought Black Pawn tooth and nail for everything, I'm glad those days are over, but could I ask you a question, promise you won't get angry?"
"Ask away Jess, Honesty Always, remember?"
"Well I know why you ended the Heat series initially, but it seems you left an opening if you wanted to you could go back and write additional books, is that right, or does Black Pawn own the rights to all present and future works?
"You see why you are the VP of RCE, that is a great question, and to answer, I own the rights and can publish with anyone after one year non-compete, IF I wanted to, why do you ask Hun?"
"I know the situation with Kate is still in process of healing, for both of you, but who's to say four or five years from now you wouldn't want to renew the series, we don't know how many Lost Innocence books are in the works and I just thought this would be an alternate funding source for Project Lost Innocence. I think the need is far greater than we have been led to believe."
"Not only beautiful but brilliant, Jess, I first said no more, but you are right I have the materials for a dozen more Heat books, if Lost Innocence is only a one or two shot for the books" "I don't think Kate would be as opposed to them now as she initially was, especially if the proceeds were funding the homeless issue"
"I can promise you that Rick, she put her soul into this property evaluation and won't take a penny from us."
"Let's get these emails up on the screen where we can both get up to speed OK?" Jess says as she reaches over and steals a kiss from Rick.
Rick grabs the tray with the full pot of coffee and the Coffee Mocha Creamers Jess loves in hers and heads to the office, with Jess grabbing a few pieces of fruit and a bowl right behind him.
"I've hogged the show most of the morning Rick, why don't you bring me up to speed with the new publisher", Jess smiles
"Let me bring up the email, yea there it is. The first is kind of normal, copies of contract, legal forms, contacts, BUT I want your agreement with the terms, you need to be comfortable with this or we change it OK? " that's where Jess see's her name inserted as Medical Power of Attorney, Guardian for minor child Alexis Castle, all assets to be divided in amounts of 49% Alexis, 49% Jess, 1% Martha, and 1% Kate.
"This is for the contract for First American and any earnings from there only, we will have talk about the rest of the estate soon, OK Jess?"
Jess is about to faint, when she hears, Rick calling," Jess, Sweetie, breathe deep, now open your eyes for me, please"
"Hey where did you go Angel, you scared me" Rick whispers as he is holding her in his arms.
"Sorry, but Rick, do you know how much money you are talking with those percentage?"
"Sure, I do, what worries you Jess, is it the 1% to Beckett because I can explain" *** "No Rick she deserves that and more, but why do you have me down for so much?" Jess interrupts
Rick holds her tightly and says simply "Because you are my Soul Mate, without you I am nothing" "we can talk about titles and all that but come right down to it Jess you are the only person in the world I trust enough to leave Alexis care to, and that will take money, lots of money so I just want to be sure you are taken care of, OK?"
"Let's talk more later Rick, I really need to know what you want me to do if you trust Lexi to me, but that's another discussion, I love you and I love Lexi, and nothing will happen to her I swear OK?"
"I'm sorry to just have casually dropped that on you, I should have known better, I'm sorry we will work it all out trust me Angel.
"Anyway, this is the email that excited me", as Rick brings up Kelly Nunez email up for Jess to read
"Wow Rick, that looks great, you go from Attila the female HUN trying to bust your balls every chance she gets, to Kelly who wants your input on everything up to and including Marketing. I'll confess, I wasn't looking forward to your book tours, I was already trying to psych myself out." "As an added advantage I don't think Kelly is going to hit on you like Gina did, so I won't have to kick his ass, like I threatened your ex-wife" She smiles
"Did you really threaten Gina with an Ass Whooping," ** "Damn straight I did, and I would do it again, you are mine Mr. Castle and I don't share" Jess interrupts.
"Ok can you send me Kate's email, so we don't have to change setups for the projector please Jess"
"Already on it's way Sweetie, and please check out the email address"
Rick pulls it up and as it focuses he scrolls down to the email Kate sent, "Wow, she actually setup an entire dedicated email account for the project, and I see what you mean about the details Jess" "Does anything worry you about the figures, or background or are you confident that you and Kate have selected the best site?"
"Only one thing Rick, and it may be bigger than you want to take on for this project. The site Kate and I both identified is overrun with a Drug Lord named Vulcan Simmons. I know we are going to need to address additional security for the site with this rift raft out there, IF you even want to take it on?" "The good thing is the price allows us to triple our security measures with state of the art and even on-site protection without hitting what was budgeted."
"Jess, can you call Kate and ask her if she is free for lunch today, just the three of us, here if she can make it, or someplace rather quiet if we need to travel to her.?
"Is everything OK Rick? I didn't screw up did I, God I knew I should have taken the safe route"
"Jess you didn't screw up, this drug lord is tied to Kate's mothers murder so we need to be sure she is looking at the whole picture of the fallout if we pursue it, I won't put innocent people in danger, I just need to know her thoughts, is it the best choice, or the best choice for her vengeance?
"Sometimes you need to throw the book out the window and go by your gut feel, but Sweetie, if she is choosing this site, to get at those who are reportedly tied to her Mom's murder, innocent people could get hurt"
Jess is sitting quietly waiting for Kate to call her back, she sent her a text 9-1-1 please call so Jess knows the phone will ring any minute, and there it is, Kate's ring tone
"Jess what's going on, who's hurt should I send the ambulance, or backup?" Kate is almost crying
"Hold on Kate we are all good for now, but did you notice the Drug Lord tied to the property you suggested last evening, it was Vulcan Simmons, and Rick wants to discuss our options, are you free for lunch today?"
"Actually, I am on my way to a Doctor's appointment, so I am taking a half day off, I can be at the Loft around 2:00 PM if that works?
Rick is nodding his head since Jess has it on speaker, "OK Kate we'll see you're here then, we're ordering Jimmy Johns for lunch so yours will be in the warmer, See you soon,"
"That's weird" Rick Says,
"What's weird Sweetie,"
"Beckett never sees doctors, something's up and we need to find out what before we decide on sites, Agreed?"
"Of course, Rick, you know this far better than I do, oh I just hope she hasn't gone back to be that revenge seeking bitch she called herself before,"
Rick pulls Jess into a hug, we'll find out soon Sweetie, anyway, all we can do is be here to help IF she let's us, and I hope to hell we are wrong about her decision process"
A/N Good place to break, Timeline should not be an issue to any reader from here out, Rick is getting a good start at First American, Jess is taking charge of the project, involving Kate, but is Kate on the level or using this to get revenge, Lunch should be interesting, Stay tuned, Also Big thanks for all of the reads, favors, follows and especially review. I try to answer each of you personally if I can, and to those I can't Big Salute and Thanks. Tim
