He never thought he would feel this much indignation towards her, a burning desire to just rid her from his thoughts. The pain she put him through, the sorrow. Castle arrives at his hotel late at night, he's tired and dirty and he just wants to sleep. Sleep is what helps him calm down! He decides a shower will do him good, he goes through his suitcase and pulls out a pair of clean boxers and pajama pants. Castle makes his way into the bathroom in his hotel suite and turns the water on scorching hot, just the way he likes it.
As the water trickles down his body he can't stop thinking about Kate, why couldn't she just trust him? Rick breaks his thoughts and takes the shampoo that the hotel gave him and washes his hair, he uses a washcloth to wash his body. He goes under the spray once more to rinse off the soap, the hot water helps the knots in his shoulder. He wonders how easy it was for Kate to leave him, when he was gone for those two months he knew she went through a lot but he didn't choose to leave.
He was taken and apparently used to save the world. If he did ask to forget he didn't remember obviously, he didn't remember anything. But Kate decided to leave making sure all the shampoo and soap are off his body, he dries himself with the fluffy towel they gave him and makes sure his hair isn't to damp.
He climbs into the bed and snuggles under the warm covers. He lets out a long sigh and closes his eyes, ready to sleep off the day.
But his eyes shoot open, his mind won't shut off! Castle just wants her out of his mind, he tosses and turns in his over comfy bed. He let out a muffled whimper, He wasn't going to cry, he was a grown man and he wasn't going to cry. A light glows in the darkness compensating his room, he knows it's his phone. He leans over to check it, taking it from the table beside his bed. Rick checks the notification on his phone and actually smiles for the first time all day.8
The one person he could fully trust other than his mother, His daughter.\
He missed her terribly.
He opens the Face time app on his IPhone. After the craziness of the day he forgot she was in California with his ex wife for the next month, every night they would talk on the phone for at least an hour. The call continues to ring so he presses the accept button and awaits for his redheaded beauty to pop up.
Within Seconds his hyper 10 year old appears on screen. "Hi daddy!"
"Rick felt a genuine smile come upon his lips at his daughter's happiness, "Hi princess, how are you?"
Alexis gives him a bright, toothy smile. "Good daddy, mom took me shopping and I got so much stuff! I got the new Belle doll from the movie daddy!"
Rick smiled and flicked the lamp on so that his eyes wouldn't get strained, "That's great pumpkin! I'll take out my action figures and play with you when you get back." He promised, no matter how bad he felt he would never let his daughter down.
She giggles and nods, "Is Kate there daddy? Can I talk to her?"
He inwardly frowns, Right, his daughter had been gone for 3 months, not knowing about Kate's "vacation". Alexis had taken to Kate like she was her own mother, replacing the hurt buried deep inside her from Meredith leaving her.
He ponders what he should say, "Um Actually Kate's in New York, I'm in England for a book tour." He admits, not wanting to place a heavy burden on his daughter, right now he just wanted to sleep but his daughter was obviously awake and not going to sleep any time soon.
Her response was small and quiet,"Oh, ok."
He made a promise to himself, even if he hated Kate for what she did he still wasn't going to kick her out of Alexis's life. She could at least have a lunch or play date with the young girl once or twice a month.
A small voice brought him out of his thoughts,"Daddy?"
"He gives her a smile, "Oh sorry Pumpkin, I'm gonna get some sleep Okay? I'll talk to you tomorrow." He hated to end their conversation but the day's events were making his energy drain by the second. "Ok daddy, love you!" Her words sent a bolt of happiness running through his heart.
"I love you to baby, so much." He replies, blowing her a kiss.
The end button flashes on his phone screen showing the conversation was ended, he places his phone back on it's place on the nightstand. Castle flicks the lamp off and snuggles back under the warm covers. His daughter managed to make him way better. If only Kate hadn't done it then maybe they could have had the perfect family that they had always wanted.
He drew his arm over his eyes in some attempt to try and forget. No matter how much he hated Kate right now his hate could never top the love he still felt for her, he still loved her with a passion he knew that. But Right now that passion was buried deep down in his heart, and his anger was currently tightening at his heart. He moved to his side, an unconscious thing he always did. "Why'd you do it Kate..why'd you do it." He keeps mumbling to himself as his eyes drifted off to sleep.
"Kate's eyes jerk open when she feels the coolness of a palm rest on her shoulder. She lifts her tired eyes to look at the kind, older lady who was sitting beside her. "Sorry to wake you dear but we've stopped." She explains. Kate gives her a tired smile but thanks her. She grabs her bag and makes her way off of the subway train. She had called her father, even if he was flaring mad at her he would never push her away she knew that. She spots her dad at the entrance, he was accompanied by another friend who Kate recognized as his co worker.
She figured he must have caught a ride with Tim on his way to work. Kate cautiously approaches her father, "Hi dad." she gives him a wryly smile.
Jim gives her a tight lipped smile, great..he was mad at her to. "Katie, you remember Tim?" He politely introduces his daughter to the other older man.
Kate nods her head and shakes his hand, "Yes nice to see you again."
Tim smiled, "You to young lady."
Kate manages a polite smile, "Are we going straight to your house dad?"
"Jim nodded, "Yea just gotta drop off Tim on the way."
Kate nodded and swung her bag over her shoulder. Her dad was really mad if he didn't even offer to carry her bag. She was silent the whole way there, only answering some of the questions Tim asked her. She couldn't stop thinking about her fight with Rick, she had really messed up big time. She would find him, he couldn't have gone to far unless he was dealing with a deal for his book. He would defenitley be back by the time Alexis came back from California.
At that last thought tears began to build in her eyes, Oh no- Alexis, what were they going to tell the sweet 10 year old!? She had taken her like her own daughter whens she met Rick almost 5 years ago. Her mother had been murdered 7 years ago when Kate was 19, she had taken to Rick's books after going through her mother's belongings. They had bumped into each other at a bookshop and quickly became friends.
He had helped her though her dark times, had been there when she joined the police force and was right beside her when she arrested Bracken. When she met him he had just gotten his divorce from Gina, or Annulment, he didn't even want a divorce record of his marriage to her so he had gotten it was never even "Married" to Gina.
He had been married to Meredith 3 years before, divorced her when he found her with her director, Alexis was only 1, had been upstairs when he came home. He had married Gina the next year, he thought she was actually the one when he intially met her. She had shown her true colors with him after the way she treated Alexis. The marriage barely lasted a year. Then two years later he met Kate. Kate sighs to herself and slowly walks up the steps of her former childhood home.
Jim closes the door behind him and throws his keys on the table. "So Katherine, wanna tell me what happened?"
Kate gulped, he called her Katherine. He never called her by her full name. "Um Sure dad, can I just grab something to eat?" She murmurs, dreading the conversation they were about to have.
Jim gave a short nod, "Sure, I'm going to get these work clothes off.
Kate nodded as her response and makes her way into the kitchen, She puts together a turkey sandwich. Her stomach was starting starting to churn with nausea. She made her way to the couch just as Jim finishes passing the last step on the stairs. He sits on the couch beside her, a bit of distance between them.
"Alright Katie, what's going on?" He gently demands, his tone a bit more gentle.
"Kate's eyes begin to tear,"I messed up dad, I really messed up."
Jim presses his lips together and waits for his daughter to continue, if he learned anything from Johanna it was that never interrupt a Beckett woman. Kate wipes her hands with the napkin and places the now empty plate beside her.
With a deep breath she begins, "Three Months ago I was brought in on a case, it was the murder of a woman who was involved with the partner of Bracken." She begins, closing watching any sign her dad would show.
Jim slowly nods his head, "I thought Bracken was in Jail."
Kate nods her conformation, "He is ,He is, and he's going to stay in there;but my old FBI team was killed and I.. I made the stupid mistake to go after LockSat."
Jim simply listened, not interrupting his daughter.
"And I did it alone.""This time he jumped in, "Katie!"
Kate sighs, "I know dad, Well I had another guy who helped me, but he was the one who brought me in."
Jim then asks the one question she had been dreading to hear.
"And Rick?" Kate gulped, there it was.
"I..I thought I needed to keep Rick safe so I told him we needed a break..I left." She drops her head, totally ashamed. She didn't miss the stuttered gasp that leaves her father.
Jim angrily responds, "Katherine you left your husband for a stupid crusade!?" He accuses.
"Kate's defenses rose up and she jerked her head back up, "Dad they killed my FBI team! He's the partner of Bracken!" She weakly defended, not letting her emotions get the best of her was the best thing to do but she couldn't help sighs, "You already arrested Bracken, he's the one responsible for your mother's death, not this..LockSat."
He made a fair point but he still killed her team! all though she only was on that team for a few months.
Jim continues, "It's a shame that your team was killed Katie, but I never thought you would choose that over your own husband." he shrugs.
With defeat Kate lets her head fall into her hands. Jim didn't miss the choking sobs she was letting out. "I just want him back daddy, I messed up so badly." Jim sighs and gathers his daughter into his arms, "I know Katie, I know."
Her sobs continue to rack her body, "And If he takes Alexis away I can't go on, I love her like my own daughter."
Her sobs were causing her to shake in his arms. Jim sighs, even he loved Alexis like his own granddaughter.
He responds in the kindest yet blunt way, "I know Katie, but sometimes our actions cause the worst consequences."
Kate sniffled and shot her head up, "I know and I deserve whatever consequence he gives me, but I'm not giving up without a fight, he's my husband and I love him so much."
That was a promise she intended to keep.
AN:| Hope you guys liked this chapter! So a lot of people don't like that Rick is this mad but Kate did leave him by her own choice and Rick was abducted! he honestly didn't on purposely leave her but Kate's actions were on purpose.
Also I realized I messed up a bit on the ages of Rick. Obviously it's a bit AU, for instance Alexis is 10, Kate should be around 27 and Rick is 30 :) Hope you guys weren't too confused!
