The Universe and You
Author's Note: Another update, as promised. Now let me go grab some cookies.
Disclaimer: Sure sure!
Coauthor: caskettastic
Reviews: Duh! Is the sky blue?
Chapter 2
"Castle" she was still panting.
"Kate, are you alright?" she heard some ruffling sound, and realized he must have sat up hearing the tremble in her tone.
"No, no I'm... I'm okay. It was... it was just a nightmare."
"Do you want me to come over? I can come right now."
It took her a second, and the panic returned in full swing. "What! No! No! Don't" she didn't want him anywhere near a vehicle.
"Kate?" He sounded really worried now.
"I mean... You can't… we're not allowed to see each other until tomorrow..."
"I didn't think you believed in the whole wedding jinx myth." He chuckled.
"I don't actually. But we've already gone through a lot to get to this day, and I don't want to push my luck..." she tried to sound convincing.
"Okayyy..." he wasn't convinced. He wondered what was making her so nervous.
"Do you want to tell me what you saw in your nightmare?"
Bile rose in her throat at the mere thought of replaying the scene, even in her own head. She knew saying it out loud would surely make her throw up.
"No... I'm alright. And we both need to get some sleep. Big day tomorrow."
"Tell me about it" he joked.
"Rick... I love you." Her voice was a mere whisper, but he knew she meant it with everything she had in her.
"I love you too Kate. You sure you'll be alright?"
"yea... calling you helped."
"Richard Castle, miracle worker, at your service ma'am." He supplied to cheer her up. It worked.
"From tomorrow though, you won't have to call. I'll be right there with you." his voice was so deep and sincere, it warmed her heart.
"I know" she said with a smile. This was exactly what she was looking for when she called. The assurance that he'll be there tomorrow, and every day after that. For as long as they would live. And preferably a day more than she would live. She almost chuckled at herself for quoting Winnie the pooh.
"Goodnight" he finished. And she fell back asleep, trying to focus on the words he had said.
I'll be right there with you
He was not going anywhere, not if she could help it.
The first rays of sunlight creeping in through the curtains of the woke her up, giddily dancing upon the floor next to her bed, threatening to move towards her. She smiled. Today was the day. THE DAY. Immediately, she turned to look at the time. 8 am. In another few hours, she would have to start getting ready for the greatest moment of her life. Not that she already wasn't, with every fibre in her she sat up and threw her legs to the side of the bed, There was a knock on the door.
"Kate, are you awake?" Came Lanie's familiar voice, followed by the owner who peeked in to find the woman of the day awake and smiling back at her.
"So, girl, you ready to get married?"
"More than ever." Kate chuckled.
"How do you feel?" Lanie asked excitedly.
Kate took a deep breath then, and gave herself a moment to assess exactly how she was feeling.
"Coffee.I feel like I need coffee."
"Of course, I'm not surprised. Come on down, Alexis and Martha have already got breakfast started." Lanie laughed.
"Martha's cooking?" Kate asked, looking nervous.
"No. Just helping. We don't want the bride throwing up all the way down the altar now do we? Might give people the wrong idea." Lanie winked
"Funny! I'll be right there." Kate said rolling her eyes.
She freshened up, put on a pair of comfortable denims and Castle's old t-shirt before heading downstairs to find her soon to be family. Oh who was she kidding, they already were family. In every sense of the word.
"Good morning Kate!" Alexis greeted her.
"Good morning Darling, How's our bride doing today?"
Kate couldn't get that giddy smile off her face. Each of them was taking their chance to remind her that today was her day. Their day. Speaking of which, she wanted to hear his voice. After having a bite or two, she picked up her mug of coffee and walked towards the couch. She rang his number and waited for him to pick.
"Kate…" Alexis called from the kitchen.
"Yea?" she was distracted with dialing his number again.
"Dad called while you were still asleep. He said he'll be going to submit your documents along with his lawyer toady before locking up the loft and coming here"
Kate froze in place. Those disturbing scenes from her nightmare rushed back into her head bringing along with it a wave of nausea. The mug in her hand slipped from her fingers, causing a loud crashing sound of pieces of ceramic scattering across the floor, along with the last sips of coffee that remained untouched. The three women in the kitchen rushed towards her, all panicked and shocked, and worried.
But none of their emotions could compare to the terror in Kate's heart right now. The fear was like no other.
"Kate!" Lanie called out, and immediately ran to hold her. They made her sit down; Alexis began clearing up the mess.
"I'm sorry... I..." she was frantically looking around, then between her phone and the coffee mug that had shattered on the floor. Was this some kind of sign? She asked herself, and it didn't help. It only added to her worry.
"Honey is everything okay?" Martha asked.
"Yes... yes… I'll be fine. I just... I need to talk to castle."
Alexis smiled. "Wedding jitters"
"What?" Kate was finding it hard to concentrate on anything.
"You're nervous aren't you? It's alright its natural" they were all smiling at her. The last thing she wanted to do was put them through the same torment she was going through. So she agreed. She faked a smile, nodded and tried to act like that was what made her drop the mug. Like that was the reason she wanted to call him.
"Yea... I'm sorry... I'm just... I guess I'm a little too excited"
"You should be" Martha exclaimed.
"It's your wedding day! There's no day in your life that will be greater than this."
Kate smiled.
"We'll leave you to talk to your groom now. Just try not to break anything okay." Lanie said with a chuckle.
"Grams and I are going to pick up the cake. Lanie's here if you need anything at all"
Kate nodded with a grateful smile. The minute they had left the room, she tried calling him again. "Come on castle! Pick up!" she muttered under her breath, unsure whether it was an exclamation ruled by frustration or fear.
It rang, and rang, and then didn't. He picked up.
"Hey beautiful. I'm so glad you…"
"Castle! Where are you?" she interrupted mid sentence.
"I'm on my way to get our marriage license" he said matter-of-factly.
"Turn your car around"
"What? Why?" he chuckled. Thinking it was a joke.
"I'm serious Castle; just listen to me... please... I'll call Ryan; he'll get the paper work just get here first."
"Don't be ridiculous Kate. I'm almost there. Why would I turn around and ask Ryan to get it done, when I'm perfectly capable of doing it myself"
"Rick..."
"There! I can see the building. Stop worrying. I'll be there in time"
Kate almost laughed. Almost. He thought she was worried he would be late for his own wedding. That was the least of her worries. Late was not a problem. 'Late' in another sense was the problem. She couldn't tell him to go back now, he was already there.
"Castle,stay at the courthouse. I'm calling Javi. He'll come pick you up from there and bring you here."
"What? You don't trust me to drive fast enough?" he joked.
She was silent.
"Hey Kate? What's wrong." He was softer now. He knew something was going on in her head.
There was a tear threatening to fall out of her left eye, but she looked towards the kitchen, hearing Lanie coming, and quickly composed herself and said,
"It's nothing... I just… Castle, give me a call when the paperwork is done. Before you get into the car again, okay?"
"Yea okay. I'll do that." he said still sounding really concerned.
"Kate, I'll be there. Don't worry. We're getting married today. You and I. we're gonna tie the knot, whether you like it or not."
She chuckled at his lame attempt to rhyme. He did it again, managed to bring a smile on her face while those strong emotions of hers threatened to take over.
"That was bad even for your standards."
" I know right!" he said, disappointed. " I'm getting bad at this."
"Your rhymes are usually better when you write about me." she said with that giddy little smile again.
"Yea, I've noticed. Hopefully, marrying you should give me an all access pass to creating good rhymes all the time."
She laughed "Go get my documents submitted and then call me. I'll be waiting."
"It'll take a while, so yea, expect my call somewhere around the time you'll be all dressed up and ready, rehearsing your vows"
Just like the rest of his family, reminding her of the big leap in life they were going to take today. Marriage.
"I love you." she said softly.
"I love you too."
After having spoken to him, she felt better. Lighter. She would call Ryan or Espo, and ask one of them to pick him up from there after he was done. She didn't want him sitting in his car, driving away and putting his life at risk, no, today was not a day to test the universe. She didn't care how stupid or paranoid she sounded. She just wanted to walk down the aisle today with her dad, and have her hand be given to Richard Castle, to love and to hold, all the days of their life. And for any of that, she needed him alive.
Just as she entered the kitchen to find Lanie clearing up, her phone beeped with a text. It was from him.
"I can hear the wedding bells ring so clear,
and I can't help but admit its music to my ears.
Cause, every dream I've ever dreamed over the years,
will come true today when I marry you dear."
How's that for a rhyme? ;)"
And Kate smiled the biggest smile of the morning. He was a romantic at heart. Her romantic. In her heart.
"I'm guessing he cured the wedding jitters?" Lanie said.
"For now." Kate answered, taking a seat across from Lanie.
"Don't worry. They'll disappear when you see him this evening."
And the excitement returned. Well, most of it. She couldn't wait to see him. To see him smile when he'd see her in her mom's dress. To see her smiling back at him, and to see that she was ready to spend forever and a day with him.
Her smile however, was interrupted by an almighty crash from the backyard, causing Lanie to jump up and run in the said direction.
"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?" Came Alexis's scream a second later, making the smile turn into a frown. Little Castle never screamed at anyone unless…unless someone ruined her perfectly made plan.
'Uh-Oh!' thought Kate before hurrying outside to check for a homicide.