Hi, everybody! Quick update from me this time around. I really hope you enjoy it, because I am quite fond of this chapter myself.
Kate wakes the next morning from a heavy, deep sleep she feels like she hasn't gotten in years. She squints against the light streaming in through the windows. His master bedroom in the Hamptons is so much brighter than in Manhattan, no buildings to obstruct the sunlight. She turns over only to find the bed empty in the same moment she smells coffee.
She rolls out of the king-sized bed, pulling on a robe that he must have laid out for her. When she walks down the steps, she sees him wearing a matching navy blue one and smiles. He's making waffles, already has fruit and syrup laid out on the table. Sweet, sweet man.
"Hey," she says, alerting him of her presence. He flips the waffle maker over, leaving the batter in it to warm, crossing the kitchen to get to her.
"Good morning," he replies, pulling her into his tight embrace. She huffs a laugh into his chest, arms winding their way around his next as she presses a chaste kiss to his mouth.
"Matching robes, huh?" She quirks an eyebrow up at him, can't resist teasing him about something so adorably cheesy.
"You're wearing it, aren't you?" he retorts easily, probably expected a jab or two about it. She rolls her eyes, lets him kiss her again.
"What time is it?" she asks as he releases her to tend to their breakfast.
"About nine," he replies, flipping the waffle maker off and carrying the stack to the table. She sits across from him, loves that everything between them is just so easy. It's something she didn't expect, spent so much time worrying about before they ever got together.
He's so kindhearted, and in the month that they've been together she has yet to feel like his attention is anywhere else. She always wondered if he would get bored when he saw the next hot thing. Much like she felt when Jordan Shaw helped them on the Scott Dunn case, or when Ellie Monroe crossed his path. But he hasn't once made her feel like she's anything less than extraordinary to him.
"You okay?" he asks, bringing her back to the present. She smiles, reaches across the table for his hand.
"Of course. Thank you."
His brow furrows, hand holding hers a little tighter. "What for?"
"For bringing me out here. And just- being you," she tells him honestly, thinks maybe he should know how much she appreciates him, especially with everything he does to let her know how much he cares all the time.
He smiles, eyes crinkling, and she knows she did the right thing. She gives his hand a squeeze before letting go to retrieve a waffle. He doesn't say anything, just gathers up his own waffles, but when she looks up at him a minute later, he's still grinning.
She helps him do the dishes after breakfast. She washes, he dries. It's so domestic. Kate leans against the counter as he finishes putting the last of the silverware away.
"What are we doing today?" she asks.
"I was thinking," he begins, pulling her with him up to the master suite, "We can get our swimsuits on and relax down at the pool. The ocean's going to be freezing, but the pool's heated. And later we can make a nice dinner, eat on the patio if you'd like?"
She kisses him in reply, pulling away when their matching grins make it impossible to do it properly.
"I'll take that as a yes," he says, eyes twinkling. "I'm gonna change."
She nods, watches him make his way into the bathroom, sitting on the bed while she waits for him to change. She's wearing nothing under her robe and doesn't intend on changing that, but he doesn't need to know quite yet. He steps out of the bathroom a minute later, holding his hand out for her to take, leading them out to the pool.
He opens the gate for her while saying, "I'm sure you will find the temperature suitable, but if you would like it any warmer, I could change the temperature or- I could just… stop talking." Her robe is at her feet and his eyes light up. "You forgot your suit," he says, giving her a coy smile.
"I know," she whispers, smiling at him.
He pulls her naked body to his, hands splayed across her bare back, creating goosebumps in their wake.
"I think you're a little overdressed," she says, eyeing him through her lashes. He catches her off-guard then, picking her up in his arms bridal style. She knows exactly what he plans on doing when he starts walking them to the pool. "Castle!" she exclaims, clamping her arms around his neck so he can't toss her in. She squeals when they get closer, burying her face in his neck.
He's laughing, holding her tightly so she doesn't fall out of his arms with all of the squirming she's doing.
"What's wrong, Beckett?"
"Rick!" she says his name on a laugh, "Please. Please? Don't be mean!"
"You're begging me now?" he asks, standing on the edge of the pool with her curled up in his arms, holding onto him tightly. She's giggling, giggling, and it's just so adorable that he can't throw her in the pool. He gently sets her down, her arms clasped tightly around his neck until her feet are firmly planted on the cement.
He slides his own robe off, about to pull off his swim trunks when she shoves him into the deep end. He comes up for air just as she jumps in, splashing him in the process. He swims towards her, catching her when she's above the surface again, swimming them towards the wall of the pool.
"Katherine Beckett!" he exclaims above her laughter, "I can't believe you just pushed me in!"
"You were going to do it to me!" she whines like a little kid, back hitting the wall with a soft thud.
"But I didn't," he says.
She wraps her legs around his waist, pulling his lower body into hers, eyes telling him that she knows exactly what she's doing to him.
"Forgive me?" she pouts, so unlike her usual self. He kisses her fiercely, pulling her bottom lip in between his teeth. She lets out a soft moan, pulling his swim trunks off of his hips impatiently.
She's forgiven.
They spend the day in the pool, showering together afterwards. They prepare dinner together; steak, potatoes, and bacon-wrapped asparagus. It's delicious. After they've finished eating, Rick pulls two blankets out of the basket by the back door, tugging on Kate's hand.
"Where are we going?" she asks, smiling as he drags her away from the house.
"The beach!" he exclaims. She follows him down to the sand, shivering as a chill sets in as nighttime envelopes the coast. He lays one blanket out across the sand, gesturing for Kate to settle in on it. She sits down, waits for him to join her.
Rick plops down next to her, laying back, and he pulls her down with him so her head is resting on his chest. She shivers again, so he pulls the second blanket on top of them, pulling her body closer to his.
"What are we doing down here?" she asks him.
"Look up," he tells her softly.
Her eyes meet the horizon, going up and up.
There's stars. Millions of little twinkling lights. Her eyes flick to one, then the next, each seeming brighter than the first. She forgets about them a lot in the city, the tall buildings and neon lights dimming outer-space.
"It's so beautiful," she says, so quietly she doesn't think he heard her.
His voice comes a minute later. "It is."
She shifts her head to rest her chin over his heartbeat, finds his eyes on her, not the sky, and she knows - knows that this could very well be it for both of them. She can't remember ever feeling so special in someone's eyes.
She knows there will be fights, still walls to finish breaking down, for her and for him. It won't be a walk in the park, but for now in the Hamptons with the starlight and seawater crashing onto the shore below them, she isn't afraid of it.
I really, really hope you liked this chapter! I would love to read any comments or critique you have to offer.
And just so you guys know, this story is not going to be all rainbows and butterflies. I intend on writing season three and four as if Kate and Rick are a couple. That includes the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Lastly, just because it's fun and the title of this story was inspired by Sam Smith, every chapter is titled after a line from his songs. Fun fact of the day.
Thanks for sticking with me!