Two weeks after, Rick and Kate walked back into the precinct. Kate was nearly healed, though she would likely be put on paperwork duty for a few weeks, and she was really glad to be back. They had linked hands during the elevator, and Rick squeezed gently as the elevator pinged. The second the doors opened fully, Kate let go of Rick's hand, seeing Ryan and Esposito waiting for them.
"Well, well, Beckett. You just couldn't stay away, could you?" Esposito said with a laugh. He opened his broad arms, and Kate grabbed him, squeezing tightly. "Good to see you again, Kate. I do have to say, though… you look good in a hospital gown." Kate laughed and pushed herself off of him, whacking him on his thick shoulder.
"Yeah, Kate," Ryan added. "But it's good to see you upright again." He stuck out his hand and Kate shook it.
"It's good to be back, guys. I do have to admit that the time off was relaxing," she said with a smile. She glanced at Rick, who had a smile creeping up on his clean-shaven face.
"Kate," Ryan said slyly, "did Castle make you pancakes this morning?" He winked with a smile, and Kate rolled her eyes.
"Okay, enough with the interrogation! Don't we have murders to solve?" Kate and Rick sat in their respective chairs, leaning back in unison.
"Not yet, Beckett. But we do have some good news for you." Esposito came over and leaned on her desk.
"Oh, really?" Kate raised her thin eyebrows, encouraging the thick man to continue. Esposito hesitated for a second, taking a long draw on his coffee.
"Josh has been arraigned, and will probably be going to jail." Kate's jaw dropped with a combination of shock and relief as she slumped back in her chair.
"So… the Captain?" She looked first to Esposito, then to Ryan, pleading with them to tell her that he was okay, even though she had watched him die. She prayed silently that it had just been an illusion. The Captain couldn't be dead.
"I'm sorry, Beckett," Ryan said gently, shaking his head. "He didn't suffer, though." Kate ignored him, spinning around in her chair and walking quickly towards the conference room. Her breath was coming in ragged gasps, and she could feel tears burning her brown eyes. Thankfully, the conference room was deserted, so Kate made a beeline towards the espresso machine, cranking heavily on the handle.
"Kate?" Kate jumped, but kept herself focused on the coffee.
"Please, Rick. Not now." She felt a hand on her shoulder, and the tears slowly began to drip down her cheeks. "I just need…" Her head fell forward and her shoulders shook with sobs. Rick slowly turned her around and pulled her into his chest, squeezing her tightly towards his chest, and rubbing her back in small circles.
"It's –" he began before Kate cut him off.
"Don't say it's okay, Rick. It's not okay. He was my teacher. He was my boss. He was my –" she stammered, "my f-friend. So it's not okay. It's my fault. It's my fault he's dead. If I had just let Josh yell, Roy would still be here. If I hadn't kicked him out, my boss would still be alive." Tears were now streaming down her cheeks, and she rubbed at them roughly. Rick took one of her hands and squeezed it gently while wiping her cheeks with his other hand.
"Kate, it was not your fault. You did nothing wrong. All of this rests on Josh. This is all because of him. You didn't do anything wrong." She stared up at him, holding back the tears, and blinked a few times before Rick gently placed a hand on the back of her head and pressed his lips against her forehead. Her eyes had closed gently, and she relished in the touch of his lips on her skin. She pulled herself away from him and stood on her tiptoes to kiss his lips.
"Thank you," she whispered as she pulled away and walked out of the conference room, completely abandoning her coffee.
X
Kate settled herself back in her chair a few minutes later, content that she had erased every shred of evidence that she had been crying from her face. She turned to face the manila folder on her desk and flipped it open to the first page. Some heroin addict had gotten himself stabbed in an alleyway; immediately, her hopes of solving this case plummeted to nearly zero. The fucker had a habit of getting into skirmishes, plus the drug history would make it almost impossible to tie his murder to one person. Rick returned as well, bearing an espresso cup that he set in front of her, earning him a small smile as she wrapped her hands around the warm cup.
"Detective Beckett!" a sharp voice declared behind her, causing her to abandon the cup and spin to face the source. A tall man with a goatee was standing front of her in a black suit, a badge in the breast pocket of his jacket. Kate fought to keep her composure as she leapt to her feet.
"Commissioner Lovett. What can I do for you?"
"I'd like to meet with you in Captain Montgomery's office." Kate raised an eyebrow in confusion, feeling her eyes burning again.
"Sir?" but Lovett was already walking towards the open door, and Kate could do nothing but follow him. Rick had stood with her and squeezed her hand before she pulled away and walked into Montgomery's office. Lovett had settled himself against The Captain's desk, and Kate sat on the couch opposite him, locking into his icy blue eyes.
"Detective Beckett, in light of Captain Montgomery's death, it has come to my attention that the twelfth precinct is in need of a new leader. Someone with experience, drive and passion. Someone who is willing to do whatever it takes to solve a crime." Kate showed no sign that she had registered what the commissioner was saying. "Detective Beckett, I would like to make you the new captain of the twelfth." Neither person spoke for a second, but Kate could feel the tears in her eyes again.
"With all due respect, sir… I can't. I'm not ready. I'm not ready to lead. You should make Ryan or Esposito Captain," Kate stammered.
"Well, with all due respect, Detective, you are far more ready than you may think. The second you received your badge, I knew that you were someone worth paying attention to. I've watched you grow as a detective, and I've seen your drive for justice do nothing but flourish in the past few years. I knew that, should anything ever happen to Montgomery, he would have an incredibly talented detective to take his place." Kate smiled, feeling her face burning and her heart racing. Lovett continued, "As commissioner of the New York City Police Department, I hereby declare you Captain Beckett, head of the NYPD Twelfth Precinct Homicide Department." Kate stood in shock to shake Lovett's hand and accept the captain's badge Lovett had extended to her, not noticing that Rick was standing in the open doorway, grinning like an idiot. "Congratulations, Captain."
Kate's mouth suddenly felt very dry but she was able to clear her throat and stutter, "Th-thank you, sir," before Lovett turned and departed from his office. Kate stood in stunned for a second before Rick coughed, causing her to start and look at him.
"Well, Captain Beckett?" Kate looked at the floor.
"Rick… I don't know if I can do this." Rick walked up to her and leaned against Montgomery's desk.
"Bullshit, you don't." Kate stared at him, her eyebrows furrowed in surprise. "Bullshit. You are the most talented, smartest and most badass detective I have ever met. Like he said, you are perfect for the job. You can most definitely do this."
"But, Rick, what if… what if I disappoint him?" Rick wrapped an arm around her shoulder.
"Not a chance. In the last three years, I have never seen Montgomery disappointed with you, unless you count the trip to L.A." Kate smiled at the memory of sneaking out and trailing her police academy teacher's murderer to California. "I can guarantee that Montgomery's looking down on you right now, grinning his ass off and sipping martinis in a hot tub with Jesus right now." Kate laughed at the image of her boss that Rick had put in her head, and swatted his shoulder.
"Thanks, writer monkey."
"Beckett?" Esposito walked into Montgomery's office. "What was that all about?"
"Kate here has been promoted to Captain," Rick declared, a hint of pride in his voice.
"Seriously?" Ryan stuck his head through the door. "Dude! Did I call it or what?"
"I guess this calls for a celebration. Drinks on me tonight at the Haunt," Rick said.
"Count me in!" Ryan and Esposito said together, causing the four in the room to laugh.
"I guess you have work to do, Captain," Esposito said with a grin. "Do us proud." He squeezed Kate's shoulder and Ryan patted her back before they left the office together.
X
Kate and Rick arrived at the Old Haunt to see Ryan and Esposito already seated at the bar watching a basketball game and sipping beers. Two glasses had been placed in front of the empty stools next to Esposito, and Rick and Kate claimed them.
"About time you two lovebirds got here. It's almost halftime," Ryan said, spinning to face Kate and Rick.
"Well, here we are," Rick said quietly.
"Yup. Here we are," Esposito agreed sadly. Kate took a hold of her glass and was about to take a long sip of it, but was cut short by all three men staring at her.
"What? A girl can drink, can't she?" she asked rhetorically, feeling a pull at her heart. Things felt decidedly lopsided without Captain Montgomery drinking with them.
"You're forgetting something," Ryan said and Rick raised his glass.
"To Captain Katherine Beckett. May you find strength in your friendships and passion in your work. May you never forget the light, even in times of darkness and may you always remember to let your hair down every once in a while. May you be everything you dreamed of, and more. Here's to the best detective this side of the Mississippi." Esposito coughed loudly, but Ryan whacked him on the shoulder.
"Dude. You know it's true," he whispered just loudly enough so that Kate could hear him. "To Beckett."
"Hang on," Kate interjected. "I appreciate the sentiment, Rick, but I can't take it all. Can we raise a toast in memory of the man who taught us all how to be good detectives? The man who taught me everything I know about being a cop?" She lifted her glass. "To Roy Montgomery, our boss, our teacher, our… our friend."
"To Roy." Four glasses clinked together and Kate took a long sip from hers before setting it heavily on the bar and letting her hand fall with it. Rick placed his hand on top of hers and squeezed it gently.
"You're a phenomenal detective. You'll be brilliant," he whispered, kissing her temple, but she didn't look at him, choosing instead to stare at the photo of Montgomery someone had hung in the bar. "He's enjoying martinis with Jesus." Kate smiled gently.
"Lucky bastard."
The End.