Title: Rock Foundation
Disclaimer: I do not own the Castle characters or their story lines. I just borrow them for fun.
Summary: A Sequel of sorts for my one-shot Rock Solid. Kate and Rick deal with the aftermath of Knockdown and move forward with their lives, learning to balance their partnership with their budding relationship.
Author's note: Here is the latest chapter. It's a long one, and it sets up a lot of stuff, so I hope that eases the fact that there was only one update this week. I promise to ALWAYS post a chapter on Mondays (barring a cataclysm). I've found that this story is coming more slowly to me, but no less easily. What Pales in Comparison is getting more frequent updates right now, but rest assured that I will not abandon this story.
Chapter XV:
What have you got for me Lanie?" Kate asked as they walked into the 12th.
"I've got questions. Get your butt down here," Lanie exclaimed into the phone.
"Do you also have evidence? We're breaking a case here," Kate rolled her eyes and Rick laughed.
"Yes I have evidence. Give Writer Boy to Ryan and Esposito and get down here!"
Kate shook her head and hung up. "I'm supposed to hand you off to the boys. Do you think the three of you can be productive while I'm gone? I don't want to find another football stadium up here," she asked sternly as Ryan and Esposito walked over.
"Hey, we can be mature," Rick replied.
"Yeah, Beckett. Just because you found that the one time," Esposito added.
"Right. And the other four times?" she raised an eyebrow.
"Detectives detecting, sorry," Ryan replied, grabbing the other two and pulling them toward the murder board.
Kate laughed and got into the elevator, preparing herself for an intense session of girl talk in the presence of a dead body. That always made it more intense, for some odd reason.
"Spill," Lanie demanded when Kate walked through the door.
"Evidence first, dish second," Kate countered.
"Fine," Lanie pouted. "She's got a broken ankle and bruised ribs. I think your killer took her down. COD is asphyxiation."
"Strangled?"
"Suffocated," Lanie pulled the sheet back and showed Kate the bruising that the early morning fog had covered.
"And the stab wound?"
"I don't know," Lanie shrugged. "Revenge, anger? There was no reason for it."
"Anything else?" Kate asked.
"I got a print and I've sent it to recognition. I'll let you or the boys know when it comes back."
"Alright, thanks," Kate scribbled the notes down and then turned to leave.
"Uh-uh!" Lanie grabbed her arm. "You will dish or I will tell your boy up there about the Karaoke stakeout."
"You wouldn't."
"You know I would."
"Fine. What do you want to know?" Kate asked, trying to look as uninterested as possible. It worked.
"Kaaate. Come on! I haven't seen you look that happy in, well, ever. Was it good?"
"Was what good?" Playing Lanie was almost as easy as playing Rick sometimes.
"Girl, Imma smack you."
Kate laughed. "The best, Lanie. It was the best."
"Ever?"
"Yeah."
"Like, better than Royce? Josh?"
Kate grinned. "Twice as good as both."
"Seriously?"
"Seriously."
Lanie gaped. "I don't know that I can ever look at him the same way again."
"It wasn't just that though, well…you know what, I'll spare you the details. There was this connection? I've never felt that before."
"You're in love," Lanie shrugged, laughing as Kate's jaw dropped. "Oh please! You've been in love with each other for years." Kate just stared at her. "Don't tell me you don't feel it."
"I didn't say I didn't," she replied.
Lanie gasped. "You've already said it?"
"No," Kate replied, looking behind her as if Rick would suddenly appear. Knowing him, it was a distinct possibility. "I'm saying that I'm aware of it, but we only just starting dating, Lanie. It's too soon for that."
"Because he's your one and done, right?"
Kate bit her lip. "I think he might be."
"I've known that for years," Lanie smiled.
Kate rolled her eyes. "I've gotta get back upstairs." She gave the ME a smile and headed for the doors.
"Kate," Lanie called. Kate turned. "I'm happy for you."
"Thanks Lanie," Kate replied. "And I'm happy for you too," she said quickly, before she bolted from the room.
"Happy for me? Why? Kate Beckett!"
Kate jumped into the elevator and laughed as she spotted Lanie poking her head out of the morgue. The doors closed. Oh, Lanie had it bad. But, then again, so did she.
When she reached the bullpen, she found the boys very studiously studying the murder board and compiling possible suspects and acquaintances. She smiled and went to stand next to Rick, letting more of their sides touched than was probably appropriate. Though, to be fair, when were they ever respectful of each other's personal space? Her talk with Lanie hadn't made her realize anything new, but it had certainly made her mind spin. But, she found, to her surprise, that simply standing by Rick made the mental noise go silent.
"Do we know who she is?" Kate asked him, looking up at the photo of their victim.
"Tammy James, NYU student," Rick replied, pointing up to the board where they'd complied what they had found. "A kid jogging in the park gave the name to the uniforms. He's in her English lit class. And has an alibi," he added as Kate opened her mouth.
"Alright. Why was she in the park, especially that late?"
"I just got off with the assistant Dean. Seems Tammy worked for the school paper and was about to brake a story on the drug ring in Washington Square Park," Ryan relayed.
"Why was the found in Central Park then?" Rick posed.
"To throw us off," Kate replied.
"Vice just picked up the owner of that ring last night," Esposito added. "The finger print Lanie found isn't a match for him, but he gave us a name." He handed her a file. "Daniel Furgus, his hit man. Vice is getting him in now."
Kate and Rick exchanged a look and Kate thanked the boys. She and Rick perused the file on Daniel Furgus, a young man with no convicted priors.
"Hey," he said a few minutes later. Kate looked up to find him staring at the picture of Tammy James. "Does it…nah," he shook his head.
"What's up?"
"She just…Blonde hair, blue eyes, serene pose. You don't think?"
Their eyes met and Kate suddenly had a flashback to a moment a few months earlier when she thought he had died. She took a breath and looked up at the photo. "No, I don't think, actually. There's no rope. The death was very violent, which isn't his M.O."
"You don't think he'd change his modus?"
"I don't think he'd be dumb enough to do it in the middle of the park. We'll question this kid, and if it's not him, I promise we'll look into it."
He looked over at her and nodded.
Six hours later, they left the interrogation room together, each more than shell-shocked. Their hit man, Furgus, was 18, and had been carrying out hits for his uncle 'Toby' since he was 14. The young man had been raised in the drug world and was so far gone that he didn't even feel the slightest bit of remorse for what he had done. A psychiatrist was being called in to do an assessment, given his background, before formal charges were brought.
"I almost hope he's crazy," Rick murmured as they sat down at her desk and watched the uniforms bring Furgus back down to holding to wait for the Doctor. "I just can't imagine. Alexis was still playing dress up then, and I don't mean for dates."
Kate gave him a sad smile. "I think I was too, at that age."
"How can you do that to a kid?" He asked, leaning his head on one of his hands as he toyed with the set of nesting dolls he kept on her desk.
"I honestly don't know, Castle. This one passes even my weird and horrible standards."
He nodded and put the doll down, choosing instead to stare off and through the window. Kate watched him for a moment before gathering the necessary forms to do paperwork, so that they could get out of there. They'd closed the case quickly, which was a relief, and a bit surprising. A part of her remained uneasy with the confession they'd gotten from the kid.
And though the case had shaken her, it seemed that it had hit closer home for Rick. She supposed it made sense. Rick was a father, and seeing a kid the age of his daughter surely brought things into question. And while she loved Alexis, she wasn't exceedingly close to her. Yet, a small voice at the back of her mind nagged. She shook it off.
Kate began doing the paperwork, glancing up at Rick every so often. She moved her left hand over toward his and slid her pinky in between his ring and pinky fingers. He looked down at their hands and then glanced up to find her working diligently, a small smile on her face.
He felt a bit of his worry fade away at the gesture. Their evening the night before and early morning had been so wonderful, but he'd lost sight of it with the interrogation. That she was comfortable enough to comfort him in the middle of the Precinct (the subtlety of the gesture didn't negate its significance) spoke volumes.
"Hey, hand me a few of those and we can get out of here," he suggested quietly.
Kate looked over at him and smiled before passing him the forms. They kept their left hands intertwined while they wrote and within 30 minutes, they were ready to go. There was significantly less paperwork when your 'plucky sidekick' hadn't taken out the perp.
"I'll go give these to the Captain," Kate said when Rick handed her the final form. "You call Alexis and have her meet us at Remy's."
He beamed. "Good plan."
She stood and gathered the papers and then sauntered into the Captain's office. Rick watched her go, convinced that she'd been walking with more hips than usual. He hit speed dial 1 and waited for Alexis to pick up.
"Hey, Dad!" her cheery voice greeted him and he felt his funk fully leave him.
"Hey, Pumpkin. Would you like to meet me and Kate at Remy's in about 20?"
"That sounds great!" she enthused. "I'll meet you there. Now let me go so I can finish this math problem."
"You got it. See you soon, Sweetie."
He hung up and smiled. Then he looked up and found Esposito and Ryan standing in front of him with their arms crossed over their chests.
"Remy's with Kate?" Esposito asked.
"Well, Alexis doesn't call her Beckett. Does Jenny call you Esposito?"
Esposito scowled. "Every time I've ever met Alexis, she called her Detective Beckett."
"And you've seen her recently?" Rick asked.
"Nah man. I think the last time she was here must have been a few months ago," Ryan replied.
Esposito elbowed him. "What's changed then, in those few months?"
"I've been over to their house to work on cases more," Kate replied as she joined their little group. "You're awfully nosy, Espo. I see Alexis for dinner some nights too."
Esposito grumbled and walked off.
"You guys have a nice evening," Ryan told them before he went to go rib his partner.
"Hopeless," Kate laughed as Rick handed her jacket over. "Is Alexis coming?"
"She'll meet us there. I figured we could get a booth and order fries to start?"
"Of course," Kate smiled.
They walked toward the elevator and Kate caught Esposito and Ryan watching them from across the bullpen. As they stepped inside, she hooked her arm through Rick's and twirled a lock of hair with her finger. The doors closed on their shocked faces.
"That was devious," Rick said with glee as the elevator began to move.
"Serves them right. I swear, you'd think that they have nothing more in their lives than our potential relationship!"
"Well, it is pretty great," Rick murmured, leaning toward her and placing a kiss to the underside of her jaw.
She felt her knees go weak just as the elevator dinged. "Elevator protocol," she murmured.
"My biggest nemesis," he sighed as they pulled apart.
"Bigger than writer's block?"
He looked affronted. "The first rule of writer's block is that we don't discuss it," he told her matter-of-factly. "Secondly, what writer's block? I have more inspiration than a famous person writing an autobiography— so much that I may never be able to stop."
Kate blushed as they walked down the street. It wasn't a highly romantic statement, but the essence of what he was saying was huge. She was enough inspiration to keep him writing forever.
"Huh. Well," she stammered.
He laughed and grabbed her hand. "Are you blushing, KB?"
"Shut up, Castle," she said lightly.
"Ooh, Castle. I must have done something bad."
She rolled her eyes. " 'Shut up, Rick,' doesn't have the same ring."
"So it's a situational thing then? Does that mean that you're going to call me Castle if I'm naughty in bed?" he leered as they crossed the street.
Kate knew an opportunity when she saw one. "No, no," she purred, pulling him flush against her body by his lapels when they reached the other side. "It's Rick, in bed. It's so much easier to scream with only one syllable, don't you think?" She leaned up to his ear. "Rrrrick!" she moaned quietly.
Then she stepped back. He stood there, his jaw hanging open and his arms slack. She smirked as she watched him blink a few times, before his eyes darkened and he took a step toward her, reaching out to grab her around the waist and pull her back to him.
"That was cruel," he told her, before he brought them together for a searing kiss.
They were breathless when they broke apart. Rick leaned his forehead against hers and they locked gazes. "That'll show you," he said quietly.
Kate laughed. "If that's my punishment, then I think I'll have to say your name like that all the time."
"Could be fun at work," he grinned.
She swatted his shoulder. He laughed and pulled her inside and over to their booth to wait for Alexis. He asked Ernie for a basket of curly fries and a round of milkshakes.
"You know," Kate began when Ernie walked away, "it's a wonder that I haven't gained a hundred pounds since we met. Fries and milkshakes?"
"Well, it's only fattening if you don't plan to work it off later," Rick shrugged.
They met each other's eyes and both felt the temperature of the room rise. Then Alexis walked over to the booth and the moment was over.
"Hey guys!" she greeted, sliding into the booth beside her father. "How was work?"
Rick slung an arm over her shoulders and gave her a squeeze. "Caught the bad guy, served some justice. You know, normal world saving and whatnot."
Alexis raised an eyebrow at Kate, who laughed. "We did catch the guy today, actually. So your Dad's right; he's just being melodramatic."
"Ah, well, what else is new?" the teen laughed as Ernie brought their fries over.
"Thanks Ernie. Could we have the regular for myself and the lady, and chicken fingers with honey mustard for the younger lady?"
"Can do," Ernie smiled. "Nice to see you," he told Alexis.
"Likewise," Alexis replied. He nodded and went to put in her order.
"How was school today?" Kate asked, taking one of the fries and dipping it in her shake.
"Good," Alexis shrugged. "Nothing eventful, but nothing bad either."
"Did you feel good about that test?" Rick asked.
She smiled. "Yeah. I think I did really well."
Rick grinned and raised his shake. "To doing really well!"
They clinked glasses and Kate looked across at the pair, taking in Alexis' calm, happy demeanor and Rick's relaxed face. Seeing his kid was important, especially today.
"How's Ashley?" Kate asked.
Alexis grinned. "He's great. We have a date in two days."
Kate smiled at her excitement. "Where's he taking you?"
"Roller skating," Alexis said happily. "But he says he can't really skate that well."
"Which means she'll clean the floor with him," Rick interjected.
"Do you skate well?" Kate asked.
Alexis blushed. "I took some figure skating lessons when I was younger, so I can do some fancy stuff when I skate. Dad thinks it's hilarious that I'm so much better than everyone."
"Is that because you're living vicariously through your kid, Rick?"
"Oh, no. I can skate rings around her," he grinned.
"Can you now?" Kate asked, looking to Alexis for confirmation.
"I may have taken half of my lessons from Dad after I graduated from the intermediate class," she shrugged.
"I'll show you sometime, if you're good," Rick told her.
Kate rolled her eyes. "I'll work on that for you."
"Do you skate?" Alexis asked.
"Apparently not as well as the two of you," Kate laughed, "but I get by."
"I'm seeing a skating date in our future, Kate," Rick said happily as their food appeared.
Alexis grinned as she watched Kate blush her father beam at the Detective. Kate was good for her Dad. She hadn't seen him look so happy in a long time, and that included Gina, the second time. She'd liked Gina well enough, and they still got along, but Kate was different. Kate didn't seem to be trying to be anything other than a friend. Alexis would be lying if she wasn't excited at the prospect of Kate becoming part of the family, in a more formal way, but she was fine to be friends, for now.
They laughed and ate, exchanging stories and talking about silly things. Kate was glad to see Rick relaxing after the case—Alexis was a balm to his worried mind. To her surprise, she felt tension she hadn't know she was holding flow out of her as she laughed and smiled with the energetic pair. Perhaps Alexis was a balm to her too, though she hadn't known it.
They finished dinner an hour later and made their way back to the Castle lair. Alexis didn't question it. The more time Kate spent with them, the better. She smiled as Kate linked arms with her and they took off in front of her Dad and talked about him, just loud enough for him to hear and protest.
"Doesn't Martha get back tomorrow?" Kate asked as Rick let them into the apartment.
"At four. She says she'll be here at six, dinner mandatory. She also requests your presence," he replied as he hung up the coats.
"I'm gonna go finish my homework," Alexis announced. "Please come tomorrow?"
Kate smiled at her. "As long as work doesn't get in the way," she replied.
"And I'll drag her away for a little while, at least, if it does," Rick told his daughter, laughing as Kate whacked his head.
"You guys try not to kill each other," Alexis laughed.
They watched her go up to her room and Rick waited until her door closed before he grabbed Kate around the waist and pulled her into his chest. She squeaked in surprise but was silenced as his lips descended and met hers in a fiery kiss. They broke apart and Rick took her hand and brought her into his office, closing the door behind them. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.
Kate laid her head on his shoulder and smiled as his breath tickled her neck. "You okay?"
"Do you realize how difficult it is to keep my hands to myself when we're at the Precinct?" he whispered.
She shivered at his words and wrapped her arms more tightly around his neck. "I can imagine. And I thank you for refraining."
He nodded and pulled back to look at her. "Can I ask you something though?" She nodded. "Are hugs kosher? I mean, not in front of the boys, because that would blow our cover. But if something really gruesome goes down, or you're nearly shot or something, can I hug you when no one's around?"
"Just hug me?" she asked, curious.
He brought a hand up to cup her cheek. "Sometimes you just want to hold someone, you know?"
She covered his hand with her own and nodded, her chest tight. "I do. You can hug me."
He smiled and pulled her back to wrap his arms around her again. They stood, simply hugging in the middle of his office for a few minutes.
"Thanks," he said quietly.
"For what?"
"For understanding, about earlier."
She smiled into his shoulder. "Different cases get to all of us. I get why this one got to you, and, you know, I like Alexis; it's no sacrifice on my part to spend time with her."
He pulled back and kissed her temple. "Thanks for that too."
She leaned up and kissed him, and within a moment, the fire was back. Their mouths dueled and hands began to roam. She removed his suit jacket and he got rid of her sweater, running his hands over her back and stomach. They necked furiously for a long while, before the sound of Alexis rummaging around the kitchen broke them apart. Obviously, she couldn't see through the closed door, but they caught each other's eyes and silent understanding passed between them; kissing was great, but there was something awkward about doing it seven feet from Alexis.
"Hey guys, have you seen the apples?" the teen called, as if aware that they were thinking about her.
"Bottom shelf?" Rick called back.
"Nope."
They disengaged and Rick went out into the kitchen while Kate straightened out her hair and placed their discarded clothes on the couch. When she walked out of the office she found Rick standing on the counter and removing a bag of apples from the top of one of the cabinets.
"Do I want to know why that was there?" she asked a pajama-clad Alexis.
The girl laughed. "He put them there a few days ago when we were playing a game."
"What game?" Kate asked.
"The give-me-back-my-cellphone-or-everything-you-need-today-will-mysteriously-go-missing game," she replied. "Though, eventually it turns into hide-things-from-each-other-to-see-who-has-the-best-hiding-spots, and Dad usually ends up winning that one."
Kate simply stared at her while Rick climbed down from the counter and handed the apples to Alexis.
"Thanks Dad," she smiled, rinsing one under the faucet before putting the bag back into the vegetable crisper. "Have a nice night. I'm going to bed. Will you be here for breakfast, Kate?"
"I have an errand to run early, but if you're up I might catch you," Kate replied. "But I suggest you sleep. Saturdays are made for sleeping, you know."
"I might take you up on that," the teen smiled. "If you're not here, I hope you have a good Saturday, Kate."
"You too," Kate replied.
"Night, Pumpkin," Rick added.
Alexis smiled and made her way up the stairs. Kate and Rick watched her go, separated by the counter.
"Do you want to head up even though it's early?" he asked after they'd spent a minute just staring at each other. Then he shook his head and held up a hand. "Rewind. Are you staying tonight, Kate?"
Kate laughed. "I'd love to head up to bed," she said quietly.
He grinned and came around the island to take her hand, leading them upstairs*. They entered his room and he closed the door and flicked on the lights, turning around to find her lying on his bed.
"Tired?" he asked as he sat down by her hip and put his arms on either side of her.
"It's been a long week," she said quietly, meeting his eyes.
"Yeah. It has," he agreed, leaning down to press his lips to hers in a very light kiss. He pulled back and she scooted over so that he could lie down next to her. Kate snuggled into his side, her head resting on his shoulder, one of her hands rubbing over his chest.
"A week ago we were sneaking into a building to catch an assassin," she murmured.
Rick covered her hand with his and squeezed her to him with his other. "Yeah."
"You saved my life."
He looked down at her and their eyes met. "Always."
That word would probably never seem normal to her again. He had saved her life more than once in the past. In fact, within the past three years, every time someone had tried to gun her down, he'd been there to spin her out of the way, push her to the ground, shoot the bastard, or ninja attack him and punch his lights out.
She couldn't find the words to tell him how much his being there meant to her. How much his quiet declaration of always made her heart pound. How much just the touch of his hand when she was upset made everything better. How much she had come to depend on his jokes, his smirks, his presence in her life. How he'd broken down so many of her carefully crafted walls, and how those barriers now lay in rubble at her feet. She couldn't tell him how free she felt—how safe she felt—
standing in the middle of the ruins of her defenses.
So she poured her feelings, her thoughts, her gratitude, her love, into kissing him with everything she had.
*Rick's Bedroom. I know, I know, it's on the first floor. I realized this the first time I had Kate go upstairs to shower, but didn't catch it until the chapter went up. I have, therefore, left the bedroom where it is, for continuity's sake. I apologize for the faux pas, and ask you, humbly, to forgive me.