I hope you enjoy this chapter. Again I want to thank LadyAlith for her wonderful help with the editing.

Again I own nothing.

Chapter 113

Rick stared at the ceiling. He had been awake for what seemed like hours but what was more likely thirty minutes. He focused on one spot for so long, it started to move. He was replaying everything that happened yesterday. Remembering the ride home and telling Kate why he had done what he had done in the poker room. As he blinked to focus, he felt Kate move on his shoulder. She had fallen asleep with her head on his shoulder and her arm draped across his chest, her chestnut hair draped across her pillow. She was still in that position as she stirred.

"Rick, what are you thinking about?" she asked, as she began lightly stroking his jaw.

Rick twisted his head toward her hand relishing in the fact that she was there, with him, cuddled on his shoulder. He always thought he would find comfort in her touch, but he was surprised just how much she provided. The tough Detective Kate Beckett persona was only one aspect of Kate. And just a tiny part of her; he was starting to discover the other parts that made the whole.

"Nothing, Kate."

"Well, you are thinking about it very loudly. I can hear you over here." Kate moved to sit up but was held in place by Rick. She took the hand stroking his face and moved it so she was looking in his eyes. "Hey, what's wrong?"

He sighed slightly and pulled her close to him. "You saw what I am capable of last night and I could tell it scared you. I wouldn't blame you if you headed for the door as fast as you could, forgetting that you ever met me. My past goes against everything you stand for, what I did goes against everything you stand for."

Kate had to admit to herself that she was frightened that he was capable of what took place. How could this gentle man also commit the carnage that took place at that poker game? It was as though he was two different people. "I told you I was here to stay, and I mean it. But when this is over, Gabriel dies. I don't want to see him again, 'kay?"

She moved her hand and started tracing circles on his chest as she felt the tension begin to wane in him. If it was possible to move closer to him, she did. She loved the safe feeling she had when wrapped in his arms. She never felt this way with anyone but her mom. It was liberating and frightening at once, but she wasn't running from him.

As Kate got out of the bed and headed for the bathroom, she called back over her bare shoulder, "I'm going to get cleaned up. You make breakfast, and I'll clean up the dishes while you shower."

He tried to protest but Kate cut him off. "We will never get to work if we 'conserve water' together."

Rick smiled inwardly as she called him out on the plan that was forming in his head. She knew him better than he knew himself, it seemed. As she closed the door, he went to his dresser and pulled out a pair of sleep pants and a Captain America tee shirt. After making the bed, he headed to the kitchen to start breakfast.

Xx

"Javi, do you really think that Castle did all of that?"

"Shush bro, not so loud, too many Feds around here." He took a sip of his coffee and smiled.

"Follow me." They made a bee line for the elevator with Ryan quizzically looking at Esposito.

"Let's check with Lanie, see if she has anything to add from last night."

As the elevator closed and he pushed the button for the morgue, Javi turned to Kevin. "Bro, I never thought that Castle had a violent bone in his body. But I'm not so sure now. If they threatened Kate or Alexis then, yeah, maybe he could."

As the elevator reached the morgue they entered calling for Lanie. They didn't find her until they reached her office.

Esposito called out, "Chica, what's up? Got anything for us?"

"Javier Esposito, don't you come in here with that attitude. And did you bring me anything to eat?"

Esposito looked like a deer caught in headlights and began to stammer. Ryan snorted then came to his rescue. "Lanie, I'll make sure he buys you lunch, okay? So what do you have?"

"I have a damn mess. Are you sure only one guy did this?"

"That's what the witnesses said. I know it's hard to believe but that's what we are going with until we are proven wrong."

Lanie leaned back in her chair. "Do you have any ideas who could have done this?"

Both detectives looked at each other and appeared to have a silent conversation before turning back to Lanie. Esposito was the one who decided to talk. "Listen Lanie, I'm worried that with all the Feds around we might let something slip. But we think maybe it could be that Gabriel guy we heard about before."

Ryan put his finger up to his lip. He turned to the door and reached for his weapon. He was sure he heard movement in the room next door. Pulling the door open he was shocked at who he found listening. "Perlmutter! What in the hell were you doing?'

"I was coming to see if Dr. Parish needed help but heard her talking with someone, so I decided to wait. I wasn't eavesdropping, I swear."

"Go guys. I'll take care of Perlmutter."

Xx

Jim looked out the window overlooking the rear deck while waiting on the coffee to brew. He saw Alexis sitting in the same chair that Kate had occupied just a few days earlier. He was impressed with Alexis. He was going to be her granddad, or well step-granddad soon so he should get to know her. He decided to make Alexis a cup also and headed out to the deck.

"Alexis, here you go, I thought you might like a cup."

Alexis turned and took the cup, thanking him. Jim looked out over the deck to the ocean.

"Alexis, I want to get to know you a little, that is, if you don't mind."

"Oh, no, Jim I don't mind a bit. Actually I was just thinking about everything that's happened lately. It's surreal, you know?"

Jim couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah, I know. Those two don't do thing the conventional way." He thought for a moment trying to work out what to say. "Well, I haven't been around them very much so I am going defer to you about their relationship. What can you tell me?"

"Dad's been in love with Kate for a very long time. How long, I'm not really sure but I think it was sometime before her apartment was blown up." She could tell that was having an emotional effect on him. "Dad figured out that something was wrong and tried to call her, but apparently she was in the tub when he started calling. He took off to her apartment, arriving just as it blew.

Well, I guess you know the rest of it."

She smiled slightly and continued. "Dad never, and I mean never, let anyone he dated come to our home. He's only let me meet two women he's dated. He married Gina and now he's marrying Kate. Anyway, when he let her stay with us I knew he was in love with her."

Jim sipped his coffee and decided to tell things from his perspective. "Katie rarely speaks of the guys she dates. I met Will after they'd known each other for five months and he left her a couple of weeks later. She dated this last one for close to ten months and I never met him. I always asked about them but I got very little. What I did get was 'Castle did this,' or 'Castle did that.' 'Rick had this theory about the CIA' or aliens or mob hits. She was always talking about him. Then, when she said she was staying with you guys, I knew that her feelings for your dad were different from anyone she ever dated before."

"Only they weren't dating, Jim. I'm not too sure what they were doing, but it wasn't dating in the conventional way."

Jim chuckled and said, "No, not in the conventional way, but they were dating none the less. You know your dad left last summer and she wasn't the same. She threw herself into her work until she met the doctor."

"Yeah, well, dad was really depressed for a few weeks before we came here that summer. I would say he was heartbroken, if I had to define it."

"Well, I think they were both in the same boat then. She was so depressed herself. But they have each other now so let's just make sure they don't screw it up."

Alexis looked down shyly, obviously wanting to ask a question, so Jim encouraged her to ask away. "Jim, what do I call you? I mean, would it be weird if I called you Grandpa Jim? I don't want to push you, and I know you probably are waiting for Kate to…"

Jim cut her off, reaching for her hand. "Alexis I would be honored if you called me Grandpa."

Alexis was in tears now. "I've never had a Grandpa. I mean, my Mom's dad is alive but he wants no contact with me. Never has, thought I was a mistake that she made and thinks she shouldn't have had me. We don't know who Dad's father is, well anyway…" She leapt to her feet and threw her arms around his neck. "Grandpa Jim it is."

Martha, who had just observed the entire exchange, couldn't help but smile as her heart melted. If anything good had come out of this crazy trip it was that Alexis had claimed a Granddad.

Xx

As Beckett and Castle exited the elevator onto the homicide floor, they heard Esposito call out,

"Well, look who finally made it in today."

Ryan followed with, "If you can't get here on time, get here when you can." He smiled and turned to Esposito and threw out a fist bump.

Beckett went to respond and was cut off by Castle who turned to Kate and asked, "So when did Cagney and Lacy become the hall monitors? Do they want us to inform them when we need a bathroom break?"

Beckett was stifling a laugh when he leaned down to her ear and whispered. "Do you think we need permission for what took place last night? I'm not sure the 'kids' would want to know what happened. What do you think?" His voice was low and dripped with sexual tension.

She opened her mouth to speak but no words came. She was remembering what he had done to her last night and a soft smile came over her face. As she moved to her desk she tried to regain her composure. She asked, trying to break the spell he currently had over her, "So which one is Cagney anyway?"

Esposito was the first to speak up. "So not funny, Beckett, so not funny!"

The door to Montgomery's office was open. When he saw Beckett and Castle at her desk, he called out, "Castle get your ass in here. Bring Beckett too."

Kate looked over at Castle and mouthed, "What did you do now?"

Castle just shrugged and headed to the Captain's office. With Kate hot on his trail, he entered the office to see Montgomery motioning for him to have a seat on the couch. "Kate would you mind closing the door?" Kate did as she was asked and took a seat beside her partner. Only he was so much more than a partner now. He was the man she intended to marry and just the thought of that made a smile cross her face.

"Something you want to share with the group, Detective?"

"No sir, nothing at all."

Roy caught her glancing toward Castle out of the corner of her eye. 'It sure is nice to see her this happy. He never thought he would see her happy in his lifetime. Castle was indeed good for her, he was bringing out what he could only think was her personality before her mom was taken from her.'

"Okay, we all saw the scene last night. Anything you want to share with the class, Castle?"

"Well, Sasha was 'subbing' out a few of his men to Lockwood. Seems that when Kate took out his men previously, he didn't have time to bring in help. Or maybe he didn't have any additional help he could call on. Doesn't really matter, so Lockwood went to Sasha and picked up a few men. Sasha loaned them out as a favor to another Russian who Lockwood was working for."

Montgomery leaned back in his chair, contemplating what he had just heard. "So Sasha just loans out his men to take out a cop. That would bring a lot of heat. Why would he do that?" It was more of a statement than a question, and before anyone could answer, he continued, "He must be more scared of this new player than us. But he would have to get something in return. If he didn't, the new player…" He looked up at Castle. "Did he give you a name of the new player?" Rick just shook his head and Roy continued, "Right, no name, that would be too easy. So he would have to get something in return or the new player would just walk all over him and take his business."

Kate could see that Castle was shifting uncomfortably on the couch. He had some information that he was keeping to himself and the thought of that was beginning to anger her. She could feel the anger welling up inside of her when she finally nudged him. "Okay Rick, spill it. You are keeping something from us and I want it now. We are a team and there are no secrets."

"Alexis, he was getting Alexis after I was killed!"

The silence was so profound that a pin could have been heard dropping at that revelation. After what seemed like an eternity, Kate, who was sitting on the arm of the couch, leaned over and pulled Rick into a hug not relinquishing her hold as he continued to speak. She didn't care who saw her at that moment, her partner, her friend, and fiancé needed her support and she was going to give it to him. "I was leaving when I stopped and asked that question you just asked Roy. When he answered, I went crazy with rage. I didn't intend for that to happen, I only intended to scare him, but guns were drawn and, well, you saw the outcome." His breathing was ragged and his body stiffened.

Roy acknowledged Castle's obvious distress, asking if he needed a minute. Castle motioned for Roy to continue. "So what did you find out?"

"Ну, похоже, мы собираемся в клуб Амуре сегодня." (Well, it looks like we are going to Club Amure tonight.)

"What the hell Castle!? When did you learn Russian?"

"Another layer of the Castle onion, Beckett. And I, for one, can't wait for you to peel another layer."

That brought a snicker from Montgomery and a smile from Kate.

I used Google translate to find the Russian text. I hope it didn't butcher it to much.

Before some of you get upset about the Jim/Alexis talk, I have always thought she missed having a true mother and grandfather. I like to think that she would welcome one in quickly. It seemed like she wanted to with Hunt, but that could just me.

Thoughts?