Disclaimer – Do not own Castle
NY, Rick's Loft – 21:05 – Lounge Area
Silence had fallen over the loft. Three sets of female eyes were glued to the small laptop screen as they had heard what Rick just heard. It was gun-shots, followed by him shouting "Dad." Which indicated Donavan was involved or had been hit.
Alexis was the first to speak. "What just happen?" the teen asks, turning her attention to the brunette. Kate wasn't sure how to answer that question since she didn't know exactly herself.
"Donavan," Martha gasped, covering her mouth with her hands. She just got him back, she couldn't lose him now.
NY, Washington Square Park- 21:06 - The central fountain
Rick was waiting from a response from either of the detectives. Neither had responded yet, which was driving him insane. It wasn't a difficult question.
"I'm okay, son." Donavan answered over the ear piece.
Rick sighs in relief, hearing his father's voice. "Dad, thank-god your okay," he admitted.
"I can't say the same about Dallas though," Donavan answered over the earpiece.
Rick turned and looked at the new captain, her face filled with heartache. The author remembers that she was in the van with the detectives, which meant she would have seen the entire interaction between his father and her uncle.
"You were right, Mr Castle. My uncle was behind it all." Nicole spoke up. "If you don't mind, I would like to be the one to tell my cousins, his sons," she requested, walking towards the three dark men with black pillow cases over their heads. Standing opposite from the oldest, the captain pulled the pillowcase off the guys head, expecting to find one of cousin's. Instead she found the face of a complete stranger.
"Your cousins are at a safe house, twenty minutes from here. Simon will take you," Rick explained to her. A black haired Caucasian man in his forty's hopped out of Rick's vehicle, nodding once.
She just nodded once. "Okay," she began, then turning her attention towards the two male detectives. "Take tomorrow off. I'll see you on Wednesday, detectives," she finished before walking back towards the black van, Simon followed.
Rick turned back and faced his friends. Javier and Kevin both had their misses, holding them close. That's all Rick wanted to do at the moment, be home with his family but this night was far from over, reaching into his pocket he pulled his keys out and handed them to Javier.
"Go home guys, Dad and I will clean up," Rick told them, solemnly. His arms folded across his chest.
Both detectives looked at one another, than towards the writer, the last four hours had taken a toll on them all. "Tell Beckett we'll see her tomorrow, night Bro." Javier informed the writer.
The two couples than headed towards the black escalade.
The author walked towards the surveillance van, which was starting up. He stopped by the driver's side window. Simon was holding a disc out for Rick. "Tell Brooks that after the captain has spoken to her cousins, then the sons can be released," he informed the guard.
Simon nodded once.
Rick looked passed the guard and his eyes locked on the captain in the passenger's seat. She was looking out the window. The expression on her face was heavy-hearted.
"You were right, Mr Castle," Nicole began, turning her gaze from the window and towards the writer. "I just built him on this high pedestal that he couldn't do any wrong. He was a good man, Mr Castle, even if he made some stupid choices. He was a good man," she explains before turning back and looking out the window.
"I am sorry that you had to see this side of him, it pains us when our hero's fall from grace," he responded before turning away with the disc in hand.
The surveillance van drove off, his black escalade behind it. Rick waved them off as his cell began chirping, he glanced at the number. He pulled the earwig out.
"Hey, beautiful," he answers with a slight smile.
"Rick," her voice softly flowed over the phone. "How is everyone? I know you sent them home, we saw and heard everything that you did," Kate explains, shaky.
Rick knew that Kate had been watching the footage from his button cam; he also knew she was processing everything. "I thought I lost dad for a moment," he confesses. "After that shot rang out and he didn't respond right away. For a moment, I thought he was the one that got shot," he told her, his voice quivered.
"But it wasn't him, you didn't lose him Rick," she assured him, her voice was strong.
Rick began walking through the park, heading towards Thompson Street to the building that his father was on the roof of at the moment.
"And I am grateful for that" he responded.
A small silence took over the conversation before Kate's voice flowed through the speaker. "When will you be home?" she quietly asked him.
A smile played at his lips. Kate said 'Home' not 'back'. Even though it was his home, hearing that word pass her lips, he couldn't help but smile. And that dream about Kate and him on the beach at the Hamptons when they're old, once again appeared in his mind.
"We'll be home within an hour, Dad and I just have some cleaning up to do. Tell Alexis and Mother that everything is okay and they should go to bed. And I'll see you when I get home, beautiful." Rick explained.
"I'll be here," she promised before hanging up. "Yes, you will," he whispers to himself as he leaves through the south entrance of the park, giving a slight wave to the guard who was on his phone.
Rick dropped his gaze to his own phone in his hand, scrolling through his contacts, than hitting dial and bringing the cell to his ear. He waited for the call to connect before speaking up.
"Hey Paula, you know that friend you have in the media. I am gonna need you to make a call," he began.
"What did you do now Rick?'' she asked, accusingly.
Thompson St, Apartment Building - 21:12 – Rooftop
Rick opened the door, leading out onto the rooftop. It was quiet, just the sounds of the city surrounded him. The writer took in his surroundings as he walked across the roof, spotting his father looking out over the city below, his back to him.
Laying on the ground a few metres to the right from his father's feet was the still body of Dallas Grant.
The writer stopped beside the dead older man that had bled out, several minutes ago.
Donavan had shot him straight in the head, he would have died instantly. "He wanted me to kill him," Donavan told his son, mournful. Turning around and looking at the younger version of himself.
Rick tore his gaze from Dallas and fixed it on his father, the writer knew that it wasn't an easy choice for his father to kill his old friend. The two were practically like brothers, but Dallas broke that brotherhood when he threatened his family years ago.
"You got shot!" Rick exclaimed. Taking in the blood soaked section on his father's left upper arm.
Donavan waved it off. "Flesh wound, I'm okay son," Donavan assured him, resting his right hand on his sons shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze.
"The clean up team will be here in a few minutes to take Grant to the morgue," the former marine explained.
Rick's eyes were still fixated on his father's 'flesh wound' knowing that his father was right about it but it still needed to be attended too. "Paula is calling her friend, we just have to drop off the proof," Rick informs Donavan.
Ryan's and Jenny's Apartment – 21:26
Kevin opened the door to their home and with his arm snaked around his fiancé, he led her in. They walked straight through the apartment and directly to their bedroom. Not even bothering to hit on any of the lights. The room had enough light streaming in from the open curtain. As the two took a seat on the end of the bed, they didn't break contact.
Jenny's head was resting on her partner's chest, their fingers laced.
"I was so scared that I could have lost you tonight, Jenny." Kevin confessed, his eyes glassily.
The blue eyed blonde, lifted her head from his chest and locked her matching tear-filled eyes with his. She had been so frightened, the same fears had occurred to her. Never seeing Kevin again, scared the hell out of her.
"He handcuffed Lanie and me to the bed for hours, just left us there until it was time to meet with Rick," Jenny explained. "He then said as soon as he gets his sons back, he would kill us all" she managed to say before bursting into tears.
It tore at Kevin that the love of his life had to go through all that. He was a cop so it came with the job for him, but Jenny didn't sign up for this. Dallas Grant was lucky that he was dead because if Donavan hadn't shot him, Kevin knew that Javier and himself would have made him suffer.
Kevin let Jenny cry in his arms, doing his best to sooth her.
NY, Safe house – 21:31
Nicole still couldn't believe that her uncle was dead, that she was about to tell her cousins that their father is gone and never coming back. Her aunt was out of town at the moment. The African American woman followed the guard through the house and they stopped outside of a white door.
Simon knocked on the door, three knocks.
A moment later the door opened, he then stepped aside and she walked passed him entering the room. Sitting at a table were her three younger cousins', they were more like little brother to her.
"Nikki, what are you doing here?" Matt asked, standing up.
The door had been closed behind her after she had entered the room.
"They didn't hurt you did they, is Isobel okay?" he asked concerned.
Nicole nodded, tears were stinging her eyes but not for the reasons that her cousin's assumed. She was usually a strong woman, known as a bull-buster but not tonight, not after what she had witnessed, for once she just wanted to be weak.
Matt grew instantly concerned, along with his two younger brothers when they saw the tears in their older cousins eyes. She was never one to show emotions. Always super protective growing up over the three of them, like a big sister more than anything and to see her like this, he knew something was seriously wrong.
"Its dad isn't it?" the oldest son asked, not really wanting an answer.
Nicole just nodded, sobbing. Matt walked over to his cousin and bought her into his arms, hugging her, letting her cry it out.
Nathan and David both stood up in their seats.
"Wait, where is dad?" David asks looking towards his older cousin. "If those scum ..." he began angrily answering before Nicole tore away from her cousin and looked at David, eyes glistering with tears.
"He was dirty, Dave. Uncle Dallas was behind everything," she confessed angrily.
Three sets of eyes locked on her.
"No, they got to you," Nathan began, crossing the room towards her. "Nick, how can you say that about the man that raised you?" he asked in disbelief.
"Because he confessed, I heard him," she admitted, doing her best to keep her voice steady.
The sons were still un-sure, they idolised their father. He was their hero.
"He said that he had to end this because he didn't want to drag my reputation through the mud, because he loved you guys so much. He admitted to everything before pulling his weapon on his old friend, a former marine. He took a shot but Storm was too quick and got his shot in first," Nicole divulged to her cousins.
"Dad's dead?" Matt filled in the blanks, she just nodded.
A mournful silence fell over the room.
Esposito's Apartment – 21:35 - Bedroom
Javier and Lanie had arrived back at his place a few minutes ago. Lanie was sitting on their bed, staring at the ground. It pained Javier that she had gone through that, what-ever that was. She hadn't really said anything since they got the girls back.
"Cariño," he whispered as he walked into the room.
Javier had just gotten off the phone from Lanie's parents, informing them that she was safe now, since they had seen the news earlier and had been freaking out since.
Lanie lifted her gaze, locking her eyes on her Hispanic lover. She could see that he was worried about her. She was known as the tough chick, not letting anything get to her, often at times speaking her mind. But at the moment, she just wanted to cry. She had broken down back at the park but on the drive home, not one word had been spoken.
"I'm gonna hop in the shower," she announced trying to sound casual, as she hopped up from the bed, walking passed her boyfriend as she crossed the hall to the shower.
Bathroom – 21:37
Javier waited until he heard the shower turn on before he followed her. Lanie often presented the 'tough girl' appearance, like she could face anything. But Javier knew that she was a woman and that she also had feelings too. And that even though it seems like nothing could knock her down, that wasn't true.
He walked over towards the shower, quickly undressing before opening the glass door and stepping in and closing the door behind himself. Her back was faced to him. She was directly under the spray of hot water, her arms cross and he could hear her sobbing.
Lanie knew that it was safe to break-down again as soon as she was in the shower, because the water would blend with her tears that were streaming down her face. As the warm water pelted against her skin, she just let it all out. A moment later she felt two strong arms encircle around her waist and pull her close, the next thing she felt was Javier's body mould against her own and his lips pressing against her neck.
She cried for a few more minutes before hearing him speak.
"I was so scared I was never going to see you again," Javier admitted.
Lanie turned around, facing him, his arms were still wrapped around her and she was now looking up into his eyes. She could see the pain in his eyes.
"I love you, so much Lanie," he confessed.
Lanie lifted her hand, bringing it to his face and resting it on his cheek.
"I love you too, Javier" she began. "I am your lady and you're my man," she whispers against his lips before touching them with her own. The kiss started out intense before it grew more passionate and urgent. She started to suck on lower lip before his tongue begged for entry into her mouth.
Lanie pushed Javier against the tiled wall, her arms snaked around his neck and their tongue battled for dominance as the room filled with steam from the shower.
Commissioners House - 21:41 – Lounge Area
The last two weeks had been hectic; the Commissioner thought as he went through the mail that had been piling up a few days before the Captain at the 12th had been killed. Steve had finally found the time to sit down and go through it all. His wife was sitting on the couch beside him, watching 'Sleepless in Seattle' and he knew she was close to tears.
Steve's eyes fell on a large yellow envelope that was marked with his name, not commissioner. The older man flipped over the large envelope and his eyes widen in surprise at who the sender was. It was from Roy Montgomery - the dead captain. Steve was curious to what was inside, so with his letter opener he quickly opened it and poured the contents out into his lap.
"We apologize for the interruption of tonight's viewing of programming to bring you this breaking news," a female voice began coming from the television.
Steve knew when-ever there was breaking news, that wasn't a good sign. He lifted his eyes back to the television screen and listened to what the pretty young news-reporter speak.
"At nine o'clock this evening, New Yorks Police Chief of Department for the last twenty-two years was killed at a standoff on top of a roof apartment building in Manhattan, New York. The entire scene was recorded. Dallas Grant was confirmed to have been behind all of the recent attacks on the 12th Police department, which includes putting a homicide detective in hospital and the captain in the ground," the reporter began, her voice steady. "I have just been informed that we're not allowed to show the actual footage of the takedown. The death of Dallas Grant closes several cold-cases, may their families finally be at peace, I am ..."
Steve hit the mute button before she could finish, he knew his wife's eyes were fixed on him, not knowing what to say. His gaze dropped to the papers in his lap that Roy had sent him, still stunned to what he had just heard. Why wasn't he informed?
The Commissioner stood up from his spot, letting the papers fall to the ground. He then walked into the direction of his office to make a few phone calls.
Castle Loft – 21:43 – Open Lounge Area
Martha and Kate had been watching 'Sleepless in Seattle' when the news-break had interrupted their movie. Alexis was in-between the two but had fallen asleep, her head resting in Kate's lap. As both older women listened to the young woman on the television, they eyes were glued t the screen.
Kate closed her eyes as the blonde on the screen said. "The death of Dallas Grant closes several cold-cases, may their families finally be at peace," she tuned out the rest, as a few silent tears slipped from her eyes.
A moment passed before she heard the door open and her eyes shot open, looking towards the door.
Martha muted the television when she heard the door opening. As soon as she saw her son and his father enter she shot up from the couch and made her way towards them. The first thing she spotted was dry blood on Donavan's arm.
Since they could only hear and see what Rick had, they didn't actually see the shooting, which was for the best since Alexis had been with them.
"You were shot!" the actress exclaimed, stopping dead in her tracks a few metres from him. Her son walked pass her and towards his partner, but Martha's gaze was locked on the blood soaked upper arm, close to the shoulder. Donavan was the one to enclose the distance between them, his arm had now been bandaged by a kit kept in the car and one of the guards had given him a shot while Rick had lectured him about seeing a doctor. But the guards use to be a medic so he didn't see the point in going to the hospital.
"I'm okay, beautiful," Donavan assured her, as he pulled his woman into his arms. Disbelief filled her sea blue eyes. He knew he would have to convince her, so he reached for her hands and placed them over his heart. "It's beating, I told you I would come home to you," he affirmed.
Martha nodded before tears began to fall and she wrapped her arms around him, crying into his chest.
Rick's face lit up the moment Kate's hazel-green orbs locked onto him, the smile grew larger when he saw his baby girl asleep on her lap. He could see that she had been crying though, her eyes were glassing and red. He made his way around the couch and gently nudged his daughter until her crystal blue eyes looked at him. She blinked a few times before shooting up off Kate's lap and leaping off the couch and into her father's arms.
The father almost lost his balance when his daughter leapt into his arms, pulling him into a tight Castle hug, her arms wrapped around his neck and her head buried into his chest.
"Thank-god you're home" she mumbled into his jacket. Before pulling back and looking at him. "We were all so scared when we heard the shots," the redheaded teen confessed, than looking around the room and spotting her grandfather with her grandmother, relieved that both her father and grandfather were home safe, turning her gaze back to her father.
"This is all over now, right?" Alexis began. "We can all finally move on?" the teen asks her father. Rick nodded, assuring his daughter. "Yes, Sweetheart, so now you can go to bed and tomorrow will be a new day," he promised.
She smiled at her father and kissed him on the cheek. "Night Dad," he returned her smile. Alexis turned back to Kate and sat back down beside the detective, placing a kiss on the older woman's cheek. "Night Kate" she whispered before hopping back up and took off in the direction of the stairs with a yawn, calling a goodnight over her shoulder to her grandparents.
The writer turned his attention back to his brunette angel. Her eyes had softened but were still filled with sadness. He knew that she was holding in everything, Kate didn't break-down in public.
Rick held his hands out and a small smile played at her lips as she reached for them and let him carefully help her up. She had taken a few pain pills just after he left, so her walls were temporally down.
The moment she stood in front of him, he pulled her into his arms, which Kate gratefully allowed and responds by wrapping her arms around his upper torso and resting her head on his chest. She just listened to his heat beat, which was her favourite new hobby.
Rick placed a kiss on the top of her head and whispers. "Come on," he whispered as they began walking to his room.
Rick's Room - 21:51
After they had entered the room, Kate had told him to change out of his combat clothes, that she wanted something soft to snuggle up to. At first Rick was heisted to leave her, if only for a few minutes, but she assured him she would be fine. So he humoured her, heading in the direction of his bathroom to remove the vest he was still wearing under his combat clothes.
Rick had removed the gun before re-entering the loft. Leaving it locked in his father's car, along with the knife that he had strapped to his leg.
21:59
He exited his bathroom now changed into sweatpants and a tee shirt, to find his room dark. There was light streaming into the room from the bathroom and through his open curtains. His eyes than fell onto Kate's Silhouette on the bed, she was sitting against the head board of his bed, hugging a pillow and he could hear sobbing.
"Kate, sweetheart," he spoke up, making his way over to the bed. He heard her sniffle as he slid onto the bed, beside her. She didn't move, didn't say anything which tore at him. Rick knew that Kate was one to hide her feelings, that if she released them, than people would think she is weak or something. But he knew she was anything but weak, she was one of the strongest people he had ever met.
"Please look at me," he pleaded, his tone almost desperate but must have got to her because she turned her head and looked at him. Her eyes were once again glassy, she had been crying again. Rick didn't wait for approval. He just wrapped his arm around her, pulling her closer to him, Kate tossed the pillow and rested her head on his chest once again. Her arm draped over his toned chest.
"I just cannot believe that it's finally over," she confessed, her voice filled the room. He placed a kiss on the top of her head again. She was masking the pain in her voice, but he could still detect it. "Eleven years it took..." she continued as a sob escaped her throat. "I just miss her so much, Rick," she admitted before breaking into tears again.
Rick knew that Kate was re-grieving her mother's death all over again. But this time she wasn't alone and if she let him, he would make sure that she is never alone again.
Open Lounge Area - 22:22
Martha and Donavan were in the lounge area, Martha was sitting on the couch and Donavan walked over towards the Media Centre, he opened the media player and searched for the song he wanted, then hit play as soft country music filled the room. Walking over towards the couch he held out his hand, the older redhead smiled at him, taking his hand in her and the two started to dance as Kenny's voice filled the room.
"One word, that's all you said, something in your voice caused me to turn my head. Your smile, just captured me. You were in my future as far as I could see and I don't know how it happens, but it happens still. You asked me if I love you, if I always will."
As the two sway with the music, looking into one another's eyes. Old memories filled their minds.
"Well you had me from hello, I felt love start to grow. The moment I looked into your eyes you won me, it was over from the start you completely stole my heart and now you won't let go. I never even had a chance you know ... you had me from hello."
As the music played on, Donavan smiled down at the woman he loved. "We've wasted too many years apart and I don't ever want to not have you with me. I love you Martha," he declared, pulling away from her. She was a little stunned.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a little blue velvet box.
The actress's eyes widened, she had been in this situation a few times before and she knew what came next. But the look on his face was something she hadn't seen in any other of her past lovers eyes before, which was pure raw love.
"Marry Me, beautiful," he simple requested as he opened the box and staring back at her was a simple but elegant diamond ring. It had a silver platinum band, one larger diamond in the middle with a smaller one to each side of it. Even though she saw it coming, as soon as she saw the little box, she was still kind of stunned.
"I thought you'd never asked," she answered honestly, before holding out her left hand. "Yes, Donavan, the answer is yes," her gaze locked on his and his slid the ring on her finger, than pulling her into a passionate embrace.
Rick's Bedroom
Kate and Rick were both lying in one another's arms; they could hear the music playing from the lounge area, since the door was opened a crack.
"Inside ... I built a wall, so high around my heart. I thought I'd never fall. One touch, you brought it down, the bricks of my defences scattered on the ground and I swore to me I wasn't going to love again. The last time was the last time I'd let someone in."
"I love how a song can tell a story with just few words and take you back to a moment in your life when you felt that way," Kate whispered in one long breath. She was snuggled against Rick; his arms encircled her, their fingers entwined.
"But you had me from hello, I felt love start to grow. The moment I looked into your eyes you won me, it was over from the start, you completely stole my heart and now you won't let go. I never even had a chance you know ... you had me from hello."
"That's why writers love music," Rick spoke up. "The lyrics to a powerful song can mean a lot. The right words can heal a hurting heart and make them believe in living again," Rick whispered back before he started singing along with the song.
"That's all you said, something in your voice caused me to turn my head, you had me from hello, and you had me from hello ... Girl, I've loved you from hello."
Music played as the song finished.
Kate let out a small chuckle; she thought it was cute how he sang along with the ending of the song, mostly because he was singing it to her. He made her feel safe and incredibly loved. No other guys besides her father had even made her feel that way. Mainly because she always kept herself at a distance from most man, only a few she had ever let in. But he squirmed his way into her heart and stayed, he promised 'always' and she knew that he meant it.
A smile tugged on her lips as she felt his lips press against her neck, which reminded her of earlier. "Rick" she mumbled as he began to suck on her neck, the exact spot he marked earlier.
"Mmm" he mumbled back.
"The next time you leave a mark on me, make it somewhere that is not visible to your daughter's eyes," she whispered seductively.
He stopped sucking on her neck and lifted his head, looking down at her in surprised. "Did you just give me permission to bite you?" he asked, grinning.
Kate turned her head; locking eyes with her partner. A smile had taken place on her lips. "As long you remember that I bite back," she purred against his lips before capturing them with her own. For a long slow passionate kiss before pulling away, grinning like an idiot. "Night Rick" she turned her head from his and closed her eyes.
"Apples," he whispered into her ear before letting sleep overtake him.