So this is going to be a chapter with a lot of angst. I hope you like it.
As the door opened Rick gripped Kate's hand harder and she returned the grip just as hard. Suddenly scared Kate leant closer to Rick. She took a deep breath and whispered into his ear, "I'm sorry Castle but I don't want to go without telling you that I lied in the hospital, I remember everything that happened when I got shot."
Rick stiffened, feeling anger building in him. He had always suspected that she remembered but now that she had told him he knew she had kept it from him and the only reason he could think of was that she didn't return his feelings. He pulled away from her, turning his back and letting go of her hand. Kate felt tears beginning to gather in her eyes and looked up at the door, wondering who it was who was going to come through.
She saw the gun first but then relaxed slightly when she saw Esposito coming towards her. Silently she stood, Rick following her but still refusing to look at her. Tony and Ziva also stood and together the four of them made their way to the door. Once outside they were meet by the sight of Gibbs, Ryan and McGee surrounding a group of men, obviously bikers, who all had their hands in the air.
"Good timing boss," Tony joked.
Gibbs shook his head, "Thank Castle and his daughter for that one DiNozzo."
Esposito made quick work of the cuffs and soon they were all separated. Gibbs looked around the group and spoke, "After Castle said you were blown we got there as quick as we could but the four of you had already disappeared, however, we did get Collins and the drugs. We were in the middle of integrating him when your daughter came rushing in," he glanced at Castle quickly, "And told us that your GPS had been activated. We followed and ended up here. Unfortunately there was a group of bikers here, obviously waiting to be told what to do with you. We got here and got into a shootout, you can see the results." He took a closer look at everyone and said, "Ziva, I want you to go to the hospital and get your arm looked at." Ziva had been holding her arm close to her body so it didn't get knocked.
She shook her head, "It's fine, I'll get Ducky to look at it."
Gibbs nodded, "Tony, you get her to Ducky." He turned to Kate and Rick, "You're bikes are both at the precinct, we loaded them into the van after we had searched the bar."
Kate and Rick both nodded then Rick asked, in a dead voice, "Am I alright to go?"
Gibbs nodded and Rick turned, not even looking at Kate. "Rick wait please, I need to talk to you," Kate pleaded.
Rick gave her a look full of venom, "A little late for that isn't it detective." He turned again and walked away. Once he got to the road he hailed a cab and disappeared.
Ryan and Esposito watched, open mouthed as Rick walked away. They turned to Kate to ask her what was going on and were both shocked to see that her face had fallen and she had tears in her eyes. Ziva took one look at her then turned to Tony, "She's coming with us."
Tony nodded and caught Gibbs keys as the boss threw them at him. Ziva gently took Kate's arm and lead her towards where she could see Gibbs car was parked. Ryan and Esposito watched them go then turned to Tony. "What's wrong with her?"
Tony shook his head, "She said something to Rick about lying to him, something about she can remember her shooting, and now he won't look at her and you heard the way he spoke to her."
Ryan and Esposito shook their heads and looked at each other then back at Tony. "Talk her into going to talk to him about whatever it was. The shooting is a sore spot in their history and anything to do with it needs talked out as soon as possible otherwise they're both going to be miserable."
Tony nodded, "I'll see what I can do, Ziva was talking to her about something earlier so maybe she can sort it out."
He bid good bye to the two detectives before going over to where Gibbs and McGee were standing. "I'll take Ziva to see Ducky as soon as we've dropped off the detective. Is Ducky still at the morgue or has he gone back to the hotel?"
"He's at the morgue, I think he's helping Dr Parish with some autopsies, the other ME is off and she's a little shorthanded," Gibbs answered.
Tony nodded, "I'll see you back at the hotel in a bit then."
Gibbs nodded and Tony jogged over to the car, where Ziva was talking to Kate in a low voice. "You told him and now you need to talk to him, explain why you didn't tell him whatever it was in the first place."
Kate shook her head, "I have never seen him so angry, even the fight we had before I got shot he wasn't that mad."
Ziva gripped Kate's arms, "Talk to him Kate, find out why he's so angry and try to sort it out. The two of you have something great and you can't let whatever this is get in the way of that."
Tony came up behind them and unlocked the car, "I agree with Ziva, Gibbs has a rule, you don't waste good and the pair of you are good."
Kate moved to sit in the back and put her head in her hands. Tony and Ziva got into the front and as Tony started the engine Ziva turned to look at Kate. Kate lifted her head and, with tears running down her face, said quietly, "It doesn't matter how good you think we are he won't forgive me for this lie. He told me he loved me and I told him I didn't remember it." The last part came out as a mumbled whisper as she put her head back into her hands.
Ziva and Tony shared a look, both clearly uncomfortable with Kate's tears. Ziva took the plunge and spoke, "Talk to him Kate, he may forgive you he may not but you won't know until you try."
Kate was still for a few moments then she raised her head and wiped her eyes. "You're right and I'm sorry for melting down on you."
The two agents shook their heads. "You've had a bad day Kate and after an episode of PTSD you have every right to be a little emotional."
Kate smiled up at her, "Thanks." She looked out the window and said, "Can you drop me off at Castle's, I want to sort this out sooner rather than later."
Tony nodded and made his way towards Castle's loft. Once there Kate said, "Thanks, now go and see Ducky about your arm." She got out the car and waved them off.
They left, heading towards the morgue. Kate watched them go and took a deep breath before turning away from the road and towards Castle's building.
She nodded a greeting to the door man and went to the lift. She pushed the button for Rick's floor and leant against the back of the lift. When it stopped at his floor she got out and went to his door. She took a deep breath and knocked on the door.
She waited for a moment then Martha opened the door. "Detective."
"Martha, is Rick here. I need to talk to him, it's important."
"Anything to do with the way he came in earlier, looking like he did when he found out Meredith was cheating on him?"
Kate looked at her feet, "I need to talk to him Martha."
The older woman nodded, "Yes, yes you do." She stepped to the side and let the detective in. "He's in his office," she said as she shut the door.
Kate nodded her thanks then, squaring her shoulders, made her way to the office. She went to knock but then shook her head and opened the door; she didn't want to give him the chance to kick her out without giving her a chance to explain.
She opened the door and walked in. Castle's back was to her and he was working on his smart board. She looked at what he was doing and froze; it was her case, her shooting. She took a step back and yelled at Castle's back, "You get all high and mighty with me about not telling you I remembered and you were looking in to my case after you told me to back down from it." Castle turned to face her and she continued, her voice getting quieter, but full of venom, "You're a bastard Rick, my case, my mom's case; they're the most important things in my life and you kept them from me." She turned her back and walked out of his office, storming towards the door.
Rick watched her go and in that second realised just how stupid he had been walking away from her. They needed to talk, and they needed to talk now.
Don't kill the writer, I'll sort it all out in the next chapter.