Fire Burns

Chapter Four

Kate watched Rick while he slept. Dinner had been wonderful, and Kate was happy, but she couldn't sleep. The man asleep next to her was currently the most important person in her life, and Kate was starting to wonder just how they'd got to this point. She relied so heavily on him, and it scared her. Up to this point, Kate had always had her own place to go to, to have time to herself. It just so happened that she'd spent the last four months of their relationship entwined in Rick's arms. But now she didn't have her own place. She'd moved in with Rick. Their relationship was suddenly a lot a lot more real, and serious. Kate closed her eyes and sighed. Why had she agreed so quickly to move in with Richard Castle? What was she thinking? Kate sighed again. Realising that she wasn't going to get much sleep, she quietly got up and pulled on some clothes. Then, with a glance back at Rick, she left the room, and the apartment.

It was just after 2am when Kate's cell phone rang. She started awake, and looked around. She was still at the precinct, case files open on her desk. She found her phone, hiding under Jessica Solomon's bank statements.

"Yeah?" She mumbled into the phone, too tired to answer properly.

"Kate? Where are you?" It was Rick.

"I'm at the precinct." Kate replied, rubbing her eyes and yawning.

"Why?"

"I couldn't sleep. Working a case is what I usually do when I can't sleep, so I've been looking into Jessica Solomon's friends and acquaintances."

"Right." Rick didn't sound too happy.

"I'm sorry, Rick, it's just been such a busy day, I..." Kate trailed off. "I just need some time to think. Moving in with you is such a big thing, and I didn't think it through..."

"You're not changing your mind, are you?" Rick interjected.

"No. No I'm not. I just need to think. Bear with me. I've been alone for so long, and to suddenly have everything is a huge change for me. So I'm not changing my mind, you don't need to worry about that. Just give me a little time."

"Okay. I understand. Will you be home tonight? Or should I say, this morning?"

Kate smiled, despite herself. "I don't know."

"Okay then. Well, I miss having you here in my arms." Rick said. "I love you."

"I love you." Kate said in reply. "More than I ever thought I could."

"Try to get some sleep, Kate." Rick said. "You need it."

"Okay." Kate sighed. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

"I'll see you tomorrow, then."

"See you tomorrow."

"Love you."

"Love you, too."

Smiling, Kate hung up and cast her eyes down towards the notes and paperwork on her desk.

Kate woke later that morning to the smell of fresh coffee, and someone pressing a kiss to her head.

"Good morning, gorgeous." Rick said happily.

Sitting up from the hunched over position she'd fell asleep in, Kate smiled. "I'd be anything but." She replied.

"You're always gorgeous." Rick replied.

Kate stretched out, and grabbed the cup of coffee. "Wearing this, I'm not." She indicated the clothes she'd hastily pulled on the previous night.

"Well, I think you're beautiful no matter what you wear, but I thought you'd think that, so I brought some clothes in for you." He held up a bag, and Kate smiled gratefully.

Taking the bag, she leant over to give him a kiss. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Rick replied.

"I'll be back." Kate said, standing up. She headed towards the bathroom, and Rick immediately sprung up to follow her.

She pretended to ignore him as she completed the short journey. She entered a cubicle, and was shocked as Rick joined her.

"Castle?"

"Detective?"

"What are you doing?"

Rick descended upon her, his lips running over her neck, along her jaw, to her lips. He caught her lips with his, eagerly kissing her. Her gasp allowed him the access he wanted, and his tongue swept over hers. Pulling back when he needed air, Rick grinned. Kate was looking quite dishevelled, her cheeks rosy. She blinked at him, shock and wonder evident in her eyes.

"Wha... what?" She stammered.

"There's this fantasy I have." Rick said casually. "Had it for a while, actually. You're such a 'work' 'not work' sort of person. Separate worlds."

Kate frowned, suspecting where this was heading.

"What I want to do is break down the wall in between. Just 'cause I can."

The bag of clothes dropped to the floor of the cubicle, and Rick found himself, quite suddenly, with Kate's lips against his again. This kiss was eager, desperate, and full of want. Apparently she wanted this as much as he did. She wasted no time in loosening Rick's pants, and letting her hand dive inside. He groaned into her mouth, and thrust towards her. She grinned against his lips, and Rick used her distraction to undo her pants. He pushed them down, over her hips along with her panties, and he ran his fingers along her. She shuddered, and Rick pushed a finger inside of her. Kate dropped her head onto Rick's shoulder. He was all that was keeping her standing. He moved his fingers in and out, rubbing against her clit occasionally. She broke around him, bitting down on his shirt to stop from crying out too loudly. As she calmed, Rick pulled her head up to kiss her. He looked proud of himself, but he was not yet satisfied. Pushing his pants down, he lifted Kate slightly, allowing her to wrap her legs around him. He sank into her, and they both groaned. As always, they fit perfectly, and Kate knew she'd never want any other man. Rick pulled out of her, before plunging back in. They set up a rhythm. In. Out. In. Out. They were both panting heavily, when suddenly Kate clamped a hand over Rick's mouth. She stilled against him, her chest heaving. Someone had entered the bathroom. They stood there, Rick buried deeply within Kate, her hand clamped over his mouth, for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, the person left the bathroom, and Kate removed her hand. She giggled, and Rick laughed along with her. The ridiculousness of what they were doing finally hit them. But it wasn't enough to make them stop. It wasn't long before Kate shattered around Rick, moaning his name. He followed soon after, spilling himself within her. Kate slumped against him, her legs sliding down. Rick slid out of her, and they both sighed.

"Wow." Kate breathed.
"You're not kidding." Rick replied.

"Uh, well. We should go... catch a murderer." Kate said, sounding breathless.

"Yes, let's do that." Rick agreed.

They both quickly got dressed, and hurried back out to the bullpen.

"Okay, so the number our vic had been calling turns out to be her ex-boyfriend, no surprises there." Ryan was briefing the team on his latest findings. "Looks like she wanted him back, and he didn't want her back."

"What do we know about him?" Kate asked.

"Name's Nathan Jackson. Record's clean. Works at a bakery downtown." Ryan said.

"Okay. Lanie called. COD was blunt force trauma to the head. Looks like a baseball bat, or something similar." Kate replied.

Ryan nodded.

"Castle, you and I Mr Jackson a visit." Kate said.

"Sure thing." Rick replied with a grin.

Esposito looked between the two. "You guys are... oh, what's the word?"

"Unbelievable?" Ryan suggested.

"Yeah, that works. Unbelievable."

"In what way?" Rick asked.

"All these happy, sappy looks, and grins, and furtive glances..." Esposito trailed off.

"It's almost sickening." Ryan completed. "Almost. Most of the time it's just..."

"Teenagers in love?" Esposito suggested.

"Yeah, that works."

Kate rolled her eyes. "Why don't you two do some work?"

"Yes, Mrs Castle." Esposito replied.

Kate gave Rick an exasperated look. He just smirked.

"That's it. Let's go." She grabbed Rick's arm, and dragged him away from the other members of her team.

They arrived at the bakery where Nathan Jackson worked not long after.

Rick got out of the car, and breathed in deeply. "Ah, the smell of freshly baked bread." He smiled at Kate. "Does wonders for the soul."

Kate smiled at him. "Don't forget why we're here."

"Oh, I haven't. I just have a sudden craving for... hmm..." He sniffed again. "Custard tarts."

Kate rolled her eyes, a common gesture around Richard Castle, and entered the bakery. She approached the counter, and a friendly looking young woman smiled.

"Hi, what can I get you today?"

"I'd love one of those custard..."

"Nathan Jackson." Kate interrupted Rick. "Is he here?"

The girl looked confused. "Uh, yeah. He's out back. I'll get him for you."

As she disappeared into the back, Rick glared at Kate. "I only wanted a custard tart!"

"We're on a case, Castle. Not the time for custard tarts."

Rick sighed, and turned to wait for Nathan Jackson.

It wasn't long before the girl re-emerged, followed by a young man. She pointed to Kate and Rick and whispered something to him.

Smiling, the young man walked around the counter to greet Kate and Rick. "Hi, I'm Nathan Jackson."

Kate pulled out her badge. "Detective Beckett, NYPD. We have a few questions regarding Jessica Solomon."

Nathan's smile fell, and he looked around. "Come with me. We'll go somewhere private."

They followed him out the back, where he showered them to a table. They all sat.

"Becca called, told me she was... dead. I didn't want to believe it. Sure, we weren't together anymore, but that doesn't mean I didn't care about her." The man looked sad. "We were together for almost two years."

"Why'd you split?" Kate asked.

"She'd gotten into drugs recently, started hanging with a new crowd. I told her to stop, or it'd be over. But she couldn't stop. So I ended it. I can't... I couldn't handle her when she was high."

Kate looked at him closely. "She'd been calling you over the last few days before her death. Why?"

"She was trying to convince me she was clean. She wanted me back." Nathan sighed. "I didn't believe her. It's not the first time she's tried to convince me the same thing. But this time she said she really was clean, that she'd rented a new apartment, that she was turning her life around. Then she stopped calling. I figured that she'd dropped back into the habit. I guess now, that's when she..."

"I'm sorry." Kate said. "But I have to ask, where were you three nights ago?"

Nathan looked thoughtful. "Three nights ago? I was here. Night shift. Baking."

"Okay, thank you. We'll be in contact if we need anything else."

Nathan nodded.

Kate and Rick stood up to leave, but Nathan stopped them.

"I did love her, you know. So much. If only I'd agreed to see her, maybe she'd still be here."

Kate shook her head. "It's not your fault."

Nathan nodded once. "Thanks."

Kate gave a small smile, and then she and Rick left. She let Rick buy a custard tart, so he was happy. She, however, was totally caught up in the case, her mind sorting through facts as quick as it could.

A/N: Okay, I hope this was a little more substantial then the last chap. :D I like to think so. Well, I'm all moved. In my new place, tiny bedroom full of junk, but it's not too bad. Just a little warm. Anyway, I hope this chapter was alright. Reviews are always appreciated, and I'd like feedback for this, so I can improve if you think it needs it. Which, let's face it, it probably does. But for the moment, I like it. And after uploading this, I'm going to bed. It's almost midnight here.