Chapter Six
Rick watched surprised but pleased when she finished her entire meal. "More?"
"Oh God no, they were just so good and I never got around to eating at all yesterday."
Rick frowned and opened his mouth to say something but shut it again. They had a lot to discuss and he did want to start off with an argument. He put the remaining batter away and collected all the dishes. Kate got up to help him wash but he pointed to the dishwasher. "Alexis has a rule, we wait for a full load. She is very eco-conscious." He poured the last of the coffee into their cups and reached for her hand to follow him into the living room. Rick put down his cup but didn't sit, he walked over to the large window on the far wall, pulling back the drapes he watched as the rain continued to pour down. Taking a deep breath, he turned back to Kate who was sitting on the couch. "OK, we found the tape from the church but had no way to find the mystery man on it that killed Orlando Costa."
"Javier tracked him down. He saw the rental company logo on the keys in his hands. GPS gave us his location."
"Kate , please me you did not go after him alone. If you were crazy enough to go after him, that Esposito and Ryan followed you as backup."
"We argued about how to go after him. Ryan wanted to go to Gates, I said no. I tried to go alone but Javier wouldn't let me." Kate could see Rick's eyes getting darker and his fists were clenched but he said nothing. "I know it was reckless and stupid and he could have been killed because of me but thank God, he wasn't."
"Kate, I understand your desire to bring the man who shot you to justice….."
"I didn't really care about Cole Maddox. I wanted to use him to find the man who hired him to kill me; the same man that sent killer after my mom and Captain Montgomery. When we got there, Esposito was ambushed from behind, then Cole came at me. We fought...no I tried to fight him but he was a trained killer and just toyed with me. He enjoyed beating me, nearly strangled me and then pushed me over the edge of the roof."
"Kate!" Rick rushed over as she started to cry. He knelt down in front of her. "I thought he would force me let go or stand there and watch until I did fall but he just walked away. He had a gun and could have shot me but I wasn't even worth him wasting another bullet. Ten stories up and he left me hanging. After a few minutes my hands and shoulders hurt so badly but all I could think about was you. I looked down and there was an alley below…I couldn't bear the thought of you finding me dead in an alley just like my mom. I called out your name, I didn't want to die before I had the chance to tell you how much I loved you." Kate stopped, looked into his eyes as she held his face in her hands. "I do love you, Rick." Kate kissed him softly but he expanded the kiss. Breathless, she pulled back from him and touched his lips with her finger letting him know there was more to the story. "I was loosing my grip when I heard your voice. You told me to hang on, that you were coming." I realize it now that it was Kevin calling out but you saved me; you gave me the strength to hold on for the extra minutes it took for them to find me and pull me back onto the roof. SWAT was there and so was Gates."
Rick got up and pulled her into his lap. "Oh God, Kate! I should have been there. I should have stopped you from going after him, made you stop investigating. This was why I was so angry at you the other night. I nearly lost you again...I can't lose you. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." Rick unconsciously used Kate's own words from the previous night as he held her. They stayed in each others arms kissing, touching and whispering for a long time.
When they could finally let go of each other, Kate went to take a sip of her coffee but it was ice cold. Rick laughed at the face she made and just to relieve the tension. "Want me to make more coffee or some wine, maybe?"
Kate nodded and followed him to the dining island. He poured them both a glass. "If Gates was there, I'm sensing she was not pleased."
"In a word, no…she suspended us both and she's turned Kevin into her whipping boy. Poor Esposito, this was my fault. I deserved it but he didn't. It will be a black mark on his record."
"What about you?"
"I don't care, it doesn't matter anymore. I resigned, turned in my gun, threw my badge on Gate's desk, packed up my desk and left."
It took Rick a minute to absorb that. "Why Kate, I thought the job was your life."
"It was but not anymore. I really don't know who I am anymore. My therapy with Dr. Burke has made me question so many things that made up my life until now. If I try to solve my mother's murder, I could die…others could die..."Kate looked at him…"but she will still be dead. You were right Rick, I have been chasing her killer so long; I don't know who I am without it"
"I do. You are the woman I love and we have all the time in the world to figure it out...together, Kate."
"Maybe I'm just not worth the trouble. I really don't understand how you can love me. I push people away, build walls; I have so many issues and scars. I'm too complicated."
Rick was stung by her comment but he deserved it after parading Jacinda in front of everyone. "I'm not proud of what I did, Kate. I know I hurt you. I was trying to JUST work with you and see someone else. She was lovely and fun to be with but nothing more, I just didn't care if I ever saw her again. She offered but I didn't sleep with her. I tried to stop loving you but I can't, Kate, I can't. I want …no; I need you in my life. I want to be with you, take care of you, Kate, make you happy. You don't eat or sleep enough and work way too hard. If you give me a chance, give us a chance, I think we can make each other happy. Let all the bad stuff be part of the past. We can't change it but maybe we can learn from it and not repeat the same mistakes. Today is a new beginning, no more secrets, walls or lies between us for any reason. I do understand what you are feeling right now. I'm not sure who I am now that Alexis is going to college and will be out on her own. She doesn't need me anymore. Maybe together we can figure out who we are now and find a future for both of us."
"Rick Castle, did you just propose to me?"
"Trust me Kate, when we are both ready and I do propose, you'll know it."
"I'll be looking forward to that day, Rick. Since Alexis won't be home for a while, I could really use another soak in your tub. That is, if you will be my lifeguard."
"Always Kate, Always."
EPILOGUE
Rick watched with pleasure as Kate cuddled into him. It took all his strength not to kiss her awake and make love with her again. Being with her was like a drug and he was addicted. A sound or maybe the lack of sound pulled his focus from her. Looking out his window, he confirmed it had finally stopped raining. Thank God, the storm had passed. Somehow they both survived this storm but Rick knew Kate was still in danger. Cole Maddox had stolen Captain Montgomery's files looking for his blackmail file on "The Dragon". Rick knew who had them. Kate had stopped looking for her mother's killer and should be safe...at least for now. He also knew it was just a matter of time until Maddox located the mysterious Mr. Smith. He wanted to warn the man but had no way to reach him.
Smiling down at Kate, he covered her. She may have resigned but Rick did not think the NYPD would let her go so easily. If she did decide to go back, he just hoped that Gates or whoever her new boss was, would let him stay with her. Right now Kate was more concerned about the fight between Esposito and Ryan. She wanted to help her friends and partners to "make up". They were fighting because each man tried to help her go after Cole Maddox in their own way. Esposito was suspended and Ryan was in the doghouse for helping her.
Rick wanted to give Kevin Ryan a gift, anything he wanted for saving Kate's life. What the hell was the point of being a millionaire if you don't use the money. Best of all, Kate had agreed to spend some time with him in the Hamptons. Maybe he could invite Kevin and his bride, Jenny for the weekend and discover what he really wanted or needed. A house maybe? Perhaps Kate could invite Javier…and Lanie, everyone knew the two of them belonged together. Rick wanted all the people he cared for to be as happy as he was with Kate.
Glancing at the clock, it was nearly 6PM and Alexis would be home soon. He eased away from her, kissing Kate gently on the cheek. Rick watched her snuggle into his pillow. Finally able to pull himself away from watching her, he took a quick shower, dressed and ordered his daughter's favorite pizza. Returning to the bedroom, Rick left Kate's clean, dried clothes at the bottom of the bed, as he waited for dinner and his daughter. He wanted to talk to Alexis about what had happened between him and Kate. He hoped she would understand, come to accept the changes and be happy for him…for them both.
A/N For some reason the Epilogue did not transfer with Chapter Six. I did not catch the mistake until this morning. I did a happy dance when I heard there would be a season five. I am looking forward to all the possible stories as they battle "the Dragon". Thanks again to all of you who made this a favorite or left a review.
