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"Hey," Castle kissed her cheek and she smiled sweetly at him, blushing. She did have feelings for him, even though the probably weren't reciprocated.
"Hi," he sat down across from her and picked up the drink that was in front of him and took a sip. "So where's Kate?" The blonde asked.
"I – work? I'm not sure what she did after I left, why?" Jacinda cocked her head and scrunched her eyebrows.
"Well, why are you here? Why aren't you with her?" Castle opened and closed his mouth a few times before answering.
"Because… I'm with you?" Castle said, confused. Why would he be with Kate? No. Not Kate. Beckett.
"Yes, but why? Did you not ask her for dinner?"
"I – no? Jac, I'm here, why do you want me to be with her?" Jacinda leaned forward and took both of his hands.
"Rick, this is going to seem a little straight forward considering we met like three days ago, but, do you love her?"
"Yes." Castle responds without thought. He says it so quiet that Jacinda can barely even hear him.
"So why haven't you told her that yet?" Castle grabbed his hands away and folded them together on his lap.
"Oh trust me, I have." And so he tells her everything. He tells Jacinda about Kate getting shot and he tells her about his murder board. He tells her that Kate will never forgive him because of it. Castle tells her about the interrogation room, and how he's not been the only one lying. (And somehow, he gets in her favorite drink in the winter: a peppermint hot chocolate with milk.)
Jacinda listens intently. She purses her lips when necessary, cocks an eyebrow every once in a while. She nods and when Castle stutters talking about Kate's shooting, she squeezes his hand. When he's finished talking, (a good two hours later) Jacinda stutters in saying anything because she was so content with listening to him speak she almost forgot he was actually explaining his relationship with this woman.
"I – wow. Rick," she starts to say before Castle cuts her off and mumbles something. "What?" She asks, not hearing him the first time.
"But at least now I know she doesn't love me." And Jacinda laughs. She doesn't giggle. She doesn't chuckle. Jacinda throws her head back and she laughs. She doesn't mean to, really, and it truly is meant as a joke but after his eyes widen she stops.
"Wait, Rick, you're serious?"
"Yes!" Jacinda leans back in her chair and crosses her arms.
"You're wrong. The way that woman looks at you is a sure sign that she loves you. Has she ever told you that she doesn't love you?"
"N..o.." Castle hesitates.
"Because she does." Castle rolled his eyes and sighed. "Rick, she does. Talk to her. No, not over the phone." She said as he reached for his phone.
"I'm only doing this to prove you wrong, you know."
xxxxxx
Kate let the drink swish in her glass as she listened to the story about how Colin Hunt once saved Barack Obama's life. She tried to act impressed, she really did, but she just wasn't at all. The only thing that was on her mind right now was the blue orbs that had been haunting her thoughts since the night before. Kate was dragged out of her thoughts when she saw that Colin stopped talking and was now staring at her.
"I'm sorry, what?" Colin chuckled and took a swig of his drink.
"You were thinking about your partner, were you not?"
"N-" Kate rolled her eyes and huffed a breath, "yes."
"No use lying anymore, eh?" Kate smiled, (which almost turned into a grimace) and shook her head. "So why aren't you with him? I can tell you've been out of it all night."
"Because he's with his new girl, Jacinda," Kate's eyes narrowed at her name and leaned back in her chair and Colin nodded sympathetically.
"Does he know you love him?" Kate started choking on the drink she'd just taken and pressed a napkin against her mouth as Colin laughed.
"Was that supposed to be some sort of secret? With the way you look at him?" Kate let out a small smile and nodded.
"That's exactly what my best friend said."
"Well good for her!" said Colin, smiling. "So, why aren't you two together? Why is he with that girl?"
"I just…" Kate sighed. And the next two hours were spent with Kate telling Colin everything. She told him about her getting shot and the freezer they'd been trapped in. How she almost told him she loved him then. She doesn't forget to mention Serena Kaye and how she lied to him about knowing he loved her. She tells Colin that she knows about the murder board, that she came across it one late night at his loft. She says that Castle doesn't know about her knowing, and that he'll probably be angry with her. (Somehow, Kate even fit in that he signed a book for her six years ago after waiting in line for almost four hours.)
Colin was interested, to say the least. Not because of the things she was telling him, no. Mostly because of how neutral she was spewing these things at him. She was strong. How she'd gotten through all this with just him, he doesn't know.
"I'm sorry, I can't help but notice how.." It takes him a minute to get the word out, "Strong you are."
"It's because of him."
xxxxxx
Kate walked into the elevator and pressed the number 5. She leaned into the corner of the elevator and closed her eyes. She was so tired. The case was a stretch and after spending two hours describing everything about her and Castle to Colin, she got into a cab and decided to just head home. The elevator opened and Kate opened her eyes and walked out, turning the corner to her apartment, her eyes on the ground. Kate finally looked up when she saw someone sitting next to her door with his head in his hands.
"Castle?" He looked up and smiled, standing up.
"Kate. Hi." Kate almost grimaced with the use of her name.
"I – hey," Kate put her key in the lock and turned, the door opening in front of them. "Do – do you wanna come in?"
"Yeah. Sure." They both moved inside and Kate dropped her purse on the table along with her jacket, badge, and gun.
"Castle, I really need to talk to you," She started, and at the same time Castle said
"Kate, we should talk." They both laughed and Kate gestured to herself as if to say 'me first?' and Castle nodded. Kate sat in a kitchen chair and Castle followed her.
"I – I don't know how to say this other than being blunt, so, I'm in love with you."
"Kate," Castle started.
"And I know that my wall isn't completely down, but we're so close and –"
"Kate," Castle tried again.
"And I know about your board because I saw it and I was mad but I'm not anymore because –"
"Kate!" Castle semi-yells. She finally stops to look at him, her mouth half open, her hands tightly gripping her chair. Castle leaned forward and rested his forehead against hers, closing his eyes gently. "Say it again."
"I love you."
"Again."
"I love you."
"I love you, too. So much." And to prove it, he pushes his lips against hers.
xxxxxx
Three years later, after many fights, slammed doors and some walk outs, Kate linked her arm through Castle's and turned to face the church of people clapping for them. The newlyweds walked out of the church and headed toward the car that was waiting for them.
"Hold on," Kate whispered to Castle, walking to a pregnant Jacinda and Colin Hunt. After hugging and congratulating Jacinda, Kate wraps her arms around Colin and mumbles a quiet 'thank you' in his ear. When Kate lets go, Castle is pulling away from a hug with Jacinda, and she swears she hears Castle thank her too.
Kate stepped into the car first; Castle quickly following and before saying anything, engulfing her in a hug. And although the hug was a bit awkward because of their positions, Castle kisses Kate's cheek.
"I love you." He says.
"Toujours, Rick." Kate replies, thinking it fit the setting of their honeymoon.
A/N: Ten points to the people that know what 'toujours' means without looking it up! ;) I don't like Jacinda. And I don't like Hunt, but I got bored in class, so this happened! I hope you guys enjoy and I hope this helps get through the next Castle-less Monday!
P.S. To anyone who is reading "Coffee?" I am still writing it, I'm just having a huge writers block with that story right now. I swear I'll update it as soon as I finish the chapter I started for it, and I'm sorry it's been so long!