Florida Heat

A/N: Thank you for your patience in waiting for this chapter. Like I've said before, I am not abandoning any of my stories. They will all get finished in time, but unfortunately school must come before the joys of writing. But, without further ado, here is chapter 15. To all of you who have been sticking with me since the beginning thank you, your support is overwhelming. I am so happy you love this story. If you are just getting caught up, then welcome. I look forward to hearing what you think!

Chapter 15

Kate plucked at the seam of the comforter on her hotel room bed. She couldn't wait to get home: back to New York, back to her own apartment and the precinct. Her life. Everything was still jumbled in her mind, flashes of memories came and went with abandon; flickering through her mind like a jumping movie. All of the pieces were there but the order was still working itself out.

"Montgomery died saving your life. He wanted to make his sins up to you; to protect you since he couldn't protect your mother."

Javier's soft voice echoed in her ears as her fingers picked at the blankets.

"We tried looking into Montgomery's background a little bit more, but all of the trails ended cold. Whoever was behind all of this is still out there and there is a good chance they would be coming after you next. You promised Castle that you would let the case go for a while, back off until things died down. That's all I know, chica."

He had gone back to his room, an hour before, after they had received a call from Castle saying that they had caught the bastard. Greene. It was such an unassuming name. Miller, Daniels, Greene. Somehow, it seemed wrong: all American human traffickers. It would be easier if they were foreign, enemies of The State, looking to hurt the most powerful nation in the world. Instead, it was the opposite. American's looking to use unsuspecting outsiders. Moving people like they were pawn in a game, animals to be used, abused and put down when they turned up lame.

Kate glanced up at the soft knock on the door. It was late, past midnight.

She made her way over slowly, her bare feet padding against the rough carpeted floor. Her hair tumbled down in waves, curling down over her shoulders, the overlarge t-shirt engulfing her body as she moved.

"Hey," her voice was soft as she propped a hip against the door jam, staring up at him.

"Hey," he replied, exhaustion and a torrent of other emotions tumbling from his eyes as he stared back down at her, a soft smile playing at his lips.

"So, did he confess?"

He nodded his head slowly, his arms crossed over his chest. "Sung like a songbird. Chirped out a list of associates, including Jack and Judy Daniels, the couple you were going to see when you disappeared. We already called Gates. They are going to pick them up now."

Kate nodded, taking a step back, a silent invitation for him to enter her room. "You want to come in?"

He looked down at her for a long second, his eyes softening as he took in her features. The slight scars still peppered her skin, the blush of life once again beginning to fill her cheeks, her eyes. He smiled slightly as he shook his head. "Not right now, I'm going to go to sleep. You should do the same."

He reached out to cup her face, his thumb glancing softly over her cheekbone, tracing a pattern under her tired eye, before he dropped his hand back down to his side. "We're okay to go, everything is done down here. Ryan and I were thinking that we would head out tomorrow. There's a flight heading out around noon that we could all get on."

She nodded softly. "Sounds good. I'm ready to go home."

He bobbed his head in reply. "Me too. I'll be by to pick you up for breakfast. It's on me."

She chuckled softly as she bit her lip—a Kate tick. He smiled. "Breakfast is free, you know."

He shrugged. "Goodnight Kate."

"Until tomorrow, Rick."

The door click shut as she made her way back to her bed, falling into the pile of soft sheets and blankets. She smiled as she burrowed her hear into the pillow and reached up to turn off the light.

Home. She couldn't wait.

Kate slumped against the door to her apartment as she turned to face him; a waterfall of messy curly hair falling over her face as she lazily pushed it behind her ear.

The rental car had been dropped off at the airport and the flight had been easy enough. Traffic jams through the city had been kept to a minimum, like the Gods of Gridlock had been informed of the path of the weary travelers, but both sets of shoulders still slumped as they made they way from the sidewalk and into the elevator of Kate's apartment building.

"Long week," he stated knowingly as he stood, rocking back on his heels with his hands in his pockets.

A lock of hair fell down over his forehead, a testament to how accurate his previous statement actually was. Her hand reached up without a second thought and brushed the hair back out of his eyes.

"Long week," she agreed, her voice low and soft. "You want to come in?"

His gaze flickered from her face to the doorknob her lean fingers were resting on. She was a different woman than she had been a year ago, a month ago, hell, even a week ago. She was less guarded and somehow, even less damaged despite all of the horrors of the past year. Briefly he wondered if she truly did remember everything, every fight, every smile, every tear?

Did he want her to?

Castle let out a small sigh as she stared up at him, eyes wide, full of wonder and knowing. Sometimes he did wonder if she could actually see into his soul, read his every thought.

"Yeah, I'll come in for a few minutes. I have the feeling we will have to order something to eat, though."

Kate let out a soft chuckle as she turned to unlock the door, pushing it open without a second though, like the old habit it was.

"What are you trying to say about my culinary skills?"

She didn't look around like she had never seen the place before. She put her keys in the bowl by the door and toed off her shoes, like she had never been gone.

Castle shook his head as he followed her through the door, shutting it securely behind him, watching her was she made her way into the familiar apartment. "I'm not saying anything about your culinary skills, I am merely stating that you've been gone for a week. I highly doubt anything in your fridge that might have been edible before, still is."

She turned to smirk at him. "I'm going to go put this stuff down and change into some of my normal clothes. Feel free to order whatever you like. There's probably some beer in the fridge. You know where the wine rack is."

Castle watched as she disappeared through the doorway to her bedroom; uncharted territory. He could only imagine what lay on the other side of those doors. Pictures, books, mementos, clothing, bed. It was a mystery he hoped to one days solve, just like her. He wandered around the island in the kitchen the bedroom door shut with a soft thump, and thumbed through the stack of take out menus. He let out a soft hum and thumbed through them again. The one for General Chang's was missing. He glanced up, looking around the kitchen for any sign of the paper menu from the Mecca of Chinese take out places in Chelsea. No one compared to General Chang's. Now that he had the idea in his head, any other take out would be a let down— proverbial cardboard against his finely tuned palate.

With a sigh he started to make his way across the apartment, out of the kitchen and into the living room. There was a forgotten box of takeout by the computer. Chances are the menu wasn't far away. He picked up the carton, finding the flyer underneath, letting out a small cheer at the success of his mission before crinkling his nose. Whatever was in that container did not smell good. He held it out to his side with two fingers as he scooped up the menu with his other hand and turned to make his way back to the kitchen. Dumpling and Moo Shu pork were calling his name. Something crinkled under his foot and Castle looked down to see a lone piece if paper lying on the ground. Slowly, he placed the box of rotten food back down on the desk and bent to pick it up, frowning. It was a print out of bank records.

Castel turned around, the brow furrowed as he took in his surroundings: the light on the computer was pulsing softly, simulating the peaceful breathing of "sleep mode". His eyes wandered down to the floor. A bottle of wine sat uncorked under the desk, an empty glass sat next to it, a red ring coloring the bottom, the last few drops of liquid staining the glass. He crouched down next to them; the bottle of cabernet was mostly empty. His head swiveled to the side. There were papers everywhere.

How had he not noticed this before?

Stacks of documents covered the floor, some lying free, separated from their piles. Others were filed neatly in manila folders. His eyes trailed up the wall to the shutters that were closed but not latched. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he uncurled from his crouched position and his hand reached out.

There were layers that hadn't been there before. New connections made. Yellow, orange and pink Post-It notes with finely printed statements, strings and arrows pointing in random directions. There was so much more now than there had been three months before. Too much.

"Please, just walk away for now. Let things calm down and then we will go back to it. You're not the only one in this, Kate. It isn't all about you anymore."

"You're right. I need to back away from this, but I still need some space to work everything out for myself."

"We'll figure it out, Kate. Give it a few months. When things calm down we will dive back in together. Until then, I will give you whatever space you need. I promise. Just tell me when."

"Hey, Castle?" Kate's voice sounded as she wandered back out of the bedroom, looking down as she pulled her hair through a rubber band. "Did you figure out what you want to order?"

Castle turned, startled, to look at her, this woman standing in front of him. The woman he loved: his partner. His jaw opened and shut as she looked up, her eyes meeting his full of unstated questions.

"What's wrong, Rick?"

He took in a deep breath as he glanced down at the paper one last time. "You lied to me."

She stared up at him, her head quirked to one side as she studied his face, eyes, the stiffness in his shoulders. Looking, searching for some pretense; an explanation for the former statement.

"What are you talking about?" She asked, voice quiet, low.

"Your mother's case. You've been looking into it again." He could feel his anger rising. She remembered; she had to remember. She was just trying to play it off like she didn't. She was trying to trick him.

She stuttered slightly as she looked around, leaning slightly to glance behind him at her makeshift murder board. "I, um, I don't know what's going on, Rick."

Something snapped inside of him as he took a step towards her and the anger bubbled up through his chest. "Don't B.S. me, Kate. I know you remember. Don't act like you don't. You promised me that you would let this go; that you would back away. But no, you lied to my face. You're still looking into it. They want to kill you and you are running straight at them with a bull's eye on your chest. So, don't give me any of that amnesia crap. Just stop."

She stood staring up at him, her eyes flickering from his face to the board behind him. Her mouth opened and closed a couple of times until he let out another sigh and brushed past her, making his way back towards the door.

"Rick, wait," she called and he paused with his hand on the knob.

Shaking his head, he looked down. "No, not this time. This time you're too late. I am not going to stand around and watch you try to kill yourself again."

He pulled open the metal door and made his way out into the hall, hearing the latch click behind him as he stalked his way towards the elevator.

She had just come back from the brink of death. He couldn't just stand there and watch her chase it down. Not this time. Not again.