Summer Rain

Disclaimer: Not mine... characters are property of ABC

Summary: After Kate's shooting, Castle finds that he can't stay away. They discover that nothing clears the air like a summer rain. Co-written with lms2457.

Chapter 8

Kate woke as the first rays of sunlight crept through the window and fell so lightly across her cheek. She stretched and yawned, so very thankful the sky was clear.

The bed shifted, and she turned just in time to find Castle had rolled over, now facing away from her. Her heart fluttered a little as she was overcome with how much closer they'd grown in the past twenty four hours.

They had come so close to a line last night, but Castle was right where she needed him to be, and stopped when she needed him to stop. Kate had worried at first that he might have been upset with her for that, but he seemed so happy just to be by her side. It wasn't that she didn't want him, - she did, desperately so - yet it still felt like too much too soon.

She remembered the look in his eyes, so understanding, and a glimmer of want, when he had simply asked to hold her through the night. Asked as if it was the most important question he could ask.

Of course it was all right. She'd leaned into him and that's exactly how they fell asleep; her head on his shoulder, wrapped in his arms, and her right hand rested on his chest.

And it's the same position Kate just woke in. No wonder she felt stiff, and that he'd moved so soon after she untangled her body from his.

Kate rubbed the scar in the middle of her chest, trying to massage away the numbness and tingling. It was an annoying detail the doctors neglected, until recently, to tell her would be part of her for months, possibly the rest of her life. Just another annoying reminder of a time she'd really like to move past and be done with.

She looked toward the sun again, seeing the land stretching out from the cabin and beyond into the green and glistening valley below. Her heart stuttered a little at how big the world was and how much could be hidden. She stood and pulled the curtains closed.

She needed coffee, and she needed it now.

"Don't go," Rick mumbled just as she reached for the door. "Come back to bed."

"I won't be gone long," she answered, kind of loving the rough and quiet of his morning voice. "I'm going to make a pot of coffee. You want some?"

"Mmmmph."

She wasn't sure what to make of the sound, but it was cute. "You wanna try saying that again? I think the pillow got in your way."

Castle shifted a little and turned his head so she could see the half of his face that wasn't buried in his pillow. His eye cracked open slightly as he spoke, "No thanks. Five more minutes."

"Go back to sleep," she said as she rolled her eyes. "I'll be back soon."

"M'kay."

Kate smiled and stepped out of the bedroom and went downstairs to the kitchen.

When she returned with the coffee, Rick was awake and sitting up in bed. The smile on his face as she handed him the cup of coffee made her understand why he did the same for her every day at work.

"Thanks," he said as he took the mug and took a drink. His eyes never left her, and it made her feel all warm inside.

She took a drink as well, loving how the caffeine almost instantly shot into her system.

"So, what are the plans for today?" he asked.

Kate thought for a moment. She hadn't really thought about anything to do, other than what she had for the past several weeks. "There aren't any at the moment."

"Why don't we go for another walk? The sky has cleared, and it should be nice out after the rain last night."

Kate set her mug down, sloshing some of the coffee out as she did so. No, yesterday was all right, but no, outside couldn't be done again today. Not so soon. "I don't know about that..."

"Why not?"

She couldn't answer him, so she watched as Castle got out of bed and stretched. "Tell you what," he said, "I'm going to get a shower. You know, give you some time to think about it. When I'm out, we can talk about this a little more, okay?"

Kate nodded, and found her voice, "Okay. When you're finished, I'll be ready, too."

He smiled again, and knew he understood, at least a little. As he turned to leave the room, she said, "I'll try, Castle. I really will try."

"It's all I ask," he said, and shut the door behind him.

It was about an hour later, and Kate was still standing in front of the mirror, messing with her hair. It was still wet from the shower, and was fairly easy to manage. She just couldn't decide whether to pull it back or leave it loose around her shoulders.

There was a tap at the door, "Kate, are you all right in there?" He asked.

"I'm fine," she answered, and wanted to grumble at how annoying he was being. "I'll be out in a moment."

"Okay."

In a few moments, she finally pulled it back into a loose ponytail and stepped out of the bathroom. She went down the stairs and saw Castle at the door.

"Come out to play," he said, holding the door open for her, "The sun is up, the sky is blue, and it's beautiful."

"I'm calling you out on it this time - Could you at least use your own words?" she asked, taking the last few stairs and looked at the world beyond the door. "That's cheesy and you know it."

Castle shrugged as he walked outside, still keeping the door open. "My words or not, it doesn't make the observation any less true, and you know you need to be out here. It's not healthy, staying inside day in and day out."

"This is something I've got to go into slowly into, Castle." She took a tentative step onto the porch, looking all about, feeling as if something was hidden in or around the trees. Like dozens of eyes were staring at her. "I know you got me out easily enough yesterday, but today is another day."

He reached a hand toward her, "Take my hand. We'll do this together." When she was next to him, he placed his finger under her chin and lifted it gently so he could see her face, "Let me see you smile."

Kate rolled her eyes as she did. Cheesy or not, he made her smile more often than she'd like to admit at times. His eyes softened and it made her heart flutter, "Thanks for coming out here for me; for not waiting on my call."

"Always," he answered, gently taking his fingers through her hair. Then he took a few more steps out, off the porch and toward the path. "We're going to do something a little different this time, go off the beaten path, so to say."

She felt the blood drain from her head. What was he planning? "What do you mean?"

He chuckled lightly and squeezed her hand, "We are going to walk into the woods, not on the path this time. We won't go too far, so to get lost, but far enough to stretch your boundaries a little."

She didn't like this at all, and it frustrated her. How many times had she gone out and explored the woods over the years? This should be something she looked forward to, not to fear, not to shirk from because it was 'outside.' But that damn fear at the back of her mind, swearing there was a sniper behind every bush, waiting on her, wouldn't shut up.

Rick must've picked up on her hesitation. "It will be fine, Kate. I'll be here the entire time. You're not here alone, and I promise, this isn't some daytime version of a snipe hunt."

"I know," she said, choosing to ignore his bad choice of words, "I know. But it doesn't stop..." she couldn't find the words to finish the sentence.

"Doesn't stop what?" he inquired, "It doesn't stop the idea that there's someone or something out there, hiding, holding a gun, waiting for the right moment to shoot?"

She breathed in deeply. He was inside her head again, and this time, she wasn't sure if it was comforting or not. "Yeah, exactly."

"You're in a safe place, Kate. It has been for years, right? You've got this. You have to remember that."

He didn't get it, and she couldn't stop the bitterness in her voice. "But the funeral was safe. I was surrounded by dozens of fellow officers, and none of that stopped me from getting shot."

"I understand, and I know," he said, "I was there, and it frightened me too, but you just can't find a hole to bury yourself in and stay there." Castle tugged her further away from cabin, closer to the forest, away from the trail, deeper into the unknown.

"Life is out in the sun, out in the world. You can't escape it, not as long as I'm in your life, anyway. This is where you need to be, where the sunlight can chase away the shadows and the wind can give you air to breathe."

He stopped and studied her for a moment, so much expressed in just the moment she met his eyes, then whispered, "Close your eyes, Kate."

She stared back at him, arching her eyebrow. She didn't like where this was going, but didn't say anything. Finally, she closed her eyes, "Now what?"

"Take a deep breath and hold it until I say." Her chest lifted with the intake of air and she stopped.

After a few seconds, Castle said, "Okay, breath out slowly, and keep your eyes closed."

Kate exhaled and her eyes remained closed, like he asked. She was still irritated at him, and she was pretty sure he could tell.

"Let's do that again, this time, let go. Let it all go." She could feel his eyes on her as she took in another breath, then she did as he said, and let it all go. A weight close to that of the world lifted from her shoulders and was replaced with peace as she breathed out slowly.

"Now, I'm going to take your hand, and we're going to walk." Rick's voice was quiet, and sounded a little different, now that her eyes were closed. "I want you to trust me, and keep your eyes closed, okay?"

"What do you mean?" She didn't like where this was going at all.

"Just trust me," he reiterated, "I promise not to lead you into any trees."

Kate laughed, more out of anxiety than at his lame attempt at humor. "I'm going to hold you to that."

"I'm sure you will," he answered, and she felt his fingers brush lightly down her jaw and neck, "Remember, eyes closed, and listen. Let the world around you sing."

She breathed in one more time, feeling a little more tension leave her body when she did so. "Okay, I'm ready."

He squeezed her hand again, "Come with me."