He moves through the halls of the hospital, two steaming cups of coffee's in his hands and a spring in his step.
Ever since his brunch date with Kate the day before, he's been happier than ever. A permanent smile has been plastered across his face ever since, and hasn't shown any signs of faltering.
With the promise of more dates, and the knowledge that Kate was going to try harder and do better to show Rick that she was interested and cared, he was delighted. Felt honoured that she was going to the lengths to tell him she was going to do better when she didn't have to at all. It made him feel special, like he really meant something to her.
He could tell she was somebody who ran when things got tough or difficult in friendships or relationships, and when she ran out of his book launch the other night, he really thought that was it between them. That she'd shove him back and isolate herself away from him.
He cared deeply for her, had been falling for her since the first time he'd opened his door to her – it had just taken him awhile to see that she was the woman he'd been searching for his entire life. The one he opens his heart to fully, and the one that doesn't leave his life.
Or at least he hopes that. He doesn't want to get ahead of himself, or push Kate into going too fast. So he'll go slow, and do his best to hold back the feeling's and words that are always wanting to spill from his lips. He's a sentimental person, somebody who feels the need to tell others exactly how he feels, and sometimes those words can be a lot – too much for people, and he knows what he'd have to say would terrify or scare Kate off.
So for now, he'll keep them to himself.
He carefully pushes open the door to the hospital room of Jim Beckett. His head pops round, eyes searching and finding the man asleep in his bed and a woman with wavy brunette hair curled up on the chair beside his bedside.
The edges of Rick's lips curl as he sees Kate's eyes drift from her father, to land on Rick – and his heart thumps repeatedly when he sees the smile that stretches across Kate's face and the evident gleam that seems to appear in her eyes.
"Rick." She breathes out quietly, careful to not disturb her sleeping father. "What are you doing here?" Her head tilts to the side, brows pulling together and furrowing as she untangles her limbs from underneath her and rises to her feet to meet him in the middle of the room.
"Brought you coffee." He beams at her, lifting the two cups into the air. "I know hospital coffee basically tastes like sludge. So I thought you could do with a good quality coffee to kickstart your morning."
She grins at him, her head dipping as her hands slip into the front pockets of her jeans. "You're a lifesaver." She murmurs, teeth sinking into her bottom lip as her head lifts to meet Rick's gaze. "I may have been avoiding the coffee they sell here." She laughs quietly and nods towards the door, gesturing for the pair of them to leave and Rick heads out first, Kate following closely behind and closing the door behind her carefully.
"I don't want to wake him." She shrugs as Rick hands her over the coffee.
"Understandable. How's he doing?"
Kate takes a large gulp, her eyes falling closed as the warm liquid falls down the back of her throat and her whole body almost melts, her shoulders sinking as she lets out a hum at the decadent coffee taste.
"Better. He's doing much better. He gets discharged in a few hours."
"Really? That's great." Rick grins at her as the pair sit themselves on the chairs outside the room.
She throws her leg over the other as she rests the coffee cup on her kneecap. She lets out a small sigh, her index finger beginning to circle the rim of her coffee lid.
"I'm taking him up to our family cabin to recover." She glances at Rick, his brow raised at her and she pulls her bottom lip into her mouth, her gaze falling to her coffee cup. "The cabin always helps him. He bought it after my mom died, and It really helped him. He spent at least three Summer's really doing the place up. I think it helped take his mind off of her." Her lips twitch slightly as her brows pull together tightly. "I know he's serious about wanting to do better this time, and to stay sober for more than six months. So I'm taking some time off to stay up there with him. Help him out till his ankle and wrist have healed. Then find a better rehab for him to go too."
Rick listens to her intently, taking in all the information she decides to share with him, and he can't help the small smile that creases his lips as he listens to Kate.
"He's really lucky to have a daughter like you, Kate."
He reaches over to slide his hand over her knee, giving it a small squeeze as she shifts the coffee cup that'd once been resting on her knee, out of the way.
"If you need any help with finding a good rehab facility, I'd be more than happy to help you find the best one suited for your father."
"Thank you, Rick. But it's okay, I can do this." She smiles at him before placing her hand on top of his and curling her fingers around his fingers and squeezing his hand.
"I don't mind, really, Kate. I meant it when I said I'm here for you and that you don't have to do this alone. Why don't I look up a few and send you the best ones I find? That'd give you one less thing to worry about while you take care of your dad up at the cabin." His brows raise slightly as he watches her chew on the inside of her gums, can see the smile twitching at her lips and the shake of her head as a sigh falls from her lips.
"Okay. Deal." She glances at him and his smile only grows wider at her.
"Great."
"Uh… but, one more favour?"
His brows raise again, head tilting slightly as he keeps his gaze on her. "Of course, you name it."
"We're leaving as soon as my dad's discharged, and I need to go pack things for not only me, but him too. And I was wondering… if you'd like to come with me? We could have lunch afterwards, my shout." She chews slightly harder on her bottom lip, unsure why she's suddenly so nervous about asking him to accompany her somewhere and then have lunch when he's always so keen to spend time with her.
"I'd be delighted to come with you, Kate." He smiles at her, squeezing her hand as she lets out a breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding.
"Don't touch or break anything." She warns, a sultry look plastered across her face as she points her index finger at Rick.
His hand comes to land on his chest, a mock gasp escaping his lips. "I am appalled and shocked that you think I would touch or break anything."
She hitches a brow at him, giving him one of her looks and he can't contain the childlike smile that begins to spread across his face.
"Okay, I promise I won't break anything. But I make no promises about not touching anything."
He shrugs, hands coming to pinch Kate's sides and she yelps as she quickly steps away from him and swats his hands away. "Rick!"
"What?" He shrugs, a smirk creeping across his face as Kate's lips hang open slightly, her head shaking at him while she squints.
"I'm gonna go pack my dad's bags, you think you can handle yourself in here for a few minutes?"
He glances around the open plan living room and kitchen before nodding his head and letting his gaze drift back to land on Kate. "Aye, aye Captain. But don't I get the grand tour? Like where did little Katherine Beckett spend all her time growing up." He smirks, his eyes drifting down her body and a light blush can't help but creep across her cheeks as she swallows the small lump in her throat.
"Alright, come on then sailor." She shakes her head, a huff leaving her lips as a small smirk creases her lips. "You've already seen the living room and kitchen. This is the hall." She gestures as the pair enter into the somewhat long hallway.
"My dads room is at the end, mine is on the right and then the guest bedroom and study is on the left. Oh, and the guest bathroom is just through there." She points in each direction as Rick takes in each closed door, a brow raising as he glances over at Kate.
"We moved into a smaller placed after my mom died. It was too hard for both of us to keep living there. Everything just had her essence on it." Her brows furrow, arms coming to fold across her chest as she stares down the hall. "I moved in when I transferred from Stanford to NYU to keep an eye on him."
Rick moves closer to her, his arm coming to slide across her waist as he smiles down at her. "He really is so lucky to have you, Kate. And I'm so sorry about everything, that you had to suffer through all of this." He lifts his hand to cup her cheek, his thumb brushing across her cheek lightly and Kate can't help but shudder as she feels the tears prick around her lids.
"I-I better go pack his things. Stay out of my room." She quickly shakes away the thoughts and emotion threatening to spill out across her face as she smirks at him and removes herself from his touch as she heads down the hall and disappears into her father's room.
Rick of course, doesn't listen to her and instead waits till he hears movement from her father's room before he goes down to the door on the right where she'd said her bedroom was.
He looks over his shoulder before reaching for the knob and slowly turning it before pushing it open. He's eager to see what lays hidden behind the door, and he's not disappointed when he steps into the medium sized room.
There's a double bed in the centre, a bookshelf on the right and a bedside table on the left. There's a dresser on the left side by the door, and a mirror wardrobe on the right-hand side. Across from the bed is a desk and he drifts towards it as he glances down at the guitar leaning against it, a smile creasing his lips.
Awards and medals along with posters from Stanford and NYU align the walls and he shifts to the bulletin board on the far side with multiple pictures pined to it. He smiles at the multiple ages of Kate Beckett scattered across, his eyes drifting to find childhood pictures, ones with her parents, friends and a few of her mother, as well as monumental moments and his heart skips a beat, warmth circulating through his body as he takes in the memories from moments of her life.
He glances down to see the few knick-knack's lining the desk and he reaches out for a plastic elephant that's been painted multiple colours and was clearly made by a child; most likely Kate when she was in single digits and he can't help but beam at it before placing it back down in its original spot.
He should feel bad for snooping and prying when she told him not to go into her room, but he couldn't help it. He wants to know every single angle and aspect of Kate Beckett. Wants to know all her wants and fears, wants to know the ins and outs of her. He already thought her to be a remarkable and extraordinary woman, but seeing the room she'd spent a few years in, all the photographs and memento's she's acquired, he's more intrigued and has so many more questions he wants to ask. She's so fascinating to him, no dull corners in her or in her room.
He shifts to her bookcase across the room, his index finger moving along the vast variety of genres and the dust covering most of the books.
His pulse quickens, finger stopping in its tracks on the familiar set of books staring back at him and his mouth goes dry, the sound of his pulse travelling up to his ears as he sees his name staring back at him.
He glances over his shoulder, the doorway empty and he quickly turns back to the shelf. He closes his mouth and swallows as he pulls out the first book his finger had stopped on; Flowers For Your Grave. The book is covered in dust and he blows, immediately regretting it as some dust recoils and hits his eyes. He splutters, waving the book up and down as he quickly rubs at his eyes.
He quickly pulls himself together and wipes off the remaining dust before carefully prying the book open. The pages are worn out, some a little ripped and bent and his heart beats. But everything comes to a stop when his eyes roam down to the unfamiliar writing that's begun to fade at the bottom of the page.
I know you'll love this book just as much as I do.
Merry Christmas, love mom x
He blinks at the writing a few times, stuck in a trance as his pulse thumps harder in his ears, warmth traveling up the sides of his neck and Rick's breathing starts to become heavier as he carefully closes the book, slipping it back into his place and pulling out the book next to it; In A Hail Of Bullets.
He flips open the page, expecting to see the writing of Kate's mother, but instead he's met with his own writing and confusion starts to sweep across his face, his brows pulling together tightly.
"Hey, I thought I told you not to come in here." There's a playful hint in Kate's tone, but it catches Rick off guard and he jumps, the book fumbling in his hands that it almost clatters to the ground, but he catches it in time.
Kate's leaning against the doorframe, her brow arched at him and her arms folded across her chest as an amused expression settles upon her face.
"You look guilty." She laughs lightly as she pushes herself off from the doorframe and moves across her room to where Rick's standing. "What'd you find, huh?" Her gaze drops to see the open book in his hands and her face drops, chest immediately rising as her pulse begins to quicken.
"Rick." She breathes out, her eyes glued to the book, unable to tear her gaze away to look up at him.
"It's signed by me." It's all he can manage to say, because he's confused – and also curious. He would've remembered meeting her; no matter the year or how long she'd been in his company. He'd sure as hell remember her.
"Yeah, I…" Her head shakes, air slipping from her nostrils as she turns to sit herself down on the edge of her bed, her hands slipping between her thighs as she sucks in a breath. "I waited in line for over an hour to get it signed." She laughs again, her tongue sweeping across her bottom lip. "It's stupid."
He's taken back slightly, blinks a few times as he looks between her and the book. "But… when? I would've… I would've remembered you." His head shakes as he drifts to sit next to her, the book still in his grip.
She smiles lightly at him before her gaze shifts away from his once again. "That one you actually signed for my mom."
His eyes widen, his gaze locked on the words sprawled across the page.
"I got your first Derrick Storm book signed. That's the one I waited in line to get signed. But this one." Kate taps the page where his signature and words are. "This one my mom got signed. A Christmas present." The smile on Kate's face can't help but grow.
"She loved your books, Rick… got me into reading them. Well… In the beginning, I didn't really get into them. I let them sit on my desk for a while before I opened them and got into them…" She gives him a sheepish look, a blush beginning to wash across her face. "This was what she got me, her last Christmas here." Her brows pull together tightly, her fingertip running along the worn out pages of his novel.
"Both books were staring at me every time I came home and eventually one night… things got a bit too much. I was missing her like crazy and my dad and I had just had a huge fight about his drinking. I wanted to just, forget for a while and throw myself into something." She pauses, sucking in a breath. "I grabbed Flowers For Your Grave. The one she gave me the Christmas before. I mainly just reread her writing over and over. But, then I began reading it. I got hooked. I'd always see her reading your books, trying to get me to read them. And when I finally did… I felt closer to her. Like, she wasn't gone. That she was sitting right next to me reading along with me."
Kate picks at her fingertips, tears starting to burn the rims of her lids as her pulse skips each beat. "It's silly…"
"No, no. Not at all." Rick quickly shakes his head, tearing one of his hands away to find Kate's hand and intertwine his fingertips with hers. "I think that's beautiful."
She squeezes his hand, her other coming to wrap around his as she sucks in another breath and blinks back the tears. "Your books really helped me get through her death. They, they really meant a lot to me." She swallows the small lump in her throat, her pulse still pounding as she traces Rick's knuckles with her fingers. "I guess that's why I was a little hesitant about starting something with you. Your books are too special to me, and I was afraid that if something were to go wrong… that maybe the books would get tainted, that it'd be too hard for me to ever read them again. And with what they got me through, I didn't want that." She shook her head as she lets out another breath, tears threatening to fall.
"I'd never let that happen." She tilts her head to look at him, her brow arching as her gaze meets his. "I won't let anything go wrong between us, Kate. I'm dedicated to making this work. For you and I to be remarkable together, and I won't let what's special to you and what makes you feel close to your mother be ruined." He leans forwards, his forehead meeting hers as her eyes fall closed, chest rising.
"I'm really honoured and touched both you and your mom love my books." He'll definitely gloat about it later and tease her, but for now. The moment happening is too precious and special for his humour and antics to ruin it. "I'm so happy I could be there for you when you lost your mom, Kate. Even though it wasn't physical. I'm glad I could be there for you. I just wish I would've remembered meeting her, and you…" He shakes his head lightly, lifting his other hand to cup her cheek once more. "Because you are way too special to not remember, and I'll be kicking myself for not being able to have you in my life sooner." He murmurs, closing the distance between them and letting his lips lock with hers in a soft and slow kiss.
Kate pulls back too soon, her head still resting against Rick's forehead as her hand lifts, thumb slowly running along his bottom lip. "You know, I really loved the dedication you made to me in your book, Rick." Her gaze flicks from his lips to his eyes. "I never told you before, but it – it made me so happy. My mom, she'd probably tease me so much about it." She shakes her head, a wide smile beginning to plaster across her face as she imagines her mother being so happy for her, but also insanely teasing her for her relationship with the novelist. "She'd put it down to all her doing that we'd gotten together. Get all big headed and think she was some kind of miracle worker or cupid. Say that if It weren't for her buying me your books we would've never met or gotten together." Kate laughs slightly, can already imagine what her mom would be saying to her.
"Maybe she'd be right." Rick shrugs, a small smirk creasing his lips as Kate's face scrunches up.
"You two would get along so well." She sighs, her thumb brushing across his jawline.
"Thank you, Rick. For everything. The dedication, your words... Just, you. You're… you're the special one here. You're more remarkable then you give yourself credit for." Her head shakes, a sigh slipping as she moves forwards to press her lips back against his, both her hands cupping his cheeks as she pulls him closer. "Really remarkable." She murmurs against his lips before deepening the kiss as her hands slide up into his hair.
