#11 Peace
She goes on vacation by herself.
He feels restless with it, caged in. One week of not seeing her seems like torture, each day an endless, dull, cruel drag.
But he brings her to the airport anyway, insists on dropping her off. Trying to hold on to her presence as long as he can, clingy and a little desperate but she lets him, smiles that tender smile that turns his insides to mush when she says 'okay.'
She turns to him at the security gates, the goodbye now inevitable and his throat clogs with ridiculous tears. Only one week, he tells himself, pushing down the cloying sadness of their separation, only one week. It's not like he has any claim on her as it is, and her leaving for a week-long break without him only emphasizes that fact.
But he's felt so close to her lately, her connection to him almost palpable in her wide, lingering smiles, her amusement with him, and the soft touches of her fingertips.
He takes her in, the long planes and angles of her shape, encased in sweat pants and a soft t-shirt, her feet slipped into a pair of purple flip-flops; she likes traveling in comfort. The sun-kissed waves of her hair tumble around her face and the slope of her shoulders, and he wants nothing more than to pull her into a tight embrace, aches to wrap his arms around her narrow body, keep her close, hold her safe, soak her in.
Instead he stands before her, arms uselessly dangling down by his sides, a fool in love, hopelessly at her mercy. He knows she needs this break, has vocally encouraged her to take some time to decompress, but now that it's here he wants nothing more than to un-say these words, and keep her with him instead. He is pathetic.
"Castle." Her plea draws him out of his reverie, her voice whisper-soft and he blinks, focuses on her face, her beautiful, ethereal face, the wide, amber eyes focused solely on him and the tender smile that plays along the corners of her mouth.
Kate reaches for him, cradles his large hand within the circle of her narrow ones, trails slow, enticing circles with her thumbs over the thin skin on the back of his hand. His skin is set on fire, the hot rush of her touch heating his blood, weakening his knees. It's not the first time she's ever taken his hand, but nothing with her is ever innocent, her caresses sure and purposeful as she undoes him by mere touch.
He can barely breathe.
She seeks his eyes, the glimmers of strength and determination unmistakable as she looks at him, squeezes his hand. His heart leaps, hammers against his ribs, the rush of hope hardly containable, spilling out with each burst of breath from his lungs.
"When I get back…" She promises. She leaves it there, doesn't finish, but he knows just the same.
The sun is hot on her skin, her body lazy, sinking heavily into the bed of warm sand underneath her. Heat flimmers in the air, the horizon a hazy line in the distance, the blues of the sky blurring with the turquoise waters of the Carribean Sea. Kate stretches, listens to the loud rush of the shore that bursts and breaks against the cliffs framing the beach, its rhythm calming, lulling her senses. She hasn't slept as much in months as she has these past days, feels drowsy again even though it's only noon, her breath heavy in her lungs.
She rolls onto her stomach, adjusts her hips into the giving warmth of the towel that covers the sand, and opens her book. It's all she's been doing since she arrived, sleeping, swimming in the ocean, reading. It took her about 24 hours to unwind; to not worry about home, about work, to not feel restless with inactivity, but then the charm of the quiet life captured her, the beauty and tranquility around her wrapping her in a drowsy cocoon.
She turns the page, the story familiar but the words capturing her all over again. His words. She's brought her Kindle with her, filled with books she had been wanting to read for a long time but instead she's grabbed one of the three paperbacks that have traveled with her.
She's rereading their story.
Already in book three, she's devoured his words, the web he's been weaving, the remarkable, frustrating, maddening relationship he's drawn. With the benefit of hindsight, she's rediscovering her years with Castle between the pages, how they've become who they are. She smiles and she cries, laughs and sighs and shakes her head, and her heart leaps with the beauty of it.
Her eyelids drop of their own volition and Kate puts the book to the side, focuses on the feel of the sun soaking into her skin, its heat invigorating, revitalizing. A breeze ghosts across her shoulder blades, carrying the tang of salt and ocean.
Finally, she is at peace.
She contacts him every day. Most days it's just one text message, or a picture she takes with her iPhone. With just her feet dug into the sand, only her toes peeking out, the blue nail polish sparkling in the sun. Or the bright bloom of a Hibiscus flower, its colors stark and lively nestled within the dark green bush. Or her Pina Colada, served with an umbrella in a coconut shell. Sometimes it's a few words.
It isn't much, but she doesn't let him flounder.
He tries to write; goes about his day like he used to when he didn't spend most of it at the police precinct but he's bored, can't quite recall what he used to do with all his time.
He misses her presence, misses her smiles and the pealing sound of her laughter.
But Castle realizes, understands how she needed this time away, this reset of her brain. His heart races and a goofy smile spreads across his face every time his phone vibrates with a note from her. Things are changing, and he knows they are just on the cusp of something extraordinary, can feel it in every leap of his heartbeat, the rush of his blood through his veins.
She doesn't say it, but he knows she misses him too.
The last minutes of her flight feel like an eternity, the plane finally descending, smoothly drifting through the cloud cover and she runs her fingers through her hair, untangling the curls. Her stomach flips and it has nothing to do with the motions of the plane. Her whole body is tingly, wired with anticipation, the curling strands of hope.
Finally the airplane touches down and effortlessly slows, taxies toward their gate. Kate unclips her seatbelt with shaky fingers, and turns on her phone. She feels silly; she'll walk out and likely take a cab home but she can't stop the frazzled dance of her nerves because all she can think about is not going home. She feels ready with it, invincible and invigorated.
She wants to see him.
The people in front of her are slow, mosey up the gangway and toward baggage claim and she brims with impatience. And then she has her suitcase and the automatic doors slide open in front of her-
And there he is. Her eyes find his in the crowd immediately, hold his gaze as a slow smile spreads across his face, warm and intimate and happy.
Kate stands for a moment, rooted to the spot, the blood rushing loudly in her ears, drowning out everything else. Everything but him.
Castle.
He came to pick her up. She wasn't sure he even knew her itinerary but there he is, waiting for her, the warmth of his presence almost palpable across the distance. He holds a helium balloon that reads 'Welcome Back' and it should be cheesy but it isn't, it's just everything she's ever wanted.
The smile stretches across her face, a well of warmth gurgles inside of her, vigorous and effervescent. Her feet move of their own volition, her legs striding toward him, faster and faster, not quite running but still a rush toward him.
She's done running away.
Kate stops in front of him, close enough that she can feel his warmth, strong and inviting, pulling her ever closer to him. She can barely breathe with it, the heady expectant lure of his presence.
He lifts a hand to her head, trails his index finger down the side of her face, over her cheekbone and down to her jawline, his touch so tender, so reverent that she wants to weep with it.
"Kate," he murmurs her name, his voice low, aching, and it's for her, all for her and she wells with it, the magic of their moment and she can't stop herself, no longer wants to. She leaps forward, wraps her arms around his neck, falls into the welcoming warmth of his embrace, nudging her face in the curve of his neck and he pulls her into him on a relieved groan, his arms strong, so strong around her, lifting her off her feet and into the broad wall of his chest.
She clings to him, breathing him in and he holds her just as tightly, pressing her body into his as if he wants to draw her inside of him. The thought sends a hot rush of warmth to her middle and she's never wanted anybody as much as him.
Kate nudges her nose to his jaw, grazes her lips over his neck, just the tease of a touch and he tenses with it, his breath hitching in his chest against her.
"Castle," she murmurs his name and when he turns toward her, his eyes dark and half-lidded, she finds his lips and kisses him. His lips are soft and she traces the shape with her tongue, tasting and nipping until he groans, opens to her, his tongue frenzied as he tangles with hers, invades her mouth, deep and exploring and so hot she aches with it. Her moan is strangled as it bursts from her chest and he soaks it up with his mouth, his arm tight against her lower back as he holds her to him.
He ends the kiss with a few more touches of his lips to hers, never quite breaking the contact while he lets her slide back down to her feet. She can't quite catch her breath and the smile stretches wide on her face, happy and elated and content.
Castle runs his down her face once more, trails his palm over the curve of her shoulder, his smile mirroring hers.
"Home?" He asks, takes her suitcase in his grasp.
Kate reaches for him, laces her fingers with his, watches how they intertwine, how they fit together, feeling his warmth seep through her skin just like the sun at the beach, warm and invigorating. She lifts her eyes from their entwined hands to his face, finds him looking at her, such adoration in his smile that it buckles her knees.
She can't help it, she kisses him once more, just a quick touch of her lips to his, tender and reaffirming. When his eyes blink open again she watches him, holds his stunned gaze, and smiles.
"Yes I am."
End of Scene