A Convergence of Storms – Part 1
Summary – A post 6x23 fic previously titled Hours Lost Forever. What happens when Castle shows back up after the car crash and thinks the crash happened after the wedding and Kate was in the car with him. Will be 3 parts (maybe more) and 3XK or Bracken are not involved. This looks at some new "old" mythology based on Castle's time shadowing the CIA.
Author's Notes – Thanks for all the favs, follows, and reviews. You guys are awesome. 88 days and counting…I'm going to try to update once a week.
Disclaimer – Don't own Castle – Marlowe, ABC, and Disney do.
Chapter 4 – The Lull before the Storm
Dr. Freas looked at the chart and then back at Castle. "I have no explanation," he said finally, shaking his head. "Except for the slight headache, all of your test results are normal now, Mr. Castle."
Shifting his hat almost nervously in his hands, Chief Brady frowned at the writer. "But you still can't remember the time between the wreck and when you were found on the beach?" he asked.
Castle ran a hand through his hair and then looked at Beckett and back at the chief. "No. I've tried, but all I can remember is something dark beside the car when I was driving – it must have been a dog," he said, frowning. "And then a bang and then I woke up here this morning."
"Okay," nodded Brady, frowning slightly. That was another loose end he couldn't tie up and the town officials didn't like loose ends.
Freas thought for a moment before he spoke. "It may be a case of transient global amnesia brought on by the concussion you suffered in the wreck and the accidental dip you took in the ocean before you were found. If that's the case, there's a good chance you won't recover those memories." He glanced back at the chart. "However, seeing that your memory seems to be working correctly now, I can't recommend keeping you here any longer."
"Then I'm free to go?" Castle asked expectantly, smiling slightly.
The doctor shrugged. "I don't see why not. I can give you the names of some neurologists in New York if you start having problems. I'll have the nurse start the paperwork now."
Alexis gave a slight squeal as she hugged her father. "I'll go tell Grams. I think she was scoping out one of the doctors in the lounge."
"Thanks, Pumpkin," he said and then pulled Beckett into a hug as Alexis and the others walked out of the room. "I'll call my – our travel agent – and have her change the tickets. In no time at all, not yet Mrs. Castle, we'll be on our non-honeymoon."
Beckett snuggled into Castle's chest and smiled slightly but didn't meet his gaze. "Just as long as it's someplace with you, babe."
# # # # # # # # # # #
Much to Castle's dismay, the house in the Hamptons looked perfectly normal – not at all like he imagined it would have looked for his and Kate's wedding, awash in all the accoutrements of what should have been a joyous occasion.
As quickly as they had moved the wedding there, Martha and Alexis had removed all reminders of it with Kate's blessing once Castle had been found.
He let out a sigh of disappointment as they walked through the front door and Kate quickly squeezed his hand.
"I'm so sorry for ruining the wedding," Castle said quietly, returning the squeeze.
"It's okay, babe," she said reassuringly as she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "I'm not marrying you to have a wedding; I'm marrying you to marry you."
Castle smiled at her tentatively. "I promise to make it up to you anyway."
"I've called the car service," said Martha as she walked out of the kitchen. "They should be here in about an hour. That should give you two love birds enough time to get the airport for your flight. Alexis and I will ride back with Detective Esposito and Lanie."
"Thanks, Martha," Kate said, giving the older woman a quick hug. She turned back to Castle. "I'll go pack our stuff."
Castle nodded as he reluctantly let go of Beckett's hand and she walked upstairs. He smiled gently at the recently acquired bond of familiarity between his mother and soon-to-be wife. "Mother, I didn't get a chance to properly thank you and Alexis for everything that you did."
Martha walked over to him and gave him a tight hug. "Kiddo, it just wasn't meant to be this time, but it will be when the time is right." She patted him lightly on the chest. "All that matters is that you're okay. Things can be replaced – you can't."
They were interrupted as her phone rang. "That would be Hilly wanting to know when she can come clean." Martha gave him a quick peck on the cheek and then moved off to answer the phone.
Castle frowned slightly and then walked to the back door, pausing a moment before opening it and walking outside down the steps and onto the lawn. The grass was only slightly ruffled where the chairs had been place with such care and then hastily removed.
He walked close to the edge, and then looked back at the house and closed his eyes, imagining the ceremony. Because of the previously married snafu, they didn't have time for a rehearsal, but when had he and Kate ever rehearsed anything…
He would have been waiting for Kate here, under the canopy, slightly anxious, probably sweating a little by his own admission, Alexis by his side, telling him to breathe.
There would have been a light breeze blowing off the ocean, the clouds in the blue sky gently flitting by.
The string quartet would have played softly as Ryan walked his mother down the aisle and she would have beamed brilliantly at him as she took her seat.
Lanie would have walked out, making subtle eye contact with Javi as she went, the green gown gracefully hugging her curves in all the right places.
Then the music would pause for a moment and the guests would stand to their feet as the chords began to swell, and he would have looked at the doors, his pulse racing as they slowly opened…
"It's not your fault," whispered the soothing voice in his ear as Beckett wrapped her arms around him from behind.
Castle thumbed an errant tear from his eye and shifted so that they were hugging each other. "It just that I thought we had this, Kate, our fairy tale ending."
Beckett wrinkled her nose. "Not too long ago, a wise man told me that all great love stories have obstacles to overcome – terrible trials that only the worthy can transcend – and that we couldn't give up. That's the deal. If we want the happy ending, we can't give up." She kissed him and then looked at him intently. "And I'm not giving up – we're not giving up."
Castle made a face. "Sounds like he needs to have his head examined."
"Well, I have it on good authority that he recently did and everything was fine," said Beckett and then tugged him towards the house. "We probably won't have time for dinner after we leave for the airport, but there is some Chateaubriand left from the reception."
Castle groaned and squeezed his eyes shut. "And I missed the food…"
# # # # # # # # # # #
Beckett was enjoying the scenery from the back seat of the sedan when Castle suddenly sat up straighter and looked out the window.
"Andre, can you stop around the next corner?" he asked.
"Sure thing, Mr. Castle," the driver said as they slowed to a stop.
"What's going on, babe?" Beckett asked as Castle opened the door.
Castle shook his head. "I just wanted to look…" he said as he got out of the car.
She quickly followed him and stood by the side of the road, looking at the burnt area. The last time she had been here, she was standing in her wedding dress, watching Castle's Mercedes burn.
"I heard a really nasty wreck happened here a couple of days ago," Andre said. "The guy lost control and swerved off the road, and the car went up in flames."
Castle nodded. "Yeah, I heard the same thing," he said as he walked over to the burnt area, staring at it.
What was left of the Mercedes had been towed away rather quickly, leaving only the chard ground and shrubs.
Castle turned and stared at the road and harrumphed. "No skid marks…" he said quietly.
"No," Beckett said quietly. "You must not have had time to hit the brakes. Espo and Ryan are handling the investigation. Are you good with that?"
"Yeah," said Castle. He paused for a moment and then bent down to pick something up from the side of the road.
"What's that?" Beckett asked.
"A Mercedes hood ornament," said Castle, turning it over in his hands. He examined it closely. "This isn't the one from my car though…"
Beckett peered at the ornament and then shrugged. "Well, this is the Hamptons – it might have came off of another car?"
Castle frowned at the ornament before putting it in his pocket. "Yeah, you're probably right," he said before looking at the area again.
Andre cleared his throat discretely. "If you're going to make it to the airport on time, we really need to go."
Castle nodded and then followed Beckett back to the car.
# # # # # # # # # # #
They had gotten to the airport in time to have drinks in the VIP lounge before going to the counter to board the grueling 24 hour plus flight to the Maldives.
"Ladies first," said Castle, gallantly gesturing Kate to front.
Smiling, Beckett pulled out her ticket and handed it to the agent.
"There you go, Ms. Beckett," said the ticket agent. "You're all checked in. Enjoy your flight."
"Thanks," said Beckett, taking the ticket and beaming at Castle as he handed his ticket to the agent.
The agent smiled back at him and scanned the ticket and then paused. She scanned the ticket again and then looked at him without a hint of expression.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Castle, but there seems to be some problem with your paperwork and we can't allow you to board the plane."
"What?" exclaimed Beckett and Castle at the same time.
Castle shook his head. "No, that's wrong – what problem?"
"I'm sorry, sir. It's our policy not to discuss these matters and we'll need to ask you to leave," the agent replied firmly.
Castle gaped at the woman before his eyes flashed and his jaw tensed.
Beckett put a hand on his shoulder as he started to speak. "Babe, it's all right – we'll figure this out."
"Okay," said Castle. "And I'm never flying this airline again," he said to the agent.
# # # # # # # # # # #
"Yeah, Lanie," Beckett said over the phone. "We're back. Things – uh – didn't work out at the airport. No, I don't know what I'm going to do now – maybe take a couple of days off…hey, I'll call you later."
She hung up as Castle walked back into the living room of the loft, a stunned expression on his face.
"Babe, what's wrong?" she asked quickly.
Castle looked back towards his office. "I just talked to my lawyer who talked to a friend at the TSC." He looked at Kate with a lost, puzzled expression on his face. "My name is on the 'no-fly list'."
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