This may come as a surprise, but this is the last chapter of the story. Diamond has consumed my thoughts since April and it's time for Kate to reemerge. :) I want to thank each and every one of you for the ThriLLinG ride, & all the support and encouragement along the way for this very AU story.
I do apologize for the ending feeling rushed. If you'd like more of Diamond's backstory, please PM me as I'm happy to share.
*I will post a short epilogue next week which completes the story.*
...
He finds her even hotter behind the wheel of his Ferrari.
Her hair's pulled back in a high ponytail, emphasizing her exquisite bone structure and she's wearing a pair of blue tinted, Victoria Beckham sunglasses, making her appear more classically beautiful, down-to-earth. He's come to love this natural look about her because it's truly Kate Beckett, - not the edgy, fierce, sex-symbol Diamond trying to make every man in the room notice her...
She smiles like she's having the time of her life driving his $150,000 car and it's beyond dazzling, rivaling even the brilliance of the New Year's Eve ball dropping in Times Square.
He's so enamored with the real Kate Beckett before him that he doesn't even cringe when she grinds the gears while shifting the car from third into fourth gear, just quirks an eyebrow at her and throws her a look that he knows she's doing it on purpose to get a rise out of him.
"Be careful with my baby," he drones and she just laughs, - a throw your head back, joyous sound that bubbles out of her chest and into his senses, making him want to grab the wheel and pull over on the side of the road and taste that laughter through her sultry mouth.
"And here I thought I was your baby," she teases and her hand skids high up on his left thigh, fingers streaming over the hard muscle.
"Ohh, you mean way more to me than that."
"How about I let you prove it to me later today?"
"Find a secluded area and pull over," he purrs with a raging grin that is about to match his raging hard on, "and I will show you right now."
"Didn't your mother ever teach you any patience?"
"Of course she did, but where you're concerned, it seems to be in short supply."
"Mmm, it certainly worked to your benefit last night as you were deliciously impatient."
Oh Gawd, she said the word 'deliciously' in a sinful Russian accent that has so many naughty possibilities.
Add Russian spy to the fantasy list, he notates mentally. Current count, 97.
"And here I thought my restraint should be rewarded... You, dressed like a Catholic school girl in a tight, white button down and a very-mini pleated skirt, that allows just a peek of your red lace undies beneath, would have any man on this planet very impatient."
She pats his leg affectionately and jabs, "We'll just have to work on that undesirable trait of yours."
"I'll show you undesirable," he growls and the next moment he's palming her crotch, fingers clinging to her dark washed jeans, while his lips nibble on the shell of her ear.
"Have I told you lately how much I love seeing you dressed casually? You certainly know how to rock a pullover blouse and those size-too-small-have-to-be-poured-into-skinny-jeans."
She murmurs with a touch of sensuality, "You love me in anything, Bad-Boy."
"Or more specifically, I love you out of anything."
It was so easy between them, this give and take, the back and forth, the sexy innuendos and he almost lets it slip that he's falling madly, desperately in love with her.
Almost, but now it isn't the right time... yet.
She'd been more affectionate last night after they'd had sex, snuggling up to his bare back with her arm thrown over his chest, drawing lazy patterns on his pecs while kissing the back of his shoulder, asking him if he could drag himself away from writing for a few hours today so she could take him somewhere special.
And in that moment, for the first time in three months since they'd started dating, Rick felt like there were no barriers between them, no longer a difficult obstacle course he'd have to traverse, no more stumbling through a complicated maze filled with dead ends, and no more digging through debris to try and reach her, but just a rare openness he knows she's never felt with any other man.
He's giddy with the knowledge that Katherine Beckett has finally fallen under his wiles and is allowing him into her life without reservation.
It had been a slow process peeling away the Beckett onion, but the journey had been well worth it. The twists and turns, the ups and downs, the ins and outs of their relationship had made him a better man and he honestly can't see his life now without her a part of it. She's as essential as the air he breathes.
He'll never forget the day, early on in their relationship, when she finally opened up about her tattoo, the meaning behind it, the inscription on her mother's tombstone... Johanna, the woman who lived her life fighting for the "little guy", a true 'champion of the underdog' and how she instilled those traits into her only child.
Kate's face had lit up as she'd regaled him of tales of her youth, her incomparable happiness growing up with two loving, overprotective parents who always put her first in their lives.
"My mother was never happier in her life than when I received my acceptance letter into Stanford Law school," she told him softly. "I'll never forget her face when I read her the letter. She threw her arms around me and tugged me close, knocking the air out of my lungs, holding me tighter than she had ever held me before... She said, "Katie bug, I'm so honored you're choosing to follow in my footsteps. I've never been prouder in my entire life."
Her eyes had filled with tears as she'd told him about her Mother's senseless murder, how one wintry night in early January 1999 had turned her world upside down and inside out, left her feeling completely shattered, - cold, dark and empty.
All the happiness and joy of her first semester at Stanford was replaced by immense, unbearable sorrow and agony... Her world as she officially knew it had completely crumbled and would never be the same again.
The day that her mother's murder was passed off as 'gang related' was the turning point in her life. She quit Stanford, enrolled in the NYC Police Academy and determined no man would do better than her in any area. She was the first one in the gym and the last to leave, spent hours in rigorous self defense classes, honing her skills, running five miles more per day than the rest of the applicants and hired a personal tutor so she could ace the tests.
Who would've thought with her drive, (dare she say, obsession?) plus all the time, effort and energy she put into the course that she'd fail the Psychiatric test?
He could sense her heartache as she spoke about the betrayal she felt after not passing the Psych exam, after losing the opportunity to find justice and peace for her mother, let alone the countless other victims families she may have given closure to.
He understood her spiraling downward after failing the academy, the utter despair and hopelessness she felt in her life.
She didn't embellish her time on the streets, just briefly mentioned being pulled in and Rick was okay with that, knowing eventually she'd have the courage to open up to him and reveal everything.
At an all time low in her life, left bloody and beaten by two twisted cousins, she'd called on Captain Montgomery who had come to her aid and taken her to the hospital. He had ended up saving her from herself, pulling her from a very dark place, stepped in and offered her a rare opportunity, - a life off the streets where she could utilize those skills she'd learned in the Academy and help bring down white collar scum whose wealth or status made them practically untouchable.
And no, Rick didn't tell how his heart leaped at the knowledge she was a Criminal Informant and how seriously amazing and fuckin hot it was in his eyes, all he'd done was stay silent, his gaze never wavering from hers, listening intently as she told him how rare it was in the business to have a truly good pimp and how she felt safe under the care of her trusted bodyguard.
And now, here they were, embarking on a new relationship that some would say was very unorthodox and difficult to swallow... He, a famous mystery novelist, dating exclusively a high-end Escort.
He was grateful she'd agreed to his conditions of her keeping her job. He'd asked her implicitly to please keep all of her rules, and she'd smiled alluringly, leaning into him to peck his cheek. "Don't worry, Writer Man, I've kept true to those rules since day one of being on Ryan's books and that will never change."
He scanned her face, the noticeable beauty mole adorning her lower left cheek, the light scattering of freckles covering her nose, her unique hazel orbs that on some days seemed more murky brown, but right then, they were clear, bright hazel, focused entirely on him.
His hand cupped her chin as he asked nervously, "And I need you to come back to me after every date... Please don't think I'll be expecting you to jump into bed with me, or expecting a make-out session or any sexual favors period, but I do need to be able to hold you, to feel you in my arms and know without a doubt that you've chosen me over any number of them."
Her eyes had softened, glistened and she'd grasped him behind his neck, pulling him close, her lips just a hair-breadth from his. "Always, Rick. I'll always come back to you."
Her kiss had been filled with the sweet promise of fun-filled days and erotic, passionate nights.
She'd seen two clients since they officially started dating and then had told both Montgomery and Ryan that she needed a break from the business, refusing the long-term assignment of getting close to Doctor Davidson as she needed time to explore whatever was happening between them, - and for right now, it's more than enough.
Her burner phone can barely be heard above the roar of the Ferrari. When she notices who's calling her, a girly grin splits her lips.
She doesn't even say, 'hello' to the person on the other end of the line. Just blurts out, "Have you gotten the nerve yet to ask Jenny to marry you?"
After a couple of minutes listening to Ryan go on and on about how it just isn't the right time yet, and how he can't seem to find the perfect ring, and yes, it's definitely going to happen and soon, Kate chuckles, "Uh-huh... I'll believe it when I see it. You're nothing but a big fat chicken."
She nods her head at Ryan's response, looking at Rick slyly, and by the, 'Don't-I-know-it,' self-assured look on her face, he suspects what's coming next.
"Maybe you should get a couple of tips from Castle. He's an expert at proposing... Don't you dare take advice from him though about making a marriage last."
He glares at her through hooded eyes and jests, "You're going to owe me for that little dig."
Kate obviously doesn't like the reason behind Ryan's call as her face scrunches up in that cute little manner he knows so well, betraying her discomfort.
"What an egotistical douche! Tell Mister Vaughn that money can not buy everything... Especially me... I can recommend a new Escort whom I know he'll like, but his business dealings with me are officially over... Tell him - " and she glances over Castle's way, an I-know-exactly-how-to-get-you-riled-up grin gracing her features, "to only contact me if he'd ever like Richard Castle's autograph for his mother."
She laughs at Ryan's response and is having way too much fun at his expense, but he can't seem to care because she's just blown off thee Eric Vaughn.
For him and God, he could simply tear off those high-fashion sunglasses right now and kiss her senseless until the traffic behind them starts honking, interrupting their private interlude.
She hangs up with Kevin and states, "Ryan likes you, you know."
"He does?" Rick asks slightly astonished and then quickly recovers with, "And here I thought I was Esposito's favorite."
"Esposito thinks you're not man enough to handle me but Ryan is partial to the little boy in you, believes I need a man who's in touch with his inner child."
"I certainly fall into that category," he chuckles. "I knew there was a reason I liked the stalwart Irishman, but I'm going to have to have a serious talk with that beefy bodyguard of yours... Convince him I'm the right man for you... So, just to clarify, I'm too prissy for Esposito's tastes, and yet Ryan thinks my boyish charms are exactly what your frosty persona needs?"
"Something like that," and her eyes roll expressively. "You'd better be careful with your adjectives, Mister Castle, or you may be privileged to witness my 'frostiness' firsthand."
"There are thousands of adjectives I could use to describe you," and his lips quirk in that adorable manner that is uniquely him. "Remarkable, frustrating, maddening, challenging ... "
"Keep it up and you won't be spending time with this maddening, frustrating, challenging woman for much longer."
"You forgot 'remarkable' but stop interrupting me," he chides, "and let me finish... You're the most intelligent, stunning, captivating woman I've met in well -" his eyes cascade over her face lovingly, "forever, Kate."
"Define forever," she asks, gleefully roaring the engine while it's in neutral.
"Let's just say neither of my two ex wives can hold a candle to your beauty, grace, or fearlessness."
"Hmm, I can see why women fall at your feet. Besides the allure of a man knowing he's a pretty boy and using that quality to his best asset, - " she promptly hushes his objections to being called a 'pretty boy' and continues eagerly, "your mouth is simply a weapon."
"I happen to like your train of thought here."
"Shh! Stop interrupting me," and she gives him the same, distinct, teasing glare he'd given her earlier. "A weapon of wit, manipulation and coercion, - " she almost laughs outright at his droopy, pouty expression, - "annd," she drew the word out playfully, "with the unmistaken ability to make a woman swoon where she stands." Her eyes careen to his lips, "among other salacious things."
"I love it when you talk dirty."
She slows the Ferrari down, pulling into the parking stall at their destination and husks, "There's more where that came from."
...
It's a beautiful sunny day, the wind blowing slightly, rustling through the multi colored leaves.
Her hand is squeezing his tightly, almost as if she's afraid to let it go.
She's quiet as she leads him along the asphalt path, dotted with bright color. The smell of blooming cherry trees plus an assortment of flowers fills his nostrils. Helium balloons and miniature American flags dance erratically in the breeze. In the distance, he sees a lovely Christus statue welcoming them.
Her thumb rolls along the back of his hand before she suddenly stops, turns to him and with emotion lacing her tone, says, "Give me a minute please. Wait here."
Her lips slide against his stubbly jaw and she whispers, "Thank you for being here with me," before drawing away from him.
She kneels down in front of a vertical, dark grey tombstone and her hand slides across the inscription, Vincit Omnia Veritas, before placing the single red rose she brought with her at the base of the stone.
Her lips begin moving and his heart swells with the knowledge that she finally feels close enough to him to bring him to the cemetery where Johanna's buried.
...
"Mom, I'm sorry it's been so long since I visited. Life certainly hasn't taken me in the direction I thought it would twelve years ago. How I wish - " and she stills, swallowing back the tears threatening to fall. "You know, I didn't believe you at seventeen when you said that someday an amazing guy would trample his way into my life, capture my heart and make me, Rebel Becks, believe in happily-ever-after... Over the years, I honestly thought I didn't need a man, could go through life as a confidant free spirit, Miss Independent without a care in the world, - but I've finally met him, and he's everything you said he'd be, plus so much more." She sat back on her haunches, feeling a sense of 'lightness' that she hadn't felt In years. "You know exactly who I'm talking about, Mom, and I have to thank you, because I know you had a hand in bringing Rick into my life.
I can see you up there," her eyes tilt towards the sky, "laughing at my predicament, throwing your favorite, playboy author, Richard Castle in my path, knowing he's the one man who would have the power to see through my bullshit, smash my walls and thaw my heart.
So I'm here before you," she swipes at a tear tumbling beneath her glasses, "humbly thanking you, Mom, for bringing him into my life... He's the first person since your death who's made any semblance out of my broken world, brought true happiness into my life, given me hope for the future whereas before, there was nothing... Only a stifling fog clouding my vision and hindering my way, whereas now, I see a beautiful future, one filled with love and laughter and the possibility of dreams long forgotten coming true.
I wanted you to be the first to know, even before I reveal it to him, that I love him... I'm in love with Richard Edgar Castle... I love everything about him, from his thick sandy hair and beautiful blue eyes to his broad nose and large feet. From his cocky, know-it-all attitude and childish petulance, to his funny nature and generous, benevolent, and ever forgiving heart... I never in a million years thought it could feel so wonderful, so incredibly right."
She kissed her fingertips softly and touched her mother's name, "I wish you were here to spend time with him as he's everything you ever dreamed of for me."
She turned slowly to Rick then, ushering him towards her, grateful she's wearing sunglasses to hide her watery eyes.
As she watched his cocky gait and sizzling-sexy-smile, she'd swear she heard Johanna's tender voice floating in the breeze, "Kate, you've met your one and done."