Okay, I decided to give you guys two more chapters before I leave. Here is chapter 7.
Disclaimer: I do NOT own Castle, though I wish I did, but I don't.
Rick woke up the next day in his office, with his face on the desk. He brought his face up and saw his laptop beside him. Huh.. He was writing again. He let out a light chuckle when he heard the knock that awoken him from his sleep. He got up and dragged his legs to the door to answer it. He opened it and found those hazel green eyes he adored greatly.
"Kate... Hi," Rick said.
"What are you doing here?" he asked.
"Oh, so you don't want me here?" Kate asked jokingly.
"No.. no.. I didn't say that.. It's just early.."
"Early? Rick, it's noon," Kate said.
"What?! Oh shit! I forgot to send Alexis to school!" Rick exclaimed.
"Don't worry about it, darling. I sent her off while you were sleeping. Didn't want to wake you," Martha said as she made her way to the door.
"I am off for an audition. Wish me luck!" the redhead actress said before leaving the loft.
"So..." Rick started.
"So.. Aren't you going to let me in?" Kate asked with a smile.
"Right," he said sheepishly.
Richard Castle opened the door wider and invited Kate into the loft. She gave him a warm smile and entered the loft. With a sigh, Castle shut the door behind him.
"I'm sorry, I can't do this," he blurted out.
Kate gave a sad smile and looked down. "I know," she said softly.
"I just.. I hate the awkwardness between us. We haven't talked in so long.. But somehow I managed to get pass the awkwardness before when you were in collage."
"It's because of what happened that day, isn't it," it wasn't a question and he knew it. He gave her a small nod and looked down.
Rick walked over to the couch and flopped on it. He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. Kate moved closer and sat beside him as he let out a huge sigh.
"I'm sorry, Kate. I want us to go back to the way things were but.. I can't," he admitted softly.
"I messed up and I want you to know how sorry I am," he added.
Kate ran her fingers through his hair. "Hey.. Don't beat yourself up, okay?"
She pulled away and said, "We all make mistakes. But we just have to live with it and learn from them. It's what makes us humans."
She smiled at him and he couldn't help but smiled back. She then held out a hand towards him and when he looked at her, confused, she urged him to shake the hand. Rick took the hand in his and shook it.
"Hey stranger. I'm Kate Beckett. I like jogging, take outs and watching sci-fi movies and, or series. What's your name?" Kate asked after introducing herself.
He chuckled at the thought. "Um.. Hi. I'm Rick Castle. I'm an author, I like video games, laser tag and spending time with me family. Nice to meet you, Ms Beckett," he said.
"Likewise, Mr Castle," Kate replied as she took back her hand and gave him a warm and genuine smile.
"Mr Castle sounds too formal," Rick pointed out.
"What about I drop the 'Mr' and you drop the 'Ms'? What do you say, Castle?"
"I say.. You got yourself a deal, Beckett," Rick said, playing along.
She giggled as he let out a chuckle. "See? Now isn't that better?" Beckett said.
"How are you the only one, other than Alexis, that can make me forget?" he asked.
"Because... You would do the same for me. Because I learned that even on the worst days, there's a possibility for joy."
"And where did you get that from?"
"From when my mom got stabbed. I thought I was going to lose her but someone saved her life," she said.
Rick froze. Does she know? The writer instincts kicked in and he started spinning wild and crazy theories on the worst case scenario.
"If only I knew who saved her so that I could thank him or her in person," she continued.
Rick let out a breath he wasn't sure he was holding. Kate looked at him with the weird look.
"Rick? Is there something you want to tell me?" Kate asked.
He took a deep breath, "Kate.. In 1999, I found a woman lying in the alley way. It was dark and cold, I couldn't see clearly. But I knew that she was hurt. I called 911 and then took a closer look. The woman was stabbed repeatedly and was losing a great amount of blood. I somehow managed to scare off the guys that stabbed her because they didn't have time to deliver the fatal blow."
"What are you talking about, Rick?"
"I didn't know who she was. Once the ambulance came, I ran off. But I stayed long enough to make sure that the paramedics got her. That she was safe in their hands," he continued.
"What are you trying to say?" Kate asked, slightly scared.
"The woman was your mother. I didn't know until they broadcast the stabbing case and showed the identified victim."
"You were there? And you said nothing?" Kate asked.
"I didn't want you to feel like you owed me anything," he said softly.
"Why now?"
"You were going to find out sooner or later. Johanna was too weak to remember anything from the lost of blood but your father knew."
"My dad?"
"Yeah.. Before I left your mom, I left my zip on hoodie on her so that she doesn't freeze to death. Your dad probably recognized it. It was a present from you. You somehow managed to brand it your own."
"So anyways, once I knew that it was your mom, I left a note in the middle of the night," he added.
"It said.."
She cut him off by quoting the note, "Keep moving forward, not back. Do not let the past rob you of your future."
"You read it," Rick said, surprised.
"Yeah... Why didn't you tell me?" Kate asked.
"Because I didn't want you to spend the rest of your life, thinking that you owe me and that you'd do whatever it takes to pay me back. Being able to be friends with an extraordinary person like you is payment enough."
She shook her head. "No.. You're the extraordinary one. Rick.. You saved someone's life. On top of that, that someone is my mom. Thank you." She threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly.
Startled at first, Rick soon recovered and hugged her back. All the worry and the guilt melted away in that hug. After a moment of silence, Kate pulled away awkwardly.
"I'm sorry. I guess I hugged you for too long."
"I didn't mind," Rick replied.
He looked at her with those twinkling ocean blue eyes and he smiled that warm and genuine smile that made her melt on the spot, a smile that is reserved only for her. Kate suddenly felt out of breath. There was something in his eyes that caught her attention. Something that she couldn't figure out before. But now she knew. It was love.
Kate looked away, refusing to accept what she saw. She gathered her stuff and stood up which caused Rick to stand as well.
"Kate? What's wrong?" he asked.
"Um.. nothing. I just um.. I have to go. I got classes."
"Wait.. You're actually attending the police academy? You were actually serious about being a cop?"
"Yeah, I am. I'm dead serious," she replied.
"I can finally be worth something," she said softly.
"I understand," he said.
"I came here on my lunch break and I have to run. I'll see you soon."
"Okay," he replied.
Kate gave him a small peck on his cheek and left the loft. With a sigh, Rick returned to the office to continue writing. After a few hours, he was found asleep on his desk again.
That's chapter 7 for you. It's not my best because someone rushed me into writing because they needed it badly. I'm not trying to take fault in anyone but I'm kind of glad that you did. It keeps me from procrastinating. So that's good. Leave a review and tell me what you think of this horribly done chapter.