Miracle at the 12th Precinct
Chapter 22 Title: What Christmas Means To Me (Song by Stevie Wonder) (Alternate T-rated version)
Disclaimer: Rick Castle and Kate Beckett are not mine. They belong to ABC and Marlowe, but dang, they're fun to play with!
A/N: Naughty stuff removed, this is the "T" Rated Version of Chapter 21.
It was nearing midnight when Kate returned to the loft and it was dark except for the light coming from beneath Rick's bedroom door. It appeared as though he'd had waited up for her - just as he'd promised. She hung up her coat and made her way towards his room, opening the door carefully, peaking in. Her eyes immediately fell on his gorgeous form fast asleep on his back on top of the covers. His eyes were closed, he was breathing peacefully, and she cherished the moment; a rare glimpse of a man she normally thought of as in perpetual motion. She entered and then closed the door quietly behind her trying not to disturb him.
At the click of the door closing he sprung to attention and placed the book he'd been reading before falling asleep on the nightstand next to him. He ran his hands over his face and through his hair attempting to rouse himself awake. "Hey. I was hoping you'd be back soon. What time is it?" He stuffed a pillow behind his back.
The gravelly timbre of his voice when he first woke up always made her toes curl – tonight was no exception. She couldn't wait to cuddle up next to him - a favorite pastime. "Hey. It's almost midnight. Sorry, I'm so late. I didn't mean to wake you."
"No, it's fine. I just dozed off for a few minutes. How'd it go down at the station?"
"Good." She smiled, coming over to him, giving him a light lingering kiss before gently pulling away, leaving him wanting more. "You look tired." She said, stepping away, toeing off her shoes and then kicking them aside. Let's see just how tired you are.
"I am a little, I guess, but I didn't mean to fall asleep. We said we were going to talk - unless you're too tired now? Did you want to table it for tomorrow? You're probably exhausted."
"No, no, I'm fine – had some coffee earlier. We can talk." She tilted her head. "I mean, if you're still up to it, that is."
"Absolutely." He replied, sitting up straighter, wondering if he'd imagined her emphasis on the word up. It wouldn't be the first time. He'd often found himself twisting the innocent things she'd said to him, adding in his own personal sexual connotations.
"Good." She said, quirking a brow and then turning around, her back towards him. She bent over to pick up her shoes, providing him with a crystal clear view of her intriguing ass encased in sinfully tight blue jeans. She then sauntered (he had no other word for it) over to the corner of the room and dropped her shoes on the floor.
He couldn't peel his eyes away.
"It went well – things with Balboa." She continued casually, turning back around, once again facing him. "He's been processed and is being held in lock up for tonight. His partner, Vinny Costa, and Tommy Frost are still at large." She removed her socks, tossed them by her shoes. "No confession yet from Balboa, but now that Kris remembers witnessing Timmy's shooting it should be easier to get him talking."
She paused to make sure he was paying attention and then began removing her sweater. She pulled it slowly up and over her head and tossed it across the room where it draped over the arm of his chair. Then she crossed her arms over the front of her shirt, lifted them up and shimmied out of it, tossing it so it also landed on the chair. His eyes fixated on her creamy white breasts sheathed in black lace and he cleared his throat. December or not, his bedroom was getting warmer.
She rolled her eyes. "Wait until you meet this guy, Castle. I only talked to him for a few minutes, but he's a total weasel." She continued to undress and his pupils dilated at the sound of her zipper lowering. She wiggled her hips, slowly drawing the jeans down over her long, sleek legs, and then kicked them off, leaving her standing before him in only a push-up bra and matching black panties.
He let out a sigh, licked his lips. "Mmmm..." He missed the corner of her mouth turning up.
Stretching, she undid the ponytail holder from her hair, shook loose her long locks, ran her hands through her mane. He records the image in his head, saves it for a rainy day. "I'm going to take a quick shower." She announced, hands on her hips, pretending not to notice his mouth hanging open at her half naked body. "You don't mind, do you?"
She'd asked him a question. "Um, no, of course not." He uttered, seemingly mesmerized by her impromptu striptease. "Go ahead."
"Great. Thanks." She smiled, before strutting into his bathroom.
His eyes followed her, and like a kid with his face pressed up to the window of a candy store, an invisible force pulled him to the edge of the bed. He was now wide awake. She turned on the shower and left it running while she spoke to him from inside. "Jordan's guys are still questioning the men we arrested earlier at the hospital. We're hoping they'll pin Drago Mangosa as the one who hired them. I told Gates I want to bring him in for questioning tomorrow. He's probably freaking out right about now, knowing we have one of his main guys in custody – might give us an edge."
He frowned. It didn't look like he was getting an invitation to join her anytime soon. "You're probably right." He agreed, vaguely on edge himself. "By the way, you should probably write up Kris' testimony..." A black lace bra followed by barely-there panties suddenly falling to the floor by the open doorway were cause for distraction. "...um, tomorrow."
She suddenly popped only her head out from the door frame, surprising him. "Why?" She asked, her brows furrowed. "I mean, we can, but he'll also be testifying in court." And then she was gone again from view and he was left imagining her naked.
He tried to shake it off. Here he was ogling her when the woman just wanted to take a shower after a long, hard day. He tried to use his words. "With Christmas right around the corner," He said, straining his neck hoping to catch a closer glimpse of her mile-long, smooth legs. "You should definitely do it tomorrow. Once this is all over, he'll need to leave in a hurry, you know...for obvious reasons." He wondered if she had any idea what visions of her naked do to him.
"Right." She agreed, not wanting to debate the subject of Kris' pressing schedule. She hadn't come back to the loft tonight to argue with him. She had better ideas. Besides, she'd already arranged to obtain Kris' written testimony tomorrow, right here in the loft, but not for the same reasons Castle was concerned with – they'd need his written testimony to present before the judge so he'd allow them to bring in Mangosa.
Wrapped only in a towel she moved to the doorway and leaned casually up against the frame posing like a pin-up girl from his dreams, waiting while he looked his fill.
His lips parted, he swallowed hard. "Wow..." He said, his voice dropping an octave lower. "First thing tomorrow, smaller towels."
Confidence boosted, she gave him a knowing smile, moved to the center of the doorway and released the towel. Judging his grin, he liked what he saw. She licked her lips. Yeah, she was bad. And he loved her for it.
She started to turn around as though she was about to walk away, but then stopped, looked over her shoulder at him. "I think I may need someone to scrub my back." She lowered her lashes. "Interested?"
Oh, thank God. "Hell yeah."
When he realized how she was looking at him he froze. Kate Beckett wanted him. And since his credo read: What Kate Beckett wants; Kate Beckett shall have; she was in luck. "That was quite the little striptease, Kate." He said, hungrily, slowly advancing towards her, causing her heart rate to spike, the glean in his eyes and signature smirk revealing exactly what he planned on doing to her.
They locked eyes, he gradually moved closer. Her mouth went suddenly dry. "Thanks. I'm glad you liked it. Next time, I'll hum a few bars."
"No need. Stripper music was playing in my head. You may have missed your calling." He said, following her in to the bathroom.
They proceeded to get very, very clean...
Afterwards, they cuddled up next to each other on the bed, relaxing.
"I missed you today." She said, pulling the blanket over them.
"Yes, I noticed." He joked, smugly and she playfully swatted his chest. "I missed you too, or couldn't you tell?"
"Oh, I could tell." She replied, unsure of how to begin what she knew would be an important discussion. "Rick, we still need to talk."
"Agreed." He said, smiling and feeling perfectly sated. "You'll find I'm very agreeable right now. Sex does that to a man."
She propped herself up on one elbow. "Yes, I know." She grinned. "It was my evil plan all along. You see, I wasn't avoiding our talk, I just thought it would be better to have it when we were both a bit more relaxed." She ran a finger over his bare chest.
"Well, kudos then...mission accomplished. My girlfriend's an evil genius." He laughed, surprised he could still make her blush after what they'd just shared.
She ducked her head. "Okay. Here goes. And let me just get this out, okay?"
He nodded, not saying a word.
"I know you've noticed I've been acting oddly lately." He didn't bother denying it and she knew by his expression she was right. "It's just with all this talk of Christmas and the holidays, meeting Kris, has made me think a lot about the past; specifically it's brought back a lot memories of my own Christmas', those growing up; spent with my parents...my mom."
He worked hard to remain silent, to let her finish, though he wanted so badly to apologize for not being more sensitive.
"And the thing is Rick they're not all bad memories; most of them have actually been good ones, really good. But at the same time it almost feels that by allowing myself to smile over them again, that I'm in some way letting go of the anger, letting go of her." She paused. "And I'm not sure I'm ready to let go of those things yet. Can you understand that? Does it make any sense?"
"Yes, actually it does." He said, taking her hand.
She let out the breath she'd been holding. "Good."
"Okay. I'm going to say something now...," He sat up, leaned up against the headboard. "I owe you an apology. I should have been more sensitive to how you might feel but instead I've been pushing you to spend the holidays with us. And I may have been, let's just say, slightly overzealous, at the prospect of making this the best Christmas you'd ever had."
"Overzealous? You?" She joked.
"Seriously, though. I admit it's been somewhat of a challenge not to be excited about the holiday, especially after meeting Kris."
She tilted her head, raised her brows.
"I know, I know...you have not yet hopped on the bus of belief, but you will – I have faith. But that's not what this talk is about. This is about you - and us. And if you still need time, if you're still not ready for the full-on Christmas-with–the-Castle's extravaganza, then I'll respect your wishes. Work that day if you need to. I'll make some excuse to Alexis and Mother. No harm done. I promise not to push you on it if this is truly what you want. All I've ever wanted is for you to be happy, Kate."
"You do make me happy, Rick." She squeezed his hand. "I've never been happier, which is why this has been so hard. Those feelings, about my mom, they've been in a head-on collision with wanting to spend more time with you, with wanting to spend the holiday together, with wanting to be like a normal couple."
"So then do it! Spend Christmas with us. We'll make new memories - together. Your mother would want you to be happy, Kate. Let me prove to you I'm right. As for letting her go...that's not possible. She'll always be in your heart. Besides, the Kate Beckett I know and love would never give up until justice was served."
This time, she promised herself she wouldn't ignore the fact he'd once again told her he loved her, but she had more to say first.
"And what happens when I suddenly get depressed, say right in the middle of the main course? It could happen, Rick. And I would never forgive myself if I ruined your family's day."
"You'll have no time for moping and I'll tell you why. Your palette - besieged by the scrumptious, sublime meal I'm planning to seduce you with, and your mind - so enraptured by my overwhelming wit, charisma - and charm - will be keeping you entirely too busy. And if that doesn't work, then Mother and Alexis will understand, because - they love you too." He smiled.
About to break down, unable to find the right words to express how she was feeling, she fought back the tears. He had to be the sweetest man she'd ever met and Sweet Castle got her every time.
Unfortunately, he took her reaction as a direct result of his telling her he loved her again when she still hadn't said it back. He began to panic. "Kate...I'm sorry. I went and did it again, didn't I? I just said I wasn't going to push you, but then..."
She captured his next words with her lips which confused the hell out of him, but she tasted so damn good he found he didn't care, he was too far gone; there was no turning back. Convinced clarity was a thing of the past, he kissed her back, matching every ounce of her passion and when he re-opened his eyes he found hers reaching deep down into his very soul. He rolled them both over so he was on top, his body fully covering hers. "What was that for?"
She ran her fingers along his brow, brushed the locks from his eyes. "That...was because I love you too, Rick. Always." She said, taking him by surprise. "And I'm sorry...I know, I should have said it back sooner, but I was scared - although I realize now that must seem ridiculous - regardless, it's true - I'm in love with you. I can't explain why it took me so long to tell..."
With all he had, he kissed her hard, erasing the need for further apologies. "Looks like we're finally on the same page." He whispered. "I love you too, Kate."
She nodded, running her hands through his hair, pulling him close, and wrapping a leg over his. "Castle?"
"Yes?"
"If the offer still stands, I would very much like to spend this Christmas with my boyfriend and his family."
He smiled ear to ear. "You know it does."
"Good, thanks." She replied, happy with her decision, glad to have her fears out in the open with the man she loved. "In that case, I look forward to being overwhelmed, once again, by your vast arsenal of wit and charisma."
He shut out the lights and spooned up against her. "Don't forget the charm."
"Right - the charm – you'll be charming my pants off. How could I forget?" She agreed, drifting off to sleep, the grin he'd put on her face still firmly in place.
She didn't doubt it for a minute...
A/N: I've always believed Kate told Rick she loved him back, earlier than they let on in the show when she was standing on top of a bomb. I mean, how could she not – he's Rick- freaking-Castle and she's highly intelligent. Thanks for reading! Karen