Here we go again
As usual. I do not own the TV show or any of the players. Because if I did, I would not have thrown away the last 7 years as the current show runners have done
If you have read any of my work, you would know that I would have done something much different than what they have
So having put out my dislike of the season (I stopped watching after 8x04) here is this latest tale of their love story
Number 5 in my 'A Murder In..." series. Please be sure to read them first because it is the history of them that is in my realm
Please note. My stories are AU...Very much AU
I do not repeat canon. That is for others to do
So...sit back, read and enjoy
Katherine Beckett-Castle has settled back into her job that goes with her recent promotion to lieutenant. Along with her two cohorts both getting promotions to sergeant, the new positions have not changed the working relationship between the three of them, but it does give all of them more credibility at crime scenes and with officers from other precincts as well
Another benefit of the promotion is the ability of leaving the station at a decent time to go home to be with her guy. Even if it is to just sit and talk or cuddle, or listen to some music, or share some wine, have an early dinner. It is so very special to her now. More special than she would have ever thought it could be
And having been together for a year as a couple and coming up on their first anniversary married, Kate and Rick have just about settled into a life as a happily married couple.
All of Kate's personal items are now residing with her in the loft with the exception of some smaller, less important, things that were placed in storage but there was plenty of room for the most precious items of her past to have a place of honor in their joint family life
If anyone would have told her five years ago that she would not only be a married woman, but a happily married woman and especially who she would marry, she would have laughed out loud over the very thought that any part of it would happen.
But it did happen. It is all real. So very, very real. And at this moment she is on her way home to that very surreal place
She arrives at the loft at a little before six. She pulls her cruiser into the parking garage and parks in her designated space beside their Ferrari and the Mercedes
When she steps out and looks at the vehicles and considers their respective values she has to laugh. One automobile worth about one hundred thousand dollars, another one even much more and then a police cruiser worth barely 30 thousand counting all the special lights, radio, and other equipment added just for police use.
She can say, however, it has an interceptor engine and drive train and she would love to get Castle out to the track sometime and see who laps who even with his fancy red sports car
She steps out of the elevator to go into the lobby to check the box to pick up their mail. Most of their bills are sent to Rick's business manager for handling. Bills or any item requiring financial management go there. Other, more personal, items still come to the home address
Kate reaches in the box and pulls out several pieces of mail but she normally waits until she reaches the loft before looking through the envelopes to see what has arrived. There are always several advertising items except today what appears as a large envelope from his ex-wife, Meredith, mixed with all the other items
After dropping all the other things on the table Kate looks toward the study to see if her husband is still in there and if he is actually working on his next book. She can see his shadow at the desk.
"Hey babe, I'm home" she calls out to him as she enters into the bedroom
"Hi beautiful" he responds "You're home early. Something going on I need to know about?"
She sits on the edge of the bed and unzips her boots and pulls them off "No. I just wanted to spend a little extra time with my husband, that's all"
She stands and walks to the closet where she places her foot wear into the shelf. She then removes her service weapon and locks into the safe then strips the rest of her clothes and drops them into the dirty clothes bin.
"I'm going to grab a shower"
As she steps into the bathroom and starts the shower, she hears Rick respond to her "Dinner is in the oven and should be ready in about forty-five minutes. That gives you plenty of time to finish your shower"
"Thanks" she says as she steps into the warm relaxing water and begins to remove the grime of the day from her body.
After a wonderful refreshing cleansing, she steps back out and wraps a towel around herself.
Wrapped only in a towel, she walks out of the bedroom, into the study, and up behind her husband who is deeply engrossed in the chapter in front of him. He has not even noticed that she is only partly covered
"Hey, babe. How is it going?"
"OH, I am stuck"
"What is it?" she is leaning over his shoulder just brushing up against the back of his neck with her body
"I have Nikki and Rook chasing a bank robber into an abandoned building. The bad guy has opened a gas valve flooding the basement with natural gas. If Nikki fires her gun, the sparks will ignite the gas and blow up the building with Nikki and Rook inside killing everyone"
"How long have you been working on this?" Kate asks in a deep breathy voice
"Pretty much all afternoon"
"You know when I am stuck on a case like this I find that taking a break usually helps me find a solution"
Castle still has not looked up from his computer "I know. We will be taking a break when dinner is ready. That should give me the chance to come up with a solution…"
His view of the computer is broken, along with his train of thought, when the towel Kate WAS wearing is dropped in front of Rick and he hears her comment "I was thinking of a different kind of break that just might get your creative juices flowing even better"
He turns his head just in time to watch the love of his life disappear into the bedroom
/\/\/\/\/\/\
The insistent dinging of the kitchen timer brings Castle to the stove where he removes the casserole from the oven and turns off the cooking timer
He has on put on a pair of warm up pants and t shirt.
He is followed just moments later by Kate who is wearing a short silk robe and is barefoot
Both are clearly very satisfied
Kate begins setting out plates and glasses while Rick uncovers the single dish meal for the evening. A pork chop casserole cooked in rice with herb tomato sauce. He also has a simple Lettuce and tomato salad ready in the refrigerator
"I hope you're hungry" Castle states as he begins dishing up the main course
"Famished" is her response as she sits down on the stool beside where he husband will soon be. "You know how hungry I become after I have had a good workout" she leans into him causing him to miss a breath before kissing her on top of her head
After plating up the meal, Castle sits beside Beckett. He is still having trouble keeping his hands off of her. After a few small bites of the meal he finally speaks up
"What brought that on?" he questions while pointing toward the bedroom "As great as it always is, tonight was…you know…was even more intense"
He can see a blush start up her neck. The tough, hard nose, but very sexy detective is blushing
With a bite of dinner poised at her mouth "I don't know. I just felt like I needed that. You know a little conformation that you are still attracted to me"
He puts down his fork and turns to face Kate "Is something happening that I need to know about?"
"There is a white envelope of some kind from your first ex wife. Like a letter or something. It seems very large"
"Did you open it to see what it is?"
"No"
"A letter from Meredith caused you to become concerned?"
She is looking down "A little"
He turns to Kate and places his hands on her bare legs "Kate. That is probably a legal release document"
Confusion is on her face "Release? Release from what?"
"I am releasing her from all financial responsibility relating to bringing up Alexis. The court originally charged her with one half of the financial responsibility for Alexis but since I have been blessed with a great series of books not including Nikki, I am releasing her from that obligation"
Kate looks up into Rick's face "That and the fact that Meredith is pretty much broke?"
"That too"
He sees her fighting tears in her eyes again "Kate what's wrong now?"
"You just have do stuff that just makes me love you even more. Don't you"
"Hey, if it gets me things like what we did earlier, I will do whatever it takes"
She pulls her arms around his neck "That was just the beginning"
"I love you"
"Back at ya"
After finishing dinner and the couple cleaning the kitchen, they move to the couch with easy listening jazz playing in the sound system and soft lighting and a nice bottle of wine
"Oh there was another envelope in the mail. It looks like an invitation of some kind" Kate goes to the table and retrieves the envelope and brings it back to her husband
They open it together and both have smiles appear on their faces
Castle speaks first "That is cool"
"It sure is" Beckett agrees "A destination wedding"
"For two great people" Rick confirms "My neighbor that had the hots for me…"
Kate finished "…and my old boyfriend"
"Wait a minute. You said it was only a kiss. You never said he was a boyfriend"
"Who said she had the hots for you?"
They both laugh out loud
To my readers. You know I like to start light...well there you go