Shared Obsession Chapter 202

Earl grabs money from the club's cash register and stuffs it into a gym bag as quickly as he can. "Come on! Hurry up!" Kitty urges. He runs into a back room and slides the bag across the floor, to a spot next to her and a larger one, already filled. "Get the plates!" she exclaims. He rushes away.

Moments later, weapon raised, Kate steps into the doorway. "Going somewhere? Let me see your hands. Step away from the bags and walk forward."

With her hands in the air, Kitty moves toward Kate. Ryan slips behind her and pulls a handful of bills from the larger bag. "They're all fake, Beckett."

"What gave me away?" Kitty asks.

"The missing ingredient," Castle answers from behind Kate, "the ink, a tattoo artist's stock and trade."

"That and Evan Murphy," Kate adds. "We knew you'd follow up after you told us your 'incident' story. It made sense that you'd plant the gun that would incriminate him. But you didn't have a chance to put his fingerprints on it, did you? No one wipes their prints from a gun they're going to keep in their own apartment."

Hearing approaching footsteps, Castle is about to warn Beckett when a gun cocks. "Kate, look out!" He tackles Kate to the ground as Earl fires.

Ryan and Esposito both draw their weapons and begin to fire back as Earl takes off on a run.

Kate begins to get up. "Guys, go after him!"

"Move, move, move!" Esposito yells.

"Let's go!" Ryan responds a step behind him.

Getting to their feet, Kate and Castle glance around. "F***! Where's Kitty?" Kate spits out.

"The funny money's gone too," Castle says.

"Castle, you stay here," Kate orders.

"What if they come back? Am I supposed to talk them to death?"

Kate can't help a hint of a smile. "That could work if you tell them your story about Alexis's fourth-grade science fair award. But that could take too long so, here." Kate pulls her backup pistol from her ankle holster and hands it to him before taking off after the fleeing suspects.

Castle stands still for a moment before hearing rustling sounds. He follows them to a sideshow attraction – the hall of mirrors – he'd missed on his previous visit to the club. Ryan and Esposito's voices come from somewhere in the distance, but all he can see are reversed images of himself and the reflection of a door opening to the outside. A shower of glass erupts as a gunshot shatters a mirror. He can feel the pricks of tiny shards on his skin.

Continuing shots shatter more mirrors, enough for Castle to spot the actual door to an alley. He runs toward it. Rushing outside, he sees Kate standing near another door, pointing her gun in his direction. "Castle, get down, now!" Earl emerges from the second door, his gun aimed at Kate. As Castle hears a scurry behind him, he and Kate fire simultaneously.

Kitty drops to the ground, Kate's bullet in her knee. Earl sags, Castle's round in his shoulder. Ryan and Esposito dash in to cuff the suspects while Kate calls for medics.

Kate takes a seat next to Castle on the tailgate of an ambulance, as sirens signal the suspects' rushed journey to the hospital, accompanied by Ryan and Esposito. "You OK, Babe?"

"Whatever they put on the cuts where the glass hit me, stung like hell and it will probably take me hours to make sure all the bits are out of my hair."

"I can help you with that."

"Thank you. That could be fun. And all in all, I think this came out pretty well. Counterfeiting kiboshed, suspects rounded up and Kitty and Earl already trying to blame each other."

"Yeah, the DA should have a field day with that," Kate agrees. "Ready to go home?"

"Don't you have to report to Montgomery or something?"

"The boys can give him the highlights. If I know Esposito, he's already spinning himself as a hero."

"At least until Ryan comes out with his version on his blog."

"So, ready?"

"Absolutely."

Castle is toweling his hair dry when he hears his cell and Kate's go off in synchrony. He grabs his phone from the dresser and sinks down on the edge of the bed as the words flow over him. Nearby, Kate receives a similar call. Their gazes lock. "You heard the verdict?" she asks.

"Guilty on all counts," he responds. "Bracken's going to spend the rest of his life in prison. It's over, Kate."

She settles heavily beside his still-damp form. "After all these years, I can hardly believe it."

Castle reaches for her hand. "I know what you mean. It's like I'm afraid I'll wake up and he'll still be out there. Our whole fight to nail him will have been a dream."

"It's probably on the news, or will be soon," Kate says.

Castle looks down at the phone beside him. "Probably on Twitter first." He reaches down to check. "And there it is, in all its social media glory. He scrolls through the posts. "Breaking news from ZNN, all the major networks, The Hill, WAPO, everyone." Kate leans in to see, brushing one of the deeper cuts on his arm. "Ow!"

"Sorry, Babe. but I guess if you felt that, we're awake."

"I guess we are. And we should celebrate. I've been keeping a bottle of Dom Perignon chilling, just waiting for this. And Alexis is still immersed in her undersea adventures and the newest releases from Blue Pill. We'll be on our own and can go anywhere you want, Q3, Rocco DiSpirito's, Le Cirque – you name it." He glances down at the thick terrycloth bath sheet around his hips. But I should probably get dressed first."

"Or you could take your time with that and we can stay here," Kate suggests, "enjoy some of that Champagne, and order in. Get in some of the Kate and Rick time we missed out on in the Hamptons while we brought down the bad guys."

"Kate and Rick time?"

"No bad guys, no cops, no cases, no over-curious fans, just you and me, Rick and Kate."

"Rick and Kate," Castle repeats, letting the words roll over his tongue. "Sounds incredible."

"Good, then let's hurry up and figure out what to order, because the Kate part is starved."

"As I said, whatever you want."

Kate licks the last bit of sweet ricotta cannoli filling from her lip. "That was incredible."

"You want some more Champagne?" Castle offers.

"No, I think I've had enough of the bubbly. Maybe an espresso?"

"How about a cappuccino?"

"Even better."

"This will have to come to temperature," Castle says, turning on a smaller version of the coffee machine he bought for Homicide's breakroom. "I want to check on something in my office. It will just take a minute." Closing his office door behind him, he quickly works the combination to the safe. For a moment, he just stares inside at the little velvet box. Is it the right time? If not now, there may never be one. He slips it into the pocket of the casual slacks he put on after shedding his towel. Returning to the kitchen, he glances at Kate.

"Everything all right?" she asks.

Castle starts laying out traditional cappuccino cups, saucers, and spoons. "I think so." After finishing his preparations, he carries the finished drinks to the table.

"Those smell great," Kate says, reaching for one.

Castle covers her hand with his own. "I need to ask you something."

Kate's stomach flip-flops. "What's going on, Babe? Is this about what was in your office?"

"More like what was in my office is entirely about this." Reaching into his pocket, Castle grasps the tiny box and lowers himself to one knee. Flipping the box open, he extends it, so that Kate can see a diamond and amethyst ring. At least he has a little of Kate's favorite color on his side. "Kate, I think I've loved you since the moment you shoved your badge in my face. But there's always been a dark cloud over and between us, sucking the joy from our time together – from any life we could build together. But that cloud is gone. Now it's just you and me, Kate and Rick, so I'm asking, Kate, will you marry me?"

Kate cradles Rick's face in her palm. "Yes, Rick, I will."

Finis

A/N I hope you've enjoyed the journey with this version of Rick and Kate. There will be a new story tomorrow. Please join me for "Confession." Love, Sally