Presumptions
Chapter 15 - Bringing It Home
"I want in on this local raid Wil", Kate had tells him.
They were in a meeting with Capt Roy Montgomery, the DEA liaison officer, and Alpha Team.
"I don't think that would be wise Kate. I do not want to risk getting you wounded on the raid, you have a more important task. You need to stay safe for your daughter and Rick when he comes back. So you will not participate in this operation and that Detective Beckett is an order."
Kate is steaming mad from her Captain's order, but after a while realizes the logic of Roy's order. Roy just wants her safe and healthy for Castle's return. She also realizes she has to think about her newly born daughter. She proposes a compromise.
"Understood Captain, but may I suggest that I be allowed to monitor the raid from one of the surveillance vans."
Roy looks to Sorenson for a response.
"I can live with that Captain Montgomery. Detective Beckett will be safe in a surveillance van and can see the operations' execution in real time."
"Okay, I can agree to that, but Kate, you are not to leave the van for any reason, is that clear?"
"Crystal, Captain."
"Okay then, you have your guidance, you're dismissed", he says to the group.
Back In Captivity
Rick gets another encrypted message from Turner letting him know his rescue will be within days and he should prepare for it. Rick had already done so. He had fabricated some make shift weapons, and had been doing exercises in the morning to get in shape. HIs body now more toned and ready for any physical efforts needed for his escape.
Two days later as his lunch is delivered, it is a fine meal, a large chicken breast, grilled vegetables, rice and the usual three bottles of water. As he picks up the breast to eat it, underneath it is hidden a note. Reading it, Rick sees it is a map of his location and a route to take when he breaks free. It designates a Collection Point (CP) to be at, and Rick suspects he will be helo'd out for his escape. That night, when he gets his evening meal, there is another note. He deciphers it and it says, MIDNIGHT. Rick finishes his dinner and gets some sleep, but it is a light sleep as he does not want to oversleep.
As midnight approaches, which Rick only can guess at since he has no watch, he hears a noise at his door. It sounds like someone sliding a bolt free.
"Can it be?", Rick thinks. He tires his door, it is open. He grabs his DIY weapons and stands ready at his door preparing to exit once he hears sounds of an attempted raid. He had committed the escape map to memory and now knows he must get to his CP for extraction. About twenty minutes later, he hears the sounds of gunfire and immediately makes an escape exiting thru his now opened cell door to the outside.
Once outside, it is chaos. Gun fire, people running about, collateral damage from grenades and ammo rounds. As Rick runs to his CP, a guard spots him and tries to stop him. Rick takes the metal bar he has fashioned as a weapon and hits the man about the head and shoulders. His CIA training had provided a course in Kali, the Pilipino martial arts, using striking sticks wherein the stick can also be a baton or any bladed weapon, the movements are the same. So with his metal stick, Castle is lethal. He then punches the guard with the nail between his fingers, puncturing the man several times as he punches. The man goes down in pain and agony.
Rick again heads at a run in the direction of his CP, as he approaches, he sees a helo coming in and hovering above his CP. When Rick gets there, there is a line with a harness hanging from the helo. Rick puts on the harness and is lifted into the helo. It flies away once Rick is safely in the aircraft.
Thirty minutes later he is delivered to a safehouse and is greeted by CIA and Columbian Anti-Drug personnel. Rick sees a familiar face.
"How are you Rick?", says CIA Agent Gray.
"None the worst from my captivity, Agent Gray."
"Well we have a room for you and the Doctor is there to exam you and make sure you are healthy with no issues."
Once in his room he sees the doctor dressed in scrubs.
"Doc Hank Powell, CIA Field Medical, is there anything I can get for you before we begin the exam?"
"A good cup of coffee will do, I have not had one for a while. The stuff they gave me while I was a hostage tasted like crap. Which you think being in Columbia I would get some of their world famous coffee!"
"We have good Columbian Dark Roast and I will make sure that is the brew you get."
They bond over the coffee, Hank relating stories of the behind the scene efforts on Rick's recovery. After the exam, Rick is given a clean bill of health.
"You are as healthy as anyone I've examined considering what you went thru. In fact, you have good muscle tone and your abs are in great shape. Seems you worked out while in captivity.
"Every morning for like and hour or two. It's not like I had other things to do Doc Hank."
"Touche, Rick."
As they finish their discussion, in walks Sophia Turner.
Rick sees her immediately, "Sophia, gorgeous as ever, how are you?"
Turner walks up to Rick and gives him an embrace and then a peck to his lips.
"Thank you Sophie for having my back."
"Least I could do for my old partner, beside, you have given assistance on some of our ops and are a valuable asset", there is a sound of familiarity in her voice.
"Well thank you again and I'm sorry for how we ended it Sophie."
"No need for that Rick, we were never meant to be", her voice speaking with some sadness.
"Do you ever think about it Sophie, about those times we had together."
"All the time, you are a hard man to forget."
"Back at cha, you are still so stunning Sophie."
"Rick Castle are you flirting with me?"
"I always flirt with a gorgeous woman in my presence!"
"Oh really, and what does Kate say about that?"
"I..uhh...you...you know about Kate?"
"I've got her on speed dial, had to put the woman out of her misery concerning your recent abduction. So I have been talking to her, letting her in on our efforts to rescue you. I know how it feels not having you near", and again a voice spoken in an intimate and familiar tone.
"So now who's flirting?"
"Well, you can't stop a woman from recalling!", it is said in her fondest tone and one that Rick recognizes.
She hands a cell phone to Rick, "Call her Rick, I know she is missing you something fierce."
Rick speed dials Kate from Turner's contact list on her phone. He hears the phone ringing on the other end and then a voice.
"Agent Turner, please tell me you have Rick."
"Hi Babe, I'm here safe with Agent Turner."
"Rick!? Oh my God, Rick! I have missed you so much and Lily also. She still so young but I know she senses your absence. I love you Rick, please hurry home!"
"I will, I just wanted to let you know I am safe."
"Tell Sophia, 'thank you', for me."
"Tell her yourself Kate." He hands the phone back to Turner.
"Agent Turner, thank you, thank you so much. You've got to know how I feel!"
"That I do. He is a hard man to forget, and harder yet, not to have him near."
The two share a moment, each knowing how the other feels, both having been with this man, Rick Castle. For Sophia, it is bitter sweet. She is thankful Rick is now safe, but also realizes that he is taken. Rick is not hers, he belongs to another, and that is painful for Sophia.
Sophia hands the phone back to Rick, "Tell her goodbye for now Rick and I will leave so you two can have some privacy."
Turner leaves quickly.
"Kate, I have missed you. I want you so much right now!"
"Oh Rick, nights have been so lonely and sad without you. If not for Lily, I think I would have gone crazy. Hurry home cause I want to make up for lost time."
"I will be there as fast as I can, but Kate, that first night I'm home, can you do something for me?"
"Yes, anything, whatever you want!"
"For bed, wear that sexy, almost nothing there, black lingerie that you wore that one night."
"Is this Rick Castle talking or his libido?"
"Uhh, both."
"Well then, I will have you know that I am wearing nothing right now. You caught me in bed trying to relieve myself of the angst of you not being here next to me."
Hearing her words, Rick takes a gulp and tells her, "You're killing me here Kate. I have such a vivid picture of you in my mind. You there in our bed, self pleasuring yourself as you think of me, that is sooo arousing. Hearing you speak about your state of mind and state of undress, I'm so turned on!"
"Well, hurry home and get some Stud! Relieve your SDS!"
"SDS, Kate?"
"Sex Deficiency Syndrome!"
"Oh God Kate, you got me sprung here!"
"Well then, like I said, hurry home and get some", and with that Kate hangs up leaving Rick wanting.
Rick spends the next 15 minutes coming down from his arousal. He heads to the men's room to flash some cold water on this face until he is back to normal once again. He walks out of this room to Sophia Turner.
"Here's your cell phone back Sophia, thank you for that."
Turner sees the look on Rick's face and knows that look of longing. He used to have it with her. She knows he is now another's and feels the loss. Sophia takes solace in that they were never meant to be more than just a past liaison, but her feelings are still there.
"I hope I gave you enough time to share a private moment", she says coming out of her thoughts on him and their past.
"That you did. Thank you for your thoughtfulness. When do I head home?"
"In about two hours, we have an Air Force Galaxy Transport ready to take you back."
"Oh thank God!", he says and then comes up to Sophia and gives her an innocent but affectionate peck to her cheek in appreciation for what she had just done for him.
"That will not do, Rick Castle", Sophia grabs him in a tight embrace and gives him a proper and passionate kiss to the lips with lots of tongue. Breathless she says, "That's for old times sake" and then she departs. Sophia is hiding the tears that are forcing their way out of her eyes. This brief reunion has stirred some past strong feelings for Rick that have been buried for some time. Losing Rick Castle will forever be one of her deepest regrets. Letting Rick go was one of Sophia's greatest act of unselfishness done out of love.
Rick just stands there watching his ex leave and is just totally surprised by Sophia's actions. He has fond memories of her. His libido has been stroked tonight, from two women; the woman he loves, and the one who gave him up because she knew there were never meant to be. Rick is totally in awe of these two women who have gifted him with their affections in so many ways, but Sophia is his past while Kate is his future. He can not wait to get home to her, his Kate, his fiancee!
The Home Coming
The scene at the arriving airport is filled with so much emotions.
"I see him", says Alexis.
Three women come running up to Rick, his daughter, his mother, and his fiancee. They all embrace in a group hug and then each woman gives him a welcoming kiss. Kate gives him a kiss filled with longing and passion. It is so affectionate and has Alexis and Martha staring at her, truly Kate had missed him. Coming up to the group, Jim Beckett is holding baby Lily.
"How about we give this little one a chance to greet her father", says grandpa Jim.
Upon seeing his daughter, Rick says with so much feeling, "Hey there sweetpea! Daddy has missed you so, Lily."
Lily looks at her father with those dark blue eyes of hers, a feature inherited from her father, and she coos at him. Rick touches her cheeks affectionately and Lily latches on to his finger.
Grandpa Jim gives a pat to Rick's back, "Glad to have you back son."
"Glad to me back Jim."
ME Parish, Captain Montgomery, Espo and Ryan are right behind Jim Beckett and coming up to Castle.
ME Parish speaks first, "Glad you're back home Rick."
"Yeah bro", says Espo with Ryan backing him up with, "Ditto to that", says the Irish detective.
They all three give a fist bump to each other.
"Castle, welcome home!", says Montgomery giving Rick a hearty hand shake, "You been working out while you were away Castle, you're looking buff."
Lanie is standing next to Kate and whispers to her, "The man he looks so good, I could just eat him! You gonna check that man out tonight in his birthday suit. That is one fine hunk of male magnetism. You are a lucky woman, Kate."
Kate is blushing bright red from Lanie's comment. She whispers back to Lanie, "I'll let you know how that turns out."
"Oh listen to you", exclaims Lanie, "is this Kate speaking? Do I sense she has missed her man and wants some tonight.
"Lanie, please, not so loud, others may hear you".
"Oh really, tell me you don't want that and I will shut up out of sheer surprise."
Kate remains silent for a long moment, not knowing how to respond to her friend.
"Ah huh, thought so, too horny for a come back!"
"Lanie!", she gives her GF a glare, "Speak louder they can't hear you in Brooklyn!"
"Just saying Girl! I want details on our next Girl's Night", and with that Lanie wiggles both her eyebrows up and down and then gives back her look to Kate that says 'you got this girl'.
Kate is totally undone and is just standing there blushing. Her mouth a little agape!
"Kate, come give me another welcome home kiss", says Castle not getting enough from her during their first kiss.
Kate comes up to her fiance and plants a longing kiss on his lips. It lasts longer than their first kiss and has l lots more tongue. For some in the group the couple's emotional state is so raw, they have to turn away, overwhelmed by the show of it. For these persons, they share in the couple's anguish of having been forced apart against their wishes. But the show of the tender reunion is a welcomed sight, it is a happy outcome for the couple.
Kate's kiss with Rick draws a big 'ahhhh' from the crowd.
Rick is back! He will celebrate tonight with Kate, in their bed! Rick has her once again and never wants to be separated like they were. All has now returned to what it was , but his time there is a more appreciative sense of what is means to be together.
