Hello Again Caskett'eers! When we left off, Beckett was spending the night at Castle's loft, welcomed by Martha and Alexis. All were getting ready for bed in the late night/early morning following the explosion at Beckett's loft. And, Rick has just loaned Kate some clothes to sleep in. ;)
Just a reminder, I don't own the characters and really love these episodes, but I'm just exploring what could have happened between Castle and Beckett...
So here we go with Chapter 2 of Moments of Always: When Time Explodes.
Thanks for reading and KTCLF!
-adcg
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Kate turned the bed covers back when she returned to her room and grabbed the second pillow from the opposite side of the bed. Even though she was tired, she had fibbed to Castle. Her mind was still spinning from the explosion, this case, being at his home and being an emotional wreck - even more so than normal.
She peeled her work clothes off her body, wondered if she should even attempt showering or a bath, knowing that Rick was still awake downstairs. So instead she shed her bra, pulled his t-shirt over her head and then shimmied into the p.j. pants.
They had stormtrooper helmets on them. Seriously Castle?
She pulled the drawstring as snuggly as she could to fit low on her waist and then rolled down the waistband to adjust the length. All in all they weren't too bad.
Kate gave herself a once-over in the dresser mirror and reminded herself that she had had a few dreams that included her wearing Rick Castle's clothing. Of course that was usually one of his button-up shirts and included visions of his larger fingers unbuttoning the garment and pulling it off her shoulders…
Dammit, Castle. She caught herself saying the words out loud as she grew more accustomed to the soft feel of his garments on her body. She closed her eyes, pulled in a long breath and then let it out slowly.
She went back to the bed and climbed onto the mattress. Ridiculous…how could the sheets on his spare bed feel better than the ones she normally slept on? This man had money to burn. Well, at least he made sure his guests were comfortable. She supposed.
Kate pulled her laptop from the backpack that had somehow magically appeared by the bedside. Leaning over to get the device allowed the necklace with her mom's ring to escape from the shirt's neckline. She grasped at it quickly, thinking that it was falling off her body.
She had almost lost it in the explosion; thank God it had been tucked safely into the little box that had also belonged to her mother. Thank God that she had been able to find that while a crew of crime scene investigators were combing the wreckage.
Kate leaned her back against the cushioned headboard of the bed, squeezed her fingertips around the ring and then moved her fingers to her wrist.
Her father's watch had not been located in the debris.
That one little factor - which was a monumental one in the police detective's mind at the moment - pulled her emotions over the edge. She closed her eyes, put one hand over them and fisted the belly of the t-shirt in her other fingers.
Her mind went blank as she started crying, wondering which of the current, overwhelming factors in her life actually triggered this breakdown.
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"Kate?"
She heard the voice before realizing that the door had even opened. "Alexis, what are you doing up?" Kate immediately swiped at her lower eyelids and cheeks to try and cover the tear tracks that had to be there. She figured her eyes were puffy and red as well.
Swiping probably didn't help at all.
The teen girl stepped into the room, "I was going downstairs to get some water and I heard- I thought I heard you crying."
Kate swiped at her eyes again, giving Alexis the tell-tale proof that she really didn't need.
"Are you okay?" Alexis sounded truly concerned and debated stepping farther into the room but hesitated only because of her split second of uncertainty.
"Oh, no, I'm fine, thanks for checking though," Kate tried to cover.
"Do you want me to get my dad? He really can be a good listener if you need to talk," Alexis tried.
"No, no," Kate emphasized, but forced a smile letting Alexis see the puffiness in the woman's eyes. "I'm fine. He's probably in bed asleep by now and I wouldn't want to disturb him," she covered.
Alexis nodded but immediately thought that her father would want to be disturbed, even woken, in this situation. She was slightly invading Kate's privacy, but she really was worried about her. And she was adult enough to realize that this woman who meant a lot to her father…and her, had been through hell.
"Can I get you anything from downstairs? More water or hot chocolate? I can make you my special recipe," the redhead offered.
Kate smiled kindly and shook her head. "Maybe another night on the hot chocolate? I'd love to try it sometime."
Alexis returned her smile and then turned back toward the hallway. "You're sure you're okay?"
Kate nodded. "I will be, thank you."
Alexis nodded back to her, stepped back into the hallway and closed the door behind her. She stood there for a few seconds, biting her lip in thought, before she headed downstairs and straight toward her father's bedroom.
The soft light from his bedside lamp shined underneath the door. That told Alexis that her dad wasn't asleep. She wasn't surprised. The fact that Kate Beckett was in their home would keep him up into the wee morning hours.
Knowing her father, he was waiting for Kate to fall asleep before peeking in on her.
Alexis knocked softly with a single knuckle, hoping it would catch Rick's attention.
"Yeah?" Rick looked up from his tablet where the high score on Angry Birds was at his fingertips. "I mean, come in…" he added with the thought of Kate being the knocker.
"Hey Dad," Alexis stuck her head inside.
"Hey Daughter," his eyebrows dipped. "Shouldn't you be in bed asleep?"
"I've been trying but I just can't turn my brain off. I came down to get some water."
"And you need my help getting water?" He looked at her a little skeptically. "Or were you checking to make sure I'm where I'm supposed to be, considering who our guest is?"
Alexis gave him an eye roll. "I can't say I'm not worried about your behavior with Kate here, but I also know you care too much to screw this up."
Rick looked at his all-too-smart daughter with a somewhat serious gaze and nodded. "This is true."
"But," Alexis started.
"But?" Again Rick's eyebrows dipped with consideration.
"When I came out of my room, I heard Kate crying-"
"What? Why?" Rick tossed his tablet onto the mattress and slid his feet off the bed quickly.
Alexis put her hands in the air in surrender. "I don't know for sure. I looked in on her and she said she'd be fine. But…I know if it was me…I'd probably need a hug and somebody to just listen for a little while."
Rick took a couple of shallow breaths as his daughter spoke. He didn't like the idea of Beckett crying, alone in his home. He did like his daughter's idea about offering some support.
He didn't want to overthink this. He really didn't care if he was overstepping his bounds or not. "Thanks, Sweetie," he gave his daughter a quick kiss on the forehead as he brushed past her and headed up the stairs.
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"Beckett?" Rick knocked on her door, not really caring if she was pretending to be asleep or not. Thanks to Alexis, he knew better.
"What d'ya want, Castle? I'm finally snuggled in," she attempted but knew that wouldn't satisfy him.
He turned the unlocked door knob and came into the room that was still illuminated by the lamp on the bedside table. "I, um," he did his best not to react to her hair pulled up in a messy ponytail, her legs stretched out under the covers and her torso propped up on pillows - wearing his shirt. "I keep thinking about this case and just can't sleep. I wondered if you were having the same problem."
"AKA, your daughter came down and told you she thought I was crying," Kate surmised.
"She's worried about you," Rick began. "I'm worried about you." He stepped toward the other side of the bed.
"I'm a big girl, Castle. I can cry by myself and be just fine," she tried to smile.
Castle started to sit on the bed but paused, pointing to a spot at the foot of the mattress, asking permission. When she nodded, he slid her laptop to that spot and then sat down beside her, leaned his body against the headboard and looked at her.
"You can, but you don't have to. Please, Beckett, come on, talk to me."
"What are you, my therapist?"
He gave her a more serious, fatherly kind of look.
"Fine," she let out a quiet huff of air, "I," she sat herself up more, matching his posture. Kate slowly pulled her mother's ring out of its comfort spot against her chest. "I found Mom's ring, but I couldn't find my dad's watch."
"We'll go back in the morning," Rick offered but then stopped with any further comment as he watched her face morphing with her thoughts.
She hesitated and looked down at the jewelry on the necklace. "The watch was a gift from my mom. Dad went through watches like I go through notepads. He wouldn't buy a good time piece for himself because he didn't want to shell out the money for one."
She looked up at Castle and gave him a nervous smile. It was another piece of her story that she had never shared with anyone else. Why she felt she could tell him about it, she had no clue, but maybe it was as simple as Alexis had said - he could be a good listener.
"Finally, for one of their anniversaries she bought him that watch and had it engraved. On the back of the watch it says 'To remind you of our time together. All My Love, Jo'."
Rick didn't have to see the tears that immediately came to her eyes. And he didn't wait a moment longer before he scooted closer, put his arms around her and pulled her to him.
"Oh, Kate," was all he said as the simple hug opened her floodgates.
What surprised Rick was the fact that she didn't balk at his embrace. Instead she turned in his arms, placed her head on his shoulder and sobbed for several minutes.
When she was finally able to catch her breath, Rick continued holding her. "There's more to that story that I'd like to hear," he requested honestly.
Instead, Kate pulled away from him, placed a hand on his cheek and surprisingly attempted to pull his lips to hers. But as soon as he realized what she was doing, Rick Castle pulled away.
"Just let me hold you tonight?" He offered.
In the moment, realizing he wasn't giving in to her ill-fated attempt to kiss him, Kate pulled away and shook her head, embarrassed. "I'm sorry," she tried to turn away from him but Rick caught her chin with his index finger.
"Don't be," he instructed her. "I know you're vulnerable right now and I'm not going to take advantage of that, Kate. But I'm your friend, I'm your partner, and I...care deeply about you. If it'll help you at all, I'll hold you all night long, or sit right here with you. Whatever you want."
Kate blinked back a few tears of emotional embarrassment and shook her head slightly. "I'll be fine. You just go back downstairs and we'll both try to rest."
Rick pressed his lips together knowing she was pushing him away at a time that she probably needed him. But he decided to abide by what he had just told her.
He slowly slid off the bed and walked around to face her. He bent down and pressed a chaste kiss to her forehead, as though he was kissing Alexis.
"You know where I am and the door will be unlocked. When you're ready to tell me more about the watch, I'll be there. Wake me up. Kate, please, let me be here for you."
She watched him walk toward the door. When he turned to look back at her she held his eyes for a moment and then gave him a simple, "Goodnight, Castle."
In turn he offered her a soft, loving smile and countered, "Till tomorrow, Beckett."
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It was less than 30 minutes before Rick heard the soft knock on his door. He had been waiting, hoping to hear the sound so there was no way he was going to sleep.
Instead of inviting her in with words from his bed, he went to the door and opened it. She stood there with arms crossed across her chest, his clothes clinging to her body, looking more vulnerable than he had ever seen. Rick decided it wasn't a look that he liked on his strong detective.
"You'll just hold me?" she asked nervously, one side of her bottom lip pulled between her teeth.
"Of course," Rick answered as little more than a whisper. "Come in and take whichever side of the bed you want."
Kate's eyes immediately looked around at his décor. There were elephants and lions on his walls. His bed wasn't ornate or overwhelming in any way. She looked back at him as she approached the left side of the bed and waited for him to come over.
As a parent does for a child, Castle pulled back the duvet and sheet and held it up for her to crawl in. And, like a child, she did just that, lying on her back, head on the pillow watching as the man who cared for her placed the covers softly around her.
He offered her a gentle smile and then wandered to his side of the bed and crawled in, turning his body to face hers.
"After we lost my mom," she stared at the ceiling as she spoke, "Dad started drinking excessively. He was never a threat to me but he was so angry. He would go to a bar and drink until they wouldn't serve him. Then he would come home and drink more and then pass out."
"He would get cleaned up the next morning, go to work and then do it all over again in the evening. It went on for weeks until one day he passed out at the office. One of his partners called me after calling an ambulance."
"They made him stay at the hospital one night to get rehydrated and they tried to take the watch off his wrist and I really thought he was going to punch the phlebotomist who was trying to put in the i.v."
Kate swallowed and shook her head. "I knew he was spiraling and I tried to talk to him that night about the drinking. He said he just needed to sleep it off. So I asked him if I could take the watch home with me - just so somebody wouldn't steal it from him while he was there. He looked at me like I had two heads, Castle. He said the only time that watch would come off of him, along with his wedding band, would be when he was dead and gone."
She sat herself up as she felt the tears filling her eyes yet again, and stared at the black and white picture of the lion on the wall across from the bed. She took a few moments to calm herself, just breathing in and out. She wiped her hand over her nose and mouth as she thought back to the time she almost lost her dad.
"His drinking went on for several more months. But when he ended up in the hospital a second time, I told him I was done. I told him I wouldn't stick around and watch him drink himself into the grave beside mom's. She wasn't there to pick him up and I was having a hard enough time holding myself together."
"That time, when I turned to walk out the door of his hospital room, he broke down. I saw my dad cry more after my mom's death than I've seen in my whole life. He told me he couldn't lose me too. And he proceeded to take the watch off his wrist and handed it to me. He said if I would stay with him that he'd get help. Or," her tears began falling at will at the memory.
Rick sat up and again took her in his arms. He rested his head on top of hers as he held her against his chest. "Or?" He prodded gently.
"Or," she continued shakily, "I could take the watch, walk out the door and have it as a reminder of the time we had together."
Her tears soaked through his shirt and he felt them on his skin. Still he held Kate close and refused to let her pull away.
"But you obviously didn't take it and go, did you?" Rick asked her. He felt her shake her head in response.
"No," she swiped her fingertips under her eyes and across her nose and lips. "But when he went into rehab and started AA, he told me to keep it. He didn't want to chance losing it or damaging it. And he said seeing me wear it was a reminder to him of Mom - and that I was part of their time together."
Castle nodded at her. "Your dad is much more poetic than you might think, huh?"
Beckett rolled her eyes against his chest and Rick knew exactly what she was doing.
She was amazed. She had just spent nearly an hour crying on his shoulder and yet he could still find a way to annoy her - or was this just a little distraction? Either way she appreciated it.
When she finally pulled away from him, Rick watched her closely. She slowly wriggled her way under the covers once more and turned her back toward him. When Rick didn't move she turned her head just enough to make sure he could hear her.
"You'll just hold me?" she asked again.
With that Rick spooned himself behind her, pulled the covers over them both and wrapped an arm around her waist.
"All night Kate, if that's what you want."
It was. And in a matter of just moments, both of them were sound asleep.
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Rick stood at the door to his office, leaning against the molding with his eyes fixed on the kitchen. There were plates on the counter with stacks of pancakes, scrambled eggs, toast, and sausage. It looked like a meal to feed an army and yet the cook was still hard at work.
He crossed his arms over his chest and studied her. The gauze bandage around her wrist wasn't stopping Kate from lifting the skillet and the bottom lip pulled between her teeth was a testament to the amount of determination she was obviously putting into breakfast.
This was obviously a Kate Beckett 'thank you' gesture, for letting her stay at the loft. And, he realized quickly, it was her way of 'one-upping' him for cooking pancakes at her apartment just a few mornings ago.
But as he took in a deep breath he wondered if perhaps this meal preparation might be borne of nerves from the previous night…the night that had ended with her in his bed, sleeping soundly.
Unbeknownst to few who knew him, Richard Castle did think about his actions and words from time to time, before using them. He chalked this up as one of the times he should do just that.
So as he watched Kate Beckett, working feverishly in his kitchen, wearing his t-shirt and pj pants, he deliberated on the proper way to interrupt her thoughts.
There could be the Casual Castle, wandering to the kitchen thanks to the smell of bacon and coffee brewing. He could be the Content Castle, and just go into a normal morning routine - plus the bacon and coffee brewing. Or he could be Cocky Castle and saunter over to the woman who had shared his bed and attempt to make a big deal about their innocent time together.
But instead, he decided to be Cautious Caring Castle.
"Hey," he caught her attention as he walked toward the kitchen island. "I thought I smelled coffee and bacon," he smiled and breathed in deeply.
"I woke up," she paused and felt heat rising through her neck and into her cheeks, "and couldn't get back to sleep so I thought I'd make breakfast. I hope you don't mind. I fumbled around through the cabinets and the fridge." She hurried on through her thoughts to try and cool the tinge of embarrassment that was plaguing her.
Rick again had to think about his choice of words as he took in the rosiness in her cheeks and the fact that she wasn't looking him in the eyes.
"Ow, dammit," the bacon grease popped from the skillet and Kate jerked at the burn on her skin. "Add that to the scars I guess," she mumbled the comment.
"Hey, easy there," Castle quickly rounded the counter and took the skillet from her hand, turning off the burner and putting the pan in a safe spot. "Let me see it," he reached for her arm and grasped her hand before she could shy away from him.
"It's fine, Castle, just a little spot," she griped and tried to pull away.
"Would you just," he pulled her toward him deliberately and stretched her arm out to make sure there was no real damage to her skin. "I can't have you getting hurt on my watch," he added with a gentle smile.
She smiled back at him, kind of a closed lip glare, but then pulled her arm back to herself and tried to go back to completing her breakfast mission.
"My mom was an awesome cook," she deferred. "When I was little, on the weekends or holiday breaks, she would give me my choice of pancakes, waffles, eggs, this whole buffet for breakfast. It was great!" Kate leaned forward and grabbed one of the empty plates she had sat out and handed it to Castle. "Here, try-"
Castle took the plate from her and placed it back on the countertop before taking a deep breath and looking into her eyes. Now, with their proximity thanks to her minor burn, he had stopped putting thought into his actions and decided, once again, to just act on instinct.
"Kate," he hesitated but then reached again for her hand. "I'm gonna do something that's probably not 100 percent appropriate right now. You're probably gonna smack me for it, or pull on my ear, but it's honestly what I wanted to do when I first woke up this morning - but you had already gotten out of bed."
"Castle," her voice was soft but still warning him to think before doing whatever he was thinking about.
Instead he pulled her body toward his and wrapped his arms around her.
"When your apartment exploded, I couldn't think straight, Kate. I still have all these thoughts running through me and I realize I was scared - terrified - that you were hurt, or worse and I couldn't get to you. Last night after you went upstairs I thought I was feeling better because you're okay and you're here with me. But even when you came down and you were in bed with me...when I went to sleep I saw the explosion all over again and my heart…Kate if something happened to you, I don't know what I'd do."
"Rick," Kate's first instinct was to pull out of his embrace. But with his words and the emotion embedded in them, she found herself wrapping her arms around his waist and allowed him to hold her. "I'm here; I'm fine," she added as she turned her head and rested it against his chest.
They stood there silently for a few minutes, each simply enjoying being held by the other. When Rick took a chance and nuzzled his nose to the top of her head Kate smiled. She could get used to this.
And then she tensed with the truth of that thought. I could get used to this…to him holding me…
"Breakfast is getting cold," she attempted to play it cool but knew that Rick had sensed the change in her demeanor.
"I like cold bacon," he countered with a lie and felt her relax again within his arms.
Kate pulled back and gave him a skeptical look. "Well I'm not a big fan of it," she informed him. And when he loosened his hold on her slightly she leaned back against his arms and tilted her face upwards towards his as she added, "I like hot bacon, hot eggs and at least warm pancakes."
Rick smiled softly at her as she spoke. Holding her felt like the most normal thing in the world to him. So normal that in the next moment his lips were on hers and for whatever reason the simple lip-to-lip, morning kiss didn't seem awkward at all.
Kate apparently felt the same, since she didn't pull away. No, not awkward at all.
Until…
"Ahem," The soft sound of a throat clearing at the bottom of the stairs made them both open their eyes and look in that direction.
As their lips parted it was like slow motion, arms unlocking from around one another and a quick step backwards from Kate, just to put a little distance between them.
"Alexis, Good Morning," Kate stammered slightly from a dry throat. She licked her lips, still feeling Rick's pressed against them. "Breakfast is ready. We've got pancakes and I think I saw strawberries in the fridge, and whipped cream if you'd like?" She tried to sound normal.
The teen walked to the breakfast bar and looked at her father as if she was waiting for an explanation.
"Good Morning, Sweetheart, sleep well?" Rick asked in such a nonchalant way that Alexis put her hands on her hips and raised her eyebrows practically to the top of her head.
"Can we talk in your office, like now?" Alexis pointed toward the area in question.
"Alexis," Castle grinned at her and then looked back at Kate who suddenly was wearing a forehead of worried wrinkles along with the redness in her cheeks.
"Do you want me to get into this here, now, in front of…her?" The redhead lowered her voice, but what Rick heard was a precursor to the lecture his mother had given him in junior high school about treating a woman properly.
"You guys, you know, I'm…" Kate was still struggling with the kiss she had shared with Rick on top of the entire mountain range of emotions she had endured over the past 48 hours and now the apparent distrust of this particular teenaged girl. "I'm just gonna go change clothes and get to work," she offered until Rick wrapped his fingers gently around her bicep.
He took a deep breath and looked at Kate first, pleading with her to simply wait a few minutes before running away. If he let her leave now, under these circumstances, he knew he wouldn't get her back. Right now, that wasn't an option in his mind.
"Dad," Alexis started again wanting to get her thoughts off her chest before they burned a hole in her. "Kate is not in any emotional state for you to take advantage of her right now. I know you love her but now is not the time-"
"Alexis," Rick's voice became more firm but his eyes closed as he tried to think of the right words to say to his daughter. He breathed in and out deeply, amazed that Kate wasn't already out the door, and looked toward the woman whose face was now crimson.
"Can you please stay here, right here, in the kitchen, and give me five minutes. Please?" His eyes seemed to convey the pleading tone that his voice couldn't quite muster at the moment.
"I'll just go-" Kate tried again but Rick shook his head.
"Please, don't go upstairs, don't go out the door, don't go to the couch. Just stay right here, please."
Kate looked at Alexis for any indication of what the girl might have in mind. The teen's initial reaction made Kate want to run away and never see the Castle family again. But Alexis's words - to her father - had made it sound like she was defending Kate, fearful of what Castle's actions might cause.
And then there was Rick. The man who had consoled her through the night, allowed her into his bed in order for her to be held through the night. The man who had asked nothing more of her as she drifted off to sleep in his arms.
The man who was breaking down every wall she had built around her heart without so much as a real kiss - until about five minutes ago.
The least she could do for him was wait.
"I'll just get a cup of coffee," she conceded and looked into Rick's eyes.
"Thank you," He offered sincerely and then traded Kate's bicep for his daughter's as he pushed her toward the office.
Kate watched as they walked into the study and noted that Rick purposefully turned them so he could see through the bookcase-enclosed room. He was trying to keep an eye on her while putting out the fire in his fiery little redhead.
She smiled to herself, somehow, in her circling - scratch that - her spiraling brain waves. Richard Castle had held her, kissed her and was now defending his actions to his daughter who, Kate was quite sure, was now looking out for their best interests.
She tried to imagine how she would feel if the tables were turned, if her father jumped into a relationship with a coworker that she barely knew.
But then she stopped herself and paused to think about this particular situation. She and Alexis actually knew each other pretty well. Richard Castle had been in Kate's life for a few years now. They had allowed Kate to be part of their lives and welcomed her in.
If she was honest, it wasn't out of the question that she would kiss Richard Castle. It wasn't out of the question that he would hold her through the night when she was anxious and feeling alone.
There was that little spark of fear again from her heart though… Because no, none of that was out of the question at all.
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"What happened last night?" Alexis asked with the voice of an adult scolding a child.
"Nothing happened last night…I don't have to tell you what happened…why are you…I'm the dad here," Rick stumbled.
"You two were just kissing in our kitchen. Detective Beckett is here for her own protection and just to have a roof over her head, not for some fling that you've been wanting to have. That is not why I knocked on your door last night," Alexis huffed as she took a short break from the various thoughts that were rolling through her mind.
"Fling?!" Rick's face morphed into a serious, father-like expression. He stood there, simply breathing and praying his teenage daughter would not say anything else at this moment.
Alexis noted the change and pressed her lips together. There was more she wanted to say, but she knew her father was also gathering up his courage to speak to her in a rare, but not unheard of, way.
"Alexis," he began, his voice dangerously calm, and purposefully took several long breaths. "I know I'm not father of the year. I know I've had flings before…more than I should've, I realize now, but I am who I am." He breathed in a bit shakily and licked his lips before continuing.
"I have never brought one of those 'flings' home when you were here. I haven't had a serious date in months, other than shadowing Kate and spending time with her. I care about her. You said it yourself - I do think I'm in love with her. Thank you very much for laying that on the table for me…it's a wonder she's still here."
He looked between the bookshelves to see Kate watching them nervously with a cup of coffee pressed to her lips.
"I'm sorry," the look on his daughter's face told him she was now actually thinking about her words and the bigger picture.
Rick thought he heard the sound of a phone ringing and kept his eyes on Kate who moved out of his view for a moment and then stepped back in with her cell pressed to her ear.
"Sweetheart, I know this needs a much longer conversation and I promise you we'll have it, soon. But I need to-" he saw Kate end the call, tip the phone toward him, and again step out of his view.
As Alexis gave him a simple nod and "Go," he moved her to the side and headed out of the office.
"Kate?" he looked around quickly and saw her heading up the stairs.
"I need to get dressed. Espo called, there's another body. I need to go." Kate held the phone up so Castle could see, flashed him a fake smile and then turned to go to her makeshift room.
Rick caught her on the second step with his fingers on her forearm. When she turned her head and looked down at him, Castle simply looked up at her with a request. "Don't leave without me. I can be dressed in 10 minutes."
Kate thought about his words, about the last half hour of their lives, about Alexis interrupting their kiss. She could easily tell him 'no', order him to just let her be and find a way to get out of the loft with her dignity and time to try and get her life back on kilter.
That would be the easy way out, though, and when had she ever taken that route?
"Fine," was all she offered him.
"Thanks," Castle smiled at her.
Maybe this is good. Both of them thought as Castle held her arm for another second and ran his thumb soothingly over her skin. We'll get back to work and get refocused. That's all we need to do.
When he finally released her their eyes met. Castle wondered if she wanted to bend down and give him a kiss; Kate halfway expected Rick to step up next to her and kiss her.
Instead both headed in separate directions to let the nerves calm and desires subside.
Alexis watched them carefully as she stood in the kitchen. She hoped Kate wasn't scared away by her father's kiss. She hoped her father wasn't falling in love with someone who could only offer him temporary happiness.
And she hoped she could handle whichever scenario came their way.
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Afterthoughts... Well, I hate to admit this, but this is as far as I've gotten on this story so it'll probably be a week or so before I post anymore. I'd like to explore more of the father/daughter discussion; more with Kate/Alexis; perhaps a Martha/Alexis chat because you KNOW those had to happen frequently!; and of course Kate cannot just stay one night at Castle's place in this particular journey.
So yes, there is more to this story - I just have to figure it out! I hope you'll bear with me.
Again, thanks for reading; for all of your wonderful comments and encouragement; and for helping me Keep the Caskett Love Flowing!
KTCLF,
-adcg