JAG LAWYERS

Chapter 13 - An Unplanned Reunion

Josh and her had not spoken in weeks, but yet here he is at the terminal at Andrew's AFB. It comes as a surprise for Kate and her JAG Team. The team had known about the cool off period that the couple had agreed on to see where they were at with the relationship. This so she could resolve some personal issues; those issues not being mentioned by Kate. It's a personal matter for her so she had kept the circumstances of their trial separation very much private. Kate had been talking to Castle when she spotted Josh. Actually, they had been bantering, when Kate was the first to see Josh coming up to them. Rick had his back to Josh so had to turn around to see what Kate had seen.

"Josh, what are you doing here?", Rick asks.

"I got ADDU to the hospital ship Mercy so I'm on my way to pick up a hop to the Naval Base at Bahrain and then helo out to the Mercy. What are you guys doing here?"

"Headed to the war front for a JAG investigation involving a missing missile."

"Oh, so how have you all been since last we were together", Josh is addressing the group but they know it specifically is an inquiry on Kate's condition. There is a definite tension between the two despite having been in a relationship that apparently now was experiencing a rough patch. Josh was eyeing Kate and it had not gone unnoticed by the team.

"It's great seeing you Kate, it's been a while. If you two do not mind, can I speak to Kate privately?"

"Sure no problem", Jim and Rick say together, each looking at each other with some apprehension as to what was happening here.

With that, the now waning couple go to another location to have a personal talk.

"Josh, why did you not tell me about your deployment?"

"Cause we agreed not to speak again until you had resolved your personal issue with Rodgers."

"We may be in a pause of our relationship, but it would have been nice to know about your deployment?"

"I didn't think you would want to know!"

"Despite everything that has happened with us, I still do care for you."

"That is nice to know, the sentiment is mutual, Kate. So have you and Rick talked or has that not happened yet?"

"I have been working on it."

"Kate, I thought you would have had the talk with him some time ago."

"I have to do this cautiously as, after the talk, he is still my team leader and technically my boss. Please consider the position I've been placed in when we agreed to this temporary stay of our relationship."

"I'm sorry Kate, I did not mean to push, but I have missed you. It's been difficult sticking to our agreement not to talk or see each other until you have a resolution with Castle. Whatever outcome, good or bad for us, I will support your decision."

Kate heart softens with Josh's honesty, but she can not say the same about herself, or on her feelings about their pause in their relationship. She had not missed his presence in her life since they agreed to their being apart. What did that mean about her union with Josh?

"Josh, we both realized what the outcome of this agreed to distancing could become….it could become a permanent thing. You did say that you'd be happy for me whatever the outcome", Kate says, confirming with Josh's his understanding of what the future could mean for the both of them.

"No, you're right Kate, but words are easier than actions in my situation. Seems my absence has not affected you like it has me."

"Does not mean that I stopped caring about you Josh. We were good together for a time, and it was fun, but I still do not know if I want it to lead to more."

"It could be more Kate, I'm ready for that, but it appears that you are not. This thing with Rodgers needs a resolution, but I see where you are coming from Kate, and I will let you handle it in your way and at your on pace. Still my offer stands, if you decide you want back in, you've got it."

Kate realizes now, with Josh's admission, that's their relationship had been lop-sided. He was into her and she was holding back. Kare had always had one foot out the door with all her past boyfriends, and Josh was no exception. Kate always left herself an exit, as she had so often been disappointed in her past hookups. This so as to lessen the pain of a breakup, so she always had an escape plan.

Over the years and after several failed unions, she had built up this wall around her heart. There had only been one man to get past that wall and that was Rick, even if she was in denial about it. But she and Josh had brought past baggage to their relationship. Kate with her wall and Josh with his loss of that first true love. These past events shaped their relationship, however fragile and tenuous it had been. Now Kate had to be honest and admit it was over.

"Josh, you know we are ending. But I still have feelings for you, but not in that way. Not in the way I have for Rick. This is good-bye, but stay safe in this new assignment."

"I see, just like that! At least it is sincere, but if it goes south, I am still here for you", Josh tells her, then says in parting, "you do the same Kate, stay safe. I will be on the hospital ship far from the conflict, but you will be on the front line with your investigation. So watch yourself."

"I'm a Marine Josh, it comes with the territory."

Josh has the urge to give her a goodbye kiss, but knows it would be awkward, so he gives her a good bye hug telling her, "Good bye, Kate let me know how it turns out. You will always have a place in my heart. So, …'friends'?"

"I would like that, friends then."

She comes up to Josh and plants an affectionate peck to his cheek.

Josh heads off to his flight.

When Kate gets back to her team, she is shaken with what had just occurred with Josh.

"You okay there Kate? Josh's presence was a surprise. How are you holding up?"

"We hadn't spoken or seen each other in weeks Rick. So, yes, this sudden unplanned reunion was a bit unnerving, especially to learn he is being deployed close to the front. I know he is relatively safe on the Mercy, more so than we will be, but I still feel some apprehension for him."

"Understandable, you two have been together for some time now."

Kate looks about her and sees that no one is around to hear their talk. Jim Olson was refilling his water flask at a near by water station.

"Rick, Josh knows he is not the one, he knows someone else has my heart. That is why we are ending it but remaining friends. I need to get a resolution on my situation with that person. We ended it but he has left it open if I want to get back together."

Rick is stunned with her revelation and then asks, "So it's over for the two of you? Who is this person who remains in your heart despite you and Josh being an item these last several months. Anyone I know?"

"It's you Rick!"

"Kate….me.." Rick is even more stunned by her disclosure and is rendered speechless. He had often fantasized about a moment like this with Kate. It brings back those feelings they had for each other that one night, their only night of intimacy. Despite being a writer Rick can not find the words right now. Words, his tools of trade, are lost to him at the moment and he struggles to regain them. Before Rick can respond back to Kate, Jim Olson rejoins them.

"Have a nice talk with the Doctor?", Jim asks upon seeing that Kate is back with the team, "Imagine seeing him here. I guess you didn't know about his recent ADDU assignment. Not a good circumstance to say good bye."

"It is what it is Jim. He hadn't told me because he was honoring our agreement for a pause to our relationship."

"It will work out Kate. Trust me, all couples find themselves in a rough place every now and then, but a strong couple always navigates thru it."

Kate can not admit to Jim what she had just told Castle. She and Josh are in an end game with their union but he still had given her a way back if it worked out badly with Castle. Rick upon hearing Jim's words of encouragement to Kate, sees how it has affected her. Rick knows she is struggling on whether to disclose to Jim what she had just revealed about her situation with Josh.

"I'm sure your words are encouraging to Kate", Castle says rescuing Kate from having to reply to Jim.

"Yes, thank you for that Jim", she finally gets out. Kate gives Rick that look that tells him they will talk later in private. He nods his head to let her know he got the message.

On the trip to Germany, to their surprise, the team gets a commercial chartered plane, instead of the military aircraft they were expecting. The team occupies the row of three seats in mid section of the aircraft. Both men let Kate have the window seat, Rick is in the middle seat, and Jim has the convenient Aisle seat, so he does not disturb the two if he needs to leave their row for some reason. About two hours into the flight, Jim excuses himself to go to the onboard restroom. The two start a low volume talk.

"Did you mean what you told me Kate, about me being in your heart?"

"You have always been there since NROTC days Rick. I have just held back for the sake of keeping it professional between us. We both know the consequences to our careers if we are charged with fraternization."

"Kate, you and I both know that we are capable of being in a personal union and not letting it affect our professional life. Since our one night together, I could not start any serious liaisons. None of the women I dated could hold up to you. It never went beyond dating."

"It's been the same for me. Josh was an attempt to get over you, but he caught on to what I have been hiding, not just from everyone, but also from myself. I cannot deny it any longer."

"So what now Kate?"

"I'm willing if you are", she says and squeezes his hand with hers in an affectionate gesture. They lock eyes and each reads the other's intent to let this thing between them develop.

Jim gets back to his seat but notices something has changed between the two.

"Did I miss anything while I was in the men's room?"

The two look again at each other but do not hide from Jim the emotion in their eyes. It is a silent message to him, but Jim now realizes the talk Kate had with Josh had been a breakup talk, or so he surmised from the couple's looks.

"Okay then, I'll be your barometer if the two of you should stray off the professional track", he acknowledges to them. It is his way of acknowledging the change in the relationship of his two teammates.

The two give subtle head nods that all three acknowledge and they finish the rest of their trip as if nothing had happened. This was turning out to be an eventful assignment with Kate and Rick having done the 'talk'. It had been a long time coming for the two. They had delayed their feelings for one another for too long now. Their one night together was to have resolve their longings and then go on in different directions.

Kate had even attempted to ignore that by starting up with Josh. But Josh was far too astute to let his relationship continue without Kate coming to a resolution on their union. Josh had surmised there was someone else in Kate's life, someone she had denied for whatever reason. Josh was wise enough to know that if he wanted a true and lasting relationship with Kate, she need to get rid of her past baggage.

So despite wanting Kate in his life in a much stronger union, Josh had encouraged her to resolve her personal issues first with one Richard Rodger's. That she had done now and it was not in Josh's favor. The road ahead, neither Rick or her had traveled, but they would now take it together. Whatever happened was now totally in their hands.