A Biker's Tale
Chapter 12 - The Trip Starts
They make it to the garage in the next town just as it is getting into the early evening hours.
"Unfortunately, Mr. Castle, I have no bike chain replacements. I have them on reorder, but they won't arrive till perhaps next week. When they come in we can install one in just a few hours, but until the part comes in, we can do nothing", says the owner of the garage where the cycle had been delivered. This is the only garage within several hundred miles, so there is no other choice on repair shops.
Rick wonders if waiting a week is what he should do. He gives Kate a look.
"Rick I have my rental for as long as I need, the rental company is charging by the week."
Hearing this Rick turns to the owner, "What if I pay in advance of the repairs and have you store the bike for me till I return from Fairbanks?"
"I don't normally charge for storage but since you could be back after a month, how about I charge you $300 Canadian, flat rate, for storage on top of repair costs?"
"Sounds good, here's my credit card."
"So, what will you do about your storage/camper unit?", ask Kate of Rick.
"I have an adapter that can configure it to the tow pin of the CRV so you can bring it along for extra storage and for camping overnight", says the owner of the garage.
"The CRV can accommodate two for an overnight sleep Rick, if it comes to it!"
"Fine we can use it for extra storage and free up trunk space."
They get the CRV ready for the trip by transferring Rick's remaining stuff to his towable storage unit. Then the couple heads out to put in some more miles on their trip before they rest. It is getting to that part of the year where there is still daylight during the late evening hours. They go for a bit and then find a camp ground to catch some sleep. It is late into evening hours but the sun is still up. It is that part to the season where the northern climes start to experience 24/7 daylight. Kate uses the CRV to sleep in while Rick sleeps in his pop-up tent/storage unit. For now it is separate sleeping arrangements.
Somewhere On The Road To Alaska
Fleeing drug dealer Rob Tyler had been making good time in his second hijacked car. So far he had avoided all his police pursuers but the Canadian Mounties were always tenacious in their pursuit of any fleeing criminal. So Tyler remains always vigilant for law enforcement especially Park Rangers who have a larger presence in this part of the country than the Mounties. Still, this stretch of highway had few travelers and most were there to make the Alaskan trek and have bragging rights that they had done the ALCAN. Despite, if Tyler happened on one of these travelers, he might decide to ditch his current mode of travel for some new wheels. It would further keep him hidden from police if he managed to pick up a different vehicle.
Tyler had on him his handgun, two boxes of ammo, the remainder of his drug cache (which he could use for cash for when he got to his final location) and almost $15,000 in Canadian, and about $3000 U.S. He had been doing good business when all went south and caused him to go on the run. He would bounce back and start anew when he finally found a different place to do his drug business. So, as he traveled, he had avoided popular campsites for more solo locations. Fortunately for him there were many turnouts and off-road sites to choose from and Canadian authorities did not prohibit camping in these areas. By and large, a lot of the popular sites were used by adventure seekers out to make the trek. Very few chose the less known and remote places. The sites that he chose had him as the only camper there, so he continued to travel unnoticed.
Morning Of Their First Day Together
Kate Beckett wakes up to the tempting aroma of freshly brewed coffee and the sound of bacon sizzling on a frying pan. Her travel companion, Rick Castle, renowned crime novelist, is now cooking breakfast. She wakes up to a camp table set up for their morning meal. The CRV came with a small foldable table concealed as the tire cover to the spare tire/tool kit space of the vehicle. Castle had made sure to get the table and leave it out for use that morning. Now it was ready for breakfast with a table cloth and two place settings. Castle had his camp stove out and was finishing up cooking bacon. On the table were scrambled eggs, breakfast rolls, butter, jam and two cups of fleshly brewed coffee.
Kate exits the CRV still 'wearing' her sleeping blanket which she had over her clothes.
"Well look who's up?", Castle tells Kate.
"Is that coffee and bacon I smell", she says as she feels her stomach grumbling.
"It sure is, have a seat, bacon's almost done."
Kate seats herself at the table.
"You sure give new meaning to the word 'glamping', Castle", Kate says in humor.
The term is a made up word which is present day slang short for 'glamour camping'. This modern day current idiomatic term is often used to describe the practice of camping in luxury, mostly in big costly RV's. The kind of RV's which are as big as a bus in many situations.
"Well I aim to please Detective", Castle says placing the last of the cooked bacon strips on the pile now on the serving plater.
"This looks good Rick, thank you."
"Always", he replies using a word that meant something to the two of them. He wonders as he spoke it to Kate if she had a similar word or phrase she'd shared with Josh.
Kate notices the look on Castle's face as he spoke and knows he is in a contemplative state. She knew this look from when they worked their cases. It's a look he gets just before he comes up with a thought that most often lead to a significant development in their case.
"Penny for your thoughts Rick", she teases as she starts a banter.
"At the going rate for inflation Kate, it's more like $1.50 a thought since that phrase became popular", Castle says quickly on the comeback to Kate.
"Well you did look serious, care to share with the class?"
Rick delays in answering for a quick moment, then says in a soft and almost timid voice, "Did you and Josh also have a word like our word, one that only you and Josh knew?"
"Oh", she says now realizing that Rick was still not over this 'thing' she had been in with Josh. It is a bit of a jealous question, but Kate sees it as adorable. Rick was showing to her his vulnerability when it came to Josh, something he had not done before. He was always a little glib when the talk was about Josh.
"It never got that way with us Castle. I am embarrassed to say it was mostly physical because in reality, we had a relatively short time to really know each other in that way, except from the carnal intimacy."
"OH", says Castle realizing Kate was sharing very personal detail of her time with Josh. She probably had not shared such with anyone to include Lanie. It appears their 'do-over' relationship was to be more open and honest, even to details on past unions. This was new, but exciting and more psychologically intimate.
Kate continues, "It was not like what you and I have. We've been partners for more than three years now Rick, seeing each other almost daily. With Josh's extended DWB missions, conflicts in our work schedules, the union did not allowed us many instances to share such details. Let alone the intimate moments, which you could count those instances on one hand (Rick perks up when he hears this). Josh and I were an item for a little over 11 months. You and I have been together as work partners for more than three years, and on mostly a daily basis. We have had a longer time to know the personal sides of each other. To share ours thoughts and ideas, to reveal wishes and aspirations, and to share personal memories that we cherish. Josh and I never had such nor the time for it."
"Oookaay", he says as if pondering her honest details about the relationship with Josh, "I guess I am starting to understand. Was that the reason for the breakup?"
"That was a big part of it, but not the only one. I told you once that I wanted someone I could just jump in with. Someone who was there for me and I for him. Josh and me never got to that, never got to be that way. We both had brought past baggage to the relationship, like most couples. We both had issues from prior hookups that shaped our union. Most specifically, Josh had previous relationships that ended with breakups. Josh became guarded from those failed unions. He found it hare to share personal matters. For me, I had a commitment issue. I held back from Josh and never really let him into my private space. Maybe because of what happened to me with Wil. Also, subconsciously, I may have still wanted a chance with you and was leaving the door open, not wanting to get too close with Josh. So with Josh, we both knew so little about each other", she tells him, Rick starting to see their dysfunctions."
Kate continues, "But you Castle know things about me that few except perhaps my dad know. In fact, you may know items my father is not aware of. You are the only man who knows me so well and can read my tells. So to answer your first question, no, I never had a shared word with Josh or any other man, like I have with you. You're the only one that I have a shared special word, our word."
Rick's ego takes a boost hearing Kate's answer to his question. Then Rick realizes he too has never known a women as well as he knew Kate. He never had such familiarity with any other woman, including his two ex-wives. He had married Meredith when she got pregnant with Alexis, not a good basis for a marriage. Then he had married Gina. At the time, it looked like a good idea to marry Gina giving Alexis a mother figure. But did he really love them as he did Kate? He never knew both women like he did Kate and he had yet to know Kate in the biblical sense. He and Kate had not slept together during the three years they worked together as partners. And despite working with Gina as his editor, she, like Meredith, remained relatively distant to him, even though they were his wives at the time.
The fact that he and Kate were so familiar with each others' personal lives spoke volumes about them. And when they consummate their relationship with carnal intimacy, he knew it would just grow from there. For now, Rick was not pushing for the physical. It would come at the right time, they would just let it happen. And when it happened, it would be awesome, Castle knew that.
Having this epiphany, he tells her, "Kate, you are it for me. You are my third time is a charm!"
Kate hears his words and her heart melts. Not one of her past boyfriends have ever made such a declaration to her. Even Wil Sorensen had never told her anything like that, Wil being the only other man that was even close to knowing her as well as Castle.
When Castle had come into her life, he learned about her from the very start, on their first case together, the Tisdale Case. It was like he wanted to know all about her. What was her story? Why was she a cop? So many layers to the Beckett onion he had said. From then on Castle strived to learned more about her. He had peeled back the layers of her personal life. He had seen the good and the bad of her and still wanted more.
So Kate replied to Rick's declaration of her, with, "And you, Rick Castle, are my one and done!".
Unlike in their past, they were now sharing thoughts they would not normally have disclosed to each other. Their sharing was more emotionally intimate, now including very personal items normally kept to themselves.
There is a brief break in their discussion, each contemplating this new dynamic between them, until Kate's stomach makes an announcement with a rather noticeable growl.
"Well", quips Castle, "I guess that says let's eat!"
Both were hungry and so started and finished their shared meal in quick fashion, then both went for a second cup of coffee.
As they shared that second cup Kate asks, "So what are the travel plans for today?"