Kate took one last sip of coffee, adjusting the strap of her bag as she prepared to leave for the precinct. The apartment was already stirring with activity—Jim was in the kitchen making breakfast. At the same time, Rick sat in the living room, bouncing Grayson gently in his arms. Still groggy, Sara smiled from her place on the couch, a blanket draped over her legs.
"You sure you're okay today?" Kate asked, lingering in the doorway. She hated leaving, especially as she saw the small signs of Sara's decline every day.
Sara waved her off with a weak but reassuring smile. "I'm in good hands, Kate. Go catch some bad guys."
Rick smirked from the couch. "Don't worry, Beckett. We've got everything under control."
Jim appeared in the doorway, spatula in hand. "Go to work, sweetheart. We'll take care of Sara and Grayson."
Kate hesitated for a moment before sighing and nodding. "Okay. Call me if you need anything."
With one last glance at her sister, she stepped out the door, already counting down the hours until she could return.
After breakfast, Jim helped Sara settle back into bed. At the same time, Rick entertained Grayson, keeping him busy with colorful stacking cups and soft books. The toddler giggled as Rick made funny voices, narrating a simple story.
Meanwhile, Jim arranged for an acupuncturist to visit Sara in the afternoon. He had spoken with her doctor about holistic pain relief methods, and this seemed like a good option to ease her discomfort. When the acupuncturist arrived, Sara looked skeptical at first, but after a few carefully placed needles and some guided breathing, she felt a small wave of relief.
"I must admit," she murmured, her eyes fluttering closed, "this isn't as weird as I thought."
Rick, sitting nearby with Grayson on his lap, grinned. "That's how all the best things start."
Jim chuckled, crossing his arms. "Anything that helps you feel a little better is worth trying."
When Kate finally arrived home, she found Sara propped up in bed, a dinner tray resting on her lap. The warm scent of homemade soup filled the room. Grayson was already asleep in his crib, his soft breaths barely audible through the baby monitor her father had in the living room.
Kate sat on the edge of the bed, brushing a stray hair from Sara's face. "How are you feeling?"
"Tired," Sara admitted, but there was a slight smile on her lips. "But today was actually… nice. Jim and Rick took great care of me. And the acupuncture? I think it helped."
Kate exhaled, relief flooding her. "Good. You need that."
Sara gave her a knowing look. "You need something, too, Kate. Time with Rick."
Kate started to protest, but Jim poked his head into the room before she could. "I'll watch over Grayson tonight," he said simply. "You go spend some time upstairs."
Kate hesitated, looking between her father and sister. "Are you sure?"
Sara smirked. "I insist. Go. Be with him."
Kate swallowed, touched by their insistence, and nodded. "Okay. But if anything changes—"
"We'll call," Jim assured her.
With one last glance at Sara, Kate stood and went to Rick's loft upstairs.
Rick had set up a quiet dinner on the balcony, soft city lights glowing in the distance. The food was simple—pasta, a bottle of wine—but the effort behind it made Kate's heart squeeze. She stepped onto the balcony, wrapping her arms around herself.
"You didn't have to do all this," she murmured.
Rick shrugged, handing her a glass of wine. "I wanted to. You've been carrying so much, Kate. Just… let yourself breathe for a little while."
They ate slowly, conversation light at first. But when they moved inside and settled onto the couch, Kate's facade began to crack. She leaned into Rick's warmth, exhaling a shaky breath.
"I'm scared, Rick," she admitted, voice barely above a whisper. "Every day, I see Sara slipping a little more. And I don't know how to do this. How to be strong for her. How to be a mother to Grayson when she's gone."
Rick wrapped an arm around her, pulling her closer. "You don't have to have all the answers, Kate. You're already doing the most important thing—loving him. Being there. The rest… we figure it out together."
She turned her face into his shoulder, letting herself rest there for a moment. "I just don't want to fail him. Or her."
Rick pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head. "You won't. And you're not alone. I'm right here."
Kate closed her eyes, feeling his chest's steady rise and fall, the strength in his embrace. For the first time in a long while, she let herself believe it.
A quiet sigh escaped her lips as she shifted slightly. "I should go back down," she murmured. "I need to be there for Grayson during the night."
Rick gently brushed a strand of hair from her face, his expression soft but firm. "Jim already told me he's taking the baby monitor into his room tonight. He said he'll get Gray if he needs anything. He wanted you to have this time, Kate."
Kate hesitated, torn between duty and the rare comfort she found in Rick's arms. "Are you sure?"
Rick nodded, his thumb tracing soothing circles over her back. "Stay with me tonight," he whispered. "Let me take care of you for once."
Kate exhaled, her body finally surrendering to the warmth and safety he offered. "Okay," she breathed.
Rick tilted her chin up and captured her lips in a deep, lingering kiss. The tension from the past few weeks melted away as he slowly guided her toward the bedroom, their connection deepening with every touch, every whispered word of reassurance. Tonight wasn't about escaping reality—it was about finding strength in each other, in the love that had always been there, waiting to be fully embraced.
As they lay together, bodies entwined beneath the soft glow of the city lights filtering through the window, Kate allowed herself a rare moment of surrender—safe in the arms of the man who had always been there for her, no matter what.
That night, she stayed in Rick's arms, letting him be the safe place she desperately needed.