223Authors Note: Okay...I think it's safe to say the entire fandom is pretty much dead after last night. I feel like we were cheated. Hopefully EVERYTHING that went wrong last night is QUICKLY resolved in 7x01.
Here is what I think should happen for next season's opener.
As always, thank you to alwayscastle2 for her read though and suggestions.
Reviews are love, leave some. You can even vent to me about last nights episode. I'd love to hear your theories.
-Krystle
Disclaimer: um, yeah. does it look like these characters are mine?
"It takes two hearts with one beat,
and it takes two to say 'I do',
but the champagne won't taste sweet,
and the dream just won't come true,
if it don't take two"
She doesn't understand. How could this happen? They were supposed to be married now; for an hour she was supposed to have been Mrs. Castle. Now, she's standing on the side of the road looking at a burning car. The burning car of her future husband. Hadn't they been through enough the last three days? This last year? The last six years?
A man walks up to her, placing his hand on her arm. "Ms. Beckett, if I could just get you to step back please?" She moves, only because the man is guiding her. "I need you to come with me."
It's only then does she see the flashing lights of a near by ambulance, and the voice she can recognize anywhere. Turning her head to face the medic, pleading with her eyes, begging him to tell her what she wants to hear. Instead he steps aside and gestures to just past the wreckage.
"No! You don't understand," he nearly yells out. "I'm supposed to be getting married right now. I have to go! I'm fine, quit that! I don't need an IV, I need to get to my wedding!"
She's running, her vision is blurred with tears, but all she can think about is getting to him. "Rick!"
"Kate?"
Finally reaching the back of the ambulance, she - quite literally - jumps into the vehicle and into his arms, sobbing into his neck. He locks his free arm around her back, squeezing her tight. "Thank God," she mumbles over and over. Pulling back to look at him, she runs her hand through his hair -mindful of the very apparent bump on his head-, over his face, across his shoulders. He's here. He's alive. She's not sure how he managed to get out of that car, but he's here.
"I'm so glad you're okay." She fists his dress shirt -which is dirty from his escape from the car - and pulls him to her in a much needed kiss. "I thought I lost you."
"God, Kate," he whispers. "No."
"What happened?"
"This black SUV was following me. Tinted windows, I couldn't see the driver, and the next thing I know, he's run me off the road. I must have passed out cause the next thing I remember was smelling smoke. I climbed out of the car as fast as I could and when I got up to the street the whole thing just blew." He laces their fingers together, "I'm sorry, Kate. I'm so sorry."
"Why are you apologizing?"
"We should be married now; not here. Not in the back of this ambulance."
A tear falls from both of her eyes as she shakes her head, "Weren't you the one who told me that 'all great fairy tales have obstacles'? I'm just so glad that you're alive. Our guests are still at the house, once you've finished giving your statement, we can go back."
"The only place he's going is to the hospital," one of the medics says. "He has a pretty nasty bump on the head, he'll need a CT Scan and they're probably going to want him to stay over night."
Again, he's muttering his apologies. He feels responsible for ruining her one - well, second -wedding; not that the first marriage actually counted. She was a nineteen year old who did a stupid thing, a binding thing, but couldn't remember it.
Running a hand through his hair, she shakes her head, "Shh, it's ok. I'd rather have you alive and well than not have you here at all." Today was another close call, another obstacle in their journey to their happily ever after. "I'll call Martha and Alexis when we get to the hospital. You're not leaving my sight for the rest of the day - if ever."
CB
They arrive at the hospital after a short ten minute drive. He's taken to the ER, and she asks the nurse at the nurses station if its okay for her to use the phone - in her rush to get to the scene she left hers at the house - rather she dropped it after receiving the call.
She tells Martha there is a change of plans, asks her to have their guests placed in the hotel just in town - on her and Rick. Tells her that as soon as everyone is settled in to get the hospital. Not even ten minutes after she hangs up the phone does she hear the voice of a very scared twenty year old.
"Kate!" Alexis yells, running towards the older woman. She locks her arms around her neck in a bone crushing hug. Kate can feel the tears on her shoulder as she runs her hands through Alexis's red hair.
"Shh, Lex, its okay," Kate soothes her, holding the girl tightly. "He's fine. I promise."
Alexis pulls back, hiccuping. "What happened? Can I see him?"
Kate tells the girl what she knows, and takes her hand, leading her to the curtain that is blocking Rick from the rest of the ER. Rick looks up at the sound of the curtain moving, and smiles bravely for his daughter. "Hey, Pumpkin."
That brings on a fresh batch of tears for the young woman. She's in his arms in less than two seconds. "I was so scared, Dad."
Rick nods against her head. "Me too, honey. But I'm fine."
Kate walks over to his bed, and sits next to him, grabbing his free hand in both of hers. They're all quiet in this moment, each of them lost in their own thoughts. The doctor comes in, telling them that Rick has a mild concussion, and will indeed be staying over night for observation.
Once Rick is settled in a room, Alexis says that she's going to inform Martha of what's going on, and that Kate and her dad are not to worry -they'll take care of the guests, and the caterers. She kisses her father's cheek, and wraps Kate in another hug before leaving the two of them alone.
When the door clicks closed behind his daughter, Kate turns and faces Rick. He can see the fear and pain swimming in her eyes. They were so, so close only to end up with him in the hospital, and an unsigned marriage license in his jacket pocket. He opens his arms to her, and she walks the short distance to him, climbs up to the bed to lie beside him, safe in his arms.
Her sobs shake her body violently as she clings to him. His lips find her forehead and he whispers, "I love you, Kate. So much."
She lifts her head, and brings her hand to his cheek, pulling him down to her, pressing her lips to his. "I love you too, Rick." A few more moments of just kissing him calms her. "I really thought you were gone this time. I don't know what I'd do…if…I just…I need you. Always."
"Shh," he whispers. "I'm here. You didn't lose me."
With her head resting over his heart, more proof that she didn't lose him, she nods. "I know," she says, placing a kiss on his chest. "What are we going to do, Rick?"
"About the wedding?" he asks, receiving a nod from her. "Alexis and Mother are bringing everyone up to speed on what happened, the caterers will be paid double, and once I'm released, we are going to get married. I'm done with all the road blocks we've been given. You're mine, Kate Beckett, and tomorrow at this time, you will be Kate Castle."
She looks down at her engagement ring. She's supposed to already be Kate Castle. She wants nothing more than to start her life with him. She can see her future for the first time in fifteen years. She sees him, Alexis, Martha, and the children she wants to have with him -the children she was sure she never wanted before.
CB
From his place a good five-hundred feet away, he puts his binoculars down. Then turns to the man he has tied up and gagged -on the receiving end of torture instead of the giving. He starts the car and drives to an abandoned road, where there is an old vacant building. He pulls his hostage out of the car and drags him by the hood of his jacket into the building.
Kneeling down in front of him, he looks the man in the eyes. "You won't be a problem anymore," the older man says, patting his hostages cheek with his gloved hand. "No one else will suffer because of you, Jerry."
Rising to his feet, the gun in his hand pointed at Jerry's head, a single shot rings out. Hunt falls to his knees, picks up his spent shell casing, and digs his bullet out of Jerry's skull.
No one messes with his family and walks away. He knew Rick had been haunted by this man for years; now, nothing is standing in the way of his son's happiness. Or Kate's.
After making sure there isn't a trace of his existence in the building, Hunt grabs the gasoline can out of the back of the car. He pours a good portion of the contents on the dead body of Jerry Tyson, and a trail of the rest of the liquid to the door of the building. He lights a match and drops it; watching as the flame race from their starting point to Tyson's body.
As Hunt drives away, he looks in the rearview mirror as the old wooden building goes up in flames. No one will know he was there, and it will take a damn good medical examiner to identify the charred remains of the Triple Killer. He grins to himself, its a good thing Lanie Parish is Kate's Maid-of-honor.
To Be Continued…maybe...you decide...
