81Authors Note: Hey everyone. Its been 7 months since I've entertained the thought of writing. I've been doing a lot of reading though. Its been an eventful few months. I hope you are still out there reading this, and I hope you have a happy 4th of July.
Reviews are love, leave some.
-Krystle
Chapter 5
She has to get out of here. The room is inclosing, her turtleneck is tightening around her throat, sweat beads roll down her forehead, her heart is pounding in her ears. She has to get out. There's got to be a way out. She looks around for the nearest exit, spotting a door that is for employee's only, she bolts, ignoring Castle calling out for her.
Once in the secure hallway, she rids herself of her jacket, shield, and gun. She gets off as much as she can before she crumbles to the floor in hysterics. A panic attack. At a crime scene of all places. Damn it. She had been doing so well with holding the demons at bay.
A sniper was loose in the city; and here she was, in an employee only passageway, having a panic attack. He's followed her, she doesn't have to look to know that he's standing cautiously behind her. She stretches her arm out, and thats all the invitation he needs. He's grabbed her hand and has her wrapped in his arms, calming her just by being there.
She focuses on his calming 'shh' in her ear, feeling his breath on her cheek, chest to her back, she's able to come back from the deep dark hole of PTSD she was buried in. She slumps back into him, her head lolling back on his shoulder.
He kisses her cheek softly—professionalism be damned right now. She takes a deep, calming breath, and whispers, "Thank you."
"Always, Kate," is his response. He waits a few moments, just letting her come back to reality before he says, "You gonna be okay? Should we take the rest of the day off?"
Stubbornly, she shakes her head no. "I just need a minute. Please?"
"Okay," he complies, running his free hand up and down her arm soothingly. He's never seen her like this. He's got to do something to help her face her demons. He's not an idiot though. He knows that PTSD is not to be taken lightly.
CB
"Javi please," Castle all but begs. "I need you to help her. This case is killing her. Every where she turns, she sees the gleam of a scope."
Esposito nods. "I'll talk to her."
Castle nods his thanks, and turns to head back to the bullpen. Kate looks up from her computer and gives him a small, tentative smile. "I'm gonna go grab us some lunch from that new Chinese place down the block," he announces. "Does everyone want their usual?"
Once Castle leaves with their orders, Javi puts his plan in motion. "Yo, Beckett, got a minute?"
"Yeah," she replies, rising from her desk. "What's up? You got something?"
He lies. "Yeah."
Confused, Kate watches as he turns and walks down the hallway. "Espo?"
"Come with me," is all he says, to which she rolls her eyes and follows where he leads.
Evidence lock up?
"Javi, what's this all about?" Kate asks, thoroughly confused.
"I wanna show you something," he answers, standing at the opposite end of a table. He reaches beneath it, and pulls out a sniper rifle.
Kate's eyes gloss over, and she takes a stumbling step back. "What is that?"
"The rifle that shot you."
"You are way out of line," she chokes out.
He holds the rifle out to her, "Just look at it."
She steps back further, if that's even possible. "No. What the hell are you doing?"
Esposito looks at her with sad, understanding eyes. "I've been where you are, I know what you're going through."
"Javi, I'm fine." Liar.
"You're not fine! You're just trying to act like you are. This is just a tool. It's a hunk of steel. It has no magical powers, and the person that fired it not some all-powerful God. Just a guy with a gun. Just like the guy we're hunting now. And like every other bad guy, he's damaged goods."
Beckett lets a silent tear roll down her face. "So am I."
"That's right," Javi agrees, "And that's okay. You think it's a weakness? Make it a strength. It's a part of you. So use it."
CB
A knock at the door startles Castle awake. He looks around, not even remembering falling asleep. He's in his living room, the TV is now turned off from the movie that he and Alexis had decided to watch.
Knocking again.
He makes his way to the door, wiping the sleep from his eyes, combing his fingers through his hair. "Hey."
She smiles softly at him. "Hey."
He steps aside, ushering her into his home and closing the door behind her. "Not that I'm complaining, but I wasn't expecting you tonight."
"I know," she says, looking down nervously. She doesn't know why though. This isn't the first time she's been in his home, especially not for the night. "But I just-I couldn't be alone tonight."
He reaches for her, and she fits comfortably under his chin, her ear covering his beating heart. "Say no more. Come on," he leads her towards his bedroom, but doesn't stop at the bed. Instead he leads her to the ensuite.
Stopping the drain, he turns the water on, not as hot as it goes, but hot enough to relax her after this long trying case. He reaches into the cupboard and pulls out a bag, dropping the contents of it into the tub-a lavender scented LUSH bath bomb.
Kissing her on the temple, he says, "Take all the time you need, I'll be waiting for you in bed."
Before he can leave the room, she grabs him by the wrist. "Join me."
It wasn't a question.
Who is he to deny her?
Kate closes the distance between them, lifting her shirt over her head and tosses it to the floor. She reaches for the hem of his shirt, her fingers teasing the skin of his abdomen before she helps him out of the garment. His hands fall to her hips, bringing her flush against him, skin to skin.
She looks up at him, brings her hand up, and traces his lips with her thumb. Leaning up, she captures his lips with hers, locking her arms around his neck. After the case today, she wants to feel alive. It doesn't take him long until he's returning her kiss, unhooking her bra with the flick of his wrist, releasing her breasts, she drops her arms long enough for the material to slip to the floor.
With her now free hands, she unbuttons his jeans, and pushes his boxers down with them until they pool at his feet. He's moved down to her neck now, his tongue painting patterns on her skin as his hands free her of her tight fitting jeans and the little scrap of material that Victoria's Secret calls 'panties'. He hooks his arms behind her legs, lifting her up off the floor, she wraps herself completely around him, feeling his firm length trapped between their bellies.
"Castle," she moans softly when she feels his fingers find the evidence of how much she needs him.
"God, Kate," he whispers hoarsely, "So wet already."
She nods, biting his shoulder softly as he slips two fingers inside her. "Please," she whispers, laving his ear lobe, "I want you."
He walks the short distance to the bathtub, carefully stepping in, lowering them into the warm scented water. She rises a little, finding his member, she teases him by running him along her warm skin. "Look at me, Rick."
Opening his eyes, he gazes up into hers. She grabs one of his hands, and places them over her heart-the scar that she wears, so he can feel how her heart beats for him. She kisses him softly as she slides down the length of him, burying him deep within her.
"I love you," she whispers.
"I love you, too."
CB
They stay in the tub for longer than one probably should. Kate has yet to remove herself from Castle's lap. His hand is running up and down her spine, her head is resting on his shoulder as her fingers draw patterns on his chest. The water has cooled off quite a bit, they should probably be getting out.
The rumble of Kate's stomach is convincing enough. "Come on, Kate. Lets get out and I'll make you something to eat."
Kate groans, not wanting to move. "Fine," she says, sitting up and kissing him once more before she stands.
Once they are dry and clothed, they head out to the kitchen. She sits at the island, watching him move about. Its late, neither one of them need a gourmet meal, so they settle for scrambled eggs with cheddar cheese and some toast.
"Javi pulled me aside today," she says, watching as Castle stills. "You knew?"
He turns to face her with apologetic eyes. "I asked him to help you. I don't know what he did. But I knew that I couldn't help, as much as I wanted to."
"What gives you the right?"
"I saw what the case was doing to you. It was bringing back memories that you buried; that I buried. You were looking over your shoulder every two seconds, Kate. I couldn't help you, but I knew that Esposito could."
She shakes her head, stands and walks around the island so she's in front of him. "Thank you."
"And I know that-" he stops and looks at her. "Thank you?"
She nods. "Yes. Thank you. You helped. I was drowning and you knew you had to save me. You always know."
"Well, I know you," he winks. "I've observed you every day for the last three and a half years."
She rolls her eyes, and smiles, "Feed me, Castle."
