Part XI - Part XIV: it lead us here to this
Title: It Lead Us Here to This
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: Castle
Spoilers: Knockout
Summary: Kate continues to heal: inside and out, physically and mentally.
Author's Notes: It's finally finished guys. The last 4 drabbles in the series I named: you will be my ain true love, at your service.
There are NO spoilers for Season 4 within.
Part I / Part II / Part III / Part IV & Part V / Part VI & Part VII / Part VIII, IX, & X / Part XI, XII, XIII, XIV
# # #
There are things (people) still out of place, hovering around corners, and in the back of their minds. They're still living on the edge, even as things return to normal. Or the version of normal they live with.
Kate continues to heal: inside and out, physically and mentally. Everyone continues to heal, actually, because they're all going to have their scars. And when they come together, they do just that; standing around Kate's hospital bed, swapping stories about The Captain, and telling jokes when things become too serious.
Castle lingers after everyone's gone. Always. Taking a few extra moments when he can.
- - -
The day she's finally discharged, he catches a glimpse of Josh walking down the hall with his head down and hands shoved into his pockets. He feels sorry for the guy because he knows how he feels; it doesn't stop the smile on his face from growing, though.
When he enters her room, her eyes are locked on her lap, fingers twisting together as she sits in her wheelchair with her bags by her side. She bites her bottom lip and looks up.
The full-fledged Kate Beckett smile he receives makes him forget to breathe.
He finds he does that a lot around her.
- - -
Her mother's ring rests around her neck. It holds meaning, a different kind now.
He watches as it catches the light - practically mesmerized because it's so much more interesting than the movie she's chosen - until he feels her shove her foot into his thigh. He winces more than he should, even though he knows the wounded trick never works on her; looks up to see her eyes in narrow slits. But there's a smile twitching across her lips and a faint blush closing in on her cheeks. He flicks his eyes down just to get another reaction, and catches her foot just as she tries to kick him again.
- - -
He traces the edge of her scar, his fingers a delicate dance over her skin, and for once, it doesn't remind him of how close he came to never having her in his life again. He doesn't think about the blood or the tears, the hopelessness he felt in the moment and for many moments afterwards. There's nothing of what-ifs and maybes crowding his mind.
It's I remember, you saved me, I need you too -
Kate's hand skims the back of his neck, moving until she's cupping his jaw to turn his face towards hers.
It's I love you -
and the promise in her eyes right before he kisses her.
- - -
THE END
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: Castle
Spoilers: Knockout
Summary: Kate continues to heal: inside and out, physically and mentally.
Author's Notes: It's finally finished guys. The last 4 drabbles in the series I named: you will be my ain true love, at your service.
There are NO spoilers for Season 4 within.
Part I / Part II / Part III / Part IV & Part V / Part VI & Part VII / Part VIII, IX, & X / Part XI, XII, XIII, XIV
# # #
There are things (people) still out of place, hovering around corners, and in the back of their minds. They're still living on the edge, even as things return to normal. Or the version of normal they live with.
Kate continues to heal: inside and out, physically and mentally. Everyone continues to heal, actually, because they're all going to have their scars. And when they come together, they do just that; standing around Kate's hospital bed, swapping stories about The Captain, and telling jokes when things become too serious.
Castle lingers after everyone's gone. Always. Taking a few extra moments when he can.
- - -
The day she's finally discharged, he catches a glimpse of Josh walking down the hall with his head down and hands shoved into his pockets. He feels sorry for the guy because he knows how he feels; it doesn't stop the smile on his face from growing, though.
When he enters her room, her eyes are locked on her lap, fingers twisting together as she sits in her wheelchair with her bags by her side. She bites her bottom lip and looks up.
The full-fledged Kate Beckett smile he receives makes him forget to breathe.
He finds he does that a lot around her.
- - -
Her mother's ring rests around her neck. It holds meaning, a different kind now.
He watches as it catches the light - practically mesmerized because it's so much more interesting than the movie she's chosen - until he feels her shove her foot into his thigh. He winces more than he should, even though he knows the wounded trick never works on her; looks up to see her eyes in narrow slits. But there's a smile twitching across her lips and a faint blush closing in on her cheeks. He flicks his eyes down just to get another reaction, and catches her foot just as she tries to kick him again.
- - -
He traces the edge of her scar, his fingers a delicate dance over her skin, and for once, it doesn't remind him of how close he came to never having her in his life again. He doesn't think about the blood or the tears, the hopelessness he felt in the moment and for many moments afterwards. There's nothing of what-ifs and maybes crowding his mind.
It's I remember, you saved me, I need you too -
Kate's hand skims the back of his neck, moving until she's cupping his jaw to turn his face towards hers.
It's I love you -
and the promise in her eyes right before he kisses her.
- - -
THE END