105. Chapter 105

After Rise, Once More

By UCSBdad

Disclaimer: This is just one of many stories about Castle et al that I don't own. Rating: K Time: See above and below

Author's Note: This is the third story concerning Rise that I have written. The others are Chapter 31 and 76. Those of you who are paying attention will note that in spite of titling this After Rise…, it actually takes place at the start of Rise. Pay close attention, there will be a quiz at the end of the story.

"He's not Irish, is he?"

Kate wasn't sure who had asked the question. "I'm sorry. Who isn't Irish?"

"The doctor feller who's workin' on ye doon there."

Kate looked down. Josh was working frantically on a patient. The woman looked so familiar, but Kate couldn't place her. Who was that?

"T'is you, of course."

"I'm sorry?" Kate turned to look at the man beside her. He was another policeman, but there was something different about him. Then what he had said penetrated. "That's me? Josh is working on me? But that must mean I'm…"

"No, it doesn't. Ye'll no be going for many a year yet. Ye have a long life ahead of ye, Detective Beckett. Yer'self now. Certainly wi' the name o' Beckett, you're Irish?"

"I'm an American." She replied. "But who are you? Where am I? And if I'm not…?"

"Ah, lass. We consider it bad luck to say the "D" word here aboots. As fer me, Oi'm Francis Doherty, yer servant, ma'm. Oi'm one of New York's finest meself. And Oi'm yer guardian angel."

Kate was finding this very hard to process. "My…"

"Guardian angel. I was a cop meself. Shot by that black hearted Protestant rogue, Jimmy Grant on Christmas Eve, 1923. What kind of a person kills on Christmas I asks meself? Me poor wife Maureen was crazy with grief, she was. Married Tommy O'Hara six years later. Came up in the summer o' 1970. But enough o' meself. Oi'm here to talk to ye."

"But if you…But I'm not…How…Why…?" Kate was not expressing herself well.

"Every once in a while, the souls sort of slips away from the body and goes all walkabout, as they say. We find that this is the only toime we can get a word to ye, all private an' all."

"Oh." Was all Kate could manage.

"Ye don't love the doctor feller, do ye?"

"Josh?" Kate thought about Josh. "I really like him…"

"But?" Doherty prompted.

She shook her head. "No, I don't love him.

"The other feller, now. This Castle. Well, really Rodgers." Doherty shook his head sadly. "He's not Irish, either. But he has a foine romantic soul an' he's a writer. A man o' dreams an' rainbows. He has an Irish soul to be sure. An' ye loves him, do ye not, lass?"

Kate was stunned. She tried to say no, but the words wouldn't come.

"Ye can lie to yerself all ye want, lass. But ye canna lie to yer guardian angel. Now tell me truthfully. Ye love Richard Castle."

"Yes."

"And it frightens ye?"

"Yes. Terribly."

He nodded his head. "An' there are two reasons fer that. Ye fear that he'll not love ye back, or he'll leave like them other two wives o' his."

Kate nodded. "He's a millionaire. He's famous. He's really a wonderful person. A great father. A great detective. I'm just a cop."

"An' he loves ye Katherine. An' he always will. He'll never stop lovin' ye. Ye two won't be parted by anything."

"How do you know?"

Doherty laughed. "How do we know, she asks?" He laughed again. "Oh, Katie, yer a rare one indeed. "How do ye know?" Oi'll have ta remember that one fer the boys. They'll bust a gut laughin'."

Kate blushed. "Sorry. And the other thing is?" She knew, of course.

"Yer Ma." Doherty said, no longer laughing.

Kate suddenly thought of something." Can I see her? Can I talk to her?"

Doherty shook his head sadly. "Ye canna. We have very strict rules aboot that. Now them other fellows, doon stairs, they have no rules, but look where it got them?"

"She's all right, though?"

"She's foine. An' waitin' fer ye an' yer feller. She's not in any hurry, mind ye." Doherty cleared his throat. "Now, back ta the subject at hand. Now tell me this, lass. Who was it that found that feller Coonan?"

"Castle. Well, one of the people he knew made the connection that Mom's murder was a professional hit. Then we linked it to Coonan."

"And who was it that come oop wi' the money for the non-existent Mr. Rathburn?"

"Castle, of course. I don't have that kind of money. What does this have to do with anything?"

"Yer afraid that if ye let yerself fall in love wi' Castle, that ye won't be able ta give yer Ma's murder the proper priority ye thinks it needs. But yer wrong. Yer better wi' Castle than wi' oot him. Yer partners. Yer a team. Bein' wi Castle will help ye find yer Ma's killer. It won't hinder it."

"I just don't want Castle to get hurt. I don't know what I'd do if I got him hurt or…"

"Yer too late, lass."

"What?" Kate cried." It's too late! Do you mean he's already dead! No! That can't be!"

"Please, lass. Not the "D" word. An' Castle is just foine. He's worried sick aboot ye, but once yer better, he'll be foine. What Oi meant was that the rogue what's behind all o' this knows about Castle. He knows Castle loves ye." Doherty laughed. "Hivins above, lass. Probably everyone but yerself knows how much Castle loves ye. An' the divil knows that Castle is smart, he's rich an' he's got lots o' connections. If somethin' were ta happen ta yerself, Castle would go right on chasin' the rogue. He'd nivir stop. So, he'll kill Castle if he can. No, lass, ye an' Castle must work together to solve yer Ma's murder. There's no other way."

Kate nodded. "And you're sure he loves me?"

Doherty laughed again. "Oh, he loves ye more than life itself, Katie darlin'."

"Will I remember this when…?"

He shook his head. "No. Ye'll no remember any of this. But ye will know what ye already know. That ye an' Castle love each other. And ye need each other." Doherty started to fade. "Ah! Yer soul is startin' ta go back. Good luck, lass." He was gone.

Much later Kate woke up. The first thing she remembered was that Castle had said that he loved her. I need to break up with Josh. And Castle. I need to figure out what to do about Castle. I need time to think about this. But I know I'll get it right. I just need time.

Quiz:

Rick loves Kate.

Kate loves Rick.

Rick and Kate love each other.

All of the above.

If you fail this quiz, you'll have to turn in your Caskett 'Shippers card.