312. Chapter 312

After Sucker Punch

Episode 2.13

USCBdad

Disclaimer: Yes, you know what would happen to me if I said I owned Castle. Rating: K Time: See above

"Vincit omnia veritas." Kate read softly from the tombstone, placing her hand gently on the cold marble. "Hi, mom. I'm sorry that I haven't been here for a long time, but I've really been busy. However, I do have a lot to tell you." Kate looked down at her mother's grave and felt the tears start to fall. She didn't quite believe that her mother could actually hear her, but she couldn't quite force herself to believe that her mother didn't hear her. And talking to her mother like this helped her get things straight in her own mind.

"I should start at the beginning, I suppose. I've met my favorite author, Rick Castle. I haven't just met him, he's working with me. He's following me for a series of novels he's writing, but he's really a great help. Okay, I'll admit I didn't think so when we first met. I was angry at getting saddled with him. He seemed so egotistical and immature. But, there's more to him than that. He's a really great detective, very unorthodox, thinks way outside the box sometimes, but he gets results."

Kate smiled. "And he's a great father. I wish you could meet his daughter, Alexis. She's just about perfect. If I were ever to have a daughter, I hope she'd be exactly like Alexis. I remember what a pain in the ass I was to you sometimes…" Kate stopped because of her crying. She dried her eyes and went on. "I know that in spite of that, you loved me as much as I loved you. And I still miss you so. I know I haven't been here lately, but there isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of you, miss you and love you."

Kate began crying again. "Castle just isn't as great detective, he's a good man. In spite of our rough start, I really like having him around. He makes my life a little more fun, something I haven't had a lot of these past years. And, no, Mom, I don't think anything will come of it. He's not really my type. He's been divorced twice and he's dated a different hot chick every night it seems." Kate stopped and thought. "Although he doesn't seem to do that anymore. I guess it's the time he has to spend writing the books. I've actually thought a little bit in the last couple of weeks about maybe moving our relationship beyond being partners and friends. No, I won't do that. I know that eventually he'd break my heart and I just couldn't handle that. I know he's not what I want, but I'll miss him terribly when he does leave. Maybe when he does leave I'll sleep with him. I do need a boyfriend, it's just that it won't be Castle."

Kate shook her head to clear her mind. "We got him, Mom. The man who killed you. He was a professional killer called Dick Coonan. He almost got away. He took Castle hostage and I had to shoot him. He died before I could find out who hired him to kill you. He would have killed Castle if I didn't shoot him. And probably more people before we caught him again."

She smiled, thinking of Castle. "Castle was so sweet. He paid a hundred thousand dollars for a fake hit to lure Coonan out. And he actually apologized after I killed Coonan. He felt responsible somehow that we didn't find out who hired him and wanted to stop following me. I put a stop to that. I want Castle around when we find whoever killed you. And, I admit, I just want Castle around."

Kate took her hand off of the tombstone. "That's what I had to tell you, Mom. I'll try to get here more often, but I have work to do now. Good bye."

Rick Castle was playing Angry Birds since he had found he didn't know exactly where Nikki was going in the latest book. He hoped that the doorbell meant that inspiration was calling.

It was, in fact, his muse. "Beckett? What are you doing here? And at this time of night?"

"I had to talk to you, so I came over. I saw the lights were on and figured you were still awake. I hope I'm not bothering you."

He smiled at her. "Nothing you could do could bother me, Beckett. Although not returning my calls for two days might get me a little bit perturbed." Castle took a closer look at her. "You look exhausted. Come in, sit down. Can I get you something? Coffee? Hot chocolate? A drink?"

Kate walked over to the kitchen island and sat on a stool. "Hot chocolate sounds great, if it's no trouble."

"No trouble at all. Where were you?"

"Going through Dick Coonan's records. Since I was after information on Mom's murder, I felt I had to look at everything myself, just in case."

"Did you find anything?"

She shook her head, disgustedly. "We found records of financial transactions, but if he ever had any information on his victims or who hired him, he destroyed them long ago. I found one transaction about the time of my mom's murder, but it was through a bank in the Middle East that was also funneling money to terrorists. After 9/11, it was shut down, but they destroyed all of their records. I found absolutely nothing."

Kate sounded very tired. Castle handed her the hot chocolate. "Do you want to sit on the couch?"

She nodded. "Just make sure I don't fall asleep. I haven't slept since before I shot Coonan. But I do have to talk to you. I screwed up, Castle. I screwed up." They walked to the couch and Kate sat heavily, almost spilling her hot chocolate."

"No. I screwed up, Beckett. I should have…"

"No. No. That's not what I meant. Without you, Coonan would still be out there, killing people and selling heroin. If you'd listened to me, he'd be alive." A smile lit up Kate's face. "But we got him, Castle. We got him. The bastard's dead. Dead."

"You got him, Beckett. You spent ten years..." Castle stopped. Beckett's hot chocolate was slipping out of her hand. Castle quickly grabbed it. "Beckett? Beckett? Are you awake?"

She was sound asleep. Castle thought for a moment that he should wake her up and get her home, but decided against it. He carefully slipped off her shoes, then went to the linen closet. He returned with a blanket and a pillow. He carefully slid the pillow under her head and put the blanket over her. "Sleep well, Beckett. You deserve it. You deserve more than I can give you."

Kate Beckett woke with the smell of coffee in her nose. What? Where am I? She sat up and looked around her. "Castle, you should have woken me up."

"You looked way too adorable. And way too tired. And that's a good couch to sleep on. Nice and comfy. I have coffee ready for you and I'll have your breakfast done in a sec. Smiley faced pancakes, bacon, eggs, I hope you like scrambled, and OJ."

Kate gratefully accepted the coffee. "You really don't have to do this."

"What? Make breakfast for you? It's not like I did something difficult, like shoot someone who was threatening your life."

"I suppose I can let you make breakfast this once. But then I have to go. I need to get to the precinct."

"I thought you said there was nothing in Coonan's records. And Montgomery won't mind if you take some time off, I'm sure."

"There's nothing in Coonan's records, but I want to call the Feds to see if they know anything about Rathborne, or anything on Coonan."

"I'll go with you."

Beckett looked over at him as he loaded two plates with food. "Rick Castle doing boring police work? Are you sure you didn't injure your head?"

Castle just laughed. "Eat your breakfast, Beckett, or you won't get any dessert."

"We caught him, Mom. Senator William Bracken ordered your murder and we got him. And by we, I mean me and Richard Castle." She put her arm around her fiancé, pulling him closer. "This is Rick. The man I will love always."

Castle nodded at the grave. "And the man who will love your daughter, always."

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