A/N: So I must be absolutely crazy to start another fic. "Enough for Now" was supposed to BE enough for now - my one and done, so to speak. But CastleChick requested a story based on the stills released for Cops and Robbers ... and I couldn't get this out of my head. Lol. Anyway, this one should be short - two or three chapters. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own the TV show or the characters, but somedays I wish I did!
It had started out as any normal day.
But it had gone downhill very quickly.
In the stillness of her apartment, dark except for the city lights that invaded through the unshuttered windows, Kate Beckett swirled her beer around in the bottle. Not really drinking. Not really even heeding the condensation that was dripping onto her knee. Scenes from the day's events swam through her mind like a slideshow.
"Beckett."
"Hey, KB. It's me. Castle."
She grinned in spite of herself. "I know. You're the only one who calls me KB."
"Does that mean no one's ever tried or just that I'm the only one you let get away with it?"
The grin widened. "What do you want, Castle?"
"I'm going to be a little late this morning," his warm voice drifted lazily through the earpiece of her phone. "Mother wanted to get some money out of her Christmas club account, and I'm here to charm the teller into letting her."
She could tell he had entered the bank by the shift in background noise – from honking horns and angry drivers to quiet chatter.
"Tell Martha hello from me," she told him, but he didn't hear her. He was busy arguing with his mother about something ridiculous, and she bit back her laugh at the sheer insanity of the conversation she was privy to.
"Castle!" When her summons got no response, Kate raised her voice and repeated his name, hoping it would carry enough to regain his attention. "Castle, I've got to go."
"Kate." His voice was hushed, something which in hindsight she would realize should have alerted her.
"Castle, we can talk when you get in," she tried to end the call, but the increased urgency in his whisper halted her.
"Kate. The bank is being robbed."
She hadn't panicked then. (Ryan and Esposito would challenge this assertion, if asked.) She hadn't panicked when they'd reached the bank and discovered that everyone inside had been taken hostage. (Again, Ryan and Esposito would have offered their two cents to the contrary, but no one sought their opinions.) She'd managed to keep the blooming twinge of panic at bay even when a uniform had called her over to calm Alexis.
"Kate! Is my dad okay? What about Grams?" The redhead's voice could not be mistaken for steady, tears drowning in the fearful eyes that stared back at the detective.
"I'm sure they're fine," Kate offered, gently gripping the young woman's arms and dipping her head to meet her eyes. "Your dad knows not to do anything stupid."
"Does he?" Alexis retorted. "Because ever since he met you, he's been doing one stupid thing after another."
Kate let her hands drop, straightening as though Alexis had physically slapped her.
"Alexis –"
Castle's daughter waved a hand in the air, half dismissal, half apology. "I'm sorry, Kate." She'd vaulted against the detective then, throwing her arms around her neck and hanging on for dear life.
Kate closed her eyes and returned the embrace for a moment before wrapping her arm around the girl's shoulders and guiding her to an officer who stood nearby. Giving him instructions to watch out for the young woman, she promised Alexis that she would let her know as soon as she had any information to pass along.
Heading back toward the makeshift 'command central', Kate fought against the urge to hyperventilate. She knew what it was like to lose a parent, and she prayed with every non-cynical fiber left in her body that Alexis would never be able to identify with her in that way. It struck her that, if the worse did happen, at least Rick knew that Alexis loved him – and vice versa.
But when it came to Kate – the knowledge was one-sided. She knew he loved her. Would he die without knowing she loved him back?
She had fought a losing battle with the panic from that point on. The minutes crept into hours, and she'd wanted to jerk a knot into the hostage negotiator more than once. Either that or pop a cap into him and take over the job herself.
Kate didn't realize she was holding her breath until Javier gave her arm a gentle squeeze. "He's okay, Kate."
And he was. Or at least he seemed to be. He was walking out the door, one arm around his mother, the other at the back of the SWAT officer escorting him out of harm's way. A cursory survey with her eyes showed no signs of visible blood, no apparent injuries, and not even a hair out of place. Well, okay, maybe his hair was a bit more tousled than usual but in an endearing way that made her heart clench in her chest.
She could hear Alexis struggling with the officer who was holding her back, and Kate gestured to let her go. A blur of red shot past her, and Kate swallowed against the lump that clogged her throat as Rick and Martha opened their arms and hugged Alexis tightly. Seeing that his attention was rightfully captivated by his daughter, Kate backed away and headed inside the bank to see what she could do to help process the bank robbers
Duty called, after all. The heart could wait.
And then, somewhere in the hectic bustle that always followed a hostage scene, Kate had ended up logging in a very long day. When the last interview had been conducted, the last statement taken, and the last report filed, Rick was no longer at the station. She assumed he'd gone home hours ago, his and Martha's statements being some of the first they'd taken down. She'd debated going over there, but she knew he'd be exhausted. It was late, and she hadn't wanted to take away from their family time either.
"Face it, Kate," she muttered to herself, finally taking a swig from her bottle. Making a face at the taste, she set the beer on the coffee table and groaned. "You chickened out."
Realizing she hadn't even talked to him since his call that morning, she grabbed her cell phone and tapped out a quick message.
Crazy day, huh?
Within seconds, her phone alerted her to his reply.
Insane. Was just thinking about you. Are you home yet?
She smiled, touched that his mind was on her after everything he'd experienced today.
Barely. Haven't moved off the couch.
Her phone rang almost before she could send her response, and a thrill shivered down her spine when she saw who was calling.
"Hey," she answered, unable to keep the soft fondness from her voice.
Of all the things she'd expected him to say, she wasn't anticipating the sexy graveled tone or the words he uttered in it. "Come over."