725. Chapter 725

After Fidelis Ad Mortem

Episode 8.15

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle in Latin as well. Rating: K Time: See above

"How did we get so fucked up?"

"Kate, I did what I thought was best for…"

"Castle, how did we get so fucked up? That's what I asked."

He smiled slightly. "We love each other. We love each other like….I've never imagined love to be. That's why we did this to each other." he shook his head. "Didn't you mention something about a love haze to Alexis?"

She grinned at him. "We need to stop doing this to each other."

"What? Stop loving each other?"

She slapped him on the chest. "Of course not. That's not what I meant and you know it." She leaned her head on his chest and slowly pushed him to the couch, then sat on his lap. "I thought that all of the years with you, the therapy, our marriage…I thought that had changed me."

"It has, believe me. You're nothing like the woman I met seven years ago. Or should I say you're a vastly improved version of that Kate Beckett?"

She slowly shook her head. "No. When things start to go wrong, my first impulse….Hell, my only impulse is a wall. Except this wall isn't to protect me, it's to protect you. I hurt you badly, damned near destroyed my marriage, and for what?"

"You could never destroy our marriage. You want to talk about a wall protecting something? The wall protecting our marriage. Now there's a wall."

"Thank you. Thank you for loving me that much."

"Always."

"But I did all of that for nothing. At the end of the day, I know now what I knew about Bracken. I could never have taken down Bracken without you. I'd have ended up as miserably unhappy Detective Kate Beckett, always wondering why she wasn't good enough to solve her own mother's murder."

Rick kissed the top of her head. "You may remember that I was there with you. You did a hell of a lot to bring Bracken down. I can truly say that I couldn't have done it without you as well."

"And that's what I should have remembered. We need each other. We complete each other." Kate sighed and leaned against her husband.

"What are you thinking about?" He asked.

"The case I was on at the Academy. There was a police cadet, Rachel Decker. She's good. Very, very good. She could eclipse my records at the Academy one day."

"Never." He teased. "And no one will ever base a best selling mystery series on her."

"She was like me in another way. She wanted to do it all by herself. She was just like I used to be. You remember, don't you? Detective Kate Beckett who didn't need anyone and who'd tell you she was just fine, even if alligators were chewing her legs off?"

"Sounds vaguely familiar. I don't recall any alligators, though."

"Anyway, that started me thinking. She needed to open up and let people in, just like I needed to open up and let you in. And I started to think about how much I've needed you. From day one, the first day we met."

"I knew you fell for me at once."

Kate tapped his chest again. "Don't go there. Ever."

"Never, ever." Castle stopped to think. "Do you think that Vikram and Haley can find Locsat?"

"It's the best chance we have. Why?"

"It's just…I know I remember a lot now. About Locsat. But I don't know if I remember everything. I know I talked to a couple of guys in South East Asia about Locsat and drugs. I don't remember talking to anyone else, but I can't be sure. Maybe I talked to someone and he's talking to Locsat right now. I know what I remember, but I don't know what I don't know, if that makes sense."

"So, we stick together. And start carrying your pistol, since you do have a concealed carry permit as a PI. And you do not ever go anyplace without me, or the boys, and I do not go anyplace without you, or them, ever. Okay?"

"Speaking of Ryan and Esposito, how do we explain this to them? They think we broke up."

"I have an idea."

The next morning, Captain Kate Beckett arrived at the 12th Precinct, arm and arm with her husband. They walked into her office and Castle took his accustomed chair next to hers. Before she sat, she leaned over and kissed him.

In seconds, Ryan and Esposito were in her office. "What's he doing here?" Ryan asked.

Kate gave them a confused look. "He's my husband, remember? Richard Castle? You can't have forgotten already."

"But how can you…."

"Especially after he…."

"With…."

Kate laughed. "You mean with the sexy Russian under wear model Sveltana?" She asked in a thick Russian accent.

As arranged, Castle took a dollar bill from his pocket and handed it to her.

"I told you they'd both fall for it hook, line and sinker, Castle." She giggled. "Or should I say, Dr. Livingstone."

"This was a fake?" Ryan said. "Why?"

"I had a personal problem, one that I'm not really at liberty to discuss. Rick was kind enough to give me the time and space to handle it. And that's all I'm going to say, at least for now."

Kate caught sight of someone coming out of the elevator and quickly moved to Rick's lap, planting a long, wet kiss on him. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Perlmutter stop in the middle of the bullpen, then turn around and get back in the elevator. The door had been closed for several seconds before they heard a muffled scream.

"We need to get back to work." Kate said.

Much, much, much later…

"Captain on deck!" One of the recruits yelled as they slammed to attention.

She looked the new training company over. My god. They get younger and younger each year. A slight smile crossed her features. It can't be that I'm getting older, can it?

"At ease. Resume your seats."

The police cadets scrambled to get in their seats.

"As you know, I like to drop by training company 38. It was my company back when I was a recruit. And it's where I met someone who changed my life." She began to walk among the seated cadets. "Some of you will notice that my name is now placed above that of Captain Kate Beckett on some of the awards. That might lead you to believe that I bettered her awards. That is not the case. I got better scores because the NYPD chose to change the way the scores were calculated. As far as I'm concerned, Kate Beckett was and always will be the best recruit ever to leave this Academy, and not Captain Rachel Decker." She stopped and looked around. "I see some disbelieving faces. Well, let me tell you about how I met Captain Beckett. There was a murder at the Academy….."