404. Chapter 404

After Dreamworld

Episode 6.02

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: What we have here is failure to communicate that I don't own Castle. Rating: K Time: See above.

"Agent Beckett, please come in and sit down." Villante said.

Thank you, sir. I realize what I've done and I just want to say that it has been a pleasure to work for you and…"

Villante held his hands up to stop her. "Wait! Wait! You're in trouble, but not in so much trouble that you're going to get fired."

Kate frowned, the confusion plain on her face. "Sir? I don't understand."

"You violated about a hundred or more investigative protocols and maybe even a law or two going after Secretary Reed like that. And he is very angry."

"But?" Kate said, still not sure of what was happening.

"But, Mrs. Reed is alive because of you. And while that doesn't count for as much as you might expect in this town, it does count for something." Villante leaned back in his chair. "Beckett, this town is all about secrets. The more secrets you know, the more powerful you are. But, very few secrets stay secret. Oh, the important ones stay secret. The whole thing with Howard Hughes, the Glomar Explorer and that Russian sub stayed secret for years. But, Reed's secrets are becoming better known than that. People know that he had Valkyrie killed. But that' a very small secret as these things go. After all, it's the job of generals to send people off to get killed and intelligence agents get killed regularly. But, the cover up is a big, bad secret and that secret is known by some very important people, such as the Attorney General and the President."

"But nothing happens to Reed." Kate said bitterly.

"And nothing happens to Agent Kate Beckett. Officially. You do have a black mark against your name in a little unofficial book the AG keeps in his desk. As long as you don't piss off any more members of the Cabinet, you should be okay. As for Reed, he has a black mark by his name as well. Oh, he'll be at DOD for as long as he wants, but too many people know about his cover up and what the consequences could have been. There will be no Senator Reed in the future. No Vice President Reed. His political star has dimmed considerably."

"What about Parker?" Kate asked. "He'll talk. He'll tell everyone."

"He'll tell everyone that'll listen." Villante corrected. "He's a killer and he tried to kill Mrs. Reed. Plus he's responsible for two thefts. He'll be the kind of background noise that'll haunt any politician like Reed. But, for the most part he'll be dismissed as a cold blooded killer trying to justify his actions by blaming other people."

Villante smiled at Kate. "So, Agent Beckett, you are hereby reprimanded for disobeying my orders and congratulated for solving the case. Now, get back to work."

Kate held on tightly to Rick's arm as they went to her DC apartment. "Beckett, you don't need to act like I'll fall apart or something. You heard the doctors. I'm fine. I'm better than fine. You don't have to worry about me."

Kate rested her head on his chest. "I worry about you every second of every day and I always will."

He kissed the top of her head. "That's sweet, but I'm the one who should worry about you. You're the one who goes out there every day and faces…Some sort of danger."

"And you're the one who almost died."

"Because I tried to force my way onto your case. So we could be partners again."

"Castle, you are my partner. Always and forever."

"Kate, I know it can't be like it was with the NYPD. I'm a pal of the mayor, not the Attorney General or the President. I swear to you that I've learned my lesson. Tomorrow I'll be on a plane back to New York all by myself and I won't interfere in your cases ever again."

"Castle, you're wrong."

Castle looked down at her. "What? You don't believe me?"

"Someone told Villante that you may still be having problems with the side affects of the chemicals. So, you'll have a Federal Agent with you to make sure you get back to New York okay."

"Is this a Federal Agent I know?"

She smiled at him. "What do you think?"

Rick and Kate settled back into the loft for the weekend. When Rick went off to write in his office, Kate went to Martha.

"Martha, I'm sorry for what happened. I really am."

Martha shook her head. "What do you have to be sorry for, dear?"

"For what happened to Rick. I should have sent him back to New York the minute that I saw he was getting involved in the case. I know Rick. I should have known that he could never stay out of the case. What happened to him is my fault."

"Don't be absurd, dear." Martha said softly. "He stopped looking into the case as soon as he saw that he'd gotten you in trouble. It was that Mr. Bronson that dragged him back into the case."

Kate shook her head. "No. I know Castle. He couldn't have…"

"Yes, dear." Martha interrupted. "I know Richard as well. Better than you do in some ways. He loves you, dear. He loves you beyond reason. He could no more stay out of your life than he could stop breathing. And as much as he loves you, he really won't listen to you if you ask him to stay out of your life."

"She's right, Kate." Alexis said, coming into the kitchen. "I know dad, too. He followed you around for years because he was in love with you. And he still loves you and he's still going to follow you around. Get used to it."

Later that night, Kate lay in bed, listening to Rick's breathing next to her and staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep. They're right. Castle will always want to be a part of my life and I'll always want him to be there for me and with me. So, what do I do? He's my partner. He is my partner in every possible sense of the word. He's more important to me than…anything. Anything? Yes. He is that important. Now, what does that mean?