421. Chapter 421

After The Greater Good

Episode 6.19

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: It must be great to own Castle, but I don't. Rating: K Time: See above.

Once they had finished their first draft of the guest list for their wedding, Rick and Kate snuggled together on the couch.

"It's hard to believe that kind of corruption in the US Attorney's office." Castle said.

Kate shrugged. "We've seen in in the NYPD. Raglan, McCallister and…Montgomery." It still hurt to think of Roy Montgomery as a dirty cop.

Rick ran his hand over her hair. "Yeah, but that was a long time ago. And like McCallister said, there was a lot of corruption going on. The bad guys were running the cops back them. They were just trying to balance things out."

"Yeah, and get rich at the same time. Would they have tried so hard if there wasn't a big payday for them?"

Rick thought for a moment. "We'll really never know."

"And it wasn't always so long ago. Remember that narcotics cop, Seth Carver, who set up Jane Herzfeld to inform on the Lee family? He did exactly what the cop did for Stephanie Goldmark."

"Okay, Beckett, I never said that all cops were perfect, you know. At least they were trying to keep drug dealers and thieves off the streets."

"And they knew it was illegal. You start thinking that way and pretty soon, you think of yourself as above the law. Then where are we?"

"Screwed?"

Kate nodded. "Well and truly screwed." Kate waited for a few seconds and added. "I know, I've been there."

"No! Wait! Kate Beckett, a dirty cop? I don't believe it. I'll never believe it."

"Okay, not dirty, but there were things I was going to do…" She stopped there.

"Such as?"

She put her arms around Rick. "Sure you want to know?"

"I know you. I love you, and one of the reasons I love you is how much you care about doing the right thing."

"Scott Dunn." Kate replied.

"The serial killer who thought he was after Nikki Heat?"

"The same. When I went chasing after him in the warehouse, I was going to kill him. I was so angry that he'd killed four people just to play some stupid game with a fictional character. Not to mention all the other people he'd killed."

"And you didn't kill him."

"I didn't get the chance. I could hardly put a round in his head with Jordan Shaw and you standing tight there, now could I?"

"Well, not with Jordan Shaw right there."

She turned and looked into Castle's face. "You wouldn't have said anything?"

"Of course I would have said something. I'd have told everyone how you saved my life by killing Dunn. Maybe I could have added that Dunn was going to kill a little puppy, too. Everyone loves cute, little puppies. Besides, you didn't do anything. Thinking about committing a crime is not committing a crime."

Kate grinned in spite of herself. "You'd perjure yourself for me? At that point in our relationship?"

"From the day we sat there reading my fan letters to find the killer of Allison Tisdale and I told you your story. And when I saw the pain in your eyes, I just wanted to put my arms around you and tell you that I'd do anything to take the pain away and replace it with joy. Even then I knew you were special."

"I would have broken both your arms before you got a word out, you know."

Castle nodded solemnly. "Laying there in agony, I would have declared my undying desire to do anything for you. Anything to take your pain away."

"Two broken arms? That would have gotten our partnership off to a rocky start."

"I would have had to hire a secretary to dictate Heat Wave to." Castle conceded.

"A secretary? I can imagine what she would have looked like." Kate raised an eyebrow.

"I, of course, would have wanted a remarkable NYPD homicide detective. If you were able to resist my charms, I would have settled for some sweet, grandmotherly type."

"I sincerely doubt that. But I did other things. Remember the case where Bracken was the target?"

"Sure. My least favorite case ever. I always like there to be a happy ending."

"I told you I found a letter from McManus threatening Bracken. I almost burned it."

"Almost." Castle said quickly. "And they found McManus anyway. And he was set up to be the fall guy anyway."

"And I missed McManus in his hotel when I shot at him. I missed him on purpose."

"And McManus didn't do anything. Maybe on some subconscious level, you realized that McManus as some terrorist mastermind didn't make sense. You are remarkable, after all."

Kate kissed him lightly. "So you're reading my subconscious mind now?"

"I'm saying it's possible. Can you say positively that your subconscious mind didn't make that connection?"

"And when I realized the bomb was really in Bracken's car, it was all I could do to force myself to run and knock him to the ground. Part of me, a very strong part of me, wanted to let him die."

"Which proves you're human. Anyone would feel that way."

"There are times when I lie awake at night and wonder why I did it. Why save him? Can you imagine what that man is doing to this whole country? People complain about corrupt politicians, but he puts every one of them in the shade."

"And that's why you need me around."

"To keep me on the straight and narrow?" Kate asked, suspiciously.

"Of course not."

"Then what?"

Rick looked at Kate very seriously. "Everyone says that Bracken is untouchable. That no one can do anything to him."

"Are you saying that I should give up? Do nothing?" Kate had no idea where this was going.

"I know people, Kate."

"I know that. So?"

"I know my dad now."

"Where is this going, Castle?" Kate was getting worried.

"I talked to Dad about you in Paris and briefly when he was in New York. He's kept an eye on me all my life and he's been keeping an eye on you. He knew someone powerful was after you. He's heard of Orantis Solutions, he knew about Lockwood and Cedric Marks. I told him who was behind the attempt on your life. He knows people. I know people. You know I'll do anything to protect my family."

Kate felt a shiver run through her body. "Are you saying what I think you're saying? You'd have Bracken killed? Because he might kill me?"

"Kate, this isn't about you anymore. Can you imagine what Bracken would be like as President? The most powerful man in the world? His tame killers would suddenly be federal agents. He'd kill anyone who got in his way. He'd make himself president for life. We'd never get rid of him. Think about the police states all around the world? Do you want to live in another North Korea?"

"No, of course not. But we can't…"

"Can't try to kill him before he kills thousands…tens of thousands….millions? There were people who tried to kill Hitler. Some people consider them heroes now."

"Castle, I don't want to lose you."

"You won't. If it happens, and I do say if it happens, we'll be far away and with nothing to connect us to whatever happens."

"And I'm supposed to…?"

"Go after Bracken legally, just as you have been and don't worry about anything else. I love you Kate, but more than that, I will not allow what Bracken would inflict on this country, and the world."

"I love you, too, Rick."

As Rick slept beside her that night, she thought about what he had said. But she couldn't think of another solution if all else failed.