473. Chapter 473

After 3XK

Episode 3.06

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: I don't gotta show you no stinkin' badges, or prove that I don't own Castle. Rating: K Time: See above.

Kate walked into the loft, shut the door behind her and leaned against it. Then she let out a soft sigh.

Castle was with her at once. "You okay?" He put his arms around her and held her.

"Fine." She said into his chest.

"Fine, said the brainiest and most beautiful captain in the entire history of the NYPD. And whenever you say you're fine, I know you're not fine. So, why not tell me?"

"I am fine. Now. I'm home and I'm fine."

He stroked her hair. "But you weren't fine earlier?"

"When Montgomery or Gates was running the precinct, I never had any idea how much meaningless paperwork the job involved. I'm drowning in the stuff. I hardly see Espo or Ryan and it's been so long since I've seen Lanie, I'm forgetting what she looks like."

"Lanie?" Rick said, frowning slightly. "Oh, the tall, leggy, blonde Swede in Traffic?"

Kate looked up at him and gave him a very slight glare. "Not funny, Castle."

"Sorry….Castle." Seeing her smile, he went on. "Tell you what. Tomorrow I'll go down to the precinct with you and help with the paperwork."

Kate took a step backwards. "Paperwork? Who are you and what have you done with my husband?"

"I'm serious. I need a break from writing and a few days at the precinct would be a good break for me."

"You need a break from writing? The master of procrastination? How did that happen?"

Castle shrugged. "I've got the plot for the next Nikki Heat going great. Nikki and Rook are tracking a serial arsonist. I got an entire chapter written on the A story today, but I'm nowhere with the B plot."

"I thought Nikki's niece was having boy problems, and Nikki tried to help and did exactly the wrong things."

"I showed it to Alexis. She said I was stealing from her and Ashley, her first great love. She didn't exactly tell me to drop the plot line, but…"

"But your daughter has you wrapped her around her little finger like no one else does." Kate finished for him.

"No, Alexis has me wrapped around her little finger like no one other than you does."

"Glad to hear that." Kate reached down and pulled her shoes off. "Oh, that is wonderful. Even just walking around the precinct, my feet get tired and sore now. And I'm not even wearing my four inch heels when I'm behind my desk."

Rick picked her up and carried her towards the couch. "Castle! What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm going to put you down and give you the foot massage of your life."

"You know I hate it when you coddle me. I'm tough, kick ass Captain Kate Castle, you know."

He ignored her and began massaging her feet. Soon a smile spread over her face and she found herself relaxing. "I suppose I could allow just a little bit of coddling."

"I swear, I'll never coddle you more than just a tiny bit. You know, a day at the spa upstate. Maybe a weekend in the Caribbean when you're tired. Your birthday and Christmas presents will be something modest. Maybe a new Ferrari instead of a Rolls."

Kate giggled. "As long as you don't go overboard, Writer Boy."

"Writer Man." He corrected.

"Oh, I meant to tell you. A name from out of the past came across my desk today."

"Who?"

"Marcus Gates."

"The guy we thought was 3XK? What happened?"

"He was killed in a fight in prison between two rival prison gangs."

Both Rick and Kate thought back to their first meeting with the infamous 3XK.

"Of all the people we've ever dealt with, Jerry Tyson and his girlfriend Kelly Nieman, were the worst."

Kate nodded. "No one ever scared me like Tyson did, that first time we crossed paths."

Castle frowned. "Why? You only knew him as Jerry Tyson, a minor player in the 3XK case."

Kate pulled herself up and onto Castle's lap. "When Martha called and we couldn't reach either you or Ryan, I knew something was terribly wrong. I raced up those stairs ahead of Espo and all the other uniforms and kicked in the door. I was terrified I'd find you dead. I knew that I loved you, or that I should allow myself to love you. I even had an idea that you loved me too. I was so happy to find you alive. Poor Ryan. I forgot all about him in my haste to untie you and get you out of there."

Kate smiled at the memory. "I got you coffee and we sat by the pool. That was he first time we ever held hands. I didn't want to let go of your hand."

"Me either. I could have sat there all night with you."

"And when I took you home after we'd done the reports at the precinct, I just wanted to pull over somewhere, tear your clothes off and have my way with you."

"I wish you had."

Kate sighed. "But you were with Gina and I was afraid you'd get mad at me and leave my team. And I was with Josh and I kept telling myself to listen to my head and not my heart." Kate shook her head. "Stupid head."

Rick kissed her. "Brilliant head. Great heart. In fact, great everything. Perfect everything. And I was in love with you by then."

"I know. I wish I'd known then how much you did love me."

"I wish I'd told you."

"And Tyson wasn't done with us. He gave Ryan's weapon to a killer to taunt us, framed you for murder, his lunatic girlfriend stole his records while we were trying to solve a murder, which in true Tyson fashion, he had someone else commit. And then he tried to kill both of us."

"And we killed them both." Castle finished for her. "I never thought I'd be able to kill, but I would have killed Tyson without a second thought. Sometimes, I wish I'd taken the shot and not Espo."

"Um, I think I prefer you as he writer in the family, not the shooter."

Suddenly, Castle was staring off into space.

"Rick?" No response. "Castle?" Again no reply. She tried her never failed method of getting his attention. She kissed him.

"What?" he asked."

"I lost you for a moment there."

"I think I have my B story line. The arsonist has been a loner. But for his next job, he needs a partner, just like Tyson did. But, instead of an ex-con, it'll be a woman he needs to use. He'll…romance her sister, who she loves, and gets the sister to do something illegal. Then he blackmails both women unto helping him." Castle smiled and stared into space.

"Does this mean you'll be spending all night at your laptop?" Kate asked.

"Who, me? The king of procrastination? Not a chance. I have too many other important things to do."

He lifted her up off of the couch and headed for the bedroom.

"More coddling?"

"Just a modest amount."