Chapter 41 – going home

Early in the day and for the last time of their summer break in the Hamptons, Kate and Rick rode the horses out of the ranch. They rode at a trot to the riding tracks they had access to; tracks that were spread over a number of large private properties that neighbored the property the horses were stabled on. The horses, having been exercised daily for weeks, were not too fresh or excited and settled into the ride quickly.

They rode along beautiful lanes fringed with lush green trees to begin with then passed through a gate to undulating meadows with tracks they followed along the fence lines. Recent storms had kept pastures green. There were times they competitively raced the horses across fields at a gallop, times they slowed them down strolls when they let the horses eat grass along the sides of the tracks in forested areas. During the walks, Kate had her boots out the stirrups, her legs softly hanging around her horse.

They decided to ride without a schedule and to simply enjoy the half day they had allowed to spend with the horses. When they were to return to the stables, the horses would be turned out for at least three weeks. Not happy about that it at all, Kate had clearly stated to Castle on numerous occasions that she was not ready to leave the Hamptons. She liked being there a lot. She'd made friends by being involved with the horses and consequently had become socially active with several women. Castle had also introduced her many of the locals he knew. With them being at the beach house for such a long period he had constantly received invitations and since Kate was with him, they had often gone to parties. He had no doubt it was the best summer he'd experienced up there and he didn't particularly want to leave either.

The destination of their ride was a grassy meadow that an old barn stood on along with a few day yards they could house the horses in whilst they shared a picnic lunch. The geldings were safe in the yard to graze as they pleased when Kate left them and approached Castle who had set up the picnic under a tree. No one else was near them, leave alone in sight. He was stretched out on the rug, ankles crossed, rested on his elbow whilst he waited for Kate to finish tending to the horses. His bright blue eyes were covered by sunglasses.

As she came closer Castle casually stared at her not hiding it in the slightest. He chewed on a blade of grass and didn't take his eyes off her. His smile broadened uncontrollably has his chest hummed with pure love. She wore denim jeans, scuffed up brown riding boots, a dirty white singlet top, her sun bleached hair was loose and crazily curly, her skin was tanned and dusty and she wore a big natural grin. Not the sort of look he ever dreamed of Kate having when they had been in New York but he thought she looked hot. He really liked this Kate.

"Do you know how damn sexy you are Kate?"

"So horsey Kate is as sexy as motorcycle Kate?" She sat crossed legged on the blanket and picked up a piece of bread.

"Mmm… Now that's a hard one … that photo of you on the bike in that cotton dressed, just after we did it… That is one hot picture. Still tops my list." He paused. "I should stop now." He muttered.

"That's ok Castle. I knew I looked hot that day. I have my photos of you that really turn me on." She offered him in return and put a cherry tomato into her mouth, rolling her tongue around it. Castle coughed. She laughed.

"Like what photos?" He inquired.

"The one of you on the bed with your shirt off."

He laughed, "That one?"

"What?" She asked. "That's a really hot picture of you. Your blue eyes are so cute it." She seductively described.

"Beckett," he coyly commented.

"Bare chest. Strong shoulders and a bit of your groin showing." She purred.

Castle threw a grape at her. "You're embarrassing me."

Kate laughed out loud. She picked up the grape and popped it in her mouth. "I also like the one of us at the party that Sandra took of us last week."

"With you in the green dress?"

"Yes. It's a cute photo." She got out her phone and showed her lock screen. A picture of herself sitting on Castle left thigh. He was looking at her face and she had her head and eyes down towards her lap, smiling over a story he had been telling her at the time.

"It bumped the other photo off your screen. You must like it." He teased, as the previous picture had been one he had taken of them at the Precinct when she had been at his shoulder.

"This is the new favorite. She put down the phone and picked up a piece of bread. She noticed the state of her hands. "I can't believe I am doing this."

"What? Sitting here having a picnic? It's great."

"My hands are filthy from the horses and I'm eating with my fingers."

"Don't forget your face is smeared with dust and sweat, you have helmet hair and you're looking a little sunburnt." He teased. "Where the hell is Kate Beckett?"

"Mmm. Where the hell is metro man Richard Castle?" She asked and held up her phone. She snapped a photo of him looking hot in his jeans and shirt. She showed him the photo he laughed at.

"Country boy Ricky Castle." He replied and took hold of her wrist he gently pulled towards him. He sat up and gave her a kiss. She smiled and touched his jaw when they parted, biting her own lip.

"Love you." She whispered.

"Oh, me too baby."

They relaxed on the picnic rug. They had bread, crackers, cheeses and various containers of food. They sipped the white wine.

"This is perfect." She murmured and looked up to the blue sky through the branches over them. "I just smell of horse sweat and dust."

"I agree." Castle replied. "Speaking of which, how is the new horse?" He inquired with the sole intention of seeing her smile. Immediately a grin broke over Kate's face her white teeth showing. She then bit her lip in an attempt to hide her enthusiasm.

"Best horse." Kate replied excitedly and glanced over her shoulder at the horses, admiring their coats reflecting the sun.

"So you like him," he rhetorically inquired. As Kate had spent most of the summer riding his horse, they had finally decided she was ready to find a horse of her own. They had bought him a few weeks earlier after a lengthy and exhaustive search. Nearly every day they had gone riding together since. It was making it all that harder for them to return to New York that afternoon.

"I love him." She replied, "I don't want to leave him here."

"I know. I would prefer to be here as well."

"Castle, why do we have to go home? Why can't we stay longer?"

"You know why Kate. We have the book launch, I have to do the tour, you have to go back to work."

"Mmmm." She hummed.

"It's nearly the end of summer." He added. "I have to get Alexis prepared to go to college, although she will do most of it anyway. I will carry the boxes for her."

Kate smirked in complete understanding. Alexis was quite in control of own life. "She's still your little girl at times." Kate assured him.

"Yeah, like when she wants cash."

Kate giggled. "I did the same thing with my dad," she remarked, "but he wasn't as soft as you."

"Mmmm. Well, maybe I should rethink my approach with the women in my life."

"Long list Castle."

"You certainly jumped up the list quite fast then."

"Touché." Kate smirked as Castle lay to his back. He was full from the picnic lunch.

"So we go back to our normal lives." She said sitting up. She stretched her leg out to Rick's hand and silently indicated she wanted her boots pulled off. Rick obliged her. She then peeled the socks off and laid them out at the edge of the blanket to air with her boots beside them on the grass.

"We do." He replied and casually watched Kate take off the jeans she left untidily on the blanket. She knelt up and gave one last look about the paddock to ensure they were alone. A cheeky smile spread over her face as her focus turned to Rick and she peeled herself out of the thong panties.

"You know, if ever things get too bad or you need a place to be where no one else will find you, come here. I will find you." He said to her.

Kate stared at him then nodded her head in understanding. "Ok." She replied. "You will find me here if I ever need to hide. You will find me under this tree." She put her hands to her head and shook her hair loose. Rick watched the curls tighten up now the helmet look was gone.

"I will come and save you," he confirmed. "Beckett?"

"Mmm?" She crawled to Castle a seductive expression over her face.

"Are you being a naughty girl?" He asked in surprise.

Kate giggled and bit her lip. "I may be."

"I certainly hope so." He replied and she leaned over to his mouth and kissed him softly. She pulled away and whispered under her breath.

"Wow." She smiled.

He grinned. He loved it when she said that under her breath. "My baby." He crooned as she shifted over his body. "What I am gonna do to you under this tree?"

"Perhaps we could start the serious riding now." She suggested.

"Good idea." He replied his hands taking hold of her hips.

Kate giggled and lowered herself upon his body, stretching so she reached his mouth she kissed. He grabbed her ass with both hands and moaned in pure content. Seconds later he took hold of her body and rolled over until he was on top of her, causing her to squeal with laughter.

The trip in the elevator to the loft was done almost entirely in silence. Rick, who carried a couple of bags over his shoulders kept his eyes on Kate in an attempt to monitor her mood. There had been several attempts in the car on the way home from her to suggest they stay at her apartment for the night. He had verbally rejected the idea. He had defended his rejected by stating the fridge was filled with fresh food and that the loft had not been closed up for the summer as her apartment had. '

Kate had given in by the time they were an hour from home and had remained constantly quiet because she wasn't getting her own way. She knew he was right, that they had to return to the loft and more particularly the study.

Regardless of the fact she had accepted it, Castle saw Kate was pale in comparison to the when they left the Hamptons. She carried her bags of stuff she had brought home. She also had several evening dresses and shoes she would need for the book launch parties they were to attend in a few days.

"You ok?" He asked, checking the floor they were passing. He heard her respond with her usual hum and in response he gave her a crooked half smile. He glanced to the time. It was just past eight thirty in the evening. They had left the stables after two and filled in the rest of the afternoon and part of the evening to drive home. They had deliberately delayed the inevitable as long as they could. They had taken breaks at tourist spots along the way where they had taken on roles of overseas French tourists. Each stop they would carry out their conversations entirely in French and took photographs using their phones. Kate even played about with strangers, pretended she couldn't speak much English to see whether they would converse with her. Acting as a tourist, she asked people to take photographs of herself and Castle in front of the attractions.

Castle had kept quiet and allowed Kate to do the play act. It was a quirky part of her he found amusing. In the car she reviewed their images and sent a few to her father and Martha via emails. Late afternoon they stopped for coffee at a friend of Kate's who had left the Precinct five or so years earlier to have kids.

Inside the loft, they dropped all the bags on the white chair and he punched the code into the alarm system. Kate closed the door and locked it. She nervously wiped her hands on her black leggings. For some reason she had expected the damage and mess of the fight to still be present in the house. It was as though the weeks had not passed and that it was only a couple of days since the fight. However, all was neat and tidy and Rick's decorator had made a few minor changes to the main room and study.

"Let's get this over and done with," Castle said and took a firm hold of Kate's left hand that he didn't plan to let go of in the next five of so minutes. He walked across the lounge. Kate followed him with a little resistance. He felt as though he was dragging a log tied to a length of rope, upstream in a fast flowing river. He heard the Kate Beckett grunts of resistance grow louder the closer they got to the study.

"Castle." She eventually whined, the worry obvious in her voice and she jerked on his arm.

He stopped and turned to her. They were just outside the door to the study. "It's just a room Kate." He whispered and he stepped back to her. He caressed her upper arm with his spare hand. There was no chance he was going to let go of her hand because he knew she would take off.

Kate looked to the study then to the book shelf over Rick's right shoulder that she had been pinned against by Maddox nine weeks earlier. Rick followed her gaze over his shoulder to the left side of the doorway to his study not understanding her fixation on the book shelf. He knew the study was all fixed up, that there was no longer any evidence of the fight there but he had to prove this to Kate. To prove it to her, she had to see it. He even had the ceiling fixed and repainted where she had popped two bullets just somewhere over their heads where they currently stood. There had also been a hole in the wall by the spare bedroom opposite his room. No amount of talking to her would change her mind until she saw everything had been fixed for herself. She hadn't been back to the loft since the fight but it was time for her to move on, for them to move on. In the past few nights she had on again experienced dreams that had woken them and Castle wanted that resolved quickly.

"I just need a moment to process all this," she honestly said and returned her eyes to his with a small smile.

"C'mere," He encouraged Kate with a slight tug on her hand to step into his space and she lowered her head against his chest a moment. He put his hand to the back of her head and knotted his fingers in her hair in an affectionate manner. "It's just a room. You've done this before." He reminded her. He had to keep her with him. She was so physically fit at the moment that if she opted to take off he wouldn't have a chance of catching her even though he was the fittest he'd been in years.

"Ok." She whispered and looked back at his eyes, silently consenting to move forward with him. "It seems like yesterday I was fighting."

"Mmmm. It does, but it was over nine weeks ago." He smiled and stepped back bringing her forward with him. He turned and didn't stop, or pause after that. He continued into the study and stopped by his desk. It was odd for him being back there after such a long absence but he still had a great fondness for the room. He enjoyed writing in it and he was happy he still felt the same standing there with Kate. He had been in this room last time really as a single man, the night she had knocked on his door and had finally given herself to him. They had left for the Hamptons at least nine weeks ago and hadn't returned until that evening.

Kate trembled but he opted to let her ride this through on her own a bit. He simply held her hand and let her do as she wanted. She stood for sometime staring at the floor. He lips trembled and she went to say something a few times but each time she fell silent.

"Where was I?" She eventually asked her eyes shifted from the floor to his.

"Just there somewhere." He pointed generally to the floorboards in order to dismiss her desire to want to know exactly where she had been. He noticed her eyes followed his hand. She then looked to the door to the lounge area and followed an imaginary line to the back wall. He figured she was searching for where the bullet had ended its trip. She would have trouble locating the place as he had hired a tradesman to clean and redo the floorboards whilst they were away. The tradesman had filled the hole so professionally; even Rick couldn't identify the place.

Kate squeezed his hand and looked to him with a smile. "Where is Martha?"

"I don't know. I let her know we were coming back tonight so she may have gone out to give us time to do this. If I let you go, do you promise to stay here?" He asked drawing her to him. He noted she breathed evenly. She was going to be ok.

"I will stay here." She replied in a whisper her eyes shifting rapidly between his eyes and mouth.

"All night?" He asked mainly to clarify is line of questioning.

"If you want me to be here all night." Kate replied wondering why he asked her about all night. Once she was with him that was it.

"I want you to be with me every night no matter where we are." He let her hand go and drew her close his hands around her waist.

"Can we sleep in the master bedroom upstairs?" She asked holding his upper arms.

"If you are more comfortable up there, then yes. Of course." He caressed her back, then drew her closer.

"Then yes, I will stay with you all night," Kate went up on her toes to kiss him.

After the kiss, Rick smiled. "For the rest of our lives all night," he offered.

Kate grinned, "Yeah!"

That's it. Thanks so much for reading this story and I hope you all enjoyed it. At this stage I don't have any more to add to this.