The Good and The Bad (A Caskett Story)

Chapter 11

The next morning was the same as usual. Kate's alarm went off around 7:30, she took a shower and got dressed. "Wake up Castle." She threw a pillow at his head before she walked off into the kitchen for some coffee.

Castle jumped when the pillow hit him and he woke. Siting up, he stretched and got out of bed. He took a shower, got dressed and met his wife out in the kitchen.

"Hey," he greeted from behind her placing a kiss on her check before pouring himself some coffee.

She looked at her watch, "Castle, hurry up we are late."

"Are you kidding? I just got out here!" He whined. She gave him a devilish grin.

"I was kidding. But we do have 15 minutes before we need to leave so chug your coffee down and get ready."

"But it's too hot!" He whined again, keeping his tongue hanging out of his mouth.

"Man up, babe." She rolled her eyes and turned back to the paper. There was nothing interesting in the paper. It was boring old normal stuff. She threw it down on the counter and looked up at him as he sat there and blew into his mug.

"Can we just stop for coffee?" He finally asked looking up at her.

"So I made you coffee and your wasting it? What are we going to do with the rest?" She argued.

"Um, dump it out?" He suggested slowly. Not sure if that was the answer or not.

She shrugged, "Okay. I like the coffee you bring me better then that nasty stuff."

"You want me to get an espresso machine?" He looked at the old coffee pot.

"No, we already have one at the precinct. Don't need one here."

"Alright, fine." He poured out the rest of his steaming hot coffee in the sink including the stuff in the pot. Kate finished her coffee and stood up to set her cup in the sink. Castle didn't move out of the way when she tried to set it into the sink. She glared at him and pushed him out of the way. She set the cup down and looked up at him with an annoyed face.

"You're annoying, you know that?" she said.

He nodded, "Yeah, I get that a lot." He smiled at her and she smiled back.

"Now let's go." She walked past him to the front door where their shoes were.
xxx
"How'd you sleep?" Jim asked as he came down the stairs to find Johanna sitting up on the couch with a cup of coffee in her hand.

"Didn't," she said plainly. Jim made his way over to her and sat down next to her. "I messed up. I shouldn't of even came back. It's just creating more problems. Katie hates me and so does that Castle guy." Tears started to build up in her eyes.

"Jo, Katie doesn't hate you. She is just upset that you are alive and she hasn't known for however many years. Ever since you, disappeared, she's been through a lot. She just needs time, space."

"How long?" she finally looked up at him. He was looking at her with sad eyes.

"I don't know," Jim admit and ducked his head.

"I'm so sorry, Jim. There wasn't a day when I wouldn't think about you guys. I missed you so much. I heard about Katie's shooting, I left work early and cried all night. It was my fault she got shot, it was my fault when she almost died all of those other times." By know, the tears ran down her cheeks.

"I missed you too but it's not your fault, Jo."

"Yes, it is. It was all because of my stupid death." There was a silent pause.

"So what, maybe it is your fault but Katie's still alive. She's here, living and breathing." he sighed. "I used to get so worried whenever she pulled up your case file. She would read it over and over and over again and then she would go out chasing leads. But she always called Rick. He was always with her and that's why she's still alive today. Mainly because of him."

"I will have to thank him," Johanna chuckled.

Jim smiled, "I've been trying to for years." They sat there in silence for moment before Jim spoke, "You wanna go out for breakfast?"

"I would love to," Johanna agreed.
{736 words}

A/N: Hey.