Lost and Found (A Castle Fanfiction)

True Surprise

When Kate showed up at the loft that evening, Rick opened the door and nearly went breathless at the sight of her. In her tight leather pants and jacket, her white V-neck T-shirt which was open only where the jacket was unzipped, her hair flowing wildly over her shoulder with a pleasant freedom, she was absolutely stunning. He was awestricken by her, and his body nearly reacted without permission. All he could manage was, "Wow..."

She smiled in a frenzy, then stepping up to close the gap between them, raising up on her toes, whispering, "Just wait for tonight." With that, his heart throbbed. She then passed him, walking into the loft, giving him the chance to see that she was just as good going as she was coming. As he watched her pivot around and search the apartment, he never expected her to ask, "Where's Alexis?"

"She's with her grandmother. My mother wanted to make sure she was alright."

"Oh," she said, almost disappointed.

Rick then questioned jokingly, "What, I'm not good enough for you?"

"Well, I mean, I am dating you for her," Kate played.

The writer's brow rose with his shoulder. "Can't blame you. She is pretty cute."

"True."

"But you know what," Rick asked, closing the gap between him and her.

When he was less than an inch from her, she slid her hands over his arms as he pulled her waist closer to him. "What?"

"Right now, I would rather focus on the cutie in my arms," Rick said with a smile. Kate bit back on her lip and her brow rose as her eyes flickered down to his lips. He took her motion as an invitation, and his lips met hers with a gentle play.

When Kate pulled away, leaving the writer wanting for more, she slipped out of his grasp and stepped further into the apartment. "So, Mr. Writer-monkey, what on earth did you have planned tonight to celebrate?"

He smiled. "Oh, Kate, you have no idea." She looked at him with suspicion, and his mischievous smile thrived.

After loading the girl into the elevator of his building, coaxing her like a child for the majority of the way up, Rick stood behind her, covering her eyes as the doors split open to the scene on the roof. He asked her to step forward, and he guided her as she moved toward his surprise. "Keep your eyes closed," he said as he pulled his hand back, placing them gently on her shoulder.

"Rick, what is this," Kate questioned.

He smiled, looking to the side to watch her eyes, then telling her, "Ready?"

"Yeah, Rick, I think I'm ready," she answered.

He then whispered, "See for yourself."

As she took in the sight before her, a thudding of her heart beat against her ribcage. A single white table topped with two candles lighting the night over covered trays and two dinner plates set out for them, the dinner she thought only existed in fairy tales was suddenly right before her under a moonlit sky. She was amazed how the city suddenly fell silent and the world seemed to center around her writer and what he'd done. No one had done anything like this before. Her breath was stolen away.

"Oh my god, Rick... It's... beautiful."

"Not half as beautiful as you," Rick answered. Kate stared into the sight before her for a moment, then swallowing hard and turning back to his with mist covered eyes. She couldn't believe anyone would do this for her, especially someone she had known for so little time.

Looking into him, a smile on her lips, she told him, "Thank you," as she felt her heart pound against her chest.

He answered, pushing the hair from her face, "You're worth it, Kate. This and so much more."

As he held her in his arms, watching her face react in astonishment, her eyes flickered down to his lips for a single moment for a second time, and again he took that as an invitation to show her how much he cared for her by kissing her gently, doing nothing more than bathing in the sensation of her lips against his. Then, when she pulled away to rest her head against his chest, he simply stroked her back between her shoulders and just at the end of her ribcage, soothing her as she melted into him.

When the two eventually sat down, after he poured a small bit of sparkling grape juice for the both of them, they talked the night away over two plates of Chicken Parmesan he had made himself. They talked for hours, laughing at most subjects, getting serious about few others, and then the night got dense and the skies began to swirl with cloud cover and winds. Looking up, Rick suggested, "Maybe we should move this inside."

Kate then said with a feisty grin, "Perhaps the bedroom?" The writer didn't argue the suggestion at all.

The moment they got to his floor, before he was yet able to open the door, Kate had managed to draw his lips to hers and press her body to him in a way which spurred his interest intensely. After sliding his key in and pushing through the door, Rick and Kate continued forward until they were exactly where they wanted to be.

Then, just as Kate began sliding her hands through his shirt as he was raised over her, her phone began to sing out, calling her name with every chime. "Leave it," Rick slightly moaned, breath otherwise occupied.

Kate answered, "I can't," looking down at their hips pressed together. "It's my dad."

When she flipped the phone opened, Rick rolling off of her, she answered, "Hello?"

"Miss Beckett? This is Doctor Wilson from Mercy West. I'm calling on behalf of one James Beckett. I understand you're his next-of-kin. Is that correct?"

"Yes, that's- that's right. What happened? Is he alright?"

"I'm afraid he's been in an accident. He's stable now, but we need you down here as soon as possible."

"Of course, I'm on my way," the woman replied, then lifting herself off the bed.

Rick then asked, "What happened?"

"My dad was in some kind of accident."

"Was he out drinking again?"

"I don't know, he's- he's supposed to tell me when he leaves the house so I can be there," Kate hectically replied, pulling on the shoes she'd thrown off.

The writer then started getting up, telling her, "Let me come with you."

"No!" Her instant holler stopped his progression. "No, I- I have to do this alone. I- I should have never left him alone. This-... I have to go." She then turned and quickly started away. He tried to follow her, making it to the hallway before he realized she really didn't want him following her. So, he turned around, closed the door, and flopped onto the couch, burying his face in his hands with a thousand thoughts shooting through his head. All he could do was hope that this day hadn't been the end of two relationships instead of one.