What She's Made Of (Castle)

Middle of the Night

Kate's POV

I closed the door to Liv's room and went back downstairs to Rick.  "So what'd she tell you?" he asked.  I chuckled and said, "Same thing she told us before."  I was getting to know Liv pretty good.  I could tell when she had a little secret to hide.  She didn't admit it, but it was beyond obvious.  "She's totally head over heels for this guy." I said sitting down.  "Well duh." Castle replied.  I sat down next to him and he draped his arms around my shoulder. 

"Maybe you could make it a book?" I teased.  "I don't know, she could become a best-seller.  Maybe better than Nikki Heat." Castle suggested.  I rolled my eyes and stayed with him.  We were just cuddling on the couch letting time pass.  Probably about an hour after Olivia went to bed, I heard a scream.  I nearly shot up like a lightning bolt.  "I'll get her."I said quickly.  "I'm coming." Rick said, following me up the stairs.  

I went into her room and she was upright in her bed, crying and hyperventilating.  "Liv!  Liv!  I need you to look at me!  It was a dream, it didn't happen.  Everyone and everything's okay." I assured her.  She was still having a break down.  "Liv, sweetie, it's okay.  Nothing happened." Rick said calmly to her.  With that, she pulled her head away from her knees.  Rick pulled her into a hug and she just continued crying.  I wasn't sure whether to find it heart breaking or heart-warming.  This was the first time she was really building a connection with Castle.

"Hey, you're okay.  No one's gonna hurt you, or anyone else." Rick told her.  She was looking into his eyes with her tear filled one.  "Liv, what happened?" I calmly asked her.   "He-he hurt t-them." she stuttered.  "Who hurt who?" I asked her.  "The g-guy that t-took m-me." she cried.  "Okay.  Who'd he hurt?" Rick asked her.  "Chloe." she said in short breaths.  Castle turned to me with a questioning look.  I leaned in and whispered, "Her mom's friend's daughter." He nodded.  

"I wanna see Jennifer and Chloe when we get home." she stated quietly.  I didn't know how I'd work that, but I had to figure it out for her.  "Okay, when we get home we can look for them.  You can see them again." I assured her.  "Liv, no one is gonna ever hurt Chloe or Jennifer.  No one is gonna hurt you, or any of us.  I promise baby, you're safe." I assured her.  She powerfully hugged me and I could feel that she was silently crying.  "Hey, it's alright.  I'll stay with you if you want." I told her.  I could feel her nod against my chest.

"Hey, I'm gonna stay with her." I mouthed to Rick.  He nodded and quietly left the room.  I held Liv in my arms, knowing this was hard for her.  From what she had told me, Chloe was like her little sister.  I didn't have any brothers or sisters, but I knew it must have meant a lot to her.  "Shh, hey, baby it's okay.  Nothing bad is gonna happen." I told her, gently rocking her back and forth.  "Kate?" she whimpered.  "Yeah?" I asked her, pulling her away so I could see her face.  "Promise you'll never leave?" she begged.  It made me smile as I answered, "How could I ever leave you?  You're my girl." 

She giggled and wiped away her eyes.  "Hey, don't cry.  It's alright.  Everything's okay." I promised her.  "Can I tell you somethin'?" she asked.  "Of course, baby you can tell me anything." I told her.  I had a feeling she was gonna elaborate a little more on what happened with her and Liam.  "Liam asked if I wanted to go out with him." she said shyly.  "Really?!" I asked, trying to hide my excitement for her.  "Yeah, he asked if I would want to go see the lantern lighting with his family." she said smiling.  "Go with!  Did you tell him?" I encouraged her.  "I said I had to ask." she said.  "Well, you have my permission." I said raising my right hand.  She giggled and hugged me again.

"I love you Momma Kate." she whispered.  "I love you more Liv." I said holding her tight.  "Here, you need to go back to sleep." I told her.  "No!  If I go back to sleep, t-the nightmares will come back!" she protested in fear.  "No, I promise, they won't.  I'll be right here." I promised her.  She whimpered quietly and curled into my chest.  I rubbed her back in small circles.  "Shh, it's okay.  I'm right here." I told her.  "Kate?  I-I'm scared." she said quietly, her voice still shaking.  "There's nothing to be scared of.  Nothing bad is gonna happen to anyone. Jennifer and Chloe are safe, the team is safe, we're all okay.  I won't let anybody hurt you again." I promised her.

She carefully closed her eyes as I pulled her blanket over us.  I could still feel her shaking ever so slightly.  I know that Chloe was like a little sister to her.  I didn't have any brothers or sisters, but I knew what it felt like to have them.  The whole team was like my family.  And now Liv and Castle were part of my immediate family.  I couldn't have asked for a better life.  "I love you Liv." I whispered as she fell into her long deserved sleep.