Kate and Vaughn are engaged yet Kate is unhappy until she stumbles into the arms of Castle.
•••
But when the pain cuts you deep
When the night keeps you from sleeping
Just look and you will see
That I will be your remedy
When the world seems so cruel
And your heart makes you feel like a fool
I promise you will see
That I will be, I will be your remedy
Adele - Remedy
Katherine Beckett had everything she could ever want. Yet she had never felt so empty. She was engaged to billionaire and Nobel Peace Prize winner Eric Vaughn. He had charmed his way into her life and she was head over heels for him. He had treated her the way she dreamed and has given her everything she could need. She had met him on a case, during her first year of homicide, and he made her feel alive and like she mattered for the first time since her mother's death. She had confided in him about the case and how it constantly ate her up, over the fact that she wasn't able to solve it. He had consoled her and they had bonded over that night. She was instructed to be his bodyguard and spent the night in his hotel room, due to the fact that someone was out to kill him. That was the night it all began. She had told herself not to get attached to him, but after spilling the beans of her tragic life story that night in that suite she knew she was done for. He had been so calm and understanding, almost as if they were meant for each other. It seemed perfect. Almost too perfect. But at that time she didn't care. After the case was closed he had asked her out for drinks. Their 'relationship' was moving faster than she would've liked but it didn't occur to her that she would regret it in the future. After drinks he invited her back to his place and she accepted. Within the next three months he had swept her up in a whirlwind romance and had proposed. She of course said yes, because she could feel the love between them. But she had never really felt true love so she couldn't put a name on it. She just wanted to be happy. And he could give her happiness. He could give her anything. But now she had everything, and she just wanted him. But he was always busy, developing new ideas and products, which left him away from her most days and nights. Contrary to her beliefs that he didn't love her anymore, when he was home, he was constantly showering her with affection and gifts. They even brought up the topic of a family, and while she wanted one, she couldn't shake the feeling that he wasn't the right man to raise her kids. So she stalled the subject. But now, here she was, sitting alone in the living room of her giant Victorian style mansion, on another dark and stormy night, craving some feeling other than numbness. She was craving her fiancé. Kate had fallen asleep on the couch at around 11:30, holding back her emotions and hoping for the morning the fast approach. She was awoken from her slumber when she felt a pair of arms wrap around her thin frame. She shook her head from side to side and peeled open her eyes. She was being carried by Eric.
"Hey beautiful." He whispered as he laid her down on the bed.
"What time is it?" She asked as she rubbed her hands over her eyes.
"It's 1:14 in the morning." He said sitting down next to her.
"Why are you home so late?" She asked no longer tired but curious. She then sat up on her elbows and watched him speak.
"With all the storms hitting deep in the city, the power keeps going out at our facilities, and while we have back up generators, they do fucking nothing, which only keeps me away from you." He growled and leaned over her placing a kiss to her lips. Kate softly smiled and kissed him back with a peck attempting to pull away but Eric continued, climbing on top of her. She was not in the mood.
"Eric-Eric stop." She said placing her palms on her chest.
"What? Why?"
"Because it's one in the morning, that's why." She scoffed rolling back on her side, her back to him.
"You're never in the mood." He mumbled under his breathe.
"Because you're never home!" She scolded, sitting up, "and when you are all you want to do is have sex. But I'm sorry if I would rather sleep through the night rather than wake up in the middle of it just to please your sexual grievances." She then pushed him out of the way and got up and stomped over the the bathroom slamming the door closed just to get away from Vaughn.
"Don't- Kate!" He yelled after her as he heard the shower turn on. He groaned to himself before heading down the stairs to the kitchen where he poured himself a drink and prepared for yet another fight about his job.
After Kate was done crying over her and Eric, she turned off the faucet and headed downstairs knowing he would be there impatiently waiting. She dried her tears and brushed out her clothes and began the descent. She hated when they fought. She hated fighting during the middle of the night. She hated fighting in general, it really turned her away from him. When she reached the bottom of the stairs she headed over to their open backdoor leading to the pool. She saw him sitting on a lawn chair with his head hanging low.
"Eric-" Kate began but was interrupted.
"Kate. I don't choose to work late." He said sternly.
"I know, but-"
"And I don't choose when I want to love you."
"Eric-"
"So why can't you just cut me some slack. I carry the world for you! I get you whatever you want, I surprise you with vacations and gifts and-"
"Did it ever occur to you that I don't want those things! Eric, all I want is to spend time with you, and I don't care how it looks, I just don't want it to be sex during the middle of the night!" She cried out, part of her getting emotional.
"Then what do you want!"
"I told you, I just want you.!"
"Well it's not that easy Kate."
"Maybe you should find a new job." She asked cautiously.
"Don't be stupid, I wouldn't switch jobs for you."
Kate was shook. She wasn't asking him to quit in general, just find a job with less hours. She wasn't telling him to give up what he loved, just merely asking him to do it for fewer hours than twenty-four.
Kate then turned and walked back inside the house to get away from him. She couldn't even be in this house right now. She grabbed her phone and her bag, forgetting her coat and heading out to the awaiting driver of the house.
"Where to madame?"
"Anywhere but here." She replied leaning as far back as she could into the seat. Somehow she ended up at a bar twenty or so minutes later. When she saw it she told the driver to stop and thanked him as she got out of the car. It was 1:50 by the time she was walking inside. There were minimal people in the bar, but what else would she expect. it's almost two in the morning. She took a seat a few barstools away from another man. He looked about as beat as she felt. She saw the man receive his drink and grimace and he swallowed the first sip. Something she needed right now. When the bartender came over to her and asked her what she would like she said, "I'll have what he's having." as she gestured to the man three seats away from her. The young bartender nodded and went to go fix her her drink.
"You having the same kinda night?" She heard from the man to her left.
"Yeah." She said with a dry laugh.
"Well this will make you forget all about that."
"Hopefully."
The two then fell silent for a couple of minutes. Kate got her mysterious concoction and made cheers with this strange but intriguing man. As she felt the liquid run down her throat she couldn't help but let out a couple of small coughs.
"Damn, it's strong." Kate said, striking up another conversation with this man.
"Helps you forget. I'm Rick." He said sending her a smile.
"Kate." She replied getting up and moving over to the sesat right next to him.
"Tough night I assume?" He prodded softly.
"Yeah..." she sighed shyly.
"You have a fight with your husband?" He asked suddenly.
"What?" She said looking him right in the eyes. His gorgeous ocean blue eyes. Wow.
"I'm a writer," he justified, "I saw the ring, you're here alone, you seem sad, I was just taking a shot in the dark, I'm sorry if I was disrespectful."
"No, it's ok. You're right though. I did...have a fight.."
"I'm sorry."
"It's ok really. I guess anyways."
"Well whatever it was over I hope things work out between you two. I can't even imagine what you would look like with a smile on your face." He then realized what he said and his eyes grew big.
"I'm really that pretty?" She asked. This was not the answer he was expecting. He was expecting her to get all mad and leave. But she didn't. She was different.
"Yeah! You're stunning." He gave her a reassuring smile.
"Thank you." She smiled back. The two of them talked back and fourth until four in the morning. They had laughed and shared their lives with one another. Kate went into depth about her relationships troubles and her feared one sided relationship with her husband. Rick shared with her about his messy divorce and his five year old daughter. She awed over pictures of her and got a real good sense of who this man was, a sound, wise, and comforting human being. She had just met him but it felt like a century. She did however have to get back home and so did he if any of them wanted to be able to function during the morning.
"It was really great meeting you, Rick. I hope to see you again soon."
"How bout next weekend say...8:00?"
"It's a date! Well-I" He nodded in understanding of what she had meant. The two then embraced in a warm and welcoming hug.
"Be safe time tonight-well this morning." He smiled. She nodded to him as well and the two of them split ways, Rick to his car, and Kate to her driver.
When she got home it was around 4 in the morning. She was expecting to just go inside and go to bed but that's not what she was met with. She was met with the face of Eric.
"Kate! Where were you! I was so worried. You just left and I didn't know where you went, who you were with, if you were alone, I didn't-"
Kate interrupted him with a hug. She just wrapped her arms around him and squeezed him tight. They held the hug for a moment or too. Kate was the first to pull away.
"I'm sorry," she began, "I just needed some time. We both did."
"But please don't ever run away from me again, or if you do at least let me know where you're going."
"Patrick knew where I was going, he-"
"But I didn't, and I was so scared for you."
"I'm here now, let's go to bed, I'm tired."
"Ok."
The next week was almost through and Kate was excited to see Rick again. There was something about him that left her wanting more. His eyes were an image imprinted in her brain. His soft and sultry voice ringing a melody through her ears. She was smiling to herself while sitting on the couch with her morning coffee in hand. Eric caught her attention.
"What are you smiling about?" He asked with a smile of his own.
"Oh nothing, I'm just thinking."
"Of what?" He sat down next to her and she leaned against him.
"Just life."
"You know what I've been thinking about?" He asked her.
"No, what?" She giggled.
"Having kids."
"What?" She said in shock abruptly sitting up and stared into Eric's eyes.
"Yeah, kids. You, me, children." He said nonchalantly.
"Eric-"
"Think about it Katherine, we can have our own little family."
"I don't think that's a good idea, Eric."
"What, why?" He asked a little annoyed.
"Because you're too busy with work and you're never home so how am I supposed to raise children by myself?" She asked.
"How can you use that against me, Kate. I work to support you, us. And our future kids. Why would you judge me for that? I work to give you this life."
"I would be fine living in a one bedroom apartment! I never asked for this life, you just gave it all to me."
"But wouldn't it be nice to live like this with children. We could send them to the most prestiges schools and buy them the best of clothes and-"
"Eric! I'm not in this relationship for money or for profit, I'm in this relationship because I loved you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you!"
"Loved."
"What?"
"You said loved."
"I didn't-I-"
"Do you not love me anymore?" He asked quietly.
"I just-" She sighed, "I don't think this is working anymore. We've been married for what, almost a year? I don't think we have the same values. Something needs to change."
"What the hell Kate, are you saying you don't want kids, that you don't want to love me-?"
"No! What I'm saying is that you're ready to have kids and I'm not. You want to show off your money and I don't. I just don't think this is working. We need to-"
"You're not even giving us a chance."
"I've been feeling this way for awhile now. If you'd just listen-"
"Listen!"
"Something in this marriage needs to change if we want our relationship to work."
"Jesus..."
"I'm so sorry Eric."
"Don't Kate, just don't. Just leave."
"Eric-"
"No, you want to give up on us then give up, but I don't want a quitter in my house."
"I don't want to give up, I'm saying we need to change something if we want this to work."
"And you're saying that I need to change!"
"Eric-"
"No, go. I can't even look at you right now Kate."
"Eric-"
"No."
"Eric-"
"Leave Kate."
"Eric! If you want to end this marriage then fine, but you can't just kick me out, I have nowhere to go!"
"You want to blame me on ending this marriage, no way. This is on you."
"Eric-"
"Go Kate."
"If I'm going I need a bag." Kate replied turning and walking towards the stairs.
"You have ten minutes until I call the police!"
As Kate walked down the sidewalk with tears rimming her eyes she reflected on her and Eric's relationship. There were many times when they were happy together. Granted it was earlier in their relationship. They were apart more than they were together she recalled. Maybe she was just swept off her feet with the promise of a life she always dreamed of when she was little. Now she knew that a life like that was pretty much unattainable.
It was around 11:30 when she reached a nearby park. She was fucked. She had nowhere to go and nowhere to be. She had no home. She was all alone.
"Kate?" The raspy voice startled her.
"Rick! Hey..." She replied trying her best to smile.
"Are you alright, why are you out here with a carry on?" he half joked.
"My relationship that I told you about, it's over." She said with a small crack in her voice.
"Oh, Kate, I'm so sorry." He said sitting down next to her.
"I have nowhere to go. I never cared about the money or where I lived I just cared about having a happy home with a happy family. Let alone happy, I don't even have a home." She swiped a singular tear that had fallen.
"Stay with me." He said rather firmly.
"What?" She asked looking him in the eyes.
"Stay with me. I have a guest bedroom, a shower and bathroom, food. And we know each other so it's not creepy or anything."
"I met you once. At a bar."
"But we had fun. We talked until the early hours of the morning, sharing secrets, laughing together...but I understand if you don't. Just-just let me help you find a place to stay because I don't want you sleeping-"
"Rick-"
"out here all night, it's freezing, and you're so small and I want you to be safe. God I would do anything to make you feel safe and happy and-"
"Yes."
"Huh?" he stopped.
"Yes, I'll stay with you."
"Really?"
"Yeah. You seem to have my best interests at heart, and I like that."
"Alright," he put out his arm to her, "let's take you home."
Home.
Kate liked the sound of that. Perhaps that unattainable future just became a little more attainable.
HELLO EVERYONE. I HOPE YALL ARE STAYING SAFE. THIS IS MY NEXT UPDATE. ILL TRY TO UPDATE TWICE A WEEK!
:)