Castle own a house in Lake Arrowhead, California and decides to go out there with Alexis and Kate for a small getaway for spring break. Although a storm is brewing, what will happen, and who will it affect?
•••
I think the universe is on my side
Heaven and earth have finally aligned
Days are good and that's they way it should be
Echosmith - Bright
•••
It was the second week of May, why would there a snowstorm?
Castle thought it would be a good idea, and experience, for him, his fiancé, and his daughter to go up to his house in Lake Arrowhead, or as he likes to call it, The Barn. It doesn't resemble a barn but he always liked them and figured that this house had to have a name.
At first Beckett was a bit hesitant because going to the mountains gave the chance of snow and she only had a weekend break, but Castle convinced her that since it was the first weekend in May, and snow begins to roll in by June, there was a slim, slim chance for a storm. So she gave in and decided to enjoy her weekend with her family.
They flew to California on Castle's private jet and drove the rest of the way from Los Angeles to Lake Arrowhead with an elevation of a little over 6,000 feet.
Alexis was staring out the window in awe, "look daddy! Look Katie! Look at all the green!" She squealed.
It was nearing 6:00 and the sun was just beginning to set, as they were nearing the final curves up the mountain.
Kate reached over and placed a hand on Rick's thigh and gently massaged it. Castle looked over quickly and flashed a smile.
From the airport to his house was about two and a half hours. They had accomplished the first two hours and were nearing the end of the trip, only about fifteen more minutes to go.
"Alexis, honey, when we get there, put your stuff in your room, but don't stay there to long because we're going to make dinner, ok?" Castle said, turning the car off the road and onto their private dirt road.
"Ok, daddy," Alexis replied, "what are we making?"
"What do you want?"
"Spaghetti, please."
"Spaghetti it is."
Castle drove slowly in the oncoming dark and the narrow road only made the turns ever so cautious. To far of a turn, or too much of a slip would send them going over the edge.
They pulled up in front of the garage door and Kate looked at her window in wonder.
"Wow Castle, first you take me to the Hamptons, then you take me to this, you trying some weird angle or somethin'?"
"Only the best for you my love." He said and hopped out of the car to open for Beckett. After he helped her out he went and did the same for his daughter. They strolled up the little bridge and entered the code to the house. It was three stories.
Alexis took her two backpacks with her and ran up the stairs to her second story room. Kate grabbed hand in hand with Castle as pulled two suitcases while Beckett carried two smaller bags.
"Such a gentlemen." She giggled.
"Tell me about it. Wait here." He picked up the two suitcases and ran up two flights of stairs. Then came back down and took the two smaller bags and gestured for her to follow.
When they reached the top of the third floor, Beckett's mouth gaped opened. It was extravagant. More beautiful than words could explain. He had a kind size bed in the middle of the room with white sheets and a fur comforter. There was a huge fireplace with a tv mounted on the wall above it. Various painting were spread across the cream colored walls. There were so many other things but Kate was distracted by Castle whisking her into the bathroom.
"Is this a hot tub, Castle!" She asked pointing to the tub.
"Did you fail to notice the cobblestone shower walls and black tile floors? But keep in mind that that black chrome tub also has jets," he pulled her up against his side, "so if you wanted to get in and have some fun..."
"You have windows all around."
"Which is a great view."
"Yeah, but, people could see."
"There's no houses around here, we'd be fine." He began to take off her coat and leaned her head to the side to suck on her pulse. She slowly pushed him back.
"I thought you said we were making dinner."
"R-right," he readjusted himself, "a-after dinner."
They made spaghetti and meatballs with some warm soup and French bread. They sat down and had a delicious dinner with the most magnificent view of the city below.
Alexis went to bed at 8:15 and Castle turned on the heater to keep the chilly air from getting inside the house.
Castle and Beckett took their wine glasses up to the bedroom and before Castle could turn around Kate's hand was already unbuttoning his shirt from behind.
"And I thought I was desperate." He laughed turning to face her, connecting their lips.
He picked her up and put his hands under her bottom and threw her onto the bed. He climbed on top of her and ripped open her shirt, kissing down from her lips to her chest, in between her breasts, then down the her stomach. She was tugging at the ends of his shirt and he pulled away to pull it off, for Kate had already unbuttoned it. It didn't take more than three seconds before he returned his mouth to the assault on her skin. She giggled at the sensation of his lips up against her skin. She began to undo his belt when the dim lights they had on, and the music from the plug in radio, to set the mood, suddenly stopped.
Beckett propped herself up on her elbows while Castle leaned back a little bit and shivered. They both whipped their heads to the many windows as rain began to blow against it.
Rick pulled himself up and off of the bed and walked over to the window, "You know how we could see the city lights earlier this evening?" He asked her.
"Yeah..." She replied hesitantly.
"Well you can't see anything now. Fog."
"It's getting cold."
"Yeah, we should probably-"
"Daddy?" Alexis asked, interrupting while softly knocking and opening the door at the same time.
"Hi pumpkin, it's almost 11:00, what are you doing up?"
"I got cold and my night light was out and I got scared of the dark."
"Well Kate and I will keep you safe." He walked over to his daughter and picked her up.
"Daddy, why don't you have a shirt on?"
"B-because I was getting ready for bed." He tried. And since Alexis was tired, it seemed to work.
Beckett quickly hopped off the bed and came back seconds later in leggings and a sweatshirt.
"Here, sit with Kate while I go change too."
"Ok." Alexis replied hopping into Kate's arms while she sat on the bed.
"I like your pajamas." Beckett said, to distract the worrying child.
"Thanks! Daddy got them for me for my last birthday. I really like them."
"So how many times have you been here before?"
"Only twice, but I was only two or three the first time, so I don't really remember."
"Ah."
"Will the monsters come and get us?" Alexis leaned in closer.
"Of course not. You know why? Because they know that the three of us: me, you, and your dad, are gonna kick their butts if they try anything."
"That's good."
"Are we ready for bed my ladies?" Castle joined in exiting the bathroom. Castle got in on the left side of the best while Kate on the right, and Alexis in the middle of the both of them. So Kate was to the right of Alexis laying down, and her father was to the left. The three of them while cold, fell into a somewhat warm slumber.
///
When morning rolled around, both adults woke up to a disrupting force jumping on the bed.
"Look, look! It's snowing!" Alexis beamed while plopping down in between the two people she loved most, of course with the exception to Martha as well.
Both Castle and Beckett groaned and sat up. Kate was the first to speak, "yeah, it really is," She then gave her signature look to Castle, "you said it wasn't supposed to snow until June."
"It wasn't!" He defended in a somewhat joking matter.
"Did you do this just to get me to stay here?" She cocked one of her eyebrows.
"Nah! I thought it would be relaxing for you, I honestly didn't think it would snow."
"Can I go outside and play? Pleeeeeaasssse." Alexis begged.
"Just make sure to stay warm. And don't go to far, and no running or anything like that, I don't want you to slip and get hurt."
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She kissed them both on the cheek and hopped off the bed. Castle turned to Beckett.
"We have about an hour or so before she comes back in..." he said seductively, beginning to lift up her sweatshirt.
"Nice try, but I need to figure out what we're going to do if we get snowed in." She sat up and so did Rick, he swung his legs over the side of the bed and just stayed there looking out the window.
Kate walked around to him, "Come on, don't look so sad, I'm sure we'll have time tonight, because feel that? The powers back on." She lifted her hands around her to feel the heat. She then turned to walk away again, but before she could get to far Castle grabbed her wrist and pulled her back to him, so she was straddling him up against the bed.
"Come on, you know you want too." He said pecking at her neck, which always caused her to go crazy.
"I-do Castle. It's-it's just-" she leaned her head back farther and moaned. She turned her head up and kissed him softly. He pulled her closer and she began to slowly move her hips against him. He moaned into her mouth and they both scooted back onto the bed with her still straddling him.
Kate paused and took off her sweatshirt, which she had no bra on under.
"See, we have time." Castle said while switching their position so he was in between her legs lifting off his own shirt. Kate ran her hand down his chiseled abs. They both kept gripping at each other's pants when they heard a scream. It was Alexis.
"Alexis!" Castle yelled in fear throwing his shirt on and sprinting down the stairs. Kate pulled hers on as well and ran after him. When she reached the bottom Castle had already pulled on his boots and was running out into the 4 inches of snow looking for his daughter.
"Alexis!" He called again.
"Daddy!" He heard. He whipped his head to the left and ran down the private road they own. Kate followed and said, "There!"
The two reached the 6 year old, trapped from the mid stomach down, in the snow.
"Help!" She cried.
Rick waisted no time, in stepping down getting snow up his leg, and grabbing his daughter under the arms and pulling her up and out. He kneeled down, as did Kate, and held his daughter in his arms.
"What were you thinking honey?" He said quietly, "you're not even allowed down this road when it's not snowing, we've been over this before we left."
"I know, I'm sorry. I just wanted to see what it was like."
"And did you get a good idea?" He watched she nodded her head, "and what is that?"
"Scary."
"Yep, lets go inside now, and get you warm."
"Ok, daddy." She hugged him as he picked her up and carried her in his arms. When the three of them got changed and warm a they sat down and at the set of barstools, while Castle waited and filled two mugs with coffee for him and Beckett.
"So what do we want for breakfast?" He asked sitting down next to Kate.
"Pancakes!"
"Don't have those."
"Eggs?"
"Nope."
"What do we have then, dad?"
"Absolutely nothing. We should go out and eat."
"Will we be able the make it up the path?" Kate asked.
"I hope so, but the only part I'm worried about is the top of the first turn, because that is just a steer drop down if you slide off."
"But can you do it?"
"Yeah, we can take the jeep, that baby has never failed me."
"Ok."
The three of them got ready for breakfast and head out, with Castle driving, Beckett in the passenger, and Alexis sitting behind Kate.
"Get ready for an adventure," Castle said starting the inanition, "this should be interesting."
He then began to pull forward and up the hill, but not even a few feet up the car slipped. He stepped on the break and tried again, but the car wasn't getting enough traction with the ice under the snow.
"Do we need a shovel?" Kate asked.
"Yeah."
A few minutes later after digging out snow from under the wheels, they all hopped back in and tried again. The car continued the stay put, but after a powerful push of gas, it pulled out and they headed up again. The got about hallway up when the car began to stall. It got stuck in the snow yet again.
Castle put both breaks on and told both Kate and Alexis to stay in the car while he dug the snow out yet again. He pulled the shovel from the trunk and dig out from the back tires first and then began on the front. After he reached the front of the car, it slowly began to roll back, gaining speed the further it went down the hill. They were going to fall off the cliff.
"Get out!" Castle yelled, "Get out!" He ran after the car and managed to get a hold of the handle, only for it to slip out of his hand. He kept pushing himself, not willing to let these to most important people in his life, fade from his sight. He tried to reach for the handle again and managed to grab it. While the car was against his side he managed to hop around it and reached for the emergency break to see that it was already pulled. He then pressed on the break and the car stopped, only inches from the edge of the cliff, so close that both Kate and Alexis had to climb out he other side of the car, because opening their doors, and stepping out would result in them falling off the edge.
Castle hugged both his daughter and fiancé with all the love he had. He had just saved their lives.
"Just call me Superman."
At around 11:30 that night Kate and Rick were still up and sitting on the couch. They were in silence both avoiding a subject they knew shouldn't be ignored, until Castle couldn't hold it back anymore,
"There's no way I should've been able to stop that car." He said and let that sit for a minute before Kate replied.
"I know."
"Let's just thank God and the angels he was there with us in that moment," he paused and looked at Kate, teary eyed, "because I don't know what I would've done if I lost you, Kate."
"But you didn't, you can't get rid of me that easily." She smiled and placed a hand on his cheek, gently massaging it with her thumb. He smiled and leaned in to kiss her softly. She kissed him back and pushed him back on the couch. This time their would be no interruptions, nothing, just the feeling of heat and love, radiating off this pair of perfect people.