Very long post ahead:
Now that a month has passed (just about, tomorrow is a month), here are my thoughts on where they could possibly be going. Of course, some of that depends on what really happened in that finale.
Some possible scenarios:
1. All of it happened, but we didnt see Rick get out of the car before it went over the cliff. Hes being patched up and he was the one who told the EMT/police to call her.
2. None of it happened; it was all Kates nervous dreams.
3. Some of it happened (up to Kate running to see the car in flames), the ending was Marthas dream.
4. All of it happened, but Rick was kidnapped by someone:
a. 3XK and/or Kelly
b. Brackens people/bad guy he hired before the arrest
c. A crazed fan who feels that if she/he cant have Rick, no one can
d. A bad guy from their past
e. A bad guy from her past
f. A bad guy from his past
Now to agree/disagree with each:
1. The least possible scenario. Yes, the show doesnt always follow logic (the whole premise of the show is impossible, of course) but I just dont see this one happening. My dad finds this one funny he calls it the Saturday morning serial version. He always talks about going to the movies as a kid and seeing the not logical ways they got out of trouble.
2. While part of me likes this answer (her one and done speech still applies, they can have the wedding as the whole episode, etc.) I hope they dont go this way. Some of you may remember the Bobby Ewing/Dallas dream debacle, and this would just be a repeat of that. That would be lazy writing, in my opinion.
3. While I dont like the dream part of it (see above), this isnt as bad. As long as they could have the wedding! But I dont think this is it either.
4. I think this is the most likely scenario. It just depends on which bad guy you pick:
a. They were my first thought. After all, they both have used elaborate plans to do their dirty deeds. 3XK did manage to hack into the precinct video feed and confront Rick and there was no proof. He bugged the loft. She had an entire medical practice shut down in no time. Tyson/Kelly could have discovered Rogan, found out about the Vegas marriage, hacked into the marriage license database and added the fake marriage there (thus answering how Kate passed a background check), paid off Rogan to make him have Kate do that stuff for him, etc.
b. Bracken would still be a threat. He could have set things in motion before he was arrested.
c. I hope they arent doing a Misery rip off unless Rick gets to make silly comments about Steven King
d. So many to chose from but I have a guess. Remember Headhunters, the season 4 episode with Adam Baldwin as Slaughter? Remember the drug lord he was trying to get rid of - think the name was Valens or something like that? The one that Kate told to leave my city? Well, he could have the juice to do all the things 3XK/Kelly could do fix records, etc.
e. & f of course are possible, and could be anything.
My bet is on d and that particular bad guy. Why?
1. I think they are done with the Bracken story. In real life, he wouldnt have even been arrested yet! They really didnt have enough to get him. But this is TV, so it all works out. I just have a feeling that they want that story done now Kate can move on and marry Rick.
2. As I said, my first thought was 3XK/Kelly too. Just seemed to fit their MO. But thats why I decided it wasnt them. There has been a bit of a pattern first he went after Kevin (selling his gun to Philip Lee), then Rick (Probable Cause), then Lanie & Espo. He hasnt directly gone after Kate yet. Yes, if Rick had been killed in PC, that would have been terrible for her, but its not direct. So if Kate had been the one in the car, or if she had been kidnapped from the venue, Id go with 3XK.
3. I really dont like the Misery rip-off for the reasons above
So my guess? The bad guy from their past. And in fact, the bad guy I mentioned above. Like I said, he could have done some of the elaborate planning the venue having a fire, the hacking of the database, Rick being run off the road. They will need a bad guy for the future, right?
I do think they will find Rick by the end of the first episode. Whether the wedding happens in the 2nd episode (after a time jump) or in a later episode, I have a feeling it will be a smaller wedding not an elopement at a courthouse, but on the beach at the Hamptons house. This time, no 300 guests, but just their family Alexis, Martha, Jim, Lanie, Espo, Kevin, Jenny, and Gates.
None of this is based on anything Ive read or seen on the internet in the past month. And trust me, there are some elaborate thoughts out there for instance, someone has linked things that happened in Veritas with the finale to prove their points. (it was a bit confusing for me this part is Kates dream, this is Marthas, this is Lanies
.) this is 100% me guessing what could be. Ive been wrong before last year, I didnt think shed take the DC job, and I thought theyd wait to be engaged. So take what I wrote here with a grain of salt