Spoilers up through 'The Limey' and promos for 'Headhunter'.
Rated T. Because even though he's an author, sometimes only bad words will cut it.
ABC owns Castle, and right now, RC should be mighty glad I don't.
One week.
It had been one week to the day since he'd walked away from her. One week since he'd hooked up with Slaughter and his team, essentially ending their partnership. It took one week for him to receive a phone call from the mysterious Mr. Smith. One week to make him realize that his actions following Kate's Big Reveal had some very unintended consequences.
Self preservation is really what it was. He couldn't stand it anymore. Being near her and not being with her. Having no hope of ever being with her. He just wished he'd been thinking more clearly about the ripple effect his actions might have.
He'd been sitting in his office for over an hour. Feet up, computer open on his lap, a glass of mediocre scotch close at hand. He'd blown through all of his good stuff in the past couple of weeks, and while that fact raised alarm bells in some far distant corner of his mind, he generally ignored them. The loft was quiet and mostly dark since he couldn't be bothered to get up and turn any lights on in the main living area. Just his desk lamp and ambient light from the street illuminated his office. Martha and Alexis were out at a Broadway preview that they'd all but begged him to attend with them. He'd refused, ostensibly to write. Truthfully, he knew he was awful company these days, and keeping up the facade of errant playboy took more energy than he remembered. He was tired, drained. He just wanted to sit and write. In the past it had always been cathartic for him. He could write out his thoughts and feelings, organize them, make some sense of things, put his demons to rest. These days it was not so simple.
Writing mostly meant Nikki and Nikki meant Kate, and he just wanted to NOT think about Kate for while. But he had Frozen Heat to complete. His Nikki Heat contract was for 4 books, and while Black Pawn was offering "obscene money" (in Paula's words) for another contract, he couldn't wait to be finished with the series and put everything Heat-related behind him. Frozen Heat was the last book he was contracted for, and it was mostly outlined. He just needed an ending. A way to tie up the loose ends. Rook would die, of that he was fairly sure. He just wasn't sure how he'd end the series - where he'd leave Nikki. He knew his fans would want a happy ending for them and would be disappointed with anything less but he just didn't think he could write it. Writing Nikki and Rook was hard enough. Having to write them the future he had once envisioned for himself and Kate was more than he thought himself capable of.
He was nursing his scotch and contemplating Rooks demise when his phone rang. The caller ID was unfamiliar.
"Castle."
"Mr. Castle, I thought we had an understanding." Castle's stomach fell a little as he thought he recognized the voice. He dropped his feet off his desk and sat up straight in his chair.
"Smith? Is that you?"
"It is," he answered tersely. "You're not living up to your end of our bargain, Mr. Castle. Have you forgotten what's at stake here?" It was obvious to Castle the man was angry.
"I don't understand. What's happened?"
"What's happened is that you have failed to keep Detective Beckett from investigating! And you can be sure if I am aware of her activities, then other, shall we say, interested parties, are aware as well! I'm warning you, . Put a leash on Beckett now, before my leverage is compromised and they come for her again. Am I clear, Mr. Castle?"
"Yes, but - " Click.
"Hello?". He pulled the phone from his ear. 'Call Ended' showed briefly on his screen before the display went dark.
Shit.
A/N So its been a while since I've written anything. I hope you guys can tolerate one more of these fics. I am very much not liking the character of Castle right now, so I thought I'd fix him.