Aftermath
by RGoodfellow64
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Disclaimer: Not only is Castle not mine, the original premise for this story isn't either. Read my Authors Notes at the end for the full details.
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What went before: Detective Kate Beckett had been called into Captain Gates' office and informed that someone in Robbery specifically requested Beckett's help in a case that evening and Gates gave her permission; not only that, but it was to be an undercover operation and Beckett would need to dress and act like a Russian "escort" with the detective from Robbery. When Beckett asked who requested her for the job Gates informed her it was Detective Tom Demming.
To make matters worse, that was the night she was going to celebrate her anniversary with Castle…
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The clock on the wall near the elevator said it was 7:15. Captain Gates had arrived promptly at 7:00 as she did every morning and Kate watched as she walked to her office and turned on the lights.
Although it had only been fifteen minutes, to Kate it felt like hours since the Captain had entered her office. As she watched Gates' office, from the corner of her eye, she saw Detective Esposito arrive and that he was surprised to see Beckett at her desk before her normal time of 7:30. Since she stared dating Castle, the only time she was at her desk before 7:30 was when they had an ongoing case, and as of yesterday afternoon, when he left for the day, Esposito knew they had none.
He came up to her desk and said, "Yo, Beckett. We got a case?"
Kate looked up at him and replied, "No. Why?"
Esposito pointed to his watch and said, "Seven fifteen, Beckett. Looks like you've been here a while and you only come in early now if we have a case."
Kate shook her head and said, "I've been here since five." At his puzzled look she added, "I had to fill out a report. Seems I got volunteered to help Robbery on an undercover case last night."
"Last night?" he asked in surprise. "But wasn't it…" he paused and looked around the bullpen and then continued in a whisper, "…your anniversary?"
Kate sighed and was about to reply when Captain Gates appeared in her doorway waved some papers in her hand and called out in an angry voice, "Detective Beckett! Is this true?"
Kate stood up from her desk and replied, "Yes sir."
Gates turned around and called over her shoulder, "My office…Now!"
Kate turned to Esposito and said in a soft voice, "You and Ryan need to keep out of her way."
With a confused look on his face Esposito asked, "How come?"
"All hell's gonna break loose and you guys don't want to be in the crossfire." With that, Kate walked into the Captain's office and at her request, closed the door behind her.
About ten minutes later as the elevator doors opened, Esposito looked up to see his partner, Kevin Ryan walk out, along with Lt. Marc Collins from Robbery. Ryan came over to Esposito and they both watched as Collins walked to the Captain's office, knocked on the door and then entered, closing it once again. Ryan looked at Esposito and asked, "What's up?"
Esposito shrugged his shoulders and said, "Not sure bro. Beckett's been here since five to fill out a report, then a few minutes ago Gates waved some papers from her door, I guess her report, and called Beckett in. Now Collins is in there too. Not sure what's going down but Beckett said for us to keep out of the way."
"Why was she here at five to fill out a report?" Ryan asked. He looked over his shoulder and added, "The murder board is empty, did we get a case?"
Esposito shook his head and said, "Nah, she got volunteered last night to help Robbery in some undercover operation and got here early to fill out the report and I guess something bad happened to get Gates all riled up."
A puzzled look came on Ryan's face and he asked, "But wasn't last night…" Esposito shushed him before he could continue. He looked around and said, "Not here bro, people are coming in…and yeah, it was."
They both got up to walk to the break room for some coffee and as Ryan followed Esposito into the room, he said, "She was all excited about the plans that Ca…"
"Ryan!" Esposito said in an exasperated tone.
With a chagrined look on his face, Ryan nodded and said in a whisper, "Right. Sorry. I keep forgetting that you, me and Lanie are the only ones who know."
Esposito nodded his head and started to make himself a cup of coffee from Castle's machine. "I do know one thing though."
"What's that?"
"Whatever happened last night had to really piss her off if she came in this early to make sure Gates got the report."
Ryan was about to reply when they noticed the elevator open and Phillip Peterson, one of the Police Union Representatives, walked out and headed to Captain Gates' office. Just like what happened with Lt. Collins, he knocked on the door, opened it after a moment and then closed it behind him.
Ryan looked at Esposito and said, "Maybe we should go out for coffee this morning."
Esposito looked at the cup in his hand, walked to the sink, poured it out and then replied, "Good idea bro. Maybe we should stay out till after lunch too." A few minutes later, the two detectives entered the elevator and shortly after, left the building.
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In her office, Captain Gates sat behind her desk, an angry look on her face as she looked at the three people sitting before her. With a voice controlled but tight with heated emotion she said, "Thank for coming so quickly Mr. Peterson, I appreciate it."
Peterson nodded and replied, "No problem Captain, but just what are we here for?"
Gates looked at Lt. Collins and said, "Lieutenant if you would, please read Detective Beckett's report out loud so we can all be on the same page."
Collins quietly said, "Yes sir," picked up the report and began to read.
"Report submitted by Detective First-Grade Katherine Beckett, badge number 41319. At 1615 hours on the afternoon of 7 Nov. 2012, per instructions from Captain Victoria Gates, I was ordered to support Robbery in an undercover sting operation taking place at a nightclub that evening." Collins paused and looked up at Captain Gates, "There was no undercover operation that I'm aware of Captain, if there were I'd be the one to authorize it after discussion with you."
Gates nodded her head and said, "I'm aware of that Lieutenant. Now…please continue."
Collins looked back at the report, found where he'd ended and continued to read, "Captain Gates informed me that Detective Tom Demming from Robbery specifically requested my assistance to act like a paid Russian escort to lend credibility and authenticity to his appearance at a club that evening."
Collins paused and looked up at the Captain again, "Tom requested this?"
Gates' lips compressed to a thin straight line and she said, "Lieutenant, just keep reading."
Collins took a deep breath, looked over at Peterson who had a confused look on his face, then continued to read. "I informed Captain Gates that I had plans for the evening that would be difficult to change and she informed me that Detective Demming had been adamant that the operation had to be that evening or else the case could fall through. I agreed to help and the Captain told me to be at a club called 'Cats Meow' at 1930 hours, and to meet Detective Demming to learn more of my responsibilities. Then I would enter the club as his escort to find and apprehend Robbery's suspect. I had time to change into something more appropriate as a paid escort and arrived at the location at 1915 hours in my own vehicle. I parked a block away from the club in order to meet with Detective Demming prior to entering."
Before Collins could continue, Peterson interrupted and asked, "Detective Beckett, how would you know what a paid escort would wear?"
Beckett was about to answer when Gates said, "Detective Beckett worked in Vice prior to her transfer to Homicide." When Peterson simply nodded his thanks, Gates told Collins to continue.
"At 1920 hours Detective Demming arrived, dressed as a civilian and after thanking me for my assistance, gave me information on his suspect. When he concluded, he took my arm and we proceeded to the club entrance where a bouncer with a heavy Russian accent stopped us from entering. I spoke to him in Russian and flirted with him before he let us enter the club.
Detective Demming led us to a small booth in a secluded corner, and when I questioned him about being so far from the main floor he informed me that we needed to act the part of an escort and her client or else the suspect would realize we were the police. Although this was not standard procedure, I was there to assist Robbery and followed Detective Demming's lead."
Before Collins could continue, Peterson interrupted again and asked, "Captain, why am I here for this? It sounds like a typical sting operation with a few modifications."
Gates turned to him and said, "Mr. Peterson, Lt. Collins already mentioned that there was no sting operation that Robbery was involved with."
Peterson shook his head and said, "I don't understand, then why…" he paused and looked at Beckett. Really looked at her and noticed she was sitting as still as a statue. Her face was pale and she looked very upset. He looked back at the Captain and said, "Oh, I think I understand."
Gates nodded and said, "Lt. Collins, please continue," but Peterson put up his hand to stop him. "Captain, rather than continue to read the report, can I simply ask Detective Beckett to tell me what happened in her own words?"
"I would prefer that you hear the official report Mr. Peterson. There will be an investigation and the Union will be involved."
"I understand Captain," Peterson replied, "But from my brief observation of Detective Beckett, something unpleasant happened last night at this club and although it appears that I am here to represent the Union on behalf of Detective Demming, Detective Beckett is also my concern."
Gates looked at Peterson for a minute then turned to Beckett and said in a much softer voice than anyone had heard from her before, "Kate, it's up to you. If you don't feel comfortable speaking I'll have Lt. Collins continue to read your report."
Beckett looked down at her hands as they were clasped together in her lap, then looked up at Peterson. When she did, he realized something, whatever happened the previous night in the club didn't wound the detective. She wasn't hurt, or embarrassed or simply upset…no, she was angry, perhaps a better word would be livid. There was a fire in her eyes that made Peterson feel sorry for anyone who got in her way.
Kate nodded her head to the Captain, turned back to Peterson and said, "You will need a little background information Mr. Peterson. Detective Demming and I dated briefly a couple of years ago." At his nod she continued. "We only dated for about three weeks but he wanted to deepen the relationship and take it to another level. He made arrangements for us to go away for a weekend and I told him it wasn't what I wanted and ended the relationship." Kate didn't need to go into the details of that day, the memory itself was enough to make her cringe and it really wasn't relevant to Peterson's understanding of the brief relationship.
Peterson looked at Collins who nodded his head and added, "That was what we heard from Tom when he canceled his vacation and plans for that weekend." He looked at Beckett before he turned back to Peterson and said, "He told me he'd be available for calls that weekend since they'd broken up."
Peterson nodded that he understood and Beckett continued. "As I stated in the report, I had plans for last evening that had to be canceled. They were reservations that were made more than two months ago and were very difficult to make, but I understand that as an officer we sometimes need to make sacrifices and canceled my plans to assist Robbery.
When Detective Demming arrived, he described the man he was looking for and told me that he would be at the club that evening. He gave me a brief rundown of the case and then we headed to the club. As I stated in the report the bouncer didn't want to let us in but I flirted with him and spoke in Russian and he finally relented and let us enter the club. I immediately spotted a couple of places that would be good for observing the entire room but Detective Demming insisted on the small booth near the back to make us look more real."
Kate paused for a moment and it looked to the others that she had to prepare herself for what she said next. She took a deep breath and said, "Basically Demming wanted me to hang all over him and pretend that we were making out in the booth. I followed the procedure for doing that which I learned in Vice and quickly noticed that Demming was placing his hands where he shouldn't. After setting him straight, I suggested that I pretend to dance for him on the pole in the center of the club so he could watch everyone and see if his suspect was there. However after I was dancing for a few minutes I realized that Demming wasn't looking anywhere but at me and I began to realize that things didn't add up."
"What do you mean by 'didn't add up'?" Peterson asked.
Kate looked at Peterson and counted off her fingers, "Where was our backup? Who else was there from Robbery to help apprehend the suspect? Demming never gave me that information with his initial briefing and when I returned to the booth, I told him we needed to speak outside. We left the club and when we got to my car I demanded to know just what was going on and he told me he set the whole thing up to go out with me and see if we could get together again."
Captain Gates noticed that Lt. Collins had his eyes closed and was shaking his head, while Peterson had a look of shock and disgust on his face. "This was all a ruse to go on a date?" he asked in an angry tone of voice.
Kate nodded her head and said, "Yes. It seems he thought I looked happier, looked lighter than I did when we dated. He asked around to see if I was seeing anyone and then made the arrangements to get me out to the club."
Before Kate could continue Gates said, "That is why you are both here. Lt. Collins to deliver my reprimand and administer the disciplinary actions I insist on, and you, Mr. Peterson, to understand why Detective Demming is being disciplined and why I will be demanding he be demoted back to Detective Third-Grade at the very least."
She paused a moment then added in a fierce voice, "I would prefer to take his badge and remove him from the department. I am furious that he used me, that he lied to me to force Detective Beckett to be alone with him at a club which, lets be honest here, doesn't have all that good of a reputation."
Peterson cleared his throat and asked, "Captain Gates, I'll need a copy of Detective Beckett's report and a statement in her own hand of the events that transpired last evening. I also need to know what disciplinary actions you are going to take with Detective Demming to include with my initial report."
Gates looked at Peterson and said in a steely voice, "As of this moment Detective Demming is suspended, with pay, pending a full investigation. I will have Lt. Collins take Detective Demming's badge and gun, and have him escorted from the building. I will demand that he has no contact with the Robbery division or anyone in the 12th Precinct other than me. I especially want him to have no contact what so ever with Detective Beckett, and will go before a judge to get a restraining order if I need to."
She paused a moment and took a deep breath before she added, "Mr. Collins, Detective Beckett is the best I have here at the 12th. Other than one infraction last May, her record is impeccable and as her files show, she is an outstanding officer of the NYPD. I have no doubt that the words she's spoken to us, and the report she filed with me this morning will prove to be a true and accurate description of the events that transpired last evening at the 'Cats Meow' Club."
Peterson looked at Gates and said, "I may be premature saying this Captain, but I think Detective Demming will need more than Union counsel, he may need legal counsel as well." He got up from his seat and said, "I expect I will have Detective Beckett's report and statement later today or by tomorrow at the latest?"
Gates nodded her head after receiving a quick affirmative nod from Beckett, "You will Mr. Peterson."
He turned his head slightly and said, "In that case, I'll leave now to get my report on this meeting started." He turned to walk to the door but stopped, turned back to Gates and said, "Off the record, Captain…God what a mess!" He then opened the door and left, closing the door after him.
Gates looked at Collins and said, "Marc, I want Demming out of this precinct within the hour. I can't begin to tell you how angry I am right now."
Collins shook his head and replied, "Sir, I know he wasn't happy when he and Beckett broke up, but I never thought he'd do something so underhanded and frankly, as stupid as this."
The Lieutenant turned to Kate and said, "Detective Beckett, I personally apologize for what you went through yesterday. Please accept my apology and the apology of the entire Robbery division. No one deserves to be treated in such a manner, especially a fellow detective." With that, he rose from his seat and left the room heading back to the Robbery division and the confrontation with Demming.
Gates looked out of the open door and noticed that Esposito and Ryan were nowhere to be found and smiled slightly. She turned to Beckett and said, "Kate, I want you to take the rest of the day off to relax and not come back until tomorrow."
Kate shook her head and said, "Sir, I'm fine. I really think…" She stopped when Gates put her hand up and said, "There will be no discussion on my decision. You had a difficult time last night and probably came in very early this morning to have that report on my desk when I came in. I want you to go home and relax…or perhaps spend some time with your significant other."
Startled, Kate looked at the Captain and with trepidation said, "Sir? Significant other?"
Gates gave a sly smile and said, "Go, detective. However, before you leave, call your team and tell them it's safe to come back. I'm giving you the rest of the day, not them."
Gates then turned to another file on her desk and Kate realized she'd been dismissed. She stood up and quietly said, "Yes sir. Thank you sir," then left the office.
A few minutes later Gates looked up to see Beckett on the phone and smiled. She then turned to her calendar and noticed yesterday's date. 'The seventh. It was probably their six month anniversary I bet,' she thought to herself.
She looked back out through the open door and watched as Beckett made her way to the elevator and chuckled to herself. She decided she would continue to wait before she let Beckett and Castle know that she was aware they were together. Really, just about everyone knew they were together, how Demming could be so blind she had no idea, but it was just another reason why he shouldn't be a Detective Second-Grade, and maybe not a police officer at all.
With that thought, Gates began the paperwork for Demming's suspension. She looked up once again to see Beckett on the phone with a huge smile on her face as the elevator doors began to close. 'He definitely messed up her anniversary,' Gates thought as she watched Beckett's smile widen. 'He's lucky she didn't kill him.'
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AUTHORS NOTE: Someone wrote a story. Who wrote it and the title, I can't tell you. Why? Because I can't find it anymore. I did read it again a few months ago, and I had it marked with both Alert and as a Favorite, but I have gone through my lists three times now, and can't find the story. I did discover that more than a dozen I had marked are no longer on Fan Fiction, and some great writers such as peachyx, KelliP and others are no longer here. Makes me wish I'd asked if I could copy their stories before they removed them.
The story I can no longer find pretty much followed what I wrote here in Beckett's report and then her retelling of the events. Basically, Demming has Gates make Kate act as an escort and he tries to get back together with her on the night of her anniversary with Castle. Since no one knows she's seeing Castle, Demming thinks he can get back with her and tries this stunt and Beckett finds out and reads him the riot act before returning back to the loft to be with Castle. I always thought there should be more to this story, not just ending with Beckett and Castle back at the loft, but the next day when Gates finds out what Demming did, and so, when I was mowing the lawn yesterday afternoon, my Muse hit me with the idea to continue it, with entire dialog suddenly running through my head. Luckily, I have a push mower so I didn't run into any trees when she hit me! ;-)
I made a few minor changes to the story line. I can't remember if there was mention in the story just what anniversary it was, and since I decided to use May 7th, the date that 'Always' aired here in the States, to mark their beginning, Nov. 7th would be their six month anniversary. I figure Castle would want to make a big deal about that since I know I did with Mrs. G when we were dating.
I make no claims on the story premise and if the author is out there, I hope you don't mind my writing this continuation of your wonderful story. I wish I could find it again, since it was really well written and a great read. Now if only my Muse will stick around a while…