Author's Note: A couple months back, I challenged myself to write a case-based fic, and this is what happened. It's been a long process, but I did it. It's about 50/50 case/relationship, and there are 15 chapters in total.
Thank you so much to Sandiane Carter for the writing advice, to Andy for always being my cheerleader and self-proclaimed bouncing ball, and to Liv Wilder, who has been a never-ending source of information and suggestions as I've navigated this new terrain.
Disclaimer: I think we've firmly established that Castle is not mine.
Immiscible
adj ~ incapable of being mixed or blended, as oil and water
Chapter 1
A harsh ringing sliced through the darkness, pulling them from a deep slumber into something resembling wakefulness. Kate fumbled for her phone on the nightstand, the illuminated screen far too bright for her dark-adjusted eyes. Swiping her finger across the device, she lifted it to her ear, risking a glance at the clock as she answered. Large red numbers shone back at her, taunting her from the top of the dresser.
"Beckett."
"Hey, boss, sorry to wake you but we've got a fresh one."
Kate groaned, dropped her head back onto the pillow. First day back from their honeymoon and someone had to find a body at – she glanced at the clock again – 5:53 in the morning?
"Okay, we'll be there in a few. Text me the address?"
"You got it."
She tossed the phone aside without bothering to hit the 'end' button, rubbed her hands over her eyes. It was far too early for this. Two weeks of vacation had left her refreshed and relaxed, but the jet lag was brutal and she hadn't fully recovered. All she wanted to do was curl up next to her husband for another few hours and just sleep.
Apparently it was not to be.
"Castle."
He grunted, rolled over, burying himself further into the bed.
Kate pushed herself up onto one elbow, reached across to rest a hand on his bare shoulder. "Castle, we have a body."
"Mmmm, yes you do," he murmured dreamily, one hand reaching out for her, coming to rest on her hip.
"Castle," she chastised half-heartedly.
"Huh?"
"A dead body."
He mumbled something unintelligible but rolled onto his back, forced open one eye, then the other. "Time's it?" he slurred.
"Early."
He slipped his arm further over her, catching her around the waist and tugging her onto his side of the bed. "Mmmm, come here."
"Castle..."
"Just a few more minutes," he begged, lips at her temple, and she already felt herself giving in, relaxing into him, the desire to be in his arms winning out over the call of work.
Her phone vibrated once, signaling an incoming text message, and Kate reluctantly rolled out of his arms, picked up the device.
Corner of Mulberry and Grand, it read.
"That's just a few blocks from here," Castle spoke from over her shoulder, leaning in to glance at the screen.
"Mmmm, yeah."
"You know what that means?"
"Hmmm?"
He nuzzled the back of her neck, warm breath on her skin sending a shiver racing down her spine. "We have a few minutes to spare."
"Work," she protested feebly, but the truth was that she was just as tempted as he was to shirk her responsibilities and extend their honeymoon by another few hours. The murderers of New York City always did have awful timing.
His hand slid over her stomach, fingers splayed wide across her bare skin, and she found herself surrendering without a fight, letting the warmth take over. He traced her earlobe with his tongue, tenderly nibbling the sensitive skin, and she released a blissful sigh, tilted her neck to grant him better access.
The dead body could wait.
Except...
"Castle."
His fingers danced up her side, strumming over the lines of her ribcage as his lips found the skin behind her ear.
"Castle," Kate voiced again, a little emphatic, a lot breathy.
No. She could do this. There was a murder victim waiting. A victim who deserved justice.
"Castle," she said a third time, and this time her voice was strong enough that he halted his delicious exploration of her body, lifted his head.
"Hmmm?"
She bit back a sigh at the loss of his touch, forced herself to compartmentalize. Work now. Wedded bliss later. "We have to get up."
He nudged his hips against her from behind. "I am."
"Not what I meant."
Kate rolled over and pushed herself into a seated position, running a hand through her hair as she righted herself. The sheet slipped down as she did so, revealing her in all of her nakedness, and Castle wasted no time in reaching out and wrapping a large, warm hand over her leg, fingers teasing the crease of her thigh.
She lifted off the bed slightly at his touch, couldn't stop her body's reaction to him.
He leaned in then, so close that she could feel his lips at her ear, each exhale skittering erotically across her skin. "At least let me help you wash your back."
He didn't wash her back.
He did, however, pin her against the wall of the shower.
"Hey, Lanie."
The ME lifted her head, looking up at Kate and Castle from where she was awkwardly squatting next to the body, one foot on the top stair the other one step down. They walked side by side, steps in perfect unison, shoulders brushing lightly with each step. A cup of coffee was cradled in Kate's left hand, but despite the early hour, she was glowing almost as much as the array of diamonds on her finger.
Lanie smirked, fixing them both with an expression that quite clearly stated that she knew exactly what'd gone on this morning between the ringing of Kate's phone and her arrival at the crime scene.
"Looks like you enjoyed your little vacation," she teased as Castle separated from his wife, reaching out to fist bump Ryan and Esposito, who were casually welcoming him back with a convoluted three-way handshake.
Kate couldn't help the smile that split her face, sheer contentment radiating from her eyes.
"I take that as a yes."
"Let's just say we weren't ready for it to be over," she offered. She knew Lanie wanted dish but there was no way she would be recounting any part of her honeymoon – or the way Castle thoroughly ravished her this morning – over a dead body.
Lanie raised an eyebrow. "I can see that."
"Shut up," Kate demanded around a sip of coffee, the caffeine suffusing her veins, slowly bringing her brain out of its post-sex haze and into focus on the task at hand. "So, what've we got?"
Her friend pursed her lips in disapproval of Kate's deflection but readjusted her clipboard on her lap and allowed the change of subject. For now.
"Jane Doe. No ID, wallet, cell phone, keys, nothing. Neighbor found her sprawled across the stairwell when he opened the door to grab the morning paper. Says he doesn't recognize her."
"Mugging gone wrong?" Castle mused, turning to the scene of the crime upon hearing Lanie's voice.
"Possibly."
"Time of death?"
"Based on lividity, I'd say she's been dead no more than four or five hours."
"COD?" Kate probed.
"That's where things get weird," Lanie explained. "I haven't found anything. No blood, no visible bruising. Nothing."
"Kind of shoots a hole through our whole mugging gone wrong theory."
"So does this. Guy who found the body," Ryan gestured over his shoulder at the door at the bottom of the landing. 7C, it read. "Said he'd been awake most of the night working on his computer, didn't hear a thing. No voices, no struggle, nothing, and these walls aren't exactly soundproof."
"Witnesses?"
"None so far," Esposito jumped in.
"So we can't even be sure that it's murder," Kate pointed out.
Lanie stood, rested a hand on her friend's arm. "Let me get her back to the lab, run some tests. I'll let you know if anything pops."
"Thanks, Lanie." She turned back to her team. "Let's canvass the rest of the building, and have unis talk to local businesses and anyone else who's out and about in the area. Someone had to have heard or seen something, and maybe someone'll recognize her."
"On it, boss," Ryan complied with a smile. He turned away, paused, turned back. "By the way, it's good to have you back."
Kate smiled, nodded her thanks before shifting her focus back to the body, contemplating the crime scene. If this even was where she was killed. If she was, in fact, murdered.
"So, no ID, no identifiable COD, and so far, no witnesses," Castle said finally, voicing her exact string of thoughts.
"Welcome back to reality," Kate muttered under her breath.
He shook his head, took a much-needed sip of coffee. "Harsh."
Thoughts?