A/N: Hi everyone, this is D.B.R Hazlewoode. I'm doing a collab with Tasumi Castrogiovanni on this story. It's going to be posted solely on her account. We're alternating chapters every two. So I'll do chapters one and two, and she'll do three and four and so on. We have no idea how long it's going to be, but please R&R as usual. Yours till the wheels fall off ;)
"So tell me right now, you think you're ready for it? I wanna know why you got me going, so let's go. We'll take it out of here, I think I'm ready to leave, I'm ready to live, I'm ready to go…"
-Panic! At The Disco
Detective Kate Beckett initialed the final page of her report lethargically. The Bronson case they'd just wrapped up had taken a toll on everyone, her included. They'd nearly lost him...
"Hey, you done? Because we have to leave. Now," Castle announced, rapping on her desk with his fist, then making a face when he realized how thick the wood was. Kate looked up. Javier was helping Lanie into her jacket, and Kevin embraced Jenny when she walked into the bullpen.
"I told you, Castle, I'm not going on the stupid trip," she sighed, gathering up the case file, "I still have work to do."
"Stupid?" Richard staggered back a few steps with a hand on his heart, feigning heartbreak, "Do you know how long it took me to book those rooms? It was impossible; the waiting list was three months long," he then became thoughtful, "Of course, maybe it helps that I-"
"Richard," she warned, a hint of a smile playing at her lips. The two couples approached her desk.
"Are you ready, Kate?" Lanie asked.
"I'm not going," she repeated. The medical examiner turned to Richard and cocked her head.
"Didn't I tell you to-" The rest was lost in a low growl as Lanie landed a punch square in his chest. This time when he gripped his heart, it actually did hurt. Beckett grinned.
"That's my girl!" Esposito said, smiling, kissing Lanie.
"Beckett, are you going to be heading out soon?" Montgomery called. She buried her head in her hands.
"I'm not-"
"She thinks she's not going," Ryan explained. The captain crossed his arms and stared Kate down.
"Why the hell not?" he demanded.
"I..sir, I'm not done with my-"
"Report?" Castle picked it up and flipped through it, "Looks done to me. I mean, I'm no cop...Esposito?" Beckett snatched for the papers in vain as Javier took them from Richard.
"Yeah, these are finished. You think, bro?"
Kevin looked over his partner's shoulder. "Oh yeah."
He handed them to the Captain, who took the pen from Kate's limp hand and initialed them.
"Look at that! You are done! Now get your ass out of the 12th and don't come back until you get dark enough for both of us," Montgomery commanded. Ryan raised a tentative hand.
"Actually, sir, that's kind of funny, because-"
"Bro, maybe now isn't the time..." Javier murmured. Roy backhanded Kevin upside his head before anyone had seen him move.
"Behave, children. And out."
"But I don't have any clothes!" Beckett protested weakly, stumbling as she was dragged along by Lanie on one side and Castle on the other.
"Yeah, you do," Esposito called from in front of her, walking towards their respective cars.
"But I-"
"Writer boy and I packed for you. Now get in the car. You're going." Lanie Parish deposited Kate in the passenger seat of Richard's car, slammed the door, and stalked towards Javier's car, heels click- clacking all the way.
There was no room for argument. Kate Beckett was going to Miami.
"Are you sure Mr. Castle's okay with me going with you guys? Because, I mean-"
"Ash," Alexis said in exasperation, "His name is Richard. Richard. He's my dad. You can stop calling him 'Mr. Castle'," she cupped his face in her hands and kissed his cheek sweetly, "You'll be fine. Besides," she added in an undertone, "He won't be able to say no now." Ashley's eyes grew wide.
"You didn't ask? Alexis! I told my mom-" Alexis tossed her head of red hair behind her and groaned.
"Ashley, you're not six anymore. Stop acting like it."She pulled her cell phone from her pocket and nervously checked the time.
"Where the hell are you, dad?" she murmured, "You're late. As usual."
Richard Castle's cell phone rang, startling the two inside the car. Alexis' continuous chant of 'Dad! Dad! Dad!' went on as neither picked it up. Castle glanced down at the phone, then at Beckett, and then back at the phone, hoping she would get the message. She refused to.
"Could you...?" She waited a moment longer.
"Hello? Hi, Alexis. I've just been kidnapped. And you?" Kate said, shooting daggers at Richard. He pouted.
"Oh, hold on. Let me ask," she turned to Castle, "Your daughter wants to know 'why the hell you aren't here yet, because we're waiting for you?" His mouth dropped.
"Who's 'we'?"
Kate shrugged, smiling. "Ashley, maybe?"
He blanched.