Title: Waiting and Chasing

Disclaimer: Just borrowing from the Castle powers that be. Thanks guys!

Summary: Castle is stressed. On the verge of giving up on Beckett, he is headed on a book tour. Can he convince her that it is time to let him step over the wall and join him on the midwest part of the tour.

Their partnership didn't begin over coffee but it did start with one.

Four years and she has become the days he can't get over, the nights he wants to call home.

For now the coffee continues to be the pool they dangle their feet in together. On her side the seas have waves of hesitation in them. For him there are just the skies that refuse to let them feel the sun for longer than a few moments at a time. He is starting to seriously wonder how long, is too long to wait? When is "Always" a promise that just can't be kept?

She says, she "isn't ready yet." How much longer before she realizes that he has turned the corner from 'waiting and chasing' streets and now wanders down 'lost soul' avenue.

How many more hours can he sit in Central Park, watch the runners and not move. Stand and stare out the window in his loft hoping that he can remain in the darkness a while longer, not hear her ringtone signaling a body drop. All this thinking is a passive game he plays. Sucking up the courage to tell her that he can't stand the empty feeling that resides in his heart, not for one more moment.

All these thoughts have him on the verge of panic. She could run and hide, that is what she does, what he has seen her do more times than he cares to count.

When a guy throws out his bedside table condom stash because they are out of date or more precisely they mock the shit out of his waiting game, it may be time to press the issue with the object of his desires.

It's another Monday. Another week that started in an alley at 5 in the morning. Passing another coffee to her, like a baton in a relay. All full of exhilaration and doubts. She takes a sip, closes her eyes, swallows and smiles. For her, I am the guy who will wait for her eyes to open. I will hold her gaze until she breaks it. I want her to feel the connection between us. Try to make her see the mystery and promise before her.

But no, this is not the moment. Honestly it is a murder scene, not the beach. Fucking Esposito, are you fucking kidding me, not now! I swear the universe is a fucking joke. She opened her eyes, turned her head in Espo's direction, started walking. Now, she's looking at me. "Are you coming, Castle?" Fucking HA! Again, no chance to see what is standing right in front of her. I skip forward and get beside her "of course" is what I say.

Thankfully, I leave on Wednesday for an eighteen day book tour. "Frozen Heat" will give me the reprieve I need. Maybe even the jolt I need to fix my game. Game? Who are you kidding?

It is a crazy risk for 7 am. The bike messenger leaves a coffee on her desk. Written on the side is, 'good morning.' The 3pm pick me up say's 'good afternoon.' I know they are working late, Ryan tipped me off. The tea I send at 11pm, simply says, "Get some rest."

I keep this up for a couple of days, good morning, call if you need a crazy theory, sleep well, miss me yet? I expect an angry phone call, an assassin to put a stop to it. Four days, nothing. Beckett is off Sunday, so 9 am a coffee arrives at her apartment thanks to Kenny, THE...best...doorman...EVER! What does this one say? It's actually a question for the Detective. "Can I step over the wall yet?"

The plan was always to catch the moment she lifts her eyes from that cup of coffee I bring her every morning and she sees, finally sees, what is standing in front of her. I want to be the spell she is under, the other warm, delicious spell. Still no word from Kate. Lanie on the other hand texts "you are freaking our girl out writer boy" I answer back " is that good or bad," "both" is the response.

So the big decision is stop or go all in. Guess what I decide?

Monday morning the bike messenger leaves a list of the book tour cities with the dates for Chicago and Madison, WI highlighted and an open ended ticket along with a coffee on her desk. I need this to accomplish what I haven't been able to do. I'm not sure if it will be easier to be rejected from a distance.

My phone buzzes in my pocket. I am signing books at a Barnes and Noble in Charlotte. I don't know who's calling. I can only hope it's her. The coffee should have just been dropped off. I just started signing, the line is a couple hours long.

It's noon now. I'll take a break, call Alexis, grab lunch and go to another bookstore across town. There is a text from Kate. "I will call you, tonight"

My good friend, anxiety, will now spend the rest of the day tucked into my shirt pocket. I can't honestly say what I think will happen tonight. I can only hope. After all, she is still a mystery I can't seem to solve.

I am in Atlanta, tomorrow afternoon. Travel Wednesday. Chicago, Thursday, Friday and Saturday and Madison, Monday.

I know it's a lot to ask of her. A leap of faith I hope she is willing to make. Maybe alone in a city we have never seen together, walking, talking, drinking coffee...we can start something...special, amazing...a good descriptive adjective. I just want me to be her last first everything.