A/N: Just a little one shot I couldn't resist writing. =))
Marriage had always filled Castle with a feeling of impending doom, and yet as he stood by the jewelry counter, gazing at engagement rings and thinking about Beckett, it felt more like a flutter of butterflies and the excitement of surprise birthday parties. Okay, so maybe he was getting ahead of himself, after all, it wasn't like he'd even asked her on an official date. Sure, she'd come back to his house for dinner, three… no, four times this week. But it wasn't the same as buying her an engagement ring.
This was insane!
Castle sighed heavily and turned to leave. "I'm sorry, sir, were you looking to by something?"
"I don't know," he stated turning back. "I'm not exactly sure."
Actually, he didn't know what even possessed him to walk into the jewelry store to begin with. He had simply been passing it and saw a ring in the window that reminded him sorely of Beckett and he was drawn to go inside. Now that he was looking at rings he knew the idea itself was insane.
"Thinking about proposing and not sure if she's a sure thing?" the man guessed.
"Not exactly," he said shifting his feet uncomfortably. "She doesn't even- well, she's…" he sighed. This was crazy, what was he even doing in the store? "I'm going to go now," he said awkwardly.
"You were looking to get one of the rings?"
"Yeah, I was…yeah."
The man smiled and pulled out the board from behind the counter, revealing a set of gold and white gold engagement rings. Castle was aware of what he was doing. He was a salesman, and his job was to sell as many pieces as he could. Castle was a perfect target.
"Maybe you could buy the one that you're drawn to and the rest will fall into place," the salesman told him. "Romantic dinner and moonlight walk on the beach."
"Far too cliché," Castle mumbled, and very un-Beckett-like. If he was going to propose, he would have to make it very original, something a police officer would like. Was he seriously considering this?
"It couldn't hurt, Mr. Castle," the man said, as if he could read his mind.
Castle frowned. "You know who I am?"
"Of course," he said. "I'm a huge fan. I loved the Derrick Storm series. I couldn't believe you killed him in the last book. He was heroic. The world of books will never be the same."
"A writer needs to grow," he explained. "I was bored. Everything about the character was predictable and it was time to move on. Have you read the Nikki Heat series?"
"I have," he admitted. "It's quite good. I thoroughly enjoy the sexy, sassy female detective. Is she real?"
Castle smiled. How was he supposed to explain the situation to a salesman?
"Oh," he exclaimed. "This is who the ring is for? Well, I have a better collection of the more exclusive set of rings." He replaced the board and pulled out a more expensive collection and showed it to Castle.
Instantly, he spotted it. It was perfect and it was VERY Kate Beckett like. It was simple and elegant, without the look of plainness. It had three stones, and was a clear-cut diamond, 22 caret gold ring.
He pulled out his cheque book and filled it in. Money had never been an issue for Castle, and yet he had never been a showy kind of man. As far as he was concerned, money had its place. But for once, he wasn't watching how much he spent, and for once he was just going to follow his gut.
"I'll take that one," he announced.
"Wonderful," the salesman beamed.
Castle had been on his way to the precinct and shoved the ring in his coat pocket. It would be safe there.
"Where have you been?" Beckett demanded as he stepped off the elevator.
"I er… was just… my alarm didn't go off," he shrugged, silently scolding himself for using such a lame excuse. He was a writer for heaven's sake, and that was the best he could come up with. Beckett looked him over as if she was deciding whether or not to believe his excuse. But instead of giving her time to come up with a question that would no doubt contradicted his lie, Castle moved towards the bullpen. "What's up?" he asked.
"We have a new case!" she announced.
"Why didn't you call me?" he asked, pulling his phone from his left pocket – the opposite side from where the ring was. He looked down at the screen, and saw 3 missed calls from Beckett. How did he miss those? He looked back up at his partner. "I didn't hear it… sorry," he muttered.
"Let's go!" she stated, walking back towards the elevators.
"Right," he replied, following her.
As they stepped into the elevator, Castle turned to look at Beckett. Why didn't he feel that sense of entrapment and impending doom, as he did whenever he considered the possibility of marrying again. Why, when he looked at Beckett, did he imagine a life full of promise and unpredictability?
"What?" she asked uncomfortably, as she watched the expression of awe etched across his face.
"Nothing," he smiled, turning his eyes away. "Where are Esposito and Ryan?"
"At the crime scene!"
"What have we got?" Beckett asked as she stepped out of the driver's side of the car and slowly approached the boys, Castle a few steps behind.
"Two dead bodies," Ryan responded, looking down at the corpses. "It looks like the perp placed the bodies in this position post-mortem. They've seemingly been here more than a few hours…"
"But Lanie will tell us for sure when she gets here," Esposito added. "She's stuck in traffic."
Castle turned to Beckett. "See, aren't you glad I was a little late, or else we would have been stuck there, too."
Beckett avoided eye contact and made no reply, as she looked down at the bodies positioned in a spooning manner. She would never admit to being wrong – she was far too proud and strong-willed to admit allowed that Castle and right, besides, his head was already far too big for her liking.
The boys babbled on about the crime, and what they knew, while Beckett shouted orders and Castle made his usual theories of cowboys and Indians and vampires and werewolves, until Beckett told him to shut up, while she worked out the facts of the case first.
Beckett and Castle drove back to the precinct, while Ryan and Esposito stayed behind and waited for Lanie. Beckett scribbled the known information on the murder board, and threw theories across the room between herself and Castle.
"What do we have so far?" the captain asked.
Castle took off his coat and hung it on the back of the chair, listening to Beckett.
"Not much yet, Sir," she replied. "Lanie was stuck in traffic and hasn't reached the crime scene yet. But we should hear from the boys when she's looked at the two bodies."
Castle would have added his theory, but the woman hated him. He didn't particularly care. He didn't take much of a liking to her, anyway. He was there with Beckett and the boys, and he was just grateful that she hadn't kicked him out of the precinct permanently.
Castle pulled out his iPhone just in time to have it vibrate and begin the tune to mission in possible. He smiled and answered the call. "What have you got?" he asked casually.
Ryan gave him the update, which he then proceeded to relay to Beckett and then he told Castle they'd be back at the precinct in a little while. Castle hung up, and repeated the words to the Captain and Beckett.
"Well, I don't want to wait around," Beckett said. "Let's pay a visit to the victims parents, and see what they have to say about their relationship."
"It's cold outside," he groaned, liking the indoor warmth the precinct offered.
"Don't be such a baby!" she teased. Beckett turned and grabbed his coat from the chair, where he'd hung it.
"No, wait, don't do that," he yelled reaching for the coat. But he was too late, and by snatching the jacket he caused the small velvet box to come tumbling out, rolling on the floor and landing at her feet.
"What's this?" she bent down to retrieve it, while Castle stood shell-shocked, unable to utter a single word. He watched as she opened the box and her eyes popped out of her head. Suddenly her demeanor changed and she shoved the box at him.
"It's not what it looks like," he stammered, unable to come up with an excuse.
"And what does it look like?" she said sounding evidently annoyed.
"I wasn't going to…"
"It isn't any of my business," she said turning to sit down at her desk. She was obviously grumpy.
"I didn't mean that, I just-" he said with a frown. This wasn't coming out right.
"It's none of my business who you're dating, Castle," she snapped.
"I'm not dating anyone!" he replied firmly, shoving the box back in his coat pocket.
"Oh, so it's completely normal for you to go around buying engagement rings?" she challenged. "I thought you despised marriage."
"Maybe I changed my mind," he shot back.
"Maybe I don't care what you do," Beckett groaned and went about ignoring him.
"I don't know what the hell I was thinking," he growled. "Maybe I was stupid enough to think things were different with you."
Her face expression changed and Beckett looked up, shock displayed clearly on her face. "You brought that for me?"
"Maybe," he muttered. This SO wasn't how he it in his head.
"Castle, we're not even together," she pointed out.
"I know," he said awkwardly. "I just thought… I don't know what I thought, I just brought it. It looked like you."
"It is me," she said quietly. "But I-"
"I'm not asking you to marry me, he said.
"So, why did you buy an engagement ring?" she frowned.
"I don't… I don't know. Never mind. Forget it. I'm going to get a coffee." He left the bullpen as quick as he could, without flying.
"You brought Beckett a ring?" Ryan said the moment he stepped off the elevator, two cups of coffee in hand.
Castle frowned. "How did you find out?" he asked, and suddenly realized that Beckett would have told Lanie, who in turn told Esposito. "Is nothing sacred?" he groaned.
"You were going to propose to Beckett?" he repeated, seemingly stunned.
Castle frowned.
"What the hell were you thinking?"
"I didn't give it to her. It fell out my coat," he said defensively. "And I don't owe you an explanation, just- where's Beckett?"
"At her desk," he shrugged, shaking his head at him.
"Don't look at me like that," he said.
Castle walked into the bullpen and found his partner t her desk, she looked up and smiled as he handed her their usual morning ritual cup of coffee. "What no ring, today?" she teased.
"That's just mean," Castle pouted.
"I thought it was pretty funny," Esposito laughed.
"You guys are supposed to be on my team, what happened to bros sticking together?"
"This is more fun," Ryan smiled walking back to his desk, his partner close behind.
Castle turned back to Beckett. "You told Lanie? I bet the two of you had a good laugh about it. Thinking how stupid I am-"
"Oh, Castle, we didn't laugh about it… we were hysterical."
"Real funny. I supposed you didn't think I was stupid, either?"
"Well, this is reality, not everything is unpredictable," she grinned.
Castle laughed mockingly. "I'll get you for this," he warned. "When you least expect it, when your guard is down, that's when I'll strike."
Beckett only smiled.
Maybe he'd throw her off balance by proposing… tonight, at dinner with his family.
Hope you liked it? I was told by my housemate to write a POV for Beckett, I'm not sure… what do you guys think?
