Strike of Heat
Disclaimer: In no way am I affiliated with the production of ABC's Castle. I just like to watch.
When she had been focusing so flawlessly on the case, on the investigation of a nation-wide threat…all of that now broken, shattered around her ankles which barely supported her sunken knees and curled spine…he what?
He rewrote their ending. Their. Ending.
As one of his fans, she was very much aware of the happily-ever-after between Clara Strike and Derek Storm. History was repeating itself, and he had the nerve to keep her in the dark!
Damn that Richard Castle.
Her lips sputtered air, eyes swishing between the man who had confessed his love for her, and the woman who had been his former muse. He'd already done this. She was a second-place prize- probably because Sophia was smart enough to see what a, how had she put it? A reckless, immature, self-centered jackass...he was!
She'd convinced herself that of all the men who had caught her line and tried to reel her in, he- who had stuck around for so long, been her rock even when she had been too proud to admit she needed one- was genuine, and his desire and passion for her was true. Consequently, she let him in. She let him in, let him closer than anyone else besides her father, thinking that what they had was unique, original…extraordinary.
Except, he'd already been through it. This was some kind of fetish for him, clinging to attractive, forceful women holding law enforcement positions with the excuse of inspiration and research- one to swoon the lady, and one to excuse him from suspecting eyes.
She was cracked, she was upset, angry, afraid; all within the milliseconds following the words "...and you can't rewrite the ending like you did with us." Ultimately, that was all it took.
Castle had a hell of a hole to dig himself out of, but he, and she, needed to stay alive long enough for that to happen. And so, with all of the integrity she could muster, she kept her head level, eyes high and indifferent, and was promptly kicked out of the C.I.A.
With Castle. As always.
END