A/N: I saw this gifset in Tumblr from Get A Clue. It reminded me that that episode coincided with the week of the 10th anniversary of Wicked. It became my headcanon that Beckett loves the show, as much as I and my friends love it. Frankly, I haven't seen it. I was completely broke when the Australia cast stopped over here (with Jemma Rix as Elphaba and Suzie Mathers as Glinda). I've only seen it in the YouTube clips.
The title is a song not included in the final cut. It was replaced by The Wizard and I. It was, however, included during the San Francisco tryouts. Stephanie J Block sang it for the fifth anniversary edition of the soundtrack.
Entry for #CastleFanficMonday. Hopefully I did well.
The first time he asked her what Broadway show she wanted to watch, she didn't even bat an eyelash. She told him straight. He let it go because he knew that many theatregoers see it again and again. It's a hit. He just assumed that she hadn't seen it, noting that it's probably too much fantasy for her to believe in. So he dismissed it as that.
A lot of times, he sees her searching for videos in YouTube, those sneaky bootleg videos that fans put up for the world to see, for other fans around the globe to watch, during break time or some precinct downtime. It was always of that musical. Different versions, different actors, different days. Sometimes, it was the finale song of Act I. Sometimes, it's the 11 o'clock number. He still assumed because she was like any other fan.
A few months into their relationship, on her birthday, she asked him if they could go and see the show again. She told him that she wanted to see Jackie Burns, who returned to the lead role a few days earlier, noting that she missed her before because of work. It was her birthday so he told her it was fine. He looked at her in the dark and noticed that she was singing along - and saying the lines with the cast.
He always wondered why, for someone who kept telling him that she doesn't believe in the supernatural, she always dragged him into the same Broadway show over and over again. He understands that many do it because of the songs or because it's a different take on a beloved story. But her? He knew he had to get on top of it but not now. Let her enjoy watching. She would soon tire of it.
She didn't. Another cast change, another opportunity to watch. But sometimes, it's the same cast.
He once perused her small library at home and found the book - both of the Broadway show and where it was based on. She even had that quite expensive spell book that Alexis wanted he never bought. (He might be a millionaire but Alexis might find other uses for $50. The show might be magic and fantasy but he never quite understood why many loved it. He was more of a RENT person.) He asked her if he could borrow the original book and she agreed. When he finished, he had a suspicion why she loved the musical so much.
And only when The Da Vinci Code-like case did he had the heart to ask. Their suspect told them about a cab with the show's ad on top of it. She was telling Ryan and Esposito to put their suspect with a sketch artist and then look into the cab. Ryan was quite reluctant because how many cabs were there that advertise Broadway shows and just to single out the one with that banner on top? Beckett just shrugged and turned away with a smile, telling them to impress. Castle followed her out the precinct then.
He fell into step beside her.
"Kate," he said.
"Hm," she replied, humming a very familiar tune by now.
"Why always Wicked?" he asked.
She turns quiet but she keeps on walking towards Remy's. It was lunch time and she wants to have a burger and a strawberry shake. His question hangs. When they sit in their regular booth, Castle speaks again.
"Hey," he says, touching her hand that was on the table.
She looks at him and sighs.
"Aside from your books," she starts. "That show helped me a lot. It helped to forget everything that happened to me."
He was right. Elphaba was shunned by everyone because of the colour of her skin, suffered early in her life because of who she was - a gifted, powerful girl with skin the colour of grass. Her father didn't love her - favoured Nessarose more. People were afraid of her. Her true love was killed. She suffered pain and loss - just like Beckett. He was right that she can relate to that character more than what she lets him see.
"Elphie, when she sings her opening song, she just lets it known to the world what she wants. She never cared somehow," she continues. "She knew she was different from all those around her but she stayed strong. The only dream she had was to fight for what is right. She wanted justice for all the Animals, like Doctor Dillamond. She wanted to use her gift to make them see that it can be for good."
"She's misunderstood," Castle acknowledges.
"She is," Beckett agrees. "And Glinda...she might be too arrogant in the beginning but she learned to understand Elphaba. And then when she sings Defying Gravity and rises up the sky, she lets it go - her feelings, the hurt, the acceptance that she might not be what she wanted to be and that no one will ever love her. She will do it herself."
"Who were the first team you saw?" he asks her.
"Idina and Kristin," she answers. "The very first previews and then on opening night."
Castle stands up and sits beside her and she puts her head on his shoulder.
"I suspected it was for that reason," he tells her. "That you can relate to Elphaba. At first, I thought you were just like any other fan who would line up everyday to see it because you love the music. Any other fan who would line up for the raffle just to watch it. When I finished the book did I understand why. You're a special kind of fan. And you know why?"
Kate looked up at him, her eyes filled with unshed tears, "Why?"
"Because she's like you," her fiance tells her. "You said it yourself. She will fight for what is right. She wants justice for everyone and she will get it at whatever cost. And partnered with Glinda, they do make the greatest team, just like us."
"So you're my Glinda."
He looks at her, eyes smiling, "Perhaps. And you're Elphaba in many ways. You want justice for all of your victims. Just like our victim in this case. And I know you will get it."
She sits up, looks at him, and blinks. She's not quite sure she understands because Elphaba was born magical - both literally and figuratively. She's not. Or her mind's in a haze because of her confession. Castle sees it and explains further.
"You are a strong person," he begins. "And just like our green character, you already defied gravity because of what you do. For the families whose lives you've touched, you will be remembered as their hero. Just like the Animals, with Elphaba. The difference is that she became wicked because of the sufferings the people put her through."
Kate laughs at that.
"I probably have my wicked streaks, too," she muses.
"Maybe," Castle answers. "But you see, when she let go of everything she had, she became unhappy. She continued to fight but that consumed her because of what the people perceived her to be. You aren't like that. You used that 'wickedness' for good. You were never the 'no good deed goes unpunished' person. And you were never misunderstood. And your future is unlimited."
She smiles at that.
"Maybe I was misunderstood, at first," she tells him. "But because I knew you, I think I have been changed for good."
He understands what she means - she didn't share before so people must have thought that she's aloof.
Their order arrives then and they start to eat in silence. When lunch break ends and they start their return to the precinct did Castle speak again.
"Impress me."
"What?" Beckett asked.
"You told the boys to look for the cab with the Wicked ad," Castle says. "And you said 'Impress me'."
"Oh that," she chuckles. "I wanted to see if they can manage to call the theatre."
"And..."
"Nothing," she says, nonchalantly. "I probably want them to greet the theatre Happy 10th. It's the show's anniversary. If they're resourceful enough."
He looks at her, smiling inwardly. The boys probably wouldn't do the greeting and just do their job but he knows someone who probably will be ecstatic, espcially when they get home.
"Well, how about this," he says. "Tonight, I bring you to the performance and meet the cast."
She stops in her tracks and looks at him, wide-eyed.
"We'll have dinner at home first then go to the Gershwin for the 7pm show."
"You didn't!" she exclaims.
"I did," he smiles. "I wouldn't want you to miss the chance of celebrating with them. You'll get to meet Stephen Schwartz."
Beckett holds her hand out to him and he takes it.
"Thank you," she says. "It means so much."
"I know," he leans in to kiss her. "There's also a surprise waiting for you at home hence, the dinner at home."
The smile on her face is enough for him.
"Meanwhile," she states. "Let's go to the monastery to see what other clues we will discover."
"That'd be cool!" he says, bouncing up and down like the man-child he sometimes is.
Beckett just rolls her eyes.
Spot the songs mentioned at the opening paragraphs.
The original book which is the basis of the musical is Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire. It has a very different story from the musical. The expensive spell book is the Grimmerie. Tee hee! :)
Animals and animals are two different species in the book: Animals can think and talk; animals can't.
Also, Jackie Burns was the Elphaba during Kate's birthday. She returned to the role on 13 November 2012 after Jennifer DiNoia temporarily assumed the role for a week. Alli Mauzey was the Glinda.
Reviews are welcome. Warning: any bashing on Season 8 will be deleted.