Disclaimer: I own nothing. 'Nuff said.
A/N: I found a song on youtube months ago and I thought it was perfect for Castle and Beckett. An idea have been floating in my head for a fanfic for quite some time but never got around to writing it until now. I'm no writer, but hope you enjoy this little piece of fluff.
No spoilers but small references to 'Rise' and 'Kill Shot'
CAN'T TAKE MY EYES OFF OF YOU
It may come as a surprise to people but Richard Castle, the Bad Boy of Best Sellers, the press-anointed Casanova of Manhattan, has trouble romancing women.
Oh sure he's got plenty of charm. Most days, a wink of his eye, a crooked smile was all it takes to get women swooning over him. Of course being "Richard Castle" and the considerable wealth that goes with it certainly helps.
But when it comes to romancing a woman? Well frankly, he's never had to try that hard.
This is the problem he's facing at the moment. He is at a lost as to what to do. Because the woman Castle wants, one Detective Kate Beckett NYPD, will not be charmed. She needs to be romanced. No, she deserves to be romanced.
After their heart-to-heart on the swings at the park where Beckett had made it clear that she was not ready for a serious relationship, Castle had respected her wishes and gave her the space she clearly needed. But recently though, ever since the sniper case, Castle sensed a shift in her.
Throughout the three-plus years they've known each other, their relationship has been full of innuendos and flirtatious exchanges but lately Castle has noticed Beckett being more open, more easy with her laugh. There was something in her eyes when she looks at him now that tells him she might finally be ready to take the next step.
The time is now, Castle has decided, to make his move. This time, he will plan it out to the last detail. This time, it will be perfect. This time, Kate will not have her life bleeding out of her while he declares his love. Castle knows he has one chance to get it right. But what should he do?
Carriage ride at Central Park? Castle cringes at how cliché that sounds. Besides, what kind of an excuse can he come up with to convince Beckett to go to Central Park with him short of finding a body there?
Romantic dinner at a restaurant? Too public. He wants it to be intimate.
Romantic dinner at the loft? Too obvious. Beckett, being the first rate detective that she is, will know something was going on as soon as she walks through the door. She may be more open now but Castle knows it's still a fragile situation. The last thing he wants to do is push too hard and scares her into retreating behind her wall again.
He needs to get her into familiar surroundings, somewhere where she can relax then he can make his move, to push her just enough.
Frustrated at the lack of inspiration, Castle leans back on his chair, puts his legs up on the desk and took out his iPhone to begin a game of Angry Birds.
"Hey dad! I'm back from school." Alexis pokes her head into his office to announce her arrival home. "What are you doing?"
"Oh, nothing. Just waiting for a brainwave."
"Okay, I'm going to go do my homework." Assuming his father was talking about his writing the teenager starts to back out of the room.
"Hey Pumpkin?"
"Yeah dad?"
Castle cannot believe he is about to ask his daughter the question but he is desperate for an idea. "If a boy likes you, what can he do to win your heart?"
After thinking for a moment Alexis replies, "A nice romantic dinner and a serenade."
Castle's mind drifted back to a conversation he and Beckett had more than a year ago…
How do you know when you're in love?
All the songs make sense.
Castle practically leaps out of his chair as an idea starts to form in his head. He gave his daughter a quick kiss on the head as he walks pass her out of the office.
"Honey, you're an absolute genius! I have to go make a few phone calls."
It has been a week since the other muse in his life gave Castle an idea of a lifetime. He has spent the week calling in favours and putting everything into place.
It is now Friday afternoon, the end of an oddly, but definitely appreciated, quiet week at the 12th. Ryan and Esposito have already left for the weekend and Beckett is just about packed and ready to leave as well.
Time to get the show rolling, Castle thinks to himself.
"Hey Beckett," he begins casually. "Want to stop by the Old Haunt for a couple of drinks?"
"Why didn't you say something earlier? Espo and Ryan have already left," Beckett looks at him a little strangely. It was unusual for Castle to leave the guys out. The more the merrier is his motto. There's nothing Castle likes more than a rambunctious gathering.
"Oh, I mentioned something to them earlier but they're both busy," Castle easily tells the little white lie.
"Come on, what do you say? Just you and me?" He finishes it off with a little smile and a tilt of his head, giving her his best puppy dog look. Just because Beckett needs to be romanced, it doesn't mean she's immune to his charms.
And it works. Kate chews the inside of her cheeks then relents. "Oh, alright. Let's go Castle." She gives him a dazzling smile that makes Castle weak in the knees as she picks up her jacket and leads the way to the elevator.
Before long Beckett and Castle found themselves walking down the stairs that lead to the Old Haunt. Castle holds open the door and Beckett steps in before he follows closely behind.
The first thing Beckett noticed was that the bar was deserted. There was nobody there save Brian the Bartender cleaning up behind the bar and Eddie the Piano Man slowly playing a soft tune.
"Wow, it's really quiet today. How has business been Castle?" Kate comments. She knows that Castle bought the place for sentimental reasons and as a not a money-making investment, but still it wouldn't make sense for him to keep a place if it was bleeding money.
"Oh it's alright. It's not making huge money but it's not in the red either. There are days like this, it's the restaurant business," Castle nonchalantly replies. In truth, he had told his staff to make sure that the bar was closed and cleared of customers by the afternoon so that he and Kate will have the place to themselves.
Castle gently places his hand on the small of Beckett's back to lead her to what has become their usual booth in the back corner. As they pass the bar on their way, Castle signals to Brian to bring them a bottle of wine and two glasses.
The pair spends the next few hours drinking and chatting amicably. Talking about everything and nothing. Castle even managed to tease a few stories out of Kate about her youth by first sharing his own personal antics.
"… so then by the end of it, the entire class was covered in pink foam that smelled like rotten-eggs! Needless to say that was the end of my short-lived aspirations to become a perfume maker," Kate could barely finish her story between huffs of uncontrollable laughter.
Castle looks at Kate from across the table, he hasn't been able to stop staring at her all night and he couldn't help but have the biggest smile on his face. He loves seeing her like this. Relaxed, having fun and, at least temporarily, without any burden to weigh her down. He hopes that he can bring this joy to her life more often.
Castle looks down to check his watch for the time. It should be ready by now. "It's getting late, why don't we get some dinner?"
"Where do you have in mind?" Kate asks as she finishes the last of her wine.
"I was thinking we can just stay here."
"Castle, you own a bar. Chicken wings and celery sticks do not qualify as dinner."
"Oh ye of little faith. Prepare to be surprised," Castle teases as he starts to write a quick text on his phone.
True, typically the Old Haunt offers nothing more than chicken wings and other finger food in terms of edible nourishment but today Castle has brought in the big guns.
Ever since Maddie had introduced them over two years ago, Castle has kept in touch with Rocco DiSpirito. As he was planning this day, Castle had called the chef up for a favour to cook a spectacular 4 course meal for him and Kate. Rocco had readily agreed so long as in exchange Castle agreed to feature his restaurant in his next Nikki Heat novel.
And he has been working away at the bar's spartan kitchen all afternoon.
A beep signals an incoming text on Castle's phone. It is Rocco replying to let him know everything is ready.
"Dinner will be out in 5 minutes," Castle tells Kate.
Kate looks at him oddly, sensing something wasn't quite right but she was enjoying the evening too much to question it.
Castle gets up from the booth and heads behind the bar to pick out another bottle of wine. He had earlier sent the bartender home for the night. Now it is just him and Kate, with Eddie still playing on the piano to accompany their conversation. Castle still needs the piano man for the last portion of the evening.
As Castle pours each of them a new glass of wine, Rocco DiSpirito walks out from the hallway that led to the Kitchen holding in each hand their first course of the evening.
"Rick! Ah, this must be the lovely Detective Beckett I keep hearing so much about," Rocco says as he places their soup on the table. "Nice to finally meet you Kate. Both Maddie and Rick here have told me so many great things about you."
"Ahh… nice to meet you too," Kate says while shaking the chef's offered hand, a bit stunned to see a celebrity chef coming out of the Old Haunt's tiny kitchen.
"I hope you enjoy the soup and I'll be right back with the lobster risotto," Rocco says as he disappears again down the hallway.
"Castle, what's going on?" Kate asks as her detective instincts are fully kicking in.
"What? Nothing. There's been so many tough cases lately, we finally get a bit of a break this week I thought it would be nice to end it with a nice dinner so I call in a favour that's all. Now eat your soup before it gets cold."
Kate gives Castle a look that she normally reserves for suspects when she knows they're bs-ing her. But the soup does smell amazing so she let it slide for the moment and picks up her spoon.
They continue their easy flowing conversation through the risotto, follow by perfectly slow-cooked Australian lamb shanks and are now on to a classic crème brûlée.
"Okay, I have to give this one to you Castle. This is a hell of a way to finish a week," Kate says after one last spoonful of the dessert.
"Thank you," Castle offers her a full blown smile and reaches across the table with his left hand to pick up her right.
Kate stiffens a little at the unexpected touch but Castle was heartened to see that she doesn't pull away.
"I'm glad you enjoyed the night Kate. I have a bit of a confession to make. I've been planning this. I deliberately closed down the bar early and left the guys out tonight so you and I can have some quiet time alone."
Kate rolls her eyes but smiles to indicate she is not angry at his deception. "I figured as much Castle. Not even you can finagle a top-rate chef to cook a meal like that in a couple of hours."
Castle has the look of a little boy getting caught with his hand in the cookie jar but continues to smile nonetheless. His hand still holding on to Kate's, Castle unconsciously begins to softly caress his thumb over the top of her hand.
His expression turns earnest as he continues. "I had a great time tonight too Kate. I feel so privilege that you trust me enough to share your childhood stories with me. You had me intrigued the first time you hauled me into the precinct to question me about those murders pattern after my books.
"You were someone who didn't fall for my usual charms and tricks. And I admit at first, I saw you as a challenge. I was determined to get you to fall for me. But as I got to know the real you, you became so much more. More than a challenge, more than a muse. You must know I haven't stuck around the past 3 years just to do research. I've got enough material to write books longer than War and Peace. It's not about the books any more. It's you Kate. I want to be with you. That's why I've showed up every day at the precinct with coffee in hand."
Castle finally lets go of Kate's hand and gets out of his side of the booth. He gives Eddie a quick nod which the piano man returns and begins to play a new tune.
The music doesn't sound familiar to Kate and she's startled when Castle begins to sing.
"You're just too good to be true.
Can't take my eyes off of you.
You'd be like Heaven to touch.
I wanna hold you so much.
At long last love has arrived
And I thank God I'm alive.
You're just too good to be true.
Can't take my eyes off of you.
Pardon the way that I stare.
There's nothing else to compare.
The sight of you leaves me weak.
There are no words left to speak,
But if you feel like I feel,
Please let me know that it's real.
You're just too good to be true.
Can't take my eyes off of you.
I love you, baby,
And if it's quite alright,
I need you, baby,
To warm a lonely night.
I love you, baby.
Trust in me when I say:
Oh, pretty baby,
Don't bring me down, I pray.
Oh, pretty baby, now that I found you, stay
And let me love you, baby.
Let me love you.
You're just too good to be true!"
After Castle finishes, he slowly walks back to Kate and takes her both her hand in his. "Kate, I love you. I've loved you for so long. I can't keep pretending otherwise. I know you feel something for me too."
Castle looks deep into her eyes almost as if daring her to deny what he said.
"Castle…" Kate looks down, unable to keep eye contact. "… Rick, I've still got so much to work through. I'm not sure I'm ready."
"You are Kate, you are ready. You've been different lately. You've come a long way. I can sense it. Kate, I'm not asking you to move in with me tomorrow and start a family. If you want to take things slow, we can. I understand that. I would be surprise if it was anything otherwise. I just want you to give me a chance. Give us a chance."
Kate finally looks up and is surprised at the depths of feelings reflecting from Castle's eyes.
"Slow?"
"Yeah. Whatever you're comfortable with." Castle takes a chance and slides into Kate's side of the booth and softly cups her face with his hand.
After what seems like an eternity to Castle, Kate gives an almost imperceptible nod. "I trust you Rick."
Castle lets out a laugh and pulls Kate into a hug. He feels like his heart is about to jump out of his chest.
Pulling back slightly, Castle places a chaste kiss on the side of Kate's mouth.
"Thank you Kate."
"No, thank you Rick. For tonight. For pushing. For being you."
"Always. Come on, let's get out of here."
Castle holds onto Kate's hand tightly as they slip out of the booth. Rick gives Eddie a quick look as they're pulling on their jackets.
"Don't worry boss, I'll close up."
"Thanks Eddie. Good night!'
Castle holds the door open for Kate like he had done hours earlier. The newly minted couple walks hand-in-hand into the night to begin the next chapter in their relationship.
END
The original singer of "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You" was Frankie Vallie but I like this version by John Barrowman youtube . com/watch?v=wLsI7KAQ0qo