AN: Hi guys. I'm relatively new to Castle fandom and this is my first fic. I am working on my own piece, and original character, but this little scene hit me while soaking in the tub. I quite like it and thought I'd share.
I had no beta so any mistakes are mine. And if anyone would like to read my original work, let me know. I'm always looking for insights.
Sorry if this is out of character.
The Who and When
The lights were out in the bathroom, candles the only source of light available. But there were at least 50 of them. The entire room smelled of lemon grass from the stress relief aromatherapy bubble bath. The water was scalding hot, making her skin tingle when she got in. Jazz music played softly in the background, filling the room with a soothing lull. She sighed as her back hit the cold porcelain of the huge claw foot tube in the middle of the room. She reached for her wine glass on the small table in arms reach, breathing in the soothing scent and feeling the stress of the day dissolve from her body. Beside the wine glass sat two things, her cell phone and her newest conquest: James Patterson's newest release I, Alex Cross.
They had just finished a case and Kate Beckett could think of no better way to celebrate the fact that another murderer was off the streets than a hot bubble bath and a good read. As she delved into the pages she'd been longing to read but hadn't had time, she lost herself in the chase of yet another murder, this one fictional. She felt time passing only in a vague way as she turned page after page. Finally the only reason she even noticed the fact that it was getting late was the fact that her bath water was suddenly cold. She reached for her cell phone to find out what time it was. She found instead a notification that she'd missed 4 calls from Castle. Her phone had been on silent.
She but the book down and reached for the plug in the bottom of the tub. She stood and grabbed her huge white towel, wrapping herself in it and drying off the tiny droplets of water that collected on her skin. She sighed again, knowing that eventually she would have to deal with the phone calls she had missed but avoiding that until the very last second. She stepped from the tub and wrapped the towel around her. She grabbed the now empty wine glass and the book and made her way out of the bathroom.
She walked through the master bedroom and put the book on the bedside table. From there she moved into the kitchen, intent on refilling her wine glass. Just as she passed into the kitchen, a rapid knock came to her door. She walked barefooted to the peep hole. Looking out she saw a very frazzled Castle, his hair out of place and his face drawn in worry. Suddenly she felt guilty for having ignored the man's phone call attempts. Forgetting her state of dress, or undress as that may be, she opened the door to him.
"Castle." She said, moving from the door and allowing him to pass through. He shoved his hands into his jacket pockets and walked in, keeping his head down.
"You didn't answer your phone." He said, almost apologetically. "And I didn't know what else to do. I'm in way over my head."
"I was in the bath." She said, turning towards him. Her brow furrowed in confusion and concern.
"Its Alexis." He said simply, beginning to pace in her kitchen.
"Is she ok? What happened?" Beckett asked, moving towards him in concern. He finally looked up to meet her eyes. She say his eye travel from her eyes to her wet hair. Then they traveled further south on her body, reaching the towel and pausing. He looked back up to her face with a small smile now showing.
"Why are you in a towel?" he asked, the concern leaving his face.
"I told you I was in the bath. What's wrong with Alexis?" he said, annoyed now that she appeared to have gotten concerned for no reason.
"She's asking me questions that I don't know how to answer." He said, the seriousness in his face returning. "I can't send her to Meridith. She's all the way across the country and even if she wasn't I wouldn't want her to give Alexis this advice. And I know what I want to say but I don't think it's a good idea….." he had resumed his pacing before Beckett interrupted him.
"Want to let me in on what exactly we're talking about here?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at him.
"Sex." He said, stopping his pacing to turn to her. He thought he saw her blush briefly.
"What?" she said, after a pause, crossing her arms in front of her and leaning on the counter in the kitchen.
"She's been asking me questions." Beckett again raised an eye brow in confusion
"You should have explained how that works a long time ago Castle." She said
"Not about the how, Beckett. About the who and the when. Questions she would usually ask her mother but her mother as previously explained isn't an option. And her grandmother would be an even worse decision. So she asks me and I don't know what to do. She already has a boyfriend that I'm not thrilled with and I'm worried…….." Castle had resumed his pacing and was now spouting off information at a speed she found a little hard to follow.
"You're worried she's going to have sex with her boyfriend?" Beckett asked, reaching for her wine glass.
"I'm afraid he's pressuring her to have sex when she's not ready." He said, dead serious, looking her straight in the eye.
"Wine?" she said after a beat, nodding her head in the direction of the bottle on the counter. When he nodded, she reached for a glass in the cabinet behind her and poured some for him. He took a sip and she thought about her answer.
"Alexis is a good kid, Castle. I'm sure that if you just tell her that she's special and needs to wait for someone who will treat her like she is, she'll understand." She said, raising her wine glass to her lips again. They were now leaning on opposite counters, the entire space of the kitchen between them.
"I know teenage boys. I don't want her having sex until she's 30." He said bitterly, drinking again.
"Castle, the chances of that are almost non-existent." She said, laughter in her voice.
"When did you lose your virginity?" Castle asked
"CASTLE!" she said in her disapproving tone.
"Sorry, inappropriate question." He said, a little twinkle in his. He smiled, "It almost worked though."
Beckett rolled her eyes. "You know, Alexis has her head on straight. If a guy is pressuring her, she's letting you know that. You just need to tell her that a guy worth having will take no for an answer." She looked down at her toes. "Sometimes all a girl needs to hear is that they're enough. And if her boyfriend's not saying that, she needs to hear you say it." Beckett looked him straight in the eye and the atmosphere in the room shifted.
Castle nodded after a moment, not breaking eye contact. "Thanks Beckett." He said simply. She averted her eyes and nodded.
"If she has any girl questions, send her to me. I'll be happy to talk." She whispered. When she finally met his gaze again, she found him smiling a devilish smile again.
"You're still in a towel." He remarked, sending a chill down her spine. He started to move toward her. "Want some help getting out of it?"
"Touch me and you die Castle." She said, anger and playfulness and a touch of fear in her eyes. Castle pouted with her, roaming his eyes over her body one last time.
"Fine killjoy but just so you know, this might be a late night for me." He paused, looking at her lips. "Nikki Heat and I have a date inspired by that towel. Call me if you want to give me some more material to work with." He winked at her.
"Castle you have the exact amount of time it takes me to get to my bedroom to get my gun to get out of this apartment." She said, eyes narrowed, arms crossed. He raised his arms in surrender, moving towards the door.
"Thanks Beckett. I mean that." He said, growing serious again.
"I know. And I meant what I said, send Alexis to me if you need to." She said as he walked out of her door.