An Encounter with DMB (Doctor Motorcycle Boy)
Filling these prompts: "They run into one of their exes (post-couple)" and "Josh's reaction to the undercover kiss in 3x13 (Knockdown)"
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"Excuse me, pardon me." She's weaving her way through the dense crowd. Someone is calling her name. It's not Castle's voice though.
"Kate! Kate, wait." Is that…?
She sheepishly turns around. "Josh! What are you doing?" The disbelief evident in her voice.
His face breaks into a relieved grin. "Oh thank god I found you." He takes a step closer. "Why haven't you been answering your cell?"
Oh, funny story, she deleted his number. "Sorry, been busy with work," she lies.
He reaches out his hand, palm against her cheek and she flinches away. "What the hell?" She's momentarily shocked.
The warm press of familiar hands against her waist slows her raging heart.
It's not until she brushes a strand of hair behind her ear that Josh notices the ring on her finger.
"Oh. Oh." He's not embarrassed though. He looks…angry. "You married this guy. Seriously?"
How had he not known? She married Richard Castle for goodness sake. He lives in the public eye. Oh, right. He's been saving the world in remote locations.
"Hey!" Castle pipes up, a bit offended. "Yes, we did marry, over a year ago. What's your problem?"
Beckett presses her back closer into the wall of Castle's chest. Searching for comfort, for protection.
Josh aims an incredulous look towards the writer. "What's my - are you serious?" He takes a thundering step forward; Castle wraps his arm tighter around his wife. "Kate, he put you in danger, he's the one who got you shot!"
Kate is taken aback by his rude claim. "I'm sorry, uh, I'm pretty sure he didn't plan my shooting," She said with disbelief. "And, for the record-"
Josh cuts her off. "So you dumped me and then, what? Jumped him the first chance you got, I suppose," he scoffs. "Or even better, you probably didn't wait until I was gone. I read that report, Kate. I know what happened."
She is stunned. "What are you talking about?"
"The guy you knocked out, he was in the hospital when I was on shift. I heard him recounting about a 'hot drunk brunette' and 'the tall guy' making out before the brunette knocked him out cold." He finishes, cold, steel eyes burning into her.
"That could've been anyone with a description like that," Castle replies evenly.
"Uh yes, that's what I thought. So you know what I did?" He pauses for effect, drawing it out. "I found the patient file; it really wasn't hard. But what I read was quite, shall I say, descriptive." He has a disdainful look on his face.
Beckett is still too outraged to speak rationally, so Castle takes over. "Look, Josh, we were undercover. It was the only-"
"'They weren't supposed to be in the area but staggered around and laughed anyway. I went over to drive them away, but then the man pulled the girl in for a kiss.'" He stops reciting the, apparently, well-memorized report. Castle's mouth opens and closes, unsure of what to say.
Josh clears his throat. "But wait! There's more. 'I thought the girl was going to slap him but then she dove right back in,'" Josh finishes with a satisfied smirk on his face.
Beckett finds her voice. "Josh, this is just unacceptable. Seriously. It's been five years. It was never going to work between us anyway. You even agreed when we broke things off." Her anger is rising. "So why now, Josh? Why bring all this up right now. Is it because you can see how happy I am?" She looks to Castle adoringly. "How happy we are?"
He hangs his head, shame washing over his face. Taking a deep breath, he then looks up.
"I'm sorry, guys." He sounds genuine now. "Really, I am. I had no right, I should be happy for you, Kate. Seeing how happy he makes you." He takes a step back; Castle loosens his grip on Kate when she relaxes. Their hands are clasped, still needing the connection.
Josh huffs a laugh. "You know, it would've been pretty handy to have New York papers, or access to the Internet when I was over in Haiti. Probably would've prevented this from happening."
Castle and Beckett nod their heads slowly, in synchronization, still slightly skeptical.
Josh wipes a hand down his face, composing himself. "It was, uh, nice seeing you again, Kate. You too Castle." Then he turns and strides away, his shredded pride trailing behind him.
Castle draws Beckett in for an embrace. "Well, that was-"
"-Horrifying!" she finishes.
"I was going to say interesting, but horrifying works too."
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A/N: Like I've said before; I don't like Josh, but I do believe he was essential to the show. I like reading fic where he is portrayed as an a** though, because that's what I want to believe he was actually like, even though he probably wasn't. :)