DISCLAIMER: "Castle" and all its wonderful characters are the property of ABC and Andrew Marlowe. Much as I enjoy playing with them, I unfortunately do not own them. Please don't sue me.
She can see only him. In his red shirt and brown coat, two cups of coffee in his hands, scanning the room, for her.
Their eyes meet. Smokey green and deep blue. They stare. They pass words and thoughts non-verbally. Their language, the language of the eyes.
She didn't think he would come in this morning. Not after her outburst the night before. She'd snapped that she didn't want to hear about the stewardess anymore. Then the word vomit began. And she finally said what she felt – how hurt she was that he gave up on her, that he stopped waiting, that he hadn't bothered to warn her. He could have at least let her down easy.
She'd stared at him then, eyes wide, mouth agape – in shock – because the words spoken out loud sounded so needy, so desperate. And she hated that. She didn't want to need him.
But his face was shock as well. And confusion.
"You heard me though. And you lied. And you didn't want me," he says, dejected.
It was her turn to be confused. "I've always wanted you."
Then she turned and fled. Ran away like she usually did when faced with addressing the harsh truths of her personal life. When he didn't run after her she assumed that was it. She went home and downed half a bottle of wine, feeling pathetic, expecting to never see him again.
But he came. And their eyes are locked now. All the awkward she expected slips away and they see, together.
He hands her the coffee. They take a sip together, tentative and slow – more non-verbal communication. And she knows she's not making this up, because his eyes are on hers the whole time and they say so much.
She also knows that non-verbal only gets so far. Dr. Burke would be proud.
So she nods her head towards the interview room.
"Can we talk?"
She speaks first, because she's feeling bold, a feeling that comes in spurts. She doesn't want to lose it.
"Castle I-"
The door clicks open, but it might as well be a gun shot the way they both startle. No, not again.
"Hey Beckett, I've got Javier Gonzalez in interrogation." Ryan peaks his head in.
Beckett glares.
Their suspect. Right.
He recoils, glancing between the two of them nervously.
"Or it can wait-"
"No, I'll be there in a second," she snaps. She shouldn't be so harsh, but he's made a habit of interrupting important conversations. She's frustrated. There's always something in the way. The moment is never right. She's so damn frustrated.
She finds Castle's eyes again. An apology. For her job. For interruptions.
He nods. Later.
She hopes this time he means it.
But the bold is still there, simmering under the surface and it won't let her leave it all to the mercy of the universe. She's rolled that dice before. She knows it's weighted against her.
So she stops him when he turns to leave. She grips his arm tightly as though some force will pull him from her. And she lifts up on her toes to kiss him, laying claim to Later with something more concrete. Something more real. A new form of non-verbal communication.
She leaves him without another word, deliberately keeping her eyes forward, towards the interrogation room and her suspect.
But while she coaxes a confession out of him, she can't contain the upward tilt of her lips and the love sick expression she knows is all over her face.
Because he kissed her back, brought his hands to her face, held her there like he was afraid she'd slip away. He kissed her back and that said so much more than words.
A/N – I've had this one on the back-burner but with no new episode this week I figured we could all use some Casketty goodness. This is a three-shot, the remaining two chapters are mostly written, they just need some added layers, so keep an eye out for them this week.
As always, please review. Even the simple "like" or "dislike" is much appreciated.
Fight On and You'll Never Walk Alone