This is a fic that came out a bit out of nowhere... But I really felt like writing it and took advantage of the weekend to get started.

I don't think I need to tell you what the inspiration for this story was, you'll most likely guess while reading it.

Also, the story is supposed to be set in season 1 after "Home is where the heart stops" as a "what if" story: What if Beckett had bid on Castle at the MADT gala and he now owed her a date? But really the story could be set just about anywhere. Depends how you want Beckett's hair to look really :))

Chapter 1

When the door bell rang, she was nowhere near ready, in fact she was still wearing a robe. With an annoyed sigh she went to open the door.

"Castle, you're early." she stated while he stepped into her apartment without an invitation.

"Sorry. I thought you'd be ready."

"Well maybe I would be, if you'd told me where we're going, so I know what to wear."

She examined his clothes and noticed he was wearing a pair of blue denims and a black, silky shirt. He looked rather dashing with a long black vest on his shoulders in lieu of a coat.

She felt reassured in the idea that at least, it wasn't some kind of posh place where ties and cocktail dresses were required.

"I am taking you to one of the best joints in the city."

She squinted her eyes a little.

"Not helping."

He smiled before giving her more details.

"It's bar I discovered while doing research for the Storm series. You'll love it."

"A bar eh?" she looked at him suspiciously.

"They have the best tequila in the city..."

"Of course they do." She paused a moment thoughtfully before adding "I have to say Castle, this is not what I would have imagined you'd do for a first... " She stopped herself when she realized what she was about to say "I mean, for the... this... hmmm..."

"Date?" he chimed in.

She scoffed; although that was precisely what she meant to say.

"This is not a date Castle. This is just me, letting you pay your debt so you can leave me alone and we can move on."

He gave her an amused look.

"Of course detective. Not a date. Just a man and a woman, going out, alone, together, at night."

"Exactly."

Then, seeing his grin and his words finally registering in her head, she gave him the stink eye and turned on her heels.

"I'll go get changed. You stay put."

His grin still plastered on his face, Castle made himself comfortable on the couch and picked up a magazine. When he grew bored of it he got up and started examining the room, looking at the very few photographs that hung on the walls. A couple were of a much younger Kate with both her parents. Castle examined one in particular of Kate on her mother's lap on the front porch of what he guessed was their house. Her mother was smiling and she was giggling in her arms. This young Kate looked adorable, innocent and so carefree. A contrast with the woman she'd grown into.

He was examining a photograph of Kate with her father when he heard her footsteps on the wooden floors and he straighten up to greet her. But when his eyes found her body, his mouth flew open, but no words came out.

Beckett was wearing a black leather jacket on top a white halter top, with a rather plunging V line and a pair of well-worn blue jeans. As his eyes trailed appreciatively along the forms of her body, they saw a pair of knee-high black leather boots covering her calves. Her shoulder-length hair hung loose, slightly brushing against her shoulders.

Castle unconsciously licked his lips.
Upon seeing his face, Beckett gave him a satisfied smile. He wanted to play? She could play.

"Are you ready Castle?" she asked nonchalantly while grabbing her keys and bag and heading for the door.

He blinked a few times, admiring the rear view and swallowed hard before following her out.

When the taxi dropped them off in front of a poorly-lit alley, Beckett frowned and turned to Castle.

"What kind of a bar is this exactly?"

"You'll see detective."

Beckett wasn't much for surprises, especially when they involved dark alleys and a careless writer. So, as a reflex, she slid her hand into her small handbag and wrapped it around the butt of her small glock.

Castle lead the way to the end of the alley where they found a metal door with no light at all. Her eyes immediately examined their surroundings, on the look-out for anything or anyone suspicious. The writer on the other hand seemed completely at ease and he pulled the door open, stepping aside to let her in first.

"Seriously Castle, what is this place?"

"Trust me detective, you'll like it."

She eyed him suspiciously. Trusting him on a regular basis was hard enough, trusting him now, in this alley, in front of this door, proved almost impossible.

"After you" he insisted, with a hand gesture showing her the way.

She let herself in, not wanting to show any signs of anxiousness to him. Behind the door she found stairs leading underground and lit with red neon lights. She stepped down, feeling slightly reassured when she heard Castle's footsteps behind her but not letting go of her glock.
As she arrived on the last steps and saw another metal door, she heard some music – apparently rock music – filtering through. She gave a quick glance behind her and Castle encouraged her to open the door. Which she did.

She wasn't sure what she expected exactly when she had agreed to this 'date', but this, was certainly not it. She took a few steps inside to take it all in.
The room was filled with two things: tables and pool tables and the music mixed with muted conversations and the click of balls rebounding off each other.

Beckett's jaw dropped and she turned to Castle, letting go of her glock. She was undeniably excited about this place, although she tried her best to hide it.

"What...? How did you...? Who...?" She failed.

Castle gave her a proud grin.

"I conducted my own little investigation detective." he explained mischievously "I couldn't take you just anywhere on our first date" he continued with a wiggle of his eyebrows "and when someone told me you were unbeatable at pool well... I just had to verify that fact. For research."

Beckett turned her head back to the room, admiring it. It was not just any pool bar, this one had a distinct class to it. The tables were made of hardwood and the banquettes around them covered in dark velour. The brick walls were decorated with various photographs and rock collectibles. The only lights in the rooms were the ones hanging above the pool tables or the smaller ones on the tables, giving a rather intimate feel to the place.

As Beckett stood there, admiring the room, she felt Castle's tentative hand on the small of her back, under her jacket, sending shivers up her spine. He incited her to step forward and she did, not really minding this unapproved touch at the moment.
He took her to the central bar which Beckett had just started to admire. The bar was completely circular and made of hardwood as well. Behind the two bartenders stood a high, large glass column filled with all sorts of spirits and other beverages.
Castle called one of the bartenders and ordered a bottle of tequila and two shooters.

After a few mandatory protests from Beckett, she finally gave in and he led her to one of the pool tables that seemed to be waiting for them. In fact, Beckett wondered if he hadn't reserved that table specifically, given that all the others were occupied and the bar certainly wasn't lacking patrons.
Their pool table was in one of the corners of the room, conveniently located away from the rest of the bar. Castle put down the bottle and shooters on the small table purposely placed there and took off his jacket, laying it on a nearby chair.

Beckett bit her lip, grateful for the darkness that surrounded her as she admired the man on the other side of the table. She didn't recall seeing this particular shirt before. It suited him. Certainly gave him another look; a lot more dashing, mysterious, sensual even... she liked it.

She snapped out of her thoughts when Castle handed her a cue. She took it and started putting chalk on its tip while he poured tequila in the two shooters.

"Simple rules. You lose, you drink."

Beckett's younger years came back to her and her playful side took over without warning.
She used to play this game every week in her rebel years and apparently he'd find out and was daring her to relive her youth and prove her reputation at pool.

She could have refused to go along with his plan so many times... At the MADT gala when she had bid on him, later on when he'd promise to pay his debt, when he'd offered to take her out at last, when he'd rang at her door, when they'd reached the bar and now, still now she could refuse. She could just turn away and leave.
But a part of her was curious. Curious to see what a date with Castle would be like. Curious to see if there was something there...
She was no fool, she knew their partnership was unconventional to say the least, it was odd even to her that she had let him stick around for so long. But, even if she couldn't fully admit it just yet, the fact was, she liked the man.
So yes, she was curious. And she was glad for the pretence of the bid to have an opportunity to go out with him. Just the two of them, hanging out, outside of work.
She'd let detective Beckett back at home and now Kate was ready to come out and play.

So, with a wicked grin, she placed her cue on the side of the table and slowly unzipped her jacket, watching Castle's mouth slowly open and his eyes grow a little wider.

Then she took it off and stepped around the table, on his side, walking between him and the table, brushing so close to him that he could smell her sweet cherry scent and she lay her leather jacket on top of his.

Castle's mouth opened a little wider still along with his eyes as he took in her exposed back and the ripple of her muscles as she moved around.

She turned to him, looking quite proud of herself.

"You're feeling lucky tonight Castle?" she asked in a suave voice.

He gulped.

"Oh I'm feeling all sorts of things..." he answered, his eyes roaming up and down her body.

She hid a small smile as she stepped to the pool table and racked the balls. Castle placed the cue ball on his side and stepped away.

"Ladies' first."

Beckett did not refuse the honour and walked to his side of the table.

She bent over the table, ready to take her shot, very much aware but uncaring of Castle's appreciative gaze on her body.

The sharp smack of balls slamming together took his attention from the muscles on her bare back to the green carpeted table where the balls ricocheted off each other. His smile disappeared, replaced with an ounce of worry when he saw two coloured balls enter different pockets.

"You're stripes" announced Beckett as she positioned herself for another shot.

The cue ball hit the number four ball and sent it neatly in a corner pocket. She straightened herself up and turned to Castle "Oh I forgot to ask, did you want to announce shots?"

Castle just stared, gob-smacked.

Something in his mind told him he was going to get his ass handed to him tonight.
Something else told him he didn't mind so much.