Hey folks, so this is my very first Castle story - eep! I can't believe it has taken me this long.
I used to write a bit of CSI fanfiction but that silly thing known as life and the responsibilities that go with it keep intervening and I find I just don't get the time. I have been absolutely LOVING Season 4 of Castle so far - Cops and Robbers (ZOMG!)
So I really wanted to write a Caskett fic, as I am now a HUGE shipper. This will be 7 chapters, and I will post a chapter a day for a week :-)
I hope you all enjoy - please comment if you get the chance and thanks for reading!
DISCLAIMER: Andrew Marlowe is more than welcome to leave Castle to me in his will - until then, I have no show (No pun intended!)
CHAPTER 1
Castle sat at his office desk, reading a the New York Times. The title of this particular article read:
"RICHARD CASTLE: CHAMP OR CHUMP?"
The article talked mostly about what Castle referred to as "That other series"; the Derrick Storm novels and then began to touch on the sensitive subject that his mother oft brought up. His possible over-involvement with the NYPD.
"Some may wonder what the mystery writer's intentions truly are. He has been shadowing members of the NYPD for more than three years now, and people are starting to believe that he fancies himself more of a cop than he does a writer. "I'm just waiting on my honorary badge now", Castle was quoted as saying today, flashing his prized grin.
Castle shook his head - stupid. He continued to read.
"Everyone is aware that he has been "Playing cop", to gain insight into the minds of killers and the inner workings of the homicide unit for his new series of mystery/crime novels surrounding the character "Nikki Heat". But after two successful books having been released already, surely he has identified well enough with his muse to write an entire library of books. The real-life Nikki Heat, Det. Katherine Beckett does not regularly comment on her opinion of her alter-ego, but as for the author, she has this to say. "Mr. Castle has become an invaluable part of this team. There have been many cases where his insights have proven extremely useful to our investigations; and I now consider him to be my partner."
Castle wondered how hard she had to bite her tongue to get that lot out, but it still made him feel warm inside.
"But many people are saying they don't feel entirely comfortable with the idea of an untrained, unarmed civilian parading the streets, and questioning them. After all, Mr. Castle has never taken an oath to protect any more than his own image, and what exactly he is trying to make that be, is unclear."
Castle looked at the last line, fixated on it. It wasn't until his phone rang that he finally diverted his eyes. He looked at the caller I.D - KB it said on it.
With a small sigh, he hit the call button and put the phone to his ear.
"Hey Beckett", he said melancholily. He could feel Beckett's brow furrow on the other end. "Castle, are you ok? Is everything alright?"
"Yeah", he said halfheartedly. "I assume we have a murder".
Beckett replied, concern evident in her voice "Well we do but if you're not feeling up to it then..."
"No, no", Castle said quickly. "No I'll be there, what's the address?"
"It's on the corner of 59th and Lexington, but seriously though Castle, if you're not up to it, I think I could manage one case without you." Beckett smiled into the phone.
"I will be there Beckett", Castle snarled slightly into the phone, and hung up.
Whoa. Beckett blinked. That wasn't like her Castle at all.
"Wait", she thinks to herself. "Did I really just think the words "My Castle?" Shaking her head, she picked up her jacket off the back of her chair and walked to the elevator of the precinct.
Beckett was leaning up against the barrier of a stone staircase outside the victim's apartment when Castle arrived.
She gave him a dazzling smile. "What, no coffee?" she joked.
Castle shut his eyes, looking like he wanted to kick himself. How could he forget the sacred ritual of bringing their morning coffee?
Seeing the look on his face, Beckett's smile faltered. She tapped his forearm.
"Hey, I'm only kidding."
He still looked guilty. Beckett tried to say something to make him smile. "It's not like we're married and you usually bring me a red rose every day, but then suddenly one day you forget. That would mean something, but this; it's only coffee." She smiled gently up at him.
"Are you telling me you want me to start bringing you a red rose every day from now on?" he only half joked, still looking moody.
Beckett bit the inside of her cheek, looking slightly flushed. "I'm a cop, the coffee is more useful." Castle nodded. They began to walk inside.
"So come on, tell me. Something is obviously troubling you." Castle gave her a quick glance and then took an interest in the floor. "Do you-" he started but couldn't finish.
"What?" Beckett instantly pried. Castle almost smiled at just her sweet insistence. "Do you think I'm a chump?" He mainly asked the floor.
Beckett sighed. "So, you read the times this morning huh?"
"Yes!" Castle groaned.
Beckett looked at him sympathetically, he was adorable when he got all perplexed and pouty like this.
"You know Castle these people, these reporters, they're not psychologists."
Castle watched her as she continued. "I mean what do they know about anything? You're a successful writer, something that none of them ever achieved. They're probably just envious that you get to be out being inspired by this city, writing books that have a huge, dedicated fan base and the majority of their time is spent in a cramped little office, writing on hundred year old typewriters, stuff that people read once at most and then never again."
Castle shrugged. "I think they might have actually started using computers last month though". Beckett laughed and her eyes eyes sparkled as they caught the last ray of light before they reached the shade of the interior of the apartment building. "Do not tell anybody I said this but you're kind of cute when you're moody."
Castle couldn't hold back the smile this time.
They rode the elevator in silence, there was a silent agreement that they had nearly reached the line between co-workers and lovers already today, and it wasn't even 10 o'clock.
They walked into a light room on the 5th floor. Lanie leaned over a young blonde.
"Hey Lanie", Kate greeted her.
"Don't ask me, I don't know", Lanie said matter-of-factly.
Kate brow furrowed, confused. "Ask you what?"
"Anything! She's been here for three to five days, that's about all I can tell you." Lanie sighed as she stood up. "I've been here for a half hour and I am totally stumped for the first time in a long time."
"About the body?" Castle asked.
"About the victim", Lanie said, giving him a look.
He looked at his feet, he definitely wasn't on form today.
Lanie then felt a little guilty. "Hey by the way Castle, hot photo in the times today", she said, trying to rectify her rudeness.
Beckett instantly grimaced. Castle slowly looked up at Lanie, with dark eyes.
"Well if the body isn't speaking to us, we'll just have to learn from the scene," Beckett said quickly, in an attempt to move away from the awkwardness of the moment.
"Uh, yeah well that's your domain girl, Lanie said looking shiftily at Castle, confused at his behavior. Still drawling out her words she said, "I've collected fingernail scrapings, but didn't see any kind of a struggle, well on the bod- the victim anyway. This room is a whole other story though, it's the only reason we were even called in, place is a mess. I've run a sexual-assault kit, no findings there, although there was evidence of intimate relations shortly before death."
She still had her eye on Castle who had crossed the room and was now sitting at a bay window. She turned to Beckett and whispered. "What's his deal?"
Beckett shook her head. "You didn't actually read the article in the times this morning did you?" "Girl, I didn't even see the picture, Javi just told me there was an obnoxiously large photo of our resident writer in the times! You know I don't read the newspaper, I don't need to read about the bad stuff that goes on in this town, I see enough of it at work, and chances are if it's in the paper, I already know about it." Lanie shot back.
Beckett lowered her voice. "The tabloids are saying that Castle is becoming some kind of a sad cling-on to the department."
"Well he kinda is", Lanie said obviously. Beckett was surprised at how offended she felt by that comment.
"Wait a second", Lanie eyed Beckett suspiciously. "You're starting to get quite attached to Mr. Writer Boy aren't you?"
"He saved my life Lanie, more than once, and he saved yours, and half of the city's as well." Wow, Beckett thought to herself, he really did do those things, a swell of devotion washed over her.
Lanie smirked, nodding her head. "It's not until you're forced to defend someone that you realize how special they are, is it?" With one last pointed look at Beckett, she walked out of the room.
Beckett bit her lip, Lanie had played her well. She turned to look at Castle who was still sitting at the window, staring blankly out of it. Taking a breath, she crossed the room and sat next to him as the EMT crew removed the seemingly undisturbed body from the room.
Deciding more words were not what he needed right now, she gently placed a hand on his thigh. She noticed him swallow a lump in his throat. "They don't know what it means you know,", he said suddenly. Beckett waited for him to continue. "I was never good at much else, writing was all I ever felt good doing. Maybe they're right though, maybe it's time to move on to a new series."
Beckett's eyes widened. Oh god, she was actually panicking at the prospect of no more Nikki Heat. And of course, No more Castle.
"Castle, you are the only one who can write the way you write. That's why people love your books. As annoyed as I first was with it, I now know what you saw in the idea of Nikki Heat." She couldn't believe she was about to say something so prophetic to him. "It's genius Castle, it's inspired."
Slowly his head turned, eyes narrowed, the ghost of a smirk on his lips.
Beckett felt herself blushing again. He put his hand on top of hers which was still rested on his thigh. She looked down at it, remembering another time when they had sat just like this.
"Thank you, really", he said in a tone so soft, reserved especially for her. She gave him a sweet smile. "I'm lucky I've been so successful as a writer but I still get a lot of scrutiny thrown my way at times."
"Least of all from Gates", she joked. Castle laughed. Beckett wondered if she should shrug his hand off of hers, before she could come to a conclusion, he'd lifted his off and turned back to stare out the window at pedestrians. She almost felt the urge to tug it back.
"Castle", she muttered. He craned his neck around. "I'm going to need all the help I can get with this case. From what it appears, there's no worldly explanation as to why she's even dead. I could use a few crazy theories."
Castle beamed and opened his arms. "I'm your man."
