A/N – Hope you will like the first Chapter of my Story. The second Chapter is already more than half done, the third too. I added a 'Point of View - Police' to my Story, which is for the general Overview (Police=Beckett), as well as the Timestamps. This is my first Story ever and English isn't my native Language, I'm German. So, I must admit that I am more than just a little nervous. But I'm having fun writing it. :D
The Setting is after Headhunter in Season 4. Alright, Let's Go !
Point of View - Police
Wednesday, August the 10th
7:00 a.m. - Police were called to market Square for a report about a "suspicious coin." Investigating officer reported it was a quarter.
"I told you so" Beckett rolls her eyes and sighs. She already looses her interest in the coin and focuses instead on the people walking by. She doesn't look but she hears it and she knew it, he couldn't just let it be, he needs to touch it. So she watches out of the corner of her eyes how he sinks on his knees and reaches out for the coin. His muscles flexing and she tends her head slightly to see clearly how his biceps begin to fill out his dark blue dress shirt. Her eyes begin to roam over his broad back and down to the curve of his buttocks 'If I could just...'.
"That's not the point. The point is, that I was right all along." His blue eyes gaze up to her and she blinks, rapidly coming back from her musing and 'Shit' she feels busted. 'Did he see me staring? But wait, is he serious ?' She turns her body to fully face him. "You´re kidding, right ? You´re not even in the slightest right. It could be a coincidence." And now he pushes himself up with such energy, that Beckett takes one step back in fear that he jumps in her arms. His eyebrows shoot upward and he looks somewhat shocked. She does too.
"Excuse me ? Did I just hear Detective there-are-no-coincidences-withing-a-murder-investigation tell me, that it could be a coincidence ?" And he is waiting, isn't he. He stares at her and tilts his head. 'You're kidding right ? You really want a honest answer to that, Castle ?' She puts her hands on her hip and stares him down. "This is not a murder investigation, Castle."
The corner of his mouth twitches and his eyes begin to shine. 'He doesn't give up, does he ?'
"Well, it is a murder of some sort..." He grins mischievously and she looks for a blink of a second down to his lips. 'Yeah, right...' She folds her arms and narrows her eyes, fixating him.. "Murder of what , Castle ? My nerves?" His whole posture changes instantly, his shoulders sink and his hands go into his pockets. "Oh come on Beckett, aren't you even a little bit curious about it ?" And now he gets annoying, 'Great' she thinks. So she goes for a distraction.
"The only thing I am curious about at the moment is, where I get my coffee. Do you see any coffee shops nearby ?" 'This whole trip was a waste of time, but maybe I can still get at least some use out of it.. ' She lets her arms hang loose against her sides and starts looking around. 'There must be .. somewhere .. just one little hot delicious cup of coffee. Exactly what...'. "Really Detective ? You are dumping this investigation for your primal needs ?" she spins her head and observes him. The corner of her mouth goes up and she grins seductive, her eyes shining with mischief as she steppes directly in front of him. "Believe me, Castle. You do not want to talk about my primal urges at the moment."
He gulps and his head moves back for an inch. His eyes roam hasty over her face and settle finally on her eyes. 'Oh, he is nervous.' she can tell. And a second later, she would have almost missed it, his expression changes completely, from nervous boy to cocky playboy. "I know one or two things about primal force Detective. I could lean you my expertise." Her smile vanishes right away and she can't resist, she rolls her eyes at him. With a confident step backwards she straightens her posture and narrows his eyes at him. "Coffee, Castle."
"Right." He nods, a grin still placed on his handsome face. "Every partnership needs a good foundation. So, coffee shop it is." And with that, he turns his head away and scans the area for their own personal drug dealer. 'Oh he thinks he is so smart, doesn't he... '
Three loud knocks shake her out of her daydream and she needs some seconds to recover from the fantasy her imagination put her into. 'Was that the door ?' She looks around, her hands still resting on the newspaper from today and a half full cup of coffee beside it. She takes it in her hand, sips it 'Great, already cold'' and makes her way to her door. A really short, old man with tousled grey hair and glasses greets her with a grin which reminds her of Joker from the last Batman movie she saw. 'Well, if that isn't creepy..' she thinks as she looks down to him and notices the pack of mail in his hands. "Mr. Padrovsky." she greets her neighbor with a polite smile. "Is there something you need ?". He still stares up at her with this weird look on his face. "Actually,.." he starts to reply "I bring your mail. Am I disturbing something ?" he stretches his neck and looks past her. Beckett regards him with a raised eyebrow 'Seriously ?'.
"No, I'm just reading the paper. But thank you, Mr Padrovsky." she reaches for her mail as he drops his arms to his sides, which leaves the mail out of her radius. She furrows her brow a question on her lips as he begins "I told you, call me Harold." bewilderment plastered on her face as he goes on "So, make breakfast. I join you." he said nodding in direction of her kitchen. "Excuse me ?" was all she could get out at her current stunned state. 'What is wrong with this man ?' With slight force she begins to clasp her fingers stronger around the coffee cup and takes a deep breath. 'He is over 70, be patient.'
"Ms Beckett," he seems on some sort of mission "you should have a man on your side in your advanced age. I volunteer, with pleasure." his grin widened even more as he steps inside her apartment. 'Okay, that's it.' she takes his arm and shoves him out of her apartment. "Thank you for bringing my mail, which i easily could have get myself. I don't think I need to listen to you calling me old. Seriously, what is wrong with you ?" she takes her mail out of his hand after putting him in front of her door and closes it with the words "Don't answer that. Have a nice day." adding with more force "Mr Padrovsky."
Behind the closed door she hears him leaving. She still can't believe it. 'What exactly just happened ?' After closing her eyes for a beat she makes her way back to the newspaper. Watching for the time she nods and gets herself a new coffee. 'Still 30 minutes left' she thinks and sits again, her eyes begin to roam over the section she last read, Police Reports. 'There are really some weird ones..'. Tipping with her finger over a specific line, she murmurs "A caller reported a suspicious vehicle stopping at mail boxes. Investigating officer reported it was the mailman." She rolls her eyes, 'Great use of police force.'. As she goes over some other articles, a thought hits her. 'Maybe the caller was Castle. Thinking the postman was a disguised CIA agent. I can clearly see him stalking the poor man.' A slight smile begins to show on her face before reality comes back to her.
She sighs and leans back. An uneasy feeling crawling out of her subconscious. 'Its already two month..' she thinks and rubs absently at her wrist. 'Maybe he doesn't come back.'Closing her eyes she remembers the last time seeing him.
Five Days Ago...
Wednesday, August the 5th
The clock reminds her that it is already 6.42 pm and even the sun, starting to get set, yells at her that the night is coming. 'Only some pages left..' Beckett sighs loud as she works herself through some annoying paragraphs. The whole day was just a single pain in the ass, full of paperwork. And she hated it, more than normal. It was boring and exhausting, especially when Ryan and Espo were out and no one was there to distract her with some goofy remarks or refills of coffee.
Her brows furrow and she starts fidgeting with her pen, concentrating on her work as she hears the elevator doors opening. Her insides begin to twist as she hears it, the low and rich laugh of Richard Castle, echoing through the bullpen. She tries to resist the urge to turn her head, fighting an inner battle with herself, her annoyance and frustration against the urge to be near and fulfilled with just .. Castle. In an instant she rolls her eyes at her own silliness. 'Jeez, get it together.'
As she hears Detective Slaughters stupid remark to something Castle must have said, she turns her head. Unable to let the moment to get a glimpse at him go to waste. And as she slowly turns her head sideways, she can't prevent her jaw to drop to the ground by the sight twenty feet from her. That wasn't at all was she was expecting.
In the hallway, the middle of the bullpen, was Castle, offering an impressing view of his determined walk with Slaughter beside him. Only dressed in a black v-shirt and dark blue jeans he makes a breathtaking appearance.
It hit her completely by surprise as her cheeks went deep red while her eyes catches the pronounced muscles on his body. Yes, she noticed him getting fit over the last months, but she hasn't seen him in such tight clothes, which hugged his body this good, in ages. 'Oh God. He must have lost around 20 pounds of weight...' she thinks 'and gained quite some muscles.'
She watches silent as the two of them make their way to Captain Gates office. But before he and Detective Slaughter enter, Castle stops and begins so fumble with his phone. Not wanting to get caught staring, Beckett lowers her view to the papers on her desk, because she is working, inst she ? She doesn't look busy, she is busy. 'Yeah, right..'she mentally rolls her eyes. Her ears make out a "Again ?" from the bothered sounding Detective Slaughter. "You're starting to make a habit out of it, Sherlock." he complains and Beckett lifts her head the moment Slaughter gives Castle a slight punch to the Shoulder. "Go, but you know what that means. You pay the next drinks !" Her eyes follow Castle, roaming over his broad back as he vanishes from the bullpen without looking at her at all.
A chorus of horns shake Kate back. With her cup of coffee in tow she makes her way over to her window. The cold from the night still present in her wooden floor and she begins to wiggle her toes inside her socks. She studies the people down on the street, already full in motion. Which reminds her, 'The time...' she thinks and with a quick view to her watch she reassured herself that she has still some minutes left. Leaning against her window she inspects the mug. The black ceramic capturing her coffee, with big white letters printed on the front, is clutched between her fingers. 'At least you don't slip through my fingers' she thinks at she eyes her cup which reads Richard Castle.
'How did I even get this thing ?' one eyebrow lifts up and she shakes her head slightly. 'Alright, I remember. Forget that.'was all she thought before focusing back on the problem at hand.
Castle.
He was pulling away, even after she helped him and had his back at Slaughters case with the severed heads. 'And I thought it had been enough..' she cursed inwardly at her own incapability to get through to him. To show him that no matter what had happened, she was still there. They were partners, she will have his back. 'Maybe he is really tired of waiting for me. Maybe Lanie and Dr Burke were right.' shaking her head she concludes 'Maybe ? It should be clear by now that I definitely waited too long...'. she bumps her head lightly against the glass of the window.
"So Beckett, what do you want to do now?" she asks herself low-voiced like Dr Burke would ask her the question. 'It would be a start to have him back in the team, so...' and there was the main problem, wasn't it.
Gates.
Two month ago Captain Victoria Gates was on some sort of rampage after hearing Castle telling her that he was finished with Slaughter and wants to come back. She can still hear the Captains furious voice resounding through the walls. "This is not your personal jungle Mr Castle ! I will not tolerate you switching divisions as it suits you." Beckett saw her folding her arms and looking straight at him before she raised her voice again. "You will not be returning to homicide before you stayed at least two month down in the gangs unit. Are we clear ?" She pointed with one finger at him before she added "And don't you dare to start with the mayor ! Now, out."
Maybe Gates thinks that Castle will behave more serious or like a cop after the two month with Slaughter, but maybe she just hopes he will quit after some terrible cases with him. 'Yeah,..' Beckett thinks, 'definitive the last one.'
But wait, Gates isn't really the problem anymore, isn't she ? The two month are already as good as done. 'So..' she resumes 'the question is, does he still want to come back ?'And that's where the dog lies buried.
Two Weeks Ago...
Monday, July the 27th
The bullpen is already as good as empty. And Beckett, who is currently sitting on her chair is going through a bulk of financial reports from her main Suspect. The empty Chinese take-out box abandoned on her Desk. She just browses between two Reports as she sees Esposito approaching.
"Yo Beckett." he calls out to her, what makes her lift her head to obtain eye contact. "You got something ?" she asks hopeful, but he shakes his head after regarding the reports. "Nothing new on our suspect, but." he starts and waits a second. "You remember my guy down in gangs ?" he asks her without waiting for an answer. "Seems like our boy made himself quite a reputation down there."
Beckett tends her head to the side and raises one hand to rub her neck. "What do you mean ?" she questions with furrowed brows.
"What I mean is, that he had his fair share of fights and arrest down in gangs. They say that .." Espo hesitates at this point, which causes to pick Beckett's interest. "That ?" he looks around nervously. 'Interesting. What could that guy have done that makes Espo this agitated ?' thinks Beckett before crossing her legs.
"They say that as long as he keeps to stay alive, he is a great partner for Slaughter." and Beckett watches as Esposito swallows, his Adams apple slowly going up and down.
'Oh..'
She widens her eyes as she comprehends what he was talking about all the time. 'Castle. Slaughter and Castle being partners. No wait, not only partners... Great partners.' Beckett flinches and Espo observes her with a worried look on his face. She lowers her head to have the reports back in sight and responds with a reserved voice "That's, .. great." before she gets some folders in her hand to have a reason to get up. "I still need to get these files archived Espo." And turns around trying to leave her own crime scene.
"Look Beckett.. " Espo intervenes before she has the chance to make a step. "I bet its not as bad as it sounds. Two month are almost up, I'm sure he will sit in this chair the second Gates lets him come back." he tries to reassure her. And yes, it helps a little bit. So she let out a soft sigh, presses the folders tighter to her chest, changes the direction of her head to establish eye contact and nods with a twitch in the corner of her mouth. 'Thanks Espo.'
He nods back, message received.
One hour later, the boys have already left and she stands alone at the murder board as Castle approaches the bullpen. Before she can say anything, he asks with a short gesture to the board. "A weird one ?" Casually shaking her head she answers "No. No just ... Something is missing." Out of her eyes she sees him nodding.
"Maybe you should call it a day, get a fresh perspective tomorrow." A short smile crosses her face. 'Always the thoughtful.'
"Castle, there is something i would like to know." she looks at him curious. And for a short amount of time she could have sworn that his expression showed some sort of anger.
"Shoot."
And as Beckett turns her body to fully face him, her eyes observe him. He looks tense now, even uneasy. 'Jeez Castle, what do you think I will ask you ?' But instead of letting this question escape out of her mouth, she says "I have to admit I'm actually quite of surprised. I didn't thought Slaughter would let you ride along again after the last event. So, how did you do it ?" She needs to know, she doesn't think Slaughter is a guy who forgets that Castle doesn't had his back.
"Well, .. "he starts hesitant. "we might have some sort of .. arrangement." he shrugs and his shoulder loose some of their tension.
"Arrangement ?" Beckett questions and lifts an eyebrow. But before something more can get out of her mouth, Castle sighs "Yeah.. you know." he waves his hand dismissively while looking with a bored expression to the murder board.
She gets angry. 'What the hell is wrong with him ?' Her brow furrows and she narrows her eyes at him. "No Castle, I honestly don't know what you are talking about."
It seems that he registers her frustration. He puts his Hands inside the Pockets of his Jeans as he glances for a fleeting moment over to her. "I might have needed to make some calls ?" he tells her with insecureness and a hushed tone. "Turned in some favors..."
"You bribed him." It was more a statement than a question. Castles eyes widen and with a high-pitched voice he counters. "No ? I didn't bribe him." but the twitch in the corner of his mouth afterwards gives him away. "I volunteered my help by some of his disputes." Beckett rolls her eyes at him and leans with one arm against the murder board. "That what the cool kids call it these days, Castle ?"
His body language tells her that she has hit some sort of nerve. He straightens himself in a swift movement, his eyes stare into hers as he opens his mouth. The tone deep and so serious, rather unusual for him. "Beckett, what do you want ?" he didn't even blink as Beckett winces. "Gates didn't let me come back. I needed to accomplish that Slaughter doesn't refuse to work with me,.." he shrugs with a weak smile, which doesn't feel genuine. "I didn't exactly had a choice." She doesn't know what to say to that, she averts her eyes and begins to scan the photos on her board, as the unpleasant silence fell over them.
"Besides ..." Castle throws into the awful quietness and she gives him her full attention back. "Besides ?" He stares past her, in direction of the elevator and with a dejected shrug his voice reaches her ears with a sound that sends her heart in distress. "If you believe it or not, there are people who actually like to work with me. Even if Slaughter and I had a rough start." She swallows, hard. Wondering when she took the wrong path which would explain this outcome between them.
Her feet carry her with resolve in front of him. Her right hand raises to his arm, but he doesn't respond or blink, doesn't even look at her. As her finger begins to feel the soft fabric of his dress shirt, she can only think about the things she want. And she wants to show him that she is here, that she is sorry, misses him and that Yes, ...
'I want you ..'
".. Castle" her voice delivers his name with a whisper, her eyes roam over his face, searching for the eye contact she so desperately needs. And she feels as if a burden has been taken off of her, because he reacts, he responds and turns his head to her. Staring at her, direct into her hazel-green eyes. She starts to falter and feels how the butterflies in her stomach begin to flow through her veins. "I just.." her lips tremble "I want .."
She looks up at him, completely forgetting that she wants to say something and just stares into his rich blue eyes. Searching inside them for a sign, a spark of hope, that he still waits for her, wants her. But his piercing glance cuts right through her, he just stares at her as if he wants to break through her. Her hand deepens the grip on his arm and they just stay there. Looking at each other without making a sound. She thought it were minutes, electrifying, wonderful minutes, but reality crashes down on her just two seconds later as she hears the buzzing sound of a phone calling for his owner. "That's mine." he says as if nothing happened at all. And maybe Beckett just dreamed it herself, maybe it was just wishful thinking. The attraction between them, maybe she is the only one feeling it now.
"I need to get this, excuse me." She hears him say as she stares into the emptiness and tries to mentally recollect some of the peaces of her heart lying on the floor. "Goodnight, Detective." was the last thing she hears and as she looks in the direction he was last heard by her, she only sees the closing elevator doors, with Castle holding his phone to his ear, inside.
Beckett takes another sip of her coffee. It tastes stale and she returns back to her kitchen to put the mug away. As it lands in her sink, her eyes already search for her phone. She grabs it and starts to stroke the white case. 'Maybe I should just call him.' she thinks and debates with herself. 'And what do you want to say ? Hey Castle, are you coming back? Do you still love me ?' she sighs and rolls her eyes. 'Yeah,.. that doesn't sound desperate at all. But I am desperate, aren't I ? God, get it together Beckett.' With a swift look at her watch she makes her decision. 'Okay, that's enough.' she puts the phone in the back pocket of her Jeans and starts to gather her things.
'If I don't see him today, I call him.'and with that she gets out of her apartment and on the way to the 12th.
- TBC -
A/N – Turns out i got some formatting Problems here with the Space between the Paragraphs.. It looks so bunched together. Even the Double Space-Tip didn't work out. I even tried to edit the HTML - Code, but it won't save how i wrote it. Sad, but until i figure this out it must stay this way.. If someone knows what i must do, don't hesitate to say it. Would be great if you would tell me what you think so far ! And thanks for reading it ! :)