Authors Note: It's been a while again and I apologize. I just obsess over a story till it's as close to perfect as I can get it. In this story that was hard. It was originally longer, but thanks to watching Investigation Discovery too much some chapters were far too graphic for human consumption. I tried my best to smooth everything out so it flows properly without those chapters. I hope I succeeded. As always, I love reviews :D
Disclaimer: I don't own Castle, if I did it would still be on
A teenage boy, no older than sixteen, was making his way along the sandy beach of Bora Bora, deep in thought about the trials and tribulations of his young life. He glanced over as he passed a private cabana, seeing a couple sleeping in the hammock set up in the shade. He smiled at them seeing how even in slumber one could see how much they loved one another. They both wore sunglasses, the man in a pair of cargo shorts the woman also in cargo shorts but also a tank top, her hand resting on his chest exposing the white gold wedding band to any who should pass. The young man took in how the man held her to him as they slept, so lovingly yet with a reverence that is so rarely seen in todays world. Once he was sure they were sleeping he crept over to them and picked up one of their cell phones. He silently took three photos for them and on a scrap of paper wrote "congratulations! I'm sorry to have invaded your privacy but I thought you would enjoy a photo. Again, congratulations" He left it unsigned, set it on the cell phone, then without a sound slipped away leaving the couple to sleep and enjoy they're honeymoon.
Three months earlier
It was a week before the launch of Richard Castle's newest novel Heat Wave. The media was in a frenzy, the paparazzi coming out of the woodwork like deranged cockroaches. As much as he enjoyed the attention he took solace in one of the few places they didn't dare follow, the 12th precinct. It hadn't taken long after he began following Detective Kate Beckett for the halls to become a safe haven to the author. Tho the homicide floor was a place of loss of the most horrific kind it was also a place of justice and the unrelenting drive to find it for every victim of the horrific crime called murder.
He was leaning against a window frame, watching the world outside when his partner and muse walked up to him
"You going to come help out or are you too busy staring?"
He chuckled with a smile
"Never too busy detective, I was just thinking about the difference a year makes"
he looked over at her and her puzzled expression.
"A year ago, I would have been lapping up the attention the buzz of a new book brings. Playing to the media, showing off for the paparazzi, going out of my way to generate as much publicity as I could to maximize sales"
She rolled her eyes at him but listened anyway
"Now, I'd much rather be here, eating whatever's available, drinking coffee and helping you bring peace to families and you know what?"
she raised her eyebrow at him, though surprised at his words she kept her usual expression towards him
"I wouldn't change it, for the first time in a long time I'm happy with my life instead of content and I like that"
He pushed off the window sill and left her standing at the window. Only when he was gone did she let the shock at the sincerity of his words show on her face. She turned her head and looked out at the scene he was watching outside. She expected to see paprazzi or media that would have caused him to say such things but no, it was the normal every day scene. People rushing about their normal lives, traffic moving at a snails pace along the street, pigeons lining up on a power line. She smiled a bit, she'd known for a while now that her initial perceptions of Richard Castle had been wrong, it just surprised her sometimes just how much. She shook her head and made her way over to the murder board.
The crime scene that morning had been particularly grizzly, a millionaire and his wife found on their living room floor. Bound and gagged, their abdominal cavity eaten away by a very potent acid. They'd all hoped that the acid wasn't the cause of death but they all feared that it would be, there was just too much of it. Castle was looking over what little they had on the crime, more serious than he normally would be given how close to home the victim was. With his chin in his hand he shook his head
"I knew Frank and Beverly, well a little at least. They've attended every launch party since my very first one when nobody knew me from Dick Jane or John. They were big supporters of all up and coming authors that they thought had promise. I've heard it was because their son was an aspiring author before he was killed in Afghanistan. I've never heard of them being involved in something that could get them killed like this"
Beckett, Esposito and Ryan all listened at his almost distracted informational. Beckett gave his shoulder a squeeze
"You know as well as I do Castle, sometimes we just don't know what happens behind closed doors"
He nodded slowly and stood up
"I'm no forensics expert, but it smelled like car battery acid to me"
Beckett raised her eyebrow
"Hey, I may have gotten expelled a lot but I did take basic auto in boarding school and they teach you how to check the cells to see how much is in there if it starts to act like it's wearing out"
he said indignantly. She smirked at him, though was secretly delighted to know another detail that made him just another guy.
"We'll find out for sure when Lanie gets back to us. If it was just car battery acid it'll make it harder on us, it's easier to trace large quantities of the more rare acids"
He nodded at that
"this is true, I hope that it is one of those or that if it is simple car battery acid it was ordered in quantity instead of harvested from hundreds of dead batteries"
She nodded in agreement and sat in her chair while continued to stare at the board.
Lunch time came all too quickly, when the majority of the detectives were out getting lunch he sat in his chair and looked at the detective
"you going to make the launch party next week?"
She looked over at him a moment then nodded
"That's the plan unless something truly horrific comes up"
he smiled a sincere smile at that
"I'm glad. Espo, Ryan, Lanie and Montgomery said they'll be there too"
She expected a quip to the tune of 'so you wont be alone' but it never came, which surprised her.
"I'd say you're welcome to bring your dad, but given the champagne and other alcohol will be open bar and flowing freely it might not be a good idea. He's welcome anyway, I just know that temptation is a bad thing"
She paused in her writing, noticing with ease that there was no hint of humor in his voice and that there was no joke about how her dad might disapprove of the character of Nikki Heat.
"Thanks for both inviting him and you concern Castle. I don't always show it but your consideration for Dad's... past is appreciated"
he nods to her
"you're welcome Beckett. I may not have always done the right thing with what you've told me this past year, but I do listen and take it to heart"
Her writing is still paused as she remembers how he went behind her back and investigated her mother's murder, a fact he'd learned at the same time that he had learned of her father's alcoholism. She shook it off, lifted her head and smiled
"I know you do Castle"
The silent pause afterwards one that has been occurring more often lately, a moment of understanding and friendship. She ends the pause by starting to write again. Castle stood up and grabbed his jacket
"I'll run to Remy's and get us some lunch, your usual?"
She nodded distractedly and he slipped off to get food.