When Lanie Finds Out
By Dana Keylits
Kate frantically scans the apartment searching for any trace of him. Lanie will be here any minute, and she doesn't want a carelessly placed love note (he writes them all the time!) or discarded article of clothing to give them away. She just isn't ready yet, not even, she thinks, with Lanie.
Satisfied that the apartment is clear of any of Castle's belongings, Kate checks herself. She'd thrown on a pair of jeans and NYPD sweatshirt, gathered her hair into a messy bun, and touched up her makeup before breaking out the bottle of Pinot Noir and placing two glasses on the counter.
Kate hadn't been expecting Lanie tonight, but the M.E. had called five minutes ago to say she was on her way, said she wanted to talk, but wouldn't give a hint about what, and there was no room in that brief, one-sided discussion for Kate to protest. Lanie was coming, end of story.
She is about to go back to the bedroom to check on things in there when she is startled by a rapid knocking on the door.
"That is the last time I drive to your place. Do you know how many potholes there are between my office and here?"
"Hi, Lanie," Kate greets, closing and locking the door as the frazzled M.E. marches past her and into the apartment. She shrugs out of her coat and takes a seat at the counter, helping herself to a glass and pouring the wine before Kate even has a chance to offer it to her.
"I was just going to put out some food, you hungry?" Kate asks, eying her friend curiously.
"Mmm hmm," Lanie replies, raising the glass to her lips and taking a generous sip of the crimson liquid. "Ahhhh," she moans, "...this is going down gooood."
Kate grins while she scoops some hummus into a bowl and cuts pita bread into triangular bite sized pieces. She fishes the bag of red grapes from her refrigerator, washes them and puts them into a bowl. All the while she can feel Lanie's eyes on her, suspicious eyes, knowing eyes, and suddenly Kate feels extremely self conscious.
"So, ah," Kate begins, tossing a grape into her mouth as she sits down on the stool opposite Lanie, "...what's up? What has you so jazzed you had to come over on a Thursday night in rush hour traffic?"
Lanie smears a piece of pita bread with hummus and pops it into her mouth before rubbing her hands together to extricate the bread crumbs from them, then sips her wine before answering. Her eyebrow arched mischievously, she answers, "You have to ask?"
It's Kate's turn to raise an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"
"Kate Beckett, how long have we known each other?"
"Wha-? Why are you asking me that?"
"Because you're doing me wrong, Detective."
"What? What'd I do?" Kate asks, suddenly alarmed.
"You're holding out on me," Lanie replies. "Look, I get why you're keeping things on the down low with Javi and Ryan, but me?" She folds her arms and tosses Kate one of those looks. "Me? I'm supposed to be your friend."
"You are my friend!"
"Then how come you're not telling me the truth?"
"Lanie, I..."
"Oh, please, Kate, don't bother lying to me. You really think I don't know what's going on?" Lanie looks annoyed now, and takes another gulp of wine in an apparent attempt to settle her temper.
But, Kate has figured out that Lanie does, indeed, know what's going on and she feels surprisingly relieved. A shy smile creeps along her face and she glances up at Lanie through the long fan of lashes that frame her hazel-green eyes.
"Mmm hmm," Lanie voices, "I thought so. Spill." She points at the wine bottle and Kate tops off her glass.
She takes a deep breath. Her palms suddenly sweaty, she absently wipes them against her jeans then takes a generous sip of wine, for courage, as she squares herself. "Castle and I are," She hasn't said it to anyone yet, not even her father, and she's amazed by how thrilling it is to utter the words, her heart flutters nervously in her chest, "...together."
The smile on Lanie's face grows wide and she leans back, clapping her hands together. She brings her laced fingers to her mouth, her dark eyes wide and dancing. "Yes!" She exclaims, "Yes, yes, yes! I knew it!" She jumps up from her seat and skips around the counter to gather Kate in her arms in a celebratory hug. "Oooh! I am so happy for you, girl!" Returning to her seat, "...now give me all the details and don't you dare leave anything out, beginning with," she points at her friend, "...when you two started up!"
Kate giggles, feeling lighter now that Lanie knows. It's a relief to tell her, to tell someone and it makes it even that much more real. Which makes it even that much more wonderful.
"Well, we first got together the night Javi and I were suspended..."
Lanie sets her wine glass down with an audible clunk. "What? You've been holding out on me this whole time?"
Kate makes a face, "Need I remind you that when you and Espo got together, you kept that secret from me?"
Lanie looks sheepish and holds up a staying palm, "Okay, you're right, touché," she admits, then she frowns, a sudden realization tap-dancing across her brain. "Wait!" Her eyes narrow, "So, when Castle went on a date with that tramp from the TV station, you two were already dating?"
Kate rolls her eyes before taking a sip from her wine glass, "Yes. He thought it would be a good way to deflect attention, make everyone think we were still single."
"What?" She squeaks, "What a stupid, boneheaded, childish..." She searches for another colorful descriptor but is at a loss, "I should smack him!"
Kate laughs, "Don't worry, I appropriately punished him."
Lanie drums her fingertips against the countertop, "Good." She laughs, "So, tell me, how is he? You know, how's the sex?"
"Lanie...!"
"Oh, please. you know you want to tell me. Is he...?" She holds her hands up, about six inches apart, "...you know?"
"Lanie...!"
She smirks, raises her eyebrows and continues to hold her hands up, waiting for an answer. Kate gives her a crooked grin, then reaches over and grabs Lanie's wrists, moving her hands apart by a couple more inches.
"Ooooh, Kate! Congratulations!" Lanie squeals.
Kate bites her bottom lip, glancing at the ceiling, a girlish laugh tumbling past her lips.
"I gotta say, girl, I'm glad to see you like this." She raises her glass in a toast, "You look happy."
Kate smiles, nodding. "I am happy."
"Well, It's about damn time!" Lanie exclaims, draining the contents of her glass and picking another grape to pop into her mouth.
The pair continue to talk for another half hour until Lanie checks her watch and jumps up. "Ooh, I'm late. I'm meeting..." she stops herself.
"Javi. Don't lie," Kate admonishes, a hand firmly planted on her hip.
Lanie rolls her eyes. "Fine, I'm meeting Javier in ten minutes." She slips into her coat and grabs her purse. "I'm happy for you, Kate. I hope you and Castle are great together. And, don't worry, my lips are sealed. I won't tell anyone." She pauses, "Not even Javier."
Kate nods, relieved. "Thanks."
"And, tell Castle I'm happy for him, too, but you should also tell him that if he hurts you? I'll cut him."
Kate laughs, "I'll warn him."
"Don't think I won't, Detective, cuz I will!"
Kate laughs, holding both palms up. "I know! I'll make sure he understands."
"Good!" She buttons up her coat and smiles at Kate. A knowing, happy-you're-happy smile that only a true friend can deliver.
They hug and Lanie blows out the door as quickly as she'd blown into it.
Kate corks the wine, puts the food away, and shuts off the lights before heading into the bedroom. She peels off her t-shirt, slides out of her jeans and quickly removes her bra and panties before climbing onto the bed.
And onto Castle.
He is currently naked, his arms spread eagle across the bed, only a thin white sheet covering him, exactly as she'd left him when Lanie had called.
Kate straddles him, leans down and kisses him, whispers into his mouth, "Now, where were we?"
He nips at her bottom lip, his pelvis rising to meet her. "You know, you could have taken me out of the handcuffs before Lanie got here." He strains against the metal constraints, feigning discomfort, they make a clinking sound against the brushed cast iron headrest.
Kate smirks, running her hands up and down his bare chest, wiggling her hips against his returning erection. "Now, how much fun would that have been?" She asks, "Do you know how hot it was knowing you were in here? Like this? Waiting for me?"
He moans, struggling against the handcuffs, dying to touch her with his hands but only able to caress her with his lips, which he does, expertly, his tongue roaming deeply into her mouth, the excitement he'd felt earlier, before Lanie had so rudely interrupted them, roaring back.
"I can imagine," he croaks.
"Mmmm," Kate moans, her body vibrating against him. She moves her lips to his ear and whispers, "Now, lets pick up where we left off."
"M'kay," He replies. "But if the phone rings, don't answer it!"
The End