N/A - Prompt at the end - though, know that it is set in Season 3, and that I got rid of Josh.
They've been working this case for two days now; Terrie Hollins, thirty-eight years old and four months pregnant, died from a blunt force trauma to the head. Despite it being quite tragic, she had dealt with similar cases before, and that alone isn't what has been nagging her. No, the idiot currently making her a fresh mug of coffee and who constantly has to run his mouth is. They learned early on from the mother that their victim had asked her best friend to help her have a baby before it was 'too late' and ever since then, Castle has kept reminding her of how old she is getting, asking her if she has a plan.
The worst is that she can't even tell if he's serious.
"Look, I get wanting a kid, but asking your best friend no strings attached? That's quite a bold move," he comments, walking back toward her nonchalantly and setting the steaming mug on her desk before sitting in his chair - staring at her as he always does.
She rolls her eyes, setting her pen down to wrap her hand around the warm ceramic - welcomes the sharp heat that sears her palm. They've gone over this already, yet he still can't wrap his mind around it. She doesn't really get what's the big deal. But since he won't drop it- she knows just what to do. "What are you saying? You wouldn't do it for me?" She says, as innocently and seriously as she can, takes a sip of her coffee purposely avoiding his gaze.
"What?!"
She nearly spits it all out at the sheer shock that hurtles past his lips like a freight train and that's probably written all over his face - manages to hide her laugh behind her coffee mug. She clears her throat, forcing a frown on her face. "Haven't you been going on and on about how I should worry about my body clock?"
She sees him shift out of the corner of her eyes, or more like squirm - and for once, he actually pauses and thinks before giving her an answer.
Who's laughing now, uh Castle?
"I mean- if you really wanted it- but- I-," he stammers, his tongue stumbling over the words at such a hasty pace that her lips quirk up. She's always loved how easy he is to pick on, and once again, he does not disappoint. "I can't tell whether you're serious, are you serious?"
So much for pausing and thinking.
She shrugs, takes another sip of her coffee to cover the smile she can't quite contain at the tortured look on his face."Well, I don't know, Castle," she answers, setting the mug back on her desk and turning to him. "Maybe you're right, maybe I should start making plans, after all."
He laughs, something forced that sounds more like a nervous snort. "Nah, see, you? Don't need any plan."
Her chest swells up with a bubbling laugh, one that she pushes down with pursed lips, her eyebrows raising. He feigns to look unbothered, rests deep inside his chair with a content smile, but she can see how fake it is, notices how fast he blinks, the finger that keeps tapping against his leg.
She drops into her backrest, crossing her arms over her chest. "Why's that? You did say my days, and I quote, 'were numbered'," she challenges with a quirked eyebrow.
He considers her for a moment and squints, looking for the right words.
"Uh- Well-Because we-"
"We, what?" She cuts him off, her tone intentionally sharp - almost drops the whole act when he jumps in his seat with startled eyes. "Well? You still haven't answered my question, Castle."
He only frowns in response. "I-"
"Hey, Beckett? Got a lead for you."
She nods taking the little piece of paper from Esposito, smirking at Castle where he's still sitting looking down at his lap.
"You coming?"
His palms are all sweaty no matter how many times he rubs them against his jeans, his mind reeling at one hundred miles an hour. He's opened hells gates, and now he's stuck. That must be it, there is no way Beckett would seriously consider this. Granted, she's been sensitive and touchy since breaking up with motorcycle boy a few weeks ago, but how is that his fault? He's the one flying to the other side of the earth, and now he gets a moody and completely delirious partner.
He's never liked the guy to start with. All that hair and that leather jacket. The guy's just a show off anyway, and Beckett doesn't need that - she needs someone like-
Like him?
Well, that's quite random. Though, the nerves flitting around in his stomach are quick to remind him that it isn't really, he's entertained the thought before - a lot.
"Why can't you give me an answer? It's pretty simple."
…Even though, she drives him crazy.
She won't even give him a break. He'd been kidding, of course he doesn't believe that she's too old for a baby, or for anything for that matter. He's never even believed she wanted one, never thought that was something Kate Beckett thought about in her free time or even considered. And how can she expect him to just give her an answer here and now. Does she even realize what a baby entails, does she know what asking him implies.
"We're talking about a baby, Beckett, nothing about this is simple," he points out a little annoyed, opening his window; Air, he needs more air or she'll choke him to death. "What's up with you?" he bursts out, whipping his head round back to her. He doesn't mean to, but he's got to let out his frustration somehow - the pressure.
What if he doesn't give her the right answer.
"Nothing! I'm just following your advice, Castle," she explains, as if it makes total sense as if it's a very rational reason. Anyway, since when has she been considering any of his advice?
Plus, he's never told her to ask him - or well, not that he remembers.
"Why me," he stresses, and she merely shrugs, her eyes straight on the road.
"Genetics, Castle," she offers easily, glancing at him with a duh look.
He blinks, looks as the air rushes inside the car and blows her hair, her eyes narrowing when a few strands swirl around before her eyes.
Ge- Genetics? Right. Why hasn't he thought about that. He's totally breached a parallel world unless he triggered her midlife crisis.
"Genetics?" he parrots dumbly. He heard her loud and clear, but the words swirl around in his mind like in an alphabet soup and nothing makes sense.
"Oh come on, you know we'd have pretty babies. Don't tell me you haven't thought about it," she argues, shutting the engines off and sliding out of the car.
The shock seizes his chest first, the blunt of her words so harsh that he's left breathless and...brainless.
He heard her wrong, he must have.
Now, his throat is dry and his heart is swelling up his throat, his mind filled with a bunch of blue-eyed and brown-haired kids and oh god, this is it - there's no way back possible, he's doomed.
"Hav- Have you?" he croaks, but she closes her door and struts away without a word or even a look back.
Fuck.
He fumbles with the handle, pushes the door open and jumps out of the vehicle.
Shit, she doesn't even wait for him and even from here, he can see the smirk on her face.
"Have you?!" he shouts.
She thought he'd been dealing pretty well so far - until now. They've closed the case and it seems like he's trying hard to come up with an answer. She still has some paperwork to do, which he never stays around for, yet he's been staring at the floor for ten minutes now, and that's not really what she was going for.
It's rather late, the bullpen is quiet but for the lulling sound of fingers tapping on keys, and she stares at Castle her file clutched to her chest as he paces around talking to himself. Hearing steps from behind her, she angles briefly her face to see her Captain exiting his office.
"Beckett, what have you done to him?" Captain Montgomery inquires a little scolding, but she doesn't miss the amusement behind the kind reprimand. He joins her and mirrors her position, watching as Castle stands right in the middle of the bullpen - uncharacteristically quiet.
She winces, cocking her head as Castle suddenly stops and...counts on his fingers? "Ah, nothing, Sir," she answers, her teeth biting into her bottom lip.
She doesn't think she's ever seen him so agitated.
"Beckett has been trying to make him believe she wants his baby," Espo sing-songs in her back as he walks to their Captain's side, though she makes sure he feels the hard glare she pins him with. It's already bad enough that the boys have been going at it, too. The last thing Castle needs is for Montgomery to join in.
Perhaps she should end it now before he truly loses his mind.
A sudden hoarse laugh escapes their Captain. "Is that so, Beckett?" he asks, looking at her with surprise all over his face.
Yeah, she's not usually the one making jokes.
She shakes her head with a small lopsided smile. He doesn't sound mad and in fact, the corners of his eyes crinkle and his eyes are surprisingly soft - as if he's proud. "It's a joke, Sir," she clarifies.
"Don't forget the best friend killed her," Esposito reminds her with a shrug.
The remark has her eyes rolling to the ceiling, Castle is not gonna kill her. "He killed her because she'd told him she would deny him custody."
"Yeah, but you wouldn't do that, right Beckett?" He grins, puffing his chest - entirely too proud of himself.
Montgomery clears his throat. "Alright everyone, go home," he says, walking back toward his office with a little shake of his head.
"So, Castle, got an answer for Beckett?" Esposito calls.
Castle startles, his eyes wide and panicked. "Uh- yea-yes, I mean no-" he mumbles, eyes jumping between her and Espo.
Okay, time's up.
She shakes her head, walking toward him with a gentle smile, lays a hand on his forearm. "It's fine, Castle, I was only kidding - all along."
"Oh, thank god," he blurts out actually looking at the ceiling as if praising some sort of a god. She stares at him with a frown. It's weird, but she's a little disappointed. She feels it in the sudden dryness in her throat, in the weight sinking down into her stomach like a rock. "What?"
Her eyes jerk back onto his eyes from where she'd been staring at the ground, the arm around his forearm in a tight vice. She swallows hard at the concern darkening his eyes, lets go of his arm to wrap her arms around herself.
She shakes her head, shutting it all off. "Nothing," she says with a tight smile, heading to her desk so she can finally make a start on the paperwork.
It's stupid, anyway. She is being stupid.
He joins her a few seconds later, sitting in his chair silently. He stares at the side of her face without a word for a moment, as if not quite sure what to say. But when he does, it's not what she expected, yet it sends her heart into a frenzy. "You know I would if you really wanted it, right?" He's serious, so very serious - she can tell from his deep, low voice. Feels her skin burning with the intensity of his gaze.
She doesn't know how to feel about it.
Still, her lips quirk up at his thoughtfulness. "Naah," she lets out with a little twist of her mouth and nose, turning back to him. "Besides, artificial insemination? No thanks. If we were to do it, we'd do it right," she declares, lowering her eyes back to the sheet of paper with a knowing smirk.
And.
"If? Do it right?"
She bursts into laughter at the high note he manages to reach somehow, at the slow grin that slowly mirrors her glee, even though he's visibly confused. "God, Castle, you're way too easy. The last thing I need is a miniature you growing inside of me - but good to know you'd have my back," she winks, returning to her report with a short shake of her head.
What she doesn't tell him is that it's not something she would completely exclude from her mind.
But she will, for now.
Thoughts?
Tumblr prompt:
Kate and Castle are not in a relationship but either one asks the other to have a baby together ( maybe Kate realizes her biological clock is running out of time) also up to you whether Alexis exists.
Whoever you are, I hope you like it, even though it's not exactly what was asked. x