Soiree of the Heart

Disclaimer: ...Yeah, right.


If there's one thing she knows, it's that she can't deny Rick Castle anything.

Well, now, anyway. She'd had no problem doing so in the beginning when he first started shadowing her, but things were different now. She was different now.

He'd bounced in the precinct on an early December morning, spouting off his plans for an unforgettable Christmas/New Years party. After she made a show of reluctantly agreeing to come, he'd promised it would be his best party yet.

Unfortunately for him (and her, although she'd never admit it), murder had a way of interfering with their social calendar. There was no rest for psychopaths on the holidays, he'd noted sourly. He'd moved the date of his soiree five times before he'd conceded to defeat.

"I give up," he groans now, head slumped dramatically upon his palm during their short dinner break.

"You don't have to be here, Castle. You could have the party without us." Her words are empty and he knows it. She doesn't really want him to have his party without the 12th there (and she knows he doesn't either), but she still feels compelled to suggest it, anyway.

"Don't be ridiculous, Beckett. What kind of party is it without real friends there?"

She snorts. "Practically all of Manhattan knows who you are, Castle. I doubt we're your only friends."

He shrugs. She stares at him a little as she sips her latte. She puts her coffee down and clears her throat.

"Don't give up, Castle. Sometimes things have a way of working themselves out." She feels his gaze on her, but can't bring herself to meet it. She smirks a little and grabs a pen, uncapping it with her mouth. She scribbles a note on the open file.

"I should get going. I promised Alexis we'd eat a hot meal together tonight."

She nods. "I'll see you in the morning?"

"Yeah. Good night."

"Night, Castle." She watches him walk towards the elevator, posture slumped ever so slightly. Her words have done little to reassure him. She shakes her head and glances up at the murder board. Maybe if there's a break in the case, she can surprise him.

Maybe.


They catch a break at the close of the next day, much to Castle's delight.

"I can have the champagne chilling in a matter of hours and the hors d'oeuvres ready by the time you get there."

Ryan and Esposito's eyes quickly flick to hers. She silences them with a finger to the lips.

"Sorry, man. Jenny and I have dinner with her parents tonight. Finalizing some wedding plans."

Castle's eyes dim a little, but look hopefully towards Esposito, who shakes his head. "Gotta stay late to finish some paperwork. Sorry, bro."

Kate stands behind Castle, fiddling nonchalantly with a few things on her desk. She sucks in a breath, waits for it. She hopes she can pull it off.

He spins around. "Kate?"

She can hear it in his voice. His last hope.

"Sorry, Castle. I promised my dad we'd get together whenever this madness stopped." She gestures around the precinct with a wave of her hand.

He nods once and forces a smile. Her heart breaks a little. "I'll leave you guys to it then." He makes his way to the elevator without another word. She suppresses the urge to blurt out her whole plan then and there.

"You sure about this, Beckett?" Esposito asks.

She turns to him and nods. "I'll see you guys tonight."

She makes a quick stop at the market to pick up a few things before setting up her apartment. She hadn't had any time to tear down any of her holiday decorations, including the Christmas tree, which was perfect for what she had in mind for tonight.

Later, she stands in front of her closet wrapped in a fluffy blue towel. She really should've thought of this before. She flicks a hand over the hangers in her closet, humming in disapproval. She grabs her phone off the dresser and punches in a number, sticking the phone between her ear and shoulder as she continues to analyze the contents of her closet.

"I have nothing to wear," she grumbles when she hears Lanie answer her phone. The medical examiner laughs in her ear.

"What about that purple Herve Leger dress you wore to the Heat Wave launch?"

Kate rolls her eyes. "I don't wanna wear something he's already seen me in."

"He? Dressing to impress a certain writer, are we?"

"I just…want to look nice." Kate says defensively.

"I'mma let that slide for right now since you only have about an hour before we start showing up."

Shit. An hour? Her eyes flick to the clock on her nightstand. It was already nine o'clock. She hadn't even texted him yet.

"You did text him, right?"

"I didn't realize it was so late. It'll be fine, though." It has to be. She wasn't throwing this party for her health.

"What about that dress you picked up when we went shopping three weeks ago?"

Of course. She'd completely forgotten about that. Her hands land on plastic as they fumble in the back of her closet. She pulls it out and removes the plastic from the hanger.

"It's perfect," she says as her fingers skim the material. She'd bought it on a whim, at some half-off sale at an outlet. It was strapless black lace, cut just above her knee.

"Great. Now hang up the phone and text writer-boy so your whole night isn't ruined." Lanie admonishes.

"Thanks, Lanie." Kate ends the call and shoots Castle a text.


Sorry to bail on the party. I'm done with dinner if you want to come over to watch a movie or something. It's the least I can do.

Castle grins, a little lighter. He'd been really disappointed after she turned him down earlier (especially after her little hint yesterday). Maybe a movie night was just what he needed.

After promising he'd be there in an hour, he shuts his laptop and changes into a pair of dark jeans and a blue button-up.

He saunters into the living room to find Alexis and Martha curled under a blanket, watching a rom-com.

"We just started if you liked to join us, Richard."

Alexis eyes glance over him. "I think he has other plans, Gram." She teases.

"As a matter of fact, Detective Beckett invited me over to watch a movie." He grabs a bottle of water from the refrigerator and twists the cap off easily.

"Is that what they're calling it these days?"

"Mother." Castle warns, taking a sip of water. He'd never admit it, but he was quite anxious about the whole thing. He'd always just shown up. This was the first time she'd invited him, that she asked for his company. It had to mean something.

Didn't it?

"We won't wait up."

Castle throws Martha a glare and kisses Alexis's forehead. "Goodnight, Pumpkin."

"Until tomorrow, Dad." He smiles, touched. He ruffles her hair a little, lost in sentimentality.

"For God's sake, Richard. Detective Beckett's going to grow old waiting for you to show up." Martha rolls her eyes.

Castle startles. Right. "I'm going."

He takes a deep breath and grabs his coat.

When he knocks on her door, he can feel it. A spark in the air. Tonight, things would change.

When she swings the door open, he feels the air whoosh out of his lungs. She's a vision in black and lace, hair perfectly tousled in a dance down her shoulders.

She bites her bottom lip through a smile, eyes shining.

"Hi, Castle."


I had every intention of writing a Christmas or New Years fic, but time got away from me, which is why I'm writing this. I hope everyone enjoyed their holiday.

Olivia