Title: Pigtales
Summary: Castle and Beckett find themselves in a few hairy situations.
Disclaimer: If you recognize a name, odds are that character isn't mine. But seeing as this is a fanfic website, you probably knew that already.
Thanks again to Sunshiny-Kate, the best beta a writer could ask for!
Pigtales
"Hey! That hurts!" Kate turned around, rubbing her head. She saw the hair-puller standing behind her with a guilty look on his face.
"Sorry. I like pigtails." He answered with a shrug of his shoulders. "And your hair is pretty."
"It's rude to touch people's hair without their permission. Especially if you don't know them. I should tell on you."
"I'm here by with my mom's boyfriend. He won't care. You can't tell on me." Rick told her as he stuck his tongue out at her.
"Well I'll tell my mommy and daddy."
"I said I was sorry. And I didn't pull it that hard. I didn't mean to hurt you." He grinned and changed the subject. "My name is Rick Rodgers. No relation to Mister. What's your name?"
"I'm not telling you. We are still strangers." She said as she crossed her arms.
"We wouldn't be if you told me your name. I told you mine."
Kate bit her bottom lip. He could tell she was nervous.
"What if I just give you a nickname? How about Pygmalion? Because of your pigtails?"
"Pygmalion? You made that up."
"Well, technically, since it's a nickname, it's suppose to be made up. But Pygmalion was a Greek sculptor."
"You're weird."
"I can't really argue with you about that. So, do you come to a lot of baseball games?"
"My daddy and I like to come. My mommy stays home most of the time but she came with us today." Kate said excitedly.
Before either of them could say anything else, they were interrupted.
"Come on, Katie. Can you carry the peanuts and I'll carry the drinks?"
"Yes, daddy." She took the bag he was holding out to her and them turned back to Rick.
"So your name is Katie?"
"Yep. Bye, Rick!" She called out as she trotted beside her dad.
"Bye, Pygmalion!"
After they had walked far enough away, her dad looked down at her.
"Who was that boy?"
"Rick."
"Does he go to your school?"
"No. He pulled my pigtails. Come on daddy! The seventh inning stretch is almost over!"
Jim just shook his head. His daughter could make friends with anyone.
"Okay, but tonight we are going to have a talk about strangers."
His statement fell on deaf ears, as Kate was already sitting next to her mother, sharing peanuts and the story of a weird little boy.
"Beckett! My office! Now!" Gates yelled out across the room.
Kate looked to her left at Castle, where he was sitting in his chair, writing on his phone. He returned her look and shrugged. They got up and headed to the captain's office.
"Not him." Gate said, pointing at Castle. "Just you."
The partners looked back at each other. Both were wondering what had Gates so angry.
"Shut the door behind you." Gates said as she walked to her desk and sat down.
Kate sat across from her, subconsciously grinding her hands together out of worry. She wanted to ask what was wrong, but decided to wait for Gates to speak first.
"How long?"
"Excuse me, sir?"
"How long have you been together with Castle?"
"We've been partners for five years, sir."
"Don't jerk me around, Detective. How long have you been together."
Kate swallowed hard. They'd been so careful. Even Ryan, Esposito, and Lanie hadn't noticed for the first four months.
"It's not a hard question, Detective Beckett."
"A little over a year, sir."
"I'd commend you for keeping it a secret for so long, but I don't like being lied to."
"But, sir-" Kate interjected.
"I'm not finished. He has to go. Mayor or no mayor. I won't have that kind of relationship going on in my precinct."
"Sir, if I may, Castle is a huge factor in our high rate of successful cases."
"I don't care who he is or what he has done. If he were a detective, I'd transfer him to another department. But he isn't and so I can't. I don't care where he goes but he can't stay here. That is all."
Kate sat there for a moment, dumbfounded and unsure of what to say. Finally, she got up and walked to the door. As she grabbed the handle she turned back to look at Gates.
"With all due respect, you're making a mistake, sir."
Gates stood up and crossed her arms as she met Kate's eyes.
"Get him out of here. Or I will."
Kate threw open the door and left the office, slamming the door behind her. She was on the verge of tears, finding it almost impossible to keep them from falling. Then she saw Ryan, Esposito, and Castle standing by the door of the break room. They were staring at her, obviously curious about what happened inside Gate's office.
"Hey." Castle said, as he started to walk towards her.
She just shook her head knowing that if she said anything before she had a chance to cool down it would be something she would most likely regret. She walked to her desk and put on her jacket so she could go outside and get some much-needed air. When she turned back around she was shocked to see Castle standing right in front of her.
"What happened?" He asked gently.
"I'll tell you later." She choked out. She didn't know how she was going to tell him. Castle loved being at the precinct and solving cases. She pushed past him but he grabbed her hand.
"Tell me now, Kate. You don't have to hide anything from me."
She tried to pull away but his grip held firm. She was in no mood for his games.
"She knows about us, Castle." Kate said with a sigh. "Gates knows. She figured it out or someone told her, I don't know. But now she says you can't work with us anymore." She looked up at him. "There. I told you. Happy now?"
"Oh. I know how she knows." He replied.
"What? How?"
"I told her."
"You did what?" Her eyes darkened as her temper flared. "I told you she wouldn't let us work together if she knew. Why don't you ever listen to me?" She again tried to pull away, but he only held on tighter. "Castle, let go of me."
"Never."
"Stop trying to be all cryptic and cutesy. I need some time to myself. Let me go. Now."
Castle didn't let go. Instead he took her other hand in his empty one so he could turn her to face him. Then he knelt down on one knee.
"I told Gates about us so that I could do this." Kate forgot how to breathe as Castle smiled up at her. "My dearest Kate, I have loved you longer than I can even remember. You were my muse for a story and then became my muse for life. We've had our ups and our downs, our losses and our wins. You told me three years ago that you had gotten kind of used to me pulling your pigtails. I don't ever want to stop pulling on them. I want to be there for you, always, annoying you and loving you and spoiling you. Would you please do me the honor of becoming my wife?"
He let go of her hands and reached into his pocket, pulling out a diamond ring. Before he could put it on her hand, she joined him on her knees and put a hand on both of his cheeks. She brought him gently to her for a tender kiss. It was Castle's turn to stop breathing. After several moments passed he pulled away and locked eyes with her.
"So, is that a yes?" He asked, unable to hide the hint of nervousness in his voice.
"Yes, you big, stupid, wonderful, annoying, beautiful man. I will marry you."
They stood up together and he put the ring on her left hand. Clapping and cheers filled the room, which made Kate look around. It was much more populated than it had been before. Lanie was there, and several of the other detectives had joined the crowd.
Kate leaned toward Castle to kiss him again, uncaring that there were so many eyes on them. Before their lips could connect, Gates yelled out.
"Detective Beckett! Didn't I tell you to get him out of here?"
"Sir, I-"
"I wasn't kidding. Take him home. Now. Keep him there for the weekend."
"Excuse me?" Kate said, raising an eyebrow in confusion.
"I don't want to see either of you back here until Monday morning."
"But I thought you said he couldn't be here anymore."
"I said I wouldn't have a secret relationship in my precinct. I never said I had a problem with fiancées working together. As long as it doesn't interfere with your work, mind you. So get him out of here. Go celebrate. We can hold down the fort for two days." She smiled as she finished speaking.
A realization hit Kate, which caused her to hit Castle.
"OW!" He exclaimed as she poked him in the chest.
"You planned all this out, didn't you? Even Gates was in on it?"
"Guilty as charged, Detective." He said with a smile.
"What are you going to do about it, Kate?" Lanie called out.
Kate laughed and looked at her best friend.
"Nothing that I can tell any of you about."
The whole room burst into laughter as Castle's eyes grew wide at her statement. Kate intertwined her fingers in his and they headed to the elevator.
"MOM! Rick won't stop pulling my pigtails!"
"She's lying!"
"No I'm not!"
"Yes you are!"
"Both of you come in the kitchen right now!" Their mother responded.
A few minutes later the twins shuffled into the room.
"Richard?"
He looked up at Kate.
"Yes, mom?"
"Were you pulling your sister's hair?"
"He was." His sister answered for him.
"Nicole, I am talking to your brother right now. Richard? Answer me."
"I did pull it."
"Why?"
"I like pigtails." He said with a shrug.
It took all of Kate's resolve not to smile.
"What do you need to say?"
He turned to his sister.
"I'm sorry, Nikki."
"It's okay."
"Now you two need to go clean up your rooms. Dinner will be ready soon. No whining. Just go."
The twins turned and ran up the stairs, whispering and laughing with each other, their disagreement already forgotten.
Kate shook her head as she walked towards the office on the other side of the loft. She leaned against the doorway and watched her husband as he typed furiously. She cleared her throat after a moment and he looked up at her and smiled. He then stood and crossed the room and leaned down to kiss her. As he pulled away he placed a hand on her swollen belly.
"How are you two doing?" He asked.
"We are fine. For now." Kate answered.
"For now?" He questioned.
"Let's just say that if this one is anything like Rick and Nikki, we may go a little bit crazy."
"I'm already crazy. In love. With you." Castle said before kissing her again.
"Cheesy much?" Kate replied against his lips.
"You know you like it."
"You're right." She smiled and looked up into his eyes.
"So, what did the wonder twins do now?" He asked her as he wrapped his arms around her waist and brought her even closer. He reveled in the feeling of her pregnant stomach pressed against him.
"Let's just say that our son has inherited your affinity for pigtails and our daughter has my desire for seeking justice in all kinds of wrongdoing."
He laughed loudly and as their lips met again, two young voices called out simultaneously from the top of the stairs.
"MOM!"
Rick and Kate broke apart and rested their foreheads against each other's. Then the doorbell rang out. They both sighed.
"That's probably Alexis. I didn't give her a key to the new locks yet." Rick said. "Why don't you go let her in, and I'll go deal with the twinnosaurus."
Kate laughed at his silly nickname for the twins.
"Okay. Good luck." She said.
With one more quick kiss they parted ways. As he passed by his wife he tugged lightly on the braid hanging down her back.
"It's not a pigtail, but it'll do." He said over his shoulder as he headed up the stairs.