For Celeste. whose prompt was tricky, but hopefully I did it justice. Sorry I can't read and posted on Christmas instead of Christmas Eve.
It's really bright and not at all comfortable. She must be—wow—it has been a really long time since she passed out in a bathtub. She can barely remember an hour of the party but she can't really remember that much liquor. After all she and Castle had to behave in front of her boss and—Oh! This is totally his fault!
She's not sure how yet, but as she forces her eyes open against the blaring light, his face is the first thing that come into focus.
"Kate, are you okay?"
He really does look concerned and she's feeling sort of funny, so despite the fact that he probably got her into this, she reaches to up to touch his cheek.
Her hand doesn't move. Crap.
She can tell without looking that the distinctive cut into her wrist is a handcuff. She's not attached to herself, so her addled brain assumes it's, Castle despite the impossibility of it in their current positions. But as she looks over the hand in the other cuff isn't big, and masculine, it's dark, slender, and feminine.
Oh God…
It's Gates.
How the hell did she get here?
"Castle! Cut it out before Gates notices."
He scanned the room, his eyes eventually finding the Captain smiling bigger than he had ever seen and being much more handsy with her husband than he was being with Kate. That was one of the benefits of being married he supposed, or even being in a relationship that wasn't being kept a secret for the sake of their jobs. But, Kate was not ready to be in either of those situations, so he removed his hand from her backside and stuffed it in his pocket.
"I don't know Beckett," said Ryan, his eyes trained in the same direction that Ricks had been, "Gates seems pretty—well—sloshed, she might not notice "
The group gave a light chuckle until Esposito said, "Yeah, but you should stop anyway Castle 'cause you're grossing me out"
"Don't be jealous Espo," retorted Kate, "there's a uniform from robbery who's been eyeing you all night. I'm sure she'd be happy to put her hands on you."
"Really?" Esposito snapped his head around, "Who? Where?"
"Subtle Javi," she deadpanned, "are you really that desperate?"
"Yes! Being alone at the Holidays is the most depress—" Beeeeep "What the?" Beep Beep Beep "Ryan that's you."
"Oh!" Ryan frantically rooted around in his pockets before pulling out the offending phone and silencing it. "That means it's time for the game!"
"Wow, bro, I think you may be taking this host thing bit too seriously."
Ryan let out a sigh. "Javier, you would probably have better luck in relationships if you understood. When your girl wants to throw a party using ideas she found on Pinterest and Csomo, you just go with it." With that he headed to the kitchen, leaving everyone, once again, snickering at Esposito's pain.
"Okay, here's how it works" Jenny began when she had collected everyone into a circle. "It's basically spin the bottle," she held up a brightly painted wine bottle, "but without the inherent sexual harassment lawsuits. On each paper in this jar is either a challenge you complete with a partner or a race against an opponent. You draw a task and spin the bottle to see who you'll be completing it with. Okay?"
As she looked around the crowd nodded unenthusiastically. "How about I go first" She pulled out a card and read "Christmas Cliffhanger: The object of the game is to blow on the Christmas cards to move them to the very edge of the table so that one of them is left hanging over the edge without falling off. You have five cards to accomplish your task before your opponent."
Jenny pointed to a table where ten cards stood in a row. "That one is set up here. Now, lets see who's butt I'll be whipping" She knelt and spun the bottle.
While the group's attitude had been lukewarm at first, Jenny's appeal to their competitive natures soon had the cops cheering raucously as they chased ornaments with wrapping paper tubes, matched badge numbers to people, and precariously balanced cocktail glasses. The bottle had yet to land on Kate, so she merely soaked up the joy around her. It had been so long since she really felt good around the holidays.
Vaguely she registered that the turn had passed to Gates, but then she read the prompt.
"You and your partner have ten minutes to escape from being handcuffed together. You may use anything you can find. No tigers required."
Most of the group gave a nervous chuckle, unsure of how their boss would react, but Jenny was ever at ease.
"You don't really have to try that, Kevin thought it was funny. I don't think it's even possible"
Kate expected the uptight Captain to take the out, but instead she said, "Oh, it is possible, I've seen criminals do it. Never accomplished it myself though." SHe paused a moment ot consider. "I think I'll give it a try"
The entire room seemed to be holding back a shocked gasp as Gates reached out to spin the bottle. Kate was trying to count just how many eggnogs she had seen the Captain consume when a shout from the crowd alerted her that the bottle had landed…on her.
If she had not already survived a bullet to the heart, Kate would have to say this was her worst nightmare.
Jenny had already fastened the first cuff around Gates' wrist and had her hand outstretched requesting Kate's.
It would be hard to say who looked giddier about this, Castle or Mr. Gates, but Kate was only allowed to attack one of them, so she would have to settle for wiping the shit-eating grin off of Caste's face later. Actually the whole damn party looked way too excited. She hated all of them.
There had to be some kid of law or regulation against this, but she would never live it down if she chickened out when Gates was willing. Reluctantly, she offered her hand and Jenny who closed the cuff around her wrist.
"Alright, your time starts…" Ryan paused to watch the second hand tick over to a new minute, "Now!"
With that, Gates turned to Kate and said hurriedly, "Okay, what are your ideas? I have hairpins."
This really cannot be happening to her.
"I was thinking we tackle Ryan and take the key."
Both women then turned maliciously towards Ryan who yelped, "Nope! That would be cheating"
"Hmm, then do you guys have any power tools around?"
This time it was Gates who stopped her. "While I appreciate your ingenuity, I cannot allow the destruction of police property for the purpose of a game."
For Kate, no good could come of this. Even if they did escape, she was going to look like an idiot for not figuring it out when she and Castle were trapped. Still, her boss wanted her to try, so there was no avoiding it. "I might as well try the pin for a bit, but keep thinking."
Kate went to work on the lock for a time, but she was not getting anywhere. Finally Gates remarked, "I'm thinking we try to slip out instead, we should get some oil or something"
Suddenly, Gates was dragging her to the kitchen cabinets and pulling out olive oil. Honestly, the woman was acting crazier than when Castle had given her that frightening doll. Ah, the wonders of alcohol.
Tentatively, Gates poured a bit of oil onto her wrist over the sink and gave a slight tug. "Well, it could work, but it will take a lot, and it's going to be messy."
"Yeah," said Castle from the doorway, barely containing his laughter, "I'm thinking you should do it in the tub."
Still determined, the Captain led Beckett towards the bathroom with a nod. As they passed Rick, Kate stared him down, mouthing 'You are never getting laid again'
She was actually starting to think that statement could be true as she toed off her heels and stepped into the tub. This did not seem at all safe.
Gates soaked their wrists in oil and they braced their other hands against the cuffs. "One, two, three—Pull!"
Everything went black.
Really she was only out for a couple of seconds, but that did not mean Castle was not concerned. He had most certainly screamed like a girl when her head cracked against the tile as she slipped. He was a damn idiot for suggesting this. Meanwhile he was not allowed to act the way he wanted because stupid Gates had not been knock unconscious.
"Kate, are you okay?"
She seemed to focus on him for a bit, but then noticed the handcuffs and stared at them, bewildered.
"Ryan, would you." He gestured to their hands, and the detective finally got his wits about him and quickly released them.
Castle offered his hand to Kate, who took it, climbed out of the tub, and threw her arms around his neck. He wanted so badly to just pick her up and carry her home, but instead he could only support her gently and try to make this seem like reasonable behavior for coworkers.
"Could someone get Lanie in here? I think the head trauma may be serious, Beckett is being nice to me."
As the onlookers shuffled to let the doctor through, Kate buried her face in Rick's neck and grumbled, "I am going to kill you Castle, probably Ryan too."
He could only chuckle. "There's the Beckett we all know."
P.S.-Please check out the story BWJournal is writing base on my Secret Santa prompt. It's called the Essence of Existence, and it is awesome. It's a cross-over with the X-Files, and a lot of people don't check those lists, but you should definitely read this one.
Also, if you are wondering, the specific prompt was: "Beckett wakes up handcuffed to Gates with Castle in the tub after the precinct Christmas party (this one's super silly so play with it but make it as believable as possible)"