Numbers
Set somewhere in season 5.
Kate had just finished brushing her teeth. She got out of the bathroom. He was in the bed wearing his beloved grey t-shirt she'd gotten him as a joke. It read "Just NY", an old joke between the two of them. The sight of him made her blush and smile at the same time. Lying down next to him, she leaned up and brushed his lips with her own. His hand was playing with her hair, still damp from their shower.
They broke away, and he was the first to talk. "Kate, I have a little question for you. It's not a big deal, but lately, I've been thinking a lot about it" he said. "Sure, what is it?" she asked. She was lying in the bed up against his body now "You know the case we worked just before Ryan's wedding, the one where Jenny had been with that guy?" he started. "Yeah" she said. "Well, remember I asked you about your number?" he continued. "Yeah" she said again. "Could you tell me now?" he asked with a glimpse in his eyes.
She wanted to tell him, but one question was screaming in her head. She looked deep into his eyes. "Are you sure you wanna know?" she asked. He looked surprised. "Of course I'm sure" he said. "Well, I'd like to know yours first then" she said. "Well, there's been a lot of meaningless bimbos." He started, and she felt so lucky that he just shared this very private thing with her, "I've only been with 3 that I thought I loved, that would be Sophia, Meredith and Gina. Then there's one that I know I love; you. Altogether it's…" She could tell he was counting them in his head, he had that cute little furrow between his eyebrows "21" he said.
She froze. Partly because her number was nearly double to his, but also because she'd expected it to be much more.
She hadn't talked for a while when he decided to say something. "Kate, this is creeping me out. What's wrong? Is your number really that terrible?" she was cut out of the trance she'd been in. "No…" she started, while looking at her hands "But your playboy-image?" she was truly confused. Not that 21 wasn't a pretty high number, but still. "What about my image? Is there something wrong with my number?" his body was tense under her.
"Nothing's wrong with it, I'd just expected it to be higher." She said. "Oh okay." She could feel that he relaxed a bit, "But what's yours then?" he asked. "When you hear it, promise that you won't freak out?" she asked. "Always."
"38" she said, "and if this makes it any better, I don't plan on heightening that number." she said with an insecure smile. "38?!" he begun, and then started laughing "you were freaking out about 38" he kept chuckling. She didn't understand. She had been so sure that he was going to find her disgusting. "Kate, look at you. With your sass and humor and beauty and kindness and awesomeness, your number could have been three times higher!" he said, still laughing, but she could see that he was being serious.
Well, once again he'd made her speechless. "But I would like to tell you the story behind it." She said. "Of course. Shoot!" he exclaimed.
"Actually, since I became a cop, I haven't been with very many, it was all in my 'wild child phase'. Most of them were just one-night stands that I didn't remember in the mornings. I went to a lot of parties. And at those parties were some bad company. Most of my friends were using drugs, drinking every other day, and dropped out of school. I wasn't as bad, my parents very extremely protective of me. I was just around 18 when I heard it at school. That sentence that made me change myself. 'Kate – the one that sleeps with you on the first date'." He cut her off "Kate that's awful. Who would do that?" She shrugged, "it was my own fault. I never knew who started it, but I realized that it was true. That was when I stopped hanging out with those friends, and shortly after, I started at Stanford. I was really happy about that, because then I could have a fresh start." She finished.
He grabbed her and hugged her. Why hadn't she told him this earlier, when he was being so supportive. Most people would have thought she was stupid. He spoke into her hair, "Thank you for telling me this. I really appreciate it." She let out a little laugh and said; "Thank you for listening", then looked up to his eyes. "I love you. You're the best that's ever happened to me.". The smile he sent her could have lit up the entire city. "I love you too." He leant down and captured her mouth in a sweet kiss.
"And now, Mister Castle, I think it's time we get some sleep." She said with a smile. "Well Detective Beckett, I do believe you're right." He said. They kissed each other and got under the sheets. When they were almost asleep he said "Kate… you know, to me, you're 'Kate – the one brought to me by fate'" she could feel him smile against her neck. "Really Castle? That one was cheesy, but thanks." Then, she turned to him and kissed him, before they both fell asleep.
AN: I thought we could use a little more knowledge of Kate's past, or is that just me?
If you like this, please let me know.
Thank you for reading.
MN.