The Summer Classic

I do not own the characters or stories.

-Just to give you a quick timeline. This is AU during the summer between season 3 and 4. Josh is out of the picture, and Beckett and Castle are slowly figuring out where their relationship is heading. Beckett isn't critically wounded and Montgomery is on vacation with his wife.

"It's about time!" Esposito exclaimed spinning around in his chair.

"What?" Beckett asked snapping her head up from a document on her desk, "Did the vic's credit card records come through?"

"Nope. Better than that." He grinned only to be met with a questioning look, "Damn Beckett. Don't you check your email? Lt. Barrett finally sent out practice times."

"Wait. What practice?" Castle asked twisting around to face Esposito.

"It's the 25th Annual NYPD Summer Classic." Ryan piped up over his computer monitor.

Still slightly confused Castle turned back to face Beckett for more clarification.

"Yeah, we play every year Castle." Beckett shrugged, "I think I've play something like eight times over the years, the last four years have been with Ryan and Esposito."

"So it's co-ed?" Castle asked slightly more interested.

"All one BIG happy family." Ryan grinned, "Each precinct has a team and there's a big department wide tournament the third weekend in July."

"You know what, I just had the greatest idea…" Esposito smirked rolling his chair across the bullpen so he was directly in front of Castle, "I think Castle should play this year."

"Me?" Castle suddenly sounded slightly uncomfortable, "But I'm not a cop."

"So." Esposito shrugged, "What do you guys think?" he asked glancing at Beckett then across to his fair-skinned partner.

"You should totally play with us bro!" Ryan nodded, "Beckett…?"

"It's up to him." She responded the corner of mouth turning up to form a crooked grin.

"I just… I don't want to hurt the team." Castle stuttered, "I didn't really have the opportunity to play catch with the costume directors while mother acted."

"That's understandable." Esposito resigned as he rolled back to his desk, "So I guess that means you'll just be hanging out with Lanie and Jenny in the stands."

Castle didn't have to look over to see Beckett biting down on her lip trying hold back a laugh. She wasn't trying to embarrass him like the other two detectives, but Beckett couldn't help but think how cute Castle was when put in uncomfortable positions.

"Fine. I'll play." Castle finally said trying to sound as confident as possible, "When's practice?"

"5:30 on Thursday." Esposito responded, "At PS 14"

"But we like to get there early and warm up before the rest of team so be there at 5:00." Beckett added before getting up and heading to the break-room.

Later that day…

The vic's credit records had finally come in and the team was sifting through piles of paper when Beckett looked over and noticed Castle staring off into space, "You OK Castle?" she whispered trying to get his attention by grazing her fingers across the top of his hand.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He nodded, "Just trying to come up with a hair-brain theory for you to roll your eyes at." He flashed his trademark grin trying to mask the fact that he had been thinking about the up-coming softball tournament for the last four hours.

"OK. Just checking." She said furrowing her brow. Castle bragged that he had the ability to read her tells like a book he wrote himself, but Beckett could read the writer's face just as well and she knew that something was bothering him.

The afternoon drug on at a snail's pace as any shred of evidence they found lead to just as many dead ends. All the while Beckett kept a close eye on Castle trying to figure out exactly what was on his mind. And it seemed that every opportunity she had to ask him something or someone would interrupt them.

Almost as if planned, Castle looked down at his phone right at 5:30 and said that he had to go. Ryan and Esposito said their goodbyes and went back to the murder board as the writer strode towards the elevator, but Becket tossed the file she as holding on her desk and ran to catch up with Castle.

"Hey, are you sure you're OK?" She asked once they fell into stride, "You just got real quiet after we talked about the softball tournament and…"

"Kate…" Castle put his hand on her arm to get her attention, "I'm fine, OK. I'm just tired."

Beckett knew she wasn't going to get much out of him in the ten seconds they had until the elevator doors opened so she accepted his response with a nod, "OK."

"I'll see you tomorrow." He grinned slowly letting go of her arm.

Watching the doors close, Beckett stood and stared at the ceiling for a moment trying to decide if she should really let it go, or try to weasel info out of him by heading to the loft after she got off with a slice of his favorite chocolate cake and a cheesy movie.

An hour later at Sports Chalet…

"Hi. Welcome to Sports Chalet. How may I help you?" a young salesman with a name tag that said 'Danny' on it asked Castle as he entered the store.

Castle couldn't remember the last time he was in a sporting goods store and all the different sports apparel and gear made him nervous, "I'm playing softball for the first time on Thursday and I need equipment."