Title : The last chapter
Rating: T or PG-13 just to be safe.
Author Note : This story takes place between the season 2 finale and the season 3 premier. I probably won't have it posted until after the premier so I just wanted to give the readers a heads up that it was written before. Thanks to all who read this and review and I hope you enjoy it!
Disclaimer : I do not own Castle of any of it's characters, Plots or scripts. I do NOT own anything of ABC and I don't own anything as far as the books are regarded either I'm just borrowing the book and no I have not read the second one yet just the first there are NO spoilers in this fiction I just used the book characters names. I also don't own the song ' It's raingng men' though wouldn't it be nice if rained CASTLES!.
Summary : Beckett is feeling sorry for herself when her favorite writer comes back needing her to pre-read the last chapter of his next novel.
Detective Kate Beckett sat at her desk staring at the empty chair beside her for about the hundreth time that week. Her partner and friend Rick Castle used to sit in that chair and give her those amazing smiles. She had managed to pretend she didn't notice his abscence when her comrades were around but inside it felt like her soul had left with him.
She took a deep breath and pushed a hand through her hair shaking her head she turned back to her paperwork. It was late at night well past ten and the precinct was mostly empty. Only herself, Ryan and Esposito remained upstairs filling out paperwork in silence. Lanie was downstairs in the morgue working late as well or so Kate thought.
"Look at her. I can't stand seeing her like this" Lanie said from the doorway. Kate had her back to the door to the vending area where Ryan, Lanie and Esposito stood watching her struggle.
"I know. She needs to get out and do something besides work I don't think she's left her house" Ryan shook his head and continued to stir his coffee.
"Well, It's now or never, Let's go" Esposito set his coffee down and started towards Kate.
Lanie and Ryan followed him and they each circled around to the front of her desk. Lanie spoke first. "Kate, We have a surprise for you"
Beckett barely looked up before shaking her head. "Not today guys"
Esposito sighed and pulled the papers out of her view holding up a hand at her protest. "Look we all decided this would be good for you. We each paid a little and we're having a night out. Lanie is buying dinner around the corner, Then i'm paying our way into that movie you wanted to see and of course buying the snacks, Ryan here is footing the bill at whatever bar we end up in after. All you got to do it show up"
Kate sighed. "I'm really tired"
Ryan shook his head. "Too bad. You need a night out with your friends and we're treating get your coat your shoes and let's go" He looked at the other two he nodded.
Kate shook her head and Lanie spoke up. "Kate you've been doing nothing but mope around here ever since he left. All you do is work and sleep. Nobody wanted to say anything but we noticed how drastically your dropping weight we know you aren't eating and even when you're here all you do is stare at his chair"
"That's really sweet guys but I think i just need sometime alone" Lanie shook her head.
"You've had time alone. Now it's time for friends, And so help me if I have to drag your scrawny white butt the whole way to that diner I will and don't think I can't I have been eating" Kate sighed and stood.
Her friends smiled at her and Ryan and Esposito went to their desks to grab their coats Lanie stayed with Kate. "We really think this will help" She offered and Kate nodded.
They were all putting on their coats when the doors to the elevator opened. They looked upto see Castle stepping off he smiled when he saw her. "Kate"
Kate lit up briefly then forced it back down. The others froze and stared.
"Kate, Listen I have something I have to tell you" He moved towards he and she waited.
He held up what looked like a manuscript. "Kate, I need you to read this for me" He handed it to her and she looked at the book.
"Your next book?" He nodded
"Just read the last few pages please. It's important" She shook her head.
"I was just about to go out I'll read it another time" She tried to move past him he grabbed her arm.
"Kate, please just do this for me" She shook her arm loose.
"It can wait Castle" She felt offended personally. He ran off to the Hamptons with his ex-wife the exact second she wanted to tell him she was in love with him. He left her miserable and alone for weeks and she even debated calling Demming and asking him out but she couldn't. Castle finally came back and all he cared about was his stupid book.
"Is it really that important?" She asked when he looked truly hurt and he nodded.
"I swear it's important" She sighed and took it from his hands she shrugged at Lanie and the guys.
"This should only take a minute to read" She said simply and Castle nodded.
"Just read the last chapter"
She started for her desk Castle following had just reached her desk when the elevator doors opened again. Demming stepping off the elevator. Two dozen red roses in his right hand his smile faded when he saw Castle.
"You. What are you doing here?" He asked moving towards the group and taking them all in though his question was shot at Castle. Kate was standing behind her desk, Castle was infront of it. Lanie, Ryan and Esposito stood off to the side.
"Well, I came to see Kate" Castle said and Demming look at her.
"Really? Where's your ex-wife?"
At this all eyes went to Castle since everyone had been thinking the same thing.
"Well, She's at her house" Castle said looking at Kate he finished talking. "It didn't work between us it would never work. Kate please just read the last chapter" She watched him and was about to speak when Demming did.
"She's not reading anything you gave her. That's your ex-wifes job" He turned to Kate offering her the roses. "I came to see if you would have dinner with me" He glanced at Castle. "That is if you're done crying over writer boy"
Castle snapped and a very well places punch to the left side of Demmings face got his point across. Everyone gasped Demming spun to face Castle.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"This" Castle punched him again effortlessly giving him a bloody nose "I've wanted to do that since the first time you ever laid eyes on her" He practically shouted.
That was all it took Demming leaped at Castle shoving them both across Kates desk. Papers scattered and coffee mug and lamp shattered to the floor. Castle took the brunt of the fall his back hitting Kates chair which rolled away just as she avoided being knocked over herself.
She quickly stepped over to where he friends were. Castle got up first and when Demming reached his knees Castle punched him in the ribs knocking him back down.
"Stop it. Both of you please" Kate yelled but by now there was a full blown beat down happening on the floor.
She watched in shock at the scene as they both got more agresive and more punches were thrown Castle amazingly doing most of the damage.
She vaguely heard humming in the back of her mind and looked to her right where Lanie was humming ' It's raining men' quite loudly. Kate shot her a glare and she cleared her throat and smiled. "Sorry"
She shook her head and went back to watching Ryan who was on her left spoke up. "Who are we rooting for here?"
"Duh, Castle he showed up here just when we all gave up hope" Lanie said rolling her eyes.
"And he was here first" Esposito put in.
"Yeah, But Demming never ran off with his ex-wife to the Hamptons" Kate said glancing only briefly at her friends who all shrugged and nodded before watching the fight again.
Demming stood pulling Castle up by his shirt and throwing him over Ryans desk. He hit and then rolled off onto the floor with a thud and then didn't move.
Demming collapsed a second after. Kate ran to Castle.
"Castle, Are you alright?" She dropped to her knees and he opened one eye.
Demming stood. "You know what? It's not worth it." He picked up his roses and limped to the elevator holding his side Lanie, Esposito and Ryan watched him go. Kate looked up and shook her head then helped Castle into a desk chair.
"Why don't we leave you two alone" Lanie said grabbing Esposito by the coat sleeve. "Come on, You two can still treat me" They nodded and followed her.
Kate looked Castle over he wasn't beat up to terrible bad. A few bruises but his face wasn't even marked. "I'm going to get you some water stay here" She turned and all but ran to vending room.
When she came back Castle was by her desk picking up the novel off the floor. "Castle leave it come on"She rolled the desk chair over to him and he shook his head.
"I'm fine, I don't need to sit down" He handed her the book. "Please now that we're alone just humor me, Read this"
She gave him a 'what is the matter with you?' look and took it going to her desk she sat down flipping to where it said 'Epilogue' she had only read two lines when Castle spoke.
"Did you get to the part where he tells her that he respects her and that through all of the girl chasing the one night stands it was only her he ever wanted?" She glanced up briefly.
"Castle I just started I only got two lines"He head went back down to the book.
"What about where he tells her she's the most amazing, beautiful women he's ever met, and that Rick Castle wouldn't be anything without Detective Beckett"
Her heart hammered and she glanced up. "You said Rick and Beckett I thought it was Rook and Niki"
He shook his head. "It was always Castle and Beckett. Did you get to the part where he comes back from the Hamptons to tell her he's always been in love with her that the thought of her with another man is the only thing that just about brings him to his knees and that he wants to be with her. Not his ex-wife only her"
She had tears in her eyes now. "No, I didn't get to that part yet" She bit her lip to keep it from trembling and swallowed. "What does she say?"
Castle shrugged. "I don't know yet"
She stood too moving around her desk she stopped a few feet away. "She loves him too. She was going to tell him that night before he left for the Hamptons but when she saw his ex-wife she was afraid he didn't want her" She was crying now but she didn't care.
Castle went to her brushing a tear away with his thumb. "Kate. You're all I ever wanted" He said softly and she smiled.
He leaned down and kissed her just a hesitant peck first then he kissed her again fuller. Slow and gentle but with an underlying passion that was finally able to be released.
He pulled away keeping her in his arms. She smiled and he did too. He spoke first. "That Demming can really pack a punch" She laughed and kissed him again pulling him close.
From their place down a hall, Behind a wall by the elevators Lanie, Ryan and Esposito smiled.
Ryan looked over at Lanie, "Why are you crying?"
She rolled her eyes motioning towards the couple kissing by the desk. "That's my girl out there, And that's her man"
Ryan nodded and thought for a second watching Esposito watch Lanie with that longing in his eyes gave Ryan and idea and he grinned. "Yeah speaking of girl and all this mushiness I think I'm gonna bail on you two guys and go tell my girl I love her. That looks pretty nice" He said nodding at Castle then he grinned looking at Esposito. "Don't you think buddy?"
Espostio looked at Ryan and shrugged. "Sure"
"Awe, Are you sure Ryan?" Lanie asked as they headed for the stairs and he nodded.
"Yeah, You'll be fine without me besides I think my partner over here can think of some nice things to tell you" He said giving Epsosito a hinting shove and motioning towards Lanie with his head.
Esposito shook his head quickly and Ryan grinned with a nod. "Oh I think I forgot my wallet on my desk I'm just going to go grab it" He turned and so did the other two Lanie smiled Esposito shooting him death glares.
"Do you want us to wait?" Lanie asked and Ryan shook his head before walking off.
She turned and Esposito gave her a few second head start before taking a deep breath and rushing to catch up with her.
Ryan walked into the room Kate was picking up papers off the floor while Castle was putting things back on the desks Ryan spoke. "I'm sorry to interrupt guys but I don't think you're going to want to miss this" He said walking by briskly.
"Miss what?" Kate asked standing.
Ryan headed to the window and waved them over pointing down onto the street. "Trust me you're going to want to see this" Kate and Castle made it to the window and looked down just as Lanie and Esposito emerged from the building.
"Well, It's getting late so I'm going to head home" He said and she looked a little hurt.
"Don't you want to grab something to eat? I'll still buy it" She offered and he watched her a second before shaking his head.
"No, I don't think so, I probably would be boring company anyway I can never think of anything to talk about"
Lanie nodded and gave him a smile, "Alright I'll just see you tomorrow" He sighed and nodded she turned to go.
She took two steps when he spoke. "Actually. I can think of something to talk about. We can talk about you and why I don't think it's neseccary for you to wear suits and look that good while you cut up bodies or how every time you say something flirty it gets under my skin and makes me want to choke the person you said it to even if it's Ryan"
She turned to look at him clearly taking his messages all wrong "I'm sorry?"
He took a few steps closer. "Or we can talk about the fact" A few more steps closer "That I am hopelessly...In love with you"
She was shocked she just stared at him for a few seconds and he cleared his throat before continuing.
"I'm sorry I'm not a writer like Castle I can't think of a big romantic speech that will sweep your off you feet I'm not that smooth but I can honestly tell you that I love you just as much as Castle loves Kate and my heart breaks just as bad as his when I think of you with someone else flirting with someone else looking that good for someone else. You cut the hearts out of people everyday for a living but girl you've had mine for a very long time"
She watched him and felt tears in her eyes. "That was better then Castle. It was perfect and I want to make something very clear. I only flirt with other guys to get your attention and I only dressed the way I did was because you were here everyday and I wanted to show you that I could look as good as Kate"
He was confused. "Kate? Why her I never noticed her"
"I didn't know that I heard a rumor once you liked someone in the precinct I figured it was Kate"
He shook his head and at last took her in his arms. "It was always you only you. I couldn't even look at another woman without thinking of you but I always thought you had a thing for Castle"
She shook her head. "No never" He kissed her.
Pulling her close and holding her so tight it almost hurt his lips crushed against hers. He held her and kissed her like she was the only thing keeping him alive.
She shivered and he without breaking the kiss wrapped his coat around her small frame as well as his. She wrapped her arms around his waist his were around her holding the coat around them both.
When he finally did pull away she giggled. "I'm always freezing" He smiled and kissed her forehead.
"Why don't we go out and I'll treat you to dinner then we can go wherever you want" He smiled and pulled her a little closer
"Or..." He continued. "If you're not too hungry I can see about getting you warmed diner is open 24 hours"
She smiled. "So it should be open in let's say two hours?"
He kissed her one more time. "It only take thirty minutes to get to my house"
"I know" She smiled as they started down the sidewalk.
Ryan grinned. "That's my man, I knew he could do it"
Castle slid his arm around Kate and kissed the top of her head. "Wonder where their going? The diner is the other way"
Ryan really smiled now. "Haha I taught him well, His house is that way" Castle smiled.
Kate shook her head and decided maybe just maybe Castle was wrong.
It wasn't the last chapter she read it was the start of a whole new one for all of them
The End
R&R