FanFiction
CASTLE
Kate Beckett & Richard Castle
Alternative ending for 4x02
Date Night
Beckett is tired of waiting and invites Castle to go out for drinks.
Disclaimer: In Marlowe we believe is all I say...
"Castle?" Kate calls after him, her voice sounds strong and confident, almost as if she's on a mission, and, oh, she is.
"Huh?" Castle answers with surprise in his voice.
"Why not tonight?" She shouldn't. She really shouldn't be enjoying herself so much right now. But she is, and who's gonna blame her. This is Rick Castle we're talking about, ruggedly handsome best-selling author.
His eyes light up, he looks happy and expectant but also somewhat unsure.
"Wanna go to the Old Haunt and get a drink?" She is way too sure of herself. But who is she kidding? He's not going to say no.
"Is that you asking me out?" Even though he's teasing it's as good as a yes.
"Might be" She winks at him and walks past him back to her desk to grab her phone and jacket. When she turns around he's already behind her, a little too close to be socially acceptable, reaching out for her jacket to help her into it. She doesn't refuse, even smiles at Castle when she looks at him and lifts her hair out from under the fabric.
"So, is this a yes?" She knows the answer to that, she just wants to hear him say it.
"Oh, you can bet on that, Detective." He grins widely and doesn't even try to hide it.
It shouldn't cause this reaction, but that feeling...those are definitely butterflies in Kate's stomach.
Castle holds out his elbow to her and she slides her arm through his. Arm in arm they walk to the elevator. Her hand leaves his arm when they turn around in the car to face the door and she reaches over and around him to press the button for the ground-level. Castle grins at her, this time he tries to hide it by pressing his lips tightly together, but his glowing eyes give him away. She shyly smiles back, straightening her back to stand next to him. One of her hands reaches up to tuck at a strand of hair and twirls it around her index. Is she really that nervous?
They stay silent during the drive to the Old Haunt, Kate just occasionally smacks Castle's hand lightly every time he reaches out to try and change the radio station. Her car, her rules.
When she pulls up into a free parking spot they unbuckle their seatbelts and their eyes meet for a second. She quickly looks away, blushing slightly, feeling as if she got caught. Got caught at what exactly? Looking at a friend, her partner? That's no crime. But she wasn't just looking. She was checking him out, eyes lingering on his broad chest as her gaze moved up from his hands to his rugged face.
They get out of the car, walk next to each other on the sidewalk, arms slightly brushing with every step. They walk down the stairs of his pub where holds the door for her when they reach it, letting her go in first. She's always through the door first. It's habit. She's usually the one with the gun, so she has to be in the room before him to make sure the location is safe. She makes sure it's safe for him.
Castle walks her over to the bar and greets the barkeeper, Chaz, with a handshake. Then he turns to Kate, smiling at her, making her blush again. "Chaz, this is Kate Beckett. She's a good friend of mine." He doesn't want to give her away as his muse. Tonight is about the two of them, no need to make people start asking question about how they met and if this or that is true what they read on page 6 on him and his muse. All those rumors that were out there in the summer, when he obviously wasn't happy and those paparazzi took pictures of him looking down like big time. But that's a different story. Kate shakes Chaz's hand politely and mumbles something that sounds like nice to meet you, or something along those lines. They order their drinks and walk off towards the back of the bar where it is a little more silent. They find a comfortable booth and sit down opposite to each other.
As ridiculous as it might be, Kate is kind of disappointed he didn't sit down next to her. Although, this way she can look at him. Which she really does enjoy doing. She folds her hands on the table in front of her and leans towards him a little.
He shifts in his seat. "So…" He begins, runs his hands over the edge of the table. His pause makes her curious. She raises a questioning eyebrow at him. Castle looks her in the eyes and blurts it out. "What is this all about?"
She gives him a mischievous grin, but answers matter-of-fact-ly. "Wanted to go out on a proper date with you for once."
Despite all the teasing he never thought she say they were on a date. So his response is everything but calm or teasing. "D-date?" He stammers.
"Can't handle the truth, can we?" Kate is still teasing and really enjoying his reaction to it.
He shifts in his seat again, rubbing his sweaty palms down his thighs over the smooth fabric of his dark blue-jeans.
"Yeah, well, I can. I just didn't think you'd be that forward is all"
"You gotta call the things by their name. And I don't wanna dance around anymore." Castle turns still, silent. She's taken him by surprise yet again. "Don't get me wrong, the teasing is fun and it used to be enough - " The waiter chose this moment to arrive with their drinks. Why do people have to have such bad timing? Always interrupting when she's about to say something important to him.
Castle only nods in acknowledgment when he takes his drink, Kate manages a simple mumbled "Thank you". The waiter senses the tension and discretely leaves the table with a small bow. Kate takes the chance to take a sip of her drink and to sort her thoughts, thinking about what to say next, how to explain it to him. Castle drinks too and when he sets the glass back down on the table he folds his fingers around it, resting his forearms on the table. She swallows hard when he looks at her expectantly. She's nervous again.
"It used to be enough, the teasing. And the innuendos, but it's not anymore. I wanna live my life now. I wanna get rid of that wall. And I want you to help me with it." She pauses, unsure, before she adds "If you want to."
And, boy, does he want to. Does want to be with her, want's to get rid of that wall that kept them apart. It won't now, not anymore. She's ready and Castle won't step back. Not now, not ever.
"Always." He says earnestly. The way he says it almost sounds like it's an oath, maybe because he means it as one.
Kate's answering smile is beaming and it emphasizes her "thank you."
"I didn't do anything yet"
"No, you didn't, but just for willing to stand by. You know after everything. This summer -"
"Kate, don't." He interrupts her. "It's OK. I forgave you already. It's in the past."
She doesn't know what to say so she just reaches over the table, removes his hands from around the glass and holds on tightly to one of his.
They stare at each other for some time before he breaks the silence. "Our first real date..."
"First real date?" What is he talking about?
"You know, all the times we went out together but didn't call it a date because either you, me or both of us were in a relationship?" Castle explains
"Oh yeah, that. Like the one time we went to watch 'Forbidden Planet'"
"About that." Castle stretches the words and he seems nervous again. "I gotta be honest with you...I've seen the movie before." He guiltily looks down at their joined hands, but she only laughs in delight. Seeing Kate Beckett laugh openly like that, that's totally out of the ordinary. "Yap, Castle, I kinda figured that when you got all excited every time before a good scene came up."
"There are only good scenes." He states. "You're not mad at me?"
She smiles and shakes her head. "No. Why would I be? It was fun and I was glad I didn't have to go alone. He seems relieved. She lightly squeezes his hand and absentmindedly strokes her thumb over the soft skin of his fingers. "Anything else I should know?"
"Nah, not really. Anything I should know?"
"Um..." She stiffens, almost pulls her hand back but he catches it and holds onto it tightly.
"You don't have to say it right now, Kate. Not if it makes you uncomfortable."
"No. It's just that – I want to. It's just not that easy."
"Take your time. I'm willing to wait."
"But I don't want you to have to wait anymore." She says desperately. "You've been waiting so long already. And I'm not just talking about this summer, but all the time before that too."
Castle scoots around the table to sit next to her. His hand never leaving hers.
"Kate. You're thinking way too much about what might be hard for me, what might hurt me. But Imma let you know, I'm grateful for every minute I get to spend with you. Whether you hold my hand or you glare at me. Everything's better than not seeing you."
He moves a bit and his knee brushes against her thigh, making her skin tingle. Kate's gaze flickers around the room before it finally settles on his face. She's thinking – hard. She turns to face him, presses her knees against his. Their hands fall onto her leg with the motion.
"I remember."
"You – huh?"