Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.
A/N: My very first Castle ficlet, so be gentle with me. Feedback is much appreciated.
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Chapter 1
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Rick Castle sat slumped in the chair beside Kate Beckett's desk, longing for his comfortable sofa at home, custom made for him. Though, he decided, on second thought – anything would be more comfortable than the seat in which he sat right now.
But then, he would have sat on the floor if he had to. Watching his muse go about her daily tasks was more than worth it. She was entertaining to watch, and he could sit here for hours at a time, simply observing.
He knew she thought it was creepy and mostly annoying that he liked watching her do paperwork. That, naturally, only proved to amuse him further.
Beckett sighed deeply to herself, sending a glare his way when he tried to make himself more comfortable, attracting her attention. Someone sure was in a foul mood today, he mused silently to himself.
He smiled sweetly at her, letting his cheeks dimple seductively.
A roll of her eyes, and she focused on her computer screen once more.
They were working on a new case – the murder of a young woman, who had been working on a government project. Her name was Allison Green, 30 years old – a scientist. The project she had been working on had something to do with a virus, but they didn't know the specifics. That was all strictly confidential, a word – which he had come to learn – that Beckett strongly disliked. They had good reason to believe that someone had hired a hit man to get rid of her. Not only because she was shot from quite a distance away – the bullet going through her apartment window and right into her chest – but it was done so professionally, that there was really no other explanation. They had yet to find anything about the one responsible though, and Castle knew that that was the reason for Beckett's crankiness.
It had absolutely nothing to do with him, of course. After all, he was a likable guy – right?
Right.
Castle interlaced his fingers, stretching his hands out in front of him, sighing in relief when the desired popping sound reached his ears. He saw Beckett's hand tighten around the pen she was holding in annoyance, her knuckles turning white in response to the sound.
He decided to give her a little breather, so he went to get a cup of coffee – and one for her as well. It would help cheer her up quicker then anything else that he knew of. So far. Besides, he was in a merciful mood today.
Returning to her desk, he held out the steaming cup of coffee, working hard to keep the smug smile off his face – knowing that she had been craving for another shot of caffeine. He didn't seem to fool her, because she answered with another roll of her eyes, though she took the cup from him gratefully – and the corners of her mouth curled ever so slightly in a silent thank you.
He lowered himself on the torture chair once more, and quietly sipped his coffee. He looked up when Kate cleared her throat.
"You know that you don't have to stay, right?" she asked him, the most adorable frown appearing on her forehead. "I'll give you a call when we get a lead on our hit man."
Castle narrowed his eyes in suspicion, questioning her promise.
He caught a glimpse of the exasperated expression that appeared on her face – the desired reaction - before he was distracted by Ryan and Esposito walking up to them.
Beckett straightened in her seat, turning towards her fellow detectives. "Please tell me you found something," desperation clearly audible. Castle leaned forward hopefully – closer to Beckett, and realised that he had breathed in the air around her automatically, catching a hint of her shampoo and perfume.
Ryan smiled proudly, pausing a moment before spilling the news. "We've got a name – and address," he told them, his smile widening when he saw the relief on their faces. Esposito nodded; the joy also evident on his face – though not as clearly visible as was the case with his younger partner.
"Nice work," Beckett complimented them; reaching for the file Esposito was holding.
Castle looked to Beckett, her eyes skimming over the words. "So what now? Do I get to make the arrest this time?" he smiled at the thought, unable to keep the anticipation from showing on his face.
Three sets of eyes settled on him, and though he normally wouldn't mind the attention – the looks on their faces made him feel self-conscious. "What?" he frowned in confusion.
Beckett shook her head, "We can't make an arrest yet," she explained. "We only have circumstantial evidence that this guy actually murdered our vic, and that's not going to be enough for a conviction."
She bit her lip, her brow furrowing as she contemplated what to do next.
Esposito grimaced. "I guess we know what that means."
Ryan and Beckett glanced at him, identical grimaces appearing on their faces. Beckett groaned, dropping the file on her desk.
Castle looked at Esposito, impatiently waiting for an explanation. "Well? What does that mean?"
They answered simultaneously, a hint of dislike laced through their voices.
"Stakeout."
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TBC
A/N: Beckett and Castle, stuck together in a small space for a long period of time. I'm sure you all can think of the fun and joy that could come of that… Still though – I intend to give you guys an idea anyways. Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed!