This pool story popped into my head when I was reading a comic book. And me being a Castle fan, I made up a Castle fanfic out of it. Now this would be an older version of Castle the one between season 2 and 3 where Castle is at the Hamptons on vacation.

Hampton's heat wave:
by fibbermegee
dec 20 2013

Castle's loft:

The Hamptons, a great place to start the summer off, well it used to be for him. But this time it wasn't going to be the same.
His mother was gone off doing an acting play and his daughter off on a trip with her class. Castle would have to go all alone.

He had asked Beckett two times already today for her to join him. She made some excuses why she couldn't but he wasn't going to give up. The look in her eyes when he had asked her at the bar in the restaurant they were staking out, told him that she really, really wanted to go up there with him. That she was torn about what to do. He just wanted her to relax some. Working with her this past year had been the best days of his life. He was falling in love with her more everyday. He thought that she was running again and from what, he had learned from Lanie she did that cause she was trying to hide in her work, where she didn't have to face anyone. Work was her comfort zone, a safe place. Castle know all about that he did that too.

What is it that she so scared of? It can't be me, all I've shown her over the past year, is to have a good time, well at least I thought so. All I want is for her to continue to have a good time. I know that if she gets away she would have fun. And it would hurt if it was with me. I'm not going to give up on you Beckett not yet. He said to himself.

He had one more shot at getting her to say yes to him. He would have to resort to showing her a picture of the place, then maybe she would say yes. It was only for two days, why couldn't she spare that. He knew that she worked a lot, he was there with her most days but she too needed to take time off for herself. She needed to unwind. He didn't know how much if any that she did do. He just knew that when she called him for the next body drop she always looked good. He sighs softly.

Her soft dark hair whipping in the air, as she sat in the lawn chair in a bikini working on her tan. How can she not want to go. If I can just get her alone with no other distractions... oh the fantasies that came to his mind. He shook his head, to get rid of the inappropriate thoughts of her. why should I? I mean I'm a man, I need these fantasy. That's what keeps me going, gives me hope, inspiration. That's what's going to get me though this time if she doesn't show up.

"All she has to do is say yes to me." Castle says out loud not knowing that his daughter had come into the room.

"Say yes to what dad?"

"huh? What?" he was jarred out of his thoughts of Beckett wearing a bikini. He saw Alexis walking towards the kitchen. "Oh, nothing Alexis, I just ask someone to come to the Hampton's with me and she..." he stopped to think of Beckett again.

"And she said..." she glances at the look on her father's face one that told her he was thinking. "what? She turned you down didn't she?"

"She's still thinking about it." so there is hope for me after all to get lucky this summer he wanted to say, but that would be inappropriate to say to his daughter. When did care about that though. He was always telling her everything that was on his mind. A little too much at times.

"Good, I don't want you to be alone. This will be the first time you been alone for this long and..." Alexis wanted to add how he never been able to take care of himself for any long period of time. She knew that he could, if he was forced to but, she also knew how much trouble he could get into left to his own devices.

"I'll be fine." he whined. "I'm the one that should be worried about you, not the other way around."

"Dad?" He gave her a hug. "Don't worry it's..."

His phone rang again. "Castle here,"

"Detective Beckett," Alexis says, rolling her eyes, turning away from her dad. He put his hand on the phone. "How did you know?"

"It's always Detective Beckett. Who else," and with that she left back upstairs. Castle continues to listen to the Beckett tell him about the evidence that they might how found and that she needs his help.

"Need my help...huh?"

"Yes, I...look just come over here, please."

"Why detective Beckett...I'm honored." He hung up and was out the door in a heartbeat.

precinct:

Beckett sighs at her desk thinking of what Castle had asked her earlier at the crime scene. About how he took Alexis up to the Hamptons to kick off the summer with fireworks, illegal ones she was sure. But what would it be like to go up there. She had never been invited to such a trip in her life. Yeah sure it was with him, someone that she was getting use to having around but could she really trust him not to do anything.

I mean going away with him, this is a big step. One that I didn't know if I'm ready for. I wish... just go for it, her mind told her. I just can't leave but then again. I do need a vacation away from here. Away from the city and...

She shook her head, He's just trying to get me to see me in a bikini. and that's a bad thing,... I all work and no play... I know I just.

Castle walks up and drops his phone with a picture of his porch down on her desk. She jumps some.

"I didn't mean to scare you." He calls after seeing her reaction.

"Sure," she snorts, rolling her eyes. He was always doing something like that, getting under her skin. Just like he was with this trip. Even as genuine as it was, she thought that he had another agenda on his mind that he wasn't sharing with her.

"What is this?" she glances over at the object that he had placed down.

"It's better then the picture, the beach right outside the doors." Castle continues on.

"Castle I..." she starts as he takes his seat next to her desk. She sighs, but doesn't look at him. She couldn't tell him that she was battling between him and Tom's friendship. She wanted to be friends with both of them. Maybe even more.

"It's to good to be true, I know, but the view is breath taking. Nothing but sun and relaxation." and some fun for me too, just having you there with me alone, is enough for now. Even though I want more.

"That's not..." she shakes her head slightly. "what I meant, I uh..."

"Just think about it." He winks, "That's all I'm asking, and if you want to come, which I wouldn't mind either." he stands smiling at her.

"Would mind what?" Ryan asks holding a folder open.

"Nothing," Beckett answers, not really wanting to get into her personal life with Ryan. She wanted to keep her feelings for Castle between them, okay herself for now. She quickly changed the subject. "What you have?" She looks up at Ryan who starts to read from his folder. "The guy was into..." But before he could go any farther into details. She interrupted him.

"You take Castle and go check it out."

"What?" both men look at each other, then back to her.

"But..." Castle tries to protest.

"Beckett," calls Captain Montgomery. "Can I see you in here for a minute?"

"Sorry, got to go." She pats Castle on the back. "Ryan, see that he stays out of trouble."

"But I..." she winks in his direction. Oh she's just getting me back, he thought as she walks off towards the Captain's office. All of this was planned. Maybe the Captain was part of it too.

Castle sighs, then glances at Ryan who was still staring at this situation too. He never really worked side-by-side Castle.

"Can I drive?" Castle asks to break the silence.

"Sure I don't care." Ryan responds, hoping that he would.

Castle smiles and gives him a thumbs up. Beckett never lets him drive, why he never knew.

Being around Ryan wasn't as much fun as being around Beckett on a case, what he did was important but Castle couldn't quite bounce ideas off of him as easily. Something was different, different vibes he supposed, he missed her and they were gone away from each other that long. He couldn't wait to get back to the prescient to see her.

Beckett's desk later on:

"Wow! Is that his place?" Beckett glances up to see Lanie picking up the phone with the picture of Castle's Hampton house on it. "Looks like fun...Fun is what you need."

"What?" Beckett questions like she was coming out of a daze.

"I know you know what fun is and he is laying out the red carpet for you." Lanie winks at her best friend.

"I..." Beckett snatches the phone back out of Lanie's hand. Beckett sighs tossing the phone a side. "So you heard."

"Sweetie, everyone has, now it's time for you to tell him yes."

"I just can't..." Lanie shot her a look.

"Yes, you can." She literally shouts at Beckett.

"But."

"But nothing," Lanie whispers, "The guy is crazy for you. Look he just wants to show you that there is more to life than your work."

"That's my point, he wants..." Beckett's mind wandered back into that thought of what he really wanted.

"What, to show you a good time?...what could possibly go wrong in two days?" She heard Lanie say. A lot, not to mention. Beckett's mind was coming up with all kinds of things that could go wrong.

"I'm..." Beckett starts another excuse. Telling Lanie about why she really didn't want to tell Castle yes.

"With Demming I know, but is he fun?"

"uh, um...What?"

"You heard me, is Tom fun?"

"Uh...um..." There was a pause in her voice, too long pause, Lanie thought. "He has his moments."

Has his moments my ass. Lanie wanted to say to her but held her tongue, for now. "Girl," she shook her head."What am I going to do with you?"

"I..." Beckett stopped her thought, she couldn't face the truth of what she was doing. She really wanted to be with Castle, feel the love, friendship that they had but didn't want to feel the pain of losing someone, if she got to close. She thought with Demming she never feel that way.

"You don't take chances," she sighs, Lanie knew she needed to push Beckett into things. One day it would pay off, she just hoped that she wouldn't be to late. "And who's going to know anyway."

"I will," Beckett countered. Beckett knew that her friend was just trying to help her see what was right in front of her.

"Come of girl it's not like the world's going to end just cause you go away for two days and if it does we'll deal with it."

"Deal with what?" Castle walks up to them. "Are you talking about me?" he gins one of his famous grins at her.

"No!" Beckett shouts, annoyed with how he just interrupts her private conversation, like he owns the place. Her safe place. Castle smiles seeing that she has his phone in her hands. She shoved it back at him. "Here," He leaves it on her desks. He wanted her to remind her what she could have if she only said the words.

"Did you?" He lefts his eye brows at her. He knew how to get under skin, make her crazy. He thought that if he could she would just brake down. Lanie feeling the tension between them, walks off, but not before she got another comment in. "Remember what I said." Beckett rolls her eyes at her friend.

"What was that all about? Why was Lanie here?" Beckett ignored him. Getting up to get coffee. Why is she avoiding me? What did I do? He picks up his phone. I just thought that she wanted to have some fun oh well. He shrugged his shoulder and follows her to the break room. She didn't have to turn around to know that he was there. "Look Castle,"

"No pressure, I just thought it would be fun,"

"What?," He reaches for a cup too after she got her coffee. He was going to give her an explanation, when Tom Demming, the guy that Beckett was now seeing, shows up.

"Guys," he calls as he enters into the break-room with them. "Demming," Castle says back, than starts to make his way out of the break-room. But he stops just inside the door frame when he hears Demming asking Beckett about her decision to go to his beach house for the weekend.

"Did you think about, Kate? I mean I know that it's not." Demming was going on.

"I'll have to see, can I get back to you, I mean. I might have to work."

"Sure," Then leans in and kisses her softly on her lips. She glances up to see Castle walk off.

Feeling defeated, Castle sat at Beckett's desk waiting on her to return. That's why she didn't say yes to me, she already had plans, if that was the case why didn't she just tell me?... you know how she keeps things bottled up... I know but all she had to do was tell me then I wouldn't have...have what pushed her, you know that she cares for you...Footsteps brought him back to reality. Shaking the voices in his head, he stares at her. He wanted her to tell him what was going on, but he knew that she wouldn't so he did.

"Beach house huh?"

"What?" Beckett responds. "Oh, yeah. Castle look, I..." he put his hand up to stop her.

"You don't have to explain,"

"I don't?"

"If you want to go with him, that's fine. Go. I just want you to..." he looks down, trying to hold back his tears. "I..." he swallows, than sighs to calm all the emotions that he was feeling for her. "I just...I just want you to be happy."

She turns her head slightly to look at him. So Lanie was right he was just...trying to show you a good time...but...you have two great guys looking out for you...I know what do I do?...follow your heart and you can't go wrong. Her mother's voice answered her. Beckett sighs.

Seeing how the two of them where looking well, not looking at each other Esposito asks, "What's going on guys?,"

"Nothing," Beckett slowly answers, "What you got?"

"Well, according to records," Ryan begins, he glances over at Castle. He knew that something was definitely up between the two of them. Why would he not look at her; show us some excitement. Then he remembers that they had the same attitude earlier. What is going on? What, did the two of you fight about now?

Ryan glances at Javi, who too could feel the tension in the air as well but ignored it.

"Anyway," Javi continues. "We got surveillance photos," he hands them to Beckett.

"Hey, that's..." Beckett shows the picture to Castle.

"You got to be kidding me, what's he?"

"Let's go find out why." Beckett gets up, Castle following.

"What's with them bro?" Esposito asks after the two of them leave.

"I don't know, They being acting weird all day." Ryan sits at his desk typing something into his computer. "Check this out." Javi leans over his shoulder, staring at the screen. I will get to the bottom of this. That's what I do.

When Beckett and Castle got back the arguments were back in full force, right where they'd left off.
"Good, I have things to do anyway. I just thought you might care to come but I see that you are too busy. I won't ask again. Have a good summer." Castle shouted at Beckett then walks away to go see the boys before he left for the summer.

She bit down on the impulse to defend herself.

"You're really leaving us, huh?" Ryan comments.

"Yeah guys, I really need to finish the new book. I just thought that the summer would be a good time to get away. You know, take a little break,
I'll be back in the fall."

"We're going to miss you around here bro," Esposito calls as he grabs Castle's hand. He glancing at Beckett who was at her desk shuffling papers around, looking like she just lost her best friend. Well, maybe she had. "Yo, You can't leave things like this with her bro," Esposito starts in on Castle.

"Go talk to her." Ryan joins in. He hated seeing them like this, he knew that they were becoming more than just friends. He saw it in their eyes, when all of them first met almost a year ago. Beckett had changed, she was happier with Castle around. Something that Ryan was getting use to. When Beckett was happy they, well he could vouch for Esposito but he loved this change. They all felt closer to one another, they all felt like a real family.

Ryan's right Castle thought, If I'm not going to see her all summer than I should at least tell her that I'm sorry, I owe her that much. He had to make things right with her and right now was his only chance.

Before he can make his move, his sees Demming kissing Beckett on the lips. He now knows that he has lost his chance but for some reason he just stands there watching them.

to be continued...