In the episode After Hours, Martha and Jim find common ground in their mutual worry for their children. During the course of their conversation, they reassure each other that Castle and Beckett have both said they feel safest when the other is watching their back. Here are four scenarios, two each, of how Martha and Jim came to know that.
Building Trust
Chapter 1 – Castle and Martha, Season Two, post-Sucker Punch
The loft is empty when Castle returns from his impromptu dinner with Beckett. He'd gone to the precinct with every intention of relieving her of the burden of his interference – something he had finally admitted was long overdue. He wasn't a cop, and he had no right to manipulate his way into her investigations – and her life. She didn't want him in either one. Or so he thought.
The truth of the reluctant confession she'd made only hours ago swirls around his heart and fills him with a sense of hope that he'd just about given up on. After eighteen months of being reminded daily of what an unwanted pest he's been, her words were like water to a dying plant. He makes her job fun, she'd said. Could there be any higher praise from the no-nonsense, by the book, unflinching detective? He doesn't think so. And so, instead of walking away and giving her the peace of mind he thought his departure would provide, they had enjoyed a dinner of culinary fusion guaranteed to give them both indigestion for the next two days. But it will be worth it to have seen that unreserved smile directed his way as they talked over the best places to get egg rolls, ice cream, gnocchi, and even a simple hamburger. He had made a mental note that she likes Remy's, and he hopes he can use that to his advantage one day soon.
Sitting on his sofa, he thinks back over the meal and hopes it served its intended purpose of distracting and relaxing her after what was probably the hardest day she'd faced in a long time. She is strong as steel, no doubt, but that doesn't mean he can't offer whatever small gesture she'll allow to ease some of that weight from her shoulders. And food never seems to fail, which is fine with him.
His thoughts are so wrapped up in thinking about Beckett and the day she'd been through that he barely registers the front door opening until it slams shut again.
"Richard Castle!"
His mother's tone brings back memories of being caught with a bottle of Johnny Walker Red and sixteen-year-old Lindsey Whats-Her-Name in his bedroom. Only this is worse.
"Mother, what's wrong?" he says quickly as he stands up and confronts her as she strides purposefully into the living room.
"Have you seen the news? How dare you not call me. Let me summarize what's on television as we speak. Hostage situation at the NYPD's 12th precinct. Suspect shot and killed by Detective Kate Beckett." She stops and stares at him for the span of a breath before demanding, "Who was the hostage, Richard? Who would Detective Beckett square off with an armed suspect to save?"
"Honestly, just about anybody. It's her job," he tries to point out. While the answer is technically true, he knows better than to think it will be enough in this case. And Martha does not disappoint.
"Who do you think you're kidding? This wasn't any case. This was tied to her mother's murder. This was personal, and that psychopath knew that, didn't he? So who was the hostage, Richard?"
There's no getting out of this. His mother is too sharp. And she's too right.
"It was me. I was the hostage," he admits quietly.
Her hands fly to her mouth before she rushes toward him and wraps her arms around him. "Oh my God, Richard, are you okay?"
"I'm fine, Mother, really. I've got a bruise on my side, and my arm's sore. But other than that, I'm fine."
"What happened? How did you get into a situation like that?" Her voice is frantic, but he knows her imagination will conjure far worse scenarios than the truth. So he tells her.
"The man that killed our victim turned out to be the same man who killed Beckett's mother all those years ago. He was a contract killer named Dick Coonan and was hired to kill Johanna Beckett. When we confronted him, he tried to escape by using me as a shield. Beckett shot him to save me, and lost her only lead on her mother in the bargain." The last part comes out laced with all the pain and guilt he still can't shake.
"Oh, that poor woman. How's she holding up?"
Castle smiles and answers honestly. "She's doing okay. Shaken up – we all are, but she's strong. We'll get through it and find another lead."
Martha pauses and takes a seat on the sofa. "What do you mean 'we'? Don't tell me you plan to keep shadowing her. Isn't this exactly what she's been saying she's so afraid of, you getting caught in the line of fire? Richard, you could have been killed, and for what? Fodder for a book?"
"You know it's more than that, Mother. I can't walk away now. I thought I could, and I was planning to, but do you know what she said? She asked me to stay. She actually asked me not to leave." His voice takes on an almost reverent tone, and Martha is struck by the emotion behind his words.
"I admire your loyalty to her, but darling, you're not a cop. You're not trained for this, and I think today is more than enough proof that you're in over your head."
"It's not just loyalty, Mother. I'm not a puppy. We've started to make a pretty good team in the last few months. She's starting to trust me, and God knows I trust her with my life. Obviously. Yes, there are risks. I know that. But I don't doubt for one minute she can compensate for what I lack in weapons and combat training."
"But should she have to compensate for you? Shouldn't she have a real partner who can cover her?"
His face hardens at the sting of her words, but then he eases up when he's forced to admit it's a fair question, if harsh. "She does have real partners. She has Ryan and Esposito. And I'm not too bad at holding my own, better than you'd think. I've gotten us out of some sticky situations, and I've helped, really helped, with these cases. Do you really think she'd let me hang around, mayor or not, if all I did was make her job harder?"
Martha nodded in acceptance of his logic. "I'm just worried about you, darling," she says in defeat, knowing she's not going to talk him out of doing something he so obviously loves – to say nothing of the magnetic pull of the woman at the center of it all.
"I know you are, and I know that's probably not going to go away. But believe me when I say I'm as safe as anyone can be working with the police. Most days, we interview witnesses, sort through evidence, and fill out paperwork. Days like today are the extreme exception. But when they happen, when someone has a gun on us, or we're chasing a suspect through traffic, or we have to go into an abandoned warehouse, I feel safe following Beckett in because I know she won't let anything happen to me. And I'll do whatever I can to make sure nothing happens to her."
It was a moving speech, but it did its job.
"She really is special to you, isn't she?"
Castle nods, but doesn't elaborate. His feelings for the detective are his alone, and until he's a little more sure of his role in her life, he will keep them to himself. She's finally accepted him in her life, if only in a nebulous role on the job, but it's enough for now. He is content to see where it might lead in time.
Martha stands and pats her son on the knee, "You two take care of each other out there, you promise?"
"We will, Mother," Castle promises. "We will."