Basic Rules
Castle, the TV show, belongs to ABC/Disney. No copyright infringement here.
I am cheap and do this for nothing
This story follows "A Murder in the Cold War" and "A Murder in the Hamptons"
READ THEM FIRST
I write AU so…once again this story does not follow any part of Canon.
No comments about me doing something different from the TV show
Chapter one is fluff, setting up the basic rules their married life will contain
She is having a little trouble accepting the fact that she is really married to this man. She actually captured him all for herself. Or more accurately, he chased her until she caught him. She smiles at the thought
Katherine Houghton Beckett-Castle…
That is legally her name now. She knows that she will not fully accept the name change immediately. But after they return to the city and when she begins the task of moving into the loft, it will finally become real to her.
Or maybe when she reports into Human Resources at the department and notifies them of her change in marital status. That might be the trigger to help her accept
Katherine Houghton Beckett-Castle… Her new name is Katherine Houghton Beckett-Castle
Until she can completely wrap her head around this she will try her best to answer when someone calls her by her new name. When the new name of "Mrs. Castle" is said. Whenever someone calls out to her
They began the day again all snuggled in the bed together. She has found out how much she likes being cuddled by him. It feels like home to her. A real home. Not just a bed where you sleep and a room to shower in, but a real home. With real family surrounding you
Her heart screams out 'This is Heaven'
Breakfast gets delayed. Just after they woke up this morning, Castle received a call from Black Pawn that he needed to have a meeting with them. It seems the word had already reached his publisher that the playboy mystery writer was no longer available. Not just unavailable, but permanently unavailable. But also they wanted to talk to him about an upcoming book tour that needed to be scheduled
After having a lite breakfast she decides that since he had to conduct some business here at home, she will go into town, alone, and do a little shopping for her boudoir. Pick up some little something just for him, with the descriptive word, LITTLE, being the major factor in her selections
She walks into the study to find Castle making notes for discussion before having the call to his publisher
"Hey babe, what cha doing?"
He never looks up "Checking on dates for the book tour. I forgot I had promised to do this back before you and I got together. So I am trying to make it as far out as possible so, maybe, we could go together. You know, make it a honeymoon and book signing?"
This is when he glances up he sees that she is dressed to go out "You going somewhere?"
"I am thinking about going into town and see if I can find that plastic surgeon that worked on Joy Mason and see what enhancements he might be able to do for me" as she looks down at her own chest
Castle almost chokes when she says this
Beckett continues in her jab at her husband "She seemed to be very happy with her chest. I thought most men wanted a woman who had…" Beckett looks down again at her own chest "…uh…big teeth"
"What? No! You do not…I don't…I don't think…you don't need…" he is having trouble even breathing
He finally is able to speak "You don't need any enhancements. You are perfect just like you are"
"Are you ok with what I have?"
"Un Huh"
"Are you sure?"
He pulls her down onto his lap and wraps his arms around her "I have never been more sure of anything in my life"
"Good" she pulls his face to her own and gives him one long sweet kiss "Good. But I do need some other items. I thought would go into town and buy a couple of things while you are on the phone with your publisher. We came out here with only a few days of clothes and I will need some more things before we go back to the city"
"If you give me a few minutes to have this conference call and I will go with you"
She stands back up "No babe, I want to go alone. I have a couple of personal items I need to pick up"
"Ooooh!" The glee in his voice is obvious"How personal?"
"Very personal" She bends down to gives him another kiss. This allows his eyes to wander down the front of her blouse
"That's for me to know. And if you mean what you said about the no need for enhancements… It is for you to enjoy…that is if you are very, very good" she chides him a little
His breathy responds without looking back up "OH!"
His wandering eyes do not go unnoticed
She reaches for his chin and lifts his face up to hers. His eyes are glazed over
"I'm up here"
Her sultry voice is interrupted by his phone ringing announcing an incoming call from Black Pawn. He hand fumbles across the desk trying find and pick up his phone while not looking away from his wife. He finally is able to locate the device and answers "Castle"
Kate kisses his cheek and then she heads out the front door to the driveway leaving her husband to the conference call with his publisher.
Once out front, she opens the door and sits down in the driver's seat of the Castle's Mercedes. Now it is THEIR Mercedes. She has never driven one before. She did have the opportunity to take a spin in his Ferrari a few years ago, but this is much more plush in a professional way.
She heads out of the driveway, on the main road, and into town to make a few purchases.
Her first stop is at the drug store to get a few cosmetic items then back on the road toward the main shopping district
As she drives down the road, she passes several little shops selling everything from swim wear and supplies to the frozen yogurt store and the dress shop where they purchased her wedding outfit. Just past that store she sees her destination 'Karen's Apparel'
Kate parks the Mercedes out front of the store beside the other BMW's, Jags and even a Corvette. She feels a little out of place but her transportation fits right in with the other vehicles
She steps inside the store and is immediately struck by the expanse of intimate apparel on display. She knew this town is known for week end trysts and extra material liaisons but she had no idea as to the lengths some went to help these events occur
At least, in her case, her shopping was to keep her marriage alive and interesting. She had only taken a few steps into the store when a clerk greeted her and told Kate that if she needed help with anything, she was Karen and to please let her know. Kate acknowledged the offer and went about her browsing
A few minutes later another patron entered the store and was also greeted by the owner. Except this time Karen obviously knew the customer as they greeted each other by their first names. The customer moved quickly to the sales counter
The owner started the conversation loud enough for Kate to hear "Joy Mason came in today"
"What?" the patron responded "She needed another bra? Did she burst out of the old one?"
"No. She needed a larger size"
Both women chuckle
'Why does that not surprise me?' Kate thinks to herself
"OH! And guess what else she told me?"
"What"
"She went by Richard Castle's house"
Beckett stops in her browsing
"So what? She has been trying to get to him for years now. Did she think getting another increase in her cup size was going to do it for her?"
"No! Joy said he is engaged"
"WHAT?" Really? To Whom?"
"Don't know. Joy said that there was a woman with him at his house. That she was a tall gorgeous brunette with hazel eyes and that she was all over him like she owned him or something"
"Lucky woman" the Karen comments.
She then looks at Kate who has been listening to these two women taking about her not knowing who Kate is
"Is there anything in particular you are looking for? Can I help you with something special?" she says to Kate
"No. Just looking around" Trying to act like she is not listening to the gossip she returns to her browsing
The customer starts up again "well anyway I heard that Rick had changed lately. He used to bring all the models and celebrities here for the weekends but not lately now…"
"I know what you mean. Some of my customers have said that he has not brought any new women here in a long time. In fact, it has been several years"
The customer continues "Oh! Except his ex wife, but that has never worked out when she came"
"Yeah. I heard that the yelling between them could be heard all the way to the marina. They did nothing but fight about something"
"From what I heard they fought about was this other woman. This…Beckett something. It was the woman cop he wrote the Nikki Heat books about"
"She must be something then, because I heard that he turned down every advance thrown at him over the last couple of years from every single and even a few not so single women"
Kate decides it is time for her to make her purchase and get out. She takes several very intimate items to the counter and places them down
"Is this everything?" Karen asks
"Yes" is Kate's one word response
The owner of the store picks up the items to ring up her purchase, examining them one by one as she does so. Each item is designed to grab a man's attention. Then she looks up at Beckett "Your boyfriend is going to really love these things"
"He's not my boyfriend" Kate holds up her left hand showing her ring
"OH! Then this should keep your husband coming home every night"
"That is my plan"
Kate reaches into her pocket and pulls out her credit card and presents it to the clerk. After swiping the card thru the reader, she looks at the imprint so she can call her customer by name
"Thank you MS. Beckett….. " Karen stops mid sentence and looks up and has a panic look on her face
"YOU'RE KATE BECKETT?"
"Actually I am Mrs. Richard Castle" and she smiles. She takes her purchases and steps out the door
Once she pulls the Mercedes back into the driveway, she sees her husband standing in the foyer looking like a lost puppy waiting. He rushes out to help her bring her bags inside but she shuts him down by taking the sacks and not letting him carry anything except the bag with the eye shadow and eye liner
"What's in the other bag" He tries unsuccessfully to snoop into her purchases
"I told you if you were good, you MIGHT get to see later" and she pulls the bag away from his grip.
"How was your conference with you're ex wife?"
"OH!" he steps away after delivering his one word response
"Not so good?" Beckett asks
"No. She has me booked beginning the middle of next week to go to Texas for a week"
"WHAT?" Beckett is obviously not happy "We just got married and I was hoping to spend time together"
"Me too. And I have no desire to go to Houston in August. It is hot…very hot and humid. Your clothes stick to your body"
"I wish I could go. When you were not in the bookstore, we could stay in the hotel. You know, air conditioned room. No clothes sticking to you" she flashes her eyes at him causing him to loose his breath
"You love doing that to me. Don't you?"
She leans right into his face and with her most sultry voice "There is something else I like doing more"