My eternal gratitude for the wonderful welcome all of you have given me! It is because of you that I went ahead and trotted out a scene from Castle's point of view. My dream was decidedly Beckett centered. (although the dream was pared down a bit...some of the strangest images that would never fit in reality)
Anyway... Here is to hoping for a great season two finale....and here is to really hoping that TPTB don't torture us all with a long drawn out "will they won't they" scenario.
yeah...hoping.
Thank GOD for fanfic writers, or I'd go bonkers. ;-)
Rick Castle popped another marshmallow in his mouth just as his daughter slapped his hand away from the plate…
"Ouch…you are getting to be a little too much like our Detective Beckett you know." He complained rubbing his hand.
His daughter shot him a stern glance "Those are for the sweet potatoes, leave them alone."
He reached for a celery stalk and Alexis shook her head as she turned to walk away.
The moment her back was turned, he grinned mischievously and quickly grabbed another marshmallow.
Martha made the observation as she opened the fridge with a shake of her head and a lifting of her brow.
Still, she didn't rat him out. He grinned unashamedly at her.
"Well aren't you in a good mood today…" she quipped softly.
"Why shouldn't I be?" he asked still smiling.
"No reason". She cocked her head and smirked. "So when does our dear Kate arrive with her father?"
He made a face at her. He knew she was baiting him. "Soon" he replied smoothly "So, I guess I should go get dressed."
"What? You don't want her father to meet you while wearing…" she paused to look his flour covered clothes up and down "…well while wearing that?"
He made another face, "Ha ha". But he did glance down at his messy attire and grimace. Nope, it really would not do to meet Mr. Detective Beckett like this. He scurried off to change, leaving his daughter and mother to stare after him in bewildered amusement.
"And he says I'm the one that acts like a teenager" Alexis noted.
Martha snorted in response "It should be interesting."
When Rick Castle made his way back into the dining area, he had put on a nice pair of slacks and a deep green shirt.
Alexis made a sound of approval then wrinkled her brow when he held out a brilliant orange tie with turkeys on it.
"You've got to be kidding…"
He just grinned and shoved the tie at her. He knew what he was doing. He wanted to see the perplexed irritated and finally amused emotions flit across Beckett's face. He was doing it to prod at her yes, but more importantly, he knew it would inexplicably put her at ease…Castle was being Castle.
Alexis sighed and put it on him pretending to blink and squint with eye strain at the lurid color.
He pulled her into an embrace and gave her a hearty hug. "Thanks for allowing me to invite them" he said softly.
She pulled away enough to smile up at him. "Why would I have said no? I really like Detective Beckett, it will be nice to meet some of her family."
Castle just grinned, kissed her on the forehead, then walked over to the marshmallows and popped yet another one into his mouth.
This time, Alexis just laughed and grabbed a marshmallow of her own.
"There you go" he singsonged "Now you're starting to act like my child."
Martha whizzed by with another dish "I would watch out for what you wish for kiddo."
He stuck his tongue out at her, but couldn't stop the sudden wrinkle in his brow.
Alexis just ignored the byplay and sailed up the stairs as she called out that she too was going to get ready.
Castle had disappeared into his study to peck a few things on his computer when he heard the bell chime on his door. For a split instant he started to bolt out of his chair and across the apartment to reach the door, but some sort of sanity, some sort of self-preservation held him in his chair. His heart was doing an odd tempo in anticipation. Kate Beckett was here; oh yes; and Mr. Beckett as well.
He waited until he heard the giddy tones of Alexis and the Martha Rodgers on the prowl tones welcoming their guests before he allowed himself to exit his study and stroll towards his guests.
As soon as he caught sight of Kate his mouth went a little dry. God, she was just so damn beautiful….and sexy as hell. He swallowed and stepped into her line of sight. His thoughts were drawn out of the serious plummet into fantasy when he saw her eyes drift over him in appraisal; then stop and rivet on his tie. Bingo.
"I knew you'd like it" he offered with a waggle of eyebrows. She snorted. He couldn't help but let his own eyes travel along her form openly admiring. When he brought his eyes back to hers they weren't filled with irritation, but something more… She did it deliberately! She dressed like that to mess with his head… His mouth curved in a delicious smile. Oh this was going to be a fun evening.
Then just to shatter some of that smug control, he reached out and adjusted her necklace.
He felt her startle and start to back away, but stop when she realized what he was doing. He watched her bite her lip and he felt that dark need stir inside of him again. Heat flared in his eyes. "Much better".
They stared at each other and he was a little relieved and a little annoyed when Martha swept up to them with a glass of wine for Kate. He managed a cocky smile and when she raised the glass to her lips he felt the heat rise inside of him again. He watched her with predatory intensity… noting every nuance in her face, in her throat as she swallowed the wine. What it would be like to taste her… Something must have shown on his face because her eyes widened and rolled, then she abruptly turned and called out to her father.
Ah yes, dad.
He cleared his throat and hoped that nothing showed on his face as he met Jim Beckett.
He chatted easily and charmingly with Jim Beckett, but he felt Kate's eyes on him. Felt them boring into him. She was paying very close attention to his reactions and those of her fathers.
Thank God the man was as kindhearted as his daughter and as genuine. It made it easy to like the man. A darted glance at Beckett confirmed that he was passing some sort of test.
Wasn't he done with that sort of thing since high school?
To dislodge the surprising sense of anxiety at that thought…he excused himself from Mr. Beckett and turned to his daughter with an evil laugh of doom and a wicked smile. She grinned in response and took his arm and they each skipped to the kitchen to take the turkey out of the oven and carve it up for the meal. His daughter's presence lightened his heart and grounded him again. He was swamped with the sudden rush of total parental love for his child…and it allowed him to let go of the confused swirling emotion he was feeling regarding Beckett. Well, at least for the moment.
He watched his mother settle everyone at the table and blinked when he sat Beckett next to Alexis rather than himself. He caught her eye and she winked. Meddlesome woman, he thought darkly. She, of course, sat Jim next to her and across from Kate.
However, as the meal began and progressed he had to admit his mother had made the right decision. Kate and Alexis were chatting easily and discussing his daughter's potential list of colleges and her latest trip… He was able to participate without appearing too eager. His nerves settled and he relaxed and just enjoyed the family gathering for what it was… and it wasn't complicated.
After dinner, Kate insisted on helping with cleanup. Martha shrugged and waved her over to help. Castle smiled; leave it to Mother not to turn down help with the dishes, even for a guest. He shook his head and engaged Jim Beckett in conversation. He was slightly surprised when the man began discussing Greek literature, but felt his mind quicken. It had been awhile since he'd discussed the classics outside of his writing buddies… He jumped in with both feet and eagerly took up the conversation.
Castle maneuvered Jim into his study, showing him some of his prized editions and translations. The conversation was going along merrily when Jim noticed Castle's own books on the shelves. So began another topic...his own books.
He couldn't help but preen a little at the man's interest; he was Kate's father after all.
"Yeah, I remember how excited she was after she stood in line for some ungodly amount of time and you signed her book. She was like a teenager when she called to tell me about it."
The words fell on his ears like a thunderclap. He had signed a book for Kate? She stood in a long long line for him to sign a book? The rush of glee he felt could not be controlled.
He snapped his head around to pin Beckett with his brilliant blue eyes. She was staring at him in mute horror. Oh this was just too good!
Castle moved towards her wanting to corner her, but instead of stalking he moved like an eager kid on his birthday. He could actually feel the smile stretching his face; she stood in line for one of his books and he hadn't known!
He heard Alexis excited quip to him and then her somewhat disappointed tone when she accused him of not realizing, but he only had eyes for Beckett.
"What a shame I can't remember. Jog my memory…what were you wearing? Did you have me sign anything else?" he teased waggling his eyebrows.
How the hell had he missed her in his line?
Oh how he couldn't wait to find out… She wouldn't have asked him to sign a body part, she wouldn't have been dressed to impress; she wouldn't have been outrageous. She would have been low key, tailored, and subdued. Professional. Like she always was.
He felt Jim Beckett come up behind him and he turned to glance at him, entirely unprepared for the man's next statement.
It settled on him like a weight. He felt his heart pound thunderously in his chest; felt his throat close on an indefinable emotion.
This…this was getting slammed in the head with a frying pan. It jarred him to his toes. All thoughts of tormenting Beckett fled in the wake of this revelation.
He dimly heard his Mother whisk Alexis away, dimly watched as Jim Beckett blithely spoke to his daughter before moving off to join the other two women.
Then there was just Beckett…Kate.
His books brought her into his life with an old fashioned murder; his books nearly got her killed by a psychopath; his presence helped bring her face to face with her mother's murderer. He knew she read his books long before they'd met. But there was reading his books….and then there was knowing that he had unknowingly supplied her with a lifeline during the most dreadful time in her existence.
His eyes bored into her and when she finally looked up at him he nearly groaned at the frightened vulnerability he saw there. Castle could see everything that played across her face. She was open to him, unwillingly so, but he could still read her.
"Well go ahead Castle, make your comment, enjoy it…before I shoot you"
He ignored the comment, recognizing it for what it was…a desperate gamble for normalcy; for control.
His heart ached and he moved closer wanting nothing more than to gather her into his arms and just hold her. He felt her tense and he started to reach for her, but stopped himself. She would bolt and he didn't want that, didn't want to watch her pull away from him after a revelation like that. He wanted…
If she knew how flustered he felt, how derailed, she would have found her composure in his own loss of control. But she was wrapped up in her own fears.
"I don't think I have ever, ever, been paid such an enormous compliment. I am…" he paused to glance away. He cleared his throat. "I am overwhelmed."
How did one say thank you for something like that?
How could anything ever be enough?
Emotions scattered across his face. He was rattled and it showed. He knew she finally saw some of his discomposure…his sincerity.
"Kate" he whispered softly. "I hope I can always be there for you."
The shocking part, to him, was that he really meant it. He would be there for her in any capacity that she required; just like he would for Alexis or his Mother. Emotions squeezed at him as he willed her to believe his statement as much as he did.
Kate blinked at him. He was serious.
She opened her mouth to reply, then closed it. She really didn't know what to say.
Yeah, I hope so too…?
Martha walked up to them carrying two plates of pie. She smiled and handed Castle his, then turned and handed the other to Kate.
It broke their eye contact and each felt like they could breathe again.
Martha caught Kate's eye and reached out to squeeze her shoulder before walking away.
Pecan pie.
Suddenly Kate smiled.
"What? No cherry?" she quipped lightly without looking at him.
Castle blinked. Then he grinned and felt wicked all over again.
"Honestly, do you think it fair that not only do you smell like cherries, but I'd go to sleep knowing that you'd taste like cherries too?"
She chuckled and shot him a quick look. Maybe his knowing wouldn't be so bad after all.
He gently reached out and put his hand on her arm. "Come on. Let's join the rowdy raucous in the next room."
He couldn't stop the thrill that shot through him when she didn't flinch from his touch. She eyed him warily, but she still couldn't stop the small smile that quirked her lips.
"Yes, let's."
They entered the living room where the TV blazed with a Thanksgiving Day football game and joined in the happy festivities. The elephant was still in the room, but he had become a little more manageable.
For now.