"What are you gonna play, Ricky?" Kate hiccupped; the wine was finally catching up with her.
"Something."
Rick walked towards her, took her now empty glass out of her hand and placed it on the table, and slowly pulled her to her feet. He led her away from the sofa to the open space near the stereo. One hand was around Kate's waist and the other held her hand gently aloft. She draped her free hand over his shoulder. He let go of her hand for a moment to reach back and push the play button. The well-known voice of Paul McCartney flowed through the dimmed loft. They swayed carelessly in the empty space between the living room and kitchen.
"Hey Jude, don't make it bad.
Take a sad song and make it better.
Remember to let her into your heart,
then you can start to make it better."
Kate looked into Rick's blue eyes and smiled. "Richard Edgar Castle, always trying to charm the ladies."
"I only aim to please and charm one particular lady. She's tall, thin, gorgeous, has brown hair, and brown eyes. She looks like a model, but takes down bad guys like Han Solo. She is the most beautiful woman I know and will ever know. (And I know plenty of women.) She's intelligent, brave, clever, persistent, and dammit, makes me so tongue-tied I can't even use better words to describe her. I'm a writer, for cryin' out loud. I spend every day with her, and don't get tired of that. She is my muse. My one and only. I cannot explain my ecstasy as I hold her and dance with her. I love you, Kate Beckett. I have since...God knows when. When we first met, I was arrogant, still am at times, but I just wanted you for your body. After I followed you around a bit and got to know you, I became less of an ass and less sex-crazed as I was months before. I wanted to get to know the real you, not just your body. It took me this long to do that, but that is one small reason why I stuck around for so long. I'm drawn to you. Like a moth to a flame. Like a kid to a candy store. Like a Guido to a tanning bed. I always wanted to be with you. When I watch you walk out of the 12th with Josh, I wished it was me you were walking out with. When I was going to the Hamptons with Gina, I wished I was going with you."
Rick's eyes were shining, and he let out a gentle laugh. Paul McCartney sang his last line of "Hey Jude" as Rick finished pouring his heart out to Kate. He was taking the music legend's advice and finally letting Kate Beckett into his heart. He moved her hand onto his shoulder and placed his on her waist. Paul's illustrious voice was replaced by a younger one along with the light strumming of an acoustic guitar.
"When the world gets too heavy,
put it on my back.
I'll be your levy.
You are taking me apart like bad glue on a get well card."
"Oh...Richard...I-I..." she let out a sigh, "Rick...w-wow. I can't...believe...that's h-how you feel. I was hoping you felt something like that, though I never quite imagined you would say it like that," she stopped for a minute, trying to find the right words. "I dumped Josh for reasons other than the fact that we didn't see each other often enough. Rick, I wanted to be with you, and the only way I could even have a slight chance at that was to break things off with Josh. It was obviously a good decision. I love you too, Castle. You're witty, charming, handsome, and just a little goofy, but I love that."
Kate grinned, now realizing what song was playing, "Did you purposely put these two songs together?"
"Nope, it's just a coincidence." Rick's smile was a wide as it could be.
She interlocked her fingers behind his head, and gazed into the blue-gray eyes of the writer for a split second before squeezing her own brown eyes shut and lightly touching her lips to his. She started to pull away, but resisted herself and pressed her lips against his once more, adding pressure with each second they locked lips. Slowly, their lips parted, giving way to a deeper, more intimate kiss. Kate's hand occasionally combed through Rick's dark hair and he gently twirled a lock of her light brown waves. The kiss was concise. Kate pulled away from the kiss and instead pulled him into a hug. Their love didn't need long-lasting kisses or anything beyond that. They were comfortable enough just being in each other's arms, slightly moving to the song's increasing tempo. Both Rick and Kate's lips moved soundlessly.
"It was always you falling for me
Now there's always time calling for me."
The guitar played its last notes and a new song took its place. The two lovers had their eyes shut and heads rested against one another. They stepped back with a jolt as familiar electric guitar chords and a heavy drum beat blasted out of the speakers. They laughed, and Rick grasped Kate's hands and swung their arms wildly. It was almost like they were young again, like five-year-olds at a wedding, like the flower girl and ring bearer dancing ridiculously without a care in the world. Both sang along, not concentrating on whether they sounded like Beyonce or a cat stuck in wet cement.
"All the small things
True care, truth brings
I'll take one lift
Your ride, best trip
Always, I know
You'll be at my show
Watching, waiting
Commiserating"
Their dancing became crazier and more dangerous. They were laden with wine and, of course, poor coordination is what you get from just enough alcohol. Richard spun Beckett in a circle almost four times, and her hand slipped from his. Alcohol and dizziness are not a good combination. She stumbled backward and flipped right over the arm of the couch. Castle ran around the couch and knelt beside her, one hand against the back of the couch, the other brushing her hair out of her face. She was smiling and still singing along.
"So, you're okay?" Rick asked impatiently.
Kate was now giggling, "Yes, I'm perfectly fine. How about that whiskey?"
"I think you have had enough to drink, Kate," his voice was stern, but he was smiling.
"Aw Rick, just one shot, please." She whined like a kid and kicked off her stilettos.
"Fine! One!"
One became two, two became four, and four almost became six before Rick stopped Kate. She was rocking at a pace that made him uneasy. He led her from the counter to the couch once more and he tried to have a conversation with her. He was swaying a bit himself and his words were slurred a bit, but it takes longer for alcohol to have a large effect on men. He had turned the music up a bit louder.
"Say what you mean.
Tell me I'm right.
And let the sun rain down on me.
Give me a sign,
I wanna believe
"Did I ever tell you how I came up with the name for Jamezon Rook?" she shook her head lazily. "Well, I was havin' trouble figurin' out a name, so I sat down with my laptop and a bottle of that," he pointed to the whiskey. "After…two shots and…a three page Word document of names, I looked at the bottle and came up with Jamezon. I forget where Rook came from. I think it kind of juss popped into my head."
Kate's only response was a giggle. He laughed back at her. She looked at him seriously for a second and said, "Waz so funny?"
"You are."
"Why?"
"I dunno."
They fell into a fit of laughter again. Kate turned onto her back and stretched across the entire couch. She rested her head on Rick's lap, and he stroked her hair. They sat in silence for what seemed like ages, but was a half an hour. Beckett then looked at her watch. She sat up too quickly and colorful spots blurred her vision.
"Oh, shit, iz almost eleven. You probably want me out soon," she said to Rick.
"No, I don't care how long you stay. You can stay the night if you wish," he didn't want her to leave.
"Is this an invitation to have sex with you?"
"I dunno, do you want it to be?"
She grabbed the nearest and biggest pillow and hit him with it, and he yelped in mock-terror.
"Spare me, please, I'm defenseless!" She hit him again.
"It's on Detective Beckett!" Rick reached for a pillow, but Kate knocked it out of his reach.
"Too slow, writer boy!" She laughed manically and skipped away, hiding behind the kitchen counter.
Rick picked up a pillow and scanned the vast room. He didn't see where she went because he had taken his jacket and shoes off. This was now a battle of epic magnitude. He crept around the kitchen counter and saw her kneeling there, waiting to pounce. And she pounced quickly. She hit him over the head with her pillow and they both rolled onto the tile floor. They sat up and started hitting each other rapidly.
In the midst of the battle, Rick cried out, "Wait! Stay right here, I have an idea!"
As he trotted into his office, he passed the stereo. He halted at the stereo. He turned the volume up again and changed the song. The song selection was a bit different. There were no lyrics, just a tune known to just about every person on Earth. It was the main Star Wars theme by John Williams. Leave it to Castle to have that on his iPod. Kate's laughter mingled with the horns as the song played. Rick walked into his office and emerged moments later holding two Lightsabers. One was blue, the other was red.
"You get red," Rick said with a goofy grin. "The next song to play is "the Imperial March, just for you, Darth Kater."
"Darth Kater? Really? That's the best you have, Luke Dorkwalker?" She paused and grabbed the lit up sword, "Yeah Dorkwalker was pretty bad, too."
"Yeah, it was," Rick replied. "Prepare to lose!" He tapped her on the shoulder with the blue saber and ran away.
"You ran away! Are you chicken?" Kate pranced after him, yelling "Luke, I am your father!"
