A/N: I'm so sorry for the long wait! I haven't had much time to write because of school and exams coming up. Trust me, I will finish this fanfic, I just won't be regular on updates until pretty much the end of June. Just thought I'd let you know! Thanks for staying with this story. This includes the Halloween party with a slight twist. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Castle because if I did, we would know whether she had said yes or no going into this hiatus!
Sometimes it wasn't easy. This was one of those times. After all, witnessing how murder ripped families apart took away part of the fun. None the less, it was still necessary to solve them. They probably didn't realize it now, but Crow's family would eventually be grateful for the closure he and Beckett had brought them. He couldn't regret this case though; even if it made him a selfish man. Perhaps, the most selfish man to ever walk the face of the Earth. Okay maybe he has being a tad melodramatic.
But yes. He would never regret it. The smell of her cherry scented hair, more accurately the memory of it sent tingles of pleasure down his spine. The taste of her tongue still lingered in his mouth. He was absolutely pathetic. He had never been so taken with a woman before. What ever happened to the cocky, nonchalant and egotistical playboy, he didn't want to know.
As Castle stepped into the elevator and leaned back against the wall he closed his eyes. God he hoped she would show up tonight. She was the one and only reason he had been so hell bent on throwing this huge Halloween party. The thought of her in something dark that molded her curves in just the right places, smoky eyes and cherry red lips-
Enough. He could not think of her lips right now. Or her body…
A mess, that's what he was. A complete and utter mess. A lost cause even. Jeez Rick, pull yourself together, he thought.
As the ding of the elevator resonated throughout the enclosed space, Castle stepped out and headed towards his door. He could still see the look of pure curiosity in her eyes as she almost begged him to reveal what had him obsessed with murder. He couldn't flat-out tell her no; couldn't bear to see the disappointment in her eyes. So he did the next best thing. He came up with a story. She had been hooked instantly, prying for details, and asking for more. The memory brought a smile to his lips. She had listen with such compassion and when she realized, or believed, that he had truly been traumatized, he could see the desperation in her eyes to make it better. He didn't think such compassion was possible.
It had been a fine tale. He'd even been impressed with it himself! The thought of letting her believe that story had wandered through his mind in the hopes of avoiding further inquiries from her. It didn't last long though and he wisely decided against it. That could only have set him up to clean his own mess. Plus, he figured it wasn't anyway of starting a relationship with someone. Because that's what he wanted when it came to her. It's what he longed for. He just wanted a chance to prove that they could be great together. He knew they would be. His first confirmation was that kiss. Sure it had been passion filled, but it was more than that. It was… Love. He needed to keep telling himself that. Maybe she wasn't there yet. But he sure as hell knew he was. If the fact that he'd do anything to see her smile, that he would face any sort of ridicule to hear her all-consuming laugh, or that he simply couldn't stand to see her suffer and he would do anything in his power to carry the burden himself so that it would be lifted from her shoulders, wasn't enough, well he didn't know what was.
He wouldn't waste his time on meaningless one-night stands anymore. The time for that had come and gone. He no longer saw the appeal in any of it. The fame and glory and everything they brought with them wasn't what he truly cared about anymore.
He'd tell her everything she wanted to know if she let him in. But that was his price. A chance. Because there was no way he was giving her all that information if she didn't open up in response. Sure she had given him some personal detail concerning her daily life, but there was nothing he hadn't had to work for. It was like that Michael Bublé song with the lyrics: I'll give more than I get… He would work his whole life to get whatever she would be willing to give. That wall she had built around her heart, he wanted it gone. That was his ultimate goal. He wanted to unleash the carefree and fun-loving detective he knew was in there. He had occasionally seen glimpses of her, but not before she was locked back up in her cell tower. He wanted to call to her, ask her to let her hair down so he could climb up to save her. Metaphorically speaking, of course. Wow. He really was done for. Making analogies between his relationship with Kate and Rapunzel and Michael Bublé? That was a first. Maybe all those Barbie movies he'd watched with Alexis as a baby had influenced him more than he'd thought.
Shaking his head and grinning he opened the door to the loft and sighed. If she showed up, it would be worth it.
The room was packed. There were people everywhere, but let's face it, that's what you had to expect when you were wealthy and sent out a bunch of invitations for a Party in New York. At least he knew everyone there. Castle scanned the room for Kate. He spotted his favorite medical examiner across the room and decided it was worth a visit. As he got closer he addressed her.
'That is a potion of my own concoction. Drink it, and who knows who or what you might become…' He said playfully. 'Also, you might wonder what happened to your pants.' He added for good measure. Lanie had always been a party girl. 'Ooh, sounds like my kind of party,' she purred as if in the character she impersonated that night; A sexy black cat. He laughed and turned away.
A voice from across the room caught his attention. 'You throw a great shindig for a nineteenth century poet, Mister Poe,' Ryan announced. That's when his mother joined the conversation. 'Well I've always told him, Darling, if you're going to do something, do it big, or don't do it at all,' she shared this as if it were she had heard from a God above. 'Is that why you chose that hat?' Castle asked, amused by her choice of words. Martha grinned, unaffected by what her son thought of her wardrobe.
Castle turned once more, searching for her face among the guests. Esposito must have noticed. 'Hey Castle, you lookin' for Beckett?' he asked. 'No, why?' was his immediate answer. He didn't need the boys to complicate things for him. He did enough of that on his own. If Kate heard any teasing about them getting together, she would probably sprint in the opposite direction. Ryan filled him in: 'She said she wasn't sure she'd make it, she had some paper work to finish up.' All this was said as he snacked on some chocolate crackers someone had brought in. 'Still early…' he added, suggesting that she could still show up. The disappointment he had resolved not to show didn't last very long.
'Hey Poe, looking for me?' A dark seductive voice called from behind him. He knew that voice. It was all he could do not to melt into a puddle at her feet. God, did she have any idea how sexy she sounded? He turned around and was shocked by her lack of costume.
'You're you!' He said, as if not quite believing it.
'You sound so disappointed Castle.' She deadpanned. Crap, he probably should have phrased that differently…
'I said costumes mandatory. I mean dress up, you know, be a little scary?'
'But I did dress up, probably more than I should've based on your description of her need to let loose. Actually, I'm a little disappointed Castle. I mean, I would have sworn you'd have recognized your own creation.' As she said the last words, she grabbed the stings holding her black, knee-length coat together.
His own creation? What the hell was she talking about? What could- Oh. Oh, crap. She came as Nikki. The thought had never even crossed his mind. That was completely unexpected. He never noticed that the gang from the precinct had joined in on their little exchange. He only had eyes for her. She was impossible to gage. A complete mystery. He loved it. The fact that she had showed up to his party dressed up as the character he had created based on her and through which he voiced his fantasies was turning him on immensely. That woman would ruin him.
'So- so what you're saying is that-' He stuttered and she wore a wicked grin.
'Yes Castle, I'm Nikki Heat,' she said all the while shrugging out of her coat only to reveal her lithe body enveloped in a very short red dress. Her strapless shoulders looked smooth as silk and he had the sudden urge to reach out and touch every inch of her body to confirm if it felt as soft as it looked. His breath caught in his throat and he tried to look away so that she wouldn't think he was a creep, but he just couldn't bring himself to do it. He couldn't tear his eyes off of her mile long legs, her red high heels that matched the exact colour of her dress. She looked better than anything his mind could have conjured up. She was absolutely breath taking. Everyone in the room paled in comparison.
She fought a smile as she looked up at him with shy eyes. He realized his mouth was open and he was probably drooling. 'Now, if you'll excuse me, I was going for the element of surprise, so I'll just go freshen up,' she said and headed toward the bathroom. Lanie followed her and practically squealed as they made their way across the room.
Castle brought his hand to cover his still open mouth. How did she expect him to survive the evening or socialize with other people? He thought about kicking everyone out early, but that wasn't an option. Espo grabbed his shoulder: 'Bro, try not to faint, okay?' he said mockingly and kept walking. Ryan chuckled and left him alone. He needed a drink.
Kate entered the bathroom with Lanie trailing not far behind. When her friend crossed the threshold, she closed the door quickly and locked it. She leaned back against it, closed her eyes and smiled.
'I can feel you staring at me Lanie,' Kate commented disapprovingly.
'Girl, spill it! You and writer boy there were looking at each other like there was no else in the room. Hell! I'm not sure he wasn't drooling. What has gotten into you? Or maybe it's a question of whom?'
Kate opened her eyes and scowled at her friend. She then looked down at her hands, then back at Lanie and smiled. 'We kissed Lanie.'
'You what now?' Lanie squealed in disbelief. 'Kate Beckett someone finally knocked some sense into you! But seriously though, how was it? Was it all hot and heavy like you two couldn't get enough of each other? Did he go all cave man on you? Because let me just say that you deserve better than-'
'No Lanie, he didn't go all cave man on me! Now do you want the details or do you just want to keep making wrong assumptions?' She asked seriously with her eyebrows raised.
'Details. Now.'
'Well, it sort of just happened, you know? We were talking about the case and I must have been leaning closer to him than I thought because he told me I smelled like cherries, but Lanie the way he was looking at me was just, beyond words. It's like he couldn't believe it. And then he just sort of leaned in and kissed me. But it was really gentle. I-I've never uh… experienced anything quite like that.'
Lanie looked at her with her hands on her hips and her eyes wide. 'Girl, you've got it bad!' She exclaimed. 'Shut up,' was the detective's weak response. Kate knew Lanie wouldn't take it seriously.
'But I am telling you, I'm pretty sure he's got it worse. Man, the way he was looking at you, even with your coat on, was just pitiful. I think it's time you put that man out of his misery. But wait? What happened after the kiss?'
Lanie watched as Kate buried her head in her hands. The truth was she had completely freaked. Never had a man stayed with her as long as Castle had. And when he had kissed her it was like something inside of her had been ripped to shreds. Or maybe it had been put back together. Who knew? All she knew was that she never thought she'd ever feel something as fulfilling as Castle lips pressed against hers. At first, the tenderness of his actions had caught her off guard but she slowly adapted. Then when she realized what they were doing and where they were doing it, she pulled away immediately. The look in his eyes had her panicked. She was seeing what scared her the most but what she secretly had been craving to see from him. It made absolutely no sense and she was well aware of that. She had avoided his gaze in order not to succumb to whatever he would ask. She knew that she shouldn't have let that happen in the precinct. She didn't regret it though. How could she? When she had walked away and he had said please, it had ended her. How was she supposed to say no? She had acted like a horny teenager. Looking back at it now, she didn't understand what had gotten into her. But she had promised him later. She wasn't really sure what that meant but he hadn't protested.
She wasn't about to tell Lanie all that. She would take some of that information to her grave. Lanie could hear half-truths and still be pleased.
'I told him after the case.'
'After the case what?'
'I don't know! What was I supposed to say? Take me home, like I was some blond bimbo?'
'Kate! You and I both know that you are nothing like that and Richard Castle sure as hell knows it too!'
'Are you sure about that Lanie? Because I mean, it's all fun and games but I can't lose him. As a friend I mean.'
'Kate, listen to me. The man has been following you around for a year. If you were just a notch on his bedpost, he wouldn't still be here and neither would the rest of us.'
Kate didn't respond. She was aware of that. But how could she be sure? What if it was the thrill of the chase? She shook her head. Regardless, she was here, and she would enjoy this party. So what if she flirted with Castle, they did it all the time right? Their banter at the precinct was a classic example. She could do this. Nothing had to change and she didn't have to lose her friend. She looked at Lanie, smiled, and looked at herself in the mirror. She was under the impression that Nikki Heat, put a lot more make-up on at these kinds of parties. As she and Lanie exited the bathroom, she decided she was going to have fun. What ever happened, happened, right?
A/N: I hope that was worth the wait! Sorry to leave you hanging, but what's life without a little anticipation right? Hope you guys enjoyed it! Let me know what you think, it would mean a great deal to me!