Attn: Since this is a Crossover I have posted this under the Crossover section as well, with an alternate titles of "Ain't Nothing But a Family Thing." And here under the Main Castle section as "Unfinished Business" I may end up changing this to have a single title. I just want to make sure that readers aren't missing out.
I do hope you all are enjoying.
With any 'main' characters I will try to make it so that you will not need to have seen the other series. This will remain a Castle centric story. :)
Chapter 2:
Don't get attached to the Car.
Kevin met Jamie at the entrance to the motor pool. After a quick glance at the young officer's wardrobe he said, "That'll do."
"Thanks," Jamie said of this dark slacks, collared Oxford shirt and suede car coat.
Ryan looked down the street expecting to see Castle and Beckett roll up in his Ferrari. Smiling at the unexpected memory of the weekend he and Jenny had spent when borrowed the car. Hearing a car horn, he shook his head to clear his mind. Looking up he saw an old Buick Grand National pull to the curb. Peering at the windshield, Kevin could not make out the driver, but could see them talking animatedly with the passenger in the front seat.. After a minute the passenger door opened and Kate Beckett exited and started towards her former team mate.
"Pick your jaw up Ryan!" Kate said with a laugh.
"What the hell is this?" Kevin asked pointing to the behemoth of a car.
"Rick says that the trick is to not get attached to the car," Kate answered.
Startling Ryan she pulled him into a strong hug, wrapping her arms around his back. "Thank you," she whispered to him.
"You're welcome," Kevin whispered back with a catch in his throat.
After another minute Kate pulled away, another smile on her face. "So Gates has you babysitting, eh?"
"Its called 'shadowing'," Ryan said with a shrug. "I believe you are familiar with the concept?"
Kate slapped Ryan lightly across the chest with the back of her hand.
Jamie coughed quietly, shuffling his feet.
Kate looked over to eye him up and down.
"This is Jamie?" she asked.
At this Jamie took a step forward, extending his hand to introduce himself. "Officer Jamie Reagan."
Taking the offered hand, Kate shook it firmly. "Good to meet you. Have they given you a nickname yet? Castle came up with a few good ones on the way over."
"Ryan and a detective Karpowski settled on 'Kirkland' I think," Jamie said.
"Kid's got a law degree," Kevin interjected with a hike of his thumb in Jamie's direction. "And he made a wise ass crack when we were looking over the zombie case that is being handed off to 'Legs'."
"You know," Kate said. "ADA Boyle would have your nuts for a paperweight if she heard you guys calling her that."
"Nah," Kevin rejoined. "If her brother here didn't hit me for calling her that, I'll take my chances. Now, can I go give Castle crap over his car now?"
"In a sec," Kate said. She shifted her eyes between Reagan and Ryan.
With a nod, Kevin looked to Jamie, he tossed him a set of keys. "Go get the car," he said.
"You got it," Jamie said.
As he walked away down the sidewalk Jamie paused and turned back, he saw Kate pull Kevin in for another, longer embrace. He'd heard stories about Beckett and Castle from the other guys in uniform, mostly good. Jamie hadn't had occasion to see Castle face to face. Beckett he had see on the occasional visit she would make to roll call if they had a suspect to look out for. Jamie recalled a family dinner one Sunday where he had mentioned a case where he had been a first on scene that Beckett and Castle had caught as the responding detective. Upon hearing Caste's name, his brother Danny had made a bitting remark about the writer not being a cop, who shouldn't be on the street. At that Jamie's father Frank, the Police Commissioner, had told Danny to calm down and that from the reports he had seen that Castle had proven to be a valuable help to the 12th's Homicide division.
Arriving at the car, Jamie took a few minutes to check the fuel levels. Seeing a full tank, he then checked the back seat, making sure it was empty. Satisfied Reagan pulled the car around to the front of the building. There he saw Detective Ryan standing by the open driver's side door of the Buick arguing with a tall familiar looking man who was standing with his arms draped on the roof and the opened door. Jamie pulled the car over and got out to observe them. To the other side of the car, leaning over the hood on her forearm, he saw Kate. She had a broad smile on her face. Jamie sidled up to her right and crossed his arms. He leaned over to speak with her.
"What are they arguing about?" he asked.
Kate laughed, and then glanced up at the young officer.
"Who's the better anti-hero? Zorro or Batman?" she said.
"We are not," Kevin jumped in loudly. "I'm giving him crap for driving this beast of a car when he has a perfectly good Ferrari at home. And the answer is Batman obviously."
"It's Zorro!" Castle said again to Kevin. "How can you even–." He paused after looking over at the young Reagan, a look of recognition on his face.
A few long moments passed. Kevin waved his hand in front of Castle's face.
"Castle?" Kevin asked. "You still with us?"
"You look so much like your mother and Joseph," Castle said softly.
"I'm sorry?" Jamie asked.
"Nothing. Forget it." Castle said turning away from them and clearing his throat. "Look, we better get going. See you there Ryan"
Castle got in the car and slammed the door.
Standing up and going to the passenger door, before she got in Kate looked to Ryan over the hood and the two shared a look.
Kevin nodded, opened his mouth a few times, and gestured a hooked thumb back to his car.
"Let's go Reagan," he said.