I do not own any of these characters.
(Continued Flashback from previous chapter)
Kate grabbed Castle's hand and asked, "Goodbye?"
"Yes Detective, goodbye."
"Will I see you tomorrow?" she asked.
He hesitated, as if he was making a very hard decision.
"No. Goodbye." he said. With that, he left the precinct and Kate wouldn't see him except during the case, with a serious mask on.
Later that night she kept replaying what she said and his implied words in her mind whenever she could. What did Will have anything to do with this? He probably thinks something is going on after he saw us kissing… Will just came back then. He must have been jealous, I don't know. Dates. He hadn't been having any lately and a week ago when she asked him about it, he said he hadn't had one for months. He said he was trying to prove that he really liked someone, all the while looking at her deeply with such fondness in his eyes saying no one else fit the bill.
When a case broke loose, Kate no longer found him just hanging around waiting for a lead or a suspect, and she most certainly didn't find him making up any outrageous stories anymore. When she did see him or try to talk to him, no jokes were said, no stories were told, and no emotional glances between the two were shared.
End Flashback
"Castle?" she asked again trying to snap him out of his daze.
"Oh, hello Detective. I was just a little distracted there."
"I can see that…" she said with curiosity and suspicion in her tone now.
"So what are you doing here? We don't have a case right now." Kate said.
"Oh… Um… I have to chat with the captain about something…"
"Sounds to me like you're hiding something… What is it, kitten?" she asked through clenched teeth.
"Uh… I'm planning on asking him to partake in the poker game. Yeah that's it.
"Castle" she growled but before she continued she spotted Montgomery. She continued, "Anyways it looks like he just walked in." she said as she gestured over towards the entrance.
"Well yes it does. Actually, I think I'll just catch him later while less people are here…"
"Everyone's going home about now anyway so stay. Do you need me to go in with you?"
"NO! No, no that won't be necessary" he said while he tried to calm himself down.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing I just need to notify him about something but like I said I'll do it when there are fewer people around."
"No need, I was just leaving. Will I see you tomorrow?" she asked for the second time this month, letting a little emotion be present in her eyes, hope.
"What?" he asked confused.
"It's a simple question or do you need to go back to kindergarten?" she baited him, waiting to hear his quick and witty response.
To her surprise, no quick and witty response came. He answered without a joke, without emotion, "Oh, well I'm not sure, it depends on if the captain allows me to do this."
"Do what?"
"Nothing of a high importance to you." He said in a low voice, but somehow she felt like whatever he was doing was very important to her, life changing.
He continued, "Until…."
"Tomorrow?" she offered.
"No, I don't think so. Goodbye" he said with finality for the second time this month.
Goodbye? She thought as she watched him walk into the captain's office. Castle never said goodbye to her, only three weeks ago. He always says "until tomorrow" or something that doesn't sound so… final. Surely he was coming back; it wasn't like he was banned from the precinct or anything. Her mind began to wander back to last night when she went to his apartment… When she begged to know what was going on. I guess I'll find out tomorrow.