Once again, immeasurable thanks to all of you for your support. Especially Nathan fan, who prompted me to write this relatively short chapter mainly from the point of view of Beckett, in order to sort out her feelings and gain a better understanding of where she's coming from. And I'd also like to remind everyone that this is a work of fiction, so any improbable turn of events can be accredited to just that: fiction. Anyhow, hope all of you like it, and don't be afraid to review with criticism in addition to praise! Yet again, Castle is all ABC's and I own nothing at all!
Chapter 3 -- No Escape
In no way, shape, or form was this going as the self-restrained Detective Kate Beckett had so carefully planned. As was typical for her, she'd had the entire evening mapped out, some disillusioned part of her thinking it would be like a football game that could be strategized play-by-play. Shutting her eyes for a moment, she traveled back to how she had originally visualized her visit would pan out. To be honest, her meticulous forethought had only survived to the point when Castle had thrown open the door in nothing but a set of blue plaid boxer shorts -- from there on, it had all gone swirling down the drain. Luckily, she had managed to keep her composure, but not without an internal struggle.
Unable to resist indulging herself just a smidgen, the brunette opened her eyes only very slightly, and took a peek at Castle beneath her lashes. Leaned casually against the wall, he seemed to be listening intently to the words of his daughter, as he absentmindedly twirled the flashlight between long, capable fingers. Kate's heart fluttered as a smile broke onto his face, and for the millionth time she imagined tracing with her tongue the crevices of his endearing dimples, brushing her lips against the crinkles at the corners of his laughing eyes...
That was when she caught and halted that particular train of thought, running it straight off the tracks. What the hell am I thinking? She berated herself, looking away so quickly she might've given herself whiplash. The whole purpose behind her coming to his place was to discourage anything beyond friendship between them, and musings like that would certainly not serve the cause. Despite earlier misgivings and moments of faltering, she was confident that her resolution to maintain a purely platonic relationship with the man before her was a solid one.
After reading his novel, Kate had known for sure that he was under the impression she would one day cave in to his not-so-subtle courting. From the scattered moments of intimacy, to the full-blown seduction scene, it was clear that Nikki Heat and Jameson Rook were not just two fictional personas dreamed up for the sake of literary success. No, they were embodiments of real-life people, more specifically herself and Castle. The mannerisms of the characters' interactions had shaken her to the core, and made her wonder, what had she ever done to give him the idea she was interested in pursuing a love affair with him? All she'd ever done was shoot him down, cast him aside, and shove him away. And yet he kept on coming back for more, as if it was some sort of game for him to toy with her.
In her mind, there was just no possible way for a romance to work out between them -- that is, without shattering someone's heart in the process. Sure, the fun and exciting fling Rick had portrayed in his novel was all well and good, and maybe had the circumstances been different, she'd have let things between them in real life simmer just a bit. But they were so different, with personalities that mirrored the north pole in relation to the south. For crime-solving, this might've been ideal, but in a commitment, it was sure to tempt an eruption of volcanic proportions. And there was also Alexis to take into consideration. She was wonderful girl, with a good head on her shoulders despite rocky parenting. But there was only so much dysfunction a pubescent fifteen year-old could take, and Kate would be damned if she cause her any unnecessary pain. She was by no standards equipped to be a mom, even if the amount of mothering Alexis needed was very little. Events in her life had damaged her ability to connect with others, and she would sooner lock herself away before hurt the young girl by making promises she couldn't keep.
Thus, there was only one conclusion she could reasonably come to: a romantic relationship with Richard Castle, true feelings aside, would come to a catastrophic and dire end.
So it was with this mindset that the detective squared her shoulders and faced straight ahead, eyeing Rick with a determination that he noted with some alarm as he slid his phone back into his pocket. However, before he had a chance to comment, Kate spoke in an adamant tone. "We need to talk, Castle. Remember the interrogation I mentioned earlier? It's hardly finished." She proceeded to piece the rest of her speech together in her head, trying to find just the right words. Unlike earlier, she wanted to know what would come from her mouth before it spilled out, so as to avoid another unwarranted slap in the face. Though she had convinced herself she didn't want to be Castle's girlfriend, she did desire the latter part of the word, and intended to make a concerted effort not to stomp all over his feelings once again.
Seemingly amused by her words, Rick said in response, "No objections from me, Detective. After all, it seems we're going to be here for a while." When she shot him a questioning glance, he added, "Alexis has just informed me that the mayor is strongly advising the citizens of New York to stay indoors for the remainder of the night, wherever they may be. In addition to a city-wide blackout, taxis have stopped transporting, as well as the subway and public transit."
Kate simply stared at him, mouth agape. She was stranded with Castle for the entire night... in the dark?
Seeing her expression, Rick grinned. "Looks as though we've landed ourselves right in the heart of a record-breaking heat wave."
