4. Peace. (Early season 4)
When he comes back from lunch, Ryan and Esposito are lurking in the hallway, rubbernecking across the bullpen to Iron Gates' office. Something juicy is going down. He stops to companionably rubberneck alongside them.
"Oh, this is bad," Esposito says quietly.
Suddenly Beckett is in view. He can't make out exactly what she's saying, but by her rigid posture and the way she's waving her arms around, he can tell it's loud and it's out of line. And here's Gates just waiting for Beckett to give her a reason.
"How long has she been in there?" he murmurs.
Ryan's brow furrows even deeper. "About fifteen minutes."
"I'm going to extract her," he says. "Cover me, boys, I'm goin' in."
"Be careful!" Ryan squeaks.
He's across the bullpen in less time than it takes to think of what the hell he's going to say when he gets in there. Best to lead with a smile, not that Gates will appreciate it.
He turns the doorknob and faces two extremely angry women. Nothing new there. He smiles. "Sorry to interrupt. Beckett, there's an extremely urgent phone call for you. They've found a new lead, but it won't stay hot for long." Well, it was the best he could do. "I really think you should take it," he adds, for good measure.
Beckett glowers at Gates, about a half step from a disciplinary.
"Go on!" says Gates, dismissing her with an abrupt flick of the hand. "We'll finish this later."
"Yes, sir," Beckett grinds out. She almost mows him down, she's heading for the fortress of her desk so fast, but he grasps her elbow as firmly as he dares and steers her into the hallway. He's only grateful not to get punched for diverting her from her set course of action.
"Castle, what is this? What's the new lead?"
He shakes his head, keeps her moving. "Have you had lunch?"
"Food is the last thing I need right now. I need to break this case. I'm gonna show her – "
He hits the elevator call button. "What you need is some air."
"I don't have time."
"It's your lunch break. You have an hour."
"I don't want to go out, I have work to do."
But the elevator door has already closed, and they're on their way down to street level. Neither speak. The elevator door opens, and she attempts to stay in and hit the button to go back up, but he's ready for it and strong-arms her out into the sunshine in as un-antagonizing a way possible. Under her thin sweater he can feel her muscles are thrumming with tension.
"Did I ever tell you about the time my mother made me help her run lines for a seduction scene she was doing on Temptation Lane?"
She cracks the tiniest of smiles.
Encouraged, he persists. "Did I mention I was eight at the time?"
"Castle."
"How I wish I was kidding."
"Where are we going?"
"Just to the park."
They walk the couple of blocks in silence. He stops briefly to buy a bottle of iced tea and a sandwich from a vendor.
She looks confused. "I thought you'd had your lunch."
"I have," he says lightly. She doesn't follow it up, and he doesn't press it. Yet.
They cross the intersection and enter the overgrown community park. After they've gone a little way in, Beckett sits down on a rock surrounded by a little copse of trees. She's still moving cautiously, still conscious of the pull of the scar tissue in her side. He sits close, but not too close, and puts the iced tea and sandwich on the rock between them. "Those are for you, if you want," he says.
"Thanks," she says. "I'll have them later."
He tries not to worry. The light and shade are dappled here, the rustle of leaves in the breeze louder than the sounds of the city. Suddenly he's aware of birdsong, and the scent of honeysuckle.
"You could close your eyes and pretend to be in a magic forest," he remarks. She could really use some magic. So could he, come to that.
She nods.
"Do you wish you were somewhere else, Beckett?" he asks, gently.
Another nod.
Another question comes to mind, and he steels himself. "Do you wish you were with someone else?"
She shakes her head and smiles. "No." Her eyes are brimming.
"Is there anything I can do to help you right now, Beckett?"
After what seems an interminably long pause, she nods, and gets to her feet. "Do you think you could just..." She looks vulnerable, maybe a little embarrassed.
It takes him a beat to process this. He thinks he knows what she's asking for, and prays he's not completely wrong, because if he is, she will freak. out. He stands, opens his arms, and smiles encouragingly. She reaches for him, and he pulls her in. Her arms slide under his jacket, round his waist, and hang on. Thank God, he's done the right thing. She's shaking. He rests his chin on top of her head, and rocks them back and forth ever so slightly. He rubs her back, and murmurs what he hopes are soothing noises. It takes a long time for her to relax, but the only surprise is that she lets go at all.
It's a good start.
End.