Last First Time
Chapter Seven – Burgers and Reconciliation.
Summary-The team meets up at Remy's.
Acknowledgements-thanks Luv2sk87, you make my stories better. Stay cool!
Disclaimer-Andrew Marlow and ABC own Castle, I just own this story
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The street in front of the restaurant was busy as Rick and Kate strolled up to the entrance to find their partners from the 12th waiting patiently. Ryan held open the door and they all walked in and up to the hostess station.
"Detective Beckett, Mr. Castle, usual table?" the hostess asked.
"Yes, thanks Doreen. We have a total of four today." Rick smiled, sliding his hand to the middle of Kate's back and guiding her to their table in the back of the restaurant, leaving the other detectives to follow.
As the group settled at the table and took the menus that the hostess was passing around, a waitress walked over and set two drinks on the table, winking at Kate and Castle. "What can I get you two gentlemen to drink today?"
Both men asked for iced tea and stared down at their menus.
"Haven't seen you two in here for a while," the waitress smiled.
"Just busy with work, Myrtle," Castle laughed.
"I've been busy…him, never quite sure what he's really doing." Kate replied with a smile, looking between Castle and the waitress.
"Don't listen to her, I work hard, they couldn't survive without me and don't let her tell you otherwise."
"Heads not gonna fit in your Yankee cap soon writer boy." Kate snickered, turning toward the waitress, "He just doesn't like paperwork, soon as it time to do it, he pulls a Tobias Strange and disappears. If you could help me find a way to make him stay and help, I'd be forever grateful." Kate picked up her napkin and gently laid it in her lap. Never taking her eyes off the waitress, she slid the hand that was now under the table over and dropped it high up on Castle's thigh and squeezed just as he was taking a sip of his Dr. Pepper.
Rick's choking and the spritz of soda out of his mouth and nose brought all the eyes on the table over to him. He grabbed for his napkin and wiped his face off as Kate brought her hand up and patted him on the back. "Bones in that Castle?" Her concerned look not quite reaching her eyes, "Are you all right," she asked innocently.
"Never better," he croaked, shooting an 'I'll get you look' at her.
Soon lunch orders were taken and the four were settling in to discuss the information from the FBI.
"So we talked to Sorenson, we decided not to involve Jordan."
"She has a daughter; Kate didn't want to take a chance of another girl having to grown up without a mother. So Sorrenson was the logical choice." Rick leaned back in his chair and sighed.
"He told us that the agents at the 12th are legit. He says that after my shooting the director of the FBI received anonymous files and that they have been quietly building a case," Kate paused and looked at her partner.
Rick looked across the table at the two other men, "They were either sent by the Captain or the person who contacted me about keeping Kate away from the case."
"We're not sure. Because of the identity of the dragon and his power, the whole investigation has been very hush-hush, need to know only. He said that they are almost ready to issue arrest warrants." Kate took a deep breath and leaned into Castle's side.
"We talked about it on the way over here and think that somehow the dragon caught wind of this and that was what brought on the sudden break in at the Captain's house. Kate…" Rick frowned, "she's another loose end that they thought they could tie up at the same time."
"Damn it and we fell right into their trap chasing after him without back up." Esposito slapped his hand on the table. "I'm sorry…"
"Stop it Javi, we've already talked about this last night. No one at this table should feel guilty. No one, so it stops right now…today. All right?" Kate asked, her eyes wet, looking around the table at her guys.
"Yeah," Javi nodded his head.
"All right," Kevin agreed, waving his hand in the air.
"You bet," Castle shook his head vigorously.
"Good," Kate smiled, "Will says that I need to lay low and I am going to do just that." She was stopped by the arrival of Myrtle with their food.
The waitress slapped their plates on the table with a bang. Ryan and Esposito watched mouths open as Kate lifted the tops off of both her burger and Castle's. She slid his tomatoes over onto her burger and put her pickles onto his and replaced the tops of the rolls. In the meantime, Castle had picked up the bottle of ketchup and was squirting a blob on both their plates. He then took his knife and cut Kate's burger in half, taking her small container of cole slaw over to his plate. Kate passed an extra napkin over to Rick and then looked over at the other detectives. "What? You guys want any extra napkins?"
"No…we're fine." Ryan choked out.
As everyone dug into their lunch, Javi and Kevin shared a look, "Yo, $20 bucks says that she's back to work in a month and another $20 that Gates finds out about the change in their relationship within the first week she's back." Javi whispered to his partner.
"You're on, I say she's off for the whole summer and it'll take Gates at least a month to figure it out, Castle's a better actor then you think," Kevin laughed, digging into his lunch.
"What are you guys talking about?" Castle asked, before popping a french fry into his mouth.
"Nothin!" they both answered guiltily causing both Kate and Rick to shoot them a confused look.
"So what's our plan boss?" Esposito asked quickly.
"I'm not your boss. Right now I'm not sure what I am." Kate murmured. "I almost got you killed Javi. This case…it hurts everyone I care about. Damn it; just look what it's done to our team." She bit down on her lower lip and continued, "It makes me blind to everything, turns me into someone I don't want to be anymore."
"Kate…" Castle started, taking her hand and giving it a gentle squeeze.
"Castle…no, I am not going to be that person anymore; I'm done with the case. I think we should let it up to Gates and the Feds." Kate looked across the table at Ryan and Esposito, "As of now, our team is off this case. Agreed?" She held her hand out into the middle of the table.
Rick's hand was the first to reach out and cover hers, quickly followed by both of the other detectives.
"Yo, Bro, thanks for holding the spit this time." Espo grinned as he broke the silence that had encircled the table like a blanket, healing laughter ringing out and surrounding them all.
To the man who was watching from across the restaurant, hidden behind a copy of the Ledger, it appeared that his job had just gotten a lot easier.