This one is for HVPP. Thanks for the words, blitz, wave and dance.

Words: 1,776 (oops, too many!)

Time: 3hrs


How to Save a Life

Kate leaned to her left and yelled above the din and into Castle's right ear. "I can't
believe you're responsible for any of this!"

"I'm not!"

"What?" She never heard what he said because he was looking at the band when he spoke.

He turned to face her. "I said…I'm not!"

"Who are those guys?"

He put his hand on her shoulder and pulled her towards him. She could feel the stubble
already coming in on his face as his cheek grazed hers, and his breath moved the hair
around her ear when he replied.

"I think they're an ensemble of Ryan's uncles, nephews and cousins!"

She let her cheek lightly touch his when she spoke again. "The lead singer looks about sixty!"

"Explains most of the song choices!" Castle turned away to look at the band and in doing
so he took the warmth of his cheek with him. She wanted it back.

The band, if you could call it a band, was midway through a rendition of the seventies New
Wave classic, Ballroom Blitz. Well, the band was midway through; the singer remained a beat
behind. Kate tugged on Castle's sleeve to bring him back around.

"It sounds like something from the Rocky Horror Picture Show; how do they expect people
to dance to that!"

She was grateful when he leaned back in to reply. He spoke before his cheek made it to hers
and she could smell the alcohol on his breath. It made her wonder what the combination of
Crown and Coke and Castle would taste like.

"They seem to be trying!" His breath was hot in her ear this time

"It looks like they're having convulsions!"

She mentally kicked herself as her comment made him pull away to laugh. She needed to reestablish
the connection again, but before she could, she felt the firm grasp of his hand on her arm. He began
leading her across the room towards the row of French doors that separated the ballroom from the
country clubs outdoor patio. The din of the band subsided as he closed the door behind them.

"That's better!"

Their ears hadn't adjusted yet and he was still yelling. There were a few couples out on the patio
and they all looked over. Ignoring the looks, they both turned back to the glass doors to watch
the revelers on the dance floor jerking back and forth.

"I have to agree with you about the convulsions, but not about Rocky Horror. You can dance to the
Time Warp. But that…" He pointed to band. "…never."

It was her had on his arm this time as she turned him towards her.

"Oh my god Castle, you didn't use to dress up and do the reenactments, did you?

His face displayed only the slightest smirk as he folded his arms across his chest.

"I'm not saying I did, and I'm not saying I didn't."

Her mind quickly raced through the cast of characters in the movie and there was clearly only one role
he would have played. She intended to confront him, but when she looked up into his eyes she noticed
he wasn't looking at her anymore, he was looking over her shoulder and she watched as his left hand
timidly raised itself and gave a little wave.

Kate followed his gaze and it led inside to the edge of the dance floor and stopped on a young woman
waving enthusiastically at him. She looked back to Castle.

"An old girlfriend of yours?" She teased.

"No, worse. It's Ryan's Uncle's best friend's sister, Beth. She's a big fan and Uncle Boyce had been trying
to "arrange" her marriage to me all night. I knew I shouldn't have come. Weddings and me, we end badly.
Today is no exception."

"Relax Castle, it can't be that bad."

"Have you not seen what these people can do?" He hissed back at her. "This was not what Ryan and
Jenny had planned for their wedding. It was totally out of their hands the moment they agreed to let
Jenny's half brother Nelson be Ryan's best man."

Kate thought he was being ridiculous and so she rolled her eyes at him. He wasn't about to let her get
off that easy.

"Roses and Wildflowers was the florist Jenny chose from the list I gave her. Turns out Ryan's third cousin
on his mothers side owns a flower shop in Queens, so guess where the flowers came from. Did you see
the flowers? They were lilies and carnations! Everybody knows lilies are for funerals and that carnations
are reserved for t'weens attending their junior high school prom. And don't get me started on the caterers.
I know I saw pigs-in-a-blanket on one of the trays that passed by me. Gee, have I congratulated the bride
and groom yet? I need to go do that, and while I'm at it I'll remind them to send a thank you card to Jenny's
father's boss's wife to thank her for the wonderful catering job that she did!" Castle took a deep breath and
his hand clamped down across to his mouth as he tried to regain his composure. He wasn't through just yet.
His hand slid off his mouth and down his chin. He picked up where he left off.

"These people scare me. Mob families I can deal with. They come at you with guns and knives, but these people…"
He pursed his lips and shook his head. "…they come at you with smiles and hugs. How are you supposed to defend
yourself against that?"

Kate was beginning to wonder if he was yanking her chain, but what happened next quickly changed her mind.

"Oh god, she's coming this way." The look she saw on his face was all too real. She had only seen it twice before.
The first time was when Jerry had let him live, and the second time was in the moment before he pulled those
wires, that harrowing moment that seemed to last a lifetime. He was really scared.

She looked over her shoulder again and watched the woman moving closer and closer to the French doors. Kate
smiled inwardly and then turned a serious face back to Castle. She gripped him by his biceps and gave him a shake
to focus his attention back on her.

"I'll take care of this." She said with determination.

He blinked at her. What did she just say? He wanted to ask her, but she turned around and now her back was
to him. He could only watch and wait. Kate crossed her arms and then took two deliberate steps backwards.
Her back was now pressing up against his chest. He couldn't see what she was doing. She seemed to be doing…
nothing, but the "deer in the headlights" look that appeared on Beth's face and her hand that remained frozen
on the doorknob said otherwise.

There she remained, frozen in place, until Uncle Boyce appeared behind her. He pulled her hand from the doorknob
and steered her back into the room. It looked like he'd gotten the message too.

Castle couldn't help himself. He wrapped his arms around Kate and held her tightly as he brushed his lips against
her ear. "You just saved my life."

She turned slowly in response to his words. She didn't want to lose the closeness of the moment, at least not yet
and he was surprised when she didn't pull away. Surely he must be dreaming. When he felt her hands slide up the
front of his chest and toy with the collar of his shirt, he knew he was dreaming. He was definitely dreaming when
she spoke.

"I couldn't let anything happen to you now, could I?"

He stumbled over his reply. "Wh…why…why not?"

Biting down on her bottom lip, she gathered the front of his shirt in her hand and pulled him closer. He thought she
was going to kiss him, but at the last second she turned her face just enough to the right so that her lips grazed
his cheek before stopping next to his ear.

Her voice was low and sultry. "Because now…" He flinched when her tongue and teeth briefly captured his
ear lobe. "…we're even."

She released her grip on his shirt and stepped back. The confusion on his face was adorable and she hated
to walk away, but she knew he'd understand.

Castle's brain had stopped working; all he could do was stare as she turned and slowly walked away. Even?
Did she really want the slate to be wiped clean and for them to start all over? This could not be happening…
again! The first time was teasing, this time… this time it was just torture. Torture as his eyes watched the
sway of her hips as she moved further away from him and closer to the gate that separated the patio from
the parking lot. What did she want from him? He wasn't expecting an answer to his question and when it
came, it surprised him.

Kate stopped when she reached the gate. She had hoped to hear his footsteps behind her, but all she heard
was quiet. Maybe she'd been too subtle. She turned and looked back. He was still standing where she'd left
him looking no less confused. Yep, too subtle. She was going to have to dig through her semiphoric collection
of looks and transmit her intentions. The one she use on Beth still lay on the surface, not that one…that one
can kill. She pushed it aside and found the one she wanted.

Castle saw her hesitate when she reached the gate. Something was different this time. This time she looked
back. He recognized that look. He'd seen it before, just not on her. His mouth fell open and his hand flew to
his ear. It was wet, wet from her tongue. Shit! How did he miss that?

When his hand went to his ear, she knew he'd gotten the message. So why was he still standing there?
Enough with the subtlety already. She placed her hands on her hips and called out to him across the patio.

"Are you comin'?"

He quickly crossed the distance and the look on his face when he stopped next to her made her flush. He
placed a hand to her cheek and she couldn't help but tilt her head into it. He brought his lips down to meet
hers and what he whispered into them only intensified the kiss that followed.

"Ask me again in an hour."

When their lips finally met, she knew one thing for sure; Crown and Coke and Castle, it was intoxicating!


Authors note: I've got the Crown and Coke, anyboby got any Castle? Anybody?