Double
"Hey Castle." Ryan grins, standing up from his desk to intercept them outside of the elevator. He looks suspiciously delighted, and it dawns on Rick what's about to happen scant moments before it actually does happen and he's left unable to escape. "And. . .Castle."
His wife growls, shoving her way past Ryan with more force than is really necessary and stalking over to her desk, dropping down into her seat and stabbing the button to turn on her computer. Oh jeez. A pissed off Beckett is just what he needed. "Thanks, man. Really."
"Dude, she's your wife. Not up to me to keep her happy." Ryan shrugs, so damn pleased with himself that it is really starting to grate on Rick's nerves.
They've just gotten back from the most perfect three weeks of his life, touring European capital cities for two of those and then a week in Bora Bora to just relax, do absolutely nothing. He never said it to her - he's not that stupid - but it was by far his favourite honeymoon he's ever had. She looked so beautiful, relaxed and happy and loving every moment of their adventure.
In comparison, the bullpen is rather drab. "Well you don't have to rile her up." He says to Ryan, moving away from the elevator and arriving at Beckett's desk at the same time as Detective Esposito.
"Whoa, Castle squared. It's like double trouble." Javier says, his grin only stretching wider when Kate's cheeks flame. She seems to have come to the same conclusion as Rick has, that it's better just to let them get it out of their systems, so she sits quietly at her desk and doesn't retaliate against her pseudo-brother's ribbing.
Castle sinks into his chair, grateful to see that Gates hasn't taken the opportunity of his absence to hide it away someplace never to be seen again. Javier is leaning against the hard edge of Kate's desk now, some of the teasing gone from his face. "You guys have a good time?"
"The best." Kate says quietly, a soft smile just flirting at the corners of her mouth. She holds Castle's gaze for a moment before her eyes flit to Esposito, and Rick reaches across the desk to squeeze her fingers a moment. It really was amazing, and he fell even deeper in love with her.
It's good to be home, he doesn't deny that, but watching Kate strolling down La Rambla in that gorgeous purple silk dress that swished around her knees made him almost want to emigrate. Persuade her to give up her job and move out somewhere sunny with him.
It would never happen - they both love the city too much to leave it for good - but the possibility fuelled almost every dream he had the whole time. "We miss anything exciting, Esposito?"
"Nah, nothing Beckett flavoured. Or is that Castle flavoured, now?" He purses his lips, staring Kate down and she huffs, shoving her chair backwards a little.
"Ryan, come here."
Kevin scurries over to join his partner and Castle fills up with the silly urge to protect his partner, stand up and use his height as an advantage to press their colleagues into submission. It's pretty funny sure, and he's enjoyed referring to her as Mrs Castle any chance he gets, but when it's putting that sour look on her face? It's not okay.
"I married Castle, and I took his name for our private lives. But at work, in the precinct? I'm still Beckett. I built a reputation for myself with this name and I intend to continue doing so."
He thinks maybe the boys are saying something, heads dipped low in shame and feet quick to shuffle away from Beckett's desk. But he's still caught up in the words I married Castle coming out of her mouth, how proud it makes him that to be her husband.
Kate hooks her foot underneath the edge of her desk and wheels her chair underneath again, refocuses her attention at the computer monitor. For about five seconds, he manages to control himself, but it's no good. He needs to be touching her.
His fingers land at her wrist and she glances over to him, covers his hand with her own. Suddenly he feels sorrowful, guilty for making her the butt of a joke in a way he hasn't done since the first Nikki Heat book all those years ago.
"I'm sorry, Kate."
"For what?" She murmurs, slender fingers stroking over the back of his hand now. "You think I didn't know this was coming?"
"Yeah, but-"
"Castle." She huffs, frowning at him. "They're my brothers. We tease, you know that. It doesn't mean I regret marrying you. Not for one moment."
Rick scrubs his free hand down his face, tries not to let the desolation show. "I just. . .you should be respected, Kate. You are amazing at what you do here, and I hate that us being married might jeopardise that."
"It doesn't. Babe, you think the boys are going to think any less of me because I married you? If anything, it makes me a better cop."
She's got that same look on her face as when he proposed and she told him not yet, that they had to work on their relationship before they were ready for that. Intense and focused and willing to do battle to save the things she loves.
That's him. One of the things she loves. He still can't quite believe it. "I make you a better cop?"
"Yes. You give me something to focus on, something to make it home to. You remember the Elena case? If I'd gotten that case a few years earlier, I don't think I would have survived. But you were with me, and you got me through it."
"Kate."
"I know." She soothes, letting go of his arm. "But this PDA thing isn't exactly going to encourage the teasing to stop. So stop moping."
He does.
The reward is always worth it.
