A/N : With this chapter I start some rearranging of the order in which episodes occur in this universe. Here Dead in New York takes place after Habeas Corpse. The next change is that Hollander's Woods is next, after Dead in New York. As the summary states this update is published for #CastleFanficMonday.
Disclaimer : I am not paid to write Castle. I only do it for fun.
One Police Plaza
Beckett sits amongst the twenty or so other hopefuls in the non-descript room at the NYPD headquarters and attempts to tamp down her nerves. She looks down at the materials on the desk in front of her and in particular the blank back page of the booklet that holds the questions to her future. The questions of the NYPD Captain's Exam.
No, she's not nervous. Her hand is not shaking slightly as she waits for the exam supervisor to give them the word to turn over the booklet and begin. She is confident, she is sure, she is in control. She is kickass Detective Kate Beckett-Castle. Inspiration for the lead character in a series of bestselling mystery novels. The youngest woman to make detective in the history of the NYPD. The same woman that the Attorney-General's office headhunted for their own taskforce out of all the countless qualified law enforcement officers in the country. She can do this. She can pass this stupid exam. SHE IS NOT NERVOUS!
With a huff and a roll of her eyes she sits back in her chair and thinks, who does she think she is kidding? Of course she's nervous and if she's honest with herself it's not because of the questions in the booklet. Beckett is confident that the study she has done over the last month, ably assisted by Alexis, has her more than prepared for the questions in the pages of the booklet in front of her. No, what has her gut churning with uncertainty is what those questions hold for her future because once she completes this exam her life will change.
It is a change she thought she is ready for but in these few moments before the start of the exam she is second guessing herself. When the exam is over and the results are through she will no longer be just a Detective, just another one of the troops. She'll become "management". She'll become the one the boys make up snarky nicknames about. And what about the boys? What will her promotion do to her relationship with them? Will she even be working with them anymore once she's promoted? It would take the influence of the universe that Castle is so sure about that would have her stay at the 12th when she gets her bars. Too many things way beyond coincidence would have to take place for that to happen.
As she told Castle, the most likely outcome of her promotion is she'll be given command of another precinct and her working partnership with Espo and Ryan will be over. Sure they'd stay friends. Still meet up for drinks at the Old Haunt from time to time. Catch up over holiday weekends at the house in the Hamptons. They all have been through so much together over the years that there is no way that they would lose touch like she has with some of the people she worked with in her early years before she transferred to homicide at the 12th.
The same goes for Laine. Any new precinct she moves to would probably be the responsibility of some other MEs and not Laine and Perlmutter. Not that she'll miss Perlmutter but she'll definitely miss working with her best female friend. Because Laine is so close to her she's sure that promotion and a new precinct will not mean that she'll never see her again. Beckett smirks to herself. If nothing else she's sure to get more than a few calls for girl's nights from the sassy doctor even when the two of them are old and grey.
Then there is Castle. They'd had that talk at Remy's but she knows that this will change their working partnership, even more so given his commitment to becoming an NYPDA Detective. He said he is behind her and even showed it this morning as he'd been, in some ways, so Un-Castle yet so Castle in his support of her. As usual he'd picked up on her nerves about the test. Hell, he probably had been planning how to deal with it for weeks because he knows her like no other person and he no doubt knew how she would be. He'd been so sweet and thoughtful all morning. Not saying much, staying so, uncharacteristically quiet, as he'd prepared, in his words, a 'brain food' breakfast for her. While she was in the shower he'd laid out the very clothes she is wearing now and had waited for her patiently and uncomplaining as she prepared herself to face the day.
Then he'd taken her hand as they left the loft and, continuing with his uncharacteristic silence, he'd driven her to 1PP to drop her off. He'd offered to wait for her but when she'd told him to go onto the precinct and she would meet up with him there after he had not fought her. The look he'd given her as he'd given her a quick, chaste kiss as he'd dropped her off exuded such, support, encouragement and love that it had given her the strength to get out of the car and stride confidently to the room she is in now.
Beckett grimaces with guilt as she recalls the case from a week ago at "Saturday Night Tonight" and how she'd gone all ga-ga over Danny Valentine. She'd seen how put out Castle was at her fan-girl flirting with the star which even more put in perspective is love for her given how he showed his support for her this morning.
After the case, as now, she'd felt embarrassed at how she'd acted like a star struck teen in the presence of her celebrity crush, all in front of her devoted husband. It was ironic given her own insecurities regarding Castle and all those women that attend his signings and that still ask for him to sign their chests. Ever since they've been together he's sworn off body autographs and she trusts him just like she really trusts him with all those Heat and Storm groupies. It doesn't stop her own insecurities and so she is ashamed that she could make Castle feel the same way as she'd flirted with Valentine. Not that it was anything more. There is no way she would cheat. She just got caught up in the moment and there was no way it was going to be more than that. A brief moment of uncharacteristic awe at attracting the interest of one of her teen idols.
Kate gives herself a knowing smirk as she recalls how she worked through her guilt and Castle worked through his anger after the case was over. They'd both taken a break from their respective studies and disappeared to the house at the Hamptons for the weekend. There, despite the glorious spring weather, they hadn't left the house and, in fact, barley left their bedroom as they'd shown each other how much they mean to each other, repeatedly.
Again, given Castle's current distractions both with his study to become an Auxiliary Detective and trying to stay on top of his deadline for the next Nikki Heat, him putting that all aside to look after her and her nerves this morning showed, yet again, his thoughtfulness and love. As she recalls her husband and his attentiveness to her moods her nerves calm. She is certain, just as she is certain in her love for him that regardless what this exam means for her future that her handsome, caring and devoted husband will be with her, every step of the way.
At that moment the exam supervisor calls out to everyone to turn over their question booklets and begin the exam. Beckett takes a deep breath as she turns over the booklet and opens it to the first question. Before she concentrates on the question she visualises Castle's face as he dropped her off this morning and draws strength from it. After another deep breath her nerves are gone and she bows her head and begins. She can do this. She will do this. The future is what it is and she is ready for it because she knows she won't be alone.
At that moment at the gym at the12th Precinct
Castle steps out of the locker room into the gym, dressed in black workout shorts and a black tank top and looks around for his TO. He spots him, Esposito, standing at the edge of the padded floor area with a red, padded boxing helmet in one hand and a long wooden stick in another and dressed the same as him. As he approaches Espo tosses the contents of his hands at him and he barely manages to catch them both as he juggles them, unprepared at having them flung at him so.
"Put the helmet on, Rook. I wouldn't want to mark-up that pretty face of yours," instructs Esposito sternly.
Castle rolls his eyes as he puts the helmet on and adjusts the chin strap. While Ryan has stopped, mostly, from calling him Rook, Espo continues to use the nickname when addressing him. In fact Espo has been increasing aggressive with him over the last few weeks. There's something behind the man's attitude and he is determined to find out what it is. It's how he is. He has to know Espo's story especially as it seems to be affecting his friendship with the Latino Detective.
As he fishes his mouthguard from his shorts pocket and pops it into his mouth he looks over at Espo and the man exudes impatience as he watches Castle get ready. With his helmet and mouthguard in place and the 26 inch long wooden stick in his hand he faces Espo and gives him a nod to indicate he is ready. Espo looks him up and down sceptically as Castle shifts his weight from one foot to the other and he shakes the stick in his hand loosely as he waits for the bout to begin.
"Ok, Rook. Even though you are going to carry a gun and not a baton, like other Auxiliary Officers, you still have to qualify with the baton as part of your general NYPDA training. So today we're going to have a little run at seeing how you are at handling yourself with a stick," Epso then bends down and picks up the helmet at his feet and puts it on.
Espo has barely put his own mouthguard in before he is on Castle and the wooden stick in his hand is striking out at the writer fast and from all angles. Castle winces as he is caught unawares at the suddenness of the attack and he backs away quickly as Esposito advances on him just as fast, not letting up as the stick in his hands whistles in the air at Castle's arms and torso. He takes the first hit on his left shoulder and then is using his own stick to fend off the flurry of blows from his opponent.
As Castle continues to back away and repel the attacks he thanks his lucky stars that, as a devotee of Sherlock Holmes, he has become proficient in the art of singlestick. That,
combined with his years of regular fencing and kendo training, means that after the initial hit he is able to deflect the rest of Espo's strikes. He can see surprise soon followed by determination grace Espo's eyes as Castle starts to easily deflect Espo's assault.
After getting over his surprise at the sudden and intense start to their bout Castle stops backing away and starts holding his ground. He even starts his own attacks on Espo and gradually it is the former Special Forces soldier that is backing away as Castle advances, one step at a time. Then Castle scores his own hit on Espo's left side and Castle sees Espo's eyes go wide in anger and he is backing away again as the tempo of Espo's attacks step up a gear in speed and ferocity. He even has to deflect some strikes deliberately aimed at his head. He knows that isn't part of the training. Strikes at the head are expressly forbidden when using a baton on a suspect so he knows that Espo has let his anger get the best of him and this isn't just training anymore.
As Espo intensifies his attacks Castle knows that if they don't stop soon one of them is going to get hurt. He needs to put a stop to this and find out what has Espo so riled up because he is thinking there is something more to the power of his attacks than the heat of the moment. Something personal. Something that is adding some spite to what should be a friendly training session.
It is a moment later that Castle sees his opening as Espo takes another aggressive swing at his head. Castle ducks the blow, takes a step forward and with a swift swing of his stick sweeps the feet from under Espo, dropping him on his back. With his opponent down Castle steps back, drops his guard and removes his mouthguard.
"Whoa, that's enough. You keep going like that one of us is going to get hurt," protests Castle, panting slightly at the exertion the man had put him through.
Espo glares at him as he slaps away the hand Castle is offering him to help him up and he rises to his feet under his own power. Once he is upright he removes his own mouthguard and responds aggressively, "And you think some dirt bag is going to go easy on you, Rook? Isn't going to do anything they can do to take a playboy playing cop like you down? How are any one of us, including Beckett, going to trust you to have our backs if you're not ready?"
Castle gives Espo a quizzical look at the vehemence of his response, "Ok, what's this about, Sito? This is more about you not thinking I'm ready. And since when do you not trust me not to have yours or, especially, Kate's back?"
Esposito turns away from Castle and stalks over to the edge of the mat, removing his helmet in the process. Castle follows him and removes his own helmet as Espo turns back around to face him. He gives Castle an angry look and is obviously having an internal battle at whether to let out what is bothering him. Castle knows that Esposito isn't one to express his feelings openly. Sometimes his Latin heritage of machismo means that he keeps his thoughts and feelings close to his chest. Then again sometimes he isn't backwards in letting people know exactly what he thinks. Castle thinks that it looks like this is one of those latter times.
"Maybe I don't trust you anymore, Castle. Maybe I don't trust the motives of a rich, entitled writer to be good enough to earn the right to put on the badge. To have mine, Ryan or Beckett's back when shit goes down. That you're not going to disappear when the going gets tough and then pretend you don't remember," declares Esposito angrily, stepping into Castle's face.
Castle's eyebrows rise up his brow at the force of Esposito's feelings and as he takes a step back he realises what is behind the man's condemnation. It all goes back to his disappearance before his first attempt to marry Kate.
Ever since he came back from wherever he was for that two months he's thought that his friendship with Esposito wasn't the same. There hadn't been the same easy banter between them during their cases. During his suspension Esposito had been the one, even over the usually by the book Ryan, that had been more than a little conscientious in following the line that he not work on their cases. He'd learnt from a couple of the other officers at the precinct, when they expressed their own doubts to him, that Esposito was one of the first ones that raised the idea that he was behind his own disappearance.
He'd felt hurt and a little betrayed to realise that a man he'd come to think as such a close friend could think so badly of him. That he would think for a moment that he would abandon the love of his life at the altar. That he would leave his daughter, mother and all his friends, Espo included, thinking he was kidnapped for two months while he was off somewhere enjoying himself. It fed all his insecurities of acceptance about himself. That people only liked him for his money and his fame and not the real him. He'd thought that he'd gotten past that with Espo and Ryan and that had really come to consider both men as the brothers he never had.
Castle hadn't done anything about it because he, frankly, had enough on his plate since he got back. Getting his relationship with Kate back to that solid ground so that they could get married. Overcoming Alexis' overprotectiveness. Enduring the public and media scrutiny and negative speculation on where he was and what happened. Not to mention his own initial scramble to try and make sense of what happened to him and how one minute he was driving to the happiest day of his life and the next he is waking up in a hospital room to a look of heartrending suspicion on Kate's face.
Then, just after he'd married Kate, his life got turned upside down again with his banishment from the 12th by the DA. After Neiman and Tyson and getting back at Kate's side he'd thrown himself into his idea to become an Auxiliary Detective so his attention since returning has been occupied to say the least. That is why he hasn't actively done anything to repair his relationship with Esposito. Looks like that's not up to him now.
"Is that's what this is about, Sito? You don't believe that I can't remember where I was during that two months I was missing?" asks Castle forcefully. If this is what has got the man so upset then they are going to get it all out in the open.
"Yeah, it never made any sense to me. It still doesn't," responds Espo sceptically. Castle gives him props for looking him the eye as he says it. Not that it doesn't diminish to feeling of betrayal that he feels at the implication that a dear friend, a brother, thinks he could consciously abandon everyone he loves and lie about it.
Castle maintains eye contact with Epso as he replies clearly and honestly, "Javier, I swear to you that I have no memory of where I was or what I did during the two months after I disappeared. Has nothing we been through together over the last six years shown you that you can trust me? That I have yours, Kevin's and Kate's back in any situation. Do you think so little of me that you would think that I would leave Kate at the altar? Leave her, Alexis and my mother thinking I was kidnapped or even dead with no word for eight weeks? Don't you know me well enough that I would never do that?"
"Well, I thought I did know you but that was before you disappeared and all the evidence that came up that showed you might be behind it or at the very least know more than you are saying. After that I realised that I really don't know you. That when we first met you used your friendship with the Mayor to follow Beckett around and we both know that for all your talk of research you were really following her around to get in her pants," states Esposito right back at Castle, folding his arms across his chest.
"And nothing I've done. The hours I've spent here helping you track down killers. The time that Kate and I saved you and Ryan from Lockwood. The fact that I helped Kate finally get justice for her Mom by being with her as she put Bracken behind bars. That I am now married to Kate and just didn't abandon her let alone dump her the moment I slept with her. If I really ran from our wedding then why would I come back and then marry her anyway? That I flew thousands of miles on the slim chance I could find my daughter after she was kidnapped yet was more than happy to leave her with no word for two whole months? Hell, I can barely go a day without some form of contact with Alexis. Do none of those things mean anything? Do they not show that I love Kate and Alexis and that I am not the same man you met all those years ago? That my time here with you guys have changed me and I think changed me for the better?" Castle pauses, takes a breath and then fixes Espo with his most sincere look.
"Javi, I will only say this once more and if you still don't believe me then I suppose there is nothing I can say to change your mind and you are not the friend I thought you were. I had absolutely nothing to do with my disappearance as far as I know because I have definitely no idea what happened to me while I was missing. I am married to Kate and that fact plus all the work I am doing to become an Auxiliary Detective, just so that I can stay as her partner, shows that I am committed to her and to our life and partnership, for as long as I live," he stops and waits for Espo's response. Castle watches as emotions war across Espo's face in reaction to his words.
Esposito's eyes bore into Castles for a long time and Castle matches his gaze. Eventually it is Esposito that breaks as he ducks his head and reaches up behind his head to scratch the back of his neck. It is a less sure, almost apologetic sounding Esposito that speaks next.
"Yeah man, I guess I can see what you're talking about and I suppose I can see that now you've followed through with the marriage that you are committed to Beckett and didn't just run off," now it's Espo's turn to pause before he continues as he looks back up into the eyes of the writer. "You know that I've never had the greatest relationship with my Dad. For all our joking of Ryan and I calling you and Beckett "Mom and Dad" in some way I do see you both like that. When you went missing and it looked like you could be behind it I was reminded of all those negative feelings I have for my own Dad. Feelings of him abandoning of me and my Mom and that you had done just that to Beckett and to all of us. Add that to Beckett taking the Captain's exam, which will mean that our team will break up, and all those feelings from of being left behind from when I was a kid are coming up again."
"And do you believe that I would never do that now?" presses Castle because he doesn't want this to continue to be between them.
"Ok, yes, I do believe that you wouldn't do that. I've just got my own issues with trusting people and if someone does something that I think breaks that trust then it's hard for me to believe in them again. In fact you are probably the first person I've ever given a second chance to," admits Esposito.
Castle nods at his friend's admission and boy is he glad he can still call the man his friend, "So are we good?"
"Yeah bro, we're good," replies Espo with a sigh.
"And are you going to stop wailing on me with that stick because I'd hate to put you on your ass again?" asks Castle with a playful smirk.
"Oh, you think you can do that again, huh? Well, time to put your money where your mouth is, Rook. You knock me down again and I promise to stop calling you Rook. I knock you over and you have to call me Mister Esposito Master Detective whenever you address me. Bet?" challenges Esposito with a glint in his eye as he holds out his hand for Castle to shake. Both to seal the bet but also to affirm that he believes Castle.
"Ok, a bet it is," accepts Castle as he shakes Esposito's hand firmly and with the same double intention as Esposito.
Both men don their helmets and replace their mouthguards and take guard against each other. The bout that follows is a much more sporting and constructive affair.
Later that day it is Ryan that notices first that Esposito has stopped calling Castle, Rook.
A sprawling estate somewhere in Upstate New York
The man presses pause on the remote and the image of the Detective and the Writer taking a bow on the set of the comedy sketch show freezes on the large screen on the wall of his study. He turns to the man sitting in the guest chair on the other side of his desk who is still studying the image on the screen.
"So I understand that you've had your own run in with Detective Beckett and her husband and partner Richard Castle, huh, Carl?" he asks Carl Shelton as the man finally turns his attention away from the screen and towards the man on the opposite side of the desk and sitting with his back to the large bay windows that show a stunning view of the rolling, green fields of his estate.
"Yeah, I did," replies the wealthy business man and political activist, Shelton. Wealthy but nowhere as wealthy as he is. "They had the temerity to accuse me of being involved in Carolyn Decker's murder. Suffice to say they had nothing on me. The concerning thing is though that I've heard some disturbing rumblings from Albany. Sounds like Lopez's party is also looking at Detective Beckett for that vacancy coming up in the State Senate. A candidate who has shown that she fights corruption and believes in law and order could really counter the type of candidate we would support for that seat," continues Shelton.
The man behind the desk steeples his fingers in front of his face as he considers Shelton's words. Oh, he's well familiar with how Detective Katherine Beckett fights corruption. Her singular fight with one particular corrupt politician had a direct impact on his plans. He had been one of, if not the primary one, that was behind Bill Bracken's run for the Presidency. He'd known all about the Senator's extracurricular activities and 'unique' fund raising methods. He'd dismissed them as he knew that he and Bracken shared the same vision for America. That and it also meant that he had something to hold over the future leader of the free world that he would be sure to use at the right moment.
For many years he has been one of a select few that really run politics in this country. That know who is right to hold office and who isn't and isn't afraid to do anything to make sure that happens. He was the one that was behind the stalled scandal that ended Bob Weldon's aspirations for New York Governor. Yet another time when Detective Beckett and her husband had gotten involved in one of his plans. While the basic outcome came to pass, the end of Weldon's run for Governor, their interference prevented the secondary outcome. The removal of Weldon from Gracie Mansion altogether.
"That would be an undesirable occurrence, Carl," comments the man behind the desk and Shelton nods in agreement. With that short statement the two men agree that the political career of Katherine Beckett will not proceed.
"I'll have a word with my contacts in Albany and see if I can dissuade them from their choice. Failing that I'll make sure that the right candidate is chosen to run against her. If she gets the nomination I'll start an action committee to start digging up dirt on her and her husband. Anything that will turn the press and the public against them and if they can't find anything we'll just make it up. Just like we always do," responds Shelton with a crocodile smile.
"Good. Then I won't keep you, Carl. Sounds like you have some calls to make," dismisses the man behind the desk.
He watches as Shelton nods in acknowledgment, rises from his chair and leaves the study. The man then turns to the computer screen on his desk and clicks on the mouse on his desk. A few more clicks later and the file he is looking for is open.
Both Katherine Beckett and Richard Castle have been on his radar for some time now. He'd warned Bill Bracken about the pair, especially Castle but the man wouldn't listen to anyone except himself. Bracken had been short-sighted concentrating on the Detective and discounting the Writer. Richard Castle was the glue that held Kathrine Beckett together and gave her the confidence and resources to ultimately bring Bracken down. He wasn't so cavalier.
He's kept an eye on the couple for some time now. Had people keeping tabs on them. Making sure they didn't know who he was or had an inkling of his existence. On the screen he reads the report from his contact in Castle's NYPD Auxiliary class at the Academy. Not much out of the ordinary there beside the fact that a man of Castle's means and background would take the step of arranging the creation of NYPDA Detectives and undertake the training to become one.
Yet another indication of the threat that Richard Castle is if he puts his mind to something and is sufficiently motivated. In a surprising short time the man used is seemingly inexhaustible supply of contacts to have NYPDA Detectives created and to have him put forward to be the first one. It clearly showed that Castle was a player in his world and not just a writer that liked pretending he is a cop.
If Katherine Beckett enters politics then she and her husband might learn of his existence and then of his links to Bill Bracken. That cannot happen. Anyway, he may not have to worry about that. Besides the efforts that Shelton is about to undertake to prevent that, another report, on the screen in front of him and from a contact in 1PP, shows that Beckett is going for promotion. If she's looking for promotion it's unlikely she'll consider giving that up to become a State Senator.
Despite all that, if she does run, win and learn about him then he has contingencies in place. Plans that will ensure that Katherine Beckett and Richard Castle will get nowhere near him.
A/N : What! An update in less that a week since the last one! Don't get used to it. I wanted to get this out for #CastleFanficMonday.
So as you can see with this chapter I've dealt with a couple of things from cannon. Firstly the thing that a lot of fans didn't like in the 150th episode, Beckett flirting with that guy in front of Castle. Then there is Esposito's perceived negative attitude towards Castle in Season 7 and his declared disbelief at Castle's amnesia. I thought that the scene between them in Sleeper should have had more to it. In the end there was nothing resolved between to two men and yet a few episodes later Castle is calling Esposito his dear friend to the room at the Poe's Pen awards. We all know how forgiving Castle is but I thought they needed to resolve things bit more before we get to Hollander's Woods in my story. I may not have achieved that with what I've written here but I've given it a go.
Thanks as always to everyone reading my story.