A/N: I'm going to be a walking zombie tomorrow at work and that's so not good. Thursday is my worst day, I have five groups of two and tomorrow I got 6 of them and it is so hard to listen for a full 30 minutes and ask the right questions when you're so tired...but hey, you get the two chapters ;D (I'm going to the theatre tomorrow evening but I'll try to write the next chapter...By then I'll have someone tell me personally to do it, right ;D
Day 11 – Eggnog
Castle was a master of parties, he seriously loved to throw them and even though Halloween and Christmas were rather close, they were far enough apart to get a party each and this year was no different.
He'd been planning and organising it for weeks. The thing was, this year he wanted to have his weekends with Kate if they weren't working so he decided to have it during the week and even though he loved big parties, he wanted a smaller one this year, his Halloween party had been a bit too much even for his taste and having the event during the week would ensure him to have less guests.
The problem at the moment was that their new case was getting a bit tricky. The dead guy who went by the Name of Tristan Kimps had been a perfect citizen. He worked for a bank, never got into any trouble, had the perfect fiancé, the perfect house and everything with one tiny problem, he turned up dead. As the team dug deeper and deeper into his life they found more and more inconsistencies and the more people they asked about Tristan's life, the more they realised that he was very deep in trouble. Lanie called and told them that she'd found drugs in his system and then they happened to stumble upon a piece of information that told them the ugly truth. Tristan had become a drug smuggler in the past two years and he'd made quite the fortune out of it.
His girlfriend knew nothing about it, said they'd always been okay with cash but never to the extent of where they could just spend it without thinking too much and especially with the wedding coming up and all.
In the afternoon they concluded that the question was whether he had been killed because of something he did with the drugs or because of what his part-time job was. Castle was getting a bit itchy by then because he needed to get home to finish the preparations for the party but with the case still going he didn't want to leave either because knowing the team he feared they wouldn't show up.
"Go home, Castle." Beckett had read his thoughts but he just shook his head.
"Then you'll all work through the night and the reason I'm having a party will be gone anyway so I can just stay here instead."
The detectives exchanged grinning looks with each other before Esposito turned around to face Castle.
"Bro, we're not going to miss out on a party. We can party after work."
"What, at two when you finally think it might be helpful to go home?"
"No…make you a deal…" Ryan said but looked at Beckett to see if she was okay with it. He didn't think she'd mind because both Esposito and Ryan had noticed that she was a lot more easy-going since (finally) getting together with Castle so as expected she just shrugged her shoulder and gave him the 'go ahead' look.
"'kay, make you a deal. If we don't get a solid lead until…let's say…"
"Nine," Beckett interrupted and Ryan nodded, "until nine, we'll drop everything and come to your party."
"Eight."
"No, I said nine and it stays nine, Castle…"
"Oh come on, Kate. Half eight? It's a week day, people aren't going to stay until four like they did on Halloween."
"One will definitely stay longer."
Ryan smirked at his partner who had so nonchalantly mad that remark and got a pencil thrown at him from Beckett for it.
"Well, it's true, isn't it."
"Anyway," Castle interrupted, "half eight. Or I won't leave."
The boys looked at Beckett again before she finally gave in. "Fine."
It was Castle's luck that they didn't get a lead until half eight. Tristan had made himself too many enemies working with drugs and all of them would've loved to see him dead yet everyone claimed to have an alibi and so far they'd all checked out.
The three detectives arrived at Castle's loft at nine and were greeted by the happy chatter of his guests and by some Christmas music.
"You made it!" he rejoiced when he opened the door. Ryan and Espo strolled right into the loft, lifting glasses filled with Eggnog from the trays carried by some lovely young ladies and also gentleman.
"We did indeed," Beckett responded to Castle before she too walked into the room.
There were a lot of guests she didn't know but both Castle's publisher/ex-wife and his agent were there and both were eyeing her suspiciously.
"Do the know anything?" she whispered to Castle who naturally looked right over at them and made Beckett want to slap him.
"Who? Gina and Paula? Nah, they've been asking themselves the same question for about three years now if not more, they're not getting any closer. Eggnog?" he asked and handed her a glass. She happily accepted and clinked her glass to his and then sipped from the Eggnog.
The next thing she did was sputter and cough because the Eggnog was not only very strong but also a bit disgusting.
"Castle, what is this? Poison?"
"I made it…"
"Oh…I…I'm sorry. But…I'm guessing it's the first time you made it yourself?"
He chuckled and nodded. "Well detected, Detective Beckett," he replied and took a sip himself, making a face when he swallowed.
"You're right, it is disgusting. Hang on, let me just get the real one, not the experiment," he said and disappeared in the crowd.
Beckett rid herself of her coat that she was still wearing and when she turned around to go after Castle her path was blocked by of ex-wife and ex something and both stared at her with raised eyebrows and a very sceptic look on their faces.
