So here is the final chapter for this story, I have had SO much fun writing it and reading all your lovely reviews; thank you for that Enjoy this chapter I have tried to make it extra-special! I dedicate this to all of you amazing Castle fans out there.
Castle and Beckett almost jumped when Lanie entered the room again, letting the door behind her slam a little. "Am I interrupting something you two?" She teased.
"No nothing, so what have you got for us?" Beckett asked.
"Well you two will find this very interesting, I managed to pull some of the fibres from under the victim's skin and you know how we established that it wasn't human fibre so it a probably a fabric?"
"Yeah" Castle and Beckett both replied at the same time.
"It is so cute when you two do that!"
"Lanie!" Beckett said.
"Well, I ran it through the system and again no matches, and after a while it finally had a match; it is from an animal."
"An animal?" Beckett asked, surprised.
"Yeah, and this is the weirdest thing there are no other traces of the victim being around an animal at all."
"Yeah that is weird, and that doesn't help at all with getting us any closer to finding the killer." Beckett said, "Thanks Lanie, we'll go back and tell the others let u know if you find out anything else."
"Will do, bye you two."
When they left the morgue and were heading back Beckett said "Is everything ok, Castle? You seem really quiet."
"I'm fine Beckett. Just a little tired."
"Couldn't keep up with me last night, huh?" Beckett teased, expecting Castle to laugh; but he didn't. "Rick?"
"Are we just kidding ourselves Kate? Hiding this from everyone? I don't know how much longer I can keep up this act. And how do you think they will feel when they find out we have been keeping this from them?"
"I know Rick; it won't be much longer I promise I just needed some time."
"Do you know how hard it is lying to everyone? Our friends Ryan, Espo and Lanie?"
"Last time I checked Castle you were fine with it."
"Yeah I know, I am just getting sick of it Kate. You know me; I would've loved to tell everyone about this. Do you know how hard it was keeping it from my own family?"
"What about me Rick? Lying to my best friends, pretending to Lanie that I was upset that you had a girlfriend. Do you know how hard that was?"
"I'm sorry Kate… I was just over thinking it all."
"I understand and I promise we can tell them soon; just not today."
"Ok," Castle said, smiling as he gave Beckett's hand a quick squeeze before stepping out of the elevator.
Beckett brought Esposito and Ryan back up to date with what Lanie had just told them and they still had nothing. Gates even came out and wanted to know why they hadn't gotten close to solving the murder yet. "Mr Castle, I am assuming that you will have some sort of theory for this?" Gates said.
"I've got nothing sir."
Gates just tutted as she went back to her office.
…
On their lunch break Castle and Beckett were sitting in the break room discussing their plans for the night. Castle handed Beckett a coffee, briefly holding onto her hand and sat down next to her, moving his chair a little closer so they could secretly hold hands underneath the table. "So still looking forward to dinner with mother and Alexis tonight?" Castle asked Beckett, smirking.
"Why yes I am Castle, I really don't see what is so bad about your mother."
"Believe me, if you had to live with her you would know."
"You're so mean!" Beckett laughed, nudging Castle's shoulder.
Ryan and Esposito were watching Castle and Beckett out of the corner of their eyes, but they couldn't see them holding hands under the table. "There has to be something up with mum and dad." Ryan said.
"Nah, I don't think there is." Esposito said turning back to the file he was reading.
"You're probably right."
"So fancy coming to mine straight after this?" Castle asked.
"Why Mr Castle, what do you have on offer?" Beckett said in a sultry tone.
"Well I do have a really big bed, oh and a nice spa bath."
"Oh and I have a nice book I can read when I get home."
"And I have a nice bottle of chardonnay chilling in the fridge." Castle said.
"You have yourself a deal, Castle!" Beckett smiled, "Now come on, let's get back to work."
…
As soon as the clock hit five Castle stood up and grabbed his coat. "Well I had better get going, Alexis is round for dinner tonight. Bye guys!"
Castle walked to the elevator. A few seconds late Beckett felt her phone buzz with a text from Castle. Come now x
She stood up and grabbed her stuff. "I have to go too guys, see you tomorrow and let's hope we catch that killer."
As soon as Beckett was gone Esposito turned to Ryan, "You're right something has to be up with them, let's go and see Lanie he might know something."
When Ryan and Esposito walked into the morgue Lanie looked up at them. "What are you two in such a hurry about?" She asked, standing up.
"Do you think something is up with Beckett and Castle?" Ryan asked.
"What do you mean?"
"Like the way they have been acting lately." Esposito said.
"Yeah like, they seem more in sync and seem to be sharing more- oh my god!" Ryan said finally working it out.
"And you two call yourselves detectives!" Lanie laughed.
"Well how long have you known then?" Esposito asked.
"I suspected it a little, then they steered me off track but I saw them together last night."
"I can't believe that they fooled us like that!" Ryan said.
"Well I think we should pay them a little visit, and I bet they are at Castle's." Esposito said smiling.
…
Castle and Beckett were lying in bed, just about to get up, but just savouring those last few moments before Martha and Alexis arrived when there was a knock at the door. "Who could that be?" Beckett said sitting up.
"It should be mother or Alexis, but I don't see why they are knocking."
"Maybe they don't want to walk in on anything?" Beckett asked, quickly throwing on her clothes.
"True, can you get it?" Castle asked.
"Yup," Beckett said quickly running her fingers through her hair.
She nearly got the shock of her life when Lanie, Esposito and Ryan were standing on the other side of the door. "Busted!" Esposito laughed as he saw Beckett's shocked face.
"Who is it?" Castle asked as he came into the room pulling his top on.
"Bro, how long have you been hiding this from us?" Esposito asked.
"Oh uh, a few weeks?" Castle stammered.
"Well you two are finally together! It took you so damned long, I am so happy for you two!" Lanie said.
"Yeah me too, I actually thought that you two may never get together." Ryan said grinning.
"Yeah, I didn't know how much more of your eye sex and all that I could take when you two weren't together!" Esposito said.
"Eye sex?" Beckett said, glaring at him.
…
Castle invited them in for a quick drink, when he sat down next to Beckett and put an arm around her he said "See told you they'd be happy. Nothing to worry about."
"You were right, thanks Castle."
"Always" Castle replied leaning down to kiss Beckett, almost forgetting who was there. He and Beckett were on top of the world, and nothing could pull them down.
The end, hope you all enjoyed this! Thanks again for all the support of this story, and keep those suggestions coming in for another fic that I'll write in the near future. Until next time,
Emma xx