Oh, Danny Boy

Air frigid with a north wind that rips through alleys, through buildings with animosity toward the intended. Detective Kate Beckett raises her collar to shield herself from a gust and hurries from her vehicle. Richard Castle draws in close beside her, opening the door to the pub before them.

"What the heck is with this weather?" he gasps as they enter the building lowering their shoulders, accepting the warmth. "Can you call Canada, tell them to take this crap back?"

"Suck it up Princess." Beckett smiles at him opening her coat, removing her gloves before entering the second door to the building.

There is a slight murmuring in the pub; glasses being filled and emptied, tips being thrown before bartenders who roll their eyes, collecting the discarded loot.
The decor torn from any Irish pub in the movies with hints of Italian flair. The air is heavy with hot thickness, causing Beckett to unbutton her coat, to take a deep breath as she approaches the nearest bartender.

"Danny Boy," Beckett asks nodding toward the middle aged man with greying hair. "Where can we find him?"

"Who's asking?" The man takes the towel from his shoulder and grabbing a wet glass, he dries it, never tearing his eyes from Beckett.

Beckett looks to Castle and then back to the barkeep. "Let's just say I'm a friend." Beckett cocks an eyebrow leaning in toward him.

The bartender raises his brow, grinning from ear to ear. "You could have fooled me sweetcheeks," he says looking down her front. "You smell like a cop to me." He continues to look her over seductively "A ... sweet... piece of ass... cop." He grins proudly continuing to dry the glass in his hands.

Beckett holds an innocent smile and giggles girlishly. Castle stands behind her unsure of what to do, his hands by his side. She raises a finger motioning for the barkeep to come closer and when he abides, she loops a finger in one of the folds of his shirt, clutching the fabric in her fingers.

Her features turn, she lowers her voice. "You want a warrant to go with that smart ass mouth of yours," she hisses, and before he can open his mouth in protest, without her focus leaving his eyes, "Or how about a citation for the expired liquor license you have."

There is a jittery noise behind them as a group of young women enter joyfully. Behind the group, a single woman dressed in a white veil and white t-shirt with the words, "Last Night Out" written in black, enters.
She stumbles behind them and trips over uneven carpeting, tumbling into the unsuspecting arms of one Richard Castle. She laughs raising her face to his, embarrassed, flushed red. In a heated moment, she grabs his face locking her lips to his, her tongue meeting his mouth feverishly. It is several seconds later when with eyebrow raised, Detective Beckett crosses her arms, clearing her throat. The bride-to-be breaks their bond giggling to her friends. She shrieks joining up with them, bounding across the bar to a booth at the back.

Castle chews slightly. Unsure of himself, he wrinkles his brow. Off Beckett's look of disgust, he reaches into his mouth, pulling out a small wad of chewing gum. He holds it in his finger tips, raising it for Beckett to see.

"Funny," he gasps slightly. "I don't remember having gum before."

Beckett rolls her eyes sighing and turns, her eyes now adjusted to the dim lighting in the bar.

"Danny Boy?" she asks annoyed.

The barkeep points to a dark corner at the back of the stuffy room. Beckett nods her head at him, taking steps from the bar.

"You can't be serious," Castle gasps catching up to her, grabbing her arm.

She looks over her shoulder at him, pulling her arm from his grasp and frowns. "I can't be serious about what?" she asks him.

"She kissed me," he defends putting his hands flat against his chest.

Beckett eyes Danny Boy and waves a hand at Castle silencing him. "I really don't care who kissed who Castle. You can kiss any cheap girl you want. I have no claim." She presses her sweaty palms against her body and grabs the edges of her coat.

"Hey Danny," Beckett calls out, sauntering up to him, rotating her hips toward him. He sits in a dark booth with two large, heavy set, dark haired Italians on one side of him. Danny Boy incarnate, times two.

Finishing the remnants of his pint, Danny Boy looks up from his frothy glass. He cocks his head toward Beckett eyeing her up and down. "Hey Sexy." He watches as Castle edges up to her and stands, finally removing himself from the booth.

"And what can I do for you?" Danny asks as he approaches, and reaches out to grab one of the large buttons on her coat. His eyes trail over her curves. "You are one tall glass of sexy aren't you."

Castle steps to the side releasing a sigh.

"Can I help you with something?" Danny asks Castle taking another step toward Beckett.

"Very smooth buddy," Castle scoffs, tucking a hand in his pant pocket.

Danny leaves Beckett's side moving to stand directly in front of Castle. At his movement, his two sidekicks stand quickly and move toward them.

"And what would you be meaning by that, exactly?" he asks.

Beckett flashes her badge toward Danny Boy. "Detective Kate Beckett, NYPD. We have a few questions we'd like to ask you about a murder that took place."

Danny Boy takes several steps back, his entourage framing him like book ends. "And why in sweet heaven's name would I be willing to do that?"

Beckett sighs, placing her badge back in her pocket. "Danny, we can do this the hard way or the easy way."

"I've got nothing I want to say to you?"

Beckett takes a step, closing the gap between them. "I think you do Danny. I think you'll have plenty to say especially when I show you pictures of a little girl we found up on Amsterdam."

"I don't know anything about no little girl." Danny crosses his arms, his entourage doing the same in perfect unison.

Beckett sighs. "Where were you last night Danny, between the hours of 11 and 12?"

Danny draws a breath and spits at Beckett's feet. Beckett looks to the floor, slowing drawing her eyes back up to the large man in front of her. Danny leans back, his beady eyes looking down at Beckett. "Screw you."

"Screw me?" Beckett questions placing a hand to her chest, mocking him.

Danny starts to laugh, causing his compadres to laugh with him. He takes a step toward her so she can feel his breath on her skin. "If you so insist."

Fist meets face suddenly from the side, and Richard Castle pulls his hand back quickly, releasing a high pitched squeal. He barely has enough time to shake his hand before a large fist, behind the large arm of Danny Boy meets his nose. Blood spurts instantly causing him to reel forward punching out. Praying to make contact with the overgrown buffoon in front of him, he meets something solid. Another punch to his face and Richard Castle can hear the bones break in his hand, can feel his jaw shift from side to side as he is pelted with two quick punches from his attacker.

There is shuffling and a kick to the back of Danny Boy's knee as he topples face first into Castle causing the pair to collide heavily with the hard tile. Danny struggles above him, wriggles to get free. And as eyes are opened slowly, Castle looks up to see Beckett on top of the two of them. Her hair falling in front of her face, her skin red from the fight, she takes a breath and flicks her hair from her face, pulling the man twice her size from Castle. Beckett sits Danny Boy down aggressively, cuffing him behind his back to the chair.

Castle brings his hands up, wincing at the pain beginning in his right hand. Beckett reaches down as Castle offers his left hand. She pulls him to a standing position. Blood cascading down his face, his left eye quickly becoming red and inflamed. She shakes her head taking the bar towel offered from the barkeep to her right.

"Here," she says handing it to him, wincing herself as he brings it to his nose.

"Is it bad?" he asks through the blood, bubbles forming at his lips.

She smiles awkwardly at him, his eyes peeking out from behind the white towel, quickly soaking with his blood. "What did you do that for?" she asks tenderly, taking the towel from him and tilts his head toward her so she can see the damage.

Castle looks at her. Sparkling blues meeting her eyes. He smiles shyly. "He was threatening your honour," he says matter-of-factly.

Beckett breathes in releasing a heavy sigh and lowers her eyes from his. "Next time Castle, you let me worry about my honour and you just worry about swinging your left as well as your right."

Thanks for reading and reviewing. :) Love you guys... Writer Ninja Out!