AN: So, the site is failing to send out alerts at the moment. If it gets round to sending out one for this chapter, make sure that you've read Chapter Twenty first. The story may not flow so well if you skip it…

You know, for a second there (you'll see where), I was thinking about having someone snatch Alexis too, just to really drive home the whole Castle doesn't spend enough time at home with his family anymore point. I couldn't bring myself to do it though. That's a whole other story…

Chapter Twenty-One

"I thought you would be mad," she admitted hesitantly, her voice barely above a whisper. "That I lied about remembering what you said to me in the cemetery."

Castle paused for a moment to collect his thoughts. She was right; there had been an initial sting of anger over her hiding the truth from him, lying to him all those times he asked her if she remembered. But, in light of their current situation, the forced separation that they had just painstakingly endured, it didn't matter. She was just trying to protect her heart. Sure, it was the coward's way, but evidently she needed time. It wasn't like she backed away from him, if anything, she'd been urging them closer together in recent months. Holding his hand gently at opportune moments, nudging his arm as they walked side-by-side, saving her smiles just for him. She hadn't pushed him away. Her urgency, her words in the message came back to him, "You need to know I feel the same way." He grinned at her.

"I'm not mad, Beckett," he replied rather enthusiastically. "I told you, your message was my favourite part, remember? And not just because the rest of it sucked so badly." She beamed back at him and dropped her hand from the wheel to brush his quickly.

"Thank you," she breathed out. "You never cease to amaze me you know, Castle," she added with a comical wink – coupled with the sincerity in her tone it was a strange combination. It was very Beckett, a genuine gesture lightened by her teasing. Castle wanted so desperately to kiss her. He started a mental mantra of case first, case first, running over and over in his mind. Screw that, if they were going to be stuck in traffic for this long…

It was time for some action. He mentally chastised himself as images of the wrong kind of action – for the present time – played in his mind. He was going to go old school. After all, they were an officer and a gentleman. This gentleman had class. He yawned and threw his arm over the back of Beckett's headrest, his hand coming to rest on her shoulder at a rather awkward angle. She giggled – hysterically. Drawing one of her hands up to her mouth as if to reign her laughter in and falling short.

"Amazed?" Castle drawled, in his best impression of a true old fashioned gentleman – from Texas. She laughter harder still, pulling an arm around her ribs as waves of laughter continued to overwhelm her.

"Ouch," she choked out. "You have got to be kidding me, Castle!" She paused, took a deep breath and waited for her giggles to subside. "You made my face hurt," she accused, still grinning.

"Oh c'mon, I just wanted to lighten the mood. Rushing off to talk to a guy who's got it out for you – for us, so not going to be fun," he whined in mock protest. Truth be told seeing her smile was worth the lame move. Beckett was a veritable cesspool of emotions as his casual remark. She'd been too worried about his reaction to the message and had pushed the case from her mind. Insane worry clouded her mood instantly. Then there was his blasé use of the word us that turned her innards to wobbling jelly in a second, she found that perhaps despite her better judgment she liked it – a lot. The fact he'd kind of made himself look like a bit of a fool just to get her to smile, it was quite frankly incredible. For a man with a famed playboy persona he was selfless, a character trait he'd proven over and over in the past. The hand, warm, solid, and softly running along her shoulder, reassuring her that they were okay, that her admission hadn't broken him, reminding her that he still held hope for an us, that was what she felt the most in that moment. Him. Constant. Always. She ached to tell him that she loved him too. However, in a cruiser on the way to prison to interrogate barely a shadow of a human didn't seem like the most opportune moment. Case first, she chanted to herself over and over again, little realising that her thoughts were mirroring his exactly.

X-X-X-X-X-X

Alexis woke up gradually, blearily rubbing her eyes. She took in her surroundings; she was curled uncomfortably on the couch in the loft. The television softly playing the DVD menu repeatedly, she was going to be sick of that song tomorrow.

"Dad," she called, pulling herself into a sitting position. There was no response. She knew he was acutely attuned to her. If he was home, he undoubtedly would have heard. She clenched her teeth and breathed out a long sigh. It was all fine and dandy that he was at the precinct reassuring Beckett that he was safe and ready to get back to work – or whatever it was he did, fawning over the beautiful detective for the most part, Alexis wasn't naive – but sometimes she needed reassuring too. She tried not to let it bother her too much. She knew how much her father and Beckett cared for one another. Watching Beckett stress and search for her father was enough to convince her once and for all of that. Still, she wished he'd come home today. Wished Beckett had sent him home. He had a head wound after all. He needed to rest and recuperate. Beckett could have come; Alexis wouldn't have begrudged the woman that. But, she could picture the perfect day, it essentially involved hanging out on the couch watching movies, and creating new eclectic ice-cream flavours to expand their palates with. None of this not knowing what the hell her dad was doing and wondering if he had managed to get himself into a dangerous situation yet again. No, this most certainly was not the day she had in mind after checking her injured father out of the hospital.

X-X-X-X-X-X

Beckett and Castle approached the small room the prison had provided them for the interview of Dunnings. Castle had unsubtly settled his hand on the small of Beckett's back and was revelling in the fact that she hadn't shrugged him off instantly. It made for an optimistic change of pace. As they reached the door and peered in the window to see Dunnings already seated, his posture casual, Beckett drew back, frowning.

"Something's off," she muttered, as much to herself as anyone else. The burly prison guard beside the door shot her a puzzled look.

"What?" Castle hedged.

"I'm not sure," she admitted with a sigh, running her fingers through her hair loosely. "It looks like Dunnings, but…"

"Something's off," Castle finished.

"Yeah," she breathed. The guard continued to watch the exchange, his expression dismissive. He obviously thought the cop and her too-well-dressed-to-be-a-cop sidekick had lost the plot.

"Are ya's going in or what?" he gruffly interrupted. Beckett turned her eyes to him, straightened her shirt and gave a brisk nod. He half-nodded at her in response and turned his key into the lock. "I'll be out here if ya need me," he muttered. Castle nodded his acknowledgment of the offer as he followed Beckett into the dingy room.

"Detective," Dunnings stated appreciatively, his eyes obviously raking over her form. Castle passionately loathed the man already.

"My face is up here," Beckett's voice was terse.

"No thanks, your body will do just fine," he whispered suggestively. It took every fibre of Castle's being to prevent him from leaning over the table and decking the guy. His next option was pulling Beckett from the room and away from the criminal leering at her. He managed to restrain himself from taking that measure as well. He was sure Beckett wouldn't appreciate the gesture, no matter how sweet and well-intended it was.

Beckett could see that Dunnings predatory sexual nature was testing Castle's resolve. She turned to look at him briefly, her eyes pleading, stay calm. He grimaced, his way of saying fine but I'm not happy about this, without so many words. She forced a brief hint of a smile his way. Dunnings watched the exchange intently.

"Cute," he mused, his tone rich with mockery. "I see you've got a new boyfriend. Didn't you have two last time? How is sweet little Irish? Took a shine to him, I did." Beckett choose to ignore him.

"Does the name Tessa Lonkings mean anything to you?" Her voice was hard, every bit the professional.

"No time for formalities, Detective," he grinned, raising an eyebrow. "But, we've got so much catching up to do."

"Tessa Lonkings," Beckett drew out, emphasising the words sternly.

"Hmm, how about we play a game. Every question I answer. You drop a button," he leered, eyes fixed hungrily on Beckett's chest, every bit the creep he'd been described as. Castle growled before he could control himself. Beckett squeezed his knee under the table. A silent support of the outrage he was demonstrating as well as a plea to reign it in. He dropped his hand to hers and squeezed it tightly. Possessive and angry. It rolled off him in waves. Dunnings chuckled. "This is fun already," he added with a wink.