Oh, we're winding it down people!
"Come on," Rick said, grabbing Kate's hand, and they dashed down the street, their footsteps echoing on the pavement. About a dozen men followed, clamoring behind them. The couple continued running until Kate realized the situation.
Kate pulled Rick to a stop. "This is not happening," she said.
Katherine Beckett was a cop in the NYPD, and there was no way she was going to let the freaking paparazzi chase her down the streets of her city!
So far, Beckett and Castle had managed to stay off the media radar. They avoided hot spots. They kept their hands (and mouths) to themselves whenever they were in public.
It had been a tough day, working a case where the victim was a little girl. Kate found her job hardest when working cases involving kids. Castle broke one of their unofficial rules and called to arrange a table at a friend's fancy restaurant. He suspected Kate could use some pampering. The dinner was perfect, and by the end, Kate looked more determined and less defeated.
They walked out arm-in-arm, and a block from the restaurant, Kate forgot who her boyfriend was, what the rules were, and why they had them. Grateful that Castle had made her heartbreaking day a little better, she kissed him. A camera flashed, then a dozen. It felt like a hundred.
"How did they even know where to find us?" Kate asked.
"They didn't," Rick replied. "They weren't there for us. You didn't notice that kid from Twilight a few tables over?"
"Oh, the little brunette? I knew she looked familiar." Kate said.
"Tabloids love to follow those Twilight kids around, and I don't think that guy she's with is her boyfriend. Catching us making out was just a bonus."
"Yeah, well, I'm not going to run away." In fact, Kate turned and walked toward the flashing cameras. As she strode over, Rick followed, laughing at the nervous looks on the faces of some of the paps. Others were fearlessly moving closer to Detective Beckett, angling for the best shot. They screamed at her, "Kate," and, "Nikki," throwing out a slew of questions about her relationship with Castle, about landing one of Manhattan's most eligible bachelors, and even whether they acted out Heat and Rook's sex scenes.
"OKAY, step back to a minimum of 5 feet," her voice boomed in cop-mode: loud and authoritative, but calm and confident. Most stepped back automatically, but a few ignored her request. Kate put her hands on her hips, subtly exposing the holstered gun under her jacket.
"You wore a gun on our date?" Rick whispered. Kate rolled her eyes, because they'd gone straight to the restaurant after work. Cameras flashed more wildly at the visible weapon, but the men moved away.
"Are you ready? Because I'm only going to say this once: My name is Detective Kate Beckett. My name is not 'Nikki Heat.' Also, Richard Castle and I are not dating." She could see the skepticism on their faces. "We're engaged," she clarified. "We were going to elope to avoid all of this…" she gestured at them, "but now you know about us, so it's a moot point."
The paparazzi roared questions at Kate and Rick. Rick's jaw had dropped at Kate's announcement; he had been surprised that she'd revealed their plans to elope, but pleased that she wanted to stay engaged even though the need to elope had ceased. Rick watched her with admiration.
"Hey!" Kate shouted, regaining their attention, "If you want information, shut up and listen. Here are the rules: One— You play nice and we'll play nice. We will schedule interviews and photo shoots. I'll give you good quotes." Eyebrows rose at this. Castle was a media darling, but his muse was known for being truculent with the press. "Stalk us and you'll never get a word out of us. Two— I am a cop. Interfere with my job and you are guilty of obstruction of justice, so stay the hell away from my crime scenes. A good relationship with New York's Finest might actually help you, professionally. Keep that in mind. Rule three- Leave our kid alone. She is off limits, unless she is appearing at an official event or she chooses to take part in an interview. Are we clear?" she waited. "Good. Any questions?"
Rick laughed as the tabloid photographers, known for being ruthless, behaved like reputable reporters at a press conference. They called out her name with hands waving in the air. She called on one. "Yes, you in the blue."
"When's the wedding?"
"It was going to be Saturday at our apartment, but we'll probably reschedule?" she looked at Rick for confirmation.
"We'll check our calendars and let you know, guys," Rick replied.
"Yes," Kate added, "But you're not invited."
Some of the paps chuckled. Detective Beckett was winning them over. She was different from the playboys and celebutants they spent their time chasing. More than one of them felt torn; they wanted to comply with her terms, but their editors wanted candid photos snatched of surprised or enraged celebs. Detective Beckett was treating them like legitimate members of the press, though, which most of them had dreamt of being when their careers began.
"How long have you been together?" someone called out.
"We have been colleagues for nearly two years, but have only been a couple for a few months. Now, you in the gray!"
"Why the rush to get married? Are you pregnant?"
Castle was about to snap at the presumptuous man, but Kate just laughed.
"Oh, God, no!"
"So you don't want kids?" another man asked.
Castle couldn't believe Kate was discussing this with reporters. Hell, he hadn't even thought to ask her about having kids, yet.
"I love the kid we already have. However, having a baby is a serious choice that deserves time and consideration—especially for someone in my line of work. Yes, you in the black."
"Do you plan to leave the NYPD?"
"Not if I can help it. I live my life solving murders to help victims' families and to make our city safer. I don't want to give that up," she replied, "but to be honest, it depends on you guys."
The men were caught off guard by her stark admission, though they didn't reveal it on the outside.
"If the press becomes too intrusive, it could hurt my team and hinder investigations. That's why I hope you'll respect our request for space. I never wanted to be famous. I only agreed to this whole Nikki Heat thing to help the reputation of the NYPD. I agreed to marry Castle because I love him, and we're becoming a family. I didn't seek the spotlight, but I'm in it, like it or not. I hope you'll let me do my job. Any more questions?"
"Castle, is this a publicity stunt?"
"One for me? How refreshing," he replied in Writer-Boy-charm mode. "No, this is not a publicity stunt. I don't blame you for asking, though, because if I were on the other side, I'd be wondering the same thing. The truth is, I wrote the books to get closer to Detective Beckett—the exact opposite of getting with Beckett for the success of the books. My interest in her began before I wrote the first word of Heat Wave."
Kate looked at him in surprise, wondering whether Rick shadowing her had been one big seduction scheme, or whether his motivations had been subconscious in the beginning.
"What's it like to be engaged to Nikki Heat?"
"Detective Katherine Beckett is not Nikki Heat. She's better…though a little less slutty."
At that, she gave her patented eye-roll. "I'm a lot less slutty," Kate amended, "and I still think 'Nikki Heat' is a stripper name. He wouldn't change it," she commented to the press.
The men laughed. Beckett had apparently been telling the truth about giving them snappy quotes.
"I stand by that decision," Rick replied. "You may not be as slutty as Nikki Heat, but you're just as hot. And to answer the original question, being engaged to Detective Beckett is better than I could have ever dreamed…or written." Kate rolled her eyes again at his cheesy statements, which the press would undoubtedly eat up.
"Okay, this Q&A is officially over," Kate announced. "Goodnight, gentlemen."
She walked away, arm-in-arm with Castle. Both were shocked and relieved to realize they were not being followed.
I think tomorrow (Valentine's day) I'll posts the final chapter of "What You Need." Wish me luck at drawing the story to a close!