Author's Note: A HUGE thanks to Docnerd89 for helping me with this (and the last) chapter. You're awesome! This chapter is a little shorter than usual. I'm making Ryan and Espo suffer a little.

Recap: It was their first day back at work after getting a bit dinged up and having a lazy weekend together. Kate started a fight which was quickly resolved, but Castle planned to tease her as retribution. He began setting little paper clip sculpture dioramas up around the station, but he did nothing Monday afternoon. They discussed having dinner together.

Chapter 24: Teo Torriatte (Let Us Cling Together)

"Okay guys, I think it's time to hit the road." Kate told her team.

"You guys up for a couple of drinks at my place? And by 'my place', I mean The Old Haunt." Rick asked.

Ryan and Esposito shared a look and then looked back to Castle. "Sure bro. Honey Milk will want to get his girl though." Javi answered with a sly smile aimed at his partner.

"Speaking of which - is it okay if we ask Lanie to join us? I'm never sure if you two are talking or not." Kate directed her question at Esposito, Lanie's ex.

"I don't mind you inviting her as long as she's okay with it. We worked some things out. No punches will be thrown."

"I'll go pick her up from the morgue then. Meet you there, Castle?"

"Sure. That'll give me time to pick up some groceries. Alexis complained that there wasn't enough fresh fruit in the house. I told her there was whipped cream and bacon, but that just wasn't enough for her." Rick had a twinkle in his eye while he talked about his daughter. "An hour from now seem about right?"

Kevin said, "Yeah, I'll call Jenny now. Javi can go home and put on aftershave for Lanie." Virtual daggers flew from Espo's eyes towards Ryan as they gathered their coats and made their way out of the precinct.

As soon as they cleared the doors, Castle beat his old land speed record in getting to his car. Kate's 'old guy' teases were going to ring a little too true if he didn't get in better shape, he thought as he breathed a little too heavily.

He pulled out of the garage and made a beeline for FAO Schwartz. Rick thought his acting skills were definitely getting better. Fresh fruit... HA! Like he'd buy that stuff anyway. That's all Alexis.

He made a beeline for the Barbie section, hoping they had the items he'd need for his grand finale. He found the items he needed in record time, paid, then left hoping to get everything set up before the rest of the gang arrived at the bar.

Castle retreated to his office for a little modification to the items he'd purchased. He pulled the 'Police Officer' Barbie from the box. He was glad they had a model with dark hair. He unbuttoned her shirt, not too far down, (even he wasn't that pervy), then he replaced the serviceable shoes with the dark high-heeled boots he got in a fashion accessory collection.

He pulled out the 'Sweet Talking Ken' doll and recorded a few sentences for the doll to spout. Then he found one of his new sharpies and quickly darkened the doll's hair. He dressed it in clothes that looked closer to his own wardrobe - the jeans / t-shirt combo just wasn't him.

Then he opened the playset box, and took all three items upstairs to arrange in their regular booth. He stopped for a second as he realized he was essentially playing with dolls. Like, actual girlie dolls. Hell, Alexis had never played with Barbies as much as he was doing now. Rick shuddered ever so slightly, then returned to his arrangement.

Brian watched as Rick messed around with the toys. "Hey you - don't you have drinks to serve?", he shot at the bartender with a laugh in his voice.

"I hear ya boss. She's gonna kill you y'know." He walked back behind the bar and shook his head.

He definitely knew. Rick put the finishing touches on his masterpiece, and sauntered over to the bar. "Brian? I need two beers - yesterday." The younger man pulled one beer and put it in front of Castle, and as it was downed, he repeated the action. Rick chugged both pints, and then released a huge belch. The manly noise hopefully erased any hint of femininity still clinging to his person.

He heard the boys and Jenny enter the bar as he was getting a scotch, and he turned towards the door. Pointing at the booth, Rick indicated that they should head over, and he'd meet them there. As he took a sip, he smiled against the rim of the tumbler. Laughter rang out, and Castle knew they'd reached the table.

Laid out in all it's glory was a scene Rick had played out in his mind many times. The two dolls were perched on a pink single bed - complete with canopy. The doll meant to represent Castle was laying prone, and the police woman, looking very much like his dream Kate, sat on his lap as she held his hands down against the bed. He was glad that the female doll had articulating joints, since it meant he could put her on her knees, her legs straddling his - it was like seeing a fantasy brought to life.

Rick watched as Jenny blushed and Rysposito laughed until tears ran down their faces. "Dude! She is totally gonna kill you when she sees this.", Kevin sputtered.

"Well, let's hope she left her piece at home." The three men sat at the bar, all of them afraid to be sitting at the table when Kate arrived - and Jenny excused herself and went to the ladies' room. A few minutes later, Kevin's wife joined the men, picked up the drink her husband had gotten for her, and watched as Kate and Lanie walked in.

They were deep in conversation, smiling at some comment one of them just made. Rick faced away from the two women, so Javier took the bullet for him and gestured towards their booth. Lanie flashed a questioning look at Esposito, and he winked back at her. The M.E. pressed her lips together as if to say 'you're crazy'.

Kate walked towards the table and as she saw the scene unfold in front of her. She could feel the heat rising in her cheeks and she wasn't sure whether to act on her embarrassment or her anger towards the man responsible.

Lanie's shoulders were shaking and tears began to form as the woman held back her laughter. She coughed and said in a strangled voice, "Y'all should be ashamed of yourselves. This is just vulgar." When she finished her admonishment she couldn't keep from laughing out loud. "I'm sorry honey," she turned to Kate. "I know it's embarrassing, but it's also kind of adorable."

"Castle? A word please... alone?"

Rick's shoulders slumped as he sighed, then got up and walked with her to his office. He heard Javi and Kevin muttering their condolences as they gave each other fist bumps. Jenny and Lanie were giggling uncontrollably.

He shut the door behind them, and she immediately turned towards him. "What is that all about?" Kate pointed up towards the bar and glared at him.

"I dunno, Kate. What was that whole 'going through my desk' thing all about?"

"Oh... I see how it is. I do something completely private, and you respond with an incredibly public puppet show." Kate was already beginning to soften, but she kept a stern face - she wanted to make him suffer a little.

"You know they don't think it means anything. It's not like they don't know I think about you like that all the time." Rick took another sip of his drink and glanced nervously over the rim of the glass.

Kate shook her head. "Whatever. We should get back up there before they start speculating."

Rick followed her up the stairs. He wasn't sure what to make of her; she didn't seem to be appreciating his prank. He knew he was taking a risk by getting back at her in front of their friends, but like most other things he did, he jumped in before thinking it completely through.

As they arrived on the main floor, they could hear Kevin and Javier's voices.

"Oh Castle! Take me now! Interrogate me!" Kevin said in a silly falsetto.

Esposito pressed the button on the back of the male doll and he said, "You find me ruggedly handsome." in Castle's voice. All four of their friends laughed at the seemingly apt response.

Kate and Rick stood at the booth, and watched as their arrival forced the two men to slowly halt their re-enactment. Javier was holding the Castle doll against the Kate doll, which Kevin was controlling. They put Kate's arms up around Castle's neck and they were rubbing the two dolls together suggestively. As they realized Beckett was staring daggers at them, Espo started to release his figurine. He let go, but he had pressed the button again, so they heard Rick say, "Next time, without the tiger, eh?"