The usual disclaimers apply: I'm not making any money off of this, Castle belongs to ABC and Andrew Marlowe, and any similarities to real people or places are strictly a coincidence.
Author's notes are at the bottom. Please enjoy!
The Spellbound Affair
Chapter Twenty-Five
The sun was barely peaking over the horizon when Beckett slipped into Javier's room the next morning. Like his partner, the junior detective was still sleeping off yesterday's late night festivities. Unlike Kevin, however, Javier stirred when Beckett leaned down to press a good-bye kiss to his forehead.
"You're leaving?" he asked sleepily. He blinked a few times to clear his vision.
"I want to join Demming for the interview with the Andersons, the couple with whom Seraphina Valduerez stayed when she was attending Radiant Pines," said Beckett.
Javier sat up and pouted. "But today is…" Beckett didn't need him to finish his statement to understand what he was trying to say. One week ago, Seraphina's body had been found in the alley and the case that caused them so much heartache had begun. Friday marked the one week anniversary of Javier and Kevin's transformations.
"I know, sweetheart." She squeezed his hand.
"When are you coming back?"
"Probably very late tonight. Randy Bellefonte left me a voicemail yesterday afternoon. The morgue released his mother's body and the visitation is this afternoon. Hopefully a few of our prime suspects will be in attendance and I can make a few arrests."
"I want to go."
"To the visitation?"
"Yes."
"Javi, there is no way that is even remotely a good idea," argued Beckett. "No. There will be who knows how many witches there, including a few who have been looking for the two of you. It would be like walking straight into the lion's den."
"I don't care. That woman ruined my life. She turned me into a child for no better reason than I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I want to see for myself that she's really gone."
It sounded a little morbid but Beckett understood. She could fully sympathize with his desire to face the one who had done something so horrible to him. Though there was still hope that Javier and Kevin would be returned to their adult bodies, the transformation back to normal wouldn't change the fact that they had been cursed for however long it ended up lasting. The boys deserved some measure of closure. Beckett likened it to her loathing of William Bracken. She needed to look him in the eye when she charged him with her mother's murder or it would never feel like it was over to her.
But it was so dangerous.
In the best case scenario, only Randy would be there with some of his non-magical acquaintances. Beckett doubted that the witchy council would fail to send at least one representative. Hopefully that person would be Bianca Castova, with whom Beckett was at least familiar (though also a bit annoyed). In the worst case scenario, the funeral home would be overrun with witches, including Rayford Bellefonte, the necromancer, Gregory Hanson's associates, and any number of Council members who wanted something from her partners.
"Beckett." Javier looked at her intensely with his huge chocolate brown eyes. "You can't deny us this."
Beckett ran her fingers through her loose hair. "I'll talk to Castle," she promised. "It starts at four."
Javier was too wide awake then to go back to sleep. He followed Beckett downstairs where Castle was preparing a latte for Beckett to take with her on the road. Whereas Beckett was dressed in pressed slacks and a fitted blouse, Castle still wore his sleep clothes under his well-loved housecoat. The writer looked surprised to see Beckett's little shadow.
"You're up early, kiddo."
"Kevin and I are going to the witch's visitation," Javier informed him without preamble. His tone brooked no room for discussion and his expression dared Castle to argue with him.
"You're okay with this?" Castle looked incredulously at Beckett.
"How can we tell them no?" she asked in a pained voice. "If it were me, I'd want the exact same thing."
"We can say no by the fact that this is the most idiotic, ridiculous, and perilous idea I've heard in a long time," said Castle.
"They need closure, Castle," argued Beckett.
"What closure? They're still little kids, for Pete's sake!"
Beckett felt her hackles rise a little bit at his raised voice. "They deserve the opportunity to face their tormentor one last time, just like I plan to be the one who sends Bracken away for good."
"I understand that, but the risks far exceed the benefits. There is no way this outing could end well." Castle silently pleaded with her to think rationally about her plan. Unfortunately, they were on different pages when it came to rationalizing whether or not to let the boys attend the visitation.
"There are some risks worth taking," said Beckett levelly.
"You know what; the three of you are horrible for each other. Especially you two!" Castle pointed his finger at Beckett and then Javier. "None of you possess a single shred of self-preservation. How many times have one of you almost died because you had to take some risk instead of doing the smart thing? And then the only time one of you has enough sense to realize something is a Bad Idea, he gets treated like a social pariah."
"If you're not willing to bring them back to the city, I'll come pick them up myself," said Beckett angrily. Castle didn't understand. How could he? He wasn't a cop and he hadn't suffered through any life-changing events. Sometimes she wasn't sure if he thought of solving murders as anything more than a game. She'd held the hands of enough grieving loved ones to know that sometimes the only thing that could start the healing process was seeing the person who did you wrong face to face. She'd been the grieving loved one.
"No. For once, I am putting my foot down," said Castle. "No."
"It's not your decision to make!"
"Like hell it isn't," argued Castle. "I've taken care of them, fed them and clothed them, ever since the transformation. I'm the one who spent hours at the doctor's with Kevin after the car accident. I'm the one who comforted them after the necromancer attacked us."
"You didn't have to do all that," said Beckett. She hated the tears that were collecting in the corners of her eyes and the lump that had formed in her throat. She didn't want to fight. "They're my responsibility."
"I love them just as much as you do, Kate," said Castle. He sounded a little choked up as well. "They're our responsibility. And I'm telling you, I do. Not. Think. This is a good. Idea." He glanced over her shoulder suddenly and cursed under his breath. She was surprised when he brushed past her, headed towards the arched doorway. She spun around and swore herself when she realized that their fight had woken Kevin. The toddler looked devastated as he stood in the opening, one hand braced against the textured wall.
Castle picked him up a moment later and hugged him tightly. The writer rocked back and forth as he tried to soothe the trembling boy with hushed consolations. Beckett could barely make out his words. "Shh, it's all right. Kate and I aren't arguing over you and Javi. We're just having a spirited discussion. It's all right."
All of the peace that Beckett had gained back the day before felt broken and the ragged edges pressed against her insides. She didn't think it was possible for them to resolve this without someone she cared for deeply being left very unhappy – not that everyone wasn't already upset.
Small arms wrapped around her hips as Javier pressed his face against her stomach. She cupped his head with one hand and rubbed his upper back with the other. She struggled to dam the emotional tide that was slowly overwhelming her. She hated feeling torn and not knowing what to do. Beckett completely understood Javier's desire to attend the visitation. She also shared Castle's concern about the dangers that awaited them.
Castle glanced over towards her as he continued to rhythmically shift his weight from one foot to the other. Kevin was quieter now, thanks to the writer's administrations. Beckett held his gaze and poured all of her conflicting feelings into her look. When he broke the connection a few seconds later, pressing his lips against the disheveled hair behind Kevin's tiny ear, his brow was furrowed with deep thought. Still, she couldn't tell exactly what he was thinking.
From the living room, the beautifully detailed grandfather clock started to chime the seven o'clock hour. Beckett needed to get going if she was to have enough time to settle in at the precinct before the scheduled interview with the Andersons. As it was, she was going to be over an hour late for the start of her shift. She gently pushed Javier a step back and knelt down so she could address him at his level. "It's going to be okay, sweetheart. We'll figure this out." She found herself repeating that particular mantra a lot these days. Already it was starting to lose its effectiveness.
"Please come back as soon as you can," he requested.
"I will," she promised. "I'll be here by nine, at the latest." He nodded solemnly. Beckett brushed her fingers through his short hair, straightening the dark locks a bit. "Be good." She gave him one last watery smile before leaning forward to kiss his cheek. She rose to her full height slowly. "Rick, don't forget about the supplies in the hall closet."
"Okay," he said. His voice sound a little rough. He shifted the toddler's weight to one arm so he could hold his other out to Beckett in an invitation. She slid into his strong embrace and her emotions nearly escaped her tight hold. She took a deep breath. "Please be safe, Kate. Take Demming with you if you insist on going to the visitation."
Beckett took a deep breath and looked at him hopefully. Castle's expression as he returned her gaze only held his love and concern for her, despite their argument. The look rekindled her hope that he understood that she was torn between siding with him against the dangers of taking the boys to the funeral home and her duty to honor her partners' wishes. He had won, for now, but there were still many hours before the final decision had to be made.
They exchanged a sorrowful kiss. Beckett licked her lips as she pulled away and stepped out of Castle's hug. She patted Kevin's back in a silent farewell. She took up Javier's hand as the group walked to the front door together. On the front stoop she squeezed Javier's fingers briefly before transferring the care of her partner to the writer. She was glad that despite Javier and Castle being on opposite sides of the line drawn figuratively in the sand, the Hispanic detective still leaned heavily against the author, both of his little hands clasping Castle's.
Castle could do nothing but nod to her as she looked back at the trio one last time before ducking down to enter her car. Both Kevin and Javier pulled away slightly to wave morosely at her. She returned the gesture and then pulled her door shut. If she didn't leave now, she might never.
xXx
Castle slouched down on his couch and rubbed his hands over his face. He had a little time to himself, having deposited the boys in Javier's room for a few more minutes of rest to make up for their early morning and late night. He'd passed his mother briefly in the hall. Martha had been proud of him for standing his ground against the detectives in the showdown that was apparently heard around the house. Her support did little to lift his spirits. Even if he knew he was right and the only one being responsible at the moment, he hated that everyone was so upset.
His cushion shifted slightly as someone sat down next to him. Castle turned his head slightly so he could see Alexis' concerned face. "Are you okay, Dad?"
"I'm fine, honey."
"And the detectives?"
"They will be." Castle wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into a sideways hug. "I'm so glad that you were blessed with a substantial amount of common sense."
"We all have our moments," said Alexis. "You're not completely without blame, either, you know."
"Is that so?" Castle blinked inquisitively at her.
"I distinctly remember having the same argument with you after Kate was shot at the funeral. And then there were the multiple times you stayed with her while in fatal proximity to a bomb."
"Touché," he said with a small smile.
"Do you think that Kevin and Javier will ever be big again?"
"Yes," said Castle with certainty. He was less certain, though, about when. "Even if we can't figure out how to undo the spell, I have a feeling they'll grow up. If the whole point of this was for Seraphina Valduerez to relive her life, it wouldn't make sense for her to stay a child forever."
"That's true," said Alexis thoughtfully. She grinned to herself.
"What?" asked Castle when he saw her expression.
"They've always kind of treated me like a little sister," said the redhead. "I figured out that you have Detective Ryan run background checks on my boyfriends and that someone at the precinct deleted those pictures of Ashley kissing other girls off the internet."
"I plead the fifth."
"Uh huh. Anyway, it's amusing that the roles are reversed now."
"They're much better behaved when you're around," said Castle. "Javier even tries to censor his sailor talk."
Alexis giggled. "He's cute when he's trying to be all grown up even though he's so small right now. Don't tell him I said that."
"I won't, because he'd probably take it out on me instead of you." Castle mock-groaned. "I was thinking I might watch the film from last night to distract myself from all the drama. Interested?"
"Sure. Do we need snacks?"
"But of course," replied Castle. "You make the kitchen run and I'll grab the camcorder."
They parted ways and met back up a quarter of an hour later. Castle hooked the digital recorder up to the television and rewound the movie to the start of his filming on the boat. Alexis settled in against his side again and offered to share the bowl of sliced apples and peanut butter with him.
Alexis had actually been the one to retrieve the camcorder and start filming the tail end of the guys' antics in the water. When even the excitement of their games could no longer overcome the chill of the water, Castle had herded the boys towards the rear of the cruiser. He lifted Javier up as far as he could so Kate could pull him the rest of the way onto the boat. They did the same with Kevin. Castle swam around to the side of the boat where a small ladder was affixed and climbed out himself. By the time Martha handed him a large beach towel, Kate had already wrapped her partners in fluffy ones of their own.
"Brrr," complained Castle as he rubbed the towel vigorously over his arms and legs.
"It's not that cold," teased Kevin.
On the screen, Castle motioned for Alexis to hand him the camera. Once he had control of the device, he zoomed in on the toddler. "And what color are your lips, short-stuff?"
"Mm, pink."
"Try blue." Castle shifted the viewfinder to focus on Javier. "You're looking a bit purple, too, kiddo."
"I'll survive." The Hispanic detective gave the camera a serious look. If he was doomed to be filmed during this time of adversity then he would make himself look as macho as possible.
"Richard, you're dripping all over the seat," complained Martha. The image on the screen shuddered violently as the writer shifted to film the small puddle that had formed under his wet swim trunks.
"It's a boat, mother. Things are supposed to get wet."
"Not when the water is the temperature of ice. Shoo, shoo. Go change."
The camera veered back to where Kate was briskly rubbing the corner of Kevin's towel over his head to soak up some of the water from his hair. The toddler protested the action, though it was mostly muffled by the towel and his giggles. Javier sidled up against Kate's side, looking to leech some of warmth out of her slightly pinked skin. "You two want to get dressed, too?" asked Castle.
"S'warm here," replied Javier.
"I'm warm, you're not," corrected Kate. "You're giving me goose bumps." She left off mothering the toddler so she could push Javier a few inches away and pull his towel up tighter around his shoulders. "You can cuddle when you're dry and don't have the body temperature of a corpse."
Javier snuck a glance at the camera and let out a long-suffering sigh. "I don't cuddle, Beckett."
"I do," admitted Kevin as he tried to climb into Beckett's lap.
"Nuh-uh," denied the lead detective. "No one gets to cuddle with me if they're wearing a wet bathing suit." She caught him under the arms and set him on his feet in front of her seat. "Go, both of you." She guided Javier to the ground as well.
"You're wearing a bathing suit," said Kevin. He frowned at her.
"The key word in that last statement was 'wet.'" Kate turned him around and gently nudged his rear end with her foot. "Tell Castle you need a brush, too." The blond strands, slightly darkened with moisture, stood out in all directions thanks to Kate's earlier toweling. The screen went black as Kevin reached up to pat down his wild hair self-consciously while Javier snickered at him.
A second later the video returned. The sky was darker now as the sun set behind the shadowy outline of Montauk, NY. In the background were numerous other boats, filled with people who had the same plan to watch the fireworks from the water. One of their closest neighbors had a chocolate Labrador who was having a great time jumping in and out of the low-sitting fishing boat. The two mini-detectives crouched at the back of the boat and whistled at the dog, trying to gain its attention.
Javier and Kevin were each in cargo shorts and a long-sleeve shirt as the missing sun had taken a lot of the warmth with it. The females had all tugged on warmer clothes as well, though they were content to sit in the exterior cockpit and make small talk instead of hanging off the back of the boat. Castle kept the viewfinder directed primarily at the boys, because A, they were the most interesting, and B, they weren't wearing their life jackets and Castle was terrified one of them was going to lean over too far and fall in.
Javier laughed out loud when the dog finally swam close enough to their boat to splash them a bit with its wagging tail. Kevin lay on his stomach so he could reach down and pat the Lab's head. Javier leaned down so he could whisper something into his partner's ear. Kevin twisted around slightly so he could grin widely at the older boy in response. Castle zoomed in as closely as he could, though the closer picture didn't do anything to augment the sound.
The dog's owner whistled shortly thereafter and the canine swam back to its own boat. Now with no source of entertainment in the dark water, the kids turned towards Castle for amusement. All around them, the other boaters had been lighting up firecrackers. Castle had his own hidden stash of the goods which he offered to bring out. The boys latched onto the idea with delight. The writer handed off the camera to his assistant director, Alexis, and went to find the explosives. Kate beckoned her junior detectives over to her.
"So, Detective Beckett, are you okay with Mr. Castle's blatant disregard for the laws of New York?" asked the college student with a laugh.
"I don't see any illegal substances aboard this vessel," said the lead homicide investigator. "What about you, baby boy?"
"Nuh-uh." Kate carded her fingers through Kevin's tamed hair as he knelt down to pull at the strap of one of his sandals.
"Javi?"
"It all looks legit to me."
The camera shifted briefly to center on Martha. The older woman seemed quite content to relax with her third - or was it fourth? - margarita and watch the younger generations interact. A moment later the film panned again, over to where Javier was making his way into the upper salon in search of Castle, because apparently two minutes was much too long to wait for fireworks.
The author finally returned with a cardboard box. He set it on the bar and pulled out a variety of small explosives. He had bigger ones that were too dangerous to set off in the crowded bay, but there were enough smoke bombs, whistlers, and sparklers to keep them all entertained until the real show started.
Alexis remained in charge of the camera so Castle could mother-hen the two boys who impatiently grabbed at the fireworks. He started them off with sparklers so he could drag a couple of the bricks from the bottom of the on-board grill and set them up at the back of the boat. The clay units would hopefully protect the floor of the cruiser during their fun.
Alexis stopped filming when she had had enough of watching and wanted to set off a few firecrackers of her own. The video picked up about thirty minutes later after the first of the Montauk fireworks exploded into the night sky. Castle set the camera on the small table of the L-shaped booth so he could film the kids and still enjoy the show with his girlfriend. He took a seat behind her and leaned back against the cool glass of the enclosed salon. Kate scooted into the V of his legs and rested her head against his shoulder. She pulled her feet up so there would be enough room for the rest of their companions. Javier sat on her feet, watching diligently for the next fireworks. Kevin made himself comfortable between Alexis and Martha. Once the show started in earnest, they were all transfixed on the sky.
While the rest of the group was distracted by the colorful bursts of light, Kate twisted around slightly to accept a kiss from her boyfriend. The position was too awkward for an extended lip-lock so she eventually settled back against his chest once more.
"I like the ones that fizzle as they fall," said Kevin after one such firework faded into the night sky. He was sitting upright as he attentively waited for the next volley. Castle imagined that the Irishman had probably seen three decades worth of the Independence Day celebrations but tonight he acted as if it was his first time.
"I like the ones with the big bangs," said Alexis. "You can feel the shockwave travel through you."
"Isn't it neat how the sound follows behind the light? It's like seeing physics in real life." Kevin turned away from the show briefly so he could look at Alexis. He started briefly when one of Alexis' favored loud explosions took him by surprise.
"I wonder why it is that light travels faster than sound," mused the college student. No one offered up a theory so she returned to watching the show. She and the younger junior detective maintained a running commentary on the various fireworks. Now that he was watching on the video, which had a better angle on Kate's face than Castle had had the night before, the writer could see the small smile on the lead detective's face as she looked over at her partner with increasing frequency. The corner of her mouth would quirk up just a bit more each time his reaction reached a certain level of excitement.
The video recorded their various reactions to the show as it progressed towards its end. Castle picked up the camera again as the finale started, so he could zoom in on each of his loved one's faces.
He hadn't really noticed it the night before, but now that he was watching the recording again, it was easy for him to see the sorrow that fought against the forced smile on Javier's face. Before, it hadn't been until the kid had let out a small sigh that the others had been clued into his change in demeanor. "What's wrong, kiddo?"
"Huh?" Javier looked a bit started to be called out.
"You look like someone just flushed your favorite goldfish."
"Oh. Fireworks just always remind me of the military and when I was a soldier." He turned away from the camera to watch the random fireworks from private residences that had started up now that the main show was over.
Kevin scooted off his seat so he could climb up next to his partner. "We'll be big again, Javier," he said in a small voice. He wrapped his little arms around the older boy. Javier returned the hug awkwardly since Kevin had kind of caught him from the side. Kate leaned forward slightly so she could squeeze the Hispanic detective's shoulder.
The video cut one more time. For about two minutes, Alexis had covertly filmed the trio of detectives while Castle navigated back towards Southampton and Martha was below deck. Beckett now sat in the corner of the L-shaped booth with her legs stretched out towards the upper salon. From that vantage point she could see both the starry sky and Castle, seated at the helm. Kevin dozed in her arms, wrapped up in his dried-out towel. Javier was curled up on his side, perpendicular to the lead detective, using his towel as a pillow.
From the comfort of his suede couch, in the living from of his second home, Castle could clearly see the downward turn of the boys' mouths as they fought the urge to sleep. No matter how much fun they had, nothing could make them forget that they weren't meant to be little kids.
He used the remote to turn off the television and dipped his head to kiss the crown of Alexis'. "Am I doing the right thing?"
"What do you mean?"
"Is it really my place to prevent the boys from going to face Nora Bellafonte one last time?"
"You're just trying to protect them," said Alexis.
"I know, but…"
"But what?" She craned her head up so she could see his face. He smiled sadly at her.
"Maybe this is something I can't protect them from."
"I don't know what to tell you," said Alexis with a small frown. "You're the dad, here."
"I'm not their dad." Castle sighed.
"Not in the strictest meaning of the word," she agreed. "I think that in their shoes, I would want to go, too."
"Well, we're all fools it seems." He patted her shoulder before sitting up. "I'm going to go check on them. They should be up by now." Alexis gathered up the remains of their snack while Castle made for the stairs.
xXx
Kevin waited idly in the window seat of Javier's room for his partner to reemerge from the bathroom. Neither of them had had much luck finding any more rest after Beckett's departure. Even with Javier lying right next to him, the images of fleshless skulls and evil witches danced through his mind every time he closed his eyes. He could tell the same was true for the older boy, though he would be hard-pressed to get Javier to admit it.
Outside, the sky was slightly overcast. As the day progressed the sun would probably burn off the remaining cover but for now the clouds lingered. A steady drizzle from the dark gray clouds would complement the mood of the room perfectly right then. In the distance he could barely make out the translucent wall of magic that surrounded the property on three sides, acting as a figurative cage. While technically they could come and go as they pleased, Bianca had had a point when she told Beckett the wards would only work if they stayed within them.
Javier finally stepped out of his en-suite bathroom and crossed the room to join his partner. Javier sat down close enough to press his shoulder against Kevin's, leaving the Irishman slightly squished between the glass and the other detective. He didn't mind. The physical contact reminded him once more that he wasn't in this alone.
"You doing okay?" asked Javier in a low voice. Kevin knew he was referring to the aftermath of Castle and Beckett's fight.
"Yeah." It was kind of true. He didn't feel like crying anymore, at least. He still hated the fact that his friends had been fighting, and over him and Javier, no less. "Can we just fast forward to when this is all over?"
"I wish." Javier picked at a wrinkle in Kevin's sleep shorts. "Why are you wearing your lucky pajamas again?"
Kevin spared a glower for the stupid shamrocks littering his t-shirt. "I don't recall getting ready for bed last night and Castle's pea-brain thinks this outfit is hilarious."
"It is kind of funny." Javier poked at one of the green caricatures of the lucky leaf located just below the curve of Kevin's ribs. The smaller boy jumped at the ticklish sensation and scrambled to push Javier's hand away. Javier laughed faintly at his reaction. Kevin liked the sound of his best friend's good humor, even if it came at his expense.
Unfortunately, the slight uplift in spirits didn't last very long. The two fell into a forlorn silence. Kevin watched the overnight clouds continue to burn away as the sun climbed higher over the rolling ocean waves. He had to concentrate on tracking the density of the rabbit-shaped cloud hovering just over the distant buoy. Otherwise, his thoughts would return to the curse and all of its associated drama. Next to him, Javier frowned as he lost himself in his own thoughts.
Kevin wasn't sure what had instigated the shouting match between Castle and Beckett. He had woken up towards the end and his arrival had effectively ended the fight. He knew it had something to do with going back to the city. "Javi?"
"Hm?"
"Why were they fighting about us going into the city?"
Javier sighed. "The morgue released Nora Bellefonte's body. There is a visitation this afternoon, which Beckett is going to. I think we should go, too. I want to see for myself that she's really gone."
"Oh." Kevin rolled the idea around in his mind. Personally, he hoped he never met another witch again in his life, except for the one who would return him to normal. On the other hand, he understood Javier's desire to confront their tormentor one last time. It would be better if she was alive so they could ask her the most pressing question: why? Through Beckett's investigation, the story was slowly coming out but it would never be the same as hearing it directly from the witch.
The more he thought about it, the more Kevin wanted to go to the visitation, as well. It could be that the only thing he would achieve is the ability to put away his false hope that she wasn't really dead, and would suddenly spring up and have a counter-spell to make this mess all better. He assumed that her son, Randall Bellefonte, would be there. Maybe even the witch who had healed his injuries after the car accident would be present. Kevin wanted to know why it was so difficult to come up with a cure. Beckett was a trustworthy messenger but the Irishman wanted to confront these people himself.
"I want to, too," he said quietly. Javier lifted his chin so he could regard his partner. Kevin searched the chocolate-colored eyes just as he knew Javier was searching his own blue ones. Eventually Javier frowned and shifted his gaze to the side, looking out the window. Maybe he was equating the barely visible wards to a gilded cage as well.
"Castle's right. It would be very dangerous. We don't know who else might be there."
"I know what you're thinking, Javi. It's not okay for you and Beckett to risk your lives and leave me behind. You can't protect me from everything."
"I wish I could." The corner of Javier's mouth lifted slightly and he nudged Kevin in the side again. "Though, I don't want to get suspended if you go tattle on us to Gates."
Kevin rolled his eyes. At least Javier could joke about that disaster now. It had been a sore subject between them for far too long. "I would like to say good-bye."
"Good-bye?"
"Well, maybe just good riddance," amended the younger detective.
"Yeah, me too."
"We should bring it up to Castle again."
"He got so angry," said Javier in a small voice. "He's very much against it."
Kevin wondered at that. Javier didn't usually dance around people's feelings. He was not afraid of confrontation or telling people exactly what he thought. He especially didn't back down from Castle, even now that the writer physically towered over them. Kevin didn't like making his friends upset, either, but he knew Castle would forgive them and they'd move on. He'd promised to stay with them until this curse was lifted or wore itself out. Families fight but they remain families.
Though… Javier's father had bailed on his family when Javier was not much smaller than right now. Kevin had learned enough about the Espositos' difficult life from his time spent with the extended family. Javier wasn't always forthcoming with stories from his past, but the detective's sisters and older relatives loved to regale the curious Irishman with stories from Javier's troubled childhood.
Kevin leaned more heavily against the older boy. Javier shifted to accommodate him. "I think Castle is just scared that something bad will happen. With our luck, it probably will. Maybe if he knows how important it is, he will reconsider."
"Maybe." Javier sounded very unconvinced.
As if the writer knew they were talking about him, Castle knocked briefly on the partially open door before entering the room. Kevin always wondered why people bothered knocking if their intention was to barge in whether an invitation to enter was offered or not.
Castle looked tired and stressed, standing there in his housecoat and slippers. Kevin hated what this curse had done to their group, even those who weren't directly touched by the magic. The man really looked like he could use a hug instead of another "spirited discussion".
"Hey guys," Castle said after a few seconds of staring at them. "Did you get any sleep?"
"No," replied Javier in the same small voice from before.
"Me either." Castle awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck and glanced around the room as if the various furnishings would inspire his next statement. He didn't seem to get much help. He approached the window seat and crouched down before it. "Do you really want to go to the visitation?"
Kevin wasn't sure if Castle had intended to direct the question to both of them but he was looking at Javier, so the blond held his peace. Javier nodded solemnly.
"Kevin?"
Oh, so it had been for both of them. "Yes," he said clearly.
"I still think this is a very foolish idea," Castle said. "I'm going to insist that Beckett bring as much backup as possible."
"Really?" asked Javier. He sat up a little straighter, which forced Kevin to sit up as well.
"I do understand why you want to go," said the author. "We've learned that being in the Hamptons isn't really any safer than walking into the proverbial lion's den, so we should take advantage of this opportunity."
"Thank you," said Javier. His voice sounded a little rough. Castle smiled fondly at him and patted his knee. He pushed himself back into a standing position with a slight groan. As he smoothed out his sweatpants, Kevin leaned forward to whisper in Javier's ear, "Well, that was easy." Javier smirked faintly.
"Come on, we all need to get dressed." Castle offered a hand to help Javier off the padded bench. He next held out his hand to Kevin. Even after he was standing steadily on the floor, Kevin didn't release Castle's fingers. The writer squeezed back.
to be continued…
Author's Notes:
Check out Seamus' and Jon's Twitter accounts – they each posted a video featuring their bromance and [in]ability to follow directions.
Thank you to my amazing beta-reader, TXMedic. She does a great job, not only catching my numerous grammatical mistakes, but also saying just the right thing to trigger a new idea for the story.
Please let me know what you think, especially if you have ideas of ways I can improve. I write for fun but I always want to improve, so constructive criticism is always welcome. All mistakes are my own.