Wrong Place Wrong Time

Chapter 26

Beckett dropped down next to Castle as he sat on the steps of Lockwood's building icing his hand. "How are Ryan and Esposito?" Castle asked.

"Ryan's got mild hypothermia and some water in his lungs. They're taking him in to be checked out. Esposito's got some very wounded pride. Who do you think will heal faster?" Beckett questioned, smiling.

"I'd put my money on Ryan," Castle decided.

"Not with that hand. I heard the EMTs say you should have it x-rayed. I'm taking you to the hospital," Beckett informed him. "That way we can check on Ryan too."

"Did anyone call Jenny?" Castle questioned.

Beckett nodded. "She's already on her way. We'll probably see her there. Ryan asked us to play this whole thing down."

"I don't get to tell how I swooped in like an avenging angel to save your life?" Castle protested.

"More like Chuck Norris," Beckett opined, "except he wouldn't have hurt his hand. But I think Ryan just wants us to minimize the whole torture aspect. He doesn't want those pictures in Jenny's head. So Castle, how's your head?"

"What do you mean?" Castle asked.

Beckett framed his face in her hands. "You know what I mean. The murder, the flash grenade, the gunfire, ever since Raglan's shooting things have been getting to you. So how are you doing?"

"Okay, I think," Castle responded, recalling the melee in the torture den. "I almost couldn't - and then I saw Lockwood about to shoot you. That's all I could think about, everything else went away."

"Well listen, if those feelings come back, there's a guy who works with the department. You'd like him, he sounds like a Klingon. He even looks a little like Worf. You could talk to him," Beckett offered.

"As long as he doesn't come at me with a bat leth," Castle agreed, "I'll think about it."

Beckett brought a cup of coffee to a nervous Jenny. "I don't know how you're so calm, Kate," Jenny confided. Your fiancé is in there too."

"Jenny, the hard stuff has already passed," Beckett comforted. "They're going to be fine. See?"

Ryan and Castle came toward them together. Castle had a splinted hand, but Ryan's face held more color than it had when Beckett saw him loaded into an ambulance. Beckett raised questioning eyebrows at Castle.

"A couple of hairline breaks," he responded. "Nothing requiring surgery. On the upside, this is the best excuse I've had for not getting chapters in on time since I was..." He broke off suddenly, realizing he was surrounded by Ryan and Jenny. "Um in a long time," he finished lamely.

"Kevin?" Jenny asked.

Ryan moved in for a quick kiss. "Nothing to worry about. I'm just supposed to rest for a couple of days."

"Well I'm going to make sure you do," Jenny announced decisively, grabbing his arm. "I'm taking you home."

As Jenny steered him toward the exit, Ryan looked back at Castle and Beckett gleefully. Castle gave him a thumbs up with his good hand.

Beckett snuggled against Castle. "I guess I'm taking you home too. What are you going to do with yourself if you can't type?"

"Don't tell Gina, but I have one of those programs that transcribes the spoken word," Castle replied. "I don't use it because it makes some really strange mistakes, like Siri only worse. It's also a lot slower then typing, but I can manage if I have to. Actually I thought I might do a little party planning - that's if you're willing."

Beckett fingered her rings through her shirt. "I guess since you just injured yourself saving me from a hit man, it's time."

"And maybe, at least when you're not on duty, you can actually wear the ring on your finger," Castle suggested gently.

Beckett pulled the chain from beneath her top. "I can do that."

"Babe," Beckett said regretfully after settling Castle on the comfortable couch in his office. "I need to get back to the precinct. Weapon discharges mean lots of paper. You know that. You need a pain pill or something before I go?"

"You're taking away my best pain killer," Castle complained.

Beckett lowered her face to his. "And what would that be?" she teased.

"This," Castle murmured deep in his throat, tangling his uninjured hand in her hair to bring her lips the half inch to his.

"Wow, but I don't think Captain Montgomery's going to accept that as an excuse," Beckett returned regretfully. "Can I continue easing your pain when I get back?"

Castle pulled her in for one more quick kiss. "I'll be waiting."

The loft was dark when Beckett returned. She found Castle lying eyes closed on the large bed. "Hey," he called as she removed her shoes and began to silently undress.

"Hey yourself," she responded. "I thought you were asleep."

Castle stretched. "Just resting, and waiting. Finished feeding the yawning maw of the NYPD bureaucracy?"

"For now," Beckett confirmed. "So whom else would you like me to feed?"

Castle smacked his lips. "I think I'd rather nibble on you."

Beckett let the blouse she had been shedding fall to the floor and padded back to the bed. "It's way past midnight, but I think I can offer you a snack."

Castle drew himself up, leaning on his elbows. As Beckett straddled him, he found the tender notch between her neck and her shoulder and nipped lightly at the skin. Beckett arched, slamming her breasts against him, their lips in desperate collision.

Castle tried to pull her beneath him, wincing as her weight pressed on his wounded hand. "Just let me do the work," she whispered, unbuttoning his shirt before moving her fingers lower. "It's the least I can do for the conquering hero."

The air around them sizzled as the heat of passion rose from their skins. Their bodies melded in fevered urgency. Any pain Castle felt was banished to the farthest corners of his consciousness. As they lay blissfully depleted in the aftermath of the final flash over, Beckett curled into Castle's side. She ran her fingers playfully through the light dusting of hair on his chest, purring contentedly. "I thought you were going to work on party planning."

"What?" Castle asked, still caught in a languid haze. "Yeah, I was. I did. But I don't know if I'll ever be able to top the party we just had."