Moment in Time
Secret's Safe With Me
Beckett pulled the stick figure out of the drawer. "So you want to take another shot?" she asked.
"Actually no," Castle answered, to Beckett's surprise. "I thought about what you said and just because we've been - shaking hands - a lot, doesn't give me the right to pry. So when you're ready you'll tell me."
Beckett gazed at the irresistible blue eyes and smiled. "Coney Island."
Castle leaned forward to hear Beckett's story. "We had a reception at our place after the funeral and it was miserable. I was miserable and my dad took my hand and said let's get the hell out of here, Katie. And we took the 'Q" train and we went up to Coney Island. We walked up and down the beach just enjoying ourselves. We were still in our funeral clothes." Beckett held up the stick figure, running her fingers over it in remembrance. "And the best part was that we made this little guy out of the sticks and twine that washed up on the beach."
"Does that make the day a bad memory or a good one?" Castle asked, puzzled.
"Both," Beckett answered. "He's a reminder that even on the worst days, there's a possibility for joy."
Castle smiled. "Nice," he told her, standing to go."
"So," Beckett asked, "we'll talk tonight?"
Beckett took Castle's outstretched hand, another surrogate for a kiss. "I can't wait," Castle told her.
The loft seemed empty. The presence of some of Alexis' boxes near the door only served as a reminder to Castle of her absence. Beckett knocked on the door. "I thought you might need some cheering up," she said. "I brought this." Beckett extended a DVD.
"The Wonder Twins!" Castle exclaimed in delight. "Where did you find that?"
Beckett laughed. "Children's rack at the video store. I guess I got lucky."
Castle pulled her to him for an enthusiastic kiss. "I think I got lucky. Thank you. I'll just make popcorn and we'll be ready for a marathon."
Beckett pulled a box out of her purse. "They had these at the video store too."
"Wow, red licorice laces. This is going to be great!" Castle enthused.
The stories on the screen proceeded with Jayna and Zan gaining their superpowers by touching each other and exclaiming, "Wonder Twin powers, activate!"
"Imagine being able to transform like that," Castle said as images flashed on the screen. "If you could become any animal, like Jayna, what would you be, an elephant?"
"I do love elephants," Beckett mused, "but Jayna could do mythical animals too. Maybe a flying horse like Pegasus."
Castle wiggled his eyebrows. "That would be some ride."
"What makes you think I'd let you ride me?" Beckett asked.
Castle pushed a loop of licorice between her lips. "I could just put a bit in your mouth and grab on."
"You do love putting things in my mouth," Beckett told him and bit down hard on the lace.
Castle winced.
"Okay," Beckett asked, "if you could transform like Zan into any liquid or anything made out of liquid, what would you be?"
Castle thought about it. "I think I'd like to be a waterfall. I could flow over you. I could also be a cheap source of clean power."
"Mmmm," Beckett considered. "I like the environmental angle, but with all that cold water flowing over me, I might get chilled."
"Not cold water," Castle replied. "I'd come from a warm spring. You'd be cozy, like this," he said wrapping his arms around her.
Beckett snuggled in. "That could work." Beckett threaded the end of a red lace into Castle's mouth and put the other end end her mouth. They ate their way towards each other until their lips met in a burst of red sweetness.
"Mmmm," Castle murmured, combing his fingers through Beckett's hair as he pulled her beneath him on the couch.
The door to the loft opened and Martha coughed loudly. Castle jerked upright. "Mother as always, your timing is perfect."
"Sorry, darlings," Martha greeted the frustrated couple. "I was just announcing my presence. I thought you might be lonely, Richard, with Alexis gone. Clearly that isn't the case tonight, but I just wanted to let you know that I'll always be here for you. You won't ever be lonely."
Crushing the candy box in his hand, Castle pasted a smile on his face. "Mother, it's so nice to know that you'll always be here, rent free."
Martha ignored the last part of his remark and swept to the stairs with a flourish. "Carry on."
Castle ran a hand through his hair. "Cheer up, Castle," Beckett said, "she could meet another guy like Chet and decide to move out again."
"I don't think I'm that lucky," Castle replied pessimistically.
"I don't know, Castle, I was lucky with the video, you were lucky with the laces, you could get lucky again tonight. Somehow I don't think Martha is going to bother us again. She did tell us to carry on."
This time it was Beckett extending a hand. "You wouldn't want to disobey your mother. Shall we?"
Castle engulfed her fingers in his large hand. "Please."
Still slightly paranoid, Castle locked the door of his office and, after kicking it shut, the door to his bedroom. Beckett hit the bed with bounce. Castle happily noted the come hither smile on her face. He didn't need further invitation.
The taste and smell of candy lingered, bringing a special sweetness to their joining, but Castle couldn't get enough of the earthy flavor that was uniquely Beckett. Clothes found their way to the floor as they feasted on each other, a meal that only made them hunger for more. Need: to touch, to feel, to savor, caught them in its wake, flinging them together. They clung to each other even as rising urgency moved them. The end washed over them like Castle's warm waterfall, full of energy, yet soothing and enfolding.
Castle held Beckett in his arms, stroking her still heated skin. "What are you thinking?" she asked drowsily.
Castle kissed her hair and tucked her head under his chin. "Just that when we touch each other, Wonder Twin powers really do activate.
A/N A few minutes ago Nathan was tweeting, asking what we were doing today to make the world a better place. I'm sure a lot of us had pretty good answers, but just to make sure, here is your daily reminder of his Charity Water project. Also with its work for Operation Smile, as well as the fun it brings to so many of us, Nerd HQ makes the world a better place. Tweet me CheerfulChemist if you need URLs.
