Chapter 36
Having done the job expected of them when they left the precinct, three detectives and a writer sat at Remy's having lunch, putting off getting back to the bullpen as long as they could manage. Nobody liked being around when Gates was in a snit, and they weren't quite sure where she was in that process right now. They just knew it was more comfortable at Remy's with only the four of them.
"Did you get any kind of read on what might happen?" Esposito asked.
"Nothing for me," Beckett answered. She just left us dangling. Maybe that's our punishment. Limbo."
"She asked some good questions, though," Castle admitted.
"Did she get the right answers? That's probably the secret," Ryan speculated. "I'd sure hate to be whoever it is if we have to break in somebody new. We'd be mad at him, or her, for months…just for not being Castle."
"I hope, whatever she decides, she tells us before we go home today. This has been a very unsettling few days," Castle said. Looking at Kate, he apologized again. "I didn't mean to throw you into the publicity fire the first time out. It was only supposed to be a little walk in front of the cameras."
"It wasn't your fault Crazy Guy chose right then to make his entrance. We'll get through it. I just hope it's together."
"Rich guy here. We can still open our own agency," he said, looking at Beckett with a smile.
"Can we come, too?" Ryan asked. "Will the pay be good?"
"Sure. Why not," Castle answered. "We can turn Beckett's apartment into an office."
"The food is gone," Esposito observed. "I guess that means we have to go back."
"Do we have to?" Castle whined. "She's probably still there.
"Come on, Bro'. Man up," Javi jabbed. Let's go."
They took care of the check and all reluctantly left for the precinct. At least when they got there this time they would have a little something to do.
xxxxx
Back at the precinct they went through their standard comparing of notes and distribution of the to do list of things that they needed to find out or follow up. Once they had their small population of ducks in a row, Beckett reported to the captain. Then they went about their assigned work.
Toward the end of the day, Gates called Castle and Beckett back into her office, and they went with nerves on edge, having no idea which way the wind would blow for them.
The captain motioned toward the chairs again, closed the door, and everyone sat down.
"I said I would try to be fair," she started. "I needed to know that I was being fair to both the two of you and to the twelfth. I've done a lot of checking today. I watched the press coverage from the weekend again, talked to a number of people who have worked with the two of you, and looked at files for cases you worked before I was here.
"Mr. Castle, I'll tell you my concerns first. You were to be allowed to follow Detective Beckett long enough to gather information to help you write a book to begin a new series. It was not meant to be a permanent connection to the twelfth. You must have had enough information and insight for a dozen books long ago, and yet, you are still with us. It concerns me that you're still here because of a friendship with the mayor, doing a job that should go rightly go to an officer who has trained hard and deserves it, maybe a young woman like Detective Beckett. The publicity that sometimes follows you can be a problem for the twelfth. Our time shouldn't be spent fending off reporters about a writer who is not actually part of our police department."
Kate took Rick's hand protectively this time as he looked down, expecting the worst.
"I do believe and respect your reasons for wanting to stay with us. Your answers this morning were impressive…honest and straightforward, and I heartily appreciate your respect for your wife's career. I also appreciate your awareness of the publicity for the department and your efforts to bend it to the best advantage you can manage for us. I can see your dedication to the work; and although you don't think I do, I can see the abilities you bring to the job. I can see the value of the different approach in your thinking, and adding you to the twelfth's best team seems to have made them better. Roy spoke to me about you, and he sent me a letter shortly before his death to say that he intended to retire and that he would like to me to replace him. In that letter, he mentioned you again, with high praise and encouragement to keep you here, but I didn't believe him. Because of that, you have endured what must have seemed like trial by fire in order to work with us. I have to admire that you could do that."
"I've lost track of whether this is leaning in a good direction or a bad one, Captain," Castle interrupted.
"I have more to say, and as much extra work as the two of you brewed up for me this weekend, you're going to have to sit there and let me get it out of my system," Gates answered sternly.
"Yes, Sir."
"As far as the way the two of you work together, I've seen it. You practically finish each other's thoughts when you're working theory. The other two members of your team don't want to replace Mr. Castle and have nothing but praise for him. I heard the way you answered reporters' questions, Detective, and you were an excellent spokesman for the women on the force. And I've watched the way the two of you subdued the assailant on Sunday. If you work together that efficiently in the field, I understand why the rest of your team doesn't want to lose that. Mr. Castle, you made the effort to direct the success of that incident to your wife's police training…something also good for the department. Most people would have expected you to take more credit.
"The last, and possibly the most important consideration is my detective. She leads my best team, and keeping her on the job is of primary importance. PTSD is sometimes short-term, but often not. It seems that she now has it under control at the moment, but the nature of that beast is that it's unpredictable. Having someone who can help her through episodes when they arise is important, especially on the job. Having someone there twenty-four/seven is even better. When that source of balance is available to her, I don't know that I want to ask her to do without it. It would seem to be adding another burden to an already stressful job. Since you're a civilian, Mr. Castle, I have a little leeway that I might not have otherwise."
"Does that mean I still have a partner?" Beckett asked.
"If this unwanted attention from the press dies down as quickly as Mr. Castle seems to think, then yes. A similar, very occasional, very short term situation might be tolerable. I'd like to speak to that publicist of yours, though, to look for strategies to handle it using as few of the department's resources as possible. If it continues to be a problem, I intend to hold Mr. Castle to his promise to leave. I hope that condition is clear because it's non-negotiable."
"We understand," Beckett answered.
"You're to continue to keep any inappropriate behavior out of my precinct. And, Detective, if you ever withhold information I need again, there will be a reprimand on record and Mr. Castle will be gone on the spot. Is that clear?"
"Absolutely, Castle agreed.
"Then go back to work, both of you."
Thank you, Sir." Beckett said as she stood with Castle, and they walked toward the door.
"Oh, and Mr. Castle…"
He stopped and turned back.
"I don't believe Detective Beckett chose the wrong husband. Congratulations to both of you."
"Thank you," they said together and went back to tell the boys.
There were fist bumps and congratulations. Then Karpowski came across to Esposito's unusually clear desk and put down a large cake that read 'Best wishes, Beckett and Castle.' The rest of the detectives in the bullpen gathered at the desk, and a few demanded "Kiss her, Castle."
Just having received their reprieve, the couple didn't want to push their luck and had started to refuse when they looked up to see the Captain leaning on the door frame of her office…not quite, but almost smiling.
"Just this once," she said.
Castle cupped his hand behind Kate's head, pulled her to him, and kissed her. Then, getting into the spirit of the hoots and whistles, never breaking the kiss, he used the hand behind her head to help lean her back over his arm, finishing the performance with one extra little peck on her lips. By that time, they were surrounded by laughter and applause as well as hoots and whistles.
He brought her back up to stand with him and accept everyone's good wishes, their discussions about the press coverage, and their surprise that no one had detected a marriage. Some brought plates and forks and cut the cake. The first pieces went to Castle and Beckett, who then moved back to make room for the rest of the detectives, some of whom were asking that they bring pictures.
The next piece went to the captain. As she moved back near the couple, she faced away from the others, bumped Kate's arm with her elbow and whispered, "Definitely the right husband." And there was a very small, but unmistakable, mischievous smile.
xxxxx
Paula's dinner visit that night was relaxed and pleasant. Apparently she was well over her snit, too. She interacted well with the family, and they all enjoyed the visit. After dinner, Martha and Alexis cleared the table and left to watch television while the other three talked business.
Rick, Kate, and Paula looked at wedding pictures as friends, commenting on the 'aaaawww' moments and the funny ones, as well as looking for the best publicity pictures. They chose a little more than half a dozen that she might release to the press.
"I'd check with the mayor before using any of the ones with his picture," Castle reminded her.
"My job, remember?" she scolded playfully. "I still know how to do it." Looking at the pictures they had selected, she said almost gleefully, "The press is going to eat this up. You look so good together. I love the dress and the flowers in your hair, Kate. Excellent choices. Gina is already furious that she didn't know. This little taste of perfection won't make it better."
Somewhere in Kate's head there was evil snickering going on, but she kept it from Paula admirably.
Rick caught the nearly imperceptible glint in her eye, though. He didn't miss much. He knew her too well.
"When is your next deadline?" Paula asked Rick.
"The end of next week, I think. I have a lot of work to do. This week hasn't turned out the way we had planned.
"Well, Gina may have time to calm down a little bit by then, but I wouldn't count on it. I wouldn't ask for an extension of your deadline, and I definitely wouldn't arrange a meeting with Kate along."
"I can take care of myself." Kate said with one of her little smirks.
"I have no doubt," Paula answered, remembering scary Kate from the weekend.
"I even have my badge and gun with me again," Kate joked.
"You may need to save those for Meredith," Paula answered. "She didn't handle Gina too well, and that was without sweet family pictures of Gina with her daughter. The pictures of you and Alexis, including her stepmother comment, hit the papers this morning, along with Rick's mention of taking his family home. And they came out very accurately, from what you tell me. The two of you really haven't looked at any of the publicity yet?"
"It's been a busy couple of days…more than a little stressful. And we got a new case this morning, as well as a good raking over the coals from the captain," Kate explained. "Besides, we were there for all of it. We already knew what happened."
"I still can't believe Richard Castle is practically a detective for real. That would definitely sell some books." Seeing Rick stiffen and start to jump into the conversation, she assured him, "But I know better now. I haven't decided on how yet, but I accept your challenge; and I intend to find a balance between privacy in that corner and enough to keep the press engaged and happy when we need them. They love Kate, and Alexis is looking good, too. I know you don't want her out there, but she's eighteen now. There may not be as much that we can do. We'll have to play that by ear."
"All I can ask is for you to do the best you can," Castle said. "And you know I'll appreciate whatever you can manage."
Paula stood and went to retrieve her satchel from near the front door. "You really need to see the news reports. There are some amazingly good pictures here, and you can't imagine how impressive you were with that crazy man." She pulled a folder from her satchel and opened it, spreading pages from a number of newspapers across the dining table where they were sitting.
The pictures of the two of them on the red carpet couldn't have been more flattering, and, considering the completely different feeling she had inside, the confident, elegant image Kate presented to the camera shocked her completely. The picture of the three of them laughing as Alexis pulled Kate into the car did look very much like a happy family. Paula was probably right. Considering the images of Rick and Kate, the terrific picture of Alexis, the one of the laughing trio at the car, the two comments the reporters made the best of, and the fact that it all had taken her completely by surprise, Meredith would be beyond furious.
Rick didn't relish the thought that Meredith would be here for Alexis' graduation in less than two weeks, probably still expecting to stay at the loft. He was pretty sure Kate hadn't thought of that yet. He would need to bring it up carefully when they were alone.
Paula then pulled a stick drive from her satchel and told Rick to put it up on his screen, so they went to his study to watch the press coverage from the premiere.
Coverage began as the door was opened and Rick left the car, then Kate took his hand and followed him, leaving the car as gracefully as she'd hoped. Paula had been right about the dress. The way the fabric moved as she walked was beautiful. Then the action started, and all elegance fell by the wayside in favor of two people, in an efficient and well-coordinated manner, subduing an assailant, speaking to security, composing themselves, then walking almost to the theater entrance, before stopping for reporters. They made their marriage public, wrapped their arms around one another's waists, and walked into the theater looking at peace with themselves. Quite a chain of events and responses in such a short time. Neither of them had realized the impact they had made. They watched the same coverage from two other reporters and now understood what everyone else was trying to tell them.
"Wow!" Kate said quietly. "I had no idea. How long do you think this will be out there?"
"It may be a few days longer than the norm. This is likely to turn up again in some of the entertainment retrospectives at the end of the year, but the current problem should be dying down by sometime next week. Or maybe you'll get lucky and some bigger celebrity will do something really big, or bad, or stupid, and everybody's attention will move there. So like it or not, Nikki Heat, the press loves you. They won't be looking for Rick without you from now on."
"Lucky me," Kate answered sarcastically.
"Part of the package," Rick reminded her apologetically.
"You're still worth it," she answered, wrapping her arms around his waist and leaning against him, and he put an arm around her shoulders and kissed her forehead.
"Okay, I'm leaving before I crash from the sugar rush. I need to get busy on this press package. If I get it out tomorrow morning, it should have made the rounds by the weekend. We'll try to keep this confined."
"Thank you, Paula," Kate said sincerely.
"That's what I'm here for. You're good for him, you know. I'll do what I can to make it easy for you."
"Let me know if you need anything else." Castle offered.
"You know I will. Oh, I talked to Captain Gates today. I have no doubt she's capable of raking you over the coals. She's a sharp, impressive woman. I'll let myself out. "Goodnight."
"Bye Martha…Alexis," they heard from Paula as she walked toward the front door, followed by responses from the other two.
"Did you get everything worked out, dear?" Martha asked Rick when he and Kate came back into the living room.
"I think so, Mother," he answered.
"And you finally saw yourselves from Sunday night?" Alexis asked.
"Yeah," her dad answered. That was pretty surprising. We make a good team wherever, don't we?" He followed his statement with a quick little kiss on Kate's lips. They then went and sat down with Martha and Alexis to be sure they had planned for everything they needed for Alexis' schedule through graduation.
Rick decided he might as well put the stress factor of Meredith expecting to stay at the loft in front of Kate that night. She had always stayed at the loft to allow her more time with Alexis. With that out in the open, too, tomorrow should be easier.