Coming Out or Going In
by Castlefan6
Authors Note: From a fan prompt (Castle was lent out to Robbery temporarily to work cold cases while Demming is on suspension. Lead Detective Joy Park, a woman with a big secret causes friction between our couple. COMPLETELY AU, Some Scenes and events used to enhance the story,
I don't own Castle; I use the characters for amusement purposes only, except the ones I create.
Also, we take MANY liberties with the timeline from Canon and use events from other Canon episodes to make this a more believable fiction, thanks.
Chapter 9
Sal's Sandwich Shop
12:35 PM
/_/
"Kevin, we need to talk, but not here," Kate said
"So, you know?" Kevin asked
They walked in silence past Remy's to the little sandwich shop that offered more private surroundings, plus you could actually talk without having to raise your voice. They were seated in the back semi-private room, and once they were seated, they ordered. The server picked up that they had things to discuss and wanted no interruptions,
"You said, I knew, WHAT the hell does that mean Kevin? What aren't you telling me?" Kate asked staring the young Irishman directly in his eyes,
"I'm sure Captain has told you about Javi, he called me the second day of his suspension to see if I would be a reference for him, I guess things have really crashed and burned for him and Lanie. He told me he had to get away from New York, from everything and everyone. He even said he understood why Rick left for the summer, it was just too damn hard if he had stayed." Kevin said with a firm voice,
"What does Castle have to do with any of this? Your partner applied for jobs all down the East Coast, most of them friends with the Commissioner so that's how he got his new job. Boyle gave him a glowing recommendation, he hated Javi about as much as he does me. I'm sure he'd love to see me fuck up enough to get fired.
"Roy told me that Castle called Mr. Mayor and got our quotas rolled back, which pissed off Boyle even more, so we still need to close the cases Kev, and now without Javi, well it's going to be tougher. I have to pick three candidates and then interview them with Montgomery, Lord knows how much that is going to slow us down." Kate sighed,
"Not if you get the right candidate Kate, look I love Javi, BUT as a partner, he was lazy as hell, and maybe it'll be a good thing, especially after Lanie started seeing that doctor regularly, he was a bear to talk to at any time. That's why Rick left you for the Hamptons, it hurt for him to see you with Demming, and treating him like a buffoon, not my words, Javi's.
"I know Anne Hastings has passed the exam; she'd make a gre" Kevin tried to say
"Stop right there, for some reason Anne hates me, not sure what I did, but Captain Montgomery told me she refused to even interview for the position if she was going to be on my team, so he's putting her on Roz's starting next week. I never treated Castle as a buffoon or made fun of him" Kate said, not believing her own words, as Kevin just looked at her with a WTH look.
"OK, so we have to keep closing cases, that's nothing new Kate, but I'll tell you these indefinite 12-hour shifts have to stop, I can only take so much pressure at work then at home, and if it comes down to it, you'll be working the cases by yourself. I have a family Kate, you need to understand, this job isn't my life." Kevin had never been more serious, in his words or expression
"Yeah, I'm sorry Kev, I sometimes forget, I ask too much from my team, I mean, it's just"
"It's just that you have nothing to go home to, and Castle is gone so you don't have him to add that out of the box theories that sometimes, hell often put us on the right track. I get it, but Kate, I never thought I would say this, but if it comes between covering your ass since you pissed off the brass and my home life, you lose. I'm sorry but better to tell it like it is now." Kevin was on a role,
"Well, I'm trying to get Rick back, I even wrote letters to the Mayor and Commissioner with Roy's approval, so hopefully his stint in robbery will be over soon," Kate said,
"Kate, who are you trying to convince me or yourself? You saw the chemistry between Detective Park and Rick, hell there's history, a long history between those two. I don't know what it is, and unlike Javi, I don't care as long as Rick is happy.
Javi mentioned that he just wanted to slip in, return his crap, and fill out his forms and leave for his new life, so if you were thinking of throwing him a goodbye party, forget it. From what you said, it wouldn't go over so well with the brass anyway."
"Well, that was one stipulation for any party, it had to be off-site, so now you're saying Javi just wants to come in, drop his material off, and then just leave. He doesn't even want to go out for a drink, maybe just the three of us?" Kate asked, surprised that Javi wanted the quiet approach of leaving.
"He told me, the last lunch we had was his goodbye, so no Kate, no drinks, no dinner, he just wants to get the hell out of New York and start life over again. He's hurting Kate, you know as well as I do, he loved Lanie. The damn fool was just too macho to marry her, now he's lost her for good, and as he put it, he's not sticking around to see her be with another guy." Kevin said,
The last words echoed deep in Kate's memory, they were the same when Javi warned her about Rick leaving when she was with Demming. She blushed took a deep breath, and composed herself,
"Well, who would you like to see as the next member of our team Kevin, I know I never asked you guys, I just made decisions and I can see that isn't the best approach as your lead, so I'm sorry," Kate said as Kevin looked at her with a stunned look, as she shoved the list of prospects towards him.
"Are you serious Kate? Why the change? You're right you ran our team as a dictatorship, listening to no one, not even Rick when he had solid leads or proof, you worked twice as hard to prove his theories wrong. I asked him once if that bothered him, he just smiled and said, 'No, this is the only world where Beckett can control everything, let her have her moment'. It never hit me until just now, WHY Kate?" Kevin asked
"Do you want to offer you input or not Kevin?" Kate snapped, not willing to admit the loss of Castle, hurt, and rocked her to the core. She thought he would always be there, and now it was worse than if he left altogether. He was two floors down, with another beautiful and smart cop, she had fucked up.
Kevin picked up the list, his eyes came to a stop. "Is Lawrence Tolliver, our LT, I never would picture him for a Lawrence." Kevin smiled,
"Well, you won't call him that either, if you hope to see your wife again. He hates the name, so that's the LT, and yes, it's our big guy. He's been waiting a long time, so I thought I would make him our first choice. Laura Sanchez is on the list; I don't think she's ready but maybe an interview would give her some incentive to step it up. The last one I would choose, is Doyle, I know he's a little older, but he's a good cop." Kate said as she waved for a refill for her coffee.
"So, I can't disagree with your choices Kate, any of them would be a good fit, but I agree LT has waited for the longest, and really deserves a shot," Kevin said
"Well, let's get back and let me get this in motion with Roy, let me know if Javi changes his mind and wants to go for a drink, I would like to say goodbye and thanks to him," Kate said,
"I will, but I don't think so, I think he wants in and out and then on to the next phase of his life as he calls it. I doubt if he will even call once he moves, so might as well start getting used to it now." Kevin said sadly, as they began the short walk back to the precinct.
XxX
Wallingford Dr,
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Same Time Frame,
Rick watched as Joy's mouth flew open, he didn't know what to expect when he asked her, but he did know that she would be the only one he would trust to run the West Coast operations. He was still working on Kevin Ryan to take over the New York office, knowing full well that he would be hated by Beckett for breaking up her team.
The truth of the matter was that no one knew Kevin and Jenny were having financial problems, fertility doctors weren't cheap, and the NYPD Insurance was severely lacking for areas such as this. He was about to offer Kevin a stake of ownership and a big bump in pay to lure him away from NYPD. It would provide financial stability that he was already worried about, the cost of college for an unborn child was a bit extreme, but that was Kevin.
He turned to Joy, who was almost composed enough to speak, he pulled her to him and hugged her, "Hey, don't worry about it, if you don't want to make the move, it won't hurt my feelings. I know you have strong ties to New York, so forget I asked if it upsets you" he said, as he felt the tears fall on his shirt,
He heard her sniffle, as he pulled out his hankie and just silently handed it to her, a few minutes later she pulled back and looked into his eyes,
"You really want me to join you out here Rick, I mean what about six months, what about Kate? I mean, New York was home but it won't be if you're not there. Can we work together, if we let things progress, I mean what happens if we cross that line and can't come back, what happens to working together?" she asked, leaning backing into his strong hug, one hand holding the hankie to her eyes,
"Joy, let's take those questions one at a time, OK? First of all, there is no one I would trust to head up RCE, Private Investigations out here. I want to offer Kevin Ryan a similar position for the New York operations, and I know between the two of you, that would grow exponentially. You're both close friends, and would never do anything to cause harm to me, or my family, I trust you both.
"Next, the six months came from you, to allow me time to get Kate out of my heart. That was before we spent the last few days together, I may be wrong, but I think you want me as much as I want you. Not in a dirty, side fling type of deal, I mean you have needs and so do I and God, you still make little Ricky do things"
"That's Richard the Great, remember" she pulled back and kissed him then returned to her hug,
"Thanks for the compliment, but let's put it all out on the table, shall we. I loved you when you were with Cathy, and I know you loved me when I was with Gina, why didn't we act on it then? Because we both knew it was wrong, to our partners, and to ourselves. IF, and I say IF because the only thing stopping me from going farther is you, but should we cross that line, what would that mean to us?
"I thought about this a lot, I'm no virgin, and I know you aren't either, so if we crossed the line, as you say, what would happen? I believe the love we have for each other would only grow stronger, even to the point where if you found another someone similar to Cathy, I would understand, I know you feel the same way. Now the question is do you want to become, and I'm not going to use that old cliché, Friends with Benefits, I hate that. I would rather say Friends satisfying needs of a friend." He felt her hug arms tighten in the hug she had on him,
"Joy, in case you don't know it, you're a beautiful sexy lady, and God your legs, always turned me on, you know that, and well, we both are adults, and have needs. I don't believe in one-night stands, or meaningless sex, those were the younger days. Now when I make love to a woman, I have to feel love for her, and let the body extend the feeling I have within me" Rick said, hoping putting the cards on the table wouldn't frighten Joy away.
"What about Kate Rick, I know you have strong feelings for her? As you said, I don't want to be her substitute and this may sound crazy but I would tell any other male to go screw off, I'm interested in the other side of the fence. With you, God, I get goosebumps, and I know it's you, only you. I've had men before, but always found myself unsatisfied.
"Don't let this go to your head, but you brought me to climax with just your kisses, no hands, no touching or sensual words, just your kisses, that never happened before. If we become closer friends, I hate the benefits label almost as much as I do the term Fuck Buddy, what happens to you and Kate? Will you still try to resolve whatever is stopping you two?
"Rick, please answer me truthfully, I know you always do but promise me that a physical relationship, and you're so right, I have needs, God, I have needs, won't prevent you from following your heart. I promise you that I will always tell you, no surprises, even if I have the slightest twinge of attraction towards someone else, so please can we agree to do that?" her tears fell harder.
He held her tighter, "God I was hoping you would say that I don't know if I could hold out 6 days much less 6 months, you have to know that you've always had a part of my heart, I promise I will never hurt you, not if I can help it. I'll tell you about any changes, I really don't hold out much hope for Kate and me, especially if Kevin joins me. She's going to hate me, but I know Kevin needs the job and security to keep him from trying to kill himself working multiple jobs.
She leaned back, looked at him, and locked on his eyes. God his eyes, almost like he could see through to her soul, "Rick, you're a wonderful man, you deserve so much more than life has given you, so I'm afraid, but I'm also so full of desire for you, I can't wait eit" she couldn't finish her sentence, Rick had kissed her in the way she had never been kissed before.
"I should say I'm sorry, but I won't because I'm not" stealing her line from the picnic, so we need to talk a little before this goes to where I think we both want." She kissed him this time, and his toes curled.
"Right, we still have this case to solve, and who do you want to tell, personally, I don't care but I know you have a lot more to lose." She said,
"Well, this house is big enough, I planned on you having your room and office, that way we can keep business and pleasure separated, and believe me, I understand there will be times when you will want nothing to do with me, with anyone and I will respect those times.
"My room is right across the hall, the same setup, the adjoining bedroom will be my office. I hope you'll say yes, but if you want to make changes just tell me. As for telling anyone, I think the press will leak that soon enough, it really isn't anyone's business but ours. I've already talked to Alexis, and she's onboard as long as we're happy." he said,
"Rick, I hope there is never a day where we can't sit and talk, even when one or both of us are either too tired or not in the mood, our friendship is and will always be first, agreed?" she kissed him,
"Agreed, that's why I said you would have your own room, I don't want you to think you are here to service my physical needs, and you don't have a say, our friendship is and always be first, just as you said. If I hurt your feelings, I want you to call me, I don't want anything to change between us, well except that" as he rolled his eyebrows,
"OK Rick, show me my room, knowing you it's already furnished," she laughed as she stepped back and took his hand,
Rick walked to the far end of the hall, opened the door, and it was furnished just like her room at the Loft, including the personal changes she had made. She walked into her office, and there was the state-of-the-art computer equipment with a 60-inch TV with surround sound, and her bath, God, he had thought of everything down to her shampoo, and special razor she used to shave.
She walked over to the closet and found it full of clothes, her style, some actual duplicates of what she had in New York, he had thought of everything. The most touching thing, a large portrait of Cathy, her, and Rick behind them with his arms around both ladies, with the caption, Friends Forever, Here and Hereafter. She gasped when she saw it at first, but she knew exactly when it was taken, it was the day after she had come out to Rick and told him Cathy was the love of her life. She didn't know what to expect but certainly not his response, she closed her eyes and remembered it word for word,
"Well, I guess we just have another member of the family, you know I love you both. If you need anything, if people change, or don't accept you, please know I will be here for you until the sun stops shining" as he pulled her into him for a hug, and a kiss on the top of her head,
"Rick, it's perfect, but we can't leave Roy in a lurch, we have to solve this case, then well then I'll be here with you if the offer is still open." She said as she watched him cross the room, pick her up, and retire to his bedroom across the hallway. She remembered his gentleness, sending her over the brink three times before he even thought of pleasuring himself. It was a night she would never forget, God that man could make love.
TBC