Chapter Twenty
Mist
Season Five
Road trip to Niagara Falls? I can't believe I'm missing it!
Yes, however will I survive without you.
Kate chuckles as she replies to Castle's text. He would have jumped at the chance to take a fourteen-hour round trip excursion to help her pick up a suspect. And, although she'll have Officer Hastings to keep her company, Castle would be a fun passenger. Too bad he's in Orlando for a book festival.
The precinct has been quiet without his complaints about paperwork and conspiracy theories. But, aside from the drive today, it's been a fairly slow week, so he wouldn't have had much to do anyway.
"Here's your coffee, Detective," Hastings says as she approaches Kate's desk, travel cup in hand.
Kate takes an experimental sip and manages not to wince. It's not necessarily bad, it's just not her partner's. Well, it's better than nothing, especially with the long day ahead. "Thanks, Hastings. Ready to go?" At the young officer's nod, Kate lifts her bag onto her shoulder, grabs her coat, and heads towards the elevator.
The drive goes smoothly, and they arrive in Niagara Falls around lunchtime. They're both hungry so Kate finds a deli down the street from the police station. Two cups of coffee helps rejuvenate her, as does the turkey sandwich.
As she pays, a gift display next to the counter catches her eye, and she grins as she picks up one of the items. "Can I get this separately?" she asks the cashier.
The young man smiles. "Of course. I'll wrap it up for you."
"Detective Beckett?"
Kate turns to find Hastings at the door, holding up her phone. "Are they ready for us?" At the younger officer's nod, she thanks the cashier, grabs the gift bad, and heads towards the door.
Hastings gives a pointed look at the bag but says nothing.
Kate's phone buzzes several times as she and Hastings sign the transfer paperwork, but she ignores it until their passenger is in the backseat of the car. "Do you mind driving first?" she asks Hastings, holding out the keys.
The younger officer takes the keys and moves to the driver's side. "Happy to. Should we switch in Syracuse again?"
Kate shrugs. "Maybe. See how we feel." When she pulls her phone from her pocket and taps on her messages, she rolls her eyes. Twenty new texts from Castle in the past half hour. He must be on a break, because he'd mentioned earlier that the day would be so busy he wouldn't have time to miss her too much.
I can't feel my fingers, his last text reads, and Kate chuckles as she types her response.
I thought you liked meeting your fans.
The reply comes in just a few minutes later. I do, but between shaking hands and signing books, my fingers are getting a serious workout.
Before she can respond, her phone buzzes again, and her face flushes at the words that appear.
I'd rather give them a different kind of workout.
The arousal that surges through her is immediate, and she shifts in her seat, throws a glance to Hastings to see if she's noticed.
When do you get home?
"You're amazing," she gasps the next day, just minutes after Castle knocks on her door. They hadn't even made it past the entry, just a tangle of limbs and clothes falling to the floor.
Castle chuckles against her neck and lifts his head to smile down at her. "Just wait 'til we get to a soft surface," he teases, brushing a stray lock of hair from her forehead.
Kate grins. "How are your fingers? Have they recovered from all the writing?"
His mouth turns up in a smirk. "Let's go to the bedroom and find out." He kisses her hard before pushing himself off the floor.
"I'm right behind you," she tells him, detouring through the kitchen. She glances over her shoulder to make sure her boyfriend disappears into her room and retrieves the small gift bag from a little-used cupboard.
He's tugging down her duvet when she catches up, and she takes a moment to just stare at him. When he props up her pillows he glances over at her and grins. "What's that?" he asks, pointing at the bag.
Kate draws her bottom lip between her teeth and steps towards him. "Just a little something I picked up," she says, keeping her tone casual, giving it to him. "It made me think of you."
Castle's smile widens when he pulls the mug from the bag. "What - oh my God," he laughs, throwing his head back. "'I mist you.' This is perfect." He sets the mug on the nightstand and tugs her against him. "Thank you."
She grins and wraps her arms around his waist, curls her fingers into the hem of his sweater. "You're welcome." She kisses him, grips his shirt harder when his tongue touches hers. "Bed?" she gasps."
He turns them and nudges her to the mattress. "Bed."
A/N: Thanks to Lou for this prompt as well!