Genre: Crime, Drama, Romance, Family, Humor
Rating: M for sexual situations and language
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters featured on the show Castle, they belong to the creator of the show, ABC and the others who do own them.
A/N #1: The lyrics in this chapter are from the songs Another Saturday Night by Sam Cooke, from his album Ain't That Good News and Band of Gold written by Edythe Wayne and Ron Dunbar, the version I've taken from and mention is sung by Freda Payne from her album the same name as the song.
A/N #2: It was great to get the feedback for the last chapter, so I'll go into my thank yous for them! TORONTOSUN (It was really nice to see you liked how the last chapter was more related to the crime. And I'm glad you liked Skye and Mary joining in to help!) and
Mb (It was nice to see you thought the last chapter was another really nice update. And I wasn't surprised you mentioned them having that evidence connecting the murders with the sabotage. I'm glad that you could picture Beckett climbing that tree to see the angle of where the killer was and finding that evidence. Also wasn't surprised you mentioned the sniper being where Beckett saw her mother and passing out, also that you mentioned it was possibly foreboding. I was expecting someone to question the person taking evidence from the hangar, so your wondering about that wasn't a surprise at all thinking it was an inside job or someone knowing all the policies and impersonating an official. I laughed a bit when you said the alphabet soup of agencies but you're right, a lot of them there. And I'm not surprised you're thinking it'll be interesting if they all play together. You're welcome for the first half of the chapter! I wasn't surprised your first reaction was to the cliffhanger in the second half, lol. But I was glad you thought it was a really good update. And I figured Skye might know some agents, plus there's always the cops and FBI don't get along, so I wanted to go in a different route with that, lol. I wasn't surprised you were laughing at the mention of Sorensen since, as you put it, it's still a sore spot for them. And I wanted a break, so I'm glad you enjoyed them talking to their family back at home. No surprise you mentioned the separate conversation they had with Julia about Beckett's mother appearing to her. With the end of the chapter I thought that you might think of how they were going to relax after what happened that day and then the car going after Darnley, lol. I was intending to surprise people. And I'm glad you said it's getting more and more personal, since of course there was what happened with Skye before the car. Glad you thought the second half was very, very good. And you're welcome for sharing the second half too. My family and I are staying good and safe, thank you, hopefully you and yours are too!).
Thanks so much for the reviews, loved reading them all as usual and I'm grateful for the time taken to write them out and send them my way!
A/N #3: The title of this chapter are lyrics from the song Photograph written by Ringo Starr and George Harrison, from Ringo's album Ringo.
Every Time I See Your Face
Taking off at a run as soon as she saw her friend's body, Beckett heard someone running behind her before Nkosi was coming even with her as they got to Darnley. "Patrick?" she said at the same time the investigator was, kneeling next to him while his husband was doing next to her.
Groaning heavily, Darnley was turning over onto his back and he looked up at his husband and friend saying, "I'm fine… just got the wind knocked out of me. Where's Skye? We can complain together."
"You weren't hit?" Nkosi asked in relief.
"No," Darnley started to say while he was beginning to push himself up.
"You should lay down," Beckett told him as she was stopping him.
"No, no," Darnley said. "Hey, no ambulance or emergency services… or whatever," he called to Barnes who he saw had his walkie-talkie in hand again. "Let me sit up at least." Once they had allowed him to do that he said, "I'm fine, I threw myself to the side when it came by." He looked at his friend and said, "Thank you for the warning."
"You're welcome," Beckett replied. "Did you get a look at the driver?"
"I… wait, my phone has been ringing constantly," Darnley said, brushing off his hands before he hissed.
"Can someone grab a first aid kit?" Nkosi called back to everyone who had come to stand near them.
"I will," an investigator said.
"Want me to get it?" Beckett asked as her friend was still trying to get his phone though his palms were a little scraped. When Darnley nodded, she reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone swiftly before seeing Sumner had been calling him.
Nodding, when he saw her name, Darnley was about to ask his friend to call his partner when she was calling him again. After Beckett had answered it for him, he said, "Sorry for not answering, but someone just tried to run me over." He glanced at his friend and husband when there was silence on the other end began speaking saying, "Jodie-" when she was quickly talking.
"You must be okay, you're still a smartass," Sumner said though she sounded concerned still.
"Yeah, just scraped up a bit," Darnley said. "Kate was able to yell out a warning in time for me. What's so important?"
"Moreno and I have been looking at both companies," Sumner replied. "Though at some point we decided to look into people who've recently been fired."
"I'm assuming you had luck?" Darnley asked.
"Yeah, a little," Sumner replied. "I'm sending you their pictures; their names are Walker Loewe and Leonard Murphy. They were both fired, right after the new VP joined."
"Were they going to try for the position?" Beckett asked.
"From what we learned they did," Sumner replied. "I've spoken to them both."
"Can you send me their pictures?" Darnley asked, nodding gratefully to Skye and she was kneeling so she could run water over his hands to clean them.
"I am right now," Sumner replied. "But there is something you should know. They both said that it likely was Dyson, she wants to sell the company to Proulx and retire." When there was no response on the other end she asked, "What is it?"
"It's Loewe," Darnley said. "He was the one who just tried to kill me."
"So what exactly does this mean for your murder case?" Mary was asking, sitting on the couch in Castle and Beckett's suite.
"Good question since both men are in the wind, I wish Moreno had allowed police to get them first," Darnley replied. "Though I know, I know, no evidence and I hadn't been struck yet."
"Luckily there is the fact you can track his phone," Nkosi said.
"And that the FBI is going to do that," Castle said, walking into the living room to join the others.
"Hopefully it's quicker," Darnley said. "Though I do wonder about involving Western, these men were involved with Potomac only."
"Diversion," Castle, Skye and Nkosi said.
"Plus, the two are very intertwined," the investigator said. Nkosi smiled at his husband and said, "Even before Proulx joined." He frowned for a moment and turned to Skye saying, "There have been rumors he and Dyson have something going on," to see what she would say as she nodded her head before answering his unasked question.
"I think they've been in a secret relationship for years," Skye commented. "Though it's not confirmed of course."
"Why secret?" Castle asked.
"I have no idea," Skye said.
"No, I don't either," Nkosi said quickly as she had turned to him. "But I think because this merger was intended to happen… not merger but-"
"Don't worry, I got what you were saying," Castle said quickly.
"Me too, and I'm not really involved with this," Mary said.
"Me too," Beckett said, smiling when the other five were turning to her as she walked in. "But it sounds like Loewe and Murphy want to get Dyson in trouble… or Dyson and Proulx." She walked over to Darnley and told him, "You're supposed to be off the rest of the day," her tone jokingly stern.
"Yes little sister," Darnley said. He smiled when his friend rolled her eyes, and he was hugging her tightly as she did so to him first.
"I was so worried about you," Beckett was saying.
"I know, I could tell," Darnley replied. He leaned back a little to look at her and said, "But I'm okay… and I appreciate your concern."
With a brief nod, Beckett let him go before he did the same to her and said, "I'm ready."
"We're not talking about the case anymore?" Skye asked as she and Mary stood up from the table in the living room.
"We should save it for tomorrow. Especially since we're not going to be called by Jodie, Moreno or Barnes," Darnley commented.
"I'm sure they will if they get something," Beckett pointed out as she was taking her jacket from her husband.
"Then we'll wait for that moment if it ever comes," Skye said. "I think you two need to see your kids and we have a dinner to eat."
"Yeah, I'm ready for that," Darnley said.
Beckett was laughing with the others at her friend's exuberant tone and she squeezed his arm as they were leaving the suite. She went to her husband and took his hand before they were the last out and let him entwine their fingers as they got to the elevators and headed down to make their way to Nkosi's parents' home for their South African dinner.
"Oh hello, hello," Joseph said, smiling as he saw everyone with his son and son in law. "Dinner is a bit away, but we are very happy to see you." He ushered everyone in before he spotted the bandaging on his son in law's hands and was about to speak when his wife walked inside.
"Hello, I was hoping you would make it in time," Bethany told the group with a smile. "You… Patrick!" she exclaimed when she noticed his hands.
"It's okay," Darnley said hurriedly as he was picking up Keo. "I only scraped my palms; the bandages won't last for that long."
"Dada," Maddy said, going to him and taking his free hand. She kissed it, not realizing she was making the adults smile at each other and her grandmother tear up. "Is it better?"
"Much better," Darnley assured her. "Do you need any help?"
"No," Bethany said, having to take a while to respond. But she was finally able to and she then told the others, "Play with the children, I am only waiting for the fries to finish baking."
"What kind of meat did you include Mother?" Nkosi asked as he was picking Maddy up at her insistence.
"Flat steak and shrimp," Bethany answered. "I can only hope it worked."
"If you have the right sauce it'll tie it all together," Castle commented.
"Tartar sauce," Bethany replied. "I have peri peri if anyone wants to add some heat."
"It sounds like it'd be great," Mary said.
When Bethany had left them, Joseph went to his son in law and said, "What happened?"
Shaking his head, Darnley said, "It's better if you don't know, but rest assured that's the only place I got hurt."
"Is he telling the truth?" Joseph asked his son as he set down his daughter.
"He is, believe me, if he were worse off I'd be more worried than I am right now Tata," Nkosi said, nodding his head.
"Very well… well the children have been asking after you both," Joseph said, smiling at his grandchildren. "And… Maddy!" he said in surprise.
"I'll go get her," Beckett said, hurrying after the toddler.
"Can I see Kate?" Maddy asked, looking up at her.
"She wants to see my guitar?" Skye asked, walking inside the room with a smile on her face.
"It looks like it," Beckett said before they watched the investigator opening the guitar case she'd brought. Seeing it was her acoustic she was about to ask if she was intending to sing when her friend stood and spoke to Maddy.
"Would you like me to sing for you?" Skye was saying.
"Yeah," Maddy replied, nodding her head rapidly.
"Alright, but let's wait and see if your grandmother can come out to hear as well," Skye said.
"Did she ask you to perform?" Darnley asked, coming up to the entry.
"Yeah, I don't mind though," Skye answered, walking past him. "Mary won't either."
"When does she mind?" Darnley asked his friend.
"Sometimes," Beckett said, smiling when he laughed before he picked Maddy up. She was going to ask if he was okay but knew he wouldn't appreciate it as he obviously was. So she merely walked up to him and playfully pinched his daughter's cheek before she said, "She's able to say my name now."
"Of course she is," Darnley said. "I taught her how to say it."
"You didn't have to," Beckett told him.
Shrugging his shoulders, Darnley said, "It was fun."
Shaking her head, Beckett squeezed his arm before they went into the family room with the others. "What're you going to play?" she asked Skye, seeing Mary was holding the guitar by then.
"It's a right-handed guitar," the doctor commented, smiling at her. "I insisted."
"I think that's why she told me to bring that particular guitar," Skye said wryly. "But it doesn't matter."
"Wait," Bethany said in amusement as her son was making her step out of the kitchen. "Oh, you're going to sing."
"Before dinner if I may," Skye told her, standing up as Maddy was making her get up. "You want to dance too?" she asked the toddler.
"Yeah," Maddy said.
"Can you do that?" Castle asked her.
"I'm going to need to," Skye commented to remind him.
"Any news about that Queen concert?" Darnley asked.
"Yeah, I made a music video already," Skye answered. "Not for Killer Queen; that'll still be the three of us Kate."
"You made the one for I Want to Break Free?" Castle guessed.
"We did," Mary said before her wife could. "We went in an entirely different direction."
"Yeah, we had a new plot for it and we went with it," Skye added. "So, would you like me to sing something in particular?"
"You can decide," Joseph said immediately.
"No, no, it's your home," Skye said. "We're guests." When the couple shook their heads she smiled and said, "Alright, I heard what you were listening to so allow me to sing something with that in mind." She went over to her wife and murmured into her ear before Mary nodded rapidly and then said, "She'll play a little." She looked down at Maddy and added, "And I'll sing and dance with her."
"Are you okay doing that?" Nkosi asked.
"I will be," Skye reassured her before her wife was starting the music and she smiled at her before she hurriedly had to sing, Mary helping her where she needed the backup.
Another Saturday night and I ain't got nobody
I got some money 'cause I just got paid
Now, how I wish I had someone to talk to
I'm in an awful way
I got in town a month ago, I seen a lotta girls since then
If I could meet 'em I could get 'em but as yet I haven't met 'em
That's why I'm in the shape I'm in
Here it's another Saturday night and I ain't got nobody
I got some money 'cause I just got paid
How I wish I had someone to talk to
I'm in an awful way
When she began singing the next verse, Skye, who'd been dancing lightly with Maddy jumping next to her, waited until the last lyric before she tapped the toddler's nose in time with the five words to her laughter.
Another fella told me he had a sister who looked just fine
Instead of being my deliverance, she had a strange resemblance
To a cat named Frankenstein
Here it's another Saturday night and I ain't got nobody
I got some money 'cause I just got paid
How I wish I had some chick to talk to
I'm in an awful way
Where lyrics normally were between the chorus and the second chorus the song had, Beckett smiled as Skye was concentrating more on dancing with Maddy. Her husband was filming it with Darnley's phone for the two men and looking at Keo as well she couldn't help missing their kids. She pushed that aside though, since she knew there wasn't much she could do, and Skye was continuing the song at the same time.
It's hard on a fella when he don't know his way around
If I don't find me a honey to help me spend my money
I'm gonna have to blow this town
Here it's another Saturday night and I ain't got nobody
I got some money 'cause I just got paid
How I wish I had some someone to talk to
I'm in an awful way
Here it's another Saturday night and I ain't got nobody
I got some money 'cause I just got paid
How I wish I had some chick to talk to
I'm in an awful way
One more time another Saturday night and I ain't got nobody
I got some money 'cause I just got paid
How I wish I had someone to talk to
I'm in an awful way
Bowing playfully a few times, Skye smiled and said, "Thank you. Now I believe it's time to eat."
"At least they're enthusiastic," Castle commented as the investigator's tone had made Maddy and Keo squeal.
"I know," Darnley said before he and his husband were getting the kids and taking them to the dining room table in the family room. Once they were ready in their highchairs he went towards the kitchen, intending to help his in laws when Beckett was stopping him.
"Come on," she told him. "Stay with them and we'll help Bethany and Joseph."
Darnley was about to protest but he paused and instead said, "Okay, but tomorrow I'm not doing this."
"We need to talk to you about tomorrow," Beckett said, smiling as he sat between his children.
"You two are eating on your own right?" Darnley asked.
"We'll talk about it later," Beckett replied. She squeezed his shoulder before she went to the kitchen, taking the first plate her husband had.
"Oh… I didn't know Bethany was going to make a salad," Darnley said as she set the plate in front of him.
"You need your vegetables," the woman replied with a smile as she was coming out with another two plates. "And you must eat it all up," she said with a smile as she was setting the plates on the trays of her grandchildren's chairs. "And that means you as well," Bethany told them as they were smiling and laughing at her.
"I'll make sure they do," Darnley told his mother in law, watching the others coming with the rest of the plates. As they had started to eat, he waited until they'd been doing so for a while and he finally started with, "These are great Bethany; as usual."
Smiling as the others were agreeing with that, the older woman smiled and said, "I am very glad to hear that. Gatsby sandwiches were always my favorites and I made sure to make them well as they are Joseph's."
"I cannot resist them," the older man commented before they were all laughing.
"I'm going crazy and I have to ask," Darnley said to his friend. "Why did you want to talk to me about tomorrow night?"
Giving him a brief look, Beckett explained the idea she and Castle had had about making dinner for the others before she said, "Though would it be alright if we just cooked for the four of you?"
"We'd love having Maddy and Keo with us again," Joseph was quick to say.
"Then we would love that," Nkosi said after studying his parents to make sure of that. "But should we assume you need our kitchen?"
"Good assumption," Castle said before they were laughing at his words. He shook his head and said, "We'd appreciate it. And what we make you four can decide on."
"Something we all like," Darnley said.
"But let's wait for tomorrow," Mary commented. "We are eating right now."
Beckett smiled as Darnley was playfully cleaning his son's face and when the detective looked at her, she smiled before picking up her sandwich again and eating the vegetable salad as well. When they finished, she made sure to thank Bethany for the food before she and Nkosi were helping her in cleaning up. As they were finishing, she wasn't surprised when the older woman stopped the two of them, or what she was asking once they'd turned their attention to her.
"What happened?" Bethany asked.
Nkosi sighed and said, "He doesn't want us to tell you."
"We are already worried," Bethany said firmly.
Since she could see that her friend's husband was still uncertain, Beckett explained quickly what had happened before saying, "He was a little dazed since he got the wind knocked out of him as I said but he's fine now you can tell."
"He is," Nkosi said hurriedly when his mother looked at him.
Sighing Bethany asked, "Should he stay home?"
"No," Beckett said immediately. She looked at Nkosi pointedly and said, "He needs to help. And we're likely close, we have two suspects and we just need to find them before we can finish."
Nodding her head slowly, Bethany said, "Alright, I will not mention it to him, but you will keep an eye on him?"
"Of course," Beckett said since the older woman was looking at her. She then smiled and said, "I always do."
"Good," Bethany said, nodding her head. "Well, we should go back to the room if we're going to spend time with the children before you need to take them home."
"What do they have to play with here?" Beckett asked Nkosi as they were following his mother out into the family room.
"Toys mostly," the investigator said before they looked over at Skye as she was talking with Joseph while Maddy was jumping up and down next to them. "What're you doing?" Nkosi asked them.
"She asked me my favorite song to sing for us," the older man said, smiling. "I asked her to sing Band of Gold."
"The song from the seventies?" Castle asked.
"I have always loved that song," Joseph said.
"He had the record back in South Africa," Bethany said, going to sit on the couch next to her husband. "He played it endlessly."
"Isn't it a little sad?" Darnley asked. "I love that song too," he told the others when they looked at him.
"It is but it is still a wonderfully sung song," Joseph said.
"I think he had a crush on the singer," Bethany said with a smile, squeezing her husband's arm when he shifted in obvious embarrassment.
"No, she was beautiful," Darnley said in agreement. "Okay, now what?" he said in mock annoyance as everyone was looking at him again.
"She was," Mary said in agreement. "And we'll sing it to you."
"I was just explaining to you Joseph," Skye told the man. "We've sung this together, back and forth. Though again, the lyrics are what they are and we love it."
"The way it's sung?" Castle asked. When the two singers nodded, he smiled and said, "I'm eager to see it, how you guys handle it now."
"We're not going to sound the same," Skye warned. She laughed when everyone but her wife and the kids said, "Sing it." Calming down she nodded to Mary as she had her phone out and when the music began, she took the first lyrics before she and her wife were switching back and forth.
Now that you're gone
All that's left is a band of gold
All that's left of the dreams I hold
Is a band of gold
And the memories of what love could be
If you were still here with me
As Mary was singing the first verse, Beckett was startled how they were able to get their tone close to the original recording. She reminded herself they had mentioned singing it before and just sat holding Castle's hand to listen to the lyrics the women were singing in heartfelt pleasure to get to sing them.
You took me from the shelter of my mother
I had never known of loved any other
We kissed after taking vows
But that night on our honeymoon
We stayed in separate rooms
I wait in the darkness of my lonely room
Filled with sadness, filled with gloom
Hoping soon
That you'll walk back through that door
And love me like you tried before
Since you've been gone
All that's left is a band of gold
All that's left of the dreams I hold
Is a band of gold
And the dream of what love could be
If you were still here with me
At the instrumental there, Castle couldn't help telling Skye, as she was drinking quickly from the glass of water she had, "You're performing again."
"Oh, buzz off," the investigator said before she smiled at him so he would know she wasn't serious since she had been gesturing with the lyrics. She waited for the music to reach the point where she would need to sing again and started up once it was there gladly.
Don't you know that I wait
In the darkness of my lonely room
Filled with sadness, filled with gloom
Hoping soon
That you'll walk back through that door
And love me like you tried before
Since you've been gone
All that's left is a band of gold
All that's left of the dreams I hold
Is a band of hold
And the dream of what love could be
If you were still here with me
For the last two lyrics that ended the song, Skye and Mary were singing together, holding each other's hands while they were doing that though it was mainly because they were a little more intense to wrap things up.
Since you've been gone
All that's left if is a band of gold
"That was very nice," Joseph said seriously. "You both sing really well."
"Thank you, I'm glad we were able to do that for you," Skye said, taking a drink of water again.
"We should play a game now," Bethany said.
"You wouldn't want a song?" Skye asked her.
"Oh no, you sang for me earlier," Bethany replied, nodding her head. She then smiled and said, "Thank you so much."
"Then what do you have for the kids," Skye said as she was playfully clapping her hands together and rubbing them to Maddy and Keo's laughter.
"We have this game," Nkosi said as he got up. "They love this one."
"Oh yeah, we had that for Julia and then Eliza," Castle said as he quickly remembered the game with the elephant that shot fabric butterflies out of its trunk.
"We had it too, we have it still actually; it's one of Iris' favorites," Mary commented.
"Are we all playing this?" Skye asked.
"I think it's only four at a time," Joseph said.
"Do you and Mother want to play?" Nkosi asked his father.
"Oh no, I will be more than happy to sit and watch," Joseph said jokingly.
"Thank you, Tata," Nkosi said, shaking his head though he was smiling at him quickly before going to Maddy.
After they had decided who would play, Beckett found herself holding a net and she told her friend, "If you were trying to embarrass me, I really don't think it worked."
"It didn't?" Darnley asked, pretending to sound severely disappointed.
"No, I've played with this with Julia, Eliza and Rick," Beckett told him.
"Shoot," Darnley said, snapping his fingers playfully. "Do you remember-" he started to say before she was interrupting him.
"I do, and boy was that a failure too," Beckett said with a smirk.
Castle, having heard that, was interested to see what they were talking about, but the game was starting so he waited for it to finish and the others to count the butterflies before he was asking. "What was a failure?" he said.
"I love how you said failure, not what I was reminding her about," Darnley said wryly.
"I do my best," Castle said, shrugging his shoulders.
"It was when I took him to Dave and Busters in Times Square," Beckett explained.
"Really?" Bethany asked.
Nodding and smiling at the woman, Beckett said, "I took him because he'd seen it going to the Square before and he wanted to try it out."
"It was a lot of fun," Darnley said. "It wasn't too long before I came back here, and we were very close, but we didn't need to fake we were a couple which was very nice."
"We also had a little competition going on," Beckett said, smiling at him.
"Tickets?" Skye asked.
"Tickets," Darnley said with a nod, smiling at his friend.
"Yes, you won," Beckett replied, rolling her eyes. "But that was through luck."
"So says you," Darnley said.
Beckett laughed with the others at the tone of her friend's voice and they turned their attention to the game again. But her mind was a little distracted, as her husband was taking a turn with the kids and Nkosi, thinking of that night she and Darnley had spent at the restaurant and arcade while she was watching the next game.
"The restaurant seems nice," Darnley commented as he and Beckett sat at their table.
"It does," she replied.
"Have you been here before?" Darnley asked her.
"I've been here but haven't eaten here," Beckett replied. "Just here and the bar."
"Ah, I'm not really surprised," Darnley said. He laughed when she threw her straw wrapper at him and said, "I'm glad you brought me though."
"Me too," Beckett said. "And because I have heard the food is good."
"Appetizer or dessert?" Darnley asked her.
"You don't want to do both?" Beckett said.
"Do you?" Darnley asked, looking surprised.
"Don't start," Beckett said, shaking her head before she was smiling at him. "I'll go for dessert if you don't mind."
Flipping through the menu, Darnley eventually reached the ones the restaurant offered before he nodded saying, "Fondue? Chocolate fondue?"
"You don't have to ask twice," Beckett said before they were laughing together. They ordered their food before they were talking together about their recent patrols before she said, "I'm finally getting the hang of the calls."
"Good, I am too," Darnley said. "So we've exhausted our discussion about work," he said. "What about the arcade?"
"You're like a little boy," Beckett said teasingly. "Only thinking about video games."
"Well… I was a boy at one point," Darnley replied. "But I told you, I'm not a big fan of video games except for Asteroids. So I hope you'll show me the other games they have."
"I will," Beckett replied in amusement. "And you're such a liar."
"I play them but I'm not a fan," Darnley said in mock annoyance. He smiled when she laughed, and they tried to both calm down as their food was being served. While they were eating, he couldn't help asking about the date she'd gone on the weekend before.
"Why do you think I'm here with you on a Saturday night?" Beckett asked in response to his question.
"What was wrong with him this time?" Darnley said.
"Not really that great of a personality," Beckett said.
"Self-absorbed?" Darnley guessed. When his friend tapped her nose to let him know he was right, he nodded and said, "I'm sorry to hear that."
"To be honest I don't care," Beckett replied.
"Are you giving up?" Darnley asked before he took a bite of his burger.
"No, just pausing on anything at the moment," Beckett said, shaking her head. She then smiled and said, "Are you disappointed in me?"
"No, better you wait for the right guy and not throw yourself after another," Darnley said seriously.
Unable to help laughing softly, Beckett had to cover her mouth before she was saying, "You sound like my dad."
"Well, I have to make sure too," Darnley told her.
"I'm glad you feel that way," Beckett said. "And it is interesting to see how much you're a big brother."
"Oh I know, it's a lot of fun," Darnley said. "Tell your dad if he ever needs me to meet your boyfriends I'll do it gladly."
"Great," Beckett said wryly. She and Darnley laughed together before they were finishing their food and talking about plans to go to museums or the market together.
"You don't really have to cook for me," Darnley told her with a smile.
"Oh don't worry, I'd like to," Beckett assured her. Their waitress came over and she ordered the chocolate fondue for them before they waited for that. Once they had it, she said, "I'm inviting Dad too."
"Good, I want to challenge him to a game of chess," Darnley said, using the fork he'd gotten and getting a marshmallow. He dipped it into the melted chocolate telling her, "And I want to play you again too."
"We'll play now," Beckett said.
"Awesome, I saw the table hockey," Darnley said with a grin.
Beckett laughed and told him, "I want to too."
"Loser buys a drink?" Darnley asked.
"You're on," Beckett said, tapping her glass of water against his. They ate the sweets and fruits with the chocolate and once they'd paid the check together, they were leaving for the arcade.
"I've got another idea," Darnley suddenly said as she was leading him around all the different games to look at the selection.
"Another?" Beckett asked in confusion.
"Yeah," Darnley said. "Let's play for tickets after the air hockey."
Beckett couldn't help smiling since her friend was so eager, but she finally nodded saying, "Sure, but I didn't really want a second drink."
"Not a drink, breakfast tomorrow and who stays at whose place," Darnley said.
"Don't get the hiccups," Beckett teased him as he'd said that rapidly.
"Trying not to, but what do you think?" Darnley asked.
"I think it's a great idea," Beckett told him with a nod. She then said, "If I win the most tickets I stay at your place."
"Deal," Darnley said before they were shaking each other's hands and then laughing. "Time for air hockey."
"Definitely," Beckett said before they were walking to where they'd seen the tables. As they were going to one, she said to her friend, "Should we really drink right after this?"
"After the ticket games," Darnley replied, using the card he'd already gotten to pay for the game. He was getting his striker ready since Beckett had the puck already and once she hit it across to him their first game began. When it ended with her winning, he waited for her to pay for the second game and asked her, "What about if I win this one?"
"Third one to break the tie," Beckett said. "And a fourth just for fun so we're even on money."
"Cool," Darnley said.
"Just start," Beckett told him in amusement. He had the puck that time and she played the best she could, surprised when she won since her friend had given her a run for her money and she told him that as he was walking around to her.
"Well, I had to make it interesting for you," Darnley replied. "And I owe you a drink."
"Later on," Beckett said before they were going together to the first game.
"We're not going to be able to play video games," Darnley told her.
"Are you disappointed?" Beckett asked.
"Just pointing that out since we're going this way," Darnley replied while they were walking by the video game consoles.
Beckett smiled at him before they reached the skeeball games and she said, "Luckily we're even on this."
"Oh I know, and I love this game," Darnley replied, swiping his card. When the balls rolled down to him, he said, "What if we're tied with tickets?"
Unable to help laughing at that, Beckett said, "Then we'll have to stay at our own apartments tonight."
"Aw, don't say that," Darnley told her, shaking his head.
"Then you can stay at my place in the end," Beckett said. "But let's start the game before the machine shuts down." When her friend nodded, she reached for the first ball and rolled it, smiling when she got a 40. She kept rolling and looked at Darnley's game, seeing that he had gotten ten less than her. "Want to play again?" she asked him.
"That would be nice," Darnley replied before they were playing their second games. When they had finished, he laughed seeing he'd tied his friend that time and told her, "We should probably move on. You pick the next one."
"We should probably just stay here," Beckett replied, nodding to the next game.
"I was going to suggest it," Darnley told her. "I love knocking these clowns down since they're creepy enough."
Beckett laughed but she shook herself as they were playing side by side shortly after. They were throwing, going fast since the game had a time limit and when they finished, she saw her friend had beaten her, about to speak when he was first.
"Wow, I didn't expect that to happen," Darnley was saying.
"You can throw well," Beckett told him in mock exasperation.
"I know, but I wasn't expecting that," Darnley said with a grin. He continued to smile as she laughed and he said, "But this is fun."
"Do you want to play again?" Beckett asked him in amusement.
"That would be nice," Darnley replied. As they were swiping their cards again, he asked, "Are you planning on playing the basketball one?"
"Probably," was all Beckett had a chance to say as their games were both starting, and they began throwing again. When it was over, she found she had just barely won and told him, "We're still going by tickets right?" while they were taking them out of the machines.
"We are," Darnley replied. They started to go around the games in that section and when they finished using all the points on their card he asked, "Now what?"
"We take this over there," Beckett replied, nodding to the prize section. They went together to it and she let her friend get his tickets counted first. "Not bad," she told him.
"Oh wow, two tickets," Darnley said as Beckett's were counted, and she had two less than him. "I really didn't think I'd be able to do that," he told her seriously.
"I'm not surprised, but you get to stay at my place tonight," Beckett said, laughing when he suddenly hugged her tightly. "You're welcome."
"Believe me, I'm grateful you don't mind me staying over," Darnley replied. He kissed her cheek and said, "Disgusted?"
"Stop it," Beckett said laughingly as they would greet each other in the European fashion by kissing each other's cheeks. "I feel like a drink, so let's-" she started to say before she gasped as he was pulling her towards the prizes.
"I don't think we'll get anything; I just want to check out what they have to offer," Darnley explained to her.
Nodding, Beckett walked with him to look at the different items and when they were leaving to go to the bar said, "Nothing?"
"Those stuffed animals…" Darnley started to say, laughing as she was playfully slapping his arm.
"What do you want to drink?" Beckett asked as they went to the bar.
Studying the menu, Darnley said, "I guess this peach drink."
Beckett immediately ordered for them, getting the same drink herself before they were looking at the baseball games that were on the TV screens above them. "I never asked, do you like any particular team?" she asked her friend after they had their drinks, knowing that he did like baseball as well.
"Do you want me to be honest?" Darnley asked her.
"Okay," Beckett said slowly, wondering what he would say.
"The Dodgers," Darnley replied.
"How… why?" Beckett started to say before she changed her question.
"I'm not surprised you asked," Darnley said a with a smile. "I think it's because when I was a kid I went with my dad and brothers to a Nationals game. They were all rabid about the Nationals and since the Dodgers won… I kinda went towards their team. Plus I do love their blue."
Beckett laughed and said, "Does your family know about your preference?"
"Oh, no, no," Darnley said quickly, shaking his head. He then smiled and said, "I don't let them know, as far as they know I support the Nationals; I just hope they're never in the Series together."
Though she thought her friend should let them know, Beckett didn't say anything and they continued to watch the two games until they were finishing their drinks. "Okay," she said, watching him leaving a tip for the bartender. "Stop at your place?" she asked while they were leaving the restaurant.
"Yeah, but I'll be really fast," Darnley said, letting her catch a cab. Once they were at his apartment, he was getting a bag and stuffing clothes for the night and day in it. When they were at her place he said, "Should we watch a movie?"
"We should, it's not that late," Beckett replied as she looked at the time. She then went to the kitchen and got them some water before she called, "Should we find something on TV?"
"No, pick something from your collection," Darnley replied.
"Sure," Beckett said, looking at what she had though it wasn't that much. She finally chose one and showed it to her friend to see what he'd say.
"Awesome choice," Darnley said, nodding as she had a copy of the movie The Thin Man. "Although why do you have that?"
"My dad," Beckett said with a smile. "Kind of a joke but we watched the movie way back when I was a kid on TV once."
"Nice," Darnley said with a nod before they were settling on her couch since she'd put the DVD in her player.
As they were watching, Beckett was enjoying herself because she and Darnley were talking about the movie as things were going on, joking about how they would solve the murder in the movie way better. She was glad, while they laughed together at something he'd joked about, she had called him to go out that night instead of staying on her own.