So I had the idea to do this a while ago and I wrote it down so I wouldn't forget and found it yesterday and this is the result. I hoe you like it.
What if Castle had seen the look on Beckett's face as he was leaving with Gina?
There was something off about her voice when she had said See you in the fall? But Castle couldn't place it, not quite. She sounded almost unsure and vulnerable but in all the time he had known Beckett he had rarely heard her sound like that when she was talking to him, especially not when they were talking about something as simple as the fall.
As the lift doors shut he caught one last glance of the detective as she looked at the ceiling and then at the floor. He frowned but then the doors shut and Gina quickly caught his attention asking him about his progress so far on the book. The lift stopped on the robbery floor and Castle sighed none too lightly, not that Gina noticed as she continued to speak. Castle had no problem with the robbery detectives; he thought they did a great job. However he didn't want to see Demming, not when he knew that Demming and Beckett were going to be spending the weekend together.
As some of the robbery detectives filled in, making the lift seem even smaller than it actually was, Castle heard Demming's voice. Unwillingly he tuned into to what the other man was saying as he saw him just outside the interrogation rooms. "Turns out I will be here this weekend," he told the man Castle guessed was his partner, "We broke up and I don't really fancy going up there on my own."
Castle saw the partner nod in understanding as the lift doors slid shut and he suddenly understood what had been wrong with Beckett. The reason she had been so gung ho in the conference room and why she had seemed nervous when she had pulled him aside was because she wanted to tell him that she and Demming had broken up. As the lift stopped on the ground floor he had a thought that maybe Beckett was going to tell him that she would like to go to the Hamptons with him.
"Richard," Gina said loudly beside him, "Are we going to get out of this lift or are we going to ride back up again?"
"What?" he said, shaking his head, "Oh yeah." They stepped out but before Gina could make her way to the door Castle stopped her. "Gina, I'm further ahead then I let on, with the book I mean."
"Ok?" Gina said, clearly not understanding where this was going.
Castle took a breath and led them over towards the wall so they were out of the way of everyone moving around in the precinct foyer. "I know last night that we had a good talk but do you really think this time we can make it work? The only reason I invited you was because I didn't want to be on my own up in the house, with Alexis away at Princeton and mother away acting I thought maybe you would like to come."
Gina nodded and said, "I know we probably wouldn't make it again Rick, the whole reason we divorced was because all we did was argue. One phone call isn't going to change that."
Castle nodded, "I'll have the car drop you home or at the office or where ever you want to go."
"Are you not coming with me?" Gina questioned, although she suspected she already knew the answer.
He shook his head, "I left something up in homicide that I need to get."
Gina nodded, clearly not believing him. "I want your draft in soon Richard."
He nodded and watched as she headed out of the door and out onto the street before he walked back to the lift and pushed the button, calling it to the floor he was on. As he waited he rocked on his feet slightly, impatient to get back up to the homicide floor and Beckett. The lift stopped and after everyone on it got off he got on and pushed the button for the right floor.
Once the lift doors opened he headed quickly to the conference room, where he could still hear the others. He stopped at the door, noticing that Beckett wasn't there.
"Forget something?" Lanie asked in a cold voice.
Castle nodded, "I did yeah." He knew he deserved the looks he was getting from everyone; they no doubt knew that Beckett and Demming had broken up. "I was wondering if you knew where Beckett was?"
Lanie smiled slightly as she said, "I think she said something about coffee."
Castle nodded and spun on his heels. He headed towards the break room. He didn't want to speculate about why she was having coffee while the rest of her team and the Captain were drinking beer but he guessed it was because she wanted to be on her own.
He paused in the doorway and watched her for a moment and then he cleared his throat quietly. Beckett stiffened and turned to face him, holding an empty coffee mug in her hand. "I thought you would have been on your way by now Castle," she said when she saw who it was, "Did you forget something?"
Castle moved closer wordlessly. Once he was standing in front of her he asked in a low voice, "What were you really going to say to me before Gina turned up."
Beckett shrugged and looked away, "Nothing important Castle."
"I think it was important," Castle said in a low voice, his eyes flicking from the side of her face to where her hands were playing with the mug she was still holding. "I'm pretty sure you were about to ask me if the offer to come to the Hamptons was still open."
"Oh," Beckett said still not looking at him, "And what makes you think that?"
"A few things really," Castle said, taking a small step back to give her some space, he could see that she was obviously uncomfortable and while normally he would have enjoyed that right now he was trying to be serious. "Like the look on your face when Gina walked up." He saw her flinch slightly at the mention of Gina's name and knew that he was right. "And that I heard Demming telling his partner that you'd broken up."
Beckett spun to face him, causing him to take another small step back. "So what if I was Castle?" she said, "You're going with your ex-wife, it's not like you need me along is it."
Castle shook his head. He reached out and took the coffee mug out of the strangle hold Beckett had it in as he spoke, "Gina was only coming because I didn't want to be on my own to think about you and Demming, if she was there she would have been a distraction when I needed one."
They were silent for a moment before Beckett said, "Really?"
Castle nodded, "I told her the truth about the book, that it was further along than I had let her think and then I sent her back to her apartment. The only person I want coming to the Hamptons with me is you."
Beckett was silent as her eyes flicked to his lips and then back to his eyes. As they held each other's gaze Beckett could see the truth in Castle's eyes while he could see the decision in hers.
"Ok," she said with a nod, "I'll come with you Castle, if you really want me to."
Castle beamed and moved forward. "Will you shoot me if I give you a hug?"
"Hm," Beckett said with a smirk, "I think I can live with a hug."
Castle wrapped her arms around her and felt as her arms wrapped around his waist. "Just as well I came back," Castle mused, "If I hadn't then we both would have had a miserable weekend and probably summer."
"Little sure of yourself aren't you Castle," Beckett said as she pulled away.
Castle shrugged. Beckett smiled, "Give me five minutes to tell the Captain I'm taking the weekend off and then we can go ok."
Castle smiled and nodded happily. Beckett laughed at his face, "You really wanted me to come with you didn't you?"
Castle nodded again, "I think it's time to try and give us a chance."
"You know what Castle," Beckett said, pausing at the doorway to the break room, "I think so too."
Castle was too shocked to speak for a moment and when he caught up with Beckett she was stood outside the conference room talking to the Captain. "Yes sir, the weekend and then possibly a little longer."
Montgomery looked between Castle and Beckett and smiled, "Have fun detective, Castle."
Behind him, in the conference room, Castle could see that Ryan, Esposito and Lanie were all watching the proceedings with interest. Beckett smiled and nodded and then turned to Castle. "You coming Castle?"
He nodded and walked over to her. They both waved to the three in the room before heading towards the lift. Castle put his arm around Beckett's shoulder slowly, not knowing if she would appreciate it. He need not have worried however because Beckett put her arm around his waist.
Castle was glad that he had come back up and so was Beckett, they both knew that this weekend would change everything.