Castle was surprised to see the caller ID displaying an incoming call as that of Gina, since it had been around three months since he'd stood her up at the Hamptons. The only other contact had been via e-mail or through her assistant. He wasn't sure if he could ever repair that relationship but after what he saw back at the twelfth that day he felt his whole balance shift and Gina undeservedly had become one of the casualties as a result of the fallout.
Castle reluctantly took Gina's call and after a somewhat strained thirty minute conversation, Castle had some thinking to do. For the release of Castle's latest Nikki Heat novel 'Dry Heat' Black Pawn publishing wantrd a more interesting book launch to ensure the series remained popular. The two locations on offer at this stage were Africa and Australia. Castle loved both locations and as a writer it amused him that they both started with 'A' and finished with 'a'.
...
After spending four hours being briefed by Captain Montgomery on the special three month assignment ahead of them, which was to be headed up by the (LTS) Leadership Training Section of the NYPD and run by the NSW Police Leadership team in Sydney, Australia, Beckett and Demming had started handing over their cases to their colleagues and were planning what they were going to pack as they were flying out in two days time.
Beckett, Esposito and Ryan all caught up for farewell drinks the night before Beckett and Demming were due to leave. As they normally drink at the same cop bar as most of the twelfth they bumped into Demming and invited him to join them. Lanie was able to meet up with them around ninety minutes later but the others were well on the way of being inebriated.
Beckett sat back admiring her friends and enjoying their company. The only thing missing was Castle's presence and Beckett was certain that she wasn't the only one who felt it. She hadn't heard from him since he left for the Hamptons with Gina three months ago and she wasn't about to call him although she often contemplated it.
A few rounds later and Beckett had forgotten how charming Demming could be and was really enjoying his flirting making her wonder if they might give their relationship another try especially seeing as though they were about to spend the next three months together. So whem Demming leaned in and started nuzzling and sucking her neck she suprised herself by not pulling away and enjoying knowing she was getting wet with anticipation while feeling Deeming's member hardening by the second as he pressed himself against her. She began stroking him through his jeans and he was reacting to her touch.
Meanwhile Castle had been wandering along the streets of New York that same night with no other purpose other than to think. He came across a familiar bar that he had shared a drink or two with the gang at the twelfth. Castle thought about going in on the off chance he might see Ryan or Esposito but the chance that Beckett and Demming might be there was too much for him to handle. Yep, three months later and he still wasn't over it, he whished the hell that he was over it but there you have it. As Castle passed the windows of the bar he glanced through and nearly stopped dead in his tracks when next to Lanie, Ryan and Esposito he spotted Demming nuzzling Beckett's neck. He felt proud when his first response was not to vommit but to go in and pull Demming off her. Instead he hastened his speed and headed straight home where he knew a nice bootle of scotch awaited him.
One week later...