Chapter 3: Intentions, chances, and realizations.

Disclaimer: Here I am on Chapter 3 realizing I haven't written a single one of these. Well I hope you all know I am not Andrew Marlowe, unless of course he is a poor university student, and female. Which I'm pretty sure he's not, and I am, so unfortunately, sure I own nothing Castle related.


Ryan, Castle and Esposito were on round four or five, or something along those lines, at the Old Haunt. Castle had tried to plan a huge bachelor party, but after Ryan's wishes, they had decided on a small night of fun and drinking at the Castle's bar a week before the wedding.

"So Castle, what exactly are your intentions with our fine detective next weekend?" Esposito asked. They boys had been questioning him for weeks about the situation. He had already told them how they had gotten to the point of going together, and may have let slip a few details of how the two were closer than ever right now.

"You two will never let me be with this will you?" Castle asked with a sigh, taking another swig of his beer.

"Nope, sorry Castle, but we've got to protect our detective. We demand to know your intentions for this date." Ryan replied.

"Come on Castle, you have to tell us. You know we will just find out sooner or later anyways." Esposito added, as he went to pick up another round of beers for themselves.

"Fine, if you really want to know." Castle said with a sigh, it was going to be a long night.

"You guys know I have feelings for Beckett, that much is clear. I'm taking her to the Hamptons before the wedding. She has the weekend off and she should get a chance to relax, and I've been dying to get her out there. I figured I would get a room at the hotel where the reception is being held too. It will have two rooms, two beds; it will be up to her at the end of the night. But I want to lay it all on the line, tell her how much I care for her and want to be with her. If she shoots me down than we are partners and friends, nothing more, but I really hope that's not the case." Castle finished his little speech and looked at the two men sitting across from him.

"Well Ryan you know what this means," Esposito replied.

"Why yes, I believe I do Esposito."

"Castle is growing up! What are we going to do when he doesn't want to play with us anymore and he's all grown up with Beckett and spending all his time with her?" Esposito joked, the guys were both laughing and playing around with it. Castle was glad, the night was supposed to be fun, and although it took a bit of a more serious turn there he was glad they were able to play it up.

"Well boys, I had to grow up eventually. And its not like I don't spend all my time with Beckett now." He laughed along with the boys.

"That you have right Castle, don't think we haven't noticed her sneaking out early with you." Esposito gave him a more serious look and then laughed. The boys clinked their beers together.

If Castle had any luck they were all going to be paired off soon, Ryan married to Jenny, Esposito and Lanie in their serious relationship and hopefully he and Beckett finally taking that plunge. He was glad that this night made it clear they would still be able to have fun as the guys even if that were to happen.


"Kate, are you even paying attention to what I am saying?" Lanie asked her. "You've been spaced out all day. What is going on in that pretty little head of yours girl?" She asked. "Whatever it is it can wait, we need to find dresses for this wedding. As much as Castle would love for you to go naked, I'm sure Ryan and Jenny wouldn't appreciate that."

Kate was brought back to reality at Lanie words of Castle and naked, because that was helping her case right now. Castle had dropped the bombshell on her last night that he expected her to go along with each and every one of his plans for the weekend of the wedding. Apparently he was taking the fact that she was his date very seriously. He didn't give her a clue into any of these plans that he spoke of, but Beckett was good, she would get some information out of him in the next two weeks.

"It's Castle and the fact that you are his wedding date isn't it? Who am I kidding, of course it is." Lanie added. "Have you finally come to your senses about that man?"

"I don't know what you're talking about Lanie." Kate replied. "We are just going to the wedding together because neither of us wanted to go alone or drag along another person, it's not a big deal." Kate had been trying to play the its not a big deal angle for weeks now. Ever since it had gotten out that her and Castle would be going to the wedding together. But she knew that was the farthest thing from the truth.

"Girl, it's a huge deal." Lanie scolded. "You two are each others dates, and from what I've heard he's got big plans." Had Kate told Lanie about Castle saying he was planning stuff for the weekend? Or did she get that from somewhere else. She honestly couldn't remember. Her mind was anywhere but on dress shopping today.

"Okay, we are going to a different store. You are not here with me at all. Lets get you out of your head and into dress shopping right now, because at this rate you will be going to the wedding naked." Kate laughed as Lanie dragged her out of the store and out into the cold New York winter. They had closed three cases this week and this was the first chance her or Lanie had gotten a break to find dresses since the invitations had gone out.

So now Kate Beckett was hunting the streets of New York, with her best friend, for the perfect dress to wear. She wanted Castle's jaw to drop when he saw her. Not that that would be particularly difficult, Castle was always wowed when she got dressed up, but she really wanted to make him see her in a different light at the wedding.

"Alright, now we are finding you a dress in here. This is one of the biggest dress stores in the city. There has to be one." Lanie announced pulling her into the nearest dress shop.

"Lanie, I'm telling you, just pick something out and I'll wear it. You know I'm not picky." Kate said with a sigh, she didn't mind shopping, but she swore they had been at this all day.

"We are going to make writer boy's jaw drop Kate, which means we don't need just any dress. We need the perfect dress." Kate smiled at Lanie's comment, even with her downplaying the situation she was glad that secretly the two women were on the same page.


Before Kate knew she was being shoved into a dressing room with what looked like the entire dress selection in the store.

"Let's go Kate, I don't want to spend all day here, get your head in the game!" Lanie yelled to her from the other side of the door. They had found Lanie a dress earlier in the day, one of the first she tried on, and here Kate was, trying on what felt like her millionth dress of the day, with no such luck.

She pulled the first dress off its hanger, admiring it. It was a gorgeous dress, definitely something that would make Castle swallow his tongue, she thought. She put the dress on and circled watching herself in the mirror. It hit mid thigh, exactly the length she wanted. It was tight, but not too tight for the formal occasion that the wedding was going to be. The beaded halter straps made her eyes pop and the cut out at the back was in the exact spot that Castle loved to rest his hands. Which meant he would be coming in contact with her skin all night, and the thought made her blush, this was definitely the dress.

As she stepped out of the fitting room to show Lanie she saw the semi-evil grin form on her friends face.

"Damn girl." Lanie said standing up and eyeing Kate in the dress. "He is not going to know what hit him. Or be able to keep his hands off you all night." Late smiled and Kate found herself looking at the ground, not wanting Lanie to see the full effect of her comment, as a grin spread across Kate's face.

"And don't think I don't see that smile and blush Kate Beckett. You can't hide anything from me. I know you are excited for this wedding for much more than the ceremony. And to be honest, I'm glad you're finally giving him a chance Kate. You both deserve it."

Busted, was all Kate could think. "Thanks Lanie," she replied. "I really can't hide a thing from you."

"And you call yourself a detective…" Lanie said with a laugh. "Now get your butt out of that dress and lets go grab lunch so you can tell me just how excited you are for this night!"

Kate listened, changed back into her jeans and winter wear, so the two could head off to chat the day away. Kate Beckett was excited for a date, or a kind of date. She really didn't know what Castle was thinking this was exactly. I mean he had asked her to be his date, but he hadn't said it in that many words. It had been more of a casual thing. But then after their conversation over dinner last night, she had just been left more confused.

"How's the Thai?" Castle asked her. They were spending the night in at his place watching Serenity. After a week full of cases it was what they both needed.

"Delicious," Kate replied. "How's yours?"

"Amazing as always," he said taking his spot next to her on the couch.

"Oh I had been meaning to tell you," He started. "For the wedding weekend, don't even think about planning anything. Pack a bag with the stuff you will need for the night and leave the rest up to me."

"Cas-" She started but was cut off by his finger being placed over her lips.

"Nope, don't start Kate. You are my date and you have to go along with each and everything I plan. No ifs, ands, or butts." He finished pulling his hand away from her. She was speechless. She didn't have any words left in her brain to say to him. And it wasn't exactly a normal thing for Kate Beckett to be left speechless.

"Umm, okay. I guess, Castle. But no funny business." She said with a stern look on her face, which didn't last long as he turned to match her look and she broke out into a smile.

"Why of course not, Detective Beckett, how could you even think I would do such a thing." He feigned hurt, a hand going over his 'broken' heart.

"But really Kate, the weekend will be my treat, I mean I did ask you to be my date. It's the least I can do."

Kate smiled at the thought of the conversation. My date. She was thinking that this was meaning the exact same thing to Castle as it was to her. It made her stomach turn with nerves and anticipation. She doubted that one simple night would really change all that much between them, they were just going to a wedding together, it wasn't the huge deal that everyone was making it out to be, she didn't think, or was it? The more she over analyzed, the more she found herself confused and questioning everything. The weekend just had to get there quicker, because once it came she was sure she would finally be able to stop questioning things. It was going to be a good weekend; things finally being cleared up between them, at least that was what she hoped.


Thank you to all my readers and reviewers. You guys are seriously amazing. And I know I said I would have this up yesterday, but the ending gave me some issues, so thank you for your patience! Please let me know what you thought of this chapter! Just hit that button right there and leave me a few words, (or a lot, I'd be okay with either really!) and I hope to have the next chapter up for you guys tomorrow night. Chapter four has been giving me a ton of issues, but I'm working with it and its finally starting to get there! As always, I hope you liked this chapter! And I'm really excited for what the next two hold for our favourite non-couple!

-Jenn

Ps. (If, of course, you are still reading this) Longest chapter yet! It just went on and on and I hope it didn't drag too much. But there was a ton to fit in!