Title: The Right Kind of Hangover- Hard Time with Castle
Rating: M
Pairing: Castle/Beckett
Disclaimer: Thank you, Marlowe, for your viewing pleasure / creating Castle was the best endeavor / and to you, I give great credit / because without you, I'd have nothing to edit.
Author's Note: Um… hi, guys. I think I owe you big time.

Castle: You didn't write.
Me: I know.
Castle: For days.
Me: I know.
Castle: And you left everyone hanging.
Me: I know. It's called babysitting, migraines, and a very busy weekend. And a very busy workday yesterday.
Castle: Excuses, excuses. You know, Alexis could probably do twice that in half the time.
Me: Yes, and that's why she's a supergenius. Be proud. Your spawn will take over the world.
Castle: *grins* That's my girl!

Lori and sillyluvsRW, thank you for reviewing! You guys rock! And thanks everyone for the views! I got 12,000+ now? What? How's that work? I don't know, but I appreciate it immensely. Thanks!

Sorry, y'all. I meant to write, but if wishes were fishes, I'd fill an ocean. Doesn't make it real, and I am severely sorry that I kept you waiting for so very long. Y'all were probably gripping your monitors and going, "WHAT HAPPENS NEXT! WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! I HAVE TO KNOW…" Oh wait, that was Castle.

Castle: You know, I'm still here.
Me: I know. That's what makes it all the more fun to say. :)
Beckett: Castle, you hijacked my author's note? What?
Castle: Ummm… I can explain.
Beckett: Just wait 'till we get home…
Castle: I like the sound of that, the "we get home" part, but at the same time, I don't like the sound of that…

Enjoy.

Kate fumed. Why? When the heck did speeding result in spending some time in the slammer? Why? She kicked at the bars in frustration and seethed. When she pulled over, expecting a warning or a ticket or something, she was extremely, unpleasantly surprised when the arresting officer ordered them all to evacuate the car, grab their belongings, and stuff themselves in the back of the police cruiser. How embarrassing! And to make matters worse, when one paparazzi was avoided, another just "happened" to be right there at the corner of North and Main, ready to snap a few shots with his cell camera. Not to mention all the other people who walked by, anxious to get a shot of the famous writer, the hot ex-cop, the Ferrari, or the fact that someone was getting pulled over. Or all of it.

Ugh, and she could still smell the acrid stench of salty sweat, copper blood, and other things not worth mentioning from the fabric of the seats.

"This is your fault."

Castle was sitting behind her, running his fingers through his brown hair in thought. "Yeah. I know."

"It's your fault. You had to be famous. You had to take me out shopping."

"Yes, I know, Beckett. It's my fault."

She knew he was acquiescing to either take the blame or tick her off, and she wasn't sure which annoyed her more. "Why did he bring us here, anyway?"

"Well, given the fact that you were going about 15 or 20 over, I'm sort of not surprised." They exchanged glances and he shrugged. "This is going to be one of those stories I really don't want to tell my mother when she gets home…" He was silent for a moment, letting it sink in or something, but then he breached the subject she didn't want to talk about. "You don't have your badge anymore?"

Kate shook her head, frustrated. "No."

"Why? Were you fired? Did you quit? Why didn't you tell me that sooner?"

"Because I didn't want to."

That didn't go over well. He closed his eyes. "Why didn't you want to? That's definitely one of those important little niggles that we should talk about. You're not alone anymore, Kate. Hate to have to tell you this but you're in a relationship now. With me. That warrants a little explanation when you got something major going on, or something has happened."

"Maybe I didn't want to tell you!" She shot back, gritting her teeth.

"Maybe you should've done it anyway!"

"I don't have to tell you everything!"

"You know, this… I can't…" He slammed a fist on the bench and hissed. "Beckett, what the heck? Even after all of this, you still don't trust me?"

She shook her head, and kicked herself because the pain on his face took it as acknowledgement, not disavowing his statement. "No, wait, Castle!"

He shook his head and glared. "After all I did…"

"Castle, no, that's… that's not it. Look, I'm sorry! I didn't… I didn't mean it like that…" Kate sighed, frustration seeping from every step she took to sit down next to him, clutch his arm and kissing his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Castle. That's not what I meant. I trust you. I always have. I just… I didn't want to tell you because I thought…"

"Thought what?"

"I don't know. That you would be mad at me or something."

Castle's eyebrows raised, blue eyes bright but extremely confused. "What?"

"I don't know. I mean, that badge… that was a part of me. A big, big part of me. I don't know, I just thought that, now that I don't have it… that you'd be disappointed in me, or something. All this time, being a detective, tracking down criminals and solving murders, that all defined my life. Mom was a big part of that too; without her and without knowing who her murderer was, I turned to the force and it got me through. It's part of who I am. Or was," she added wistfully. "I didn't… I didn't know how to tell you because I didn't know how to tell myself either. I could barely remember what it was like not to be a cop, and suddenly I wasn't one. It's a level of freedom but it's a level of uncertainty too. Of instability." She reached for his hand and was pleasantly surprised when he traced circles on hers with his thumb. "I've been Detective Beckett for awhile. I don't know how to just be Kate. And when I got a chance to be, I didn't want you or me to worry about how I got there. I just wanted to be with you, and sort out everything later. Does that make sense?"

He smiled, nonchalant. "Well, when you put it that way, it makes sense. I thought it was me who did something wrong, something to warrant your distrust. I'm sorry too."

"You didn't do anything wrong, Castle." Kate reached for his face, pulled it towards hers and blushingly laid a sweet, tender kiss on his lips. "You did everything right. All of it, every second of it. You did everything right."

The sound of screeching metal announced the arrival of someone that, upon both of their stares, was all but welcomed then. Blonde, model thin, gorgeous, Gina Cowell adjusted her black shoulder bag, rolled her eyes, and shook her head at them, smirking absently when they both unconsciously scooted away from each other. "You know, I don't mind if you two do the whole Bonnie and Clyde thing, but maybe you should stick to doing that on the job or in the bedroom, not where it could get you thrown in the slammer."

Castle groaned. "Gina, why are you here?"

"Captain Gates called me. Apparently, since Martha wasn't available and you're… well, in here… I'm next on the emergency contact list that you have for Alexis. She's fine, by the way, waiting in the break room. I don't think the PD is going to hold her accountable for anything." She nodded to the two of them on the other side of the bars. "So, what stupid thing did you two do now?"

Kate gritted her teeth. "Nothing. Can you get us out of here?"

"I can't, but I can try and get the charges dropped. That's why I came to talk to Rick. I didn't know you two would be getting cozy in the cell, though."

Castle stared at Gina. "We weren't."

"Well, you two are sleeping with each other, right?"

"Who says we were?" replied Kate.

Gina shrugged. "He dedicates two books to you and writes three. With the next one hot off the press in a few months. You really want to get into semantics?" She shook her head. "If you two weren't sleeping together before, you probably are now. At least, that's how I figured it. Anyway, I want to talk to my ex-husband, and there's someone on the other side of the door over there," she pointed behind her, "that wanted to talk to you, Beckett. He said it was important."

"The more the merrier," she muttered. "Sure. Maybe after all this, we can go back home like normal people." The door screeched again, and after a glace towards it, a hiss escaped her throat. "What are you doing here?"

Castle's confusion and Gina's dumbfoundedness, combined with her rage, clearly made the man standing there feel completely uncomfortable, as deeply unnerved as the sorrow in his sky blue, Irish eyes. "Hi, Kate. Castle."

Kate glared at him, lips pursed. "No. Get out of here, Detective."

Kevin Ryan looked like a little kid with his balloon popped, but he stood his ground and set his chin, trying to ruffle his already ruffled feathers. "No, please. I need to talk to you, Kate. And Gina's got to talk to Castle. Please?"

Little Brother really needed to grow up. Tough. Love. "No."

He flinched. "Come on, Beckett. Please? I want to… want to set the story straight. Please, don't make me beg."

She scowled. "Why should I?"

"Beckett." Castle said quietly, almost inaudible. "Do it."

"What?"

"Just do it. You won't be long. And neither will I. And then, we get to put all this stuff behind us and go home. How's that?"

Kate hated it when he gave her his pleading puppy dog eyes too, and she felt her resolve melt. "Fine," she muttered, and got up, shooting dirty looks at Ryan. "Lead the way, Detective Ryan."