PROP CHECK
In the Ferrari, Castle had hoped to dazzle Beckett with his driving skills again, but with Beckett behind the wheel all he could do was hold on and marvel as she wove in and out of traffic. They arrived on time making a striking entrance together. The green of Beckett's off-the-shoulder gown matched her eyes beautifully, making them dazzle even more, and Castle was at a loss for words as he took in the sight of her once again. He dashed around to the driver's side of the car and held out his hand for hers. Beckett laughed and let him take her hand as she stepped out from behind the driver's seat. Their eyes locked in the way that had been happening so often lately, and Beckett had that same faraway look in her eye that Castle wanted to understand. Dare I hope…
Castle had to force himself to move instead of happily melting into the moment and forgetting the rest of the world around them. The valet offer to take the keys from Beckett breaking the pair's gaze. Castle guided Kate inside the building with his hand at the small of her back without even realizing he was doing it. It felt so natural, the two of them walking in someplace together. But there was so much to talk about, so much he wanted still to say—especially with Josh out of the picture now—and much Castle wanted to ask. He meant what he had said on the couch, and Castle really wanted to say a lot more—timing! If only…
Inside were people swarming everywhere, mingling or arriving for the fund raising event. There were lots of 'off duties' from the 12th Precinct supporting Beckett, Martha with a collection of her acting friends, and a very happy group of representatives from the school. The dean whisked Beckett off in a whiff of green fabric and nervous smiles to introduce her to members of the board, while Martha slipped her arm around Castle's and gently directed him about introducing him to her friends and acting associates.
"Feeling better now that you've finally had a chance to see your muse in the flesh again?" Castle smiled a very happy smile, and Martha had to give him a playful swipe. "You really are a true romantic…" Martha finally released him to find her friends leaving Castle his first chance to talk to Esposito, Ryan, and Lanie since he had spotted them at the event. But the eternity of chattering wasn't over yet, as the Dean waved to him from across the room, stepping up to him just as he placed himself in front of the silent trio.
"You look like you could use a breather, Mr. Castle." said the dean.
"No, not at all. I just caught up with a few friends here I haven't had a chance to talk withfor a couple of weeks." His three cohorts exchanged glances with each other and him.
"We're getting ready to begin," said the dean. "How about I escort you and your friends through the back corridor of the auditorium. It will get them to their seats without being jostled, and I can get you to Beckett who is anxiously awaiting you on the stage. She seems to think you might get lost without some assistance."
"You need to be there for my girl, Castle." said Lanie. The guys shushed her, but she waved her hand at them. "I'm not under orders to ignore him, you all are. My girl needs a strong arm to hold, and he's it." Her comment was to both of her colleagues, but she was looking at Esposito with that don't-mess-with-me look.
Castle smiled his most boyish look with an extra twinkle in his eye when he spoke back to Lanie. "I'll take of her." Lanie rolled her eyes at him.
"You wish."
The dean, looking slightly confused, led them to a side door in the lobby marked STAFF ONLY and they followed her into an unpainted hallway. "It's a bit of an odd path at the moment," she said passing a taped stairwell as she walked. "We are working on remodeling and repairs; but most of the current construction and repair work is happening in the balcony areas." She paused to point up the stairwell of another taped stairwell going up. "They are all original parts of the old auditorium. That's why we've put the tape across the stairwells leading up to them. They are quite the mess at the moment." A young gentlemen called the dean by name from behind the group, and she excused herself for a few moments to speak to him.
"So, Castle," Lanie whispered. "Have you really not spoken to Beckett since Montgomery threw you out of the station."
"I was escorted out," he corrected; Ryan and Esposito snorted.
"Right," she said shooting the guys a strict look. "So you haven't heard anything about the letters?"
"Letters, what letters?" Castle asked her. The guys expressions changed quickly to something more serious, detective serious.
"Threats sent to Beckett about doing the fundraiser and bringing up the topic of her mother's murder into the media again." Castle was instantly concerned. The dean continued a rather animated argument with the young man not far from them, glancing at her watch as they spoke. Another person joined the pair and the talk became more lively. Castle looked over at the dean wondering if she knew about the threats, and if that was the real reason she was winding them through the back hallways of the auditorium before turning his attention back to his friends from the station.
"Does Beckett know?" he asked looking at the guys. Both of them looked away scratching behind their ears avoiding eye contact. "She didn't say anything when I went to pick her up," he said to Lanie, and she certainly didn't hint there was something wrong while she was doing my tie…" The guys raised their eyebrows, and Lanie slapped Esposito with the back of her hand because he was standing next to her. Annoyed with them, she continued.
"Uh-huh, she knew. And you know my girl isn't going to let a few threatening letters stop her from doing something. The dean offered to go on as planned without Becks, but she thought it might hurt the results for the fundraiser."
"So that's why so many officers are here armed…" The boys smiled because they knew Castle wouldn't have missed that detail. Ryan handed Esposito and Lanie some money. Both of the guys each pulled open their jackets to show Castle their holstered guns as well.
"But we are going to be on a stage in front of an auditorium full of people!" The alarm in his voice betrayed his concern and irritation that he was just finding all this out now at the fundraiser.
"We know," said Lanie, "but you know Beckett. She's going to go through with this no matter what."
"So keep an eye out, Castl…" Ryan slapped Esposito.
"You know we're not allowed to talk to him or tell him anything about this." Ryan said between clenched teeth. "The Captain said he would break us down to traffic duty." Esposito rolled his eyes.
"I just want him to know we have their backs!"
"That's why I'm doing the talking," said Lanie, her voice less than hushed. The dean turned and looked at them, mouthing a 'sorry' and dismissed her irritable companions with a wave. They headed back in the direction they came from and she headed back over to the group looking at her watch again.
"I'll keep my eye on the audience for anything out of the ordinary." Castle muttered to Lanie loud enough for the guys to hear too."
"I'm so sorry, a bit of the problem, but nothing to worry about," she said a bit shrill and overconfidently. "I need to get you up front. Follow me, please." She walked briskly down the hallway, passing a several people going in the opposite direction through the hallway. Castle looked over their faces with the guys, watching for anyone familiar or looking out of place. The dean stopped to fix a loose tape on a third stairwell and pointed to the door directly across from it. "Go through these doors and you'll be right up front. I believe all of you, except Mr. Castle of course, are sitting in the reserved section up at the front." The trio each gave Castle a serious look as they passed by him one by one out the door. Castle couldn't hold back the little whimper of jealously when he saw the brief hand grasp between Esposito and Lanie before they stepped through the door into the noisy crowd.
The dean led Castle up the rest of the hallway up to the stage area. They crossed from stage right around some cloth covered tables, giving Castle a chance to look out over the filling audience seating. The stage projected light out over nearly the entire body of the auditorium making it wonderfully easy to see the audience. "The higher room lights aren't operating at this time, but at the request of the Captain we have one traveling light that will be sweeping across the darker portion of the room, including the closed off balcony areas just as a precaution. He also has a several men monitoring the accessible upstairs hallway also as a precaution." The dean stopped and turned to Castle. "I had no idea that the case was still active. Kate told me you've been instrumental in discovering clues to solving her mother's case, that she might never have discovered the answers she has without you," her voice carried a combination of strain and admiration. "Do me a favor, Mr. Castle."
"If I can," he stammered taken aback by the woman's directness and what Beckett had shared with her.
"Try not to get the both of you killed in your search for the truth. We have enough martyrs for justice. Don't let her drown in this."
Castle nodded a stunned yes. "I won't let anything happen to her."
"Mr. Castle, it's been my experience that you can't control what you can't see."
"Castle!" Kate's voice echoed from across the left hand side of the stage. "Where have you been? Hurry up and get over here before they start!" Castle headed in Beckett's direction pulled by her voice, her green sparkling eyes, and her direct order. He couldn't hold back the thought that he may have helped to awake two sleeping dragons—the true killer of Kate's mother and a very different side of Katherine Beckett.