Chapter 4

Beckett strolled back from the break room. In her hand was a steaming mug of coffee she had brewed from the espresso machine that Castle had donated not long after he had started shadowing her. Few gifts were more welcome than the coffee machine by all and sundry.

A glance at her watch told her that she still had a couple of hours to go before her shift finished. For an hour after storming out of Captain Montgomery's office she had been silently stewing at being ordered to take leave. Her anger had waned not long after she got stuck into the remaining paperwork.

So far there had been no sign of Castle. He had told her that he would be back but had neglected say what time he would return. She dreaded his return because she still did not know what to say to him.

Reaching her desk she took a sip of the coffee and set the mug on her desk. She dropped into her chair letting out a sigh. What was she going to say to Castle? For the past couple of hours she had been going back and forth. One moment she resolved to tell Castle no, only to change her mind in the next moment and agree to go to Australia with him only to go back to the first decision. This indecision was starting to give her a headache.

As she rubbed her temples her eyes spotted the dog-eared paperback sitting in front of her computer screen. A frown creased her brow as she reached over and picked up the book. It was titled The Dinkum Dictionary, A Ripper Guide to Aussie English. Beckett looked over to Esposito and Ryan and saw them looking in her direction. Ryan was trying to look innocent while Esposito had a grin on his face.

"Esposito, what the hell is this?" Beckett demanding holding up the book.

"I thought you might need it." Esposito replied, his grin growing. "Seeing as your going to Australia."

Beckett gave him one of her death stares but that only made Esposito grin more. He rose from his chair and walked to her desk.

"It's an Aussie English dictionary, Beckett. It'll come in handy when you're down there."

"I haven't decided to go yet."

"You will." Esposito said with certainty.

A thought occurred to her as she regarded the grinning Esposito.

"Have you got money riding on this?"

"I might have."

"But I definitely have." Said Detective Ryan coming to stand beside his partner.

Beckett shook her head at the two of them. She knew that over the past three years a great number of bets had been made concerning herself and Castle. Every now and then someone in the precinct was running an office pool.

"You might lose your money, Ryan." Beckett said.

"It wouldn't be the first time." Ryan said shrugging his shoulders. Then a grin appeared on his face. "But I have a good feeling about this one."

"Have you now?"

"Yeah."

"Seriously Beckett you're going to need that dictionary." Esposito said changing the subject.

"Last time I checked Esposito, Australians spoke English." Beckett replied as she set the book down.

"It might be English but it ain't no English you've heard."

Beckett raised a questioning eyebrow up at him.

Detective Esposito folded his arms across his chest and leaned against the desk.

"Back in the day, we conducted a joint training exercise with a group of Australian Special Forces guys." He told her. "After the exercises were over we got together over a few beers. Man I gotta tell you I couldn't understand them. I kept asking 'what did you say?' So one their guys takes pity on me and pulls out that book and gave it to me. After that things were bonzer."

"What?" Beckett said, frowning.

Esposito grinned. He nodded to the book.

"Look it up Beckett."

With that both Esposito and Ryan returned to their desks. Beckett watched them depart and heard them snigger to themselves. She rolled her eyes as she shook her head. She reached for the book and flipped through the yellowing pages searching for the word.

Bonzer/Bonza:

excellent; terrific; very good.

A smile appeared on her lips as she read what the word meant. Intrigued she began to leaf through the pages slowly studying some of the words and phrases that caught her eye. It didn't take her long to become engrossed by the book and lose track of time.

"Well Detective Beckett, I see you've made your decision."

Beckett was so startled by Castle's voice that the she dropped the book onto her desk.

"Castle.!" She hissed. "I wish you wouldn't sneak up on me like that."

"Where would be the fun in that?" He replied cheerfully. He sat down in his chair and smiled at her.

Beckett rolled her eyes at him but that only made him smile even more.

"So?"

"So?" She repeated.

"Have you made your decision?" He ventured with an expectant look on his face.

Beckett instinctively bit her lower lip as she gathered her thoughts. A flutter of panic swept through her. Had she made a decision? The words, yes, no, yes,no... maybe, rolled around in her head. She looked away from Castle's gaze.

"Kate." Castle said gently. Beckett turned to look at him. The smile on his face had faded and was replaced by a serious and hopeful visage. "If it helps at all, I promise to be a gentleman. Hand on heart."

Beckett could not help but smile when she saw him put his hand on his heart.

"I guarantee we'll have fun." He added.

"Your idea of fun and my idea of fun are two different things, Castle."

"Two lots of fun, even better." Castle chortled.

Her indecision was writ large across Beckett's face. Castle would have to have been blind not to see it. He saw his opening and moved in.

"Kate do you trust me?"

Beckett's eyebrows shot up in surprise as she looked at him. She half expected some lame joke or remark to punctuate his question but he did not speak further just held her gaze and waited. Did she trust him? After all that had happened to them over the past three years he had to ask that question? There was no one that she trusted more. He had always been there for her when the chips were down whether she wanted him to be or not. Oh yes she trusted him.

She answered his question with a nod of her head, fearing to hear the sound of her own voice.

Was that a look of relief that flickered in his eyes that she caught sight of, she wondered? It came as a shock to her when she realised how important that was to him.

"Then trust me on this." Castle said in a low voice. "Come with me to Australia."

Beckett dragged her eyes off his ruggedly handsome face. Why was this difficult she wondered to herself. There was nothing to keep her here. Captain Montgomery had seen to that. She didn't have any excuse. All she had to say was one little word.

It was at that moment that she noticed that not only were Esposito and Ryan were looking at her but most of the people in the bullpen. The place had gone quiet. They were all waiting to hear what decision she had made. The confused look on her face was instantly replaced with an angry frown. There was money riding on what she decided, again.

"Kate?"

"What Castle?" Beckett said as she turned to look at him.

"Well?"

Beckett let out a long sigh. "All right...yes...I'll come to Australia with you."

She was stunned by the smile that leaped to his face. It stretched from ear to ear. She felt warmed by its glow and it melted away the frown she had been wearing. She returned his smile.

"Yes!" He exclaimed and jumped to his feet unable to contain his excitement. "Come on Beckett there's things to do and little time to do it."

Beckett barely had time to grab her bag and keys not to mention the dictionary before Castle took her by the hand and hauled her out of her chair and practically dragged her in the direction of the lift.

"Guys we're off to Australia" Castle called out. "See you in two weeks."

"Have a great holiday." Ryan called out, waving to them. "Don't forget to send a post card."

Esposito fixed his partner with a look. "Do they still have postcards, Bro?"

"I dunno. " Ryan shrugged. "Hey did I see them holding hands?"

"Yeah." Esposito had an amused look on his face.

Ryan smiled at his partner and held out his hand.

Esposito frowned as he dug his hand into his trouser pocket and extracted a tattered fifty dollar bill. Slowly he passed it over to his partner. This fifty dollar bill had been going back and forth between the two detectives for the past three years that neither of them knew who the original owner had been.

"Easiest fifty dollars I've ever made, Bro." Ryan grinned as he folded the bill and placed it in his shirt pocket.

Both detectives started laughing as they got their things ready and head out.

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