Hey, guys! Long times, no see! Sorry I haven't updated in a while but I've been working on my entry for the 2014 Castle Hiatus Ficathon (which is now over) and it took all my time, but I'm done and I'm back and I'm going to try to be on a regular schedule, which means I will be updating every Friday from now on. Anyways, enjoy!

Chapter Eight

They buried the body at sea—not that they really had much of a choice in the matter.

Castle had been none too happy upon hearing that his daughter witnessed her first death while he'd been sacked out, but got over it rather quickly when Lanie explained that she'd declared him 'sleeping' and they hadn't the heart to correct her. His relief over her innocence was just barely overshadowed by the fact that she'd learned to say a new word. He chose to focus on that.

"She's speaking?" he asked. "I mean, other than the usual 'hello' and 'Papa', that is; truly?"

Lanie nodded, smiling softly and a bit sadly. She'd been unable to focus at all on anything other than that poor boy, whose body now resided below their feet. Finally, after he'd laid her down for a nap, Castle had suggested the idea of what he had dubbed a 'Viking funeral'.

"I heard about them years ago," he'd told Kate and anybody else who'd listen. "The Scandinavians send the body of their fallen out on boats and set them on fire to burn the body. Bloody brilliant, if you ask me." He was grinning, but it slowly fell from his face as he saw the grim faces of the crew all around them. "In a completely morbid fashion, I mean," he added. "But I think it would be an appropriate way to pay respects to this young man, don't you agree, Captain?" His bright blue eyes implored Captain Beckett, whose focus was also on the young man resting below deck, in a cold, damp cell. She just wanted him to be gone, to act as if it never happened; maybe then she'd be able to sleep tonight.

So she agreed. Ordered Ryan and Esposito and Eustace to clean the body and was shocked when Lanie offered to wrap him in one of her own handmade blankets.

"On my island," she said, softly, "we had our own traditions." Then she was gone, leaving no room for argument or even a single question.

Meanwhile, Castle and Tory constructed a float out of driftwood and spare rope, doing as well as they could to make a boat for him with what little they had available. In the end, though, the boy's feet dangled from the edge. Lanie had wrapped the gangly, skinny body in a colorful blanket made from yarn and lace, with abstract patterns running all along it, as if telling a story. His body had been stripped and cleaned before being wrapped and as the boys carried him out, he looked as delicate as an infant, which didn't make the process any easier for any of them.

When it was time to lower him, Antonio and Paulo and Esposito lowered him into the water, each pirate taking off his or her hat as he floated a safe distance from the ship. Jenny had a handkerchief held to her face, wiping at silent tears as they watched the boy's body bob in the water. Ryan reached out to lay a tentative hand on her shoulder and she leaned towards him, allowing him to comfort her.

Kate was the first to toss a torch—just a piece of driftwood lit on fire. It just caught the side of the float, starting the fire spreading. One by one, the rest of the crew threw torches of their own, until the entire thing was engulfed in flames. They watched as, against the setting sun, the boy's body went up in flames, burning even as it sunk, until there was nothing in sight, but for a single piece of charred driftwood.

"May he rest in peace," Kate said, firmly and heartfelt. All eyes turned to her and she allowed them to see but one of the dozen or so tears she'd shed over the death of this unknown person they were all now mourning, before ordering them to get back to work. Jenny and Antonio set off towards the kitchen while Eustace and Paulo argued about whom would take first shift steering for the night. Esposito and Ryan pulled up the anchor and got about setting the sails up to return to their trip.

As they all did this, Lanie excused herself, claiming that she needed to go over her medical books, but both Kate and Castle could see the tears brimming in her eyes. For a moment, it looked as if Kate would allow her friend to just leave, but, to Castle's surprise, she grabbed her instead, pulling her in for a tight hug. Lanie sobbed into Kate's shoulder as the taller woman rubbed her back, whispering soothing words into her ear. Castle felt like an intruder on their own private moment, but he couldn't force himself to look away if he tried. This was the biggest sign of human compassion he'd seen from the captain since coming aboard—and it was fascinating.

When they pulled back, Kate reached up and rubbed her thumb across Lanie's wet cheek, catching a stray tear. They spoke no words, but practically had a conversation with their eyes alone and Lanie nodded, before turning and making her way below deck. Then Kate turned her hard gaze on him.

"Mr. Castle," she said, "please go below deck, to storage, and make sure all of our crates are battened down and not falling over." Castle nodded, regaining his composure quickly.

"Uh, yes, Captain," he said, before heading off in the direction Lanie had gone. Before entering the large cargo hold, he checked on his daughter, who was still sleeping in her bunk, angelically, with her thumb tucked into her mouth, her opposite hand clutching the blanket that Lanie had given to her. He smiled softly at her and pressed a single kiss to her forehead before heading off to do as the captain had ordered, tucking away all the new information he'd just gleaned from this experience.

This was all going into the next Nikki Heat journal, he decided.

Every. Single. Detail.

He spent an hour in the cargo hold, making sure that no crate was in danger of falling with the steady rock of the ship and that everything was in order before he felt the weight of somebody's gaze on his back. He turned to see Captain Beckett sitting on the bottom step of the single flight that led down there. She was staring steadily at him with her intense green-eyed gaze, the leather journal he'd filled to capacity in her hands. Her expression was completely unreadable and that unnerved him, but he tried not to let it show.

"Captain," he greeted, smiling easily. "How did you like it?"

"It was…unsatisfying," Kate replied, slowly.

"Oh?" Castle asked, trying not to grin. He hadn't had enough room to even the last sentence—which was not the conclusion in any way, shape, or form, he knew.

"You didn't finish," Kate said, telling him what he must have already knew. "There is too much left unexplained. It needs more."

"Well," he said, walking towards her, "then I'll need more, Captain."

"Excuse me?" Kate asked, standing abruptly.

"More paper," Castle clarified. "You can see, I ran out of room; I'll need another journal if you want more, Sir. Perhaps a few."

"I only have one more," Kate sighed. "But I'll buy you more once we reach land." Castle nodded.

"Then I will happily write you more," he said, nodding. "But I will need to know a bit more about my muse."

"Your…your what?" Kate asked, narrowing her eyes at him.

"You heard me," Castle replied, challenging. "My muse; you, Captain."

"Do not call me that," Kate growled, "if you value your life. And the life of your daughter."

"You keep threatening Alexis's life," Castle pointed out, "but I find it hard to believe that you would ever hurt a child."

"Why is that?" she asked, challenging him back, trying to keep herself cold and detached—though she knew he was right.

"Your heart is too good," Castle said, so soft it was almost a whisper.

"I'm a pirate," Kate scoffed.

"That doesn't change who you are, Captain Beckett," he replied, confidently. "Just who your want others to believe you are. You tried to protect my daughter today from just seeing the death of that boy—yes, Lanie told me what you did. And I would like to thank you for that—for holding it together because, honest, I'm not so sure I would be able to. So…thank you."

Kate set her lips in a thin line, her eyes still narrowed at him. This man had been here barely a day and already he believed he knew all about her? Nonsense; he knew nothing.

But the book in her hand…it proved different. It proved…something. Something she wasn't quite comfortable with so, in true Katherine Beckett fashion, would ignore.

"Make sure nothing falls in here," she said, finally, changing the subject. "If there is any damage done to my cargo, then you and your daughter will be the ones to pay. Understood?"

Castle smirked, recognizing the avoidance technique, but nodded anyway.

"Yes, Captain," he said. "As you wish."

"There will be a new journal waiting for you on your bunk tonight," she informed him, before stomping up the steps, not even bothering to bid him farewell. He didn't bother, either; just watched her go, her step just as confident and alluring as always.

I wouldn't mind finding you in my bunk tonight, he found himself thinking, before mentally slapping his inner self upside the head.

He had no idea where that had come from…

…but maybe he did.

Either way, he was in big trouble.

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