While he's scribbling his notes, Beckett scans their surroundings. Suddenly, her eyes lock on someone and her jaw drops slightly in disbelief.
The novelist notices and puts the notebook on the table, following his bodyguard's gaze, the cheating brothers a distant memory. She's looking at a guy and Castle can immediately tell there's a history by the way they're looking at each other.
As he tries to figure out the story between them, he sizes him up. He's in his 30's, attractive, easy on the eyes… He already hates him.
Beckett has to blink a few times to make sure her eyes are not tricking her brain into believing he's there. "Will Sorenson" she says under her breath. What the hell is he doing there?
The man gets up from his table where he was sitting alone and crosses over to Castle and Beckett.
"Will?" the bodyguard gets up.
"Hello, Kate" he says reverentially, keeping his distance. "You look good"
"Thanks, I feel good" she comes out of her trance and remembers that she's working. She adopts a firmer posture and introduces the guys. "Will, this is Richard Castle" she looks down at her boss, who gets up.
"The famous novelist" Sorenson remarks.
"Writer of wrongs" Castle smiles as they shake hands.
"So how are you? What are you doing here?" the FBI Agent asks her.
"I- I'm here with him" she points her head towards Castle. "As his bodyguard"
Sorenson's eyes widen, but he just nods and decides not to comment on it.
She has to restrain herself not to roll her eyes. Why is it so hard to believe she's a bodyguard? Even her father looked at her in disbelief when she told him.
"What are you doing here? Don't you live here in Boston?" What is he doing in a hotel?
"I do" suddenly, a huge smile lights his features. "I'm getting married here"
This takes the bodyguard aback. He's getting married? "Really?" she says before the silence stretches for too long. "Where is she?" she looks around and notices the absence of the bride-to-be.
"She's having some kind of meeting where I'm not allowed" he shrugs. "You know how it is"
"Right" she nods, forcing a smile onto her face.
That's when the ring of Sorenson's phone snaps them all out of their thoughts. He takes it out and reads the message. "That's her" he looks back up at Beckett and Castle. "Have to go. It was great seeing you again"
"It was" she nods before he turns and leaves.
The writer stares at Beckett as they sit back down. "So…"
"Don't"
Ryan meets them and after having lunch they go back up to the room.
In the elevator, Beckett and Castle stand at the back, leaning against the wall. The silence is deafening.
"Six months" she says when she feels him shifting by her side. She knows he wants to know.
"Six months, what?" he asks innocently.
"We dated for six months" she nods, deciding to come clean.
"I didn't ask" he'd never dare ask. He appreciates his life way too much.
"Yeah, I know. You were not asking very loudly"
"I know. I'm like Jedi like that" he jokes, effectively lightening the mood.
The elevator dings and they exit, walking into the 6th floor.
"So, how'd you meet?" he wonders out loud. She started the conversation; she might as well finish it.
"Kidnapping. A 6-year-old boy" her tone suddenly turns sharp.
"How'd it end?"
"We got the guy" she says simply, keeping her emotions at bay.
The way she says it Castle makes realize that there's clearly more to the story, and the shift in her attitude makes him not want to ask further.
Later that day, Castle and his security detail are back outside of the room, but this time they're on their way to some new author's book release party, which he's only attending because Gina is making him go.
They get out of the elevator at the lobby and stride over to the door, where a car is waiting for them. Beckett is walking alongside the writer and Ryan's a couple of steps behind.
As they approach the glass door, the brunette groans. Sorenson is right by the door, talking to two women, one of them probably being the lucky bride.
"Oh, hey Kate" he smiles and walks towards the trio, leaving the women behind.
"Will" Beckett smiles, but gets curious when she sees that Castle suddenly has a flabbergasted expression on his face.
"This is my fiancée" he points proudly to a woman, who's deep in conversation with another girl. "Her name's-"
"Kyra?" Castle cuts Will off.
Both the Agent and the bodyguard look at the writer and then at Kyra, who slowly turns around.
"Rick?" the fiancée can't believe who she's looking at. She walks towards the three slowly, as if this wondering if this not more than a dream. "Rick Castle"
"You two know each other?" Beckett and Sorenson ask in tandem, looking at Castle, who can't take his eyes off of Kyra Blaine.
"That would be an understatement" he says, still not looking at them, before closing the space between him and his long lost friend. The memories… the feelings… All rushing back into his mind at once.
Kate and Will are left behind, staring at the reunion.
"I read somewhere that you were coming to Boston, but I- I never would've expected to... "
He shakes his head. He can't believe all of this either.
"How long has it been?" she asks, still not able to grasp the fact that he's there. The man that made her so happy all those years ago...
"Too long"
A few feet away from them, Kate's watching closely, and she barely manages to keep herself from rolling her eyes and looking away. For some completely wrong and irrational reason she feels…
No. She doesn't feel anything.
Behind her, Ryan notices that this is clearly bothering Beckett more than it should and he becomes curious.
"You look exactly the same," Kyra smiles.
"And you've improved" he replies easily.
Ryan, always the good bodyguard, walks closer to the couple, examining their surroundings carefully. He's not looking at the writer and his friend. At all.
"You always did know how to turn a phrase around..."
They look at each other with big goofy smiles on their faces and they chuckle.
"This is so surreal" Kyra's smile drops, realizing the reality of what's going on. "It's two days before my wedding day and you… show up"
Ryan has stopped playing the part and now he's downright staring at them. He's even smiling now.
Beckett looks down at her watch, before walking in front of Ryan, startling him. He clears his throat and stands straight.
"Castle, we're gonna be late for the party"
"Yeah, we'll leave in a sec" he doesn't even look at his bodyguard, mesmerized by the woman in front of him.
Beckett looks up, surprised by his answer. He usually follows her around like a puppy. "Hmm" she shrugs, looking unbothered. "'Kay" she walks back to stand by Will, followed by Ryan.
Sorenson's trying really hard not to look bothered by the emotional reunion but she can read him like a book. His jaw is clenched and he's shooting daggers at the writer. She's definitely hiding her emotions better. Or so she hopes.
"I- I have to go" Castle says, disappointment etched on his face. "But I should be back in a couple hours. Wanna have a drink later?"
"Yeah. Sure"
"Good" he gives her a huge smile before they exchange phone numbers.
Will is quick to whisk his fiancée away and Castle walks toward his bodyguards, still unable to comprehend the magnitude of what just happened.
"Kyra Blaine" he sighs as they make their way to the car. "Wow"
"I take it she was someone very special" Beckett says. She saw it the moment he laid eyes on her. His eyes lit like she'd never seen before. And still now, he's in awe.
"She's the one that got away"
This does things to Beckett. Bad things. But she's trying her best to not let it show. She's there to do her job and nothing else.
Once they're back at the hotel Castle doesn't even bother going back up to the room, but instead he goes straight to the bar, where Kyra is waiting for him. He can't wait to catch up with her and know how she's been doing the past few years.
Beckett on the other hand, has had enough long lost lover encounters for one day, so before they reach the bar, she stops the writer in his tracks.
"Castle, do you mind staying with Ryan? I… I've got something to do"
"Sure. Yeah" he doesn't really care. He's got other things on his mind.
She nods and leaves the boys to it.
As soon as she gets into the room, Beckett reaches for her phone. She's been dying to tell someone about all this stuff and who better than her best friend.
She goes on facetime and after verifying that Lanie's available, makes the video-call.
"Hey, girl. How's Boston treating you?" Lanie's smiling face fills the screen.
"Ugh" Beckett shakes her head. "Will Sorenson is here"
"Hot FBI Agent Sorenson is there?" Lanie's eyes widen. She remembers him. That was the longest relationship Beckett has ever had… What a mess that was.
"And he's getting married"
"Wow" is all Lanie can say.
"You don't know the half of it" the bodyguard looks at the screen pointedly. "Apparently, Castle has a history with the bride"
This gets the ME's attention. "Ancient, modern, or sexual?"
"Seems like all of the above"
"You're okay with that?"
"Yeah" she says convinced. "Why wouldn't I be?"
Lanie throws her a really? look. "Your ex is getting married to Castle's ex. Doesn't that weird you out just a little bit?"
"Will's moved on, I've moved on… Why would that bother me?"
"I wasn't talking about Will and you"
Beckett rolls her eyes. "I'm just here to do my job"
"Mm-hmm" Lanie is skeptical, but she's mostly disappointed that she's not in Boston with them. Sparks are going to fly this weekend. All that tension… Man! So many things are going to happen… And it probably will not be pretty.
"I am!"
"Right" she was with Beckett and Castle for less than an hour and stuff was definitely going on between the two. And the way she talks about him…
Beckett narrows her eyes at Lanie. "Shut up"
"So what are you gonna do?"
"There's nothing for me to do. I just have to make sure that Will and Castle are never left alone together" Beckett shudders at the thought. Both men are really protective about the people they love, and she really didn't like the way the Agent was looking at her boss just a couple of hours ago. She's sure they'll be at each other's throats if they get the chance.
Lanie smiles endearingly. "Good luck"
"So, what happened to the girl who said that marriage was a Jurassic institution?" Castle asks Kyra after the barman puts his drink in front of him.
"She grew up" she shrugs. She's sitting by his side at the bar.
"Hmm" he nods. "Does that mean the groom is a grown-up, too? All work and no play?"
"No. He plays just enough" she assures the novelist.
"He's a lucky man" she meets his sincere gaze with a smile.
They keep talking and at some point they just get lost in each other's eyes.
They grin at each other for a while, silently remembering the moments that made them both so happy all those years ago…
"Kyra?"
The couple's snapped out of their trance by Sorenson's voice…
"You comin'?" he asks casually.
She nods and slowly slides off the bar stool.
"See ya?"
There's a twinkle of hope in her eye and he can't help but smile. "See ya"
The novelist watches her go in Will Sorenson's arms and when she disappears around a corner he sighs and takes a swing of his drink.
He knows he has no right to be jealous but he is. And it's killing him.
Why did he even let her go?
Ryan stands a few feet from his boss and watches him carefully. He can't but feel sorry for the guy, who seems to have resorted to drowning his sorrows.
"Everythin' okay boss?"
Castle sighs. "I don't know, Ryan. I don't know"
Everything he left behind all those years ago is rushing back, turning everything he's done to move forward turning all the sudden upside down. And he doesn't like what that's doing with his mind.