Chapter Four
They walk in silence to Remy's. Or in as much silence as one can experience in Manhattan, anyway. Castle's hands are buried in his pockets and Beckett has her thumbnail in her mouth, gnawing at it and practically making her cuticles bleed. He glances over at her as they walk and then reaches for her wrist, tugging her fingers from her mouth. Her eyes widen and she glares over at him. He just rolls his eyes.
"You keep doing that and it's going to bleed," he tells her. "Then Jo will definitely know something is up." They'd agreed to tell her that night. There's no use in beating around the bush, after all, and it's better to get it out in the open so they can see what the young girl's reaction to the news will be and—even more importantly, in Castle's opinion—whether she wants Castle to be a part of her life in that way. He's certain that Joey wouldn't want him out of it completely, even if she does—on the off chance—become angry at him for some reason. He knows that he'd be angry if his father had chosen to reenter his life out of the blue like that after so many years of absence, even though he's certain that the man knows nothing of his existence.
He'd promised Beckett that he wouldn't pressure the girl; that it would be completely up to her if she wanted to even start calling him 'Dad', which Castle highly doubts. But you never know, right?
"How are we going to tell her," Beckett says, pulling her wrist from his grasp, "that the same man who's been annoying the hell out of me for the better part of the last year—the same man that has been married twice and slept with countless women—is her father?"
"Okay," Castle replies, "first of all; I have not slept with 'countless' women. I'll have you know that I know the exact number of women I have slept with, as well as all their names and phone numbers. And the first digit of that number is prime."
"Is it 7?" Kate snarks.
"No, actually," Castle replies, "it's not. Not that it matters, anyway, because the amount of women I've been with has no effect on my abilities as a father." Kate nods and immediately feels horrible about the bitter thoughts. After all, it's not like she was celibate before—or after—she had Johanna. She shouldn't be one to judge. "And secondly, am I really that bad?"
He sounds hurt and when Kate looks over at him, she can see it etched in his eyes and the furrow of his brow, which sends another wave of guilt surging through her. She shakes her head.
"No," she says. "I just…everything in my life before you came along was…"
"Boring?" he teases, nudging her arm.
Kate rolls her eyes. "Normal," she corrects. "You know, as normal as a single mother-slash-homicide detective's life could be. And you just…upset that. At first."
"And now?" Castle urges.
"You might not be as annoying as I originally thought," she mutters, so low he can just barely make it out, but then he grins at her; that big, goofy annoying grin of his that makes him look like a little boy and a cocky asshole all at once. But it also sends flutters through her stomach and she fights them off with a roll of her eyes. "But I could be wrong," she says, picking up the pace until she's walking ahead of him. He laughs and matches stride, still smiling over at her, and she simultaneously wants to punch and kiss him, but she's terrified at which instinct she's more likely to follow right now, so she continues to stare forward.
At Remy's, she uses her badge to cut the line—which is wrong, but she's hungry and would like to get back to the precinct as soon as she can so as not to seem suspicious—and Joe behind the counter just asks who they're buying for today and sketches down their regular order before disappearing to the back. It's nice, she thinks, to have someplace where the staff knows them well enough to remember their orders down to the details, like no pickles and extra onions. It's something reliable that she's come to enjoy and count on in her life. Sort of like…
She looks over at Castle, who's staring lustily at the claw machine in the corner, like he's fighting so hard to keep from running straight at it with every coin he currently has in his pocket. She rolls her eyes, but can't help but recognize the same look she sees in their daughter's eyes every time they come in here.
Their daughter.
How easy it is to go from her to their in the span of a single morning. Not that she really had that far to go with the amount of time Castle has spent with Joey. Of all the men she's dated in the last decade (and there really haven't been many of them) Castle is the one Jo has taken to best—and they aren't even dating, despite the kid's best efforts.
But what will this mean for their relationship, then? The fact that they now knowingly share a little girl must have some kind of an impact, right? Most parents, married or not, try to make it work between them for the sake of the child, don't they? Is that what Castle and Beckett will do? Is that what he's expecting of her?
Kate opens her mouth to ask, but before the words can even rise in her throat, Joe is returning with two bags and a tray of drinks. "12th Precinct," he says, grinning at her. "Enjoy your lunch, Detective. Mr. Castle," he nods to the writer, who's turned back to thank him.
She grabs the food and he grabs the drinks and she tries to put the thought of starting a romantic relationship with Rick Castle out of her mind. They probably shouldn't discuss something like this in a crowded restaurant anyway. But, perhaps, later?
She can't tell if the flutter in her stomach is caused by dread or excitement at that very thought. And she's not quite certain if she really even wants to know.
C&B
When they arrive back at the precinct, Jo is back to spinning round and round in Beckett's desk chair, the boys on either side of her, egging her on. Kate rolls her eyes at the spectacle as she and Castle exit the elevator and make their way to the detectives' desks, where they lay down the food.
"Lunch!" she calls to them and they immediately abandon her spinning child and practically sprint towards the food, digging through the bags for their appropriately marked burgers. Castle takes a large step back, mindful of the possibility to lose a finger to a pair of ravenous detectives, and makes his way over to Johanna, who's still slowly rotating in the chair, a wide grin on her face. He laughs and holds the arms of the chair, effectively stopping it, then reaches down to pick her up.
Johanna giggles as he throws her over his shoulder and he is reminded of Alexis when she was that young, always giggly and squirmy. He pokes Joey in the side and she emits a tiny squeak, which makes him laugh as he sets her back on her feet next to the food. She gives him that squinty, wrinkled nose look that Alexis used to give him and opens her mouth to say something before she realizes that there's food less than a foot away from her face and she turns to it, practically drooling.
"Remy's!" she exclaims, reaching for the junk food with the same passion that the boys emitted mere moments ago. She trades food between bags until she has both hers and Beckett's orders, then carries them back to her mother's desk, where Kate is already back to filling out paperwork, and hands her mother her burger, fries, and the strawberry shake she favors.
"Thanks, Jojo," Kate says, sweeping her hand through the girl's hair in affection, before they both dig into the food.
Castle gathers up his own meal and perches himself next to the boys' desk to eat, watching Kate and Jo—his daughter—eat out of the corner of his eye. He notices the way she has a bad habit of wiping her mouth on her sleeve (a trait he shares and for which Beckett berates the both of them) and for talking with her mouth full, which makes Beckett wrinkle her nose in disgust. He chuckles internally at that and gains a few strange looks from the boys, but he doesn't really care.
He has another daughter…wow. A girl that is now eleven years old—also the child of a women who consistently threatens to shoot him—is one part him and one part somebody else, and he had no idea for over a decade that she even existed. Not in that capacity, anyway. It's just…baffling. And he prays that he doesn't have any other children he knows nothing about. He doubts it, though. Many of the women he's been with—though he's not proud to admit this—were overtly aware of his status and wealth and there's very little doubt in his mind that they wouldn't try to take advantage of that.
When he finishes with his lunch, he stands and makes his way over to them with the empty bag for garbage. Johanna tidies up her place and tosses her trash in, chirping out a polite thank you and Beckett follows her lead. He smiles and nods at both of them, but makes no move to leave.
"So," he says, smiling down at Joey. "Guess what?"
"What?" she asks, smiling back up at him in excitement.
"I got your mom to agree to dinner at the loft tonight," he replies, proudly. It's true. They decided, together, that it would be best to tell everybody all at once; Johanna, Alexis, and even Martha, if she didn't already have plans out. The best way to do that, they think, is with dinner.
Joey's eyes widen as she turns to her mother with a wide smile. "Really?" she asks.
Kate rolls her eyes at the two of them beaming identically at her. "He caught me in a moment of weakness," she says. "And it's only if we don't catch a case by five," she reminds them both. "So don't get your hopes up too high; this is Manhattan and murder happens every single day in this city." Joey rolls her eyes and turns back to Castle.
"So what are you making?" she asks him.
"Italian," Castle tells her and she practically salivates on the spot, like she didn't just wolf down a burger, fries, and a chocolate shake. "I was thinking Chicken Parmesan with angel hair pasta on the side; you agree?"
"Can we have the bowties instead?" Jo asks. "I like those better."
Castle nods. "Bowties it is," he says. "I just have to make a quick run to the market before I go home. Speaking of which…I should probably leave now and get a head start on that; I don't want to keep you guys waiting too long for your dinner after a long day at work."
"Can I come?" Johanna asks, surprising both of her parents. Castle and Beckett share and look and the girl gazes between them. "Please?" she says. "It's gonna be so boring here without Castle!"
"Gee," Ryan says, turning in his chair to look at her. "Thanks, princess."
Jo rolls her eyes. "You two have work to do anyway," she says. "And paperwork is boring." She turns her pleading blue eyes on her mother. "Please, Mom?" She sticks out her bottom lip and Kate narrows her eyes. This kid does not play fair.
"Fine," she sighs, after a moment of that look. "But you be good, alright? Both of you."
"Always," Johanna scoffs, standing up and making her way into the break room to retrieve her things. She's still barefoot from her earlier nap. It takes her only a few minutes to dress herself and then she's kissing Kate on the cheek and grabbing Castle's hand to pull him out of the bullpen. He smiles at Kate over his shoulder and gives her a little wave.
She waves back and this time it's her heart that flutters. God, this is getting very complicated…
C&B
"Needs more basil," Joey decides after Castle gives her another taste from his spoon. He takes some for himself and then nods in agreement.
"Good catch," he says, reaching for the correct spice and shaking it over the pot of boiling sauce. "What's next?"
Johanna climbs onto the stool situated in front of the stove and lifts the lid for the bot of water, grinning triumphantly. "It's boiling!" she announces and the man nods, handing her the already opened box of bowtie pasta. She pours it in, then reaches for the other, dumping it in as well. They'll have plenty for dinner and then leftovers for the Beckett girls to bring home, afterwards. She replaces the lid and clambers back down, removing the stool and allowing Castle to place the already prepared chicken into the oven. She grabs the cookie-shaped timer and twists it to the five-minute mark, then takes a seat at the island and reaches for her water.
"Cooking is exhausting," she sighs, taking a long sip.
Castle smiles down at her. "Maybe that's why your mother doesn't like to do it very often," he says.
"She does!" Johanna argues. "But she doesn't always have the time; 'specially when she's on call, because then she never knows if she'll have to turn everything off and waste food. But she's a great cook, really!"
"I believe you," he says as he stirs the sauce in the pot.
They're silent for a moment; only the sound of the bubbling pots and the faint tick-tick-tick of the timer echoing through the empty loft.
"Castle," Joey says, suddenly.
"Yeah, munchkin?" he replies, smiling over at her.
She tilts her head in thought, her braid falling over her shoulder at the movement. "Does Alexis ever cook with you?" she asks.
"All the time," Castle replies, nodding. "We usually chop vegetables together and she keeps me from cutting off my fingers."
Joey giggles at that, but then she gets quiet. "Did you ever cook with your dad?" she asks and he stops stirring. He's never told her about the faceless man his mother had spent a single night with forty years ago; never really saw the point until now.
He shakes his head. "I never knew my father," he says. "My mother only knew him briefly and then…he was gone."
"You mean like he just vanished?" she asks with wide eyes and he wonders why he didn't know she was his daughter sooner.
"Sort of," he says. "What do you know about your father?" Kate had already told him that she had the 'dad talk' with Joey when she was four and could comprehend the meaning of Father's Day.
"Just that Mom met him a long time ago, they had sex, and then they never saw each other again," she says, as casually as if she were talking about the weather.
Castle splutters. "Your mother already had that talk with you?" he practically chokes.
Joey rolls her eyes at him. "Duh," she's says. "I'm eleven, Castle; I'm not exactly a baby anymore."
Yes you are, he thinks stubbornly. You're my baby and you should not know where babies come from yet. Unless that answer is the stork.
He tries to keep his cool, though, as the time goes off and he takes the chicken out of the oven and places the pan on the counter. "Come here and taste this sauce," he says. "Tell me if it's ready yet." Johanna nods and takes a sip from the spoon, then beams up at him.
"That tastes great!" she exclaims. "It's definitely ready!"
"You think so?" Castle chuckles and she nods. "Okay, then," he says, grabbing the ladle. "Get the grated mozzarella from the fridge for me." She does as told and soon they have a pan full of all the ingredients they need to make a wonderful meal.
Castle places the pan back into the oven while Joey sets the timer for ten more minutes and then they return to the bowtie pasta. Castle pulls out a piece and chews it, thoughtfully, then hands her one. She smiles when she finds it ready and he drains it in the sink.
By the time everything is done, the door is opening and Alexis walks through, smiling when she finds Joey Beckett running towards her, wearing her childhood apron over a t-shirt and jeans. She catches the younger girl in a hug in the foyer.
"Hey, Jo!" she greets. "How are you? Where's your mom?"
"At work," Castle answers for the girl, "but Beckett should be done in a couple of minutes. She'll be home soon enough." Alexis tilts her head at his choice of words and they share a look, a blush blooming up on Castle's cheeks. "So," he says, before she can mention it or tease him, "how was your study group?"
"Much like my group projects," Alexis sighs, "I got stuck doing all the work. Four chapter outlines and nobody could even bother to lift a pencil."
"Sounds rough," Castle sighs, putting down the bowl of pasta to embrace his older girl, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Luckily, Jojo and I made a meal that will knock your socks off! Right, munchkin?" he asks.
"Right!" the girl agrees. They high-five and Alexis laughs, shaking her head.
"Smells great," she says. "I'm just gonna go put my stuff down and change out of my uniform, okay?" Castle nods and the redhead races for the steps.
When she's gone, Johanna turns to Castle. "She's lucky," she says.
"Why?" Castle asks, returning to pour the sauce over the pasta, mixing it all together.
"Because she knows who her dad is," Joey says, softly, watching the seconds on the timer tick by. Castle looks down at her and is about to say something when there's a knock at the door. He sighs.
"I'm guessing that's your mother," he says.
"I'll get it!" Joey exclaims, suddenly brightening. She runs to the door and practically throws it open, already launching herself into her mother's arms before the woman can even greet her.
"You're early," Castle comments, looking at the clock on the wall. It's just past five PM; he was expecting her at half past, given the traffic.
"Montgomery let me go early," Kate tells him, "since things were slow. I'm still on call, though."
"I expected nothing less," Castle says. "Come on, you and Jo can set the table while I get everything ready."
Kate nods and helps him take down the plates, ignoring the domesticity of their actions as she focuses on the task at hand.