A/N1: Hello peoples and WELCOME to the 6th Chapter of Absolution titled 'Ass Kissing Rank Climber' This is where the big meeting happens and Rick gets to shine!
Enjoy!
The trio made their way down to the parking garage and to Gates' stylish SUV and within moments they were on the road. Half an hour later, shortly before quarter past eleven in the morning arrived and they were at the New York Police Department's headquarters.
"You're looking more nervous than I am," Rick told Kate as they got out of Gate's SUV in the reserved parking garage. "Are you alright?"
"I just want to make a good impression Rick, it's a big thing meeting the top brass," Kate replied in hushed tones as Gates tactfully increased her pace to allow the two to have a more private conversation. "This is akin to introducing your boyfriend to the parents for the first time. You're my partner and I want the commissioner to know I want you with me on the job."
"Well if you must know, now I'm not as nervous as I was when I met your Dad for the first time," Rick said with a soft smile, affectionately brushing a bang of hair from her eyes. "And I've gotten the impression from Gates that the Commissioner is nothing to worry about. It's his ass kissing deputy we have to worry about."
"You're really not worried?"
"Nah, what do I have to be worried about?" The Writer replied, nonchalantly. "Whether he says yes or no to me coming on board officially, I'm still going to be shadowing you. At least as long as Weldon's in office and that's at least for the next four years, considering he just won the last election. The difference is I just won't be getting paid for it. And it's not about the money anyway. I actually like the job quite a bit, recently I've been wondering what it would've been like if I had actually opted to join the force instead of going to college then Quantico."
"You would've been an outstanding homicide detective, Mr Castle," Gates interrupted, a wry smile upon her lips as they neared the main entrance of the elegantly designed building. "But you tell anyone I said that and I will deny it."
Kate let out an amused snort of laughter.
"Damn, you just ruined any last hope I had of fun, Captain." Rick replied with a grin, holding open the door for Kate and the older woman and allowing them to enter the lobby of the building before him.
Gates led the way into the spacious lobby of the NYPD headquarters and over to the elevator bay where she led them up to the fourth floor where the commissioner's office was located. The elegantly wood panelled reception area was bustling with activity and several officers in uniforms bustled backwards and forth.
"You two take a seat, I'll check in." Gates told them.
"Yes sir." Kate replied.
"You know if you go any greener, you risk barfing up on the Commissioner's carpet," Rick joked, squeezing Kate's gloved hand as they sat down on one of the three chesterfield sofas in the reception area. "And I'm not sure he'd like that."
Kate rolled her eyes. "Ha ha," she replied dryly, squeezing his hand back. "I'm being stupid, I know."
Rick lifted Kate's hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. "No you're not," he told her, firmly. "You're just nervous, take some deep breaths. This is the Commissioner we're meeting not Jesus."
Kate chuckled. "So if we were about to meet Jesus, I'd be allowed to barf everywhere?" she asked in amusement.
"Of course," the Writer replied with a grin. "Though I hope it's many, many decades before either of us have to meet Jesus."
Kate just squeezed his hand nervously.
Ten minutes later the frosted glass doors leading to the offices of the Commissioner and his secretary a young woman dressed in a grey and white power suit and killer heels, emerged.
"Captain Gates, Detective Beckett and Mr Castle, the Commissioner is ready to see you now," she told them. "Please come through."
"Don't worry you'll be fine," Rick whispered.
Kate just smiled as she followed Gates and the other woman through the glass doors.
The 12th precinct trio made their way down the long carpeted hallway til they came to an elegantly chiselled redwood door with 'Commissioner Raymond Kelly NYPD' on an engraved brass sign on it. The young woman lifted a fist and knocked smartly three times.
"Come in!"
"Go in." the young woman told Gates.
Gates grasped the brass door knob and twisted it, pushing open the door and leading her team in.
Rick was the last one through the door and when he looked up, two men dressed in the uniform of the Commissioner and First Deputy Commissioner of the New York Police department strode forward to greet them.
"Captain Gates, good to have you here. Care to introduce your people?" the elder of the pair asked, grasping Gate's hands warmly after the Captain and Kate saluted their superiors, smartly.
"Of course," Gates began. "This is my best Detective, Detective Kate Beckett and her partner Richard Castle. Detective, Mr Castle, this is Commissioner Kelly and his first deputy, Deputy Hargraves."
The minute Rick grasped the Deputy Commissioner's hand in an assertive handshake, a nauseating sense of evil washed over him. The man who the Writer guessed to be in his mid to late fifties, grasped his hand firmly and shook it.
"Mr Castle, please won't you sit?" he asked pointing to one of the three seats in front of the commissioner's desk.
"O-of course."
"Good to have you all here today," Commissioner Kelly began, opening a folder in front of him. "Detective Beckett, how are you recovering from your shooting injuries?"
"Very well Sir," Kate replied, taking off her cap and putting it upside down on her lap with her gloves inside it. "I've received a lot of support from the Injured Officers Guild and my Precinct but the one thing that's most contributed to my recovery is the support of my team. I wouldn't be the cop I am now without the support of Detectives Ryan and Esposito and Rick here. All three have been integral to my recovery. I know if it wasn't for their support, I wouldn't still be in the job."
"How would you say they've helped you?" he enquired, intrigued.
"Well when I was having some issues with PTSD a month after I returned to the job and heading up the investigation for the sniper case, Javier-Detective Esposito told me all about his experience with PTSD after he was shot and injured in Iraq and being able to speak to someone who had gone through the same experience as I did was tremendously beneficial. He gave me some coping strategies that I used in conjunction with the advice from my department assigned psychologist and I think I am now fully recovered."
"You don't find yourself second guessing in regard to using your service weapon?"
"No, not at all," Kate said, emphatically. "I wouldn't have come back to the job if for one minute I doubted my ability to fire my Glock. In fact since I returned to active service I've been averaging a trip to the academy firing range once a month on top of my annual qualification and my aim is getting better every time. Most of my trips to the Academy have been with Detective Ryan, he's an excellent shot and we quite often try to out shoot each other's score."
"Who wins?" Deputy Hargraves asked, curious.
"Usually fifty fifty, Sir, but I've been so busy since I came back from Christmas leave I've not been able to make a trip to the Academy or Crime Lab firing range," Kate replied, honestly. "Last time I made a trip to the academy, Rick came with me and he scored better than me. I didn't like that so I plan on a rematch."
Rick had to use all his self control not to laugh out loud, Kate sensed his amusement and flashed him a barely discernable wink.
"Who's weapon did you use?" Deputy Hargraves asked Rick, sharply.
"My own, Sir," Rick replied, trying to ignore the bad feeling he got when speaking with the older man.
"You have a licence I presume?" the deputy asked, disdainfully.
"Yes Sir, for a Glock Twenty Three and a Glock Nineteen, both issued by the Federal Bureau of Investigation at Quantico."
Hargraves eyebrows disappeared into his hair. "Real firearms licences?" he asked in surprise.
"Yes Sir."
"When did you obtain these?"
"Nineteen ninety-five, When I studied with the FBI in the Profiling and Behavioural Science Departments." Rick replied, serious. "Once I completed my Criminology degree at NYU I applied to the FBI and was accepted into the training course. I graduated from there at the end of nineteen ninety-five and worked as a special Agent in Virginia then New York til my first marriage broke down and I took full custody of my daughter."
"What for?" the elder man asked with a sneer.
"Because Sir, the welfare of my daughter meant more to me than a career with the FBI," Rick replied firmly, annoyed the Deputy Commissioner was mocking him. "And by the time I took custody of my daughter I was making enough money writing that I didn't need to return to the FBI. I still return to Quantico every year and re-qualify for my gun licences though."
Unseen to her superiors Kate moved her right hand onto Rick's upper thigh and squeezed ever so slightly. This simple action calmed the Writer and his heartbeat and respiration rate slowed.
"Would you ever return to service with the FBI?"
"I've considered it, but if I did it would only be after my daughter begins College in the fall." Rick replied stiffly. "Until then it's my job to be there for her and when she's being an independent adult, to spend my other time at the twelfth precinct helping out Detective's Ryan, Esposito and Beckett."
"Detective Beckett, could you tell us what it's been like having Mr Castle as your partner?" Commissioner Kelly asked politely keen to settle the tense situation between his deputy and Rick who was giving the older man the stink eye. "How has he helped you perform your duties?"
Kate grinned her whole face lighting up. "Well I've got to admit when he first came on board I wasn't terribly enthusiastic," she replied, giving Rick a knowing look. "He helped with one case upon Captain Montgomery's insistence and once that case was closed I thought I'd never see him again. In the beginning I found him an arrogant, sarcastic, know it all, immature wise ass. I thought he was like how most of the public see's him, a playboy. But I realised as each case went by he really does know his stuff. His knowledge of the psychology of murder has opened my eyes to other possible motives for murder. And he encourages me to look in the farthest possible corners to find a suspect. And he inspires me and my team to investigate the silliest motives. I attribute Rick's pigheadedness and perseverance to solving the Fergus McAllister case. Because of him Detective's Ryan, Esposito and I as a whole work better as a team. We're more efficient at our jobs, because of Rick's professionalism and friendship."
She paused for a moment before continuing. "Not only is he good at the job but he's great moral support if we're having a hard time of it with a difficult case. He lightens things up a little. Whether it is with a stupid joke and a coffee or some take away. In my honest opinion and I don't lie about the job. He's a cop, he just doesn't have the badge."
Hargraves scoffed.
"Excuse me, do you have a problem with what I do?" Rick interrupted as Gates opened her mouth to say something. "Sorry Captain but I had to say something."
"I just find it extraordinarily hard to believe a Writer could be of any benefit to the NYPD," Hargraves went on. "FBI agent my ass. No one leaves a lucrative career with the feds to be a single Dad with the reputation of a playboy who can't keep his pants on."
"Excuse me?" Kate yelped her face immediately exclaimed. "Are you-"
"Detective Beckett, take a break," Gates said firmly. "Sit down."
Kate gave the Deputy Commissioner the deepest look of disgust she could manage before dropping down in her seat next to Rick.
"I think it might be an idea to calm down for a moment," Kelly said. "Please everyone, this is my office and I will not tolerate any insubordination from anyone in this room."
"With all due respect Sir, your opinion is the only one that I care about," Rick told the Commissioner. "You are the one making the final decision about whether or not I join the NYPD as a paid consultant. But you and your deputy should know that I am quite happy to do this job on a voluntary basis"
"Then what are you here for?" Hargraves asked, snidely.
"Personally Sir, I don't think I have to be. It was the idea of Captain Gates that I come along," Rick replied with barely contained anger. "I prefer my work to do the talking. Actions speak louder than words. And if you'd get over your prejudice about me being a Writer and listen to Kate and Captain Gates, you'd see hard copy evidence of how I have been of use to the NYPD. I do not do this for fun. I don't do it just when I'm dealing with Writer's Block."
"You don't think your personal relationship with Detective Beckett will impact on your 'job?" Hargraves asked sarcastically, hooking his fingers in the air.
"No, why should it? It hasn't so far and we've been together four months," Rick replied. "If me and Kate being together affected how she or Ryan and Esposito did the job. I would stop coming to the precinct. My own sense of morality would stop me doing anything that would interfere with police work. Everyone at the twelfth precinct homicide department knows this. And I didn't have that level of decency. Captain Gates would make sure I did. She runs a tight ship. You should know this."
"And you're honestly alright with this?" Hargraves asked Gates with a raised eyebrow. "Fraternizing in the workplace, between a sworn in officer and a civilian?"
"Yes Sir I am," Gates replied firmly. "Mr Castle and Detective Beckett show an incredible amount of discretion. Not once in the entire time they've been together have I seen them act in anyway prejudicial to the standards I set for my officers. The only time I've seen them act like a couple is at the end of shift when they leave the bullpen holding hands. But then there are several married and de facto couples at the twelfth precinct and they all conduct themselves in a similar manner."
"So these don't worry you?" Hargraves pushed on, opening a folder in front of him and giving Gates several 8x10 glossy print pictures of Kate and Rick kissing in Central Park taken the previous day. "These are front and centre on the OK! and TMZ websites."
"No they don't worry me," Gates replied. "The time stamps on these pictures says twelve seventeen PM which was during the time I directed Detective Beckett and Mr Castle to take their lunch break. What they do during their lunch break is entirely their own business. If Detective Beckett had been in uniform, I would've asked them to behave themselves but there's nothing in these pictures to indicate she's anything more than a plain clothed civilian. Her badge is not visible and neither is her service weapon. I can only deduce whoever took these pictures recognized Mr Castle or Detective Beckett and followed them during their lunch hour. The integrity of my people is not an issue here. And yes I consider Mr Castle one of my people. He does just as much work as the sworn in officers and quite a bit more than is necessary. On several occasions I've had to order him to go home. His dedication is quite admirable and something all rookies just out of the academy should take note of."
Across the room Rick caught Gates' eye and flashed her a barely discernable wink. The elder woman gave no indication of recognizing the gesture except for a slight nod of her head and the twitch of her lips as if she was trying to fight off a smile.
"Detective Beckett, I've had a good look through this folder Captain Gates has compiled on you and Mr Castle's team work and I have to say I'm impressed," Commissioner Kelly went on. "Sixty two closed with convictions cases and another dozen more pending since March two-thousand and nine. I don't think any other team working homicide in the whole of the NYPD has that sort of closure rate, congratulations."
Kate's cheeks coloured up slightly. "Thank you Sir," she answered furtively squeezing Rick's thigh. "We make a good team. I don't think I could work with anyone as well as I do with Rick. Detective Ryan says we're a crime fighting yin and yang, quite often we have opposite ideas or motivations but in the end we come together for a common goal."
"I've read submissions from Detectives Ryan and Esposito and both of them have been very detailed in their descriptions of you Mr Castle," the Commissioner told Rick as he turned to the Writer. "Even Detective Jane Karpowski has been effusive in her praise of you."
"Really? That's nice of her," Rick replied.
"Hmm, have you ever given thought to joining the force? Clearly you have the academic know how and life experience to do the job and with your qualifications with the FBI you could ascend straight to the rank of Detective."
Hargraves who had never attempted to hide his disdain for Rick rolled his eyes and scoffed.
"I have S-excuse me, what the hell is your problem with me?" Rick exclaimed as he focused all his attention on Hargraves. "From the minute I walked in this office you have looked at me like I am a sack of shit. Anytime Captain Gates or Kate has said anything to praise me, you've rolled your eyes and scoffed like a five year old. Are you always like this or do you want to make it obvious you're an ass kissing rank climber and would rather be the Commissioner and veto me coming on as a paid consultant?"
There was a split second moment of silence before the atmosphere exploded. Hargraves leapt to his feet.
"HOW DARE YOU?" he bellowed.
"Deputy sit down!" Kelly bellowed at the same time Gates said. "Mr Castle sit down!" and Kate grabbed his arm, pulling him back down into his seat.
"Please sit," she whispered in his ear. "For me?"
It was only the firm yet soft pressure of his girl's hand on his arm that stopped Rick leaping forward and belting the shit out the of the Deputy Commissioner. He looked deep into Kate's pleading eyes for a moment before slumping back in his chair and steadfastly avoiding Hargraves murderous gaze. He could tell Gates was going to pull him aside and rake him over the coals later but right now he didn't give a rat's ass.
"Sir, may I take my people aside for a moment?" Captain Gates asked the Commissioner.
"Of course Captain, there's an empty office two doors down on the left."
"Thank you Sir."
Rick instantly got up and followed Gates and Kate out of the Commissioner's office down the hall to the empty office. Her look instantly conveyed. 'Get in.'
"Mr Castle, what the hell were you thinking?" she exclaimed, throwing her cap down on the empty desk in the middle of the room. "Insulting the deputy commissioner of the NYPD? That was not the right thing to do!"
"Oh and him doing the same was?" Rick replied sarcastically.
"N-no of course not b-" Gates began.
"Sir, the minute I walked into that office, that bottom dwelling asshole started insulting me and by extension what Kate, Kevin and Javi to." Rick defended, cutting the older woman off. "And I did not bust my ass for four years at college, the same at Quantico and the same at the twelfth to have some jumped up, ass kissing rank climber pass it off as a flight of fancy or a bit of a game. I'm not a cop and I don't have to take that shit. He's not my superior; I don't have to answer to him."
"I know that Mr Castle but please try and keep your temper in check," Gates asked patiently. "It shows you're the bigger person, more emotionally stable and less likely to fly off the handle. Show that son of a bitch what you show me and everyone else at the precinct on a daily basis. Show that you're a strong, determined, hardworking individual, that's a cop without a badge. That will be the best tact."
"She's right you know," Kate said softly, resting a hand on his hip. "Just be yourself...for me?"
Rick's insides softened and he pulled Kate close to him with a sigh. "Yeah alright," he said, making a face.
"So far you've done an excellent job presenting yourself," Gates told the Writer a moment later. "I think maybe the Commissioner is going to sign off on you joining us officially."
"That'd be nice but you know I would still do it for nothing," Rick replied releasing Kate from his hold.
"Alright, so are you alright to return to the Commissioner's office?" Gates asked Rick.
"Yeah let's do this."
"Mr Castle, you're a very impressive individual and I think you'd be of great value to the NYPD," Commissioner Kelly told Rick half an hour later "So if you're interested I'd like to start you as a paid consultant from today."
Rick's whole visage lit up.
"Really?" he exclaimed. "That's great!"
"To be honest, Mr Castle, I'd already made up my mind long before today but when Victoria brought up the idea of bringing you in for a one on one meeting. I thought it would be good to hear from you and Detective Beckett in person. After hearing the rumours of your efforts at the twelfth precinct and reading about them in the portfolio Victoria put together, I've come to the conclusion you are an asset to the NYPD. Have you ever given thought to joining the service yourself?"
"I did years ago but I decided to go to college instead then onto the FBI thereafter," Rick replied. "I think I've found my niche now."
"Hmmmm well I wish you'd give more thought to joining, you'd be an asset as a sworn officer and as I said earlier with all your experience and academic knowledge you'd be able to ascend straight to the rank of Detective and I'm sure Victoria wouldn't mind you joining the twelfth officially."
"No I wouldn't." Gates said.
"You want me to join the NYPD?" Rick asked in surprise as Kate let out a little yelp. "But I'm over the age limit for the academy."
"But that rule can be waived if an applicant has the sufficient academic, life or military experience," Kelly went on. "You're a trained FBI agent and the NYPD and FBI are known for poaching each other's personnel all the time. And you wouldn't need to go through the entire academy course. All I can see you having to do is the firearms and physical assessment."
"Well I'll consider it but for the moment I'm happy enough being a Writer and a consultant," Rick told the older man, getting to his feet and shaking the commissioner's hand. "Thank you for your time today."
"Anytime, now I'll have Mary-Anne print up the papers and you can collect them at reception. Have your lawyer look over them and get them back to me within a week alright?"
"I'm on it."
"Well overall I think that was a successful meeting," Gates informed Rick and Kate twenty minutes later as they reached her car. "I had a feeling the Commissioner had already made up his mind."
"You know word is going to spread that you called Hargraves an ass kissing rank climber," Kate said in amusement as they got into the car. "And word is going to spread the Commissioner himself wants you to join the service."
"Well no one but Kevin and Javier are going to hear it from me," Rick answered as Gates started the car. "You two aren't going to say anything, are you?"
"Not unless you want us to Mr Castle," Gates replied.
"I'd prefer it to be kept between us, the Commissioner and Kevin and Javier for now," Rick went on. "I trust you all and I know if word gets out the Commissioner wants me to join the NYPD it'll come from his office and not this group."
Half an hour later the trio arrived back at the twelfth.
"You two can head off to lunch now if you like," Gates told Rick and Kate as they arrived in the parking garage. "I have an important phone call to make. Be back in the bullpen by three alright?"
"Yes Sir," Kate replied.
As soon as Gates had disappeared, Kate leapt into Rick's arms, wrapping her slender legs around his waist with a happy squeal.
"Ooof, what was that for?" the Writer asked in amusement as Kate peppered his face with kisses.
"Because you were awesome!" Kate declared, her green eyes alive with excitement. "You totally impressed the Commissioner of the N-Y-P-D!"
"Oh pshh I can impress anyone," Rick joked, straightening her cap which had been knocked askew by her leap. "If I can impress you Tulip, I can impress the Commissioner. He was easy."
Kate rolled her eyes.
"Cocky aren't you?" she said dryly. "Come on let's go upstairs, I want to tell Kevin and Javi how badass you were."
"They know how badass I am Tulip," Rick told her. "Especially after taking down James Gooding."
The female detective just rolled her eyes.
Rick laced his fingers through Kate's and followed her into the lift. The pair made their way up to the fourth floor of the homicide department which was deserted except for Ryan and Esposito and Karpowski who were having a lively conversation about basketball in the break room.
"If the Knicks win against the Bulls on Friday I'll wear a skirt to the precinct and sing the Good Ship Lollipop while dancing on Beckett's desk, first thing on Monday morning!" Esposito declared. "They-"
"I want the Knicks to win now," Rick declared as he and Kate entered the break room. "It would be worth it to see you trip the light fantastic in a skirt. Would the said skirt be lacy? Or a leather number from that fetish shop on fifth?"
Ryan and Karpowski roared with laughter.
"Shut up ass hat," Esposito replied rolling his eyes.
Karpowski's phone rang shrilly and she groaned. "Fuck, dispatch," she cussed putting the device to her ear. "Karpowski..."
And with that the female detective left the room.
"So how'd it go?" Ryan demanded. "Gates wouldn't say anything."
"Ladies and gentlemen please welcome to the stage the New York Police Department's latest, most famous and definitely the best looking-"
"Oh shut up," Rick mumbled going bright red.
"Consultant!" Kate finished with a flourish.
"Really bro?' Esposito exclaimed. "The Commish said yes?"
"Yeah he did," Rick answered. "Got to sign some paper work but yeah I'm officially in."
Kate held a fist out to her two colleagues and the three detectives shared a fist bump.
"He was awesome," Kate declared, taking off her dress uniform jacket and untucking the white shirt she wore underneath it from her trousers. "Seriously it was text book schmoozing."
"You ass kissed the commissioner?" Ryan exclaimed.
"Hell no, Richard Castle does ass kiss," Rick began with a grin, lazily slinging an arm around Kate's waist. "Well with one certain woman I might..."
"Tell the proper story, Castle." The female detective scolded as she pulled away and made her way to the espresso machine.
"Well we talked and he read this huge folder documenting all the cases Kate and I had worked on with you two and that seemed to impress him," Rick continued. "I've got to make a trip to my lawyers at the end of shift and we're going to go over the papers but yeah from today on, I am a paid consultant."
"Awesome bro, it's about time." Esposito told the Writer, giving him a congratulatory slap on the shoulder.
"Yeah it is," Ryan agreed. "So are celebratory drinks on at the Old Haunt tonight?"
Rick grinned. "Duh of course," he replied. "You suggested it so first round's on you."
Kate and Esposito sniggered.
"There were two other bits of news," Kate revealed as she prepared herself a coffee. "And you'll want to hear about these two. And I warn you if you tell anyone about them I will shoot you both."
"Ooh this'll be good, she threatened to shoot us." Ryan joked, elbowing Esposito in the side.
"Shut up Kevin," Kate said witheringly. "Shall I tell them or will you?" she added, asking Rick.
"You can, you're clearly looking forward to it." The Writer responded, flashing her a wink.
Kate grinned and launched into the story.
"Rick had a screaming match with the first deputy commissioner and called him an ass kissing rank climber," she said with a Cheshire Cat like grin.
Ryan and Esposito's faces formed into identical look of incredulity.
"No way dude, are you serious?" Ryan exclaimed.
Esposito held out his hand to the Irish detective. "That's three hundred bucks thank you very much," he said, rubbing his fingers together. "I'll take cash, check or direct account transfer."
"You two bet whether I would call the deputy commissioner an ass kissing rank climber?" Rick asked as Kate rolled her eyes at her colleague's revelation.
"Oh yeah, it's common knowledge the dep wants to the top job and when you and Beckett left the precinct this morning, moneybags and I here decided to put three hundred bucks on the table on you telling him what all the officers under him think." Esposito revealed. "Ryan didn't think you'd have the balls to do it but figured if anyone did, you would. So now I have three hundred big ones coming my way."
"So what led up to you telling the dep that?" Ryan asked Rick in interest.
"Well it started from the moment Kate and I walked into the commissioner's office," Rick began, accepting the coffee Kate handed him. "Thanks. From the minute Gates introduced us, he looked down his nose at me like I was a sack of shit. He openly questioned my usefulness to the precinct and denigrated my unorthodox techniques I've used since I came here. But what really pissed me off was him openly, scoffing at my decision to leave the feds to take custody of Alexis. He said and I quote 'I just find it extraordinarily hard to believe a Writer could be of any benefit to the NYPD, FBI agent my ass. No one leaves a lucrative career with the feds to be a single Dad with the reputation of a playboy who can't keep his pants on'."
"Holy shit, no wonder you went off. I would've belted the dude up if he'd said that about me," Ryan replied. "No one that knows you man, would believe the shit in the papers."
"Yeah I know and the fact you three know the real me...means a lot," Rick replied, gratefully slipping an arm around Kate's waist as the female detective stood beside him. "Apparently the first deputy does believe what's written. But hey that doesn't worry me. The people who matter's to me know it's not true and that's all I need."
"So what did Gates say when you went off?" Esposito asked.
"Well she pulled me and Kate out of the room and had a half hearted go at me but she totally understood why I went nuts," Rick replied, absentmindedly rubbing Kate's hip with the tips of his fingers. "She only took us out so I could calm down. When we went back to the commissioner's office, his deputy was gone and it went much smoother from there."
"And that's when it got really interesting," Kate added with a grin.
"Is this revelation going to win me another three hundred bucks?" Esposito asked with a great snort of laughter.
"Asshole." Ryan muttered rolling his eyes skyward.
"You can tell this bit, clearly you're itching to." Rick told Kate with a chuckle.
"Kelly invited Rick to join the service," Kate revealed.
There was a split second of silence.
"No way bro!" Esposito exclaimed.
"Are you serious?" Ryan exclaimed incredulously. "Really? He wants you to join up?"
"Yeah...he said my work with the feds and here along with my academic experience and firearm accuracy would be sufficient for me join and ascend straight to the rank of detective," Rick revealed. "He said if I decide to join all I would have to do at the academy would be the official firearms training and the physical assessment."
"Both of which he'd sail through," Kate added.
"So what did you say?" Esposito pressed on.
"I declined his offer but I said if I changed my mind I would let him know," Rick answered truthfully. "For the moment I'm happy being the plucky sidekick."
"If you joined up, you'd still be the plucky sidekick," Ryan said. "Gates isn't going to break up a partnership like you two have."
"I know but for the time being I'm happy with the status quo," Rick said with a smile pulling Kate closer to him. "I have to admit it's not an entirely unattractive offer. When I was in my senior year of high school I actually toyed with the idea of applying to the academy but decided to go to College instead."
"You've considered joining before?" Ryan exclaimed in surprise.
"Yeah but Criminology won the war and by the time I finished my degree then went to Quantico I was making enough money from writing, so I decided to stick with that," Rick replied. "But keep what I told you a secret alright? I don't want news of the commissioner's offer to get out. The paparazzi and media attention would be foul and I don't want it to interfere with what you, Kate and Espo do."
"You have our word bro, if word gets out it's not going to be from us." Esposito informed his friend.
"Yeah, secret's safe with us." Ryan added. "Just so you know I reckon you'd be a kick ass cop."
"Thanks guys. Yes you can tell Lanie," Rick said to Kate upon seeing her mouth open. "Just keep it in the family huh?"
"Sure."
"Well we better head back to the grindstone, gotta shitload of paperwork." Esposito said, once he'd drained his mug.
"We'll join you soon," Kate told her friends.
"Gotcha."
"Hmm, they're good boys," Kate mused once Ryan and Esposito left the room. "I don't think, apart from Lanie and you, I've ever had friends as good as those. They've always got my back. And yours too since you've joined the circle."
"Yeah it's good to have friends like those," Rick agreed. "Well I'm going to go and change, see you back in the bullpen sexy legs!"
Kate just rolled her eyes.
A/N2: There you go peoples! Hope you enjoyed this instalment. Reviews are love!