Chapter 4

It so happened, by an unspoken agreement that Kate and Castle took turns making the calls to each other. He could take or make calls at anytime of course, but Kate had a busy schedule to maintain – and one that wasn't fixed, at that. So they didn't land up talking every single day, but no three days went by without one of them calling the other.

On the one hand it seemed like it was taking forever for him to come back to New York City – back to New York City's finest. On the other hand, time seemed to be going much faster now that he had something to look forward to everyday. Though the calls weren't a daily occurrence, the anticipation never dwindled – not once they'd both realized that neither was going to abandon this thing they had going – this little commitment.

Whenever he would call, wherever she was, just seeing his name light up the tiny screen would make a smile light up her face. Sometimes the memories of the last call would linger into the next morning, and she'd carry that with her into the precinct. She'd caught Ryan and Esposito giving her odd looks once or twice, but they never brought anything up. Until that one day when the buggers couldn't stay out of her business. She couldn't even find herself to mind, because – well, isn't that what kids do? It's nothing that's meant to be malicious, just a plain, natural curiosity. Especially when it comes to mom and dad, right? That thought made her chuckle and made Ryan and Esposito look at her wide-eyed, have a mini whispered conference and tell her that they'd understand if she needed a little time off, bless them. She just shook her head, looking amused, and walked away. But not before ruffling Ryan's hair – causing him to look alarmed, and indignant, and Esposito to grunt at her, but snicker at Ryan's face.

A couple of days later, she was using Castle's precinct coffee machine to make her coffee, and while leaning on the counter waiting for it to get done, she remembered their latest conversation from the night before. It inevitably led her to smile – though subconsciously she bit her lower lip, in a vain attempt to keep it at bay – a fact that the boys noticed as they'd just stepped into the break room themselves. She hadn't even noticed them. But they'd noticed her, and they noticed the way she was turning her cell in her hand occasionally pausing to let her thumb hover over the call button.

Esposito and Ryan exchanged a significant look. They'd decided to get to the bottom of it, and a distracted, dare they say, dreamy Beckett provided the perfect opportunity. Esposito was going to get her attention by grunting, or starting a nonsensical conversation with Ryan, but Ryan beat him to the punch. Unfortunately he wasn't a very believable actor; he coughed, sounding like he was going to hack his lungs out. Esposito fought the urge to sock him for his lack of subtlety.

Though, points to Ryan, Beckett did turn towards them, looking confused and concerned. "You okay, Kev?"

"What, me? Oh, fine, fine, Beckett. But the real question is, are you?" he asked.

She lost the concern, but still looked thoroughly confused. "Am I what?"

Esposito cleared his throat and said, "What he means, Beckett, is that we're concerned about you. You're … different somehow, and we'd like to know why."

"What are you guys talking about? If anyone should be concerned, it should be me. Are you guys up to something?" she said suspiciously.

"No. But are you?" Esposito asked with his eyes narrowed.

She rolled her eyes. "Why would I be up to anything? I was just waiting for my coffee to get done, so I can enjoy my break in peace. I don't get why that seems unusual to you two."

"Not unusual to see you waiting for coffee…" Ryan started.

"But looking at the coffee machine with a smile on your face –" Esposito said.

Ryan pitched in, "While twirling your hair with one hand and your phone with the other –"

"And it's not the coffee machine that's making you blush, Beckett."

"Yep. So fess up. New guy?" Ryan asked eagerly.

"New girl? You know we won't judge," Esposito said with a smirk.

"Ugh," she replied, because what else could she say? It was probably true, but she wasn't about to dish that her reason for blushing had been something Castle said that was blush-worthy. She collected her cup, and started walking out, while grumbling something about not having a modicum of privacy in the place.

But still she had a smile on her face. The boys folded their arms over their chest and watched her closely.

"Something is definitely up," Espo said.

"I wonder if it has something to do with Castle."

"Dude, don't even bring his name up. What is the matter with you?"

"No, come on, Javi. Think about it, who makes our girl smile like that?" he asked softly, with a small smile of his own.

"Demming made her smile."

"Like that?"

"No," Esposito conceded. "No, that's only ever been Castle's doing."

"We'll keep working on her, figure it out. Until then, we can try calling Castle, too," Ryan said, earning himself a clap to the back.

"Good idea, bro. Of the two, he's the one who'll break easily."

Just as they agreed on that, Beckett motioned them over to the murder board. Their investigation would have to wait.

Castle had killed of Derrick Storm because he felt like the time had come to give him up. To go for something less predictable, more fun to write – more inspiring. Right now, there was no dearth of inspiration. Day in and day out, his fingers were flying over the keys. The ideas kept coming, each was better than the previous he felt. If readers thought Heat Wave was good, they were going to be really pleased by Naked Heat. Huh. She was not going to be pleased with the title – but that was something he could tackle some other day.

Every time she would call, they'd either talk about their current case – well, Beckett's current case – and Castle would pitch his ideas that she would, much to his delight, actually consider seriously; or they'd talk about something that had happened on some of their earlier cases. It served to remind him or something or the other that he would incorporate into the book. In addition to that, speaking to her kept the vision of Nikki so alive and vivid in his head that he had no difficulty getting into her skin – now there's a thought – and writing her characterizations, her mannerisms. Nikki isn't Beckett, but parts of her are. All of it was made easier with their conversations.

He'd just spoken to her yesterday. As it so happened, for the past week, they didn't talk every day, and so he wasn't expecting her call today. He needed a break from writing, and since he'd already bugged her yesterday – almost to the point where she got annoyed instead of amused – he decided not to subject her to a call; instead opting to have dinner at his neighbors' place as they'd been inviting him for the past couple of weeks.

He was having a good time, letting loose. His neighbors, Jess and Paul, were a few years his senior, and their son Troy were great company. Jess had cooked a delicious Italian dinner, and Paul kept all of them supplied with great quality wine. Castle had maybe had a few too many glasses. Troy as well, and his parents didn't object because he was home, and safe, and heartbroken - and an adult.

Castle sighed, and clapped Troy on the back. "Don't give up, Troy, you'll find a good, good girl out there, and you'll just know she's meant for you."

"Speaking from experience, man?" said Troy.

"Yes. No. Maybe," Castle said.

"You're twice my age, and even you're confused," Troy whined.

"Didn't say it gets less confusing," he grunted, "Heck, I've never been more confused in my life. She's confusing."

"Who's confusing?"

"All of them. Their whole species, but that's not the point. The point is; it doesn't get less hopeful either. You've got to stay hopeful."

Jess and Paul watched on in amusement as Castle and Troy started singing songs of love, and hope, and all things sappy. They'd seen Castle a little tipsy at parties before, but never quite this drunk, let alone seeing their heartbroken, also drunk boy being schooled by him.

Jess excused herself when she heard a noise from the kitchen. Castle had forgotten his phone there while helping her earlier and it was ringing. She tried to get his attention, but he and Troy were really into whatever 'current' song they were singing about a baby. All the 'oooo'-ing just sounded obnoxious to her frankly.

When the ringing started again, she picked up the phone and moved to a quiet corner, "Hi, Richard can't come to the phone right now, can I take a message?"

Beckett felt a surge of jealousy rippling through her. She ignored it for what it was, opting instead to chalk it off as anger at him not letting her know that he'd be out. If Richard couldn't come to the phone, well – too bad for him.

"Hello?" the voice called out.

"Uh. No. It's nothing important."

"You called twice, darling."

Huh. "Yeah – I – didn't realize he had company."

"Oh, I see. Did he forget you were going to call?"

It sounded more like sympathy than goading. "I guess," Kate said uncertainly, "I didn't tell him I was going to call today, so I suppose he wouldn't have felt the need to tell me. Not that it matters, he doesn't tell me everything." She didn't even know why she was justifying it, just that she was. "Look, – could you tell him Kate called?"

"Kate! The Kate?" the woman said excitedly. And why was she 'the' anything?

"I guess?"

The lady on the phone chuckled. "He's been going on about you all night."

"Oh no," Kate let slip, causing her to laugh again. "How many people are around exactly?" she asked warily.

"Ah, just the three of us – my husband, Paul; son, Troy and myself – I'm Jess, by the way. It's nice to finally talk to you. I've heard so much. Actually, I've heard most of it tonight."

"Thanks," Kate said with a blush, and no small amount of relief. Husband and son – good. Then again, Castle talking about her - ? And what on earth – was that him singing Justin Bieber's song in the background? "Jess, is Castle drunk?"

"Yep," came Jess' hearty reply. "He's holding the tune pretty well, don't you think? I can't quite say the same for Troy, but he's never been much of a singer."

"Oh. Okay, wow." Kate had to hold back her laughter. She was so going to rub this in his face.

"Hold on, I'll tell him you're on the line," Jess said and started yelling for Castle's attention.

"No! No, wait, there's no need for –", Kate tried to say but her pleas went unheard.

"Richard! Richard! Your muse is the phone."

Kate winced.

"Shhhhhhhhh! Jess, don't call her that," Castle was whispering frantically, and so loudly that she could hear it well and clear, causing her to roll her eyes. "She'll break my legs."

"Dude, you're scared of a girl?", she heard an unfamiliar voice say before it broke off into a giggle.

"Pfft. Nuh-uh," Castle said, sounding like a little boy, followed by a beat of silence. "Okay, maybe I am. But you'd be scared of her, too."

"Hah! I am not scared of girls," scoffed the voice.

"Troy, Troy, Troy; you have much to learn. You should be scared of girls. Girls are scaaaaary."

"Hey!" Jess said, sounding affronted, "Stop feeding my son that."

"Well, honey, I've got to agree with Rick on that front," she assumed Paul said.

Listening from this end of the line was pretty amusing, and evidently they had forgotten she was on.

"She the one who has you confused, Mr.C?" said Troy.

"Yeeeah," Castle sighed happily. "I'm still peeling the onion."

Kate smiled. She confused him?

"Gah!", yelled Troy, sounding indignant, "You're peeling onions around your girl? No girl wants you peeling onions! What's the matter with you?"

She had to laugh at the boy, who was clearly drunk. Wait. 'Your girl'?

"What? No, no, no. Not real onions, figurative onions."

"You're peeling figurative onions?"

"Yes! Exactly! Glad you understand."

"I don't think I do."

"That's okay, she does."

"And that's something she wants?"

"I have no idea. She doesn't object to it, I guess?"

"Why don't you ask her?"

"Well, I don't know. She's usually pretty vocal about what she wants."

"Ewwww, dude. T. M. I."

"What?" Castle squeaked. "Not like that."

"Troy, wash your mouth," she heard Jess' voice saying, "And Richard, take the phone."

"She's going to kill me. I can feel it in my bones," he said.

"She's not going to kill you. She's not even in the Hamptons," Jess tried to reason with him, "And would you get down from my couch, please? You, too, Troy."

"Noooo. It doesn't matter. She'll come shoot me in my sleep. Or pull my ear. Or my nose. It's safe up here."

Kate had to laugh. He was standing on his neighbors couch, singing Baby with their son? She really hoped that Jess or Paul had filmed some of it. She made a mental note to ask.

"Richard Castle, you get down here this instant, or I will give Kate the address and ask her to come down here to get you off - "

"Haha, that's what she – Owwwww!"

"- off my couch. Don't even. Bunch of teenagers," she grumbled, "Sorry about that, dear. He's being a little difficult. Here, I'll hand you over."

"Thanks, Jess. It was nice talking to you,"

"You too, dear."

"Kate, hi,", Castle said softly into the phone.

"Hey, Castle. You having fun?"

"Yeah."

"You drunk?"

"No," he drawled.

"Uh huh," she chuckled, "So it's normal for you to stand on people's couches and sing 'Baby'?"

"Hey, it's a catchy song," he justified, "And you don't have to be jealous, Beckett. I'll come sing it with you, too."

She laughed. "Don't you dare. I'll poke you."

"Aha! I told them you can get violent. They don't believe me," he whined.

"Castle!" she yelled, but the laughter in her voice let him know that she was more amused than anything, "Don't go around telling people I'm violent."

"Don't do this, don't do that. You're so my work wife."

"I am not."

"Are, too."

"Am not."

"Are so," he sang, "Why, Beckett, you know you like it."

"In your dreams," she huffed.

"Always. Also, in my dreams you do some pretty awesome wifey things. At work."

"You're so lucky I'm not there right now."

"No, I'm not," he said, sounding oddly sincere that he had her spinning, "I'd happily sacrifice my nose. Or ear. I miss you."

She sighed. "We talk almost every day, Castle."

"Not the same. You should come down here."

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why not?" he asked, "I promise not to sing 'Baby' if you do," he said sounding hopeful.

She laughed and changed the topic. Why not? She wasn't sure she was over seeing him leaving with Gina for the Hamptons. She wasn't sure about a lot of things; and coming to the Hamptons – well. "When are you coming back?"

"Still a while. Why, Beckett, you miss me?" he asked, and she could imagine his smug face. Thankfully he was easy to distract.

"Hmmmmm.. Nope," she joked.

"You're so mean. No taffy for you." She was sure he was pouting, and she remembered again that he was drunk.

"Oh no!" she said, "I love taffy. How, ever, will I survive?"

"Too bad. None for you."

"Aww, come on, Castle. Please?"

"Not the magical words I want to hear."

"Abracadabra."

"Nope."

"Expelliarmus."

"So hot," he said, "but wrong."

She smiled, not that he'd see it. "Okay, Castle. I might miss you a little," she said softly, as if sharing a secret.

"Yeah?" he sounded indecently happy.

"Don't make me take it back."

"No taksies backsies," he yelled.

She laughed again, "Whatever, Castle. You should get back to them now. And don't get Troy too drunk."

"Nah. He's okay. Hasn't had half of what I have. And I'm sober enough."

"Of course you are," she said with an eye roll.

"Was that sarcasm? Are you being sarcastic?", he narrowed his eyes.

"Me? Never!"

"Okay. Hey. Wait! Hey!"

She chuckled. "Good night, Castle."

"Good night, Kate. Sweet dreams," he said softly. "I'll call you tomorrow."

"Looking forward to it," she said. Yeah, she was going to rib him about tonight, but she was also really looking forward to just hearing from him, like she had been a lot lately.

"Me too. Until tomorrow."

A/N: So… drunk Castle. OOC or not? I hope not. Until next time. Thank you guys for tuning in, and all the lovely reviews you've left me. : )