Chapter 8

Ryan and Esposito were having their coffees in the break room when they noticed Castle walking into the bullpen. He was heading straight for Beckett, of course. Ryan started to walk towards them, but was quickly yanked back by his partner.

"Hey! Castle's here, I was going over to say hello."

"Nuh uh. Come here. Something's up."

"What?"

"Look!" Esposito said, using his hands to make a small enough gap in the blinds.

"Uh. What am I supposed to be looking at?"

"Look how close they're standing. They're practically squished together. The desk is long enough to have them standing a foot apart."

"They always stand too close. That's nothing new." came Ryan's reply.

"This is closer," he huffed.

"Eh, I don't – oh my GOD!"

"What? What?" Espo said as he tried to peer through a larger gap in the blinds.

"She nudged his shoulder! And smiled! AND their faces are so close they could be kissing!"

They heard someone clearing their throat behind them, and turned suddenly, caught in the act of spying.

"Detectives?" Montgomery addressed them with an eyebrow raised.

"Sir," they answered in unison.

"What are you two doing?"

"Uh. Nothing, sir. We just –" Esposito sputtered.

Ryan came to the rescue. "- we saw a little fly trapped in the blinds and we were trying to free it." He punctuated his words by randomly waving his hands at the window and said, "Fly away, little fly, fly away."

Esposito fought the urge to sock him.

Montgomery looked at him like he'd gone insane, "Well, if you're done saving flies, how bout you get back to work and solve a homicide."

"On it." "Yes, sir." They said together as Montgomery turned around and left the break room, looking somewhat amused.

"Fly away, little fly?" Esposito said flatly.

"I didn't hear you come up with anything better," Ryan said, raising his chin.

Espo shook his head, and clapped Ryan on the back. "Okay, savior of flies, let's head back. Oh, wait, hold on just a sec. Watch the door."

"What are you doing?" Ryan asked as he watched the break room entrance.

"Gathering evidence," Esposito said as he quickly snapped a picture on his cell phone. "Okay, let's go."

Kate was studying the murder board intently, trying to come at it with a fresh perspective. After she'd rehashed the case the previous night with Castle – thinking about it made her smile – he'd made a short yet succinct summary, and she found that it had helped. It wasn't something she expected. He was a writer – he added words, drama; exposition, so it came as a surprise that he cut it down to size, impressively getting at all the important points. When she asked him about it, he shrugged and said that it's what writers do to keep the story together. Between the vivid descriptions, side plot, character development, there has to be something tying everything together and sticking to some sort of plan. He said he'd show her some of his outlines for his earlier books. She didn't squeal on the outside. Instead she just told him how she'd love that while her brain screamed 'understatement'.

While she was trying to focus on the outline sitting once more in front of her – if only she could get to the bottom of it – she didn't even realize when Castle had made his way to her. He quietly leaned against the desk beside her, holding their coffees to his chest.

"Uh, hi there. I'm wondering if you could help. I'm looking for my partner."

She turned to him confused; with her eyes furrowed and was gifted with a twitch of the corners of his mouth as he tried to hold back his smile."

"Have you seen her?"

Turning back to the board, she watched him through the corner of her eye trying to figure out what he was up to, but played along. "I don't know. What does she look like?" she asked coyly.

"Hmm. Well, she's tall, has the most gorgeous eyes. Sometimes she takes on too much. Carries the weight of the world on her shoulders, yet manages to laugh at some of my jokes."

"Sounds like a handful," she said softly.

He just beamed at her.

"Shut up and give me my coffee, Castle."

He passed on her cup, and a chuckle. Once she accepted it, and took a long, slow slip, she nudged his shoulder with hers, and turned to him. "I'm glad you're here," she said quietly, for his ears only.

Their faces were close. So close, in fact, that he could hear her breaths, feel them on his lips. Just an inch of space from where he wanted to be. "Me too," he replied, averting his eyes from her smiling, slightly parted lips, averting himself from danger.

"Hey Castle!" the guys said as they walked towards her desk. Beckett and Castle turned to them, moment broken.

"Hey!" he stood up and they did an awkward man hug thing that had her smiling, looking on fondly at her boys. They exchanged pleasantries, and then got back to work. Everyone wanted this case wrapped up.

"Financials just came back on Scott, McManus, Peterson, and Williams – they look fine. Though Scott had motive," Esposito said.

"And Peterson's phone records show that he'd made a lot of calls to the victim recently," Ryan added.

"So did Williams, actually," Esposito added.

"Then there's the mother, and sister, and business partners – Murray, and Murray."

"What about them?" Beckett asked.

"Mother and sister have motive, but they hadn't been in touch with Stu for months now," Ryan said.

Espo added, "And Murray, and Murray don't seem to have motive. Although, Stu was causing them to lose out on money and clients, so his death did do them a favor."

"If he was such a problem, why were they still working with him?" Castle piped up.

"He'd saved Murray – 1's son's (and so Murray – 2's nephew's) life by pushing him out of the way of a speeding bus. They felt like they owed him."

"Wow, figures we'd get land this case," Castle said happily. "I think Beckett attracts all the crazies."

Ryan and Esposito looked like they were about to burst into laughter, so he turned to Kate in confusion. She raised her eye brow, bit down on her lip to hold back her smile. He thought back to what he said. Oh. Mean.

"Ha, ha. Very funny," Castle said flatly.

"What, Castle? You saying you're not attracted to Beckett?" Esposito smirked.

"Call me crazy," he said with a shrug, and winked at Beckett who blushed so cutely, he almost forgot about Ryan and Espo's presence besides him.

"Guys, can we focus?"

"I am focused," Castle said with a smug grin she wanted to kiss off his face.

"On the case."

"Fine. You're no fun," he pouted, still staring intently at her.

"Guys?" Ryan said; both of them looking uncomfortable, probably because for a minute, they really didn't exist.

Beckett flushed pink, looking embarrassed, but Castle recovered quickly, turning to Ryan. "We should make a table."

"I'm sure you want to enroll all of us in a carpentry workshop, Castle, but now is not the time," Esposito said, looking quite serious.

Castle rolled his eyes. "Not that kind of table. This kind –" he said as he got up and turned the white board to its blank side and started drawing lines. Once those were done, he entered all the suspects' names in the columns, and filled the rows with financials, motive, phone records, alibis, possibility of possession of the weapon, previous police records, and connections.

By the time he stepped back, they all looked impressed.

"Good thinking, Castle," Esposito said, and Ryan agreed. Beckett smiled, and nodded for him to get back to her side.

Silent communication to tell him he did well. When he leant against the desk next to her, he could have sworn she shifted just a little closer and purposely brushed her arm against his. "So we fill this up," she said, looking straight ahead. He took her cue and tore his eyes away from her. "And narrow the list down."

They got to work, filling everything up and saw holes in the table.

"I thought you were supposed to get Williams' alibi, Beckett."

"No, I passed that on to you guys, when Montgomery said Scott wanted to talk to me."

"Oh. We didn't get around to it because we were looking for Peterson."

"Get it now. What about Peterson's financials? We can do that from here."

"Yeah, on it."

"Okay, hold on, Castle and I will go get Peterson, you guys trace his financials and find out Williams' alibi. See if it sticks," she said, glad to finally have a plan, "Let's go, Castle."

"Right behind you," he said.

She took a couple of steps ahead before turning back again. He handed two packets of taffy to the guys from his bag, much to their delight; and then ran to catch up with her.

"I don't get taffy?" she asked, with a slight pout. Gah, he wanted to kiss those lips.

He chuckled, and put his hand to the small of her back, and – when did that start becoming okay? Why did it feel so good? –nudged her so they could head to the elevator. "Why, detective," he said, leaning into her once the elevator doors closed them in; his breath washed over her ear, "isn't it enough that I got my ruggedly handsome self back to you? You have my wit and intelligence to your disposal. And I'm willing to give you so much more," he said, waggling his eyebrows.

"I'd rather have the taffy," she said flatly, feeling proud that it sounded even, and not breathless like she felt with him at such close proximity.

"I have yours in the bag, but I'm not so sure I want to give it to you after all. You're so mean to me."

"Castle, I can't believe you missed it."

"Huh? Missed what?"

The elevator doors opened, she smiled that sly, wide smile with her tongue teasing her teeth, and walked out, knowing he would follow.

"Missed what, Beckett?" he said, taking long strides to keep up with her.

"You tell me," she said, getting into the car.

As he followed, he grumbled till – "Oh. You didn't deny that I'm ruggedly handsome," he said, looking like a kid who'd been given a star, "And witty and intelligent."

She turned back to the wheel, looking pleased.

"Careful, Kate. With such stunning reviews, a man might think you've grown fond of him."

"Would he now?"

"Mhmm. In fact, he might grow fond of you, too."

"I thought he already was," she said as she bit into her lip and pulled into traffic.

"As long as we're clear on that," was his reply.

By the end of the day, Kate's spirits were soaring. They still hadn't caught the killer. But they'd narrowed down the suspect list to just two people – Murray number 1 and Peterson. Kate couldn't deny that Castle had yet again pulled through for them, and he didn't even try to be smug about it. They decided to close shop a little early, and pursue the leads they'd gotten tomorrow. Espo and Ryan all but bolted from the bullpen, shouting their goodbyes over their shoulders as Kate watched in amusement.

"You really should give the kids a break from homework now and then, honey," Castle joked, earning him a punch on the shoulder.

She was blushing from ear to ear because he called her honey, even if he said it jokingly. She couldn't help the butterflies that seemed dancing the salsa in her stomach. "Well, kitten," she said, smiling when he cringed, "someone's gotta be the bad guy. Got to discipline those two – they're totally naughty. Must have gone on dad," she parried.

"Your voice says naughty, but your face says adorable."

"Hmm. I guess you're a little adorable, too," she said.

He huffed. "I am not adorable. I'm ruggedly handsome."

"If you say so."

"You said so earlier."

"I don't recalling saying anything of the sort."

"You didn't deny it."

"I didn't, did I?

"Noooo. Come on, Beckett. Be nice."

"I guess Espo's rugged. And Ryan's handsome." She laughed at the look on his face.

"I meant be nice to me," he said with a pout. "Is it nice to tease, Kate?"

They were walking towards Remy's, but she stopped abruptly and turned to him, hardly any space between them. She grabbed his lapels and dragged him closer, his hands landing on her waist, and his face stunned speechless. Her right hand let go of his collar, and caressed his ear. His eyes closed involuntarily and his breath hitched.

"Does that feel nice, Castle?" she asked in a low, seductive voice.

He gulped, and nodded, unable to speak.

She dragged her thumb over his lip, before carding it through the hair at the nape of his neck, scratching him gently. "How about this?"

"Yeah," he said, his voice breaking.

He opened his eyes when she shook his hands off and stepped back. She'd already started walking again, and he moved automatically, pulled by the force of her.

"Kate?" he called out, thoroughly confused, and more than a little turned on.

She smiled brightly, and said, "So I guess it is nice to tease." Looking inordinately smug and proud of herself – with good reason, he thought – she stepped into Remy's, leaving him gaping behind her. Gaping, and plotting his revenge.

A/N: 2 questions. 10….Progress, yes? 20 Is it nice to tease? ; )