A/n: Well here we are folks, at chapter four! This story is becoming a real success thanks to all the great feedback I've been receiving. If you're reading this because you finished my 'I Don't Go To Weddings' story, and wanted more- than you rock my socks off (PS: My other stories request your sweet love as well, so read them if you're a dear) If you're reading this at all, you deserve a chocolate only imaginary fruit-basket (the best kind) and a hug. You've made it this far! Congratulations you have an attention span larger than the average gnat! Doesn't that make you feel special? It would me-

-Oh, look at me! (Blushes) I'm ranting. I guess you've earned another chapter for being so nice…

Hey and look right below… there it is! Enjoy!

-K.H.

Date Night?

Chapter 4: Captain Obvious

Castle was surprised at her.

He'd never expected her, to do something so bad.

Not bad in the modern sense, as in naughty (though that had crossed his mind in his writer-like fantasies) but against the rules usually she insisted they respect. But today was an exception. He liked this new Kate she was feistier, more of a character than a real person- and she had a certain knack for listening to his stupid ideas when she had no idea what to do. Basically… it was like Kate turning to Nikki.

This wasn't the best idea ever but he hoped it would work. If it didn't, Kate had made it clear she'd never listen to another one of his ideas ever, ever again. She might even injure him physically. This implied kicking… This thought shuddered through his body.

This had to work. It just had to.

He approached the front desk, and took a quick glance at the woman and her little plastic badge. Castle tipped his sunglasses at it. He just hoped his mother's acting skills had rubbed off on him.

Regina, it read. He memorized it, and took a deep breath, leaning casually across the desktop.

"Regina, darling!"

"Oh- hello?" Regina, glanced up she was confused but tried not to show it. The stranger looked at him fondly, like she was just having a tinge of amnesia not being able to remember this person who had addressed her so warmly. Regina looked him over, and smiled; he was handsome. She 'just had to know him from somewhere… but where?' She thought. That was a face a woman wouldn't forget…

He talked with Regina for a few more minutes, acting like he knew her and she kept on thinking she had some how misplaced his name. Castle kept up the act, pretending to be a manger of model who they had just signed for an advertising campaign. All he needed was a model to play the part.

"Oh, Nikki baby," Castle called to Kate/Nikki, who'd arrived in the lobby in well-rehearsed timing.

And there she was- his own creation strolling toward him in full costume. A tight 'chic' dress Kate had fond hidden in the bowels of her closet, a pair of fancy heels and ridiculous pair of bug-eye like sunglasses she'd purchased at a drug store a few blocks off. The atrocious reddish-orange haired wig was his idea, making her look more like The Fifth Element, than a supermodel.

"There's my lucky star." He regarded, winking at Kate behind his sunglasses. Even behind her silly glasses, he could see she was bombarding him with a glare for the ages.

Castle stepped aside, letting 'Nikki' take her place before the desk. If Regina hadn't been under Castle's well cast spell she noticed a gun poking in the fake model's little clutch bag, and the handcuffs peeking out of it might have been a hint too. But she didn't and just greeted Kate with a warm glinting smile. She was clueless really… Kate mumbled a few words, pretending like she was some kind of Russian implant who didn't speak much English. Regina bought it. Castle had charmed her well.

He nonchalantly added 'they'd forgotten to call for an appointment, and rightly noted they needed to speak with the advertising execs, and if she wouldn't be a dear and beam them up'. Regina nodded dutifully, and handed him a swipe card, leaving her hand over his a little longer than natural.

"The elevator's just down the hall and to the left." The desk receptionist winked at Castle, and followed him with her eyes eagerly even as he rounded the corner. Castle and Beckett followed her directions and found the elevator in no time. As she waited as a pair of blue-suited men left their elevator vacant, adverting from their hungry stares, Kate spoke for the first time since she'd dawned the disguise.

"You ever mention this again, your dead you hear me."

"Loud and clear, Nikki."

"A shot straight throw the head."

"Got, it Nikki."

"Shut it."

"Sure, Nikki."

"I thought we agreed that wasn't my undercover name-"

"-Aw but I like it. It suits you… hey! Maybe it'll stick."

"You're a jerk."

"I know."

A mile long smile curled across his mug. Priceless…

-About a day later-

"Hello Detective."

"Hello."

"Howdy Castle."

Snickers followed.

Beckett looked up from her desk, and Castle peeked from behind his newspaper; like he didn't know what was up, though he evidently did. Ryan and Esposito stood smiling, giggles fighting behind their lips. She rolled her eyes, and glanced at the object of their hilarity. It was rested across Castle's forehead still awry, like his smile, and made for a definitely humorous sight. Though, the object was inanimate it represented something much more. It was the 'rookie' cap once again, but this time a little rectangle of paper was crudely taped to the front.

Captain Obvious.

She read, it was written in an unsophisticated Sharpie pen. Kate smiled. It was true… Castle was always stating the obvious. Usually in the most helpful, but almost in the even more common comical sense he added to observations, a flavor most obliging but still brought a stop her thoughts that in many ways distracted her. Why did he always have to take everything in such a penned in version; like something from a novel, instead of real life. 'Oh, yeah' She thought regretfully; he was an author. Castle's sitcom-worthy answers to situations made things harder and easier for her, fighting her usual persona like oil to water. Having such comical additions to everyday life made an opposition to her sarcasm and solemnity.

The cap had lately become a fixture in the daily life of their banter. It was beacon of humor, and of annoyance for her. For Castle it got him much-needed attention and plenty of wise cracks. Like many things; they had different views on it. It was a symbol really. Castle stared up at it smiling back her. She took a small snapshot of the scene before her in her mind- a memory for later. Usually it would warm her heart, but now Kate knew they needed get back to business. She let him have another little moment of it.

Kate tapped teasingly the lip of the cap, and turned on a dime toward the big white evidence board. This action prompted him to follow, like the blast of a gun to a racehorse and jockey. And like a duck follows his mother, as usual, he stayed at Beckett's heels and still askew the cap followed too.

"What do we got?" Kate addressed her team, and Ryan answered her first.

"Well your adventures this weekend helped a bit-"

"-We got some dirt on Mr. Quarts." Esposito cut in, sneaking a silly look to his partner, who regarded it but didn't make it known. They seemed to speak their own language, those two- forming similar thoughts like conjoined brainy aliens. And those thoughts they twisted… well she could only imagine.

Castle stopped his current activity, plucking stray magnets from the board and forming a smiley face. His ears perked up at the word 'dirt', much like his dramatic mother he'd always been a sucker for gossip. He's such a five-year-old…

"That stunt better have been worth it."

The undercover stunt had worked. Quarts' lawyers had previously denied them access to him, since they had close to no evidence against him. The 'Nikki the model' scheme had succeeded; they'd been able to distract Quarts' hoards of lawyers, guards, and assistants. 'Nikki' proved to be a very good distraction ploy; with her beauty and simpleton attitude, but Castle knew it all was a well thought-out act. Rick rifled through his books and computer, she'd looked at Quarts' schedule for the next three weeks, and preoccupied the men in Quarts' office with her simple words in Russian and fluttering eyelashes. Only once had Kate drifted from her perfect cover when a mail-boy got too wrapped up in the act and tried to touch her. She'd dragged him aside, yanked out her gun and held it up warning that if he did that again she'd kill him; all in perfect English.

The terrified man had run off to hide in the broom closet. When Castle asked about it later, she just said he'd eaten something bad for lunch.

"I think this is 2-0, Castle at this point."

"What do you mean?" Kate looked up from her files and inquired. He'd seemed a bit cockier about their bet since the Nikki incident. She guessed this was a continuation of it.

"I mean I'm winning."

"Hey- How do you have two more points than me?"

"I got the pictures, and I thought of the model thing. Two points."

"I would categorize them as one. I was the model- I did most of the work. I didn't see you squeezing into a slutty dress and heels yesterday."

"True, but I could have rocked it, I have Stairmaster thighs…" He cocked a silly high-arched eyebrow. "But I played my part quite well didn't I?"

Kate's eyes hit the ceiling in disgust, but she admitted to the second statement. "Yeah. I guess you did-" He did come up with the plan. He designed the whole thing, but she knew played the part better…

"-So I do get two points."

"Nope. It's a draw for now. 1-1."

Castle grumbled and assembled his newspaper to mask himself once more.

A/n: It's pure silliness I know. ;) But it seemed to fit the bill so I wrote it. I named the receptionist because I've been listening to allot of Regina Spektor lately… anyone else love her?

So far the score is 1-1. Who do you think is winning, who do you think should win? Any ideas? All concepts are welcome. Thanks for reading! Don't forget to tell me what you think!

Thoughtfully and Drowsily,

K.H.

P.S. Top hats and double stuffed Oreos (invisible sadly) to all reviews… as usual.