Wow you guys the response to the last chapter was just wonderful. Thank you so much I'm thrill you guys are as taken with this idea as I am. And now on with the story composed of characters I'm just borrowing from people far more successful than myself.
Chapter 10 – Dancing in the Park
The chirping nose of my phone sounded from some where in the pile of papers that were all over my desk. Startling me enough to bounce my laptop off my lap. I waved my arms wildly to catch it and move the papers around in attempt to answer the phone before it went to voice mail.
"Castle." I managed to answer, not taking the time to see who was calling, before lunging after the sliding papers hitting my knee on the desk, "Ow."
"Castle? Are you ok?" The concerned tones of Detective Beckett came through the ear piece.
"Yeah." I said holding everything in place, with my hands hoping my laptop stayed in my lap and my phone stayed trapped between my ear and shoulder. "Hit my knee on the desk. Give me one second."
"Go for it…" She answered and I could see her looking at the phone with that face she has when someone does something that she doesn't understand.
Quickly rearranging everything on my desk so an avalanche wasn't imminent, and there was space for my laptop, I brought the phone back to my ear. "Disaster averted."
"What happened?"
I shrugged, "Got caught up in a fit of inspiration, things got everywhere. Phone rang, and well things were falling everywhere. What's up? Are we still on for tonight?"
"Rick," she almost sighed and I knew that this wasn't good. "We caught a case. It's all hands on deck I'm not going to be able to make it tonight. I'm so sorry."
"Oh… that's okay. We'll go another night." I reassured her. Looking around at the piles of paper in front of me feeling slightly dejected. I'd been rather looking forward to having her in a nice dress, taking her to dinner and then the concert in the park.
"I know," came softly through the phone, "but I was really looking forward to it. And this case is just dumb but it's going to take a few hours to wrap up."
A stroke of inspiration hit, "Are you going to be there all night or just a few hours later than usual?"
"Um…" I could see her sitting in her desk chair twirling her hair or a pen as she thought about it. "Probably just a few hours. Why?" The question comes out oddly suspicious.
"The night won't be a total loss." I assured her.
"Castle what are you planning?"
"Finish your work, Detective." I told her with a smile.
Silence on the other end of the phone for a moment, "See you later?" I came across as a question. So maybe I wasn't so smooth.
"Just catch the bad guy and file all the paper work and don't worry about me."
"Ok? Hey Castle?"
"Yes?"
"I really am sorry about tonight."
I smiled at her apology. When I first met her I doubt she would have ever considered a date with me let alone be upset that she had to cancel. "It's the life you lead my dear. If you didn't catch murders for a living I probably wouldn't find you nearly as interesting."
She chuckled on the other end of the line, "Goodbye Castle."
"Talk to you later Kate." I told her grinning as the line went dead.
The elevator opened to Esposito and Ryan holding the elbows of a sloppy drunk that had blood spatters on his t-shirt. "Hey guys. Case Closed?"
"Castle!" Ryan sounded delighted, "What gave it away?"
"What are you doing here bro?" Esposito asked. As we did a weird dosi-do. Me trying to stay as far away from the man between them who looked like he was trying really hard not vomit at that moment.
"I brought dinner." I lifted the bags for them to see. "It'll be waiting when you get back from holding."
"Sweet. Thanks Castle." Esposito grinned, jabbing the button to close the door.
Whistling to myself I wandered into the bull pen to find my brunette detective bent over her desk filling out paper work. Not wanting to interrupt her I went into the empty conference room beside the dark office of the Captain and started pulling the containers out of the bags, before sneaking into the break room to grab extra utensils, plates, and napkins.
Coming to the door back to the conference room, I found the same brunette detective leaning against the door jamb looking at the spread before her. Some how magically sensing my presence behind her, "This isn't exactly what I thought you were going to do when you told me the night wouldn't be a loss."
"You didn't expect me to bring you dinner?" I asked moving into the room and opening the dishes serving myself and gesturing for her to do the same. "I'm glad I'm not completely predictable."
"No, I didn't expect you to bring dinner for the whole team." She said with a smile. Plucking a beer from the six pack I'd brought she popped the top, taking a pull from it, before sitting down next to me.
"Well it wouldn't have been fair to feed you and not them. Besides, don't tell them, but I kind of like them." I winked at her.
She laughed that beautiful carefree laugh, a curl escaping from the knot at the nape of her neck as her hand fell grazing mine as she pulled the Mongolian beef closer. "Well thank you Castle, it's very sweet of you."
"Castle, this is why we should have kept you around." Esposito exclaimed coming into the conference room looking positively thrilled at the spread in front of him.
Kate laughed again, "Free food. That's all you mean to them Castle."
"Hey, sometime he also invited us to cool parties." Ryan added pick up a plate and reaching for the rice.
"Because, I was never helpful." I did my best to look wounded, "So tell me about your week?" I asked, and the three detectives launched into the three cases they caught this week. None of them particularly complicated but it was fun to listen to them just the same.
The containers were empty and Ryan was yawning rather spectacularly when I glanced at my watch. "Well boys," I stood up, "I'm going to take this lovely detective with me now. And, since I provided dinner the least you can do is clean up." This earned me an arched eyebrow from all for them. "What? You guys got dinner out of the deal now I'm going to take Detective Beckett out to do something separate from this precinct."
"Girl, your canceled date tonight was with Castle?" Esposito crowed. "Mom and Dad are going on a date." He did a little dance in his seat.
"Way to go Castle, convincing the boss to let her hair down." Ryan cheered earning him a glare from Kate.
"And, just for that you guys can finish the paper work from today too." She said with that dangerous smile that says there is potential so much more trouble ahead if you don't stop.
"That's not fair…" Esposito whined.
"Fair enough…" Ryan choked under her glare.
"Night boys." I said cheerfully, and followed the boss out of the room, to her desk where she was pulling on a trench coat.
"So Castle, what was the rest of the plan?" She said with a little smile, pulling a decorative scarf around her neck.
Punching the button for the elevator, I turned to her. "Well originally this evening I'd planned to get you in a dress and take you to a fancy dinner and then dancing. But, since life intervened I have a different plan that involves taking a walk."
"Oh a walk to where?" She leaned back against the wall of the elevator eyes sparkling.
Following her in I hit the buttons for the ground floor and then took at advantage of the empty elevator choosing to stand right in front of her, crowding her just a little bit. "Telling you my dear, would ruin the mystery."
"And you're all about the mystery?" she bit her lip, fighting a smile.
"Well I am a mystery writer." I teased, bringing my hands up to rest on her elbows, admiring the way her eyes sparkled. Before anything really interesting could happen though the elevator doors opened on the main floor.
A full smile bloomed on her face and she grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the elevator, "Well, onto this mysterious walk. Are we just walking walking or do we need to catch a cab some where?"
I glanced at my watch, "Catch a cab."
She let go of my hand and stepped onto the curb raising a hand. Instantaneously bringing a cab to a halt beside her. She opened the door with a flourish and climbed in. "Well are you getting in? This is your adventure Castle."
I shook my head climbing in next to her, "East 72nd and 5th." I told the driver.
"We're going to the park?"
"Excellent detective skills." I smiled at her. "I like it when you're all smiley."
She sighed and relaxed back against the seat looking at me, "Well you make me smile, and given the year I've had I deserve to smile."
"I shall take that as a compliment. Thank you."
Silence descended in the cabin as the taxi driver whisked us across town. Before I knew it we pulled up to a stop and I fished the fare out of my wallet handing it to the driver before helping her out of cab and leading the way into the park.
"I love spring," She sighed looking around the flowers that had closed for the night and the fresh leaves on the trees swaying gently in the soft breeze. "Everything is so fresh and clean." She reached up behind her, pulling the hair tie out of her hair allowing it cascade down around her shoulders little pieces of it catching in the air. "Castle?" She asked when I she realized that I was just watching her.
"Sorry, I was admiring how pretty everything is." I admitted, tugging her hand to my destination.
She blushed and fell into step beside me, "Thanks." Swinging our hands between us we followed the path until the strains of music could be heard in the wind. She gasped and looked and me, "Castle are we going to the band shell?"
"I thought you'd like it." I told her veering off the path and walking, "It's not anyone huge tonight just a community orchestra. They're part of the spring concert series here… any way I thought we could enjoy the weather and listen to some classical music."
"My dad used to bring my mom and I to these when I was little. They did it before I was born. When I was a little girl we'd come out here and listen to the music. Dad would dance with Mom and I would try to catch fireflies." She told me a soft smile on her face, "When I got tired of chasing bugs Dad would put me on his feet and he would dance with me."
I laughed picturing the a little Kate Beckett dancing on her father's feet, "I used to do that with Alexis."
"Well then you're a very good father. Every little girl should have a memory of dancing on her father's feet." She told me as we came to a stop at the far edge of the crowds that had gathered, closing her eyes she just absorbed the music.
"Well detective would you like to dance?"
Her eyes opened, gold flecks in a sea of hazel green sparkled. "I would love to, Castle." She brought her free arm up to my shoulder, and I settled mine on her waist. Falling into a rhythm I managed to get her to follow my lead to the faint music.
"How is Mr. Beckett?" I asked.
"He's good. I don't see him often enough. He worries." She confessed.
"Can you blame him?"
She paused for a second, "No. This summer was really hard on him, even after I made it through the surgery and recovery. And then I went back to work in the fall," She shook her head. "He knew that I wasn't going to give up my job, but I'm sure a little part of him hoped that I'd do something else."
"Have you thought about doing something else?"
"Since my mom died?" I nodded, "No… I need closure. And if I can't get that then I need to give others closure."
"Are you any closer?"
"No…" She sighed, allowing herself to be pulled closer. "Over the summer the boys chased down everything there was until Gates shut it down."
"Do you have any leads?"
"No." She shook her head looking disappointed. "Any way my dad worries, I'm all he has left."
"I can't imagine how much I would worry if it was Alexis."
She smiled, "An appropriate amount I'm sure. And she would feel just as I do that it's unnecessary but grant it because I just have him too." She settled her head on my shoulder.
"You have other people that care about you."
"My mom was stabbed in a dark alley when I was a teenager, and my training officer and my captain were both gunned down in the last year. I have my dad, the boys, and Lanie."
"You've got me. I'm not going any where."
Lifting her head she smiled and ran her fingers up to the base of my skull, "I do hun?"
"Yeah." I swallowed realizing that I'd let slip how head over heels I was for her, again.
"Well that will make my dad happy. You know what he said to me the other day?"
"I have no idea…"
Leaning her head back on my shoulder she sighed, "We met for dinner last week and in the middle of telling that story about how you dropped your cup at that coffee shop on Lex. And when it shattered you insisted on paying the owner so that he could buy a whole new set of cups, because he couldn't possibly have miss-matched cups. He stopped me and said, 'Katie Bug that Castle fellow makes you smile an awful lot.'"
"Well then my goal has been achieved." I told her changing direction and dipping her causing her laughter to spread through me like warm butter before I pulled her back up pressing the long lines of her body up against mine.
"It's true Castle. You do make me smile." She whispered into my neck.
"Any time." I told her as we swayed to the closing strains of music. We broke apart to applaud at the end of the concert and then she slipped her hand into mine, "I need to go home, I have a coffee date to keep tomorrow." We strolled to the edge of the park, "Thank you for a wonderful evening Rick."
I smiled, "It was my pleasure."
"Next time I promise will make it to the original plans."
I shrugged, "So we're more spontaneous. I like it." I grinned, "Coffee in the morning?"
"It's your turn to pick the place." She teased.
"How do you figure?"
"Well the last time I came to your apartment which was my choice."
"So that counts?" she smiled and nodded, "Well then reason would hold that I could show up at your apartment with coffee in the morning and that would count as my choice?"
There was a full fledged grin as she looked out at the street and then back at me, "That is completely up to you Castle. As long as there's coffee I'll have a story for you." She brought a hand up to my to my chest and leaned in and brushed her lips over mine. "I'll see you tomorrow Castle."
"Good night Kate," I told her covering the hand on my chest with my own briefly before she dashed out into the street hailing a cab and climbing in with a little wave as the cab peeled off all before I could get over the fact that she'd kissed me. I really needed to get over that reaction.
Happy Two-Parter Monday! Whose ready for absurd amounts of suspense that will have us on the edge of our seats until next week? Oh just everyone.
Any way I hope this bit helps ease some of your tension. Let me know what you thought.
Babyrose