Chapter 33 – Call Interrupted

Disclaimer – shame on me I forget to include it often. Don't we all know by now, I don't own the characters?

Alexis had never ever heard Detective Beckett's voice use THAT tone. It was different. It was, well almost embarrassing to have heard it. Does she hang up? Alexis knew she couldn't hang up; it would send the wrong message.

Alexis had to say hello – ugh. Not almost – totally embarrassing "Hey Detective Beckett."

At the sound of Little Castle's voice Kate jerked the phone from her ear, who did she dial? Sure Kate had Little Castle's phone in her favorites, only because Rick insisted that if anything ever happened to him Kate call Alexis. Kate was positive she selected favorite #1. She DID hit favorite #1. Get it together Kate.

Back to Beckett business tone of voice "Your Dad okay?"

Alexis' face was a scarlet red, she was right Kate's tone of voice was just for her Dad. Creepy yet, something she needed to learn how to do.

Alexis began to babble uncontrollably, she knew her Dad would want to speak to Kate. "Yeah, sure, didn't mean to scare you, he left his phone with me, I'm working on a picture project for him, you know downloading his favorite photos." Crap, she almost said 'of you.' "I know he would want to talk to you. Please hold on."

Kate could feel Alexis' embarrassment over the phone, babbling was a sure sign of someone not knowing what to say.

Alexis sprinted across the loft and waived frantically at her father who was typing furiously on his laptop. He looked up and she began drawing the letters 'K' – 'A' – 'T' – 'E' in the air, followed by wildly pointing at the phone clutched to her chest.

At first Kate heard the pounding of footsteps, followed by muffled sound, which meant the phone was most likely held tightly to muffle any conversations that might be heard. Maybe calling was a bad idea.

And then Kate heard a stifled shout "KATE's on THE PHONE? GIVE IT TO ME!" Maybe calling was a good idea.

To her relief a gravely "Hey" came across the line. What Kate didn't know was that Castle was uncontrollably shoving his daughter out of his office and slamming the door shut. Castle then attempted to nonchalantly slide into a chair as if his last act was viewed by Kate and that his coolness could be felt through the phone.

When there was no response to his initial 'Hey' he tried again, softening his voice and closing his eyes, willing her to respond "Hey."

It took a minute. No, it took several minutes of listening to her slow and steady breathing. But he knew that breathing, so he waited. Just like she asked - he waited for her.

His heart skipped a beat when he heard the sultry "Hey" tumble out of her mouth. That 'hey' he knew held so much more than a casual hello. The 'hey' that was his and his alone.

"Thanks." Castle bit his lip, dumbass, that's the best you can come up with?

"For what?" Kate slapped herself on the forehead why was she playing stupid? "Called to say I was wrong."

He let out a little huff, it oddly comforted her. "Wrong?"

The words spilled out. "I shouldn't have told you not to call or text, you know the whole nothing until Sunday. It wasn't fair to you. It's not fair to you, to shut you out."

Her words were so delicious to him.

She took a deep breath "I went about it the wrong way. I wanted to set up a time, a place, a neutral place – dedicated to you, to us. No interruptions. Time to talk. Really talk. I owe you that."

"You don't owe me."

"'Owe' might not be the best choice of words. But I care, I know it's hard for you to tell, but I care. I would like this to work – we need time. Time without a snippet here, a snippet there. Figure out where we are headed, could be headed. In person. Alone."

He bit down hard on his hand to prevent himself from interrupting. Rick knew she was on a roll, a mission of sorts.

"How to make it work. I want us to be headed some place together."

Her confession was greeted with silence. Uncertainty filled her head and heart. Kate thought it meant he didn't want it/her. She really fucked it up, he was done waiting.

He wanted her to the very core of his being, so much so Castle couldn't speak.

Kate began to back track. "Hey, it's alright, if you don't want to head anywhere. Maybe it was all me. Maybe you did it because you're a good man and you felt obligated to protect my life. Blackmailed into being around me after I didn't call this summer, out of respect for Montgomery…." Kate stopped breathing. Doubt devoured her mind. He felt obligated.

Castle jumped in, he was afraid she would hang up. "All want. No obligation, other than the obligation to my own selfish heart."

He heard her suck in air as if willing herself to breath as he asked "When? Where?"

Kate's heart quickened. She heard the smile that laced his questions of 'when?' and 'where?'

He heard a hint of a laugh mixed with relief "Sunday, pick you up at 11:00am?"

Castle countered "How about I pick you up?" Sure it was a litmus test about control, but he liked to pick up his dates. It was a date wasn't it?

Kate struggled for a split second, she loved control. She had it all planned out. Relationships aren't about control they are about common ground. She needed to; she wanted to find common ground with Rick. "That would be great."

Castle knew by her tone that she wanted off the phone. "Still at the 12th?"

"Yeah – waiting on video tape to seal the deal. About as open and shut as they get."

"Good. Then I didn't miss anything today but you." Castle didn't need a response to what he had just said. He only wanted her to hear it. "Calling from your private office?"

Kate's heart skipped a tiny beat. He missed her. Rick meant 'All want. No obligation.' "What private office?"

Castle was happy she couldn't see the silly little grin he was wearing. "Ladies room." Or the waggle of his eyebrows. He loved teasing her – so tough so tease-able. But was she ticklish? – oh how his mind wandered.

Kate's mouth betrayed her "How did you know?"

"Comes from all that 'creepy' staring I do."

"Hmm" Castle could see her rolling her eyes through the phone. "Gates' office. She left early but I still don't need to get caught in here. See you Sunday."

"Looking forward to it. Oops, one quick thing – I may have sent a gift to your apartment."

"May have?"

"Bought it Friday, before, before – well you know. Regardless, you don't need to open it. Just put it some place safe and we can worry about it later."