I apologise to everyone who was offendeed by my comments in the last chapter. It was not my intention to make light of such a serious issue.

Upload Date: January 24, 2013

Chapter Rating: M

Chapter Summary: Castle and Beckett go to the book launch for Hamptons Heat and Gina makes some interesting comments.

#41

She didn't know how she had ended up stuck alone with Gina while Castle posed for pictures, but that's what happened.

There was an awkwardness as they stood side by side, watching him, each with a drink in hand.

"So, you and Rick."

Beckett inhaled deeply.
"Yeah, yeah, me and Rick. He did give you a heads-up already, didn't he?"

"No, he did. I've got to say, I know this might sound odd, but I was fairly surprised."

"Surprised it didn't happen earlier?"

"Surprised it happened at all, actually."

"Really?"

"Oh, don't get me wrong; the sparks between the two of you are obvious; and I don't know you very well - but I guess I didn't pick you for the kind of girl who could gamble on her future like."

Ok, now that she and Castle had gone public, she was getting used to those assumptions, that attitude. That didn't mean it pissed her off any less.
"Well, Castle's not a gamble; he's a sure thing."

"Oh, I know he is where you're concerned, Detective, but I didn't think you'd be able to see past it all."

"Past it all?"

"All the probing, picking apart your life for his novels; sticking his nose in to cases where it doesn't belong; opening up your Mother's case - "

"He told you about that?"

"He told me a lot that night on the phone; the night before we left for the Hamptons."

Beckett took a deep breath and managed a polite smile.

"How he had feelings for you but you clearly weren't interested because you agreed to go on a romantic weekend with your boyfriend and lied about it to Richard. What he didn't mention was that you felt the same way and had probably broken up with that guy by the time I dropped by to pick him up and interrupted you before you were presumably about to pour your heart out to him."

Beckett's gut coiled unpleasantly.

Gina:1
Kate: 0

"Wow, you're good."

"I'm not blind, Detective. And it's not my fault you didn't have the courage to tell him how you felt.

Ouch.

Gina: 2
Kate: 0

"No, it certainly is not."

"But after all that humiliation, years later, you're together. You must really love him."

Beckett smiled. "Yeah, well, what's not to love?"

The two women smiled as they simultaneously took long sips of their wine, coming to an unspoken agreement.

"So, uh... what exactly did you two talk about?" Castle questioned Gina nervously.

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

She simpered.

Castle took deep, long breaths to prevent himself from hyperventilating.

"Hey, relax, Richard, the woman is head-over-heels for you."

"Really? I mean, I know, but - you can tell that?"

"Richard, what you failed to realise when we were dating, and subsequently when we were married, and then when we were dating again, is that women are much more emotionally aware than men. Plus, she told me.

He raised his eyebrows. "That would help."

Gina smiled. "I think this will be a great seller, Richard."

Caste smiled back. "And I have Black Pawn to thank."

"Oh, don't sell yourself short, Richard. You're not completely untalented."

They shared a knowing smile.

"So, that wasn't too bad," said Castle as they got itno the limo.

"Yeah," said Beckett. "I only got asked about seventeen inappropriate questions about my my sex-life."

"What'd you say?" he grinned.

Beckett shook her head. "No comment."

"Oh, you're no fun." He paused. "That's my girl. But don't worry. The press only cares about my personal life when I have a new book coming out. The other eleven months of the year, I'm nothing to them."

"Despite your best efforts to persuade them otherwise.'

"I don't know what it is, but riding naked on a horse just doesn't shock people like it used too."

"Well, things have changed over the last century or two - and you did that because you were drunk, not because you wanted to promote political change."'

"Maybe I was campaigning to ban female officers from wearing uniforms. I know it would make work a whole lot more fun for me now."

"Really? Me working in a building with ninety-percent men, many of whom at their physical peak, who work out every day to stay in shape in order to chase bad guys, all leering at my bare, naked - "

"Ok, you just ruined it," he winced.

"Besides, I don't wear a uniform anymore."

"You wouldn't still happen to have it, would you?"

"I may have a few... ceremonial outfit's on-hand."

His jaw hung open. "That is definitely going on the list."

"Whatever floats your boat, Big Rick."

He licked his lips, smirking.

He paused, gazing down at her. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"I know you're not a big fan of this publicity stuff. I know you wouldn't do it if you didn't love me so much _"

"Oh, so you're just assuming that because I'm showing support for an honorary colleague, I must be in love with you."

"Well, I do have a material witness who will testify to hearing your confession."

She shook her head incredulously. "Really? Well, then, fine, you got me. I confess. I, Katherine Beckett, hereby plead guilty to the utter tenderness, fondness, adoration, passion and love of one Richard Edgar Castle. "

"I hereby sentence you to one wekend protective custody in the judge's chambers," he said against the nape of her neck, his heart and lungs struggling to keep up with his mouth as he soared in the ecstasy of her words.

"Mmm, court adjourned," said Beckett.

"Hey, that's my line," he said, eliciting a gasp as he slipped his hand beneath her underwear, submitting her to the first of her many punishments that night, changing the score significantly by the end of the night, when she lay exhausted, spent and so thoroughly satisfied on Castle's bed she barely had the energy to tally the results - but she'd kept count. Oh, there had been moments it had been hard - moments she'd forgotten her own name - but she felt she was being conservative with this number. Honestly, she'd lost count after nine.

Gina: 2
Kate: 13

I know this is the third time I've addressed this issue, and every time it's been in "Through the Grapevine". I will try my best not to write another scenario involving the whole "Demming/Gina" thing but I can't make any promises.

Thank you, Serena, for tweeting about my little series, and everyone who followed the link! Hmm, maybe I should tweet about something other than Taylor Swift. Maybe then I'd have more than two followers.