Disclaimer: I don't own Castle or that fabulous finale, "Always."

Prompt #24: Intervention - Lanie all but dragged her down to autopsy and shouted, "Girl, stop second-guessing yourself and go kiss that man senseless!"

Words: 497

Kate Beckett had been in many different types of situations. Dangerous, more than most women her age. Strange, very much so. Uncomfortable, more recently than some.

But nothing quite so awkward as being hauled down to the morgue and threatened at scalpel-point by her best girl friend.

"I am sick and tired of you two dancing around like trained bears!" Lanie announced, gesturing at Kate with the tiny surgical blade. "It's ridiculous! It's inane! You're adults, for Chrissake!"

Watching the blade carefully, Kate tried to speak up. "Lanie - "

"This song-and-dance you two have been doing has gone on long enough!" Obviously the medical examiner was not going to let her get a word in edgewise. "I mean, c'mon! The man has moved Heaven and Earth for you, repeatedly! If that's not hinting at deeper feelings - "

"Lanie, wait a - "

" - then you gotta serial-watch all those Lifetime chick flicks and get a clue!"

"Hang on a sec, Lanie - "

"Shut up! I'm venting!" Slamming the scalpel on her tray, Lanie picked up another hooked surgical instrument and pointed it at Kate. "I'm serious, girl. You can't keep stringing Castle along like this. He'll leave for real next time, I know it! He was this close - " She held her thumb and index fingertips less than a quarter of an inch apart. " - to leaving last time, and it's only because he still loves you that he's not hopping in that Ferrari and trolling his book parties for girls!"

"Lanie, c'mon, don't overreact - "

Wrong thing to say. "Overreact? OVERREACT?" screeched Lanie. "This is not overreacting! This is being realistic! If you don't slap a bumper sticker on that ass saying MINE, NOT YOURS, there will be nothing keeping those skinny babydoll groupies from swarming around it like sharks coming for chum!"

"Lanie - "

"Don't tell me you haven't worried about some bodice-ripper-reading bimbo acting out her wild fantasies with him - "

"Wait, Lanie - "

" - with you waiting at home like a lonely spinster pining for a Don Juan to sweep you off your feet - "

"Lanie - "

" - can't see why you two don't just - "

"LANIE, CASTLE AND I ALREADY SLEPT TOGETHER!" Kate screamed.

Silence. It was like the dead bodies around them were holding their breath as well. Lanie's expression slowly adapted the wide-eyed look of someone shocked out of their skin. But no sooner had it settled that her eyes slowly narrowed into slits. Kate began to lean away from her best friend as the medical examiner picked up her scalpel again to point it at the detective.

"Say what now?" Lanie said through gritted teeth. "You and Writer Boy made sheet music and DIDN'T TELL ME?"

Kate sighed.

Tag to "Always" because let's face it, that was an AWESOME way to leave us hanging!

Review please! We're almost to the halfway mark!