AN: I want to thank everyone who has reviewed, followed, recommended on twitter and added this story to their favorites. I know this story was not your typical fic., so thank you for coming along while I indulged in some frivolity; it is greatly appreciated. This is the last chapter, it is on the long side, but I could not find a break point. So without further delay let's find out who winner is.
Please note - Any words in italics are coming from the game, characters, police dispatch etc., not Castle and Beckett.
INTERIOR RICKY THE MOUTH'S APARTMENT
Well, that was an interesting outcome; the whole vehicular manslaughter angle was completely unexpected, clever, but unexpected none the less. He's misjudged her, assumed her moral code, her by the book attitude would transfer to her behavior in the game; but her last kill proved him wrong. With a shudder he's relatively certain that a Beckett without rules is something he never wants to see in real life. The elevator opens on the lobby floor, slinging the black bag over his shoulder; he crosses the lobby, shoves the door open and heads out onto the virtual street ahead.
Jabbing his elbow into the widow of the first car he sees, the glass shatters from the impact, he reaches in and pulls the handle. Settling in, he twists a few wires, and the engine roars to life as he haphazardly tosses his bag into the back and jerks the shifter into drive. Settling on his next move, he's decides that taunting Beckett in the virtual world may actually be more fun than in real life, and he has a plan.
INTERIOR 6th PRECINCT
Resting the controller in her lap, she wiggles and stretches her fingers releasing some of the tension, knuckles cracking loudly with each bend and flex. Seriously, how does he play this game for hours and not get carpel tunnel? She absently toys with the idea that maybe she should let him play, a little stamina practice for his oh so talented digits. She has always loved his fingers or more specifically what he could do with them.
Shaking her head and blinking her eyes in an effort to snap her mind out of the gutter her thoughts were just swirling in, she focuses her attention back to the game. Where is she again, that's right the precinct, ok, so apparently upon death her character returns here; speaking of her death, a prostitute, ugh! He definitely cheated, pushing her out of the way…pfft! She suspects her previous allegation of human shield is much more accurate. She's not surprised in the least that his virtual self can be just as infuriating as his non-virtual self; weasel. The peel of her phone ringing in the headset rouses her from non-virtual musings; no doubt dispatch reporting that Castle is up to no good.
"Heat!"
"I would like to report a hit and run."
"Really, would you now, why don't you come down to the station and we can reenact the event."
"Detective, are you suggesting a little role play? Good cop...Dirty cop maybe? That officer McNaughty outfit would be perfect; you know how much I love dirty cop. And as far as coming down to the station, I am already here, sorry I can't come in and play."
He wants to play dirty, she'll show him dirty, and not the kind he has in mind. Judging by the connotation she picked up in the tone of his voice, the way he dragged out the word dirty, letting it roll off his tongue slowly, she knows exactly what he's thinking. The salacious images she's absolutely sure are swirling around in that over active imagination of his right now, his mind fully invested in planning some extracurricular activities for later; pervert.
Slamming the phone down on the receiver, she pushes herself up and out of the chair, the force driving it backwards into the desk behind hers. Breaking into a run, she reaches the stairs and descends them at a full speed; her pace never wavering as she crosses the lobby and bursts through the front door, coming to an abrupt stop at the sidewalk; gun drawn.
With a flick of his finger on the controller, his virtual self slides the cell phone into the pocket of his jeans. He can feel the anticipation thrumming through him, as his thumb depresses heavily on the brake button, the tip of it red from the effort, forefinger pulsing up and down on the gas button, any second now.
The sound of the reviving engine draws her eyes to the right, the son of a bitch actually stole her cruiser, well not actually her cruiser per se, but it's the principle. Without hesitation she raises her weapon and begins firing rounds in a quick succession. The ping and pop of the bullets hitting the car reverberate in the headset, shredding the metal, large gaping holes appearing, and the sound of shattering glass rings in the headset as a bullet strikes the rear window.
"Nice shooting detective seems destroying police property is becoming a habit for you." His voice alights with a hint of amusement, a clear appreciation at his own cleverness with his next words. "On the upside, at least it seems you finally got the hang of using my...…joystick."
"Joystick, gun, whatever, I told you Castle, I have yet to find one I can't handle, does seem a shame though th….."
Cutting off her words midsentence, his witty retort dances off his tongue. "A shame that you have to restrain yourself till the games over before you can show me your newly acquired skills?" His enthusiasm at his own brilliance, causing her to roll her eyes.
"No Castle, it's a shame that after today, your hand, will be the only thing touching your "joystick", ever again."
With a huff, he slides his thumb off the brake while simultaneously pressing down fully on the gas. The tires squeal in protest; the rear end of the cruiser swings violently left to right, before lurching forward, a trail of rubber and a thick plume of smoke left behind.
Her eyes track his getaway as he blows through the red light at the intersection, the car skidding sideways as horns blare, and brakes screech; with one final spin of the tires, he disappears from sight.
A car pulling up in front catches her attention, a fellow officer, the car slowing to pull into a spot directly in front of her. Stepping off the sidewalk, she snatches the keys from his hand, and jumps into the cruiser. Flipping the sirens on as she turns the controller sharply to the left, she presses down on the gas button. The rear end swings in a wide arc right, tires squealing, smoke filling the air as she pivots the controller side to side, finally righting the vehicles direction, and taking off in pursuit.
"Nice one Castle, you graduated from stealing police horses to squad cars, maybe you can manage to keep your clothes on this time."
"Detective, are you just hoping to see my virtual-self naked? Shameless! I am kinda busy right now evading you, but if you want to stop by my apartment later that can be arranged and bring your handcuffs."
"Keep dreaming Castle, that ship definitely sailed this morning, in the virtual world as well as your real one."
Dispatch: We have a 503 in progress at the corner of Grand Ave and Banks St.
"No shit, thanks for the tip, already on it."
Dispatch: We have a 505 in progress at Strathmore and Cater St.
"Seriously, does this thing ever shut up? It's like riding with Castle!"
Dispatch: We have 510 in progress Fairmont Ave and Central St.
Considering she's been chasing him for at least ten minutes already, she's finding dispatch to be less than helpful. With a fleeting thought she wonders if there is a way to disable the feature, other than shooting the radio, because seriously, dispatch is a douche. Rounding the corner, she spots the stolen cruiser up ahead, well, what used to be a cruiser, he's such an ass. Slamming on the brake button, her hands tilt the controller sharply to the left causing the car to slide, tires bumping the curb with a loud thump; the vehicle rocking slightly on its shocks.
Gun drawn she approaches the cruiser, steps cautious, as her eyes scan the vehicle for any signs of movement; but surprisingly finding it empty. Taking a step back to survey the vehicular carnage, it's a mystery as to how he was able to get out unharmed. The whole vehicle is listing heavily to the left; the far right front corner of the bumper is caught on its very edge, balancing precariously on a fire hydrant, teetering like a metronome. Water spouting into the air flooding the sidewalk, the whole scene is a cautionary tale; a reminder of why she's never lets him drive her actual squad car.
Stepping away from the wreckage, and scanning the surrounding area, she spots him. Well, not his whole body but his eyes, like a Peeping Tom, from in between the gap in the curtains at bar across the street; jackass. The building facade is brick face, a single door surround by two large windows. The awing overhead the entrance gives away the true clientele, 'The Bada Bing', now that's original. Apparently the game manufacturer had a sense of humor because it even comes with its very own greasy, steroid addict bouncer-doorstop. As she makes her way across the street, her only thought is, he will be sorry if he gets in her way.
Two bucks
Moving her thumb on the controller, she tries to step past him to the left but his movements mirror hers, blocking her path.
Two bucks
This is unbelievable; does this asshat say anything else? He's really starting to piss her off. Shifting to her right, she finds her path once again blocked.
Two bucks
"Hey Heat, if you're short on funds I saw a strip club down the street, sign out front said they were hiring."
With a predatory snarl, she hits the red and blue buttons on the controller simultaneously; the combined action of the dual button combo drives her virtual character's knee straight into the bouncer's groin.
"Whoa! Holy shit Beckett! He said the cover charge was two bucks not two balls, talk about police brutality!"
"You want to see police brutally, why don't you step outside and get in front of the cruiser again, this time, after I hit you, I will back up and run you over again."
"I love it when you talk dirty to me detective, but now is hardy the time. And on a side note, they should lose the cover fee in the retail version; two dollars is two dollars too much, this place is a dump; god knows what kind of virtual germs have taken up residence in this place."
"Tell ya what Castle, when your done writing your review for Yelp, come on out and I will give you a shot."
Stepping over the bouncer, her heel snags on his jacket parting it slightly; and she sees exactly what she needs, an M7 sub-machine gun, perfect. He's so dead. Crouching down beside the body, she releases it from the shoulder strap, tucks it securely into the crook of her arm, crosses the threshold and opens fire.
He dives behind the bar as the sound of splintering wood filters through the headset; the wood quickly disintegrates around him as she relentlessly hammers round after round into it. He regrets only grabbing the Glock when he exited his apartment earlier, as he listens to the rapid barrage of gun fire repeating in his headset, he knows he is severely out gunned. Well, not completely out gunned, but the surprise he has tucked away in his black bag is not appropriate for such a confined space, he needs a special scenario to give her that little gift.
Dropping to the floor on his stomach, arms bent at a ninety degree angle, he wiggles his hips as he army crawls to get a better look. Reaching the far end of the bar, he cranes his neck around the corner, and watches as she sprays the room with automatic fire. It's like a scene from an action movie, bottles shatter casting the alcohol that was contained in them to mist into the air like sea spray off a wave, a juke box in the corner, the music warbling to a stop as it succumbs it's injuries, empty shell casings litter the floor as she continues to take out everyone and everything in her path; complete and udder destruction.
For a brief moment, he would swear that her virtual character was sporting the same amused smirk that he just now saw on her face. As he continues to watch the chaos unfold, any previous doubts he had before are now gone, he is one hundred percent sure; a Beckett with no rules is something he never wants to experience in real life. He needs an exit strategy and the sooner the better, she is a tad out of control and he wants nothing more than to get his virtual ass out of there. A sudden break in the gun fire; he surmises she must be reloading, provides him the opportunity he needs. Pushing his body up and off the floor, he grabs the black bag and runs to the exit at the back of the bar.
"Where are you going Ricky? I was just about to buy you a drink."
"You know Heat; this place is just not as lively as it was when I first got here." His eyes make a quick sweep around the room; taking in the mangled menagerie of dead gangsters strewn about. "It's actually kinda dead, I am out of here."
Throwing his shoulder into the door, he slips through the opening and breaks into a run down the alley behind the bar.
She snaps the clip into place just as he slips through the door. Bending to grab a few more clips from the dead bodies, and stuffing them in her vest pocket, she takes off after him.
The sound of bullets ricocheting off the wall to his left lets him know she is not far behind. Reaching the end of the alley he sees it; like a gift from the gaming gods, it's perfect. Guaranteed to throw her off her game, a smirk appears on his non virtual lips; she's going to be pissed.
He is proving to be quite hard to kill, she has no idea how the hell he escaped the bar unscathed; but as she pulls back on the bolt to cock her favorite new toy, the M7, that is something she plans on remedying very soon. Reaching the end of the alley, gun at the ready she scans the street. The virtual sun is beginning to set over the tops of the skyscrapers in the distance, and the warm glow of the street lamps reflect off the darkened store front windows. Horns blare in the distance, and the soft swoosh of the passing cars on the street before her fill her headset; as people from all walks of life amble down the virtual sidewalks.
The sound of laughter draws her attention to the left, a jet black limo, the windows tinted a deep black, the high polish on the chrome rims catch the last rays of the setting afternoon sun, causing them to sparkle. A group of young woman hang out of the sunroof; glasses of champagne clasped in their hands, arms waving in the air; their shrill screams of excitement rising above the sounds of the city. Turning away from the street, the sound of her name draws her attention back to the limo.
"Hey Heat, can we give you a lift to the strip club? Wouldn't want you to be late for your job interview."
What the hell is it with this game! Prostitutes, bimbos in limousines; in a sudden vision of clarity, she's absolutely positive that it was designed by a bunch of guys who haven't gotten laid in...well…ever! Her finger instinctively twitches on the trigger of the gun, so tempted to just say fuck it and open fire, civilian deaths be damned, but she's wise to his tricks this time, she won't be sucked in.
"Not this time Ricky. Got yourself a car full of human shields there I see."
"Don't be jealous Heat; there is plenty of room for you too. Although, you may have to sit on one of the girl's laps, it's a tad crowded in here."
Tamping down the response that is struggling to leave her lips, she'd rather wait and give it to him face to face, or more specifically, face to M7. Running back to her cruiser outside the bar, she catches sight of the limo as it passes by just up head at the corner. Sliding into the car, she slams on the gas pedal, and throws on the sirens; he is a dead man.
That did not go exactly as planned; he was so sure that this Beckett, the one he is now referring to as "bat shit crazy game Beckett" would not be able to resist opening fire on the limo and taking out a few civilians in the process. She did seem entirely too fond of that new machine gun she scored at the bar to let the opportunity of firing a few rounds at him pass her by.
He turns to glance out the rear window and sees the familiar flash of red and blue off in the distance, she'd gaining on him, the limo is too slow, he won't be able to outrun her, he definitely needs a new plan and quick. Popping up through the sunroof to get a better idea of how close she is, he's struck by inspiration, a moment of pure genius; his eyes fall to the bag resting on the seat, this is going to be awesome. Drawing his gun he presses it to the back of the drivers head and directs him to pull the car over.
She can see the taillights up ahead in the distance as the limo pulls away from curb and takes a sharp left, a quick glance at her on board GPS and she knows exactly where he is heading. The sirens clear the way for her as she passes the turn off he made, and heads for the next on ramp; he'll never see her coming.
Getting rid of the driver and girls was the right choice, he may have given Heat the chance to gain some ground, but dumping the added weight of the passengers was definitely worth it; plus all the giggling and screeching was driving him up the wall. Tilting the controller to the right he guns it up the on ramp and merges onto the highway.
Without warning the thunderous crunch of metal to metal contact booms in the headset, the limo jerks violently to the left as she rams her cruiser into the passenger side of the limo.
"I see you finished your classes at the Lindsay Lohan driving school, kudos, looks like you aced the final exam."
"Well you know me Castle; I was always a quick study."
"Speaking of school, TheBootyBoutique. com has this one called the Frisky Freshman, a dark plaid bra, matching mini skirt, black leather lace-up vest, very classy Beckett."
"I don't know Castle, you definitely have the legs for the skirt, but a leather lace up vest, umm..kind of screams "I'm easy", does it come in your size or will you have to do a special order?"
A grating scrape resonates in the headset as she sideswipes his vehicle again; thinking quickly he punches his thumb on the brake button and glides the limo in behind her cruiser and hits the gas striking the back bumper.
The jolt of the collision shoves the car forward, as she weaves back and forth in a vain effort to shake him off her tail. Feeling her irritation begin to rise, she slides her finger on the controller and gives a quick tap on the brake, then presses back fully on the gas.
"Get off my rear end Castle!"
"I didn't hear you complaining last night."
With a frustrated huff, she jerks the wheel to the left, while slowing the vehicle at the same time, a perfectly synchronized move, putting the two vehicles side by side.
That was a nice move, he's impressed, she's proving to be quite an adept player. Unfortunately for her, her cleverness will be rewarded with her virtual death. Keeping his eyes on the road, he reaches into the bag on the passenger seat and extracts his surprise; a RPG-7 Rocket propelled grenade launcher. Sweet. Propping the end on his left shoulder, he points the weapon out the open driver's window and pulls the trigger. A deafening explosion thunders through the headsets, as a lone tire, the only remaining piece of her cruiser, completely engulfed in flames wobbles down the highway.
"Booyah! Looks like you are going to need a shop vac to clean up your character Beckett, only one life left."
"Seriously Castle, a grenade launcher!"
"What can I say Beckett, right tool for the job and all that, plus I wanted to make it interesting for the CSU."
"Where the hell did you even get that?"
"I know a guy."
"You're a dead man Castle."
"Big words from a pile of virtual dust Beckett, score is two deaths to one. By the way, what are your thoughts on full length leather boots; do you prefer lace ups or a zipper? "
"Shut up!"
INTERIOR 6TH PRECINCT
A grenade launcher, he really is an ass, unbelievable! She has grossly underestimated his obvious enthusiasm for the game. She needs a plan, because there is no way she's spending her honeymoon touring Roswell, hunting Bigfoot or the Lochness Monster; or any other crazy ideas she's sure have already crossed his mind.
He has to admit, all this talk about sexy outfits and their flirtatious banter is making him a little hot. He loves how she can give it back just as well as she takes it. She truly is extraordinary and completely adorable when she's angry; even if it is at him. Stealing a glance at her he feels a full smile pull at his lips, her brow is furrowed in concentration, tip of her tongue poking out between teeth, and he finds his interest in this game beginning to wane. Punching the accelerator he takes the next exit and heads back into the city.
She feels like she has been waiting forever, dispatch for once is eerily silent, of course, grabbing the keys off the desk and sliding her gun into the holster, maybe an active search is in order.
The elevator opens with a soft ping, taking in his surroundings as he steps off the elevator and strides across the precinct floor; remote firmly clutched in his virtual hand.
Too focused on her characters movements she doesn't see him until it is too late. He's coming right at her, quickly drawing her weapon up she never gets the chance to fire off the shot.
The explosion is, well, is one of epic proportions, burnt orange flames and thick black fumes of smoke fill her vision, the entire precinct obliterated. Throwing her glasses to the floor her hand darts out to the side and punches him in the arm.
"What the hell Castle! You can't just go all Kamikaze! You cheated again, you weasel!."
Ripping his glasses off, her breath catches at the look she sees in his eyes, full of desire, pure lust swimming in his deep blue orbs. Drawing his knees towards his chest, one palm flat to the floor he pushes himself up, grabbing her hand to hoist her up with him; her body collides roughly with his; her hands landing on his chest palms flat.
Pulling back slightly, eyes locking, his fingertips teasingly trace the column of her spine, interlocking his fingers just above the waistband of her skinny jeans and pulling her closer.
"Technically.. yes, I cheated. But as a consolation prize Beckett you can pick the honeymoon location."
Dragging her palm up the smooth plane of his chest, her hand comes to rest at the nape of his neck, finger tips gently swirling random patterns in the short hairs. She leans in, her breath mingles with his, the words a silky whisper from her lips.
"And no more video games on my days off?"
He breaths his answer into her lips, his forehead coming to rest lovingly upon hers.
"Agreed."
"But, it is still my day off and I know a game we can play, one that we will both enjoy."
A hint of amusement flashes in his eyes, as his hand mockingly reaches for the controller.
"Will we be needing this?"
Her hand descends slowly down his chest, her long nimble fingers leaving a hot trail in their wake. Tripping over his belt buckle, and reaching her none too subtle destination, a sexy smirk plays on her lips; a smoldering leer dances in her eyes.
"No, I don't think we will need that." Her hand gives him a light squeeze to emphasize her point. "I already have the perfect joystick, for the game I have in mind."
Additional AN: Police Codes - 503 Auto theft 505 Reckless driving 510 Speeding or racing vehicles. The Officer McNaughty and TheBootyBoutique. com references are from my other story Totally Inappropriate, if you want to go check it out. If you would like to follow me on twitter you can do so at Pak_321 I also have an additional twitter account where I use the quotes to recreate scenes from the show, twitter sized. You can follow that at Castleficlets. Once again, thank you to Tshlw and Kjf3333/Flashpoint for your beta skills, suggestions and encouragement, you guys are the best. A shout out to JoanaCTeixeira for taking the time to read my chapters in advance and offer your opinions