A/N : I tried to upload this chapter last night (Aussie time) but the site must have been in maintenance mode so apologies for not getting this chapter up until now.
Disclaimer : Castle is not mine but ABC's
The Loft
Castle looks at himself approvingly in the full length mirror in the walk in wardrobe. Today is the day. The day he gets his NYPD Auxiliary Detective's star. As he looks himself up and down in his brand new dress blues, tailored of course, he thinks that he thought that he would look good in this but his large frame really fills out the uniform in just the right places. Plus he always looks good in dark colours. Sure, he looks better in blue that is closer to his eye colour but he certainly makes this much darker, almost black, blue work.
He'd been dismayed to learn, during his training, that Auxiliary Police Officers wear a dark red shirt with their uniform with their dress uniform. He'd much preferred to have a dark blue dress uniform like Kate not to mention the negative conitation, to his Trekker mind, that being a red shirt would hold. Fortunately the decision was made that his new rank would wear dark blue like Auxiliary Sergeants.
It has taken a lot of work, especially with the extra classes he was required to complete after the whole Holtzman thing, but he's done it. He's passed all his classes, completed all the tasks given to him by his Training Officers and, apparently, they have given him glowing evaluations. He's even aced all the extra work he had to complete to become the first Auxiliary Detective.
He grins as he recalls Kate's dual pride and chagrin when he qualified with his own Glock 19 at a score that she admitted to him was better than her own qualifying score when she graduated the Academy. She justified it by saying that at the time she was young and still learning how to handle a gun whereas he was more experienced, read old, and is much more practised with firearms now than she was then. They'd had some very playful banter over that which had ended in the bedroom behind him as he proved to her that he was far from 'old' and is very 'practised' in more than how to handle a gun.
Then there were the wagers with the boys that he also won due to his exceptional qualifying score. As a result of him scoring higher than either Ryan or Esposito thought he would, for the next month, Ryan is required to bring him coffee in the morning at the precinct and Esposito has to polish his shoes with the same spit and polish he learnt in the army. He'd seen the glint of remembrance in Kate's eyes as he'd made the bet with the two detectives. Apparently, she'd well remembered the first time he made a bet with her regarding his shooting prowess. She'd held her tongue though and not warned her partners off and so now he's looking forward to having his own personal slaves for a month. Yes, he's looking forward to the next month and now not only because he's the first Auxiliary Detective and the start of the new taskforce.
As he tugs the knot of his tie more squarely into his collar the image of his wife joins him in the mirror in front of him. For the first time ever they are both wearing the same clothes as she, like him, is dressed in her uniform dress blues. There is one difference in their uniforms, of course. At the top if his shoulder patch with the NYPD crest there is the word 'Auxiliary' over the words 'Police Department' with is absent from her shoulder patch.
Kate gives him a smile in the mirror and with a hint of a husk in her voice says, "Lookin' good there, Castle."
He returns her smile in the mirror and responds with a slight growl, "You too, Beckett. What do you say to us blowing this whole thing off and staying here and playing 'probie and the training officer'?" he finishes with a salacious wink.
"Not going to happen, bud," she replies shooting him down with a stern look. She then turns towards him, grips him by the arms and turns him so that he is facing her. Reaching up she fixes the black badge and decoration holder, which she has in her hand, onto his chest. Once she's satisfied that it is in place she gives it a pat but then traces her finger over the decoration bar that is in place above the empty space where his NYPDA star will soon reside.
"I think you're one of the first graduating officers that already has one of these and the only Auxiliary Officer to have one because they get the Award of Valour," she tells him his more than a hint of pride.
He looks down at his chest at the solid blue bar that his wife is referring to. The same solid blue bar of the NYPD Medal for Valour that he can see amongst the other decoration bars on the badge less holder on her chest. Yet another part of their story because they both got the medal for the same thing.
Bob had made good on his promise after the dirty bomb case and both he and Kate had been awarded the Medal of Valour for saving New York from another 9/11. As only a consultant his medal had been honorary but now that he is about to receive his NYPDA Detective's star the medal is no longer so. In fact he knows his file has a couple of other commendations in it as well from some of the cases he's helped Kate solve over the years. The taking down of Scott Dunn and the unit commendation he shared with the whole precinct after the Boylan Plaza bombing were just a couple of examples.
Then again, being a friend of the mayor, he sometimes didn't receive the recognition due to him for being involved in the successful resolution of so many cases. He remembers one poker night with the late and lamented Roy Montgomery when the Captain confided to him that if he wasn't just a consultant and such a close friend of the mayor then he might have been awarded a couple more medals. That the department didn't want to give the impression of favouritism towards him because of his association with the mayor. He's been little disappointed to hear that yet he also loved to heat what Roy told him that night. He freely admits his ego inflated considerably for a few days after that. So much so that Kate, still very much in 'we're not together or are unlikely to ever be' mode at the time, had threatened him with a severe ear twisting if he didn't stop acting so self-satisfied.
Now he's just proud that this medal and all the commendations he's earned have been at his extraordinary wife's side. That, despite all the changes in their lives, they will continue be at each other's side for anything the future holds and any awards either of them will earn.
Castle looks into Kate's eyes and with conviction, gesturing at the blue bar on his chest, says, "I wouldn't have this, wouldn't be about to about to get my star without you, Kate."
She gives him one of her dazzling smiles, that light up the closet with her bright, white teeth, in response, "Same here, Castle. If you hadn't come into my life I would still be a broken, closed off homicide detective looking for the people that killed her mother and not the happy, content wife that is about to become Captain and lead her own Special Investigations Taskforce."
Castle gives his own, rare, eye roll at the mention of the taskforce, or rather, its name.
Seeing his reaction, Kate asks him curiously, with a tilt of her head, "What's that about, Castle? I thought you wanted me to lead the taskforce?"
"Oh, no, Kate, I do. I love that you're going to lead the taskforce and that I'll continue to be by your side as you do so. You deserve it….It's just the name, Special Investigations Taskforce…S.I.T…..SIT! Seriously!...couldn't they have come up with a better name with a better acronym?" he tells her with almost childlike petulance.
Kate gives her own eye roll at her husband's pedantic quibble with the name of the taskforce, "Well you're the writer. Why don't you come up with something and try suggesting it to the Commissioner?"
"Hmm, I might just do that….how about the Flying Squad…or the Tristate Investigations Taskforce… no wait that makes TIT, can't have that….ooh what about the Beckett-Castle Squad? I think that has a certain ring to it," he suggests with a playful grin and is usual cheerful enthusiasm.
"Uh, Uh, Castle, I doubt very much the Commissioner would go with that. Face it, unless you can come up with something better SIT that's going to be it. Though, amongst ourselves, we may just leave off the T of taskforce and refer to ourselves as the S.I." proposes Kate.
Castle considers this for a moment before responding, "Ok, but I reserve the right to keep trying to come up with something."
He pauses for a moment as he looks at her and reaches up to trace with his fingers the empty space on her badge holder. The place that will soon hold her Captain's badge.
Contrary to his own wishes to receive his star with the rest of his Auxiliary class, the Commissioner decided to make it a bit more of a media event of the fact of him being sworn in as the first NYPD Auxiliary Detective. He also decided to combine the event with the promotion ceremony of Kate to Captain, the announcement of the creation of the Special Investigations Taskforce and her appointment as its leader. The one thing that he liked about it all is that the ceremony is taking place on the fourth floor of the 12th and not some anonymous room at 1PP. The place where the taskforce will operate from and where all the both minor and significant events of their lives from recent years have occurred, good and ill.
While he's proud to be receiving his star at the same time his wife is receiving her Captain's bars he doesn't want to take anything away from his wife's achievement or moment. He also knows that she is uncomfortable being in the media spotlight and while her promotion and appointment as head of the taskforce will involve, by necessity, some of working with the press combining that with his own appointment ceremony will only add to the attention she will receive.
"Are you sure you are OK with all this?" he asks her cautiously. "Are you OK with the media circus today is going to be? OK with having to share your promotion ceremony with me?"
Kate gives him a look as if to say he's crazy yet adorable, "Babe, of course I'm OK with it. Like the night at the awards dinner I'm so proud of you. Of all the work you've done to become the first Auxiliary Detective. I can't think of a place I'd rather be to receive my bars than at your side as you get your star. So, if that's all and you're finished admiring yourself how about we get out of here and got get this over with….Detective?" she finishes with a teasing smile.
"Lead the way, Captain," he grins back at her.
The 4thFloor – The 12th Precinct
Castle stands, shoulder brushing Kate's, behind and to one side of the podium, flanked by flags of the United States and the NYPD, that has been set up at one end of the bullpen near the stairs leading to the other floors. Behind the podium and screening the stairs is a large, collapsible free standing banner bearing a stylised image of the NYPD logo. Both are looking sharp in their dress blues, peaked caps with silver shields on their heads and from the slight shifting of her feet he can sense that his wife is feeling the nerves just as he is.
He surveys the crowd of people that has been crammed into the bullpen, the number helped by the fact that a handful of uniforms spent the morning moving all the desks out temporarily. In the middle of the room is a TV camera and its crew, blindness incurring lights shining in their faces included. More crews wished to attend but due to the restricted space in the bullpen only one crew was allowed. The station, the local ABC affiliate, agreed to share the footage with the other networks. Also in attendance are a couple of journalists each from radio, some internet blogs and the print media, with attending photographers.
The rest of the room is full of officers, detectives and civilian employees that work at the 12th along with various friends and family. Near the front he can see Esposito and Ryan both in their dress blues in honour of the occasion and both grinning widely. Next to them is Lanie dressed in a smart maroon dress and she is likewise smiling at the pair standing at the front of the room.
Moving his gaze he gives a cheeky grin to Alexis who is standing next to his mother at the front and to one side. Both are dressed in formal, tasteful, especially for his mother, dresses. Befitting such a serious and important occasion for both him and Kate.
Alexis is in a knee length navy blue dress, almost as dark as his uniform, obviously to show her solidarity for her father. He sees her return the smile her face radiating with a very obvious look of pride on her face. Martha, whose flamboyant nature could not be completely contained, is wearing a bright multi-coloured scarf around her neck over the ankle length bottle green dress she is wearing.
Turning his attention to his mother he almost rolls his eyes at the dramatic way she is dabbing her eyes with a bright red silk handkerchief. Trust his mother to assume the role of a mother tearing up with pride for her son. He'd think the tears part is genuine except for the fact that he can see no evidence of tears in her eyes. Despite that there is pride in her face like Alexis and he is gratified that after all these years that she is still proud of him regardless of the teasing they mutually engage in from time to time.
At first she'd expressed her concerns about him becoming an Auxiliary Detective. Shared with him her heartrending worry and anxiety that she'd felt that night after that first, disastrous, family dinner when he and Kate were lost in the Bronx being chased by Irish mobsters. He'd done his best to allay her fears and she's grudgingly come to accept and support his decision to formalise his working partnership with Kate. So now she stands looking and acting like a proud mother at her son's graduation just as she did at his high school and college graduations all those years ago.
Again he senses the nerves radiating from his wife next to him and they are not helping his own. To try and calm them both down he says to her, sotto voce, out of the corner of his mouth, "Do you think it would help if we imagined everyone naked?"
Kate gives a snort as she attempts to supress the nervous laugh that threatens to burst forth at his words and he feels the sharp dig of her elbow in his sides as she whispers in reply, "With Martha, Alexis, Espo, Ryan and Lanie out there? I think not, Castle."
Castle gives a shudder at that, "Eww. You're right I hadn't thought of that."
Any further banter is interrupted by the arrival of three men and two women from the hallway behind them. The group consist of his friend, Mayor Bob Weldon, Commissioner Hayward, Chief Barnes, Auxiliary Deputy Chief McGill and, bring up the rear, Captain, soon to be Deputy Chief, Gates. Both the women and Chief Barnes are in dress uniforms while the other men are both in dark, tailored suits.
Mayor Weldon steps up to the podium as the rest of the group takes their places behind and to one side of him and on the opposite side from where the couple are standing. At the arrival of the group he feels Kate straighten to attention and he mirrors her. The mayor grips the podium and smiles at the crowd and the TV and still cameras as the accumulated hubbub of those in the room dies.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome. As most of you are aware we are here today to perform two ceremonies. One is to promote one of the most exceptional detectives in the New York City Police Department to the rank of Captain. The other is a new one. One that I hope we will seeing a lot more of in the future. The swearing in of the first Detective of the New York City Police Department Auxiliary Police. Both of the people standing behind me that are to take part in these ceremonies have spent many years, in this very precinct, doing their very best to protect the citizens of this great city. It is therefore fitting that it is in this place that we honour them both. Mister Richard Castle, please step forward," says Mayor Weldon as he turns towards Castle with a pleased smile on his face.
With a gulp and a brush of a hand in reassurance from Kate, Castle steps forward until he is standing in front of his friend, standing at attention.
Mayor Weldon looks Castle in the eye, raises his right hand and says to him, "Richard, raise your right hand and repeat after me."
Once Castle has copied the mayor, Weldon continues, "I do solemnly swear…"
In a clear voice that he strives to keep steady Castle echoes, "I do solemnly swear…"
"….that I will support the constitution of the United States and the constitution of the State of New York….."
"….that I will support the constitution of the United States and the constitution of the State of New York…" parrots Castle seriously.
"….and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of Detective in the New York City Police Department Auxiliary Police according to the best of my ability," finishes Weldon.
"….and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of Detective in the New York City Police Department Auxiliary Police according to the best of my ability," likewise finishes Castle with an inaudible sigh of pleasure and relief at the end.
"Deputy Chief McGill?" calls Weldon, lowering his hand.
As Castle lowers his hand and remains standing at attention Auxiliary Deputy Chief McGill steps forward with a blue velvet covered case open in her hands and a framed certificate under her arm. When she is standing next to the mayor he turns and takes the gold star that is resting in the case and steps towards Castle.
As is the practice in the NYPD to denote different ranks, the star the mayor is about to pin to the board on his chest is slightly different from the star that those with the rank of officer of the Auxiliary wear.
It is gold, with the seven pointed star design and with the words, 'Auxiliary Police, City of New York in the circle bordering the centre of the star. The first difference is that at the top of the star in the arch that would have the words 'Officer' or for other ranks in it there is the word 'Detective'. Next his new number, 67099, instead of being in the centre of the star, is in a rectangle at the bottom, similar to a regular NYPD Detective's shield. Likewise the last difference is that in the centre of the star there is a plain gold relief of the crest of New York that otherwise appears in blue and gold on the regular NYPD detective's shield. The whole effect, which is intentional, is to give the impression of it being similar to the regular NYPD Detective's shield while still showing the wearer to be part of the Auxiliary Police.
Mayor Weldon affixes the star into the appropriate gap on the board on Castle's chest and then with a beaming smile takes his hand and shakes it as he says, "Congratulations, Detective Castle!"
There is applause throughout the room as he and the Mayor continue to shake hands, turn their faces and smile into the blinding lights of the TV camera and the flashes of the photographers. Then Deputy Chief McGill steps forward and takes the Mayor's place as she hands Castle his framed Certificate of Appointment and shakes his hand. With the certificate between them and still shaking hands they both turn towards and smile for the cameras.
With the ceremony complete Castle takes one step back and salutes the Auxiliary Deputy Chief with his white gloved hands and the Auxiliary Deputy Chief returns it. From the sucking of teeth sound that he thinks is coming from Esposito he may not have quite given as crisp as a salute as expected by his TO. He's sure to find out when this is all over.
Having taken his place back besides Kate he feels her nudge his shoulder with her own. He looks at her and there is a smile on her face and a gleam in her eye as she silently adds her own congratulations. The mayor then takes his place back at the podium and waves a hand to gain everyone's attention again.
"Now I ask Detective Katherine Beckett-Castle to step forward," announces Mayor Weldon.
Castle watches as Kate steps forward and assumes his former place in front of Bob with her right hand raised to mirror the mayor's. With pride and delight he hears Kate recite the same oath he just completed with one slight change and without having to repeat after the mayor as it is mostly the same oath she has already taken on two previous occasions. Once when she graduated from the NYPD Academy as a shiny new Officer and then again when she received her Detective's shield.
"I do solemnly swear that I will support the constitution of the United States and the constitution of the State of New York and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of Captain in the New York City Police Department according to the best of my ability," recites Kate soberly.
With the oath taken Chief Barnes steps forward also with a framed certificate under his shoulder and holding a blue velvet covered case. From the case the mayor takes out a gold badge with the crest of New York surrounded with laurels, a five pointed crown at the top that is the NYPD Captain's badge and pins it below the decoration bars on the board on Kate's chest. He then turns back to the case and takes a pair of gold Captains bars and pins them onto each of her shoulders.
With the badge and bars in place the Mayor also gives her a wide smile, shakes her hand and says, "Congratulations, Captain Beckett-Castle!"
As with Castle, the mayor and Kate pause as they turn and smile for the cameras and then Chief Barnes steps forward to present her with her certificate and congratulate her with his own hand shake and smile to the media. Kate takes a step back and gives her own, practiced and smart salute to Chief Barnes who returns it. When Kate turns back and walks back to stand beside him they lock eyes and he gives her his biggest smile and a slight wink as his own silent congratulations.
With the ceremonies complete Commissioner Hayward steps up to the podium and addresses the room, "Ladies and Gentlemen as well as the appointments we have witnessed here today I have an announcement to make. In conjunction with the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut State Police forces I am announcing the formulation of a new Special Investigations Taskforce. This taskforce will investigate intricate and demanding cases across all three states as a way of further protecting the citizens of New York and the rest of the tristate area. It is my pleasure to announce that newly appointed Captain Beckett-Castle will command this taskforce. Captain Beckett-Castle will have under her command select officers from the NYPD, all three State Police Forces and, perhaps unsurprisingly, the first NYPD Auxiliary Detective. The taskforce will operate from right here at the 12th precinct and yet will travel across all three states to wherever the crimes they are tasked to investigate occur. With the level of cross departmental and interstate cooperation this taskforce represents I believe that a further blow has been taken at those that seek to do wrong in our communities."
The Jacob K. Javits Federal Office Building, Foley Square, Manhattan
"…those that seek to do wrong in our communities."
Special-Agent-In-Charge Andrew Reynolds of the FBI's New York Field Office turns off the TV in his office with the remote that he then drops onto his desk top. He sits forward with his elbows resting on his desk and contemplates what he has just watched. He'd heard rumours about this taskforce but, with no solid information, he had not pursued the matter. That was a mistake on his part.
He needs more details but on the surface this taskforce sounds like it could come close to impinging on the bureau's jurisdiction. The Director is sure to want answers when he hears about it so he better find out as much as he can. His old sparring partner, NYPD Chief of Detectives Chavez, is unlikely to help him but he is not the only source of information he has at One Police Plaza.
Besides information he's sure that the Director will want a plan on how to keep this taskforce under the bureau's observation if not their control. Perhaps he can suggest that one of the many FBI agents embedded as liaisons within the NYPD be assigned to this taskforce. That way they can have their own man or woman on the inside.
He sits back in his office chair and smiles in satisfaction. Yes, that will work and there is no reasonable excuse that the NYPD or the various state police forces can use to object to the suggestion. In fact he might sweeten the deal by offering some funding for the taskforce which is standard when embedding a liaison in a unit.
At least one piece of information he can tell the director is who is leading the taskforce and the name of at least one other member of the team. After recent events SAC Reynolds is well familiar with, now, Captain Beckett-Castle and her husband, now, Detective Castle. The personnel that SSA Shaw appropriated from his field office, to assist with the gathering of evidence at the Holtzman farm, have only recently returned and a few of them interacted with the couple and were able to give him some impressions of the pair.
The fact that a, then, amateur with his NYPD wife discovered and took down one of the worst serial killers ever to roam the country was a sore point for the bureau. Not only the bureau but him particularly as Holtzman seemed to have operated within this field office's area of responsibility for more than thirty years without detection. On top of that, just before SSA Shaw had returned to Quantico, she'd even suggested to him that if he ever has an 'unusual' case then he would do worse than seek the assistance of the mystery writer turned NYPD consultant and now Auxiliary Detective and the homicide squad at the 12th precinct.
Then during his last discussion with the Deputy Director in DC that is his immediate superior the Deputy Director had wondered aloud how the bureau might lure Richard Castle to come work for the FBI. Then the man had then immediately dismissed the idea because it was clear the mystery writer would unlikely go anywhere without his Detective wife and given her chequered past with employment with federal law enforcement it's doubtful she would be allowed to join the bureau. The Deputy Director had still mirrored SSA Shaw's suggestion that he should try to seek an opportunity for the bureau to work with Richard Castle, his wife and her team.
So given all that, having an FBI agent become a member of this taskforce would seem to be a necessity. Still he has to get more information on this taskforce than he currently has. He ponders for a moment who of his contacts are likely to have the information he needs.
The name of one man, an Inspector in the NYPD Major Crimes Unit and who works a lot with the Organised Crime Division of the bureau might know what he wants. With that thought he picks up the phone on his desk and punches in a number. After a couple of rings the call goes through.
"Hey, Charlie, its Andy…Yeah, good, I'm good….Yes, thanks. Listen, what can you tell me about this Special Investigations Taskforce Commissioner Hayward just announced?"
A/N : So I have no idea if these are the correct ceremonies for the swearing in of a new Auxiliary officer or for a promotion to Captain. According to one website I found the oath as outlined here is the oath taken by new officers of the NYPD and again at each stage of their promotion. If I am wrong I apologize.
Thanks to everyone for sticking with this story. There is still a ways to go.