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A one time thing
Chapter Three - Your imagination
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If it only takes a moment for your life to change forever, can a 'one time thing' right the wrong? An AU Caskett meeting.
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Happy birthday to Ky, thank you for your friendship and support xoxo Here is some MOAR!
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"Kate?"
"Rick?"
"Do you two know each other?" Ryan interjects, and Beckett's head shakes violently in reply.
"No."
"Yes."
Both Rick and Ryan angle toward her, matching expressions of confusion drawing their respective eyebrows together, and she attempts to clarify, to get their story straight.
"We met. In passing. It was…" she stumbles. She can't quite get the 'nothing' she wants to say to clear her lips. She can't do that to him. Can't lie to herself either. Whatever last night was – it wasn't nothing.
"Anyway, Rick, what are you doing here?"
"Me? What are you doing here?"
His attention wanders around the bullpen, as hers drifts down his body – damn. His leather jacket highlights the muscles of his shoulders and upper arms. His jeans, similar to the ones she'd peeled from his body earlier today, wrap perfectly around his long limbs, and his badge nestles into his belt, just as her own does.
What?
Reaching for the object as it catches the light from overhead, her fingers push against the hard muscle of his stomach, and, plucking it free, she holds it between them.
"You're a-"
"Beckett!" Montgomery's reprimand cuts off the end of her exclamation, and all three detectives turn as one to watch his approach. "What is going on here?"
Her mouth opens, but any answer dissolves, because, really, what explanation can she give without revealing the truth?
"Detective Rick Castle, I presume?" Montgomery asks, letting her inability to reply go – at least for the moment – and Rick nods, lifting a hand. Both men shake, and she takes advantage of their greeting, concentrates on controlling her breathing, on slowing down the rapid tempo of her heartbeat.
"Yes, Sir."
"Well, this is Detective Kevin Ryan," their Captain introduces his team as more hand shaking takes place, "and this is Detective Kate Beckett."
Transferring Rick's badge into her left hand, she extends her arm, and familiar fingers wrap around her own. His thumb ghosts across her knuckles, rising and falling over each indent as he moves slowly. He stops at the top of her hand, begins drawing circles across her skin, and it crosses the unspoken line that should be between them – this is not okay.
Jerking backward, her eyes flutter as her control shatters. His actions are far too intimate for public, are awakening everything that she's forced dormant. His hands on her last night had pushed hard, and soft, and a hundred degrees in between as he'd taken her to the brink, again and again, and she cannot let him touch her right now.
"Beckett. A word, thank you." Spinning, Montgomery heads to his office and she's left with no option but to trail behind, the pink flush of her skin no doubt a neon flashing light of embarrassment to everyone who glances in her direction.
By the time she walks into her Captain's office he is sitting behind his desk and he waves a hand indicating that she should close the door. She does so, before sinking into the closet available chair. Squeezing her fingers together, her eyes fall as she inspects the badge she still holds in her hands. Her thumb runs over the numbers at the bottom of the shield – it's just like hers.
"How many times have you argued against having a partner? And how many times have I sat in this chair and refuted every one of those reasons?"
She shrugs in response. They both know the answer. Too many to count.
"And is there a reason why Castle isn't suitable as the partner you're now required to have?"
Shaking her head, her lips remain closed on the lie. There are three very good reasons why he shouldn't be her partner. The door, the wall and the bed. There could have been four if she had just given into temptation this morning and crawled back under the sheets.
"Then I expect you to treat him with the same respect, the same courtesy that you show the other members of your team. Is that understood?"
Lifting her stare from Castle's badge, she nods. The painful crash of emotions - the fact that two ships passing in the night have now become this – are best left unsaid, but nodding again, she agrees.
"Look," Montgomery's voice softens, a smile dancing playfully on his lips, "I've seen his file. He's a good cop. Has a lot in common with you. Drive, passion, a reason to fight the battles. I'm not asking you to marry the guy, Beckett. Just give him a fair go. Be his partner."
Watching through the window, Rick's fingers curl around his belt, reaching for the badge that is absent from its normal resting place. Instead, it sits in Kate's hands, her thumb caressing it, sliding back and forth over the numbers that identify him within the NYPD. Her shoulders slump forward, her mouth dropping at the corners as she shakes her head.
He's done this - done something inexcusable in her eyes. Is it the fact that he is now her partner, one who is unwelcome according to the gossip in the elevator? Or is it because it's him? Someone she clearly didn't expect to see again – clearly doesn't want to see again.
"So, how do you know Beckett?"
Dragging his eyes away from her, he focuses on Ryan, inspects the man who stares up at him, arms entwined not so loosely across his chest. He's young, younger than Kate going by his baby face. Irish heritage leeches through the pale skin and blue eyes - that and Kevin's name backs up his theory.
He also has a relationship with Beckett, judging by the pointed glare.
"I don't. Not really. I met Kate once. Just once."
It was only ever supposed to be a one time thing. But now-
The office door opens with more force than necessary and half a dozen eyes turn to watch Kate as she exits. Not that it appears to worry her in any way. Taking long strides, she crosses to them, her hand reaching for his elbow before she withdraws it suddenly, contact never occurring, and he holds onto the groan of disappointment.
It may have only be hours since she last touched him, but his skin is already mourning her loss.
"Follow me."
Her progress through the room doesn't slow, and it seems as though she could care less if he does indeed trail after her or not. But she can't hide the blanche of her fingers as they enclose his badge. The way her free hand rises, the corner of her thumb finding its way between her teeth. She's nervous. Nervous that he won't come?
Yanking the door to what appears to be an interrogation room, her head dips as she waits for him to enter first, avoiding his eye contact as he observes her. It's completely accidental that the back of his hand slides across her skin, that his arm travels into her personal space, grazing the buttons of her white collared shirt.
Where in the world is the silk blue dress from last night? Unless she lives really close by, there's no way she didn't come straight from his hotel room to work.
Strolling, slowly, over to the table that's situated in the middle of the room, he perches himself on the edge, both hands loosely wrapping around its rim, and he stops. Stops and stares. The ball is firmly in her court now.
"Castle?"
Humming an affirmative, he continues to remain still. He's spent more than his fair share of hours in rooms just like this one. He's not about to break.
"Rick Castle?"
Repeating his earlier noise, his only other movement is to incline his head to the left as he attempts to get a read on her. She's not flustered, no longer angry, she almost appears curious and his back straightens. Surely not…
"Have you worked around here before? Your name sounds-"
Bolting upright, he stalks toward her, ignores the panic churning in his stomach. The same panic that is clogging his throat, and, as he reaches Kate, he pushes his large frame into hers, causing her to stumble back into the door behind.
"Why did you tell Ryan that we didn't know each other?"
He turns the tables - half expects to be faced with one pissed off Beckett. Not that that's a worry, because at least then she might forget her earlier question. And if his button pushing doesn't work, he can always use his hands to divert her attention.
The idea of her elevated high inside his arms, her suit pants dangling from her ankles, as his hands, his fingers, bring her to oblivion is more than just a little appealing.
"Because we don't. And whatever you're thinking right now– stop." Placing both of her palms onto his chest, she shoves and he relaxes into the movement, steps back easily.
"Last night, Rick. Castle. It didn't happen. We had one too many tequila shots and our imaginations made up the rest. Do you understand?"
He shouldn't be surprised, definitely shouldn't be hurt by her statement, but it slices through him regardless. He's not seeking out a happily ever after. Doesn't need someone to rely on, or for him to be that to someone else. But… still.
"I understand completely, Beckett."
If that's the way she wants this to play out, then he can shove what has happened back into the box where he keeps everything else. His skin doesn't need her touch. His heart doesn't need her lo-
He doesn't need anything. From anyone.
"Good."
"This is the break room. Don't drink the coffee unless your stomach is lined with iron. I'd also be careful about what is growing in the fridge." Beckett's hand waves in the general direction of the appliance and he nods accordingly.
He's managed to play the role of the interested new guy rather well for the last ten minutes as his tour guide droned on. Here's interrogation room one, here are the bathrooms, here's where you file your completed forms, here's the murder board. Seriously, the urge to shake her until Kate spills forth over took hold about nine minutes ago, but he can't - so he won't.
"Yo."
The greeting - apparently that was a greeting - comes from another detective positioned in the second doorway, and moving automatically, Castle offers a hand to shake. Only he's met with arms crossed and a glare that would melt the polar caps, and, inwardly he groans.
Here's the pissing contest he's been expecting since the elevator.
"Espo." Beckett's scolding, a well-placed hiss and a pop, has him biting the inside of his cheek, god forbid he smiles at the man before him. He's clearly military from his stance, the buzz cut, and the shield that rests where dog tags must have sat and Castle remains neutral - he likes his face the way it is.
"I hear you're the new guy on our team?"
Withdrawing his hand, Rick relocates it to his front pocket, and nods before answering with a simple, "Yeah."
"Beckett's new partner."
Espo makes the statement, his gaze flickering across the room, his body leaning in her direction – a big brother stance? Or something more? Whatever it is, it puts to shame the display of protectiveness that Ryan had toyed with.
"You been with the force long?"
Damn. Two questions in and the detective is already hitting a little too close to home. Or what was once home.
"Long enough."
Turning his back on Espo, Castle strolls over to where Beckett is resting on the edge of the counter, places himself so that the sleeve of his jacket brushes her own. And sure enough, the detective opposite him takes two steps closer, the scowl on his face deepening.
"Rumor has it that you've been in and out of half a dozen precincts."
It's hard to settle down when there is no such thing as home. Hard to find a place to put down roots when your past keeps catching up to you.
"I go where I'm needed."
His answer earns him a snort of disgust as Espo replies, "And you think you're needed here?"
Tilting his head toward Kate – Beckett - Rick studies her profile, the way her eyes half close, the corner of her bottom lip as it's dragged inside the confinement of her mouth. He may not be needed, but he'd place money on the fact that he is at least wanted.
"I'm sure I can be of service."
There's no mistaking the flush of blood as it surges within her skin, her head dipping further allowing a screen of curls to descend, hiding her from his words. And from the truth.
Apparently not at all impressed with his answers, Espo exits the room in a huff, and, despite the voice in his head pleading for him to keep quiet, he can't resist asking, "So. You and Espo, huh?"
He's not sure he wants to know.
Her head snaps up, eyes wide in what - at least to him - is horror and she squeaks adorably in protest. "No. Ugh. Javier is like a brother to me. Just – no."
Nodding, he smiles, happy to receive the vehement response.
"Not that it matters to you, Castle."
"Of course not. Just checking. You know, in case my imagination runs wild again."
Growling in reply, she pushes away from the counter, away from him, leaving the room muttering to herself and his smiles stretches.
Not a bad first day at all, all things considered. He's actually looking forward to tomorrow and to his first case.
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This plot bunny was formed after I came across this YouTube clip (take away the spaces) www. YouTube watch?v=BWSkDkr9z_Y (obviously couldn't spoil the start, lol) but thank you to the amazing cardiffgiant02 for creating the idea that had my mind wandering in all sorts of places (please pass on the thanks to her!).
As you will see my headcanon changed the roles and from this point on it's all my imaginations fault!
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Thank you to all that have added it as an alert and as a favourite!
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And to everyone that left beautiful words of support and encouragement, thank you so very much xoxo
and I am very sorry for not getting back to you in person over the weekend (I'm blaming the kids, reading, and writing two more chapters)
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As always thank you to Jo and Jamie for all their hard work and pompoms for this fic #love
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Thank you for reading xoxo