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A one time thing
Chapter Ten - Walls
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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 Dx2012, I'm sorry it's not a one shot, but birthday pancakes for you :-)
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The syrup descends from the bottle in a gush that rivals a waterfall, the sticky goo covering Rick's breakfast until Kate's teeth ache at the sight.
"Do you want some pancakes with your syrup?"
Looking up, he flashes her a brilliant smile, bright teeth showing, before he inserts a fork full into his mouth. His lips shine with the topping, and, she watches closely as a trickle escapes from the corner, slowly inches its way down, until at last it hangs precariously from his chin.
How much trouble would they be in if she were to climb over the table and lick the syrup from his skin in the middle of the diner?
"You have…" Kate waves a finger in the direction of the enticing droplet, and, grabbing a napkin, Rick wipes across the bottom half of his face, eradicating the temptation.
"I was kind of hoping you were going to take care of that for me." Adding in a dramatic wiggle of his eyebrows, he smirks, obviously reading her thoughts a little too well for comfort and she huffs in reply.
They're in a public setting – what can she really do without getting them arrested?
The heat within her blood rises as images flash before her eyes of all the ways she could get them in front of a judge. But, instead of acting on those, she slips one foot out of a shoe, flexes her bare toes in anticipation.
He shouldn't play with fire, unless he's prepared to be burned.
Kate starts subtly enough; bringing her own fork to her mouth, she eats a much less smothered piece of pancake, and, as he goes back to consuming his, blissfully unaware, she uses her toes to feel for the hem of his pants.
He had chosen jeans today, a form fitting pair that left little to the imagination, especially after she'd made a point of putting on yesterday's clothes - very, very slowly. The hard length of him fighting against the material had her fingers itching to disrobe, to crawl back into bed for round two of their morning, but with a wink and a promise that lunch would be later, Rick was already heading out the door.
Not that she's planning on spending the whole day with him. They're just out for breakfast, like any other day. Except that today is their day off, and normally when they hang out it's at Remy's, and they're avoiding paperwork instead of enjoying a "morning after" breakfast at a cozy midtown café. But it's not that different. Really.
Really?
Shaking her head, she attempts to shake her anxiety. She can work herself into knots worrying about crossing the line of professionalism later tonight while she's alone in her apartment. For now, it's payback.
Her foot attacks, slides quickly under the bottom of his jeans, and, using her nails, she pushes his sock down while scraping his skin.
His reaction is immediate. Jumping in his seat, his foot jerks away from hers, his knee hitting the underside of the table as his hand drops the fork with a clatter that has the neighboring diners turning to see what all the commotion is about.
Eating another mouthful of pancakes, her tongue purposely drifts across her lips as she collects the syrup that's been left behind and Rick groans, both hands scrubbing across his face.
"That's mean, Kate. Just mean." His voice is muffled by his palms, but she hears him clear enough, and laughing, she reaches forward, pulling at the closed screen that is his fingers.
"That's what you get-"
The ringing of her cell has her reprimand coming to a halt, and reaching for the device, the sound is echoed as Rick's phone joins hers.
Holding it in her hand, she turns the screen in his direction and he follows suit. The displays show the precinct is calling. Both of them, on their day off? This has bad news all over it.
Tapping his hand against his thigh, Rick is well and truly agitated. Agitated at having to be at the precinct on their day off, agitated that his chance at spending time with Kate has flown out the window, and agitated that he couldn't get a decent explanation out of dispatch when he'd stepped discreetly away from the booth so they could answer their phones.
"Castle."
His head angles to the left so he can stare at Kate and her eyes flicker down to his fingers drumming out a continuous beat on his jeans, before she goes back to drilling a hole in the elevator doors.
Has it always been this slow to get to the fourth floor? Or-
Finally, they slide open and the two of them stride briskly through the corridor. He spots the group gathered in the center of the bullpen at the same moment Beckett does, and altering their path as one, they approach Esposito and Ryan on the outer fringe.
"What's going on?" Getting straight to the point, Beckett splits her stare between the two of them and he stands quietly next to her. He's used to her taking point by now, has no issue following her lead. His partner is damn good at her job and he is well aware - even with only five cases under their belt - that his place on the team is by her side.
And talking. She'd say that he's also responsible for all the talking.
"Prison escape. Everyone's been called in. Gotta search the warehouse area where they were last seen." Espo fills them in quickly, yet, as he turns to face Beckett, his gaze travels up and down her slowly, and Castle's hand curls into a fist.
What the hell is he looking at?
"How'd you get here, Beckett?"
Kate's eyes scan the room, and, pulling his attention from Espo, Castle shadows her action, stopping as they catch sight of Montgomery who is beginning to make lines on the blank white board.
"Castle picked me up. Why?"
"'Cause it's like the second time in a month that you're wearing last night's clothes." There's a trace of humor in Espo's words, curiosity for sure, but also a hard edge that prickles the length of Castle's spine.
He's pretty certain that whatever Kate does is none of Javi's business.
"Shit." Looking down at her clothes - obviously forgetting that they'd gone straight from his room at the Plaza to breakfast - a pink flush surges up the line of her neck and across her cheeks.
"Cover for me, guys."
Blocking her way, Ryan grins, and placing both hands in his pockets, he rocks back on his heels.
"Beckett's got a boyfriend."
Kate rolls her eyes while Rick's heartbeat becomes a herd of elephants in his ears as all the ways they could be outed crash through his mind to the point that he nearly misses her reply.
"Seriously, guys, drop it."
Sliding next to his partner, Espo mimics Ryan's stance and creating a wall that prevents her exit to the gym, he continues like a dog with a bone.
"Is it serious? Have you found the one? Hell, is it even the same guy?"
Huffing, Beckett folds her arms across her chest, darts daggers between the two of them before finally giving in.
"It was nothing, okay? Let it go."
Montgomery's voice ends their conversation as he calls out that he'll be starting the briefing in five minutes, everyone looks his way and it gives Beckett the chance to escape unnoticed - nearly.
He sees her. Watches intently as she dashes for the stairs, up to the lockers and her change of clothes. It's not the only thing he witnesses. He's almost positive that the bits of his heart, the newly formed muscle that has sprung to life under her touch has shattered before him. A trail of invisible broken pieces follow her all the way as she leaves him standing dumbfounded.
There are a million ways she could have explained last night. She could have given all sorts of reasons as to why she never made it home. Or who may be in her life at the moment.
He just never expected the word 'nothing' to ever be used when describing this thing between them.
Sitting next to Castle in the van, Kate attempts to knock her knee into his as covertly as possible. He's been distracted. Withdrawn. And the worry is eating away at her stomach; it adds to the heightened emotions that come with having her vest strapped on while situated with seven other officers as they travel to their assigned area.
Montgomery had briefed them on their tasks. A floor-to-floor search of each warehouse. Each van was assigned a different one. Five inmates were last seen entering the district and roadblocks mean they may still be there.
Getting no response, she hits his leg a little harder, hisses his name in an attempt to get his attention.
Unfortunately, the only person to look her way is her captain, and she smiles quickly, covers her behavior with a reassuring grin.
Everything's fine. Nothing to see.
Except everything isn't fine and for the life of her she can't work out how they went from laughing over pancakes to having a ten foot, reinforced steel fence between them.
Coming to a stop, the van shudders as the engine is turned off, and, swinging the doors wide, Espo and Ryan exit first. Hitting the concrete, weapons raised, the rest of them hop out, scatter across the open space, backs hitting the wall of the warehouse without incident.
Not that this is really high risk. There are twelve large warehouses scattered haphazardly between three main roads and a waterfront, and their escapees could be just about anywhere by now.
Still, orders are orders.
Sensing Castle behind her, she scans the others quickly, takes note of the distance between them, and inching closer to him. She has to ask before they go in.
He's her partner, the one who has her back, and she checks that he does indeed have it.
"Hey. Are you okay?"
She glances at him before concentrating on their progression toward the front door, but what she sees is disconcerting. His jaw is a hard line, lips drawn tight, and the most distressing aspect are his eyes – cold as they see straight through her.
"I'm fine, Beckett."
She closes her eyes for a second, regrouping, before straightening her shoulders and walking to the entrance. Fine. She huffs. He's not fine.
"Kate. Kate, look at me. You're going to be fine."
Rick's words catch, tumble over each other, and even from her position, she can see that he is starting to lose all sense of restraint.
This is bad. This is all sorts of fucked up.
The sharp edge of the butcher's knife digs into the flesh of her neck every time she twitches, every time she takes a breath. Not that she is at all breathing regularly.
Behind her, the fugitive keeps her contained. With one arm wrapped tightly under her breasts, he uses the other to hold the knife to her throat and it makes what is normally the most simple of tasks almost impossible.
She's just got to remember how to breathe.
"Kate. You've got this."
Castle draws her attention back to him, and she could laugh at the irony of the situation. Forty minutes ago, she'd been trying to get his attention. Trying to get any response out of him, and now…
"Rick."
His name is a rasp, barely a sound, but he smiles, nodding reassuringly. The two yards between them seem like a mile, but it should be further; he's inching toward her instead backing away as he apparently disregards all rules of protocol.
Swallowing, as hard as it is to do, she tries to infuse some strength in her voice, get some control over the situation.
"Castle."
There's a definite edge of warning this time, and she glares at him; not that he is listening. He takes another step closer, and, this time Castle's stupidity is seen by the man behind her.
"Hey. Back away. Back away now before I slice her head clean off."
As if to prove his point, he angles the blade, points the tip further into her skin, and the sharp pain brings tears to her eyes as she feels her flesh open under the edge of the knife.
Drawing in a shaky breath, she stares at Castle, silently pleads – stand down.
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Thank you for the smiles, the laughs, and the major flails that you give me with each and every review. You leave me in a puddle of feels xoxo
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As always to Jo and Jamie, thank you for the beta and your friendship xoxo
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Thank you for reading xoxo