A/N: I'm sure a lot of you are just waiting for Castle and Beckett to get together and I can promise you they will - but not yet. I still have a few ideas that need to be written - starting with the twins tricking Castle. So I'm sorry if that's what you're waiting on, but patience is a virtue ;)
"..yeah. Okay, thanks Lanie," Beckett said, putting the phone on her desk down. "That was Lanie," she told Castle unnecessarily - he had been sat right next to her desk throughout the whole phone call. "The morgue has nothing, there's a a backlog in the lab apparently, results on our victim won't be in until lunchtime at the earliest tomorrow, so we still have no idea who she is." She hated cases like this, she at least liked to know the name of the victim so that they could figure out where to start. And at the same time, that girl lying on Lanie's table was somebody's daughter - but they didn't know who.
She looked up as Esposito came back into the bullpen after doing a canvass of the area. "Find anything?" She asked, hoping they'd found a bag or a purse belonging to their victim.
"Nope, nothing," Esposito replied. "Get anything from Lanie?"
"No," she grumbled, "backlog at the lab -we're looking at tomorrow lunchtime at the earliest."
"No CCTV cameras picked her up either," Ryan said, returning from talking to tech. "Either she knew where they were and avoided them or it's just bad luck."
"Yeah well, we aren't going to be able to do much until we get an ID," Beckett said standing up and collecting her things. "Let's get out of here, it's already 6.30."
There was no protest from the others and the four of them rode the elevator down to the lobby together.
"So, 8.30 ish at The Old Haunt then?" Castle asked.
"Sure bro, see you there," Esposito said while Ryan nodded in agreement.
"So what do you think of Ethan so far?" Castle asked as he slid into the passenger seat of Beckett's car.
"I've got no idea, I only met him for about two minutes while he waited for Charlie. He seems nice enough and I haven't seen Charlie this happy in ages..but I'm still a cop, and whether she likes it or not I'm going to end up checking him out," Beckett admitted, pulling the car away from the curb and heading towards Castle's apartment to drop him off. She was a little surprised actually, all afternoon he'd been like he was before their arguments and admissions - like nothing had ever happened. She wasn't knocking it, it was amazing to have him back but she had expected a little more hostility.
"What, you've done it before?"
"Of course I have!" Beckett said with a laugh, "ran a background check on practically every guy she met when I first joined the force. It didn't happen when she was away, given that I had no idea who she was seeing, but now that she's back I'm going to do it again..probably not tell her though."
"Beckett, I uh..know you're doing the whole protective cop sister thing but Charlie is a grown woman.."
"I know she is, Castle," Beckett sighed, "but I still worry about her. Comes with the job, I guess..you've seen what we see on a day to day basis and I know I'd never forgive myself if she ended up like some of our victims and I hadn't checked her boyfriend out."
"So who's looking out for you?" He asked.
"I can look out for myself, Castle," she laughed. "I have run background checks on guys I've been with too, you know."
"Yeah I do," he grumbled, "first time you brought me in for questioning you practically read me my whole file."
Beckett let out a laugh and Castle thought it was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard. He loved her when she was like this - things like admitting she ran background checks on her sisters dates, being much more vulnerable than the Kate Beckett he had met a few years ago.
"I had just brought my favourite author in for questioning - you didn't think I was going to pass up an opportunity to know everything did you?"
At his lack of response, she glanced over at him to see him grinning like the cat who had got the cream. "What?" She asked.
"You just said I'm your favourite author," he exclaimed gleefully and she rolled her eyes.
"Oh come on, Castle, you have to know by now that I'm a fan?"
"Still nice to hear you admit it," he said as she pulled up outside his apartment. "Okay, so I'll see you in a bit, I'll probably already be there - just gonna grab a shower and change of clothes and then go over, check things are all okay."
"Great, I'll see you soon then," she smiled as he shut the door. She watched him enter his building, saying hello to the doorman as he did, before turning her car around and heading to her own place.
Arriving back at her apartment, Kate wandered into the kitchen to find that Charlie had left a note -
'Gone out with Ethan, I'll see you at The Old Haunt about 8 - don't be late!' It read.
Beckett laughed before putting it in the bin and heading into her bathroom for a shower. She ran the water and stripped her clothes off, leaving them in a pile on the bathroom floor. Testing the water's temperature, she got completely in, standing under the spray of hot water.
She liked showers, they gave her time to think. And right now, she was thinking about Castle and where they were going. She loved him, of that she was sure, but she couldn't tell him yet..she needed him to know she meant it and right now wasn't the time. She'd literally just told him she lied about what she heard when she was shot, telling him now would only mean him thinking she was saying it so he'd forgive her.
But she wasn't sure how much longer she could wait. When she thought about it properly, she'd probably been in love with him for a good two years now, if not longer. As much as she wouldn't have admitted it to herself at the time, there was a reason she let him back after he looked into her mothers case and the same again after the summer he didn't call.
Ah, the summer he didn't call. That was the moment that sealed the deal if there was one. Watching him walk away from her with his perfect blonde ex wife had damn near killed her. She was about to lay her heart on the line and he ruined it. Well, it wasn't exactly his fault - she had been with Tom at the time and had given him no indication that she was going to end it with him, so she couldn't really blame him. Didn't mean it didn't hurt like a bitch though.
Stepping out of the shower, she reached for her towel and wrapped herself in it, heading back into her bedroom. Glancing at her phone, she saw she had two messages. The first was from Charlie:
'Movie has just finished, we're heading over to the bar now,' it read, 'did you ask Esposito and Ryan if they were coming?'
Beckett tapped out a quick reply: 'yeah they're coming, Lanie and Jenny too,' now, did she tell her about Castle or did she surprise her? 'And I've got a surprise for you when I get there too ;)' she hit send, a smile on her face.
The second message was from Lanie:
'Girl, Javi tells me writer-boy showed up today - things okay with you two now?' She had told Lanie on Monday what she had told Castle and Lanie had been the typical best friend.
'I think they could be,' she replied, 'he's coming tonight so I'll see you there.'
Putting her phone down, she opened her wardrobe to decide what she was going to wear. She settled on a pair of her favourite skinny jeans, teaming it with a loose-fitting white top and her black leather jacket. Slipping into the clothes, she grabbed her hair dryer, roughly driving her hair off before leaving it to dry the rest naturally. She was just about to sort out her make up when her phone beeped again, Castle this time.
'Im just about to leave, you want me to pick you up?' She thought for a moment; his place was fifteen minutes away - she could be ready in that time.
'Sure,' she replied, 'that would be great, thanks :)'
Quickly finishing her make up, she found a pair of boots to match her outfit, sprayed her perfume and waited for him to arrive. He text when he did and she grabbed her bag and keys, heading down to meet him.
"Why are you rolling your eyes at me?" He asked, as she climbed in, "I haven't even said anything yet!"
"Castle, when you said you were coming to pick me up, I assumed you were driving, not that you were using the car service!"
"Well what's the point in me having it if I don't use it?"
She shook her head at him, muttering something about rich people.
"You love me anyway," he huffed and she froze. A quick glance at him reassured her it had just been a throwaway comment, but what he didn't realise was how close to the truth he had actually got.
"How's Alexis?" She asked, desperate to change the subject.
"She's okay, stressing about graduation and college and moving on but she's getting there. Paige is over tonight, they're having a sleepover with movies and ice cream."
"Sounds like my kinda night," she admitted.
He looked at her in suprise before saying, "just say the word, Detective, and it's yours."
"You know, I might just take you up on that," she replied playfully.
"I hope you do," he said as they arrived at the bar. "Come on, let's see if Charlie is here yet."
"Kate!" A voice called out when they walked in, "over here!"
Turning to her left, Kate saw Charlie and Ethan sat in their usual booth. "Hey guys," she said, sliding in opposite Charlie. "I uh, brought Castle with me.." She said shyly as he slid into the seat next to her.
Charlie's eyes widened and Kate knew she was bursting to say something but couldn't. "Hi, Castle," she settled on, smiling warmly at him.
"Charlie, good to see you again. I'm Rick," he said, holding his hand out to Ethan.
"Ethan," he replied, shaking Castle's hand. "You're the uh, writer, right?" He asked in bemusement, Charlie hadn't said her sister knew Richard Castle.
"I am indeed," Castle smiled, "Charlie tell you did she?"
"Actually no, I didn't," Charlie butted in and Kate grinned. "You know I only read those Nikki Heat books because I was bored, Castle," she teased.
"Yeah yeah, whatever," Castle replied, "I bet you read them all really."
"Nope, that would be Kate," Charlie quipped. "I just liked the character in Nikki Heat..not so sure about Rook though.."
"Mm, I get what you mean," Kate joined in, "he's a bit..."
"Katherine Beckett you finish that sentence and I swear to god.."
"What?" She asked Castle, "what're you going to do? Kill Nikki off? I don't think Gina would be too pleased.."
"Gina wasn't happy when I killed Derrick Storm, look at her now!"
"Well," Ethan interrupted, "I wasn't happy when you killed Derrick Storm, but the Nikki Heat books are something else! I heard you actually shadow a real-life detective, is that true?"
Castle and Kate looked to Charlie who simply shrugged, she hadn't even mentioned Castle to Ethan, never mind that he was almost practically her brother in law. And she might have briefly mentioned that Kate was a cop, but it hadn't really come up, they just seemed to have so much to talk about..
"Yep, it's true," Kate confirmed, "the poor detective who has put up with him for four years is sat right here."
Ethan gasped in suprise. "You're Nikki Heat?" He asked and Kate nodded. "Why didn't you tell me?" He asked Charlie.
"Never came up," Charlie said. "To be honest, I've only known since I came back home, my dear sister didn't tell me." She smiled sweetly at Kate.
Kate was denied the opportunity for a snarky remark by Ana, one of the bar staff coming over. "Evening Mr Castle, Detective Beckett and uh.." She looked from Kate to Charlie, seemingly confused.
"My sister," Kate told her, "Charlie, this is Ana, Ana, this is Charlie."
"Nice to meet you," Charlie said, "don't worry about it, even Castle here didn't know I existed until two weeks ago..long story!"
"Yeah, I bet! Anyway, the usual for you two?" She asked Kate and Rick who both nodded and Charlie and Ethan gave their orders too.
"You have a usual? And the barmaid knows your names?" Ethan said, "come here a lot do you?"
"Something like that," Kate muttered and Charlie and Rick both laughed.
"What?' Ethan said, "what did I say?"
"I uh..I own the place," Castle said. "This bar is mine, that's why Ana knows who we are and what we drink."
"Man that is so cool!" Ethan said. "I've heard about this place..how long have you owned it?"
"Not long, a year or so," Castle said, "but I love it, and the guys from Kate's precinct are in here sometimes too, makes me feel more like a real cop," he grinned and Kate rolled her eyes.
"Speaking of which, Espo and Ryan should be here soon.." Kate said, looking behind her to the door, just as it opened and Lanie walked in, closely followed by the others.
They spotted them, and made their way over to the booth, just as Ana was bringing their drinks over.
"Hey girl," Lanie said, grinning at Kate, "should have known you two would already be here!"
Kate smiled at Lanie, before introducing everyone to Ethan. Once they'd all settled down and found a place to sit, Ana came back over to take their drink orders.
"Anyone hungry?" Castle asked and a round of "yeah, I am" rang out, prompting a round of laughter. "Great, I'll get Marco to cook us up some pizza if you want?" He said, moving to slide out of the booth.
"Marco's in tonight?" Kate asked, "man, I haven't seen him in forever! Hold up, I'm coming too.." She said, following Castle towards the kitchen.
"Should I be worried about your affection for Marco?" Castle asked.
"Depends, cook me pizza one night and I'll decide," she teased playfully and Castle stared at her, dumbstruck by her current mood. She was best like this, he decided, playful and flirty, he hoped that never stopped.
When Kate and Rick rejoined the others after putting in an order with Marco, they were getting to know Ethan a little better and Kate could tell Espo and Ryan were determining how good he was for Charlie, which she appreciated. They might not know her very well, but they knew Kate and she knew they'd do anything for her, and her for them.
"Pizza is being made as we speak," Castle said as they sat back down, "and trust me, it's the best."
"It is," Kate supplied helpfully, "how he does it I'll never know."
"If pizza like that puts a smile on your face I'll order it for you every damn day," Castle growled into her ear and she blushed, hoping no one else had noticed. Luck wasn't on her side though, both Lanie and Charlie were giving her pointed looks.
"I think I'd get fat," she laughed.
"I don't care," Castle replied quietly, "if you let me I'm willing to try and put that smile on your face for the rest of your life."
"That's a long time," she counteracted, grateful that the others seemed to be engrossed in conversation.
"Or not long enough," he whispered and she blushed again. Damn him.
"Keep it up Castle and I might just let you. So, Ethan, Charlie tells me you're a property developer?" She said, effectively changing the subject. Castle squeezed her thigh lightly and she smiled up at him - she couldn't remember being this happy in a long time.
A/N: I know this is another kind of filler chapter, with nothing really happening, but I hope you're not getting bored - we are getting there, I promise! Reviews more than welcome :)
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