A/N: remember me? I can't believe it's been nearly a month since I last updated and I'm so sorry, but I've had no time and my Ficathon story was on a deadline (hey, I'm like Castle ;)) so that needed doing first but now that I've completed it, this is the only story I currently have ongoing so I'll do my best to get it all wrapped up as soon as possible! Thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far and also a huge thank you if you're still with me!
Kate hesitated at his question, it wasn't that she was necessarily against telling Castle about the messages and calls, she just knew he'd make a huge deal out of it and make it more than it was. She was handling it..
"Kate?" He prompted, still waiting for an answer. Fuck, she hated it when he used her first name sometimes. He used it a lot in bed, that she didn't mind, it was when he was open and forgiving and she knew how much he loved her. But at times like this he used it to portray his annoyance at her so obviously hiding something from him and she knew once he found out what it was he wouldn't be happy in the slightest.
"It's.." The word 'nothing' had been on the tip of her tongue but somehow she didn't think he'd be letting her get away with that right now. "I don't know what it is, Castle," she sighed, deciding the truth was her only option at the moment. "They're just calls and texts from an unknown number, that's all."
"That's all?" He repeated sarcastically. "Who's there when you answer these calls? What do these messages say?" He was getting impatient, he wanted answers and he wanted them now.
"Nobody's there," she muttered, "it's quiet for a couple of seconds and then it cuts off. And the messages are nothing..probably just someone playing a prank."
"What do they say, Beckett?" He demanded in a tone she very rarely heard from him, especially directed towards her.
"Well um, just things like 'better luck next time' and uh 'what will Gates say?' About the tape..nothing bad.."
Castle was fuming. How could she hide messages like that from him and then brush it off as nothing when he demanded answers? Dammit if he didn't love her so much he'd be tempted to shoot her or something, ridiculous, stubborn woman.
"Beckett what the hell?!" He exclaimed. "How many times do I have to tell you that I'm your partner? It would have been bad enough you keeping this from me when we weren't romantically involved but the fact that you've deliberately hidden it from me now is even worse.."
"Castle," she began, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you okay? But I know you, you get all alpha male on me and yeah, it's kinda hot but you don't need to do it, I can look out for myself." Looking back, she realised she probably should have told him but she knew he'd only worry.
For both of their sakes he ignored her comment about his alpha make act turning her on, or this argument was going to be solved up against a wall, quick and dirty instead of actually talking it out. "I thought we'd been through this a million times before?" He said. "I know you don't need me to protect you or look out for you but tough shit, I love you and I'd never forgive myself if something happened to you because I wasn't looking out for you. And besides, you shouldn't have deliberately hidden it from me!"
"I thought I was the one that was supposed to be logical," she muttered. "Look, I will admit that you're right, yes, I should have told you about the calls and the messages and I can see now that it was wrong not to. I just..I didn't want to cause a fuss, you know? It wasn't until the text today that I really kind of realised that it was probably someone trying to get in the way of me getting me job back and that they've found the perfect way to do it."
"Well if you hadn't been so hotheaded and quit over something so stupid then you wouldn't even be trying to get your job back!" It was a low blow but he was angry, cheap shots like that were bound to come out.
"Don't you dare," she practically growled at him. "Don't you dare tell me what I did was stupid, okay? I quit because Gates was completely unfair on you and if I hadn't have quit, she would have got rid of you anyway, is that what you want?"
"Oh don't be ridiculous," he sighed, "you know full well that's not what I want at all, but wouldn't it have been better than the situation we're currently in?"
"No!" She shot back, "no, it wouldn't because Gates was being absolutely ridiculous, her reason for wanting you gone was mediocre at best and I wasn't going to stand there and let her do it!"
It was kind of cute, really, how she was so determined to defend her actions - and him. Just..not when he was trying to be mad at her. "What am I going to do with you?" He asked, running a hand through his hair. He was probably going grey, the stress of dealing with Kate Beckett on a daily basis was enough to drive anyone mad, he was just thankful he hadn't had to put up with her as a teenager, he imagined she was hell.
"Does this mean you forgive me?" She asked hopefully, flashing him a smile he'd never been able to resist.
"Well," he said, "you still have some making up to do.."
"Oh..I suppose I do," she replied, biting down on her lip in that way that drove him crazy. "Well, I could begin like this.."
She slowly stalked towards him, wrapping her arms around his neck and backing him up to the sofa until he collapsed onto it, bringing her with him.
"And then I could do this," she whispered, grinding her hips down onto his with her last word and he couldn't suppress a groan, she was far too good at this sort of thing, could have him back wrapped around her little finger in ten seconds flat.
Her fingers had just started unbuttoning his shirt when Castle's cell phone began to ring, causing her to groan in annoyance and slouch against him. Without moving her off of him, Castle leaned around her to grab his phone and let out a sigh when he saw it was Paula again.
"Paula," he answered more cheerfully than he felt. "What can I do for you?"
"Richard, didn't I tell you to look at the paper and call me back?" She shrilled, making Beckett wince on his chest.
"Sorry, I got a little uh..distracted..but it's not Kate in that tape."
"Is that what she told you?" Paula asked sarcastically. "Because I've seen the tape and it looks a hell of a lot like-"
"Paula, it's not her," Castle interrupted forcefully. "I think I'm trusted to know my own girlfriend - and to believe her when she says it's not her."
"Right, and there's somebody out there who looks almost identical, is there?"
Before Castle could reply, Kate took the phone from him and answered herself. "Hi Paula, Kate speaking. No, it isn't me in the tape and yes, there is someone out there that looks almost identical, but I swear to god if you tell the press who it is you're going to wish you were never born."
"I uh..okay.." Paula replied quietly and Castle was shocked, she'd never given in that easily ever before..he was starting to realise why Beckett had such a high closure rate, who could lie to that voice?!
"It's my twin sister, Charlie," Beckett admitted. "That break in at my apa- at my old apartment was to plant bugs and cameras, well that's what we're assuming, anyway and we're guessing they had this plan to circulate this tape with my name to prevent me getting my job back." Her stomach dropped at those last few words, the realisation that they had probably been successful - what were the chances of Gates letting her back now?
Castle took the phone back and began dishing out instructions to Paula on damage control for the situation, they were going with it being a very good look a like and hoping no one noticed Ethan's face, it was very hard to see, luckily.
"You okay?" Castle asked as he ended his phone call, realising that Beckett had gone very quiet and was curled into his lap like a cat.
"Oh yeah just umm.."
"Yes?" He prompted. He didn't like it when she didn't tell him things, she was known to make rash decisions and leave him three steps behind, wondering what the hell was going on. "You know you can tell me anything, right?"
"Yeah, I know," she smiled. "I guess I'm just worried about going in to see Gates.."
"You're still going?" He asked with slight confusion. He would have thought she'd want to hide out here for a couple of days.
"It's a sex tape, Castle, and not one of me, at that. It's not like I got caught breaking into the White House or something." He couldn't see her face but he'd bet a hundred bucks she was rolling her eyes right now. "But as much as it's not like I have to hide inside, I don't think it's going to help in getting my job back.."
"Maybe Gates won't have seen it?" He supplied helpfully. "You know, I hardly think she's the type to read page six.."
"She'll know," Beckett answered. "I don't know how but trust me, she'll know." If she was honest, she was a little surprised Ryan and Espo hadn't called yet, surely they'd be waiting to take the mick out of her.
"Well I'm coming with you," he announced in the best 'don't argue with me' voice he could muster.
"Castle," she sighed, "the reason I quit is because-"
"I know why you quit," he interrupted. "But surely that means I should be there when you go back, let Gates know that you're serious and you mean business?" He ignored the roll of her eyes. "And besides, if everyone who's seen the paper thinks you cheated on me and made a sex tape, don't we need to show a united front, tell them it's all crap?"
Unfortunately he had a point. And they'd already had one argument this morning, she couldn't be doing with another. "Okay fine," she relented, "you can come with me." She was dreading even going, wasn't looking forward to the stares and whispers in the slightest.
An hour and a half and a round of mind blowing shower sex later, they were pulling up at the precinct, ready to face the music. Together.
"It'll be fine," Castle murmured, taking her hand and squeezing it lightly. "I'm here."
They didn't encounter any problems until they reached the homicide floor, to the people who knew Beckett the best - and Castle for that matter. But hand in hand they strolled through the bullpen, ignoring the stares and whispers.
"Yo, Beckett," Esposito called when he spotted them, "got something you want to tell us?"
"Shut it, Espo," Beckett muttered. "I'm here to see Gates, is she in?"
"Yeah and uh..she's not in the best of moods today," Ryan answered. "Nice to see you guys by the way, lovely article in the paper this morning."
Beckett groaned and buried her face in Castle's chest. "It's not me!" She exclaimed, hearing Castle laugh as wrapped an arm around her.
"Good," Espo said and Kate's face came out of it's hiding place. "'Cause y'know, you're like my sister and it would be pretty gross."
"Yeah," Ryan added, "not something I wanna think about."
"Thanks guys," Beckett said, "for uh, actually talking to us and not whispering as we walked past."
"We're a team," Espo said, "the four of us. Now go get your job back!"
Castle expected Beckett to tell him to stay there or go make coffee or something but she surprised him by gripping his hand and pulling him along to Gates' office with her.
Show time.
A/N: let's see how many of you are still reading, hey?
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