Lanie bided her time, finding numerous reasons to end up back in the bullpen throughout the afternoon.
But every time she dropped in... there was Castle, sitting quietly next to Kate; his chin in his hand as he watched her adoringly.
"Hola, Chica!"
Lanie turned, frowning at Esposito as he blatantly looked her up and down.
"You miss me so soon?" He smiled charmingly. " How many times you been here today?"
The coroner rolled her eyes. "I'm here to talk to Kate."
"Really?" The detective smirked, glancing over at Beckett's desk. "Well, she's right there. If that's the case why you hanging around my desk?"
Lanie raised one eyebrow, giving him a sarcastic look. "Would you interrupt that?" She nodded her head in the other couple's direction.
Esposito looked more closely. "Uhm... Beckett working and Castle staring at her like a lovesick puppy? Seems like a normal day to me."
"Javier, on a normal day, what would Detective Beckett's response be to Castle's current proximity and unrepentant staring?"
He looked again, watching as the writer leaned in close, whispering something under his breath that made a light flush creep up Beckett's neck to stain her cheeks.
But instead of her normal threats of bodily harm if he didn't back off...
Instead... A little smile curved the corners of her lips as she bumped her shoulder gently into his chest; making him sit back.
"What the..." Esposito's jaw dropped.
Lanie reached up and closed it for him, trying to ignore the memory of his stubble against her throat. Swallowing she let his chin go. "I need to get back..."
She stopped short when he reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling her back gently. "Lane... Can't we-"
"Javi..." The coroner sighed, interrupting him. "We've been down this road before." She shook her head.
"We were good together."
"And also horrid to each other." She slowly pulled her hand away. "Maybe in another life. I'll see you."
Lanie left quickly, Esposito's dark eyes following her until the elevator doors slid shut.
Lanie didn't get her chance until almost 18:30. And she wouldn't have known except for a hushed call from Espo telling her that Kate was sending Castle out for sandwiches.
And she was sending him to Nardo's, her favorite sub shop all the way across town. He would be gone for at least an hour and a half.
"Thanks, Javier." She softly.
"De nada."
The line went dead and she stared at it for a few moments before shaking off her melancholy and heading back to the 12th.
Beckett watched Castle as he took dinner orders from the guys, her heart doing a little flip when he turned back to her with a brilliant smile on his face. He threw her a little wave and headed out.
Kate swallowed heavily. If he could completely unravel her with a smile and a wave... She bit her bottom lip, surreptitiously checking out his perfectly shaped backside; remembering all the other ways he could make her unravel.
She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to get her breathing to behave so that her voice would sound at least somewhat like normal.
As soon as she saw the elevator doors close, Kate grabbed her cell phone and headed to the break room. Finding it empty, she shut both doors firmly before scrolling through her contacts and finding the one she wanted.
"Hospital operator, how can I help you?" A pleasant voice chirped in her ear.
She felt an irrational pang of anger.
How can you be that upbeat at a hospital?
She shook her head. "Yeah, this is Detective Kate Beckett. I need to speak to Dr Josh Davidson."
"One moment please."
A musak version of "Drops of Jupiter" by Train came on as hold music and Beckett groaned. Was nothing sacred?!
"Detective Beckett?"
"I'm here." She answered quickly.
"I apologize but Dr. Davidson is at a symposium at the moment. He left instructions to inform you that he will be on duty tonight in E.R. If you need him.
"Oh." Kate felt oddly let down. She wasn't looking forward to the conversation, but she had been ready to have it right now. "Can you give him a message when he gets back?"
"Certainly."
"Tell him that I called and I need him to call my back as soon as he can. It's important."
"Yes, ma'am. I'll make sure he gets it."
The detective sighed sadly before turning around and practically jumping out of her skin, unable to stop the small squeak that escaped her throat."
Her best friend was standing right behind her.
"Lanie! You scared the hell out of me." She snapped before blinking in confusion. "How did you get in here without me hearing you?"
Lanie shrugged. "Catholic parents. I learned to be sneaky clean..."
Kate snorted. "Did you need something?"
"Yeah. Answers."
"I might need the questions first."
The beautiful black woman smiled. "I see Castle's been rubbing off on you."
The blush that comment earned her made her cheer softly and grab Kate up in a tight hug.
"It's about time! I want all the details!"
"I..." The detective floundered. "This... Is very new and very overwhelming. At the moment I am trying to get my head around it myself. Can you give me a few days and then I promise to tell you whatever you want to know?"
"How new?"
"What time is it?" She said pointedly.
"Oooh... THAT new.". Lanie looked at her closely. "Okay, sugar. Just answer one question for me?"
Kate took a deep breath, trying to quell her apprehension. "Sure. Shoot."
The coroner stepped closer, her eyes narrowing as she looked into Kate's. "Big hands, big feet, big...?"
"Lanie!" The brunette squealed, blushing to the roots of her hair, her eyes sliding everywhere round the room except to her friends face.
"I knew it! No god would make a man THAT big and then give him a tiny-"
"Lanie!" Beckett smacked her friend lightly on the arm.
"Can you blame me?" The coroner continued, unphased. "With the size of those fingers?"
The smile fell from Kate's face as she remembered just what his fingers could do to her. Her mouth parted slightly as she took in a shaky breath; running her fingers through her hair as she leaned heavily against the counter."
"Well damn!" Lanie breathed. "Where can I get me one?"
Kate smiled. "You got one. You're both just making it complicated."
"Coming from you? That's almost a compliment."
The detective laughed loudly, covering her mouth with her hand. When she finally had herself under control she whispered. "I don't think love is ever easy. Someone always gets hurt."
Lanie's eyes widened. "Josh..."
"I know Lanie!" Kate dropped her head into her hands. "I screwed up. I should have ended it first..."
"Kate..."
"I swear I never meant to be one of THOSE women."
"Kate!"
"...But it was right anyway. That moment was right. It was ours and you don't know if you'll ever get another chance..."
"KATE!" Lanie grabbed her face between her hands, whispering fiercely as she turned her head. "Josh!"
Beckett's eyes widened as she watched the tall doctor charm his way past security and enter the bullpen pinning his 'Visitor' tag to his jacket. She watched him glance toward the break room and smiled, waving as he walked their way.
Kate smiled sadly when she felt nothing.
"I am a bitch."
"No you aren't sweetie." Lanie rubbed her back for a moment before heading out the door opposite the one Josh was heading for. "You're just a little clueless. Good luck, hon."
Josh walked in a moment after she disappeared. Smiling down at Beckett as he went to wrap her in his arms.
"Josh..." She held her arms out, keeping him at a distance.
"Kate?" He asked softy, his voice full of curious hurt.
"What are you doing here?"
"We got out early and I checked my messages. The hospital op said you were trying to find me. That it was an emergency."
"I didn't say emergency!" Kate hissed. "I said 'important'!" She threw the door open and headed for her desk. He followed, sitting down in Castle's chair.
Beckett felt herself bristle.
What the hell is wrong with me? She berated herself. Castle's chair? It was a fucking chair.
Period.
"Josh..." She took a breath. "This might not be the best place for this..."
His gaze darkened; his eyes growing stony. "For what?"
Kate sighed, lowering her voice.
"This isn't working." She said without preamble. She was a detective. Short and concise... That's all she knew.
Except when it came to...
"What isn't working?" Josh's forehead furrowed in anger as he interrupted her thoughts.
"Us." She whispered.
"What?"
His tone was incredulous and she wondered if he had been paying attention at all during their brief relationship. Or if... Between the free clinics in South Africa and the vaccine drives in the outer reaches of Uganda... He had just decided their interaction was secondary.
"You're perfect." Kate continued. "Too perfect."
She flinched when she saw the anger in his face.
"And...what?" Josh snapped. "You need flaws to match your own?"
Kate pressed her lips together in a thin line. "What I need..." She spat each word out like acid. "Is someone who can be here. Someone that WANTS to be here. Everyday. Because that is how a relationship survives, Josh."
"Oh... " He blinked at her. "And who do we know that's here every damn day?"
She felt her anger rise. "This isn't about him."
"It isn't?" Josh moved closer, invading her personal space but not touching her. "Honestly, Kate? Was there ever a time when this wasn't about him?"
Beckett shook her head, but couldn't say anything.
Josh snorted. "Okay." He walked backwards away from her. "Let's see how long you last on page six. Good luck."
Without another word he turned and walked away, leaving Kate to slump against the counter as she tried to figure out how everything had become so fucking complicated.
Rick Castle smiled at Officer Hastings as he flew out of the elevator; the only thought in his head was to get back to her... To be close to her.
He juggled the bags in his hands, momentarily unable to see, running into something hard.
Dropping the deli, he blinked as he realized who he had run into. " Josh."
"This isn't over." The doctor growled.
Then Josh drew back his arm and slugged him in the face.
Really, really hard.
When he came to, Castle was laying on something soft, something that smelled so good... Something that smelled like cherries.
He cracked one eye open, wincing at the sudden pain that shot through his head as he tried to focus.
When he did he could only see out of his right eye but it was enough to process the vision of Kate Beckett cradling his head in her lap as he lay on a hospital cot in the infirmary. He touched the detectives cheek gently, smiling when her eyes flew open and love and relief washed through them. "Hi."
Her smile was amazing, "Hi." She ran her hands down his chest. "How do you feel?"
"Like I hung out with Willie Nelson again."
Kate snickered. "That's a story I want to hear sometime."
"Are you kidding?" Rick said in mock horror. "You're a cop! The 5-0, the fuzz, the...mphph..."
Beckett kissed him hard, effectively shutting him up. When they finally broke apart for air, she nuzzled into his neck. "When Josh suckerpunched you, you fell back and smacked your head against the floor. Mild concussion. You can go home as soon as the labs come back."
At the word 'home' Beckett winced slightly, making Castle raise an eyebrow curiously.
"I need to get back to the station and process the assault paperwork on Josh and finish my notes on Royce."
"No charges."
Kate blinked. "You sure?"
Rick took her hand, stroking it lightly. "If another man took you from me? He wouldn't have gotten off so lucky."
She nodded slowly, smiling at him as she picked up her jacket. "Come to the bullpen when you're up to it. You need to sign to drop the charges. Then I'll take you...then I'll drive you."
Kate threw him a sad smile.
Castle watched her curiously as she slipped out the door.
Beckett closed her eyes for a moment, the noise in the bullpen ringing loudly in her ears.
She had been waiting for Castle for almost an hour and she was beginning to worry. She had just started putting her things away when she caught it.
His scent.
The spicy, woodsy cologne he wore mixing with the natural scent of his skin; invading her senses before she actually heard him coming... And then felt him by her side.
For a moment, they were both still.
Then Castle reached out and tucked a stray tendril of hair behind her ear.
He paused before pulling away and she felt the softness of his palm against her cheek. She sighed, leaning into it; turning her head briefly to press her lips into the center.
It took Kate a moment to notice it.
The absolute quiet surrounding them.
She opened her eyes quickly, blinking when she found the bullpen completely empty. Even Montgomery's office was empty.
She looked up at Castle, shaking her head when he just shrugged.
"I know I don't have to explain plausible deniability to you, Detective." Rick smiled.
Kate opened her mouth to respond but he didn't give her a chance. He grabbed her by her shoulders, pulling up out of chair and into him.
Kate stared at him in shock, feeling anger start to rise inside of her.
Then Castle kissed her; his lips gentle but insistent.
She groaned when he bit lightly on her lower lip before lowering her back into her chair and settling contentedly into his own.
Beckett stared at him, her eyes wide. He had taken control and given it back just like that.
She laughed softly, making Castle look over at her. "What?"
Kate dropped her eyes, unable to keep the smile out of her voice as she whispered, "I think I might like taking turns."
His grin was huge and he couldn't bear not to touch her again. Curling his fingers under, he gently ghosted them across her cheek before softly tracing the dark circles beneath her eyes. "You look tired."
Kate laughed softly as she ran her fingers over the black patch that covered his left eye. "And you look like a pirate."
"Finally!". Castle sighed happily. "You say the sexiest things to me. But honestly, Kate. You got on a plane at five AM, flew all the way across the country and you were still here by two PM. It's after eight now. There are no bodies, no open cases. Why are we still here?"
Rick felt her breath hitch.
"Tell me." He whispered.
"You're with me here." Beckett sighed. It was no use denying it. He knew her too well. "I just... This isn't an assignment anymore, Castle. We aren't 'stuck together sharing a room'. Now we're back. You have a home and I have a home... Families that count on us." She ran her hands through her hair. "I don't know how to do THIS. She waived a hand between them. I've never wanted anyone this badly." Her voice kept dropping with every sentence until Rick was practically breathing her air to get close enough to hear. "I've never wanted someone in my bed all the time. I tend to barely make it until dawn. And I know we've only had one night but I also know that the only place I want you to be is in my arms... And between my legs."
The last was barely a breath and Rick pressed his lips to hers, tenderly but with very clear intent.
"Your place, my place. Wherever you are, Kate, that is where I want to be." He winked. "Especially those last two you mentioned..."
A/N I know this was a little angsty but it needed to get out there. I promise Casketty goodness (aka smut) in the next chapter.
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