A/N: Because you have all been so supportive and nice about my delays, how about a two-fer?
Lanie looked up expectantly when she heard the morgue doors swing open. A small smile appeared and then vanished just as quickly as she watched Esposito walk through them. "Any sign of the lovebirds yet?"
"Not yet." The detective shook his head thoughtfully. "You really think there's something real there?"
The M.E. threw him a sarcastic look. "There's been something real there since the first day he started following her around."
"Are you kidding? Beckett hated him!"
"Javi..." Lanie smiled at him like he was a child. "The opposite of love isn't hate. It's indifference. I'd think you'd know that about women by now." Her smile faded as Esposito looked at her curiously.
"So the fact that he drove her insane..."
"Means...that she had... feelings for him." She finished slowly. "No matter how confusing they were."
"Were?" When Lanie didn't answer, Javier smiled broadly. Whistling under his breath, he walked backwards out of the Morgue.
The M.E. leaned up against the counter, dropping her head and breathing deeply.
Nope.
Definitely no indifference there.
Kate had decided to stop by her apartment on the way to the precinct to drop off her bag and check her mail.
Now she felt like she was a teenager again, using every excuse to touch or bump into Rick as they walked from her car park and through the back entrance of her building's lobby.
Nothing overt. Just the barest brushes of her fingers across his as their hands swung by their sides. A slight misstep that rubbed the tips of her breasts against his arm. She took a shuddering breath when she felt her nipples harden instantly.
At this point Kate didn't know who she was driving crazier, Castle or herself.
She found out as soon as they entered the elevator.
Rick dropped her bag and grabbed her hard; pushing her roughly up against the elevator wall. Her mouth opened automatically and he was there, kissing her feverishly, his hands everywhere at once as Kate fought to keep her knees from buckling. He slid one leg between her thighs and pressed into her, closing his eyes when he felt her begin to thrust against him.
The elevator dinged and the pulled apart, both of them trying to catch their breath.
They stared at each other for a long moment and then started laughing.
Taking Kate's hand, Castle scooped up her bag and pulled her from elevator and down the hall.
They turned the corner... and all the laughter stopped.
The walls on both sides and across from her door were lined with what had to be at least a dozen bouquets, all different arrangements; each one with a small white card sticking up out of them.
Castle dropped Kate's hand and reached down to pluck the cards from several different vases.
"Please give me another chance." He read, his expression slowly turning stony. He flipped through them one by one. "We are so good together. Please don't let that go. I want you back. I am not giving up." He tossed the cards back towards the flowers. "They're all signed the same. 'Still yours, Josh.'"
Kate's mouth opened and closed several times before she finally managed to speak. "Castle..."
"No." He shook his head. "It's okay. I wouldn't give up that easily either." He snorted. "Not very subtle..."
Beckett could tell by the sound of his voice and the lame attempt at a joke that was most definitely NOT okay.
She sighed, unlocking her apartment. "I'll call maintenance and tell them to pick them up."
"Good idea." Castle mumbled as he followed her inside. "You would think a doctor would know the definition of a fire hazard..."
Beckett pulled the car into her spot in the precinct garage; turning off the engine but not getting out. She turned to Castle, who had been completely silent for the entire ride. She plucked his hand from off his thigh and was relieved when she felt his fingers tighten around hers.
"Not exactly how I pictured our first time 'together' at your apartment."
Kate nodded. "Me neither." She swallowed. "Rick-"
"It's really okay, Kate."
"No, it's not. It's not anymore okay than your ex-wife walking into your loft, into our bedroom, expecting... what you know she was expecting." She took a deep breath, realizing what she had said, hoping he wouldn't notice.
"Our bed?"
Kate closed her eyes. Of course he would notice. The man paid attention to everything she said.
Well.. almost.
'No.' hadn't seemed to ever work.
"Ours as in... we were both in it... at the same time."
Castle leaned over and kissed her.
It was the softest, sweetest kiss she had ever experienced. She leaned her forehead against his when they broke apart.
"He's not what I want, Rick."
"What do you want?"
Beckett grinned. "We've had this conversation already."
Castle flashed his most charming smile. "And yet we still haven't visited that closet."
"Keep dreaming, Castle."
"Oh trust me," He hopped out of the car, running around to her side to open her door; earning a glare for his effort. "Always have, always will."
Ryan and Esposito were on their way out when Castle and Beckett finally made it upstairs.
"Hey guys." Kate smiled a little nervously, unable to keep her eyes from shifting to Castle without a conscious effort. When she glanced back, Esposito was looking at her with a knowing little smile. "So..." She stumbled over her words slightly. "What's up? We catch a case?"
"Yeah," Ryan held up a slip of paper. He didn't seem to notice anything different, but then he was so head over heels about Jenny she was surprised he could focus at all. "Looks like your standard pop-and-drop. You want in on it?"
"Uh..." She glanced at Javier again. "Is Lanie in the field today?"
"Nah. Perlmutter."
"Why don't you guys take it? Give me a call if it turns out to be anything interesting?"
"You got it!" Ryan took off, Espo trailing behind him.
When they were gone Beckett turned to Rick. "Castle, could you make us some coffee? I want to go check in with Lanie."
He smiled happily. "Sure! I'll have it ready when you get back."
He headed towards the break room. Kate watched the whole way; pulling her lower lip between her teeth as she studied the way his ass looked in his jeans.
With a small smile, she turned...
...to find Captain Montgomery watching her through his office window.
Beckett pushed her way into the morgue to find her best friend preparing the instrument trays for their impending arrival. Stepping close to her she hissed, "Lanie, did you say something to Esposito?"
The M.E. snorted. "Like I needed to."
The detective frowned. "What is that supposed to mean?"
"Katherine Beckett." She dropped the last instrument onto the tray with a thunk and a sigh. "When I first met you, you were... all angles and hard lines. You had that oh-so-serious hair cut and I don't think that scowl you had going on ever left your face." Lanie pointed at her. "Yup, that's the one."
Kate pulled on all her detective skills to calm her outer appearance.
"You never cracked a smile, you never cut loose. You WERE the job. I don't even think I met the real you until Castle came along."
Beckett looked down, a small smile curving her lips. "Yeah, me either."
"So even knowing that you come in here and wonder how we all knew? We knew because you were suddenly happy. You were softer. It's written all over you."
The detective felt a moment of panic. "What if... what if someone finds out and they don't let us work together anymore? Montgomery was watching us earlier-"
"And? Do you really think anyone here would let that happen?"
Kate shook her head slowly.
"Damn right." Lanie crossed her arms. "You both might be frustrating as hell, but we still love you guys."
Beckett smirked. "Right back at you."
The black woman immediately tensed. "Don't make me hurt you."
Kate walked out, calling back over her shoulder, "Physician, heal thyself."
True to his word, Castle handed Kate her coffee as soon as she sat down at her desk. She looked down as she took the mug, hiding the smile that broke free when she saw the heart traced into the foam.
Taking a sip, she watched him sit down, studying the way his muscles moved, knowing everything he was going to do as he settled in.
It was almost... domestic.
Then she remembered how those muscles moved, how they felt when she traced them with her fingertips, how good his tongue tasted.
Not so domestic.
The way her body responded was overwhelming and for the first time ever that closet Castle kept mentioning was starting to look pretty good.
"Rick..." She frowned when her phone rang. She picked it up quickly. "Beckett."
Castle watched as Kate listened carefully.
"Okay we'll be right there." She hung up the phone, frowning. "Looks like our pop-and-drop just got interesting."
Don't get too excited. There's not gonna be a case. Not in this story anyway. I am having too much fun with the Superfriends.
Maybe next time. )
Please review if you have time!