Chapter 44
A/N: Write 3.14 on a piece of paper and hold it up to a mirror.
PIE.
Know you know why.
This has been a random public service announcement.
Anyway, I know the last one was short, but these scenes have to stand on their own. )
A/N #2: For the Guest reviewer who pointed out that Tabrett was Scottish and not Australian... I will very politely point out that MOST Australian names originated elsewhere. It was originally a prison where they dumped convicts from all over Europe. Even her last name (While a very popular surname) is not actually Australian either. The only true Australian names would be Aboriginal. Kinda like my name should have been 'Runs with Scissors' if my parents had picked a TRUE North American name. But sincerely, thank you for the comment. I LOVE a good debate. )
And to Anna... I would have sent you a private note, but you reviewed as a guest. Thank you for the poem. Very creative and sweet! D
Castle and Beckett stepped off the elevator at the 12th, each of them fighting very hard to hold in the energy and tension coursing through them.
The elevators had cameras. As did every other area in the precinct.
What they didn't have... was microphones.
Attorney/Client privilege was a bitch.
And so she had spent the entire elevator ride with the writer quietly whispering the latest love scene between Nikki and Rook in her ear.
All the while standing MUCH too closely behind her.
Now she was overheating; stopping for a moment to stand under one of the large air ducts right outside the pen. She turned her head from side to side and smiled. "You are a very bad man." She finally whispered.
"And you love me for it."
Kate could find no fault with the statement so she just smiled again, entering the bullpen to find Ryan and Espo smirking at them.
"Must be nice to walk in to work any time you like... Leave all the heavy lifting to the lesser beings."
Feeling happy, Kate just mugged at him. "Get yourself a girl and I'll let you come in late... once in a while."
The Latino flushed, making Beckett's eyebrows rise.
"WHAT was that look for?" She laughed, putting her left hand over her mouth to muffle the sound. "Looks like I need to go have a talk with Lanie."
Javi and Ryan both did double takes.
"Whoa!"
"What the hell?"
Kate immediately tried to tuck her hand into her pocket but Espo grabbed it, actually pushing it further away as he stared. "Damn! It's like it's so big you have to be far away to see it! Does that thing have it's own orbit?"
"Javi-"
"Nah, don't worry." He let her go and smiled. "If I told her before you did she would kill both of us." He turned to Castle. "I don't have to ask if you'll take good care of her. Or tell you what will happen if you don't."
"No... and no." Rick smiled. "I got it."
"Then congratulations." He and Ryan both gave Castle a loose 'guy' hug and a slap on the back before hugging Kate hard.
"I'm happy for you, truly." The Latino held her a few moments longer than necessary.
Beckett bit her lower lip. They had always had a special bond. One that would have been interesting if she hadn't always looked at him like a little brother. She swallowed. "On that note, I better head to the morgue." She cleared her throat to clear the mood, turning to Rick. "Can you go get us some coffee and bear claws? I'll only be about twenty minutes."
"Of course." Castle watched her walk away, a sappy grin on his face.
"Yo, bro..." Esposito punched him lightly on the arm. "Man up... I mean really."
The writer snorted. "You forget, I've seen you around our lovely ME."
"Yeah well, for that comment? You owe me a bear claw too."
Detective Kate Beckett pushed through the doors of the morgue, walking up to her best friend and smiling broadly. "So?"
"So?" Lanie gave her a sarcastic look over the top of the body she was working on. "So what?"
"Sew buttons?" Kate's face registered her shock at her own words.
"Oh, hell... that man has permanently damaged your brain with mind blowing sex, hasn't he?"
Kate blushed but shook her head. "Don't try to distract me. WHAT is going on with you and Espo?"
"Oh, no, girl. I seem to recall you owe me some details about your own situation first."
The detective pushed herself up on one of the empty tables. "Okay... What do you want to know?"
Lanie leaned her head to the side, throwing Beckett a very sarcastic look.
"Okay... okay." Kate blushed to the roots of her hair. "Amazing? Incredible. Earth-shattering." She laughed softly. "Anything else you want to know?"
"Yeah." The ME snapped off her gloves and came around the autopsy table, grabbing Kate's hand. "Tell me why I'm being blinded by that rock on your finger."
The detective flushed.
"I love him, Lanie."
The lovely black woman nodded. "I know you do, sweetheart. I've always known." She gripped both of Kate's hands tightly. "The question is... does he make you happy?"
Beckett's smile was brilliant, making Lanie nod happily.
Until Kate repeated the question.
"The question is, does HE make YOU happy?"
The ME pressed her lips together. "He might... He just might."
Kate looked down at her desk with a long sigh. "Really guys?" She picked up the newspaper that had been left on her blotter. "I thought we had moved on?"
The day after the book launch at The Beacon; when the detective had left her lover sleeping to come into work...
She had found her entire desk wrapped in page six of the New York Times, complete with multiple half-page photos of her, on Castle's arm, her happiness more than apparent.
Unfortunately, at the time, she hadn't been in much of a playful mood.
She had torn into Ryan and Esposito like they were suspects; leaving them scrambling to rip the newspapers away and then quickly disappear.
Now...
Now she looked at the picture fondly. "Who left this here?"
The boys looked at each other and shook their heads; before quickly turning and leaving as both their eyes and their mouths widened.
"Hey... what?" Kate stared after them. "Who left this here?"
"I did."
The detective closed her eyes, scrunching up her face.
SHIT.
She turned to find Josh standing behind her. "Hey." She said softly.
"Nothing to do with him, huh?" The doctor moved closer, taking the paper from her hand and reading a little of the article. "The Muse and the Poet..." He shook his head. "Poet? Really?"
Kate felt her anger flare. "It's a literary pun, Josh. Poe-et?"
"So..." He glared at her. "You're more into words than deeds."
"I beg your pardon?"
Josh threw the paper onto her desk. "He writes about life, Kate. I live it. Everyday."
He stepped closer and she she took a step back. "Yeah, you do." She smiled sadly. "You live it... everywhere but here."
"Is that what this is about?" He grabbed her hands. "I'm gone too much? I can cut back on the trips, Kate, I-" He frowned when she shook her head.
"Josh... You know... The saddest part? The saddest part is that you being gone? That was the only thing that ever really worked in our relationship." Her eyes widened. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean..."
"You didn't mean what? To tell the truth for the first time in your life?" His laugh was ugly; shaking his head when he finally noticed the ring on her hand. "Oh that's perfect. Damn, Kate. I'm a surgeon and that wasn't enough money for you?" He pointed at the paper again. "You had to go looking for a... What do they call him? A White Whale?"
The detectives anger flared hotly, but before she could respond there was a thud as a carrying tray and two coffees landed on her desk, sending little drops of heavenly smelling liquid all over the top of her blotter.
But Kate didn't have time to contemplate that. Not with Castle crowding in close to her ex.
"I think..." The writer's voice was low and very, very deadly. "That you owe Detective Beckett an apology."
"Do you?" Josh just laughed. "And why the hell would I care what you think?"
Rick moved closer, lowering his voice so that only the three of them could hear him. He wrapped his fists in the younger mans leather jacket and tugged... Hard.
"Because... This time I'm not looking the other way." His own smile was colder than Kate had every seen it. "Sucker punch me once... shame on you..." He tightened his hands and tugged harder. "Apologize."
Josh looked down at the white knuckles on the writers hands and for the first time he realized... Castle wasn't old... and he was NOT soft. The doctor suddenly wasn't so sure who would win this fight. Clearing his throat, he knocked Rick's hands away. "And if I don't?"
Castle grinned. "I still have time to press charges." When Josh laughed he dropped his head slightly. "Or I could just kick your ass."
"ENOUGH!" Kate's voice finally cut through the anger between them. "Not that this little testosterone party isn't flattering, but I will remind you, I am a cop and this is a police station." She turned to Josh, pulling the visitor's badge off his collar. "You need to leave."
"No problem." The doctored sneered, turning to Castle. "She's all yours."
The writer just smiled. "And I know it."
Josh snorted, shaking his head as he walked out.
Immediately Ryan popped into the pen. "Everything okay?"
Kate nodded; tossing him the I.D. "Permanent eight-six."
Kevin nodded and hurried away to the front desk as she turned towards the writer. "So... pretty butch, Castle."
"I know, right?" He grinned at her brightly, stuffing his hands in his pockets to keep them from wrapping around her waist.
Beckett looked down at the mess on her desk, picking up her half empty cup of coffee and shaking it before taking a drink. She looked at him pointedly. "Castle!"
He blinked. "What?"
"Where the hell is my bear claw?"
Fixed the 'Blinding' thing.
A/R/N (Authors Random Note. I know, there are a lot of them.): Had a MAJOR Freudian slip writing that last scene. Actually wrote "She looked pointedly at ME..." Gah... I need a glass of wine.
A/N#...uh...I lost count: I have 2 stories that need to be done soon. 'Dust to Dust', because finishing it AFTER the season premiere seems wrong somehow. And COEM, for the wifey. So updates here may be sporadic for a few weeks. But this story will be finished. Bear with me. ) Thanks!
Small tributes to 'A Rose Forever After' and 'Home is Where the Heart Stops.'
Please review if you have time!