Chapter 45
(For those of you not following the great name debate, feel free to skip on ahead.)
The Name Game Part II: To the guest with the wonderful name info - I do concede to the accuracy of your information and that it would be more exact if Tabrett had said 'I am from Australia' as opposed to 'It's Australian', but having had experience as a 16 year old girl at one time, albeit a long time ago, (I can't tell if you are male or female so I am not excluding you, just making a point. ;D) I just don't think her mental process would work that way. That would be like me saying 'My name is Hispanic/German/Irish but I was born in America.' (Kinda clunky to work smoothly into a sentence, especially with a hot young redhead staring at you.)
And then there is the example of all the European names that got butchered by the American government over at Ellis Island when the immigrants were streaming through. Those now unique names, while they could arguably be called 'True' American names as they originated here, they still wouldn't be REAL American names because they were pure fiction. But try to get an American with one of them to accept that lol. I have complete respect for what you are saying and how you would like information involving Australia to be as accurate as possible, but we ARE dealing with the head of a 16 year old surfer in a fanfic story. ) (Most surfers I know are more into the spiritual and less into the provable.) (Including my 70 year old father-in-law.)
Again, thank you for the stimulating conversation! :)
A/N #1: Wait for it... It's coming soon...
A/N #2: This is all secondary story, but don't fret. The next update will have LOTS of Casketty goodness. (Yes, including smut.)
Javier stood in the doorway of the morgue for a few moments, drinking in the sight of the woman across from him. Lanie was completely immersed in her work and oblivious to his presence until he took another step closer.
Then her head snapped up, her eyes narrowing. "Javier Esposito! I have told you a hundred times not to try and sneak up on me!"
"How do you always know?"
She tilted her head sarcastically. "Like I could miss that Old Spice?"
"Ahh." The Latino laughed charmingly. "And for your information, I wasn't sneaking... I was... admiring."
"Yeah, well, it's creepy."
"Now you sound like Beckett."
"Speaking of..."
Javier grinned. "What do you think?"
"I think Castle has incredibly good taste in women. And in jewelry."
"I have good taste in women too."
Lanie sighed, clearing her throat. "That was a one time thing..."
"What? The last five times?"
The M.E.'s eyes narrowed dangerously and Esposito held up his hands. "All I'm saying is... You know there's something here. We both know it."
"Yeah, and we tried it." She shook her head. "Look how that turned out."
The detective hung his head slightly. "Yeah but..."
"We were horrible to each other, Javi."
"But we were good together too."
Unable to deny it, the M.E. just shook her head, trying to hide the slight flush that crept up into her cheeks.
"Look... All I am asking for is a chance. We have the horizontal part down perfectly. We just need to spend more time on the vertical."
Lanie raised one eyebrow.
"Not that... I would want to take time... away... from the horizontal..."
"I think you should stop right there." She snapped off her gloves.
"Right." Javier stepped forward and took her hand. "Just one more chance, chica?" He rubbed his thumbs over her knuckles. "And if I blow it again... I'll walk away."
The M.E. swallowed. "No, you won't."
"No." The detective laughed. "I won't. But Beckett made us read Castle's books... So now I'm all dramatic and shit."
"Javi..." Lanie put her hand on his chest, moving in close. "What happens if-"
"No." He took her hand and kissed it gently. "No speculating, no contemplating... No 'What ifs'." He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. "Can't we just... Let it happen? Can't we just see what happens?"
The M.E. looked at him closely; finally realizing he meant it. She nodded once and felt her heart race at the smile that lit up the detective's face.
Javier leaned in quickly, kissing her before she could stop him. "I'll pick you up after work."
And then he was gone, leaving her dizzy and leaning heavily against an empty autopsy table.
Alexis spent the first two hours of her surfing lesson no where even close to the water. Instead, Tabrett had her practicing her body position, her paddling technique and her pop-up speed with her board stationary on dry sand.
The redhead had grumbled at first, blushing and saying it was embarrassing but soon she lost herself in the lesson and even more so in the soft lilt of the Australian's voice.
The whole time, Tab had been casting a nervous eye up to the car park, where the brand new Range Rover Castle had rented for them shined in the late morning sun.
"The car is fine, Tab." Alexis rolled her eyes as she popped up again, smiling in delight at how natural it was starting to feel.
"Yeah, well... you can't blame me. My ute is a beater."
The redhead blinked, grabbing a bottle of water "I'm sorry... was that something I was supposed to follow?"
Tab flushed. "Sorry. An ute is a pick-up truck. Mine back home is a total beater." When Alexis looked at her pointedly, she laughed. "Beater: Beat up, close to worn out... back full of sand and sex wax on the dash."
Alexis choked. "Excuse me?"
The Australian laughed in delight. "My god, you are so adorable. Not THAT kind of sex wax." She picked up something round and about the size of a hockey puck. "You rub it on your board... for traction." Her grin turned slightly dirty. "I already did yours."
"Oh." She coughed. "Right." She looked around, trying to find anything to change the subject. "So... is it water time now?"
"If you think you're ready."
At Alexis' nod, they both picked up their boards and headed into the water. Tab kept a close eye on the older girl; watching her form and making suggestions for minor adjustments that would help her balance and take less of a toll on her stamina.
When they were finally out far enough they both sat up on their boards, kicking their feet lazily under the water. "What you have to remember, Red, is that the ocean is a dynamic place. Whether its energy fades into nothing or becomes a rideable wave depends on numerous factors. Wind, tides, time of day... And you have to judge all of that, while also sensing the forward momentum of the swell. Is it strong enough to carry you? Where will the backwash leave you? Riptides are dangerous. And being tethered to a board is like being tied to an underwater sail. You go where it drags you unless you learn to control it."
"How do I tell if the wave will carry me?"
"At first? Trial and error. You'll drop out a lot. But eventually you'll feel it." She reached out and put her hand on the redheads stomach. "Here... deep in your belly. And you'll know."
Alexis swallowed hard, trying not to breath; willing Tab not to move away. "How long did it take you to learn that trick?"
The blond looked directly into her eyes. "No trick. It's just a feeling." She glance to the side. "We got a good swell coming." Regretfully, she pulled her hand away. "Paddle!"
For the next three hours, Alexis threw herself gamely into the waves, until her muscles ached and her stomach was rumbling so loudly she thought for sure the other girl would hear it.
"Getting hungry?"
Alexis flushed. Oh, joy. "Maybe a little."
"One and done?" She tilted her head to the side. "Just one more. I have a feeling about this next swell. You can do this, Red."
"I'll try."
"No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try."
The redhead groaned. "Really? Yoda?"
Time to add another six months of therapy.
"Paddle! Paddle, paddle, paddle!" Tab's voice startled her and she took off blindly; heading towards the beach as she felt the water beneath her swell; felt the power of it course through her. Letting go of control, she let her body take over; pumping her arms powerfully before popping up on her board.
Her knees wobbled slightly and she had to shift her arms slightly to keep her balance... but she was surfing.
It was exhilarating.
Until she looked over her shoulder to find Tab and leaned too far forward; throwing off her balance and sending her toppling from her board to crash into the much more shallow water near the shore. She flailed wildly, trying to kick but feeling her foot being dragged by the leash around her ankle. She gasped for air and tasted only salt water...
And then two strong arms wrapped around her, pulling her gently to the surface and up onto the sand.
"Red?" Tab stared down at her in fear. "Alexis? Are you alright?"
The redhead took a deep breath and coughed up a lungful of water before staring at her instructor sheepishly. "Sorry. Forgot I couldn't breathe under water."
Tab laughed in relief. "That's alright. We all forget that from time to time." She pursed her lips. "But you opened your account!"
"Pardon?"
"It's a surf expression. In a competition, when a surfer catches her first wave, you say 'she opened her account'."
"This wasn't a competition."
"Everything is a competition." Tab smiled at her brightly. "I am a little disappointed though."
Alexis frowned, pushing herself up on her hands and bringing her lips within inches of the other girls. "Why?"
Tab stared openly, her lips curving into a smile.
"I was hoping I would have to do CPR..."
A/N #3: I am not a surfer. This lesson is courtesy of my 70 year old father-in-law who still surfs several times a week. If anything is inaccurate, it is my fault for butchering it.
A/N #4: Now I really have to go finish Dust to Dust. Back soon!
Please review if you have time and thanks to those that have!