A/N - Sorry for the delay folks. Been crazy. If it helps, I am well ahead of myself on this one...
So read, enjoy and review!
Chapter Six – Reverse
When Kate's phone rang, she ducked around to get some privacy, while Castle continued forward.
"How are you doing?"
Castle frowned as Esposito and Ryan studied him. On the tip of tongue was the truth. The fact that all he wanted to do was forget all of this and go back into that elevator with Beckett. His heart hadn't stopped pounding and he was fighting the urge to pull her back into his arms. He wanted to taste those lips of hers again. Then he remembered the look on her face and he felt embarrassed. She was right. That kiss, it came from this mess. Not because it was natural or because it simply happened but because he needed something. Anything to pull him back down again.
"Fine."
Esposito snorted.
"Your 'fine' reads about as well as Fifty Shades of Grey."
Both Esposito and Ryan chuckled until they caught the caught the look on Castle's face.
"What?"
A smile found its way to Castle's face.
"The only way that you know is if you read it. Have you boys been reading Mummy Porn?"
Ryan and Esposito did fantastic impressions of goldfish before speaking.
"Jenny made me read it."
"I refuse to comment."
Castle started to laugh, a deep baritone that hurt his sides.
"You….read…Mummy…..Porn."
Given a choice between crying and laughter, always choose laughter. And that is exactly what Castle did. He laughed until his face hurt, until his eyes watered and until the only way he could stay on his feet was leaning on Beckett's desk. When Beckett walked back into the main bullpen, she glanced at Castle and then between the two embarrassed faces of Ryan and Esposito.
"Who broke Castle?"
They pointed at each other. Kate couldn't keep the smile at bay for long. She kept her voice low, leaning close to Ryan and Esposito.
"Accidental or not, he needed that. Thank you."
Both of them nodded, each of them adopting the attitude of doing this all intentionally. After Castle had gained control of himself, Kate held up her phone.
"I just got a call from Lanie."
Instantly the room became serious.
"What is it?"
"Kaylee had a head injury."
Kevin picked up her train of thought.
"Which means anyone could have killed her."
"Precisely. Hit someone in the head and anyone can do what they want."
Kate walked over to the murder board and added on the information regarding the head wound. She then turned back to Esposito and Ryan.
"I need you to track down a Dillion Ross for me."
"Who is he?"
"He was having an affair with Kaylee."
"Supposedly."
They all turned to look at Castle, whose voice was hard. Kate nodded slightly.
"Supposedly. I want to know everything."
"Done."
They both moved to their desks and in quiet unison, started punching at their keyboards.
"Detective Beckett?"
Kate turned to face the serious entity that was Gates.
"Yes Sir?"
"A word please."
Kate knew what this was all about before Gates had even closed the office door.
"Sir, I know what this is about."
"Do you?"
"Castle."
Gates frowned.
"He's too close to all of this."
"I can't shut him out completely."
"You should."
Kate sighed.
"You and I both know that if he's not here with us, he will be doing it alone. At least here, I can keep an eye on him."
Gates nodded.
"Agreed."
"He's working on a connection he found between Kaylee's final novel and her murder."
"Hopefully that will keep him out of trouble."
Kate shrugged.
"It's Castle, so maybe briefly."
"Just make sure, if it gets too much-"
"Send him home."
Kate followed Gates eye line to Castle, who was hunched over the manuscript at Kate's desk.
"He is most definitely one of the most annoying people I have ever met but he is part of this team. Do what you can to make sure he's ok."
"Yes Sir."
Kate slid out of Gate's office and made her way over to her desk. Castle shifted his seat slightly so Kate could settle beside him. In silent agreement, they took half the manuscript each and not the first time and certainly not for the last, inching their way through the text.
They were going over the script a third time when Ryan slapped a picture on the murder board, causing them both to jump.
"Everyone meet Dillion Ross."
Esposito followed up from there.
"Our boy is clean as a whistle. Bills paid on time, no traffic violations. Never been married and no kids."
Ryan cleared his throat.
"There was only one large thing that he had purchased recently."
His eyes fell on Castle.
"An engagement ring."
Castle frowned, his head shaking slightly. Kate cleared her throat.
"What else?"
"Hasn't been at work for almost four days."
"We knew that part already. Anything else?"
"He lives just two blocks away from the crime scene."
Kate frowned.
"I wonder if she could have been going there when she was killed. That would explain while she was there."
"The question is, has he read her manuscript?"
Kate grabbed her coat.
"Let's find out, shall we?"
With a glance at Esposito, Kate knocked on the door. It was a nice home. Simple and tidy. She could also see the direction towards the area where Kaylee was killed. When no answer came, Kate cocked her head.
"Do you hear that, Espo?"
Esposito made a show of frowning a staring hard at the door before glancing at Ryan.
"Yo Kev, you hear what we do?"
Kevin nodded with a tight smile.
"Oh completely. Someone could be in distress, we should go in."
Kate didn't wait for any further agreement. The boys had her back. She stepped back in silent agreement as Espo kicked open the door with frightening ease. Kate glanced just before they went in, making sure that Castle stayed put until they had cleared the area. She flanked Espo and they worked their way into the home.
"Clear."
"Clear."
"Clear."
Only once this was done did Kate take in the room around them. The life he lived with Kaylee was all over it. Framed pictures and adventures and on a shelf in a back room, she found the ring that he had purchased.
"Beckett! We have a runner."
Kate all but leaped down the steps that lead to small back area. She needn't have bothered. Dillion was on the ground but that wasn't what made her pause. It was the fact that Castle was on top of him, fist's swinging.
"Castle! Stop."
He failed to hear her. Or perhaps he ignored her. Either way, he swung again, the meaty crunch or flesh and bone leaving a bad taste in her mouth. Espo pushed between them and Castle only stopped struggling when Espo had his arm over his chest, speaking to him low and urgently. Ryan helped her slap cuffs on Dillion. She let Ryan tug him to the awaiting car, her attention back on Castle. He seemed to have lost his fight, his fists now dangling loosely at his sides. Whatever hits he had thrown were strong ones. There were thin trails of blood on his knuckles. She pulled a tissue out of her pocket as she approached him. She handed it over to him.
"You and I need to talk."