Chapter 75

"I'm so pleased you brought your spare Glock for me to use today." Castle stated, accepting his vest from Beckett after she tugged it out of the trunk. He gazed about mainly at the entrance of Rodman's Neck Firing Range. They were well within the property, in the middle of a car park. It was quiet at 7.15 am. He'd expected the far off noise gun shots.

"No worries." She replied as she hauled her own NYPD issue vest out. It weighed more than Rick's and he saw her efforts when she heaved it up to slip her arm though the right hole. There was an urge to assist but he knew it wouldn't be appreciated if he did it at the shooting range.

Instead, he quietly asked, "You good, Beckett? Your's looks bloody heavy." He brought the vest up onto his shoulders, clipped it up firmly around his body then rubbed his palms together, considerably excited about their morning at the range.

Her eyes shot to his and she gave him a one-sided smile with a slight nod, "Yeah, thanks."

That morning, Beckett had dressed in the NYPD dark blue uniform and in heavy work boots, was shorter than normal. He'd notice earlier she had an odd stride in the work boots. Amused him. She quickly shoved a NYPD cap on her head and placed her pony tail through the hole. She also passed him one and he pulled it onto his head. Seeing how she'd dressed, he had decided to go with khaki cargo pants and a shirt.

She clipped the vest into place then quickly checked that all her equipment was attached and in the correct place. She then reached into the trunk for her gun holster she strapped around her hips. She then passed him another holster, far bigger than hers. "I borrowed this from the Captain," she stated.

"Sweet! Thanks Beckett." He grinned like a kid and immediately got to strapping it on. "That would have been embarrassing. Here, no gun."

"Mm." Beckett glanced to his chest with a coy smile, and purred out, "Writer boy."

He instantly glanced down to the word printed across his vest. He accepted the Glock, two clips and a box of bullets.

He glanced into the trunk then at the clothing she wore. "You came equipped," he commented.

"I packed when you had your extensive stay in the little boy's room at the Precinct yesterday."

"Oh." He said, "I was playing games on the phone."

"Sure. Don't let the guys heckle you in there." She ordered as she slipped her gun into the holster at her right hip.

"No. I won't." He was distracted with trying to slot the gun home in the holster.

"Hang on a sec." Kate gave the holster a nudge so it rested in the right place on his hip. "There you go." She said as the Glock was homed.

"And I anticipate you will be a good teacher, Beckett."

"Always," she replied and passed him a set of ear protectors. "You will need these."

"How did you get me in this today?"

"Captain. I asked the Captain to include you on the role."

"And he agreed."

"He enforced it. You're my partner."

"I'm not allowed to carry a gun."

"But I always carry my spare." She smiled and looked at him. "Kapeesh?"

"Got it. I will get him a bottle of bourbon."

"Here comes Ryan and Esposito." Kate waved at the Crown that pulled in beside her vehicle.

"Wonder how Ryan pulled up after his night out with his new lady, Jenny."

"About to find out."

"You know, Babe, if people knew about us we could double date with Kevin and his new girlfriend, Jenny."

"I thought about that, but I like our secret too much." She replied, then faced him. "Hey." She said to gain his full attention. He looked down at her eyes, her serious expression. "I'm gonna be tough on you here today, Castle. It's gonna be like the Captain told me you had to come with me."

He breathed in deeper, then replied, "Okay, Detective. So, there will be tension. Well, you had better do an epic job of it."

She glanced to the boys' car. They were still inside it. "You will do a great job here today." She gave his shoulder a pat. "I'm going to give you hell because I had to bring you."

He vigorously bobbed his head, "You do that. I'm gonna smash it outa the park, Beckett."

And that's exactly what Richard Castle planned to do at the firing range that morning.

Standing in line with his team, he listened intently to the instructing officer go through his routine of reminding the seasoned detectives of how to position themselves to shoot a gun. The officer took them through ground rules, safety procedures and their requirements. The police officers all knew the level they were required to perform at, and once he was through talking, Beckett, Esposito and Ryan debriefed Castle. He took in all the information like a sponge. Once they were paired off, Beckett showed Castle once how to hold the weapon, the position to stand and hold, and after she pointed to where he was to shoot, she left him alone to fire away.

Beckett, who had shot off a couple of dozen rounds into her target paused when she noticed where Rick's bullets were going. She was expecting some rough shooting, but his aim was almost perfect. Astonished, she lowered her gun and lifted the safety glasses up.

Instinctively, Rick also paused and glanced at Beckett with a smart ass smirk. She said something but his ear phones cut out of the sound of her voice. Then he lip read that she said his name and pointed at the target.

Carrying a huge grin, he nodded and gave her the thumbs up. "Beginners luck." He yelled and she immediately gave him the thumbs up right back with nod.

Somebody patted his shoulder. He spun about to find Esposito up front and centre, not a foot of space between them. The Detective lifted away Rick's right headphone as he asked, "Dude, where'd you learn to shoot like that?"

"Beckett. She's a good teacher. Point and shoot."

They laughed. Castle returned to his job. He had a box of bullets to make his way through.

"Just when I thought my day couldn't get better," Rick declared, holding up his phone to disconnect. He discarded it on the table leaned over to Beckett. He cupped her jaw, and ordered, "Kiss me."

Guarded, she glanced around them even though she knew she was in a safe place. Public displays of affection were unusual. "What is it?"

"Kiss me first," he ordered. She was out of her NYPD uniform and back in plain clothes. The purple top she had chosen to wear was cute.

"Someone might see us."

"Don't care and there is no one here who knows us."

Before she came closer to kiss him she glanced around the diner. Satisfied she gave him the kiss. "What is it?"

As he sat back on his seat he pointed at Beckett, "You are going to immortalized on the silver screen."

"How?"

"That was Paula." He tapped his phone, "My book Heat Wave has been bought to turn it into a movie."

Beckett smiled, "Actually, Nikki Heat is going to be immortalized, not me. "

Castle shrugged as he sat back on the chair, "Yes, well, technically, but it's been widely publicized that you are the inspiration." He picked up his half-eaten burger, "So, who would you like to play you in the movie?" He bit into the food and while he chewed, he waited for her to eat before she replied.

"I have no idea, Castle. Who would play Rook?"

"Easy, the guy from Firefly."

"Oh my God! Who remembers that?" She laughed, "You only want him because you resemble him."

"No. He's like me and I'm better looking."

"Keep dreaming."

"Oh, I'm dreaming. What a day. Got to play at the firing range. Impressed myself. Definitely impressed you. My book is being sold to a movie producer, you are here with me…." He smiled, especially when she blushed.

"I'm still here." She replied then smiled at him before she laughed. She glanced at the time. "We've gotta get back to the Precinct."

"I can't wait to tell the guys."

That evening, Rick sat on the couch beside his mother, two glasses of red in his hands. He passed one to his Mom, "Cheers Mother."

"Cheers, Darling."

"You look nice. Going out."

Martha nodded, glanced at her watched, "Yes. Soon. So. what happened today? Where is Katherine?"

"She's at her home. She needed to do a few things and she's a little rattled well, distracted, by a case she got today."

"Why so?"

"Well, shortly after we returned from the firing range this afternoon, Beckett got a call from a man who wanted to report a murder. Stated he was a fan of Nikki Heat."

"That would do it." Martha remarked.

"Exactly. You know she can be prickly about being my muse." He said, "So, Ryan traced the call to Grand Central Station from a phone booth. We got to the station, Beckett pushed open the booth and found a murdered man in the telephone booth."

"Poor man."

"True. His name was Alex Peterman, lived in Dobbs Ferry. personal injury attorney."

"Taking the train home?"

"Yes. And got shot making a call." Castle said, "A .45 makes a pretty loud snap, crackle and pop. I find it hard to believe no one heard it on the main concourse. Beckett did suggest the murderer must have used a suppressor and waited for the train to pass by. But I cannot accept a murder took place with no one seeing anything."

"New Yorkers would keep going, Honey."

"True, but Esposito interviewed a woman who said that she heard a loud sound around 8:45 – sounded like a car door slamming. Apparently, she saw a white male exiting the waiting room, moving very quickly to the 42nd street exit. Said he was wearing a black coat, black ball cap, sunglasses and had some sort of beard, maybe a goatee."

"Well that narrows it down for you in a sea full of Wally's." Martha finished her glass of wine.

"Agreed. Not much for us to go on right now."

"Well my Darling, I'm off to meet Chet. We are going out for dinner."

Rick took the empty glass from his Mother's hand, "Enjoy."

"You should be taking your date out. You're so young to be home."

"Worn her out Mother and I have a daughter to care for."

"Alexis can take care of herself."

"Kate's tired. So am I. We usually get a couple of days off between cases but we've gone straight into another and we were up at four thirty to go to the firing range. She has a lot of paperwork because of the back to back cases and she was doing that when I left."

"Alright. Well, I will see you in the morning, Kiddo." She gave his shoulder a pat.

There was a tap on the loft door that took Rick's attention away from the novel he was speed reading. A smile crept over his face when he checked the time. It was 9.31 pm. "Right on cue," he muttered to himself and sprang up.

When he opened the door, she was standing there, wrapped in a white puffy coat, with a pink scarf and hat. She smiled. In her gloved hand she held a long box.

"Hi." She greeted.

"Hello." He hung on the door and looked at the velvet box. "You remembered."

"It's been on my mind all day. But the case…"

"Yes. Rather distracting. Come on in." He invited.

She entered the loft and he took the overnight bag from her shoulder.

"I left work, and had to come over here. For tonight." She confessed. "I tried to pretend it wasn't important so I could focus on the case." She unwrapped the scarf then pulled off the hat, exposing her hair messy. "But it's the most important thing to me today. I woke up with you and I want to go to sleep with you today."

"Same. I understand. The case, the entire day." He briefly placed his hands on her upper arms and pressed his lips to her forehead. "My Mother has gone for the night and Alexis is studying so we have the place to ourselves." He said as he made his way to the living area.

She extracted herself from the coat that she hung in the closet then hurried after him.

"You sure you don't wanna go somewhere for supper?" Rick stopped at the table by the window.

"I want to be here with you, tonight." She said, stopping before him.

"Good. Because I got it all planned out." He reached for two champagne flutes both filled with the bubbly fluid and passed one to Kate. She accepted and placed the small box on the table.

"Okay. Well." She glanced between his eyes and the bottle on the table. "Expensive Champagne." She commented.

"For a valid reason." He took her hand in his. "So, it's been a year tonight since we went on our first date." In response, she had a bit of a dance, that amused him. "Thank you for accepting. It's been the time of my life. Happy first anniversary, Kate."

She smiled and bit her bottom lip, eyes glistening, "Best year of my life, Rick. Happy anniversary."

They held up their glasses, lightly touched them then had a sip of the sparkling wine.

"One year." Kate whispered, then stepped closer for the kiss she longed to share. She was the first to pull back moments later and touched her lips holding a quaint smile.

"What?" He asked.

"My lips tingle." she replied. She reached for the box.

"Let's move this party to the couch." Rick pointed then collected his gift.

Kate plonked herself on the couch beside Castle full of anticipation. She'd spent a lot of time thinking about what to buy him for their anniversary and one day had heard him say to someone he was keen to find a certain item. She'd found one with the help of her Dad who was also an avid collector.

"You will love this, Castle." She confidently said holding the velvet box tied with a white ribbon.

"Hope it reflects paper." He hinted.

"Kind of." She held it out for him. "Me first." She smiled, excited.

"Alrighty. Me first." He accepted the gift, "Thank you. I love it already."

She laughed, "Open it first."

With permission, he tugged at the ribbon until the bow fell away. Kate took the ribbon and discarded it on the table. He opened the box and inside it he found a pen. Instantly, he recognized it.

"You found this pen?" He looked at her smiling face and she nodded, her hands pressed together. It was obvious to Castle that his reaction to the gift was extremely important to Kate. At his understanding their relationship was the longest one she'd been a half of, that she was in fact treading in waters she'd never swam in. Back on the pen, he picked it up, felt, studied it from end to end. He softly said, "Montblanc, fountain pen. Vintage." He looked at her expectant face, "Thank you. How did you know?"

"I listen." She smiled.

"But, I didn't tell you."

"No." She leaned in and pressed her lips to his cheek. "But, you mentioned it to someone else."

"Then we're on the same page," he said and placed his gift between them. "I did hear you, about our agreed price cap."

The shoulders dropped, "You didn't listen, Castle."

"No. Only because I found what I thought was a suitable gift for our first anniversary."

"May I open it?"

"Please." He gave her the box. Quickly, keenly, she opened the red box and peered inside it. She reached in and lifted out a paint brush taped to a small glass jar that contained a chocolate substance. Inquisitive, she read the label.

"Body paint?" She looked at him as a grin appeared. "Oh, you were so listening." She laughed recalling the night she'd suggested they should try out body paint one day.

"Save it for a special night," he replied, "That was the fun gift. Now, keep digging, Honey."

She set the box to her lap in order to look inside. It was cramped with tissue paper. "Jesus, Castle," she whispered, then did exactly what he'd instructed. Her fingers dug into the paper and felt about until she found a small square box. A squeak of delight escaped Kate, that caused Castle to laugh.

The big box was discarded on the sofa and the small box was held out. She studied the box then gave it a bit of a shake. Something inside softly clunked about. "Oh." She uttered. "What is it?"

The writer edged forward keen for her to get on with it. "Open it. C'mon already, Kate."

She opened the box. Inside, was a pearl bracelet with white gold latch.

"Oh my, Castle." She expressed in hushed tones. "It's beautiful." Hanging from her fingers she passed the bracelet to him. "Please clip it up?" She held out her left arm.

"Sure. You like it?" With expertise, he took the piece of jewelry opened the hook and wrapped it around her wrist. He connected the links then let it fall to her arm.

"Its lovely. Thank you."

"I listened." He picked up their glasses and passed one to his partner, "To one year."

They clinked glasses, "To us, Castle."

They sipped the Champaign,

Kate placed her hand to his thigh, "Now grab the bottle and let's take this party to the bedroom. I can't wait to show you what I have on underneath."

His eyes shot to her chest, "You serious?" He looked at her face. Saw the raised eyebrow. "Oh yeh. You are. Let's go."