Chapter 78

After Rick was dropped off by Beckett at his home, he swiftly made his way up to the apartment with the intention of taking a long hot shower. Upon entering the home, he heard roaring he assumed was coming from the television and got a good whiff of what was served for dinner. He figured it was chicken that was eaten by the ladies of his household. When he got to where he could see the TV screen, he saw Martha was watching an old episode of The Incredible Hulk.

Castle greeted, "Hey." It was his younger mother who was in the episode. Shoulder length blond hair, high cheek bones. Then there was the Hulk tearing shirts apart. He didn't remember she'd guest starred on that show. "Blast from the past, Mother."

Martha smiled and responded, "Hi, Darling."

"What are you still doing up, Mom?"

"Oh, can't sleep. Too much on my mind. You know, decisions to make and so on."

Castle thought about her response while he watched the television. Once again his young mother and the hulk. He smirked with a thought. "Wow. One of your old wedding videos."

Martha laughed, "Are you kidding? This guy's a pushover compared to my ex-husbands." She switched off the television then took a sip of what was left of her glass of red wine. "I don't know what do about moving in.."

"So, to the pro's outweigh the cons?" Castle asked. He poured himself a snip of Scotch to enjoy before he took a shower.

"Darling, this was always supposed to be a temporary situation – un-until I got back on my feet, you know."

"Well, the Rodgers women always follow their hearts." He sat down in the opposing arm chair, swirled the Scotch in the tumbler. "Apparently so do the Beckett women."

"Yeah. What?" Martha leaned forward and took his hand in hers. "You okay? You look worried."

"This case, it just… If it wasn't for my book –"

"What are you gonna do, Darling, stop writing because some idiot has got a screw loose?"

"No, Mom. It's just… I never intended to put her in harm's way."

Martha gave his hand a firm shake, "Let me tell you something about Kate Beckett. That gal can take care of herself. Really."

He showed his agreement to her comment, then fidgeted before he said, "She might be able to, but she's also my girlfriend and so, I'm going to stay with her."

"She told you to stay at home, that you are safer here than with her."

He scoffed. "Do you really think that's gonna keep me here? She worries Mom. And she frets. Behind the façade, the wall she puts up, there is a very sensitive, vulnerable woman. I'm going there to support that part of her. On the flip side, I also have to endure the gun yielding, immensely independent Detective who will be quite pissed off at me for turning up and risking my life when I have a kid to care for."

Martha raised an eyebrow, "Well Darling, your smart lady friend does have a valid point and its typically unselfish of her."

"Well, call me selfish, but I want that smart, stubborn lady friend to be around for some time to come." He tipped his drink down his throat. "I'm gonna take a shower then head over."

At Beckett's apartment very late the lights were still on. Alone and relaxed on the sofa and deep in a novel, Beckett was disrupted by the sound of floorboards creaking. The sound instantly spiked her already heightened nerves. She hadn't been able to retire to bed as yet because her senses were on the job. Another creak and then a slight knock on her door. Beckett silently put down the book, took hold of her gun and the agility of a cat, she rose from her seated position and moved to the front door. With the gun pointed, she reached to the door handle. She swiftly turned the handle and slammed open the door, pointing the gun at the person behind.

Castle's arms shot up, "Whoo!"

Beckett lowered her weapon, relaxed but frowned at the person before her who looked impressed and terrified.

"Wow!"

"Castle? What the fuck are you doing here? It's after one!" She stepped back to allow him inside.

He lowered his arms but held out the bottle of red. "Wine?"

Beckett glared at him. He closed the door and locked it securely.

"So, what happened to your security detail? I didn't see anyone outside," he asked.

"I sent them home after I got in." She returned to the sofa and plonked herself back on it. The gun was placed on the coffee table, quite within her reach.

Castle looked at her in disbelief. He sat facing her on the sofa. He got busy with the wine bottle.

Beckett eyes widened in question. "What? The windows are locked, the door is locked, I'm armed. So, our guy killed the others where they were found. Why not this girl? Why didn't he just leave her in the garage where we'd find her?"

"He's changing it up." He poured two glasses of wine.

"Or this victim is special?" She asked. Castle offered her a glass of wine. "No, thanks."

"No, no. Agent Shaw said we need to decompress. Nothing decompresses like a 2000 Châteauneuf-du-Pape."

Beckett rolled her eyes as she replied, "Oh, well, if special agent Shaw said so…'

Castle paused when he heard sarcasm at its best. "What is that supposed to mean?" He dared to ask and made every effort to sound innocent. He gave her the glass and was pleased to see her take a sip.

Beckett pursed her lips, tasted the wine and contemplated her emotions. "Nothing." She replied and made eye contact. He gave her a look pressing her to explain herself. She took a deeper breath then continued.

"I just see the way that you listen to her, Castle, the way that you look at all her fancy equipment. Now my murder board's not enough for you? Now you need a smart board?"

Castle held back a smirk of amusement and leaned in, fully engaged in learning more about what his girlfriend was internally processing. She appeared uncomfortable, he even considered she was feeling foolish. The expression on her face was priceless. "Are you jealous?" He knew he teased, but he couldn't help himself. The temptation to rattle her was stronger than his restraint.

"No." She quickly replied, "I'm not jealous."

"Oh no?"

"No." She glared at him, "I'm just embarrassed by the way that you act like a ten-year-old, all impressed by her data matrix." She sat up and commenced to mimic Rick, "Oh, it collates information so quickly, Agent Shaw, tell me all about it."

Castle laughed, "You are ridiculous."

Beckett who had now wound up and was on a roll, continued on. "And then to top it off, you are now building theory with her."

"So?"

"So, you're supposed to be building theory with me."

"I do."

"You're supposed to be on my team," she stressed.

"Well," Castle remarked while he tried to figure out whether she was joking when she really sounded simply jealous. She was jealous. It was built into her DNA to be jealous. It was a part of her insecurities. To ease her mind, he suggested, "I thought we were all on the same team."

"We are." Kate confirmed but not with confidence. It was clear she was unsure of why she was having this conversation, "It's just… I think that if you have an insight, you should run it by me first." She nodded, satisfied with her wrap up of the situation.

"Fine. I will." He refrained from giving her further grief, mainly because it was very late and he wanted her sleepy, soon. "Now, drink your wine."

"Thanks. But I am tired. And… I need to go to bed." She pushed the glass back towards him. "You can't stay here with me."

"Oh, no. I'm not leaving. I'm here to protect you."

Beckett laughed, "What, with your vast arsenal of rapier wit?"

Castle pressed on now wondering if he sounded crazy. That had swapped roles. "There is a madman gunning for you because of me. I am not going to leave you, I'm talking about my girlfriend part of you, alone."

Beckett smiled, "Girlfriend part of me?"

"Mm. Discussion with my mother."

"Okay. Fine." She knew not to ask for details when it came to that quirky relationship he had with his mother. "Well, I'm too tired to argue. But as you know, I sleep with a gun and you were safer at the loft."

Castle replied, "Understood. But you are here."

"And now you are."

"You could have been safer at the loft. I'm here with you."

She smiled and leaned towards Castle. He anticipated her actions and quickly disposed of the wine glasses to the coffee table. Seconds later the girlfriend's lips softly pressed to his and his hands rested to her hips.

"How on earth did Shaw see through us?" Beckett asked, staying close to him.

"I think she was fishing. I've thought about it. We haven't changed our behavior. She took a stab."

"It's hard lying all the time to people."

"Yes. But it's what we agreed to."

"I can continue to deny but I must share that it makes me feel bad," she said. "You don't think she knows?"

"If she knows, she knows but we haven't given her evidence. It was her gut instincts." Castle replied.

"Sharp that they are."

"Very true."

"What if she brings it up?"

"We wait and see." Castle answered, "If she asks, then we agree to answer her honestly."

"And let the cat out the bag."

Rick shrugged his shoulders. "I don't mind if we do. I would like people to know why I'm a happy man."

Kate's face warmed with a soft smile. "I make you happy?"

"You definitely contribute to my overall happiness."

She released a squeak of joy. "Let's go to bed, Castle," she said moments later, then stood off the sofa. She took hold of his hand to pull him up. Once the stood, he grabbed the bottle and followed her to the bedroom.

It was done with elegance when she lowered her body over his thighs, her hands resting on his shoulders to balance herself. She comfortably sunk herself against his groin, smiled about what she felt but didn't look down.

"You shouldn't be here," she reminded.

"Here. Have your wine. Appreciate the fact I want to be with you." He passed her a glass, refilled.

"Thanks. You're just trying to get me tipsy.."

He smiled. "That's right," he whispered. "I like it when you're a little tipsy. You relax."

"It's very late."

"Fuck the time, Kate. You're sitting on my …" he paused because she tilted her hip increasing the pressure on his hardened cock. He growled. "Lap."

She giggled but relieved him of the added weight.

"You're gonna pay for that, Honey."

"Yeah, how? Our relationship is as sexless as your previous marriages."

"Oh," he laughed, "I knew that would come back to bite me."

She raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, it's back to bite you." Holding out the glass she leaned in to give him a kiss. "I've never had so much sex in my entire life with another person like we do it."

"And that, my Love, is what Agent Shaw can see." He spoke while Kate gifted him with loving kisses along his jaw. It felt good, really good and sent tingles along his spine. Something so simple and it aroused him tremendously. "We're getting properly laid and she assumed with each other."

She paused her path of kisses along his throat. "Properly laid?"

"You know what I mean."

She sat up, put a hand to his shoulder, and drank what remained of her wine. "I don't know, Castle. Maybe you should show me what you mean."

"Is that an invitation? Because that's what I heard." He discarded his glass to the bedside table.

"I think it fits into the invitation category." She used a come hither tone of voice, and her eyes were large and dilated, her lips fuller than earlier.

"You're thinking about us having sex," he stated.

"No."

He rolled his eyes. She crumbled and laughed.

"Yes." She returned to his lips for a gentle kiss.

When they broke to catch their breath, he puffed out, "Get on your back and I'll show you what I mean."

"Sure." She slipped from his lap and laid down the bed as ordered. Castle rolled to his stomach, knelt up and made his way to the end of the bed.

"Before we got together," she said.

"Mmm?"

"How often would you wank?"

Castle looked from her body to her eyes with surprise, "You serious?"

"Yes." She replied and followed it up with a confident nod, "I sure am. Give us your number."

"You first."

She lifted her hips when Castle tugged at her leggings that he proceeded to pull down her legs.

"Frequently." She replied and used her elbows to sit up. Rick lowered his body to the bed, his head over her hips.

"Frequently?"

"Yes."

"By that you mean.."

"A few times a week, give or take."

"That matches your sexual prowess."

Beckett laughed. "Really?"

"Yup. You're chasing it if we haven't done it for a couple of days."

"And you?"

"Nearly daily." He whispered. He pressed his lips to her pubic bone. "But I have you now."

She watched his delivery of the kiss, felt the familiar and pleasurable awakening in her loins, the urge to open for him. "All yours." She confirmed, "Every cell is yours."

He moaned his content and his fingers lightly caressed her inner thigh, "So beautiful."

"What does it look like, writer boy? In words."

He raised his eyes to hers, "Your-?"

She nodded, "Yus." She raised an eyebrow, tempting him to answer.

She watched as his blue eyes softly gazed between her legs and a loving smile formed. "Well, um." He kissed over her clit. "I would describe it as delicate and beautiful." He glanced to her anticipating expression and saw she demanded more.

"You're a writer."

"I know," he said and looked down upon his girlfriend's body. His eyes looked to her as he lovingly added, "She's like a pink cup cake."

Kate smiled and bit her bottom lip. His fingers felt over the moist folds of skin. "The lips are like the icing circled on the cake. Delicious and so pretty."

"Cup cake," she repeated.

"Not just any cup cake, a strawberry one, topped with swirling icing sugar." He left arm reached up her body to her left breast he cupped.

Castle slowly drew his tongue through her folds of skin. Her head lulled back and she collapsed on to the bed. What he did after that sent a shiver up her spine.

"Oh God, Castle." Her knees relaxed apart, "Please don't stop. Please. Don't. Stop."

Thank you to all the people who make the effort to write feedback. Its gonna hit the 1000 mark soon!