Beckett glanced at her watch, hungry, and for the umpteenth time this hour, Castle was hopelessly late. He hadn't seemed particularly busy in the afternoon, but he'd managed to make a lot of fog in his conversation with her. And while Kate stared at the white board, solving another criminal puzzle, her thoughts returned to the recent conversation. There was some unspokenness, some unpleasant residue on her soul, and even coffee didn't help. And then she really got bored. Not just for the fluffy burgers and the huge portion of lasagna, but physiologically for him, Castle. And by the way Rick hadn't returned texts or calls, Beckett had expected anything ahead: a surprise, an awkward situation, or even temporary disappointment. But that didn't mean Castle wouldn't be caught in the merciless wedge of her hips tonight. Yes, she would "get revenge" on him, in bed, and it wouldn't be the worst backstory of the coming lovey-dovey night. It's only worth bringing her closer...
With her eyes closed, Kate sat over the stacked file, but nothing had changed in those five minutes. And then the file went into the safe, and Detective Beckett went to the writer's loft.
As soon as the door opened, a peculiar, receptor-chewing atmosphere wafted into Kate's eyes. Her nasopharynx immediately felt raw, and tears sprang from her eyes. Even her voice broke when Kate tried to shout "Castle!" but she couldn't be heard even with a megaphone. And her jacket remained on her shoulders - it was physically impossible to endure this "chemical fog", and her legs carried Kate to the kitchen: Castle must have been there. And there he was: despite the working hood, the air was saturated with a pungent onion substance. Yes, it was only now that Beckett realized what was so compulsively nibbling at her eyes and nose. Because there really was a lot of onions: chopped piles in plates and pans cluttered the island, took up the stove and most of the countertop. The entire kitchen floor was literally splattered with onion husks, and several large onion nets were set against the island. And in the middle of all the onion mess was Castle rummaging around. Wearing a canvas apron, ringed gloves, and a gas mask, Rick was working his knife intently, chopping up another batch.
- Castle... What is that... - Kate whimpered, ready to fire the gun at the ceiling, at which point Rick turned his head.
- Hey, - he said, as if with mush in his mouth. - I, uh... I left her in the hallway.
- Who's "her"? - Kate smeared tears down her cheeks with anger and loathing. - What are you... you're talking about now.
- The mask, - Castle mumbled, not stopping what he was doing. - You're gonna have to go back.
- Back?! I'm gonna shove that onion up your ass! - snarled Kate, covering herself with her hand and retreating back into the hallway. - Just give me the chance...
Through a veil of tears, Beckett found the mask in the hallway: three factory-packaged boxes resting on a shelf by the mirror, each one covered with a wide piece of paper tape that read, in large letters, clearly in Castle's hand, "Emergency Wear Upon Entry!"
So Castle could not be accused of lack of foresight, but at the moment Beckett's friend's concern would not help.
She splashed it in her face for a long, long time, blurting out bitter tears and thinking of punishments, and only after a few minutes the mask was on her face. Kate took a few test breaths, crossed herself frantically, cursing the Lord in vain, and only then went out into the hallway. The mask fit her face snugly, but there was discomfort on her head, where the hair was, and Beckett bent her finger again, counting the number of times she would have to work on her fiancé. His transgression, despite his foresight, was great, and even Castle's blistered back and crimson neck didn't inspire an ounce of pity in Kate.
- What's that? - She didn't even recognize her own voice through the mask. - What was this all about?
Castle finished chopping another onion and poured the slices into the dish.
- It's an experiment. I'm sorry I didn't meet you. I didn't warn you.
- Sorry?! - and her eyes went round and round, wanting to fall out of their orbits, and her fingers tapped nervously on the bends of her elbows. - For all of this-just sorry? Is it okay that your girlfriend is tired and hungry? Is it okay that she wants attention and coffee? Is it okay that you can't get anything right here, right now? Where did I come - to the native bosom or to a Mexican restaurant?
Putting down the knife, Castle quickly threw off his gloves and clasped his fingers together pleadingly in front of him.
- Beckett! I've been working like an ox to get this done before my mom gets here, and I apologize for my absence from the precinct. But this experiment is so important to me, you know that! And I'm doing this experiment for the favor of the universe!
She kicked a pile of husks with the toe of her shoe in annoyance.
- I've never heard more nonsense in my life, Castle! I wish I could reach your nose, - and Beckett convincingly snapped her fingers, demonstrating the ruthless grip so well-known to her husband. - In my opinion, your references to the universe are baseless, and you have to give me a thousand arguments, Castle, why this is happening HERE and NOW.
- Okay! - clearly ready for an answer, Castle genuinely rejoiced. - I'll explain everything, but there's... there's a little hitch. And if you just trust me, then...
- Castle, seriously?! - her anger was suddenly gone for some reason, but her curiosity remained.
- Seriously! - Rick rounded the island to pull up the incomplete bow net and dump it in the sink. - I propose a competition in terms of mutual aid! For speed! If I lose, I'm all yours! And I'll even tell you why I need so many onions and why I only use a knife.
- That's all very interesting, Castle, but you'd already be at my complete disposal, - and Kate could not resist a note of sarcasm, - that's even if you do not organize an onion dump at home.
- It's not a dump, it's a battlefield, Kate, - Castle gently took Beckett's hand and led her away, - Look, it's all set up!
- You've really calculated everything, huh? - Kate's eyes widened as she looked at the chess clock, the large kitchen scales, the kitchen board, another knife, and a pair of ringed gloves resting away from the onion piles. - Were you so sure I would stand beside you?
Instead of answering, Castle glanced defiantly at the watch he'd pulled from his pants pocket.
- The clock is ticking, Kate, and we still don't know which one of us is king in the kitchen.
- I'd rather be king elsewhere, - Kate grinned indulgently, realizing that she was willing to forgive him for his competitive directness. - And try to deny me that...
Never before, with the countdown, had she worked the knife so fast. Sometimes there was a sense of superiority, but then Castle, with muffled cries of triumph, began to dance in place, and Kate had nothing to do but speed up.
Her mask was already fogging up, and her lower back was aching from the strain, but Beckett dumped a handful of onions into the bowl, and at that moment the button on his watch clicked triumphantly.
- Yes! - Beckett made a triumphant gesture with her arm bent at the elbow. - I made you after all!
Leaving the unfinished onion behind, Castle tried to be indignant.
- It's not fair! - he protested, waving his gloves nervously. - You're fresh! You don't have to bend over, and my fingers can't hold on! What if you specifically chose bulbs that are easier to slice, huh? In that case, I demand compensation!
- Compensation? - Kate chuckled, fixing her mask. - How dare you even say that? You got me into this onion thing by making the loft crazy uncomfortable, but so far I haven't seen any sense in it! And even if we hire volunteers to clean this place up, that acrid stuff is going to sting our eyes for a long time to come! And perhaps we should thank God for Martha's absence.
- I always pray in good faith, - Castle faded his head, his competitive fervor waning, and the kitchen phase was not the most pleasant. - But this onion. This onion here...
Castle placed the large onion in the palm of his hand to raise it to eye level and sighed heavily.
- You may be skeptical, Kate, but this isn't just an onion, it's a bundle. Between earth and heaven, between the spiritual and the mortal bodies. The onion cleanses, sanitizes, ennobles and protects. And now, in my hand, it's like a beacon of healing molecules... Do you believe me?
And he raised the bulb above his eyes, admiring it in the light, until Beckett stepped close to his friend and huddled tightly, arms across his back.
- To hell with it, Castle, with that onion, - she pressed her mask against his chest, - and whatever moves you, I'm your friend, and I'll even help you get rid of the onion bastions, because I need you, personally, not some incomparable hugged her back, trying not to touch her temple with his mask.
- I'm always ready, Kate, and if we start getting things in order right now, we have a chance...
But Beckett had no time to answer, for at that moment Martha's hysterical, shrieking cry came from the passageway:
- The devil! What's going on here?! Richardd!
