Fate's Surprises
Chapter 10 - The Courtship of Kate Beckett
12th Precinct Gym
Beckett is hitting at a punching bag very hard. By coincidence, Demming is working out at the same time. As he watches her, he shows off a bit with his muscles in an attempt to attract her attention and get a reaction from her. But Kate is behaving in a nonchalant manner not about to show her interest causing Demming to walk up to her to gain that attention.
"You need someone to steady your bag."
"Are you offering?"
"Yeah. Sure."
"All right. Thanks"
Tom grabs the punching bag, steadying it for Kate.
She kicks and punches hard. She knows that she has Tom's interest.
"Nice, Kate. So, how's it been going now that Castle is doing research with you."
"Why do you ask?"
"Really! I was just wondering if I still had a chance with you?"
"Have I told you otherwise?"
"No."
"Well, there you go then."
"I heard about the name for his new character, a little too inappropriate, don't you think?"
That brings back all the angst she has with the new character's name. She needs to let it pass. She needs some diversion. So she deflects.
Not answering Demming, she says, "Care for a sparing match there Tom? Do you still got it? Last time we spared was at the academy for the Recruit Title."
"You won that one Kate, or have you forgotten?"
"Care for a rematch then Sport."
"Okay, but I warn you, I'm better now and more of a challenge."
"Really, care to put money where your mouth is? Say twenty bucks each?"
"Chump change Beckett, let's make it a real bet."
"What are you suggesting then Demming?"
"If you win, I treat you to a drink at The Haunt."
"And if you win?"
"You go out on a serious date with me."
Kate is puzzled by his remark. They had been out on dates, and Kate had thought they were 'serious' dates.
"Define serious, Demming?"
"You know. We get dressed up. I pick you up at your place. Then take you out for dinner and dancing after. I get to kiss you when I take you home. You know how it goes Kate, you've been there before."
"Wait a minute, don't you win either way, victor or loser in our match?"
"Afraid I might beat you there Beckett?", Tom knows she likes a challenge and his remark is meant to appeal to that. Nothing like nudging the beehive to get the bees to swarm a bit, and Tom is doing just that with Kate.
"You're on. Standby for a beating!"
Just the reaction Tom was hoping for with his remark.
"Yeah! You and what army Detective Beckett?"
That comment gets to her. She is now wanting to take that smudge look off his face and put him in his place.
"Just get your gloves on and speak with your fists and not your mouth Demming!"
Bingo, it had worked. She was challenged now and would not back down.
They enter the boxing ring for three two minute rounds. Best of three wins. They each choose a cop there from the gym crowd to be the judges. A third cop is mutually chosen by them to be the tie breaker.
The first round Demming shows his stuff and Kate realizes he was not joking about his improved fighting skills. They were an even match for that first round!
That first round goes to Kate, by mere points. They go for a second round, Demming wins that one on points also. So now the third and final tie breaking round. They are evenly matched going into that round. Neither one seems to have gained. They each cautiously probe the other's defense, looking for an opening to strike. Then, as the round starts to end, Beckett sees Castle enter the gym, a serious look on his face. But Kate is distracted for just a brief second upon seeing Castle, and lets her guard down a little, but is enough for Demming to land a lucky punch.
Next thing Kate knows is she is looking up from the gym floor with Demming standing over her.
"I'll pick you up at eight Kate and make sure you're wearing a sexy outfit", Tom offers her his hand as he picks her up from the ring floor.
"Not fair, I was distracted by Castle entering the gym. He got my attention for a split second, just enough to let you land that blow."
"No way Kate, I win by knockout. This Saturday Kate or are you reneging on our bet?"
She gives him a serious look and then says, "Okay, pick me up at eight!"
Castle sees all this and then asks, "Am I missing something here?"
Kate brings him up to speed.
"I'm sorry I distracted you and lost the fight for you Kate, but we have a case", Castle replies to Kate's update to him.
"Look at it this way Kate, you get a dinner date out of it all and one that I know you haven't had in a long time."
"Really? You are not the least bit sorry for aiding Demming in a win?"
"It is what it is Kate. Besides, we all agreed about seeing others so you could determine where you wanted things to go with Tom and me. Who knows, you just may enjoy the date."
Kate decides she will do just that, she will enjoy this unintended 'serious' date with Tom Demming. Kate was put off by Castle's attitude to this whole date thing. Was Castle of the notion that he had home town advantage because he is her baby father? Kate deserved to be pursued romantically and to have her heart taken by a deserving suitor. She had subconsciously wanted Castle to be jealous about this 'serious' date with Demming.
Tom on the other hand was determined about winning her affections and was intent in pursuing her in a romantic fashion. He had let his purpose with her be known. From Kate's perspective, Castle was not going to be her default 'go to guy'. Kate deserved to be sought after in a serious manner. She was not about to settle for Castle because she had a child by him. Theirs would not turn out to be a 'shot gun' wedding in any sense. Her choice would be given proper deliberation.
Kate would not marry Castle solely because they had a child together. This are modern times, men and women were free now to engage in intimate relationships without the outdated notion of keeping her honor in tact. Gone also were the ideas of protecting a woman's virtue or preventing a child's shame because it was born out of wedlock, conceived outside of marriage, from a one time rendezvous with another consenting adult. No, those old fashioned notions would not dictate to Kate who she ultimately would be with as a committed couple. She was not to be ruled by social pressure based on old norms. If Castle wanted her, Rick had to pursue her like Demming was doing.
Rick's Thoughts on the Demming Date
Had he been too blaise when he learned of the date with Demming? He sensed from Kate that his reaction to her date with Demming came as a surprise to her. Had she expected him to show some sign of jealousy? But why such an attitude from an otherwise modern worldly woman who was not ashamed to let people know she was not a virgin. Kate was every bit the image of a contemporary woman in a man's world. Secure in her own skin and confident in her abilities to match any man's capabilities. If she were a man, there would not be the expectation to marry the woman who was having a baby by him. That was not true for a woman.
Surely the romantic notion of being pursued by more than one man was not what Kate had intentioned with these two men in her life. She was always the logical thinking professional woman and social norms for her were not an impediment on her behavior and sense of independence. She needed no man to define or complete her. Yet Kate's reaction on Castle's attitude about the 'serious' date with Demming did not speak of a logical thinking modern day female professional.
Beckett was not the kind of woman who obsessed about being pursued romantically by a suitor. She did not dream of a perfect wedding, but yet her attitude to Castle's neutral feelings on her date with Demming betrayed that image of her in Castle's mind. Had she expected a rise from him on her unintended date with Demming? Had Castle misread her?
So many layers to the Beckett onion, and Rick wanted to peel each one off. He wanted to explore the mystery of one Kate Beckett. So now Castle worried that he was playing right into Demming's hand when it came to Kate. Was Rick giving up too easily with Demming? Did he need to be more forceful of what he wanted from Kate? Certainly Demming had not been that way. From the start he had told Kate exactly what he wanted in a serious relationship with her. Was Castle not keeping up with Kate expectations of what she wanted from him? Did he need to change his approach with Kate? That was the question that was nagging at him now.
Maybe his being Kate's baby father was holding him back. He certainly in the past was more aggressive with a love interest, but with Kate, he was treating her with kid gloves. Maybe Rick's intent to not show Kate that his daughter was the sole reason for his interest in her had set him on a wrong path. Maybe he needed to be more like the Rick known to the public. The fun, love em and leave em, playboy author of his image. But considering that Kate was not like other women he had pursued, he felt this approach with her was appropriate. Or maybe not.
The fact Rick had distracted her enough to let Demming land a lucky blow and thus aid Tom in winning his date bet with her meant something. Why should Rick entering the gym cause Kate to be distracted? Kate was always good at showing her poker face. Had her reaction to his presence in the gym when she was sparring with Demming been a sign of some hidden emotions she had kept from surfacing? Was that notion playing on Kate's mind at the time?
Kate's Thoughts
Meanwhile, Kate was pondering why she had gotten so annoyed that Castle had caused her to lose her date bet with Tom. Had she subconsciously reacted to Tom calling the date a serious date…a sign to her that Tom was subtlety accusing her of not being as into him as he was with her? Did Tom feel that all this time with Kate she was not really wanting something more with him?
In reality, Kate had never thought of Tom in that way. He was a good friend and there for her when she needed male companionship, but not more than that. Her feelings for Tom were not romantic in the traditional manner, but she did care for Tom in her own way. Still it was not like what had happened to her with Castle during their one night together. After all, she had a child with Castle and perhaps Tom had considered that his interest in her should have been consummated with physical intimacy. Tom having accepted her request to stay friends for the time being had indicated to her that Tom was not with her just for sex. Or was it? Maybe it was that those feelings were somehow revealed to Tom and why he had asked for a 'serious' date?
The bottom line was if Kate could desire Tom like she had Rick during their one night together in carnal joining. Was Tom now showing to her a side of him she had never seen before and that is why she had reacted like she had? This was soul searching on her part causing her to consider if Tom in her mind was a serious contender for her heart.
This three-way courtship was getting more complicated as time passed. Fate had yet to reveal where that path would end. Kate needed to prepare herself for what lay ahead. Those little twists and turns of Fate that could be unexpected and revealing.