209. Chapter 209

After Heroes and Villains, Yet Again

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: I've been in this town for so long that back in the city I've been taken for lost and gone and unknown for a long, long time, but I don't own Castle. Rating: M Time: See above.

The writer held his muse closely and kissed her long and passionately. He ran his hands over her naked body and gently teased her.

"I want it now." She whispered huskily.

"And now is when you'll get it." He said, his voice tightening with passion. He rolled on top of her and entered her in one quick, fluid motion. His mouth found hers and his tongue begged for admission which was freely granted. She arched her back, rubbing her boobs against his chest, thrilling in the feeling of her nipples against his chest. Then she wrapped her legs around his waist and pushed herself up so that he was as deep in her as he could get.

"This is so good." She whispered in his ear, then gently nipped his ear with her teeth, laughing as she did so.

"You are so good." He answered.

They both felt their climaxes building inside them and in a frenzy, he pushed into her as far as he could get, not moving until he exploded inside of her.

At the moment of orgasm, she called his name. "Paul! Paul, I love you."

He collapsed onto her. "I love you, too, Ann."

The two lovers stayed wrapped up in each other on the bed they shared. Finally, Ann spoke. "Detective Beckett told me something tonight and she's right. She said that I shouldn't be so driven by my past that I throw away my future. She's a lot like me, you know. She became a cop because her mom was murdered. And she has someone who loves her, just like I do."

"Who's that?" Paul asked.

"Castle, the writer. The one who wrote the Nikki Heat books. Beckett's Nikki and he's Jameson Rook."

"They didn't really act that in love."

She slapped him playfully. "Silly! They work together. They can't date or anything like that or they'd be in trouble. But I've heard rumors about them. And they've been together for years. They must be in love."

"What are you going to do about that advice?"

"I'll have to take it, especially since they know who Lone Vengeance is. I'm lucky that it was Beckett and Castle that caught me, otherwise I'd be headed for prison. I'm afraid Lone Vengeance has stopped her last evil doer."

Paul stared at her and then nodded. "I think it'd be a good idea if Lone Vengeance stopped having adventures on line as well."

"Why? He's a great character. Or she's a great character." She said, blushing slightly.

"Sure, but suppose I write a story and it accidentally mirrors something that happens in the real world? They know you're Lone Vengeance. They'd be on you in a second although you aren't guilty."

Ann slowly nodded. "You may be right. I just hate to see your career as a super hero artist stop."

"Oh, I won't stop. To begin with, I've been thinking of a sci fi kind of a super hero, with zombies."

"Zombies?" Ann asked.

"Zombies are big. And just so no one will connect you with my new hero, I'm making him an extraterrestrial. Black Wolf, a wolf-like extraterrestrial who comes to Earth after his own planet has been ravaged by zombies to help Earth fight its own zombie invasion."

"Couldn't he know a lady cop and a writer?" Ann asked plaintively.

"No, but I have an idea for the last chapter of Lone Vengeance. We really owe Beckett and Castle, so I'll include them in The Last of Lone Vengeance."

Rick Castle was leaving the loft for the 12th Precinct when he saw the package by his front door. He opened it and saw a note from Paul Whittaker:

Dear Mr. Castle,

For reasons that should be obvious to you, I've decided to stop the Lone Vengeance series. The last chapter will be posted on line at 6 PM today. Enclosed are copies of the original art work for that chapter. Thanks for your help, Paul Whittaker and LV.

Amused and rather interested, Rick went back into his loft and began to read the last chapter of the Lone Vengeance saga. It followed their case quite closely. Lone Vengeance appeared to kill a would-be rapist and attracted the attention of two NYPD homicide detectives. The detectives were Detective Kate Connelly and Detective Rick Donovan. However, from the art work, it was clear it was him and Beckett.

Beckett will get a kick out of seeing herself as a super cop in a super hero story. Rick thought to himself.

The story ended with Kate Connelly confronting Lone Vengeance on a building high above Manhattan and convincing him to give up his vigilante ways and let the police handle things. Sadly, Lone Vengeance agreed and there was a full page panel of Lone Vengeance back in his lair, hanging up his suit and weapons for good.

When Rick turned to the last page he was shocked and then terrified. There were three panels on the page. The first showed Detectives Connelly and Donovan kissing passionately. Although Kate was facing away from the reader and could only be seen from the waist up, it was obvious they were both naked.

The second panel showed the two lovers getting in bed with Rick telling Kate how beautiful and sexy she was.

In the last, half page, panel, they were obviously making love under the bedclothes. Rick told Kate how much he loved her. That he never wanted to leave her. Kate replied that she had never been so in love and would stay with him always.

Rick sat there stunned. When Beckett sees this she'll go ballistic. If she thinks I had anything to do with it, ballistic won't come close to describing how she'll react.

Castle pulled out his phone and called the Ledger. "News department, Paul Whittaker, please."

After being transferred twice, he finally got a woman who said she was the secretary for several reporters, including Paul.

"Could I talk to Paul, please?"

"I'm sorry sir. He's on vacation. He took off early this morning with his girlfriend."

"This is important. Do you know where they were headed for?"

"I'm sorry, I don't. I did hear Ann, his girlfriend, say she was excited about it because they had never been there before."

"How long will they be gone?" He asked desperately.

"He took two weeks of vacation, sir."

Castle thanked her and hung up. I'm dead. Beckett will kill me this time.

Castle was about to go face his doom when he had an idea. Mike Hoover over at Comicadia! Maybe he can help me find Whittaker!

Castle caught a cab and was soon at Comicadia, his favorite comic book store.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Castle." Mike said. "I have no idea how to get in touch with the writer of Lone Vengeance, although I do know this chapter is the last one. You should like his next hero, though. It's an alien fighting zombies. Cool, huh?"

"Yeah, cool." Castle said without conviction.

"And there's a lot of interest in Lone Vengeance all of a sudden from your friends."

"My friends?" Castle said.

"Sure. I've had two groups of cops come in here and ask about Lone Vengeance. I showed them how to order it on line."

"Do you know where they're from?" Castle asked, with a sinking feeling in his stomach.

"One group had the number twelve on their collars and the plain clothes police said they were from the Twelfth Precinct. I guess having super hero case interested everybody at the precinct."

Castle walked out of Comicadia feeling like a condemned man who had been told his last meal wouldn't be ready until after his execution.

Nothing to do now but confess to Beckett and take my punishment. Maybe she won't be mad. Sure, why should she mind everyone in New York thinking we're lovers? She just hates the idea that people think we're a couple in any way. Wishful thinking, anyone?

Castle sat at Beckett's desk and put her cup of coffee and his copy of the Last of Lone Vengeance on her desk.

"What's this?" She asked.

"Whittaker sent me a copy of the last chapter in the Lone Vengeance story."

"And you're showing this to me because?" She asked, frowning.

He steeled himself. "Look at the last page."

"You mean where the two characters who are actually us make love?"

Castle's jaw dropped. "You know?"

"He sent me a copy too."

"And you're not mad at me?"

She stared at him. "Why would I be mad at you?" Then an idea hit her. "You didn't tell him we we're…" She pointed to the last page.

"No. No, I'd never do that."

"Then I'm not mad at you. I'm not happy about it, but people since Jordan Shaw have assumed we're sleeping together and there's nothing I can do about it."

Castle breathed a sigh of relief. He took a sip of his own coffee.

Kate took a sip of her coffee as well. I told Hastings that she had someone who cared for her and that she shouldn't let her past destroy her future. You'd think I'd be able to take my own advice, but I can't. And so, I have a man who loves me and who I'm lying to. Will I destroy my own future?