284. Chapter 284

After Meme is Murder

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: Not owning Castle is murder, too. Just ask me. Rating: K+ Time: See above.

"Castle, it was funny. In fact it was hilarious."

Castle gave her a pained look. "Really? I expected better from you, Beckett."

"And it was successful."

Castle snorted. "Successful? If you call making me look like a buffoon successful, it was a smash hit. Thanks, but my career, not to mention my ego, can skip that."

"It was funny, no matter what you say."

"It was mildly amusing in a sort of a Three Stooges, slapstick kind of a way the first time you and Martha and Alexis watched it. But by the seventh time, it got old. Very old."

Kate bit her lip. "Okay, we probably did watch it a few too many times."

"At the very least."

"But look on the bright side."

"There's a bright side to this?" Castle asked, disbelievingly.

"You've got millions of hits for Raging Heat. Have you ever heard the saying that there's no such thing as bad publicity? There are probably millions of people out there who have now heard of Nikki Heat for the very first time and are curious."

"What did that reality star, Kay Capuccio say about there being no bad publicity?" Castle asked. "Something about murders being the exception?"

Kate nodded. "No one was murdered in your commercial. And all of your fans know that you're a part of my homicide team and that you solve murders. Which you did again on this one, right? And, Nikki Heat is based on those cases."

Castle shook his head and smiled. "No. Nikki Heat is based on Detective Kate Beckett and no one else. I could have investigated a billion murders and never found Nikki Heat. One thing, though. Neither Adam Lane nor anyone like him is ever going into a Nikki Heat. He's just too creepy."

Kate thought for a moment. "It might not be a bad idea. Bullying, both the cyber variety, and the old fashioned kind, is a problem. Nikki could help some kid who's being bullied."

Castle thought for a second and shook his head. "Every time I think of bullying, I think of that smug, self-satisfied Lane, sitting in interrogation. Maybe after the memory has faded I could do it."

"Were you ever bullied?" Kate asked suddenly.

Castle shrugged. "Oh, the bullying of underclassmen by upperclassmen is a well established rite of passage in the finer private schools, but, the idea is to foster a sense of brotherhood. Or so they say."

"You didn't answer my question." Kate said softly.

"Nothing serious. One, I was always a pretty big guy. While I may not be Bruce Lee or Chuck Norris In a fight, most real bullies will stay away from a big kid. And I was funny. If you tried to bully me, I would almost always get everyone laughing at the bully." He looked at Kate. "What about you?"

She shook her head. "No, but I saw people being bullied. I never did anything about it. I should have, and I knew I should have back then, but I didn't. Maybe that's why I think Nikki should help a kid who's being bullied. I feel guilty."

Castle sighed. "How could I possibly resist it when you put it like that? For that matter, how could I possibly resist you?"

Kate walked over to Castle and put her arms around him and hugged him. "And I do know one bullying victim that I should have helped that I can help now?"

"He'd better not be male."

"He is. Handsome, charming, funny, passionate and a great detective."

"Someone from the precinct?" Castle wondered who it might be.

"On my team, in fact."

"It couldn't be Espo. Ryan?"

"Nope."

Castle thought for a second and then it hit him. "Me?"

"Absolutely."

"Kate, I told you…"

"And I'm telling you. You were bullied by Detective Kate Beckett. I realized very early on that you were a good detective. An unorthodox one, but good. And you were a good person, a good father, and a good son. And you were a good friend to me. But I was afraid, so I bullied you, to keep you away. I said nasty things about you, that weren't true. I said them both to your face and behind your back. I did a lot of nasty things to you over the years, and I think you deserve a little payback."

Castle looked very serious. "I have an idea. How about I have you marry me?"

Kate shook her head. "Really? That's your idea of payback?"

"Kate, I know how you got to where you were. I know who did that to you. There'll be no payback from me for anything you've ever done. I love you and I will not hurt you. Ever."

Kate took his hands and put them on her shapely ass. "You could spank me?"

Castle slapped her ass very lightly. "There. We're even." He said softly.

"No, we're not. I owe you a great deal. In spite of my bullying and general meanness to you, you hung around. You helped me solve murder cases. You risked your life for me and with me. You helped me find my mom's killer and bring the man behind it to justice. And most of all, you helped me solve the greatest mystery of my life. Who and what is Kate Beckett and what will she become? You know what a complete mess I was when we first met. And look at me now. I've never been happier, Rick. And every day with you just makes me happier. Now I owe you so much for what I've done to you, and so much more for what you've done for me, what can I do?" Kate smiled wickedly. "Maybe a video that makes me look silly? We could see who gets the most hits."

Castle shook his head. "Sun Tzu said that the greatest victory was to turn an enemy into a friend. So, I thank that turning you from…Well, not a bully. I don't quite buy that. But turning Kate Beckett from an adversary to the woman I love and who loves me is more payback than anyone could ever want."

"I love you, Rick." She said softly.

"That said, I little spanking might not be amiss." He very, very lightly slapped her ass again.

"It'll be better if I don't have all of these clothes on."

"Me, too. And my safe word is apples."

"Mine too."