403. Chapter 403

After Valkyrie

Episode 6.01

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: Even if large, Wagnerian maidens asked me to, I'd never claim to own Castle. Rating: K Time: See above. (Okay, it takes place during Valkyrie.)

"This sucks."

Kevin Ryan swiveled around in his chair to look at his partner. "What sucks?"

"This. No Beckett. No Castle." Espo grumped.

"We still have Gates."

Espo glared at Ryan, almost, but not quite a Beckett glare. "And that makes it worse. Beckett was the best detective in the whole NYPD and Castle was…Well, he was Castle. And together, they were good. Fantastic. Perfect. Now all of that's gone and we're all alone."

Ryan shrugged. "We have each other. And we have the new guy, Sullivan, coming in pretty soon. He's a good detective. At least the Five Five says he is."

Espo cocked his head to one side. "Yeah. But is he Beckett? Is he Castle? Is he Beckett and Castle? No. He isn't. I rest my case."

"So? They would have left sooner or later anyway."

"What do you mean? Why would they leave?"

"Castle and Beckett are engaged. That means they're getting married. And you know what marriage means."

"So they get married? So what? Gates is married. Montgomery was married. You're married. How many cops do you know that are married? That doesn't mean one damned thing, bro."

"And after they get married what happens?"

"Ryan! If you've got something to say, say it."

"They have babies. Little Castles and little Becketts. And suddenly they have new priorities."

"What?" Espo thought for a second. "Castle already has Alexis. Why would you want another kid? I mean, Alexis is a great kid and all, but why?"

"Because Alexis is a great kid and he wants more. He loves Beckett and he wants more children with her. Because Beckett thought her mom was the greatest thing since sliced bread and she'll want to try to be a mom just like her own mom was."

Espo leaned back in his chair and thought. After seeing Ryan and Jenny get married, he'd thought about Castle and Beckett. Now, he could see Beckett smiling shyly in a white bridal gown with Castle right beside her in a tux. He imagined Beckett as pregnant, then bringing in a little Castle to the precinct for everyone to see. He could see the Castles. Beautiful, smart little girls and handsome, hell raising little boys.

"Kids." Espo said. "You think so?"

"I know so."

"They're going to need us then." Espo said, nodding to himself.

"If you think they're going to need us for children, you are really going to need a talking to."

Espo gave Ryan a dirty look. "Not like that. I mean Castle raised the best girl imaginable and Beckett would be just as good with a girl. But who's going to teach the little Castle boys how to play baseball and football? Who's going to teach them some street smarts? Who's going to make sure they grow up to be real men? Castle?"

"He would be the father, you know." Ryan said smiling.

"They're going to have to have the help of Uncle Espo and Uncle Ryan, bro. We can't let Castle and Beckett down."

Ryan got a phone call, leaving Espo to imagine himself teaching little Javier Castle to slide into second base and break up a double play.

Captain Gates looked out at the two detectives sitting in her bullpen. I know that this was the best possible move for Beckett. This Federal job is what she was born to do. But, she has left a hole in my murder team, no doubt about it. Ryan and Esposito are good enough and she trained them well, but it's just not the same. She glanced down at the monthly reports she had sent to One PP. We're falling back already. She shook her head. At least Castle is gone. I know, Castle, for all of his bizarre behavior, did occasionally come up with good ideas, but I'm sure Beckett would have come up with those same ideas, too. And it is awfully quiet now. Not really peaceful, just…quiet. Oh my god! Do I miss Castle? That's absurd. I need a cup of coffee.

"Grams, is Dad upset about Pi being here?" Alexis asked seriously.

Martha sighed. She had hoped not to get involved. "I'd say he's surprised, dear. He came back from a book tour and your boyfriend is living here."

"So? I graduated from high school and his girlfriend is suddenly living here. What's the difference? He's an adult and I'm an adult."

"One, she's his fiancé and they've known each other for years. Two, this is his home. It was a bit presumptuous of you to have Pi just move in without asking him. And three, he's your father, dear. And even when you're both very old, you'll still be his little girl and he'll feel he has to protect you from monsters under your bed."

Alexis nodded. "Pi is my friend and he needed help. He had nowhere to go, so I offered. It's not like Dad has never told me not to be generous. And, okay, I should have asked Dad, but there wasn't time, but you're right. It was presumptuous. I'll talk to dad later and straighten it all out." Alexis smiled. "And yes, in spite of the fact that I'm the adult here, he is my dad and he'll always be looking for monsters under my bed. And I'll always want him to. But, that means that no matter what I do, Dad will be upset. So, there's nothing I can do. Don't worry, Grams, everything will be all right."

Carl Villante called Rachel McCord into his office and closed the door. "McCord, you're Beckett's partner. You've read her file and you've talked to people she worked with in the screening process. What do you know about Castle? Is he smart enough, knowledgeable enough to have gotten what he's found already about this case? I admit, I know that Beckett refers to him as her partner back in New York, but I've never really believed that he really did anything. Talk to me."

Rachel McCord hated talking about a partner behind her back, but this was serious. "I have a friend in the FBI, Jordan Shaw. She worked with Castle and Beckett on a serial killer case a while ago. I gave her a call. She told me Castle was as much help or more on that case than anyone on her team. He figured out the key to the code that killer used, he figured out that the FBI hostage team was heading into a trap and he took down the killer. She said he's good. Very, very good."

"It's hard to believe." Villante didn't sound too convinced.

"I know some people in the NYPD, at One PP. They weren't at all happy with Castle coming into the 12th Precinct. They felt it would impede the homicide team, not help it. So, they kept a really close eye on Beckett's team. But, they had to admit, Castle is good. He's good enough to have figured this out all on his own without any help from Beckett."

Villante nodded. "I just hope his abilities don't get him killed."

Me, too. McCord thought.

Kate held onto Rick's hand as tightly as she could. "We'll get through this, babe. You're going to be okay."

Castle did his best to smile. "There's one good thing about this."

Kate gave him a look. "I can't see one."

"Well, I'm working with you now."

She shook her head. "This isn't the NYPD. This is the Federal Government. I can't just bring you into this."

"You don't have to. I'm already in this up to my neck. Do you really think Villante is going to kick to the curb the guy who was with your only suspect? At least until he went and died on me. I'm in this. I know that Valkyrie is involved, whatever that is. And a US ghost base in the Middle East called Dreamworld. I'm betting you won't get anything out of the Pentagon about that, but I do know guys. Talk to Villante, Kate."

Kate squeezed his hand. "Everything is going to be okay." It has to be because I don't know what I'd do if it isn't.