513. Chapter 513

After Headhunters

Episode 4.21

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: Widowmaker? No, they call me the non-Castle owner. Rating: K Time: See above.

Author's note: Once more I feel the necessity to make a tiny adjustment to the canon Castle episode. However, you might actually notice this one.

"Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

Castle stared at Beckett. After what she's done, I'm not about to tell Beckett that I'm in over my head with Slaughter. He thought. "I can take care of myself." He snapped at her.

"Take care of yourself? Are you serious? You were with one armed cop against Vales and a dozen of his men. If Ryan and Esposito hadn't shown up with backup the two of you'd be dead. Do you understand dead?"

"But I'm not. So I'll be more careful next time."

"You'll be more careful? With Slaughter? You're not going to tell him what to do."

"I have to go." He turned on his heel and walked away.

Shit, and there's nothing I can do, the stubborn jackass. Beckett went back to her desk and sat, but she couldn't concentrate on her job. Castle told me he loves me and I lied to him, but I did tell him I needed time. How much time do I need? I know I need time to heal from everything that happened, and thanks to Dr. Burke I am getting better. But I told Castle that the walls wouldn't come down until I solve my mom's murder. Castle knows that I could spend the rest of my life at it and never find anything. Does he think that the walls may never come down? If so, he's doing what I did. Lying to me and keeping his emotional distance from me. Even if I felt nothing for Castle I can't let him go out and get killed with that psychopath. Maybe we don't have much of a chance, but that'll shrink to nothing if I allow Castle to get killed. But how the hell do I pry him loose from Slaughter?

Hours later she had her chance. Castle told her that Slaughter had coerced a confession from Gilberto Mendoza. Now they were searching the crime scene, trying to figure out who really killed Glitch.

Castle heard the familiar roar of an engine and the squeal of tires. "Oh shit, it's Slaughter."

"Let me handle this." Beckett said.

"This is my fault." Castle replied.

"And because it is your fault, I need to fix it. Just keep quiet."

As Castle expected, Slaughter unloaded on Beckett, and Beckett didn't even flinch. How could I not love Beckett? Extraordinary is too weak a word. Magnificent? Perfect, even? Even if she doesn't love me, I don't know if I can just leave her.

Slaughter got back in his car and drove off angrily.

"We have about an hour until I get called on the carpet."

"What'll happen to you?"

She shrugged. "Best case scenario, the Chief of Detectives suspends me."

"And the worst case scenario?"

Beckett didn't answer. She didn't need to.

Crap! I absolutely cannot get Beckett fired or demoted or punished in any way. If that happens, I'll have to spend the rest of my life making it up to her, no matter what. But how? He had no idea.

However, they had a theory and some evidence by the time they got back to the precinct. All they needed was some time. They didn't get it.

Captain Gates stuck her head out of her office. "Detective! In my office now." Sitting in Gates's office was Slaughter with a smile on his face.

Castle started to follow Beckett, but Gates slammed the door in his face.

"Detective Beckett, Detective Slaughter has just finished making a very serious complaint against you. He says that you interfered with a case of his. We're you investigating the Reilly murder?"

"Yes, sir." Beckett replied. Slaughter's smile got bigger.

"Why?"

"The murder was in the 12th's jurisdiction and I'm a homicide cop, sir."

"That's BS!" Slaughter yelled. "This was my case. It was a gang task force case. She jumped my case."

Gates looked coldly at Slaughter. "I don't believe I asked you for a comment, Detective."

"Comment! She jumped my damned case. That's all the comment I should have to make."

"The gang task force isn't assigned to any precinct, is it?" Gates asked softly.

"Damn straight. Gangs operate across a lot of precincts, we can't get bogged down with a lot of administrative bullshit."

"But you are supposed to coordinate with the precinct you're working in, especially if you're using their facilities and personnel?" Gates said, deceptively softly.

"She jumped my damned case, or weren't you listening?" Slaughter roared.

"I never authorized you to use our facilities or people. As far as I'm concerned, it looks like you took over a 12th Precinct case without following the proper procedures."

"You expect me to follow a bunch of bullshit…." Slaughter stood up. "I'm going to tell the Chief of D's about this."

"And he's your biggest fan, I'm sure." Gates sarcastically said to his retreating back.

Beckett relaxed but only slightly. She knew what was coming.

"What the hell did you think you were doing, Detective?" Gates barked.

"Seeing to it that the actual murderer was caught, sir."

"And did you find the real killer?"

"Yes, sir." Kate explained what they found about Brian Reilly.

"I assume your partner had something to do with this?" Gates' eyes narrowed.

"Yes, sir. He helped me solve the murder."

"And I'm sure he made the mess to begin with."

Beckett made no reply.

Once she left Gates' office, she found Slaughter with Castle backed up against a wall.

"Slaughter, enough of that. We have Brian Reilly in interrogation. You want to see what we have on him?"

Once Brian Reilly had been taken to holding and Slaughter had gone, Castle and Beckett were alone.

"Thank you." Castle said quietly.

"It's what partners are supposed to do for each other."

"I know."

"Do you?"

Castle thought about that. "What happened with Gates? From what Slaughter said, Gates wasn't going to report you to the Chief of Detectives."

Beckett shook her head. "I get no official punishment. But, I have a black mark against my name in Gates' little black book. If I screw up again, if we screw up again, I get reported. And officially punished."

"Beckett, I'm so damned sorry. This is all my fault."

"Yes, it is. But you don't get punished if something goes wrong, I do." She took a deep breath. "If I'm going to get fired, or demoted, or something, somewhere down the line, I'd at least like to know why. And don't tell me that nothing's wrong. We both know better than that." She said angrily.

"You heard me."

"Of course I heard you. You just apologized, but that doesn't answer my question."

"You heard me at the cemetery. You heard me tell you that I love you. And you lied about it."

The anger drained from Beckett instantly. This is all my fault. "You know?" She said, without thinking.

"I was watching when you interrogated that pickpocket after the bombing. You could have just told me that you didn't feel the same way."

Kate took his hand and leaned her head on his chest. "Castle, we need to have a very long talk."