594. Chapter 594

After Nanny McDead

Episode 1.02

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: Hit me with bleach bottle and toss me in the dryer if I say I own Castle. Rating: K+ Time: See above.

"Fuck." Castle muttered under his breath.

"What was that, Castle?" Kate Beckett asked, having clearly heard what he'd said.

Castle smiled as winningly as he could. "I said "Just my luck.". It's late and the cabs rarely come around here at night. Could you give me a lift back to the station?" It was a lame excuse but it was all he could think of so quickly. Why can't I learn to keep my mouth closed? Teasing Beckett just pisses her off. I shouldn't do that. Oh, hell. Who am I kidding? I'm never going to be Joe Serious. That's not me and that's not what Kate Beckett needs. Okay. I don't think that's what she needs, but I really don't know what she needs. She needs some fun in her life, definitely. And I'm a fun guy. But she needs more. I was right that first day when I said she was wounded. She is wounded. Maybe she's more wounded than I thought. I know that all things being equal Kate Beckett should not be a cop. No way. So, what happened? She was really pissed that Ian Harris will probably get off scot free even though he caused all of the problems. And he's a world class slime bag as well. He slept with Sarah Manning, who is dead, killed by Chloe Richardson, who is pregnant by Ian and headed for prison. Diana Harris is at least rid of a loser of a husband, but finding out your husband was screwing two other women has got to be hard to find out. Then there are Sarah's parents. Beckett had to call them. And there are the Petersons, soon to be the ex-Petersons. Not easy all around. There were more victims in this than poor Sarah.

Kate rolled her eyes. "Sure, Castle. You follow me around and bother me all day, so why not follow me around and bother me at night, too. Get in." Okay, I'll admit, to myself only, of course that I was partly wrong about Castle. He is immature, cocky, sex-crazed and totally egotistical. But I thought that the only reason he was a help on the Tisdale case was that the murders were based on his books. He said we should look at the tenants and he timed Sarah's elevator ride, and that led us to the killer. Oh, we would have gotten there eventually, but he thought of it first. And time is important. Given more time, no telling what Chloe might have done. Finished off Ian? Gone after Mrs. Richardson, or her daughter? Killed herself? I'm big enough to admit that Castle was a help in this case. I may even tell him. Someday after he's left the precinct. Long after he's left the precinct. I do not need to feed that man's ego. He's perfectly capable of keeping it well fed all by himself.

"Thanks." Castle said as they pulled away from the crime scene. Was that what happened to Beckett? Her boyfriend got killed and whoever did it never paid for his crime? That fits with the man's watch she wears. So, her boyfriend, no her fiancé, much better story, is killed. Hit and run? No, murder. That's why Beckett is a homicide cop. So he's shot during a mugging? Or he's killed by an underworld assassin who's now in witness protection because he went to the Feds and rolled over on his old bosses. Oh, much better story. So, Kate Beckett gives up her dreams of being a lawyer/doctor/engineer/tennis pro, and joins the force to avenge her lover, which is now impossible due to Witsec. That fits with her one and done statement. She's given up on living happily ever after because her one is done. No, terrible sentence. Can't use that in the book. No, she's dedicated herself to bringing justice to everyone else because she can't get the mob hitman/international assassin/ terrorist suicide bomber….Oh, that would be good. She can't get the killer because he's dead and enjoying his seventy two virgins in paradise. Castle shook his head. I wonder if any of that is even remotely true? Who cares, it's a great story. No, I don't need a great story for Beckett. I need the true story. I need to know for Nikki Heat and I need to know for me. And I need to know for Beckett. She shouldn't be a cop, but she is and I can't change that. But she shouldn't be so damned serious and unhappy all of the time. One way or another I'll help her. It's the least I can do for my muse.

"Something wrong?" Kate asked.

"Pardon?" Castle hadn't been paying attention.

"You shook your head just now. Something wrong?"

He said the first thing that popped into his mind to cover what he was really thinking about. "Do they really make you drink that coffee in the breakroom? Is that some sort of punishment for pissing off the Chief of Police or something? I'm surprised any of you can function, let alone solve cases, after drinking that stuff."

Kate glared at him, which he missed. "We aren't all best-selling writers who can afford to have their gourmet coffee flown in from Ethiopia or Jamaica, or wherever you get yours from. We drink what we can afford from the machine the NYPD provides."

"I get mine from a little shop near the loft. It's a blend, mostly from East Africa but also some from Sumatra."

"And you have to walk all the way to the shop?" Kate asked sarcastically.

"And it's uphill both ways." Castle had an idea. "There's a coffee shop not far from here that has that blend and others. Do you want to stop for a cup? I'd hate to think of you doing paperwork and drinking nothing but that sludge at the precinct."

"Castle, I can't really…."

"My treat. After all, I have to look out for you. I want you alert and at your crime solving best when I follow you. We can get a takeaway cup, too and heat it in the microwave."

Kate knew she shouldn't let Castle do this. But the thought of drinking cups of the truly awful precinct coffee made her stomach churn. "Okay, but just this once."

"Turn left in two blocks. It's on the right. You'll see the sign, the Java Joint."

They sat for half an hour, drinking coffee together and hardly speaking. When they left, each felt just a tiny bit different about the other.