609. Chapter 609

After When the Bough Breaks

Episode 2.05

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: Even if I was switched at birth, I don't own Castle. Rating: K Time: See above.

Kate Beckett returned home from the book launch party in a foul mood. When she walked into her bedroom she caught a glance at herself in the mirror. "I bought a new dress, got my hair done, spent an hour on my makeup and for what?" She asked her reflection. "So I could be told that Nikki Heat isn't interesting enough for more than one book." Kate unzipped her dress and carefully hung it up. "The next time I wear this dress I'll wear it for someone who appreciates me. And I'll be someplace where I'll have a good time, too."

Kate quickly stripped and then put on a pair of flannel sleep shorts and an oversized NYPD tee shirt. She thought about going to bed, but she wasn't tired. Then she saw the copy of Heat Wave sitting on her bedside table. She picked it up and almost put it in the trash. But she stopped. No. I was right and he was wrong. There's plenty to Nikki Heat. A really good writer could have written a dozen Nikki Heat books. A really good writer….She glanced down at the face of Richard Castle looking up at her from the back of the book. And he is a really good writer. And he's a really good, if unorthodox, detective. The time I spent with him was good. Fun. And productive. She smiled to herself, thinking about the cases they had solved together. The cases she might not have solved without him. Okay, I was solving homicides before Rick Castle ever came along and I'll do it now. It'll just be…different.

She was interrupted by a knock at her door. She grabbed a bath robe and went to the door. "Castle?" What the hell is he doing here? If he's come to brag about his damned spy book or how much money he's making or how many boobs he signed…..

"Hi." He said, smiling. "I hope you weren't asleep."

"I wasn't. Yet." She added. "What do you want?"

"I wanted to apologize to you."

"For what?" Kate was mystified. What could Castle possibly want to apologize for?

"The comment I made about Nikki. There's enough to Nikki to keep writing forever. She's a complex, layered, fascinating character. She's really extraordinary."

Kate smiled at the word extraordinary. "But not extraordinary enough to make you want to write about her instead of s certain British spy?"

Castle shrugged. "I haven't accepted the deal yet, but it's a great offer. Even if James Bond is no Nikki Heat."

Before Beckett could respond, the elevator door at the end of the hallway opened and Mr. O'Malley stumbled out of the elevator and weaved down the hallway, preceded by a cloud of alcohol fumes. When he got to the couple standing in the doorway, he smiled. "Don't stand out here negotiating all night, sonny. Pay her the two bucks and go for it." He laughed and staggered to his own apartment where he struggled with his keys.

Castle turned and took a step towards O'Malley, his hands balled into fists. Beckett reached out and caught his arm. "He's just an obnoxious drunk, Castle. Don't do anything. There may be a cop watching."

Castle laughed and relaxed. "There just might be."

Beckett gave him an odd look. "Castle, were you going over there to defend my honor by beating up Mr. O'Malley?"

Castle blushed slightly. "Actually, I was going to borrow a police horse and ride him down."

She made a decision. "You can't stand in the hallway all night. Come in. I need to know why James Bond is not Nikki Heat."

Rick came in and sat on her couch.

"Would you like some red wine?" She asked.

"Sure. If it's not too much trouble."

"No trouble." Kate busied herself with the wine. What is it with me and that man? Five minutes ago I was ready to throw him down the elevator shaft and now I'm serving him wine. How can he get to me like this? I deal with killers, gang members and mobsters every day. But Castle…

She handed him his wine and sat across from him. "So, why is James Bond not like Nikki Heat?"

Castle took a sip of wine to have time to order his thoughts. "Do you know why I killed off Derrick Storm?"

Kate shook her head.

"I was bored with him. For the last book, Storm Fall, I knew exactly what was going to happen from the first sentence I wrote. There were no surprises left." Castle stopped and took a deep breath. "Ian Fleming wrote twelve Bond novels and two short story collections. Eight other writers wrote a total of thirty two Bond books. Plus there's a series of Young James Bond Books and a series based on the diaries of Miss Moneypenny, M's secretary. And there are twenty six movies, and a comic strip and comic books and a video game, and then there are the parodies and…." Castle stopped and shook his head. "I went on line and looked all of this up. Then I thought about what I could bring to James Bond. But, everything I thought of sounded like it was from something else that had been done before, or worse, it sounded just like Derrick Storm. What can you do that hasn't been done? How many megalomaniacs bent on world domination are there? How many bizarre villains and their odd henchmen? A killer with a metal hat? Been done. A giant killer with metal teeth? Been done. Sean Bean's character died of course, so I couldn't use him. And you have to have the obligatory lethal femme fatales for Bond to defeat and win over. And the names? Pussy Galore? Solitaire? Plenty O'Toole? Holly Goodhead? Strawberry Fields?"

"Nikki Heat?" Beckett said, but with a smile.

"Touche."

"It must have been tough." Beckett said, just a little sarcastically.

Castle nodded. "I tried to do a book outline. Nothing worked. At least with Nikki, I have a constant source of inspiration."

Beckett looked at Castle for a second before the realization hit her. Oh my god! He wants to do more Nikki Heat books. He wants to work with me. She carefully schooled her face to show disinterest. "I guess there aren't many James Bond muses out there."

"None. And we do make a good team. We work well together. We solve murders together."

Kate nodded slowly. "We do."

"I do want to stay at least until the Sokol murder is solved." He blurted out.

At least? She thought. Then she shrugged. "Sure, I mean you have been a help."

"I've really been a help?"

"Castle! You know you've been a help. Don't fish for compliments."

"I could still…." He stopped.

"You could still what?"

"Follow you around?"

"Really? After all you've put me through? You expect me to take you back?"

"I was sort of hoping…."

Kate glanced at the clock. "It's late, Castle. I have to work tomorrow. I'll think about it."

"Will you let me know tomorrow?"

"I said I'd think about it."

The next day, when they left Melissa Talbot, Zane and Teodor Hajek, they stopped in the lobby.

"Have you thought about…" Both Castle's and Beckett's phones both rang. When they answered them, Castle found he had a much better deal being offered for three Nikki Heat books and Kate found she was being ordered to let Castle follow her around.

When they had both hung up, Beckett turned on Castle. "What part of I'll think about it did you fail to understand? Going behind my back like that? What the hell were you thinking of?"

"It's not my fault. Paula…It was Paula. I never asked her….She did this all on…It wasn't my fault."

She glared at him, and started to speak, but her phone rang again. She answered it and talked briefly.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Body drop."

"Oh."

"Castle, I did think about it. Are you coming, or what?"