616. Chapter 616

After A Rose for Everafter

Episode 2.12

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle now and for everafter. Rating: K Time: See above.

She watched the two of them talk in the office. Castle played the tape recording of Sophia and Greg for her. Kate was glad they could do that for her. It showed Kyra how much her fiancé and soon-to-be husband loved her. She also felt an odd sense of something else. Relief? She thought. Why would I feel relief? Greg and Kyra getting married means she won't be seeing Castle. If the two of them were together, he might not have time to be my partner. I know Castle isn't totally the empty headed playboy I first thought him to be. He's my partner and in some ways he's a friend. He's a valuable asset to my team. I wouldn't want to lose that. If I were Castle's girlfriend or wife I wouldn't want him hanging around with another woman, especially not doing something dangerous like police work. Beckett suddenly frowned. If I were Castle's wife? Where did that come from? Okay, it's just a hypothetical situation. Like with us "pretending" to be married for the Melanie Cavanaugh murder. I didn't handle that too professionally. Trying to put yourself in the mind of the killer is what we do all of the time. And it's not just hypothetical. There were police wives who didn't want their husbands working with me or any other attractive woman and certainly no cop's wife enjoys the thought of her husband being in danger. I just over reacted to the idea of being Castle's wife. That's all.

She was pulled back to reality by the sight of Kyra leaning in to kiss Castle. But she just kissed his cheek and then left. Kate quickly grabbed a file so that it didn't look like she had been snooping. I was not snooping. Castle is a member of my team. If he's involved with an almost married woman, that could complicate things. That's all it is.

Kyra smiled at her and softly said, "He's all yours."

"Pardon?" Kate said, before she realized she'd said anything.

"Rick. He's all yours."

Beckett quickly shook her head. "Castle has no interest in me at all. Other than as a source for his books, of course. None."

Kyra looked at her thoughtfully for a moment. "Can we go have coffee or something?"

Kate smiled. "I have work to do." She said tapping the file in front of her.

"Don't you find it harder to read upside down?"

Kate looked down and blushed. "Coffee it is."

She led Kyra to the breakroom and made coffee for the two of them.

"I told you that Rick only dedicates his books to people he really cares about."

Beckett shrugged. "I suppose I am an important source of information about the NYPD, how a homicide team works, and such."

"People that he really cares about." Kyra repeated, emphasizing the word "cares".

"Castle just doesn't feel that way about me. You've probably seen what he's been like the past twenty years. Two failed marriages and a string of girlfriend who show up on Page Six regularly."

Kyra nodded and smiled. "I knew Rick for six or eight months before we ever started dating. He dated a lot of women during that period. I asked a guy I knew if Rick just went with a girl long enough to get her into bed and then dumped her."

"That sounds like Castle."

"It's not what he was like at all. My friend told me that Castle was looking for someone special and that he was pretty good at figuring out whether a girl was the one or not. He said that Rick didn't sleep with most of the girls he dated because he broke up with them too soon. They weren't the one."

Kate thought about that for a minute. "That's interesting, if true."

Kyra laughed. "Always the cop, I guess. Don't take anyone's word for it."

"We find it works best that way."

"Anyway, when Rick first asked me out, I decided to see for myself whether Rick was just looking to get a girl in bed as quickly as possible, or if he really was looking for someone special. I told him right off that I was very, very particular about who I slept with and that he might never get more than a good night kiss from me. That didn't seem to bother him, so I made him wait for three months before we went to bed. I wondered if he'd move on after we went to bed, but we stayed together for three years."

"Why did you break up?"

Kyra shook her head slowly. "I think I was too young for any kind of lifetime commitment. I still wanted to go out and set the world on its ear. I actually think Rick was more ready for marriage than I was. Anyway, about five or six years after we broke up, I heard that he got married. Her name is Meredith and she's…." Kyra stopped, not wanting to give her views on Castle's ex to a friend and colleague of his.

"I've met Meredith." Beckett said as neutrally as she could.

Kyra just nodded. "I don't imagine that you've followed Rick's career as a writer?"

Beckett just shrugged noncommittally. She didn't want to tell this woman how much of a fan she had been. And still was.

"I've kept up with his career. He spends as much time as needs with people to get the details of his novels straight. He's worked with gunsmiths, Border Patrol agents, police from a dozen or more countries, a number of intelligence people, all branches of the military, and even some criminals. And the longest he's ever stayed with one expert is, maybe two months. He's been with you for what, nine months? And he's not just following you around and getting information. He's actively working on cases with you, isn't he?"

Beckett shrugged. "Perhaps he finds police work interesting rather than me."

Kyra smiled. "I don't think so, and I don't think you believe that either." She looked at Beckett closely.

"We're friends and co-workers." Was all Beckett would say.

"Well, you might try telling him that you're very particular who you sleep with and that he might never get more than a goodnight kiss from you and see how he reacts." Before Beckett could say anything, Kyra looked at her watch. "I really have to be going. I have a ton of things to do before the wedding. Thank you so much for your help in solving Sophie's murder. See you at the wedding." And Kyra was gone.

When she got back to her desk, Castle was waiting for her. "What did you two talk about?"

"Just girl stuff. Not for your ears."

"That's the sort of thing I want to hear." He said, pouting.

"You'll have to become a girl then."

"I don't want to hear it that bad."

Once Castle had left, Beckett thought about her conversation with Kyra. Castle is never going to be my one and done. I don't even know if I could have a one and done and do my job the way I want to. The way I have to. Still….She stopped herself. Still? What am I thinking of? Castle and me together? That's a sure way to get my heart broken.

Later, sitting with just a few people, watching Greg and Kyra get married, she knew she wanted the same. But with who?