637. Chapter 637

After Murder Most Fowl

Episode 3.08

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: No foul, no Castle. Rating: K+ Time: See Above.

"No."

"Please?"

"No, Castle. Absolutely not. Don't even think about it."

"Why not?" He was pouting. She knew he was pouting without even looking at him.

"I will not, repeat, not, put out a BOLO on a rat. This is New York. Do you have any idea how many rats there are in the city?"

"But there's just one Theodore. Alexis lost Ashley's pet rat while ratsitting. We thought that we found him the other day, but Martha screamed so loud, it scared Theodore away. We haven't seen the little fellow since."

"What part of no don't you understand?"

"Ashley seems to be taking it well, but he's a guy. We guys are stoic and don't show our feelings."

Not just the guys, Castle. Beckett thought. I wonder what things would be like if I could simply show my feelings like everyone else? I could tell Castle…No! I am not going to go there. I have a boyfriend. He's in Africa, but he's my boyfriend. And Castle is with Gina, who's at a publisher's convention in LA, but he's still with her. Damn that man! What is it about him that makes me think these things?

"Alexis, though, is very upset. She feels responsible. Although it's not her fault."

"She didn't force him to escape, Castle. Or did she allow Theodore to fashion a gun out of a bar of soap and some shoe polish and bluff his way out?"

Castle smiled. "Oh, how very Woody Allen. You know, from Take the Money and Run?"

Kate smiled, happy that she was still facing away from him so he couldn't see her. "Actually, that was John Dillinger back in the Thirties who made a fake gun to break out of jail."

"It's just I've always tried to be there for Alexis whenever I can, and she feels so bad and I can't do a thing."

I know how much Castle loves Alexis. He was very upset about Tyler Donegal's kidnapping. Tyler is just a few years younger than Alexis. And the best thing about Castle is how good he is with Alexis. If he was just that way all the time, I'd really feel…No. No. No. I cannot think that way. But…

"Look, Castle, Theodore has got to be in you loft, so I'll come over to your loft tonight and help you and Alexis search for him, okay?"

"Alexis is at a sleepover tonight and Martha is seeing a friend's play in Boston."

Kate only thought for a second. I know Castle well enough to know he isn't going to try to grope me or anything. "Fine. I'll come over after dinner."

"Why not come for dinner. You could use a home cooked meal instead of the endless take out you eat. Steaks?"

It had been a long time since she'd had a really good steak. "Oh, why not. What time?"

Kate stopped by her apartment to change into something suitable for rat hunting and went straight to Castle's loft. He opened the door almost as soon as she rang the bell.

"Hi, how would you like your steaks cooked?"

"What kind are they?"

"Kobe beef filet mignon."

"Castle! You didn't have to do that for me."

He shrugged. "I like good steaks and they were in the freezer, so I'm cooking them. Would you like some lobster, too? Surf and turf?"

"No. Just the steak is fine."

Castle poured her a glass of red wine and busied himself in the kitchen. When dinner was over, she had to admit that it was the best steak she'd ever had. There was a time when I would have thought that Castle was trying to bribe me with expensive steaks to get me into bed. I know better now. Castle is just naturally generous. He wants people to be happy. He wants me to be happy. He wants…Dammit! Why do I keep thinking like that?

"Shall we go rat hunting, Detective? Hunt for a wascally wat?"

"Lead on, Mr. Fudd." Kate smiled at him.

"I'm positive he's upstairs. We can start in Alexis' room. I have a flashlight and a little three step stepladder up there already to search with."

Rick and Kate carefully went through Alexis' room, looking under the furniture and in all of her drawers. Kate got the ladder and began to search the top shelf in Alexis' closet. Castle came over to stand behind her.

"I don't need you to stand there." Kate said.

"Just in case you fall, I'll be here to catch you."

She turned to speak to him. "I'm not going to fall, Castle, so you can just…."Theodore chose that moment to run across Kate's shoulder, jump to the floor and run off. Kate's left high heel slipped off the step and she fell onto Castle knocking him to the ground, with her on top of him, face down.

"Are you okay?" They both asked, although Castle's voice was different.

He nodded. "Got the wind knocked out of me. Give me a second." He gasped.

Kate found that lying on top of Castle was getting to her. She felt her nipples stiffening and noticed that Castle's right arm was around her. She relaxed and rested her head on his shoulder. I should not be doing this. I should not. But somehow she was unable to force herself to move.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Fine. Just fine." Too fine. Too damn fine. I should not be stretched out on top of Castle, relaxing and getting comfortable like this. She decided she had to get up and started to rise, but her elbow slipped and she hit Castle in the stomach as she was getting up and fell right back on top of him.

"Hey, you don't have to hit me. I'll get up." He still sounded short of breath.

"That was an accident. And you should stay there until you have your breath back."

He waited for a second and then took a chance. "You realize I'm enjoying this."

Kate froze. She couldn't think of a reply to make. I can't tell him I'm enjoying this, too. And I can't be snarky and tell him this is as much enjoyment as he'll get from me. He is my friend and a good man and I'm too nasty to him as it is and I should be nicer to him. And, crap! He's doing this to me again.

"Beckett, we have company."

She closed her eyes. Oh, crap. All I need is for Alexis or Martha to come home and find me on top of Castle in Alexis' bedroom. They'll think I'm some kind of a pervert. She steeled herself and while preparing excuses that sounded pathetic to her, looked around. There, staring at them were two red, beady rat eyes. Theodore!

"Okay, Castle, let's try to get up really slowly." But as soon as they moved, Theodore ran. However, no mere rat was capable of escaping from the combined forces of Detective Kate Beckett and her intrepid partner, Rick Castle. Within an hour, Theodore was back in his cage.

Castle helped Kate on with her coat. "Thank you, Beckett. Theodore was good, but were better. The Mounties always get their man, but we always get our rat."

Kate smiled. "I just hope Alexis and Ashley appreciate what we did for them and for Theodore."

"I'll make sure they know that we risked our lives facing down a cunning and deadly stepladder."

Once in the elevator, Kate leaned against the back wall. I am attracted to Castle. I'm very attracted to Castle. What the hell do I do now?