701. Chapter 701

After And Justice for All

Episode 8.13

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: No tengo Castle. Rating: K Time: See above.

Castle walked into his office and was greeted by Alexis. "Hi, Dad. I'm afraid no femme fatales have come in wanting you to find a fabulous jeweled bird. But, here's looking at you, Dad." Alexis had said the last sentence with a not very Bogartesque lisp

"You're good. You're very, very good, Pumpkin." He lisped back, doing a slightly better Bogart. "Where's Haley?"

"She's out doing some surveillance on an insurance fraud case. Nothing you'd be interested. Neither Joel Cairo, Casper Gutman or even Signor Ugarte are involved."

Castle looked carefully around and then closed the door to the inner office. "Alexis, I'm going to have to take a little trip to LA. I don't want you to worry, okay?"

"Dad, how could I possibly not worry about you after hearing that? Are you serious?"

Castle took a deep breath. "I think I was in LA during part of the time I was kidnapped."

"What makes you think that?"

"I've recovered some memories of me in LA. But I'm just going to go out there and look around. I won't do anything dangerous. I swear."

Alexis looked at her father and slowly shook her head. "You couldn't avoid doing something dangerous on something like this if you tried. Will you at least take Beckett with you?"

Castle was taken aback. "Beckett? Why would I ask her to go with me? And why would she come? We're separated, remember?"

"Then why do I smell her perfume and her cherry body wash and shampoo in the loft? Why are both sides of your bed rumpled in the morning? Why are there two wineglasses, two dinner plates, two sets of silverware and two coffee cups in the dishwasher? Why did I find two champagne flutes in the dishwasher as yet unwashed, and one of them had Kate's shade of lipstick on it? Why do you somehow manage to insinuate into one 12th Precinct case after another if the Captain there doesn't want you around? And most importantly, why, after being so miserable for months are you suddenly so happy and content? Now why is that?"

Castle frowned. "Have you been spying on me?"

Alexis did manage a respectable eye roll. "Dad! You and Beckett haven't broken up. That's obvious to me, so why don't you tell me what's going on?"

He thought for a minute. "Okay, but this goes no farther, no matter what. Beckett is involved in a very dangerous case and she didn't want me involved for fear that it'd make me a target, too. So she faked a breakup. I thought it was for real for a while, but I eventually figured it out. But, we're still pretending apart because this really is dangerous. So, promise you won't tell anyone."

"I promise. But you can't go to LA alone. I'll have to go with your and maybe Haley as well."

"Alexis, I can't allow that. You know that."

Alexis smiled. "I seem to remember that you went to LA with Beckett after her old training officer got killed and she told you not to go. But you just happened to have business in LA. I suppose I might just look into opening an LA office for Richard Castle Investigations."

Castle and Alexis glared at each other. Eventually, Rick looked away. "I'll think about it."

"Thanks, Dad." She said with a smile.

Castle was a little worried when he got back to the loft. As it got later and later, he got more worried. Then he got a call from her.

"Castle, I'm next door. Is the coast clear? Can I come to the loft?"

"Absolutely."

In minutes he was holding his wife in his arms and kissing her. "What kept you so long?" He finally asked her.

"If you think the NYPD has too much paperwork, you have no idea what the FBI wants. They have forms you have to fill out to allow you to fill out forms. I thought I'd be there all night. But I'm home with you." She kissed him again.

"Um, we need to talk." He said.

"About LA?"

"And other things." He took a deep breath hoping Beckett wouldn't be too mad at him. "Alexis and Martha know we haven't broken up."

"You told them? Why?" She was shocked.

"I didn't tell them they figured it out. They found two sets of dishes and stuff in the dishwasher, and both sides of the bed are rumpled because I don't make the bed in the morning, but wait for the housekeeper. But most importantly, I was absolutely miserable when I thought you were really leaving me and since you came back, I've been happy. I love you, Kate. How could I not be happy to have you back?"

"You told them not to tell anyone, right?"

"Of course. Well, Alexis anyway. I haven't talked to Martha yet. But Alexis knows that what you're doing is dangerous. She'll never tell."

Kate relaxed. "Okay. I just hope Loksat doesn't figure it out as well."

"You know, we could just drop the whole separation thing. Be together, be Caskett, just like we used to be."

She slowly shook her head. "Do you remember what I told you when I came back? Losing you would kill me. I meant that. I can't go back to being what I was after my mom died. I can't do that. I won't. I love you too much. Your love is everything to me, Rick."

"I feel the same about you. Which is why I want to be there to watch your back. And your front is very watchable, too. And I can get in to trouble all on my own. You know that. We'd be better together."

She shook her head, but said, "Let me think about it, okay?"

He nodded. "Alexis wants to come with me and bring Haley to LA as well."

"Is that a good idea?" She said, frowning.

"She reminded me of how I followed you to LA against your wishes. They can both go to LA and I can't stop them."

"I don't know if I should feel bad because Alexis is involved in this, or good because someone will be with you."

"And I've been thinking about what I remember from LA. I remember walking around Koreatown all by myself. I think I was looking for someone or something. This may be two or three cases wrapped up in one long absence."

Kate led him to the couch and got a glass of wine for them both. "I guess it's too late to drink from the same glass." She tried to joke.

He took the wine. "I think I agreed to go to Thailand. Faux Jenkins convinced me that the CIA or someone needed me. The money drop for the car crushing, the trip to Canada, everything I can remember is like I was doing it of my own free will."

"What about LA?"

"I was walking around Koreatown on my own, I wasn't being held captive. I think I was looking for someone or something. Maybe it was Jenkins running another operation, maybe it was someone else. But something happened. I got shot. I think I escaped from the camp in Maine, at least the boat was shot up and…." He stopped and shook his head. "And maybe I have no idea what I'm talking about. Maybe Jenkins told me he'd kill you or Alexis or Martha or all of them if I didn't help him."

Kate stroked his cheek. "It's late. We should go to bed. Things may look clearer in the morning."

"Or not."

Javier Esposito looked at his partner, then at his captain, sitting in her office. There's no way Castle and Beckett are separated. He's always in the precinct with some excuse or another and she lets him stay. And they think I don't notice that they manage to sneak off to be alone. He smiled to himself. Castle and Beckett making out in the supply room? But, whatever's going on, they need people to think they're apart. He looked over at Ryan again. I can't tell Ryan. He's all emotional about the breakup and can't think straight. He's imagining what it'd be like if Jenny walked out on him. Beside, one thing I learned in Special Forces is that the fewer people who know a secret, the better. No. I'll just keep this to myself.

Kevin Ryan avoided looking at either Esposito or Beckett. I know how people in love act and think and move and Castle and Beckett are as much in love as they ever were. Esposito has never had a relationship that's gone past sex and he probably never will. He'll never figure this out. And whatever "this" is, it's important if they're both trying to make us think they broke up. So, I'll just keep this to myself. Safer that way.

Lanie Parish sat at her desk in the morgue. Castle and Beckett think they're so smart. Separated, my ass. I know her well enough to know she'd rather be dead than be without Castle. And they aren't even doing a good job of pretending to be apart. Well, they can fool Ryan and Esposito, they don't know Kate like I do. But, whatever the reason they're doing this for, it's important. So, I'll just keep this all to myself.