798. Chapter 798

After A Deadly Game

Episode 2.24

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: I'd love to take the summer off and write with Kate Beckett, but…Rating: K Time: See above.

"What are you doing down here?" Lanie asked.

"Soaking up the atmosphere. I'm a writer, remember?"

Lanie laughed. "The atmosphere around here is full of embalming fluids and yucky things from dead bodies. You soak up this atmosphere and you're going to get sick."

"I'll take my chances." He said, laughing back. Then he got serious. "Besides, I wanted to give you something." He handed her an envelope.

Lanie opened it and her eyes widened. "Oh my god! The Parisian Spa? That's the most expensive spa in all of New York. Maybe in all of the country. Why are you giving this to me now?"

"I've decided that it's about time I left. I'm way behind on my book. My publisher is reading through some old Spanish Inquisition torture books to find something to do to me if I miss another deadline. I really have to get some work done, Lanie. Really."

"But you'll be back, right?"

"Sure, I'll drop by next fall some time and see everyone."

Lanie frowned. "You won't come back for Beckett?"

Castle laughed, although his heart really wasn't in it. "She's managed to solve murders before me and she'll be just fine. Besides, as she likes to remind me, I'm not a cop. I'm a writer. Besides, she'll have a new partner in no time."

"Who?"

"Demming, of course."

"Castle, he's a Robbery detective. Not homicide."

"Lanie, she's hardly been able to shove me out of the way fast enough to make room for Demming these last couple of cases. And now they're together."

"You make her laugh. She hardly did that before you came along."

He shook his head. "I'm a writer and very observant. I make her smile. Demming makes her laugh. I've seen it. And would you mind not mentioning this to Beckett? I want to keep it a secret until I give her, her going away present tomorrow."

"You have a present for her?"

He nodded. "Something she's wanted for the last year. I'm giving her a Castleless life. She'll be thrilled."

Lanie shook her head. "She really likes you, Castle. You know that, right?"

"And you know you're a hopeless romantic, right? I've seen how she is with me and how she is with Demming. There's no comparison. Just let me tell her tomorrow. You'll see I'm right. Okay?"

Lanie wasn't sure Castle was right, but she had no business getting between those two. "Okay."

Castle went upstairs to Roy Montgomery's office. "Can I talk to you in private for a sec, Roy?"

"Sure. Close the door. What is it? Is it about the case?'

"No. I wanted to give you something to thank you for all the help you've given me over the last year." He held out an envelope.

Roy took it and opened it. "A ticket for deep sea fishing on the Long island Maiden? Castle, I'm a public servant. I can't take this."

"Actually, you can. It's not for Captain Roy Montgomery, it's for my friend Roy. I checked this with my attorney. It's legal."

"Let me check on it myself, but thanks." He put the ticket in his pocket. "Why are you doing this?"

"I've missed the deadline for my next book. My publisher is going ballistic. I'm going to the Hamptons for the summer to write. This'll be my last case with the 12th. I really owe you guys, all of you. If not for you and Nikki Heat, I'd be dead."

"Have you told Beckett about this?"

"I'm going to tell her tomorrow. That's going to be her present. No longer having me around."

"You've been good for her, Castle. Don't think you haven't. She'll miss you."

Castle managed a laugh. "I'm sure your new Homicide detective will keep her happy."

"New detective? Did you hear something from One PP that I haven't? I've been trying to get some replacements for months."

"Oh, I'm sure Demming will be asking for a transfer to Homicide pretty soon. And I'm sure your top homicide detective will push you for it."

Roy frowned. "He's Robbery, not Homicide. There is a difference."

"I'll bet you that you'll get a request within a month. Maybe less. He's up here all the time anyway."

"I still doubt it, Castle."

"And would you not tell Beckett about my leaving. I'd like to surprise her tomorrow with the good news."

"Good news?" Roy looked at him quizzically.

"That she won't have to put up with me anymore. I'm sure she'll be thrilled."

"Castle I don't think…"

"Roy, it's been a good ride, but it's time for me to move on. Okay?"

Roy agreed against his better judgement.

Castle walked out and sat on Ryan's desk and motioned for Esposito to come over as well. "I have presents for you two." He handed them both envelopes.

"Your Knicks tickets? Floor seats? Who do you want us to kill?" Espo asked.

"No one. It's just my way of saying thanks for all the help you guys have given me. I really appreciate it."

Esposito was suspicious. "Why now, if you don't mind me asking?"

"I've missed the deadline for my next Nikki Heat book. My publisher is getting her attorneys ready to have me drawn and quartered, legally speaking, for breaking the contract. I've got to get away and write, so I'm headed for the Hamptons for the summer."

"But you'll be back in the fall." Ryan asked.

"I'll drop by to see you, don't worry."

"Wait. You mean you won't be coming back to be Beckett's partner?"

"She doesn't need two partners, guys. She has Demming now. I'm betting he'll be transferring to Homicide as soon as he can. And would you not tell Beckett this? I want to surprise her when I give her my going away gift to her tomorrow."

"What are you going her?"

"What she's wanted for so long. No me."

"I don't think she's going to be happy at all with that."Espo said, shaking his head.

"Come on, guys. I'm a big boy. I'll admit I have an ego, but I'm but blind or stupid. Beckett has wanted me gone from day one and even more so now that she's with Demming. Let me tell her, okay?"

Ryan and Espo talked to Lanie and decided that it was probably best to let Castle and Beckett work things out by themselves.

After Castle's going away party, Beckett went to see her best friend.

"Want to talk about it, Sweetie?"

Beckett shook her head, but talked anyway. "Here I complained so much about Castle's ego and mine is just as big. I'm so stupid."

"What does your ego have to do with anything?"

"I thought that the only reason Castle struck around was to get me into bed. Like Rickard Castle wants some cop that badly. Sure, why would Castle want a super model when he can have me?" She said sarcastically. "And then he walks out with his ex-wife. How could I have been so arrogant as to think he liked me at all? Especially after how I treated him."

"He does like you, Kate. You'd know that if you thought about it. He told me he wanted to give you something you'd really like as a going away present. All the no Castle you've ever wanted. And that's what you got."

"Wait! You knew Castle was leaving and you never told me?"

"Castle asked us not to tell you. He wanted it to be a surprise."

"It was one hell of a surprise. And who is "us?".

"Javier, Ryan and Captain Montgomery."

"And you never thought I'd like to know?"

"We thought you'd be happy. And you're with Demming now."

"Not anymore." She said as she left.

Kate went home and had some wine and thought. She decided that she would risk her heart again, but never with Richard Castle. If he ever came back.

The ride to the Hamptons had begun with an argument. Gina had demanded that he stay away from what she called "those cops" from now on and work on his book. After all, he was a writer and not a cop. Although Castle had no intention of ever doing more than dropping by for a short visit to the 12th, being told not to go back there had rubbed him the wrong way. He had made excuses and they had fought.

At least I'll have an incentive to write now. To avoid Gina's arguments. He thought. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.