136. Chapter 136

After Secret Santa, Again

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: If I said I owned Castle, everyone would go, "Ho, ho, ho!" Rating: K+ Time: Christmas future.

Author's note: If you read the first After Secret Santa, chapter 48, you'll find that Rick suggested combining Caskett's two Christmas traditions by having a party at the precinct for Christmas. This is the story of that Christmas.

"Mr. Castle, I don't always approve of your ideas. You do have a tendency to go overboard, but I must say that this was a wonderful Christmas party. I'd like to thank you on behalf of the entire precinct. And I'd like to add my personal thanks."

Castle was certain he must be hallucinating, or perhaps one of Santa's elves had put something in his Christmas punch, for Gates to praise him so. However, he just nodded and smiled. "Thank you, sir. I've wanted to do something for the entire precinct for some time now, and I'm glad I had this opportunity." I even managed to be civil to Demming. But then again he's in a relationship and spent all of his time with his girlfriend. I hope she breaks his heart.

"Bro, this is the best Christmas party ever."Espo clapped him on the shoulder. "And we've got enough food left over to feed us for a week." He lowered his voice, "Too bad that a certain senior officer, who shall remain nameless…"

"But who goes by the name of Captain Grinch." Castle added.

Espo nodded. "…nameless, decided against letting us have a beer or two at the party."

"If you drop by Chez Castle a but later, I might be persuaded to let you and Lanie have a little sip or twelve."

"How about me and Jenny?" Kevin Ryan asked over Espo's shoulder.

"Please. Kate and I would love to have you there."

"Thanks, Castle. But there's someone else who could use a little Christmas cheer, which I know you have in your jacket pocket, and something to eat."

Castle self-consciously touched his jacket pocket. "Who would that be?"

"Westside Wally is in holding. Drunk and disorderly, although he's sober and quite mellow right now. We gave him a shower earlier and steamed his clothes. I doubt if he's been this clean in years. And he has been a help to us in the past, so I thought we might…"

"Say no more." Castle said. "I'll make up a plate for him and wrap a couple of sandwiches for him for later. I'll even let him have some of, um…the good stuff."

"I'll go with you, bro. Westside can be a help, but he can also be one hell of a problem, especially when he's off his meds."

Castle spoke to Kate and made up a plate of food for Westside and headed off to the holding cells.

"Westside! Ho, ho, ho! I have something for you. Have you been a good boy?" Castle said in his very best Santa voice.

"Fuck off, Columbo." Westside said in a friendly voice.

Castle smiled. "I suppose I could. Perhaps I can find someone down here who'd like a drink of my Scotch." He held up his silver hip flask and shook it, the slosh of the Scotch making music to Westside's ears.

"Bless you!" He cried. "You're a true Christian gentleman."

LT unlocked the cell and Castle handed Westside a plastic cup of Scotch. Westside downed it in one gulp. "May I have more, sir?"

Castle sighed and poured another cup. Westside drank it more slowly this time. "And don't worry, Rockford. I'll never tell anyone about you and Beckett."

Castle's eyes widened in shock. "Me and Beckett? We're just partners, Westside. Partners. And friends. Nothing more. Nothing at all. We're, you know…Friends."

Westside smiled happily, "Just friends, Starsky. That's the word. Just friends. I'll never tell Gates that she's living with you." Westside held out his now empty cup. Castle filed it up again.

"At least take the food. All that Scotch on an empty stomach isn't good for you."

Espo moved into the cell and knelt by Westside. "And telling tales on my friends isn't good for you either. Understand?"

"My lips are sealed, Baretta. You can take that to the bank."

Espo walked out of the cell and then looked more carefully at the cell next to Westside's. "LT! What the hell do we have a pregnant woman in holding for?"

"Detective, it's the best we can do. The Tombs is no place for a pregnant woman and the hospital prison cells are full with people who really need medical care right now. She doesn't."

"Please, sir. Let us stay here for the night. My wife is better off here. Please." This from a man in the next cell.

"Who are you?" Espo asked.

"Jose Serrano, sir. This is my wife, Maria."

"Why are you in here?"

"They wouldn't let Maria into the homeless shelter. They said they had no facilities for a pregnant woman. We were hungry and cold. I am ashamed, but I tried to steal food for us. The store owner grabbed me and Maria attacked him. She was only defending her husband, sir. Please do not send her to jail."

"I'm not the one to decide…" Espo began. He was interrupted by Maria shrieking and a splashing sound.

"Her water's broken." Castle yelled, having been through this before. "Get Lanie down here at once."

Javier called Lanie and explained what had happened. In minutes, Lanie and Kate were in holding, only to find Rick doing his best to calm Maria down.

"Okay, Writer Boy, I'm here. Let me do my thing."

The delivery was reasonably uncomplicated and in a half an hour Lanie announced. "It's a boy."

Castle could see Captain Gates standing in the background, helping to keep the curious back. "Sir, do we really need to keep them in the cells? We could let her sleep on the couch in the break room." Gates frowned and Castle quickly added. "It is Christmas, after all." Gates sighed and nodded to LT.

Much later that night Kate and Rick snuggled together in their bed. "Everything worked out fine for Jose and Maria. The store owner came in to pick them out of a line up, but couldn't identify them. We had to let them go. Oddly, the store owner seemed to be smiling at you when he left." Kate said.

"People smile at me all the time. I'm the sort of person that people smile at. Just as Gates attracts frowns."

Kate rolled her eyes. "And somehow they managed to find enough money to afford a hotel for a day or two and still have enough money for a plane ride to Florida where they have relatives. How do you suppose that happened?"

"The lottery?" Castle said innocently.

"And they named their son Jesus Ricardo Serrano."

"A very traditional Catholic name, if you're Hispanic."

"And your explanation for all of this is?"

"Why, Detective Beckett. Isn't it obvious?"

"Enlighten me."

"It's the Christmas miracle. Joseph and Mary find no room at the inn, but find shelter in a…someplace else. They have a child named Jesus."

"And they run into a wise man who gives them, not myrrh, frankincense and gold, but an alibi and some traveling money?"

"Why, Detective Beckett! So you think I'd pervert the course of justice?"

"Yes. And I love you, Mr. Pervert."

"I love you, too. Merry Christmas. Should we try a more interesting perversion?"

"I thought you'd never ask."