360. Chapter 360

After Heartbreak Hotel

Episode 4.08

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: Since my baby left me, I still don't own Castle. Rating: K+ Time: See above.

Charlie Turner was a very happy man. The ten million dollars he'd borrowed from Tommy Moretti had been repaid and the murder of his partner had been solved.

"Mr. Castle, detectives, I can't thank you enough. Please, feel free to be my guests here at the Sapphire until you have to go back to New York. Whatever you want or need, it's on the house."

Castle smiled and looked at Ryan and Esposito. "Thanks, Charlie. In fact, Detective Ryan here is getting married soon and we were sort of afraid he wouldn't get the kind of a bachelor party we'd really want him to have. But now…"

"We'll have a bachelor party for the ages. Absolutely legendary." Espo said, getting a faraway look in his eyes.

"That sound great." Kate Beckett said.

"What?" Castle gasped.

Kate turned and stared sharply at Castle. "Mr. Turner clearly said that he was thanking you and the detectives. Did he not? And am I not a detective? So, I'm assuming that I was included in his offer." Kate turned to Charlie Turner. "Well?"

Charlie was not going to get involved in this. "Of course." He quickly checked his watch. "If you'll excuse me, I have a meeting." He walked away from the four.

"Um, Beckett…" Castle began.

"What?"

"This is a bachelor party. Bachelor parties are, um, they're a chance for the soon to be groom and his friends to have, um, some fun."

"And I'm sure that Kevin will want me to be able to report back to Jenny that you all had a wonderful time at Kevin's bachelor party."

"Jenny?" Ryan said, his voice rising. "Of course. We all want Jenny to know that I had a wonderful time."

Castle wasn't done yet. "Beckett, you know that bachelor parties are traditionally men only."

Kate raised an eyebrow. "Are you telling me that you, a man who has been married twice, and has had, I'm assuming, two bachelor parties, didn't have any women at them?"

Castle tried to think of a good answer to that. I don't think this is a good time to be regaling Beckett with stories of the wall-to-wall strippers I had at my bachelor parties. She might not understand. Worse, she would understand. He decided to try another tack. "But it's traditional that it's just the groom and his male friends."

"Traditional? Is there some sort of secret male code of conduct that I can tell Jenny about to explain why I wasn't able to tell her how Kevin's bachelor party went?"

Ryan caved in. "Actually, I think having Beckett here at the party is a good idea."

Esposito glared at his partner. "Bro? Are you serious?"

"What did I tell you about not starting a marriage with a family feud?" Castle said under his breath. He turned to Beckett. "So, anyone have any ideas on where to start?"

"I think dinner is in order. I hear the dining room here is wonderful."

Castle offered Kate his arm and they headed for the dining room, followed by a pair of grumpy detectives.

"I can't believe you invited Beckett to your bachelor party." Espo growled.

"In case you weren't listening, I didn't exactly invite her. She invited herself. And I'm not going to have Beckett talking to Jenny about what she didn't see at my bachelor party. Jenny has too good an imagination. With Beckett at work and Jenny at home, I'd never hear the end of it." Kevin shuddered. "The mind boggles."

"I'm going to have to have a talk with your half-brother-on-law, half best man. Maybe we can salvage something resembling a real bachelor party out of this."

"Really?" Ryan shot back. "What exactly will you suggest to a sixteen year old mathlete? A fun evening of video games, Diet Cokes and Mentos and, oh, how about a Mythbusters marathon?"

"I am never letting you get married again." Espo said disgustedly.

"That's the idea."

The four were seated at once in the dining room and again advised that everything was on the house. Kate ordered an expensive white wine while Castle suggested the men drink Scotch, starting with Talisker and working their way through Laphroaig, Glenfiddich, to the lesser known fine Scotches.

A blonde waitress came over, smiled and, leaned over, coming perilously close to having her boobs fall out of her blouse. "I understand this is a bachelor party? Well, let me know if there's anything I can do. Anything at all." Her eyes lit on Kate, who she hadn't really noticed before. She didn't appear part of the entertainment, so who was she? "Oh! Are you the bride? My, you must be quite liberal."

Kate smiled at her. "No. These are members of my team."

"Team? Um, what sport do you play?"

"We're all New York Police detectives. Homicide."

The waitress stood up, eliciting a groan from Espo. "You're all cops?" Her smile faded. "How nice. Would you care to look at the menus for a bit?" Without waiting for a reply. She walked off.

Kate hid her smile behind the menu. I sort of hate to do this to Espo and Castle, but Ryan is so much in love with Jenny that he'd never enjoy the kind of bachelor party the other two would want. Come to think of it, I'm not the least bit sorry that I'm keeping Castle from some sort of stripper friendly bachelor party.

Castle looked at his menu, not really noticing it. Oddly enough, a bachelor party with Kate Beckett is a lot better than anything I'd have with just us three guys. No doubt about it, I'm in love with her. I just wish I knew exactly how she felt. I hope that she meant that when she was able to have the kind of relationships she wanted, that the relationship would be with me. Somehow marriage isn't so terrifying any more. Now there's a thought I never thought I'd think.

Esposito was somewhere between mad and sad. I break up with Lanie and then I get a chance to really cut lose in Atlantic City, home of more hot showgirls than anyplace this side of Las Vegas and what do I get? Ryan punks out on me. I will never, ever, let Ryan forget about this. But, there's no reason I can't sneak away after dinner and have some fun on my own.

Kevin Ryan knew he'd never be able to thank Beckett openly. Esposito and Castle would never let him live it down. Hell, Beckett would never let him live it down. I'll just tell her thanks for everything sometime at the wedding. Speaking of weddings, what's going on with Castle and Beckett? They both broke up with someone and they're still not together. Someone ought to give those two a shove in the right direction. Someone else, maybe.

Kate put her menu down. "I think the Kobe beef and lobster tails looks good. I've always wanted to try that."

"I recommend it." Castle added. Both detectives nodded in agreement;

And so Kevin Ryan's bachelor party began.

Much, much, much later.

"How did you like your after the wedding bachelor party?" Kate asked.

"It's kind of non-traditional to have your bachelor party after the wedding, but I really enjoyed it."

"How were the strippers? Did you enjoy them?"

"Absolutely! The redhead was fantastic. The way she wrapped those long legs around me….Wow!"

"You looked like you were enjoying yourself. How about the brunette?"

"The one with the great boobs? I loved those! They were the best." Castle got a faraway look in his eyes.

"Not the blonde? I thought you looked like you were enjoying her the most."

Castle nodded. "You're right. The blonde was the complete package. Perfect."

Kate smiled. "So, should we invite her back?"

"Do you think she'd come back?" Castle asked, getting excited.

"I know she will." Kate got off of their bed and began putting the blonde wig on. "Are you ready for your strip tease?" She asked huskily.

"But you don't have any clothes on."

"Well, I'm sure we can think of something."