482. Chapter 482

After the Final Nail

Episode 3.15

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: Without Richard Castle, I'm…Me, not owning Castle. Rating: T Time: See above.

"Liar." Kate said and swatted him with her elbow as they walked towards the nearest bar. They had no sooner sat down than Kate got a text on her phone.

"Damn." She muttered.

"The precinct?" Castle asked, concerned.

"No. Josh. He's busy. He can't see me tonight. Looks like I'm all yours tonight, Castle.

Rick smiled at her. I wish. If only Beckett were all mine. I'd see her every day and every night, but that's never going to happen. Not in this lifetime. "I'll try not to be too big of a bother."

She shook her head. "You're no bother, Castle."

He gave her a speculative look. "Are you sure? I seem to remember you sending me home from a case, when was that?" Castle did his best to look puzzled, then smiled. "Yes, just a couple of days ago when I did my best to interfere with your investigation. Doesn't that constitute just a bit of a bother?"

Beckett did her best to appear to be deep in thought. "No, because you were right. Damien Westlake didn't kill his wife. And you did prove he orchestrated his father's murder. That's what I call a win, Castle, and not a bother."

"Accepted." He hurriedly added, "In this case. I'm sure I bothered you before that."

Beckett shrugged. "Sometimes Espo bothers me, sometimes Ryan does, and sometime you do. But think of all of the times you helped me solve a murder. Wins, Castle. Wins."

They sat in the bar, Castle drinking Scotch and Beckett drinking wine for some time. At some point, Beckett reached over and put her hand on top of his. I'm holding his hand just like I did when he hurt it battering Hal Lockwood into unconsciousness.

Kate jumped slightly. There behind Castle was Josh, dressed in a suit and looking angry. "Josh, I thought you had to work?"

"The emergency turned out to be a false alarm. Some hypochondriac. What the hell are you doing here?" He said angrily.

"I'm having a drink with my partner." Beckett said, trying to calm Josh down.

"Having a drink with your partner? And holding his hand. What else were you planning to hold later?"

Kate pushed down the anger she was feeling. "There's nothing between Castle and me. He's my friend and my partner. That's it. And if I'm holding his hand it's because he injured it saving my life. And I do not want to have this conversation now and certainly not here." She turned to Castle as she stood up. "Castle, I'm sorry, about this but I have to…"

"You're apologizing to him?" Josh yelled. "What about me? We were supposed to have dinner tonight. I went to your precinct and talked your desk sergeant into pinging your cell phone to find you because I thought I was your boyfriend. But I guess what everyone says about those love scenes in those books is true. You're banging the writer and screwing me."

Castle shot to his feet. "That's not true. The sex scenes in the book are entirely from my imagination. There's nothing between Detective Beckett and me."

Before Josh could reply, Beckett interrupted. "Josh, I told you I'm not having this discussion with you. Now please go. We'll talk later."

Josh was getting red in the face. "Talk? Sure, let's talk. Every damn thing you talk about is about him! Castle had this idea, Castle found that evidence. Why don't we talk about how you're spreading your legs for Castle and probably the whole damned NYPD."

"Josh, get the hell out of here." Beckett said in a low, dangerous voice.

"Like, hell. You may be a whore, but you're my whore, not his. You're coming with me and doing what I say." He grabbed Beckett's arm and started pulling her away. She slammed the heel of her boot onto his instep and he let go of her arm, hopping on one leg and cursing.

Castle pushed his way between Beckett and Josh. "Josh you're over reacting. There is absolutely nothing…"

"You're right!" Josh yelled at Castle. "I am overreacting to a cheap, two bit whore who isn't worth my time. Go ahead, you dirty slut, go…"

Without him actually realizing it, Castle's hand smashed into Josh's nose. He fell down, blood pouring from his nose. "Call 911. He attacked me." Josh yelled.

Beckett pulled out her badge. "I'm a cop. There's no need to…"

Josh pulled out a cell phone and dialed 911 himself.

An hour later, Castle was in the holding cell at the 12th Precinct looking glumly at Beckett. "I'm sorry, Beckett. I never should have…"

"I'd have hit him myself, Castle, if you hadn't been in the way." She snapped.

He grinned. "I'm not sorry for hitting him. I'm sorry for getting in trouble and getting you in trouble. Josh is saying you attacked him, too. He wants your badge."

Beckett snorted in derision. "Fat chance." She smiled at Castle. "There was a security cam in that bar. I'm going to see what's on it. I'll be back.'

"Thanks, Terminator." Castle replied.

Beckett hadn't been gone for more than a few minutes when Ryan and Esposito came to see him.

"He called Beckett a whore to her face and you hit him, bro?"

"Yeah." Castle said.

"Just once?" Ryan said. "You should have left his face looking like hamburger."

Castle shook his head. "Look, as nice as it would have felt to have done that, now Beckett's in trouble. Josh says she attacked him and tried to keep anyone from calling the cops. He says it's a cover up. Look, guys, I can take care of myself. I've got lawyers, friends, I'll get a fine, or maybe some community service. No big deal. But Beckett's in trouble because of me. I feel like crap because of that. I never should have thrown that punch."

"Hang in there, bro. We'll see what we can do." And with that, Ryan and Esposito left.

The next morning, Kate came to get Castle. "Ready to go?"

"To my arraignment?"

She shook her head. "No, home. Josh dropped the charges." She opened the cell door.

Castle stayed put. "Beckett, whatever you had to do to get him to drop the charges, forget it. I won't let you do it."

Beckett laughed. "You have a very dirty mind, Mr. Castle. Actually, a few civic minded citizens looked into the matter and were lucky enough to interest the media in what happened." Beckett pulled a newspaper clipping out of her pocket. "Carolyn Short, columnist for the Ledger said, "While I normally have the utmost respect for Doctors Without Borders, the actions of Dr. Davidson, referring to a decorated homicide detective as "his whore" who will do what he says, is an insult to women everywhere. Dr. Davidson's attitudes belong in an earlier century…" And so on. The Village Voice also ran editorial. They weren't as nice to…That man, as the Ledger was. The security cam footage was also on the eleven o'clock news last night on several stations. It got some interesting comments. Josh decided this was all a misunderstanding."

Castle walked out of the cell. "Do these civic minded citizens have names?"

She shrugged. "They wish to remain anonymous. However, you could buy one of them breakfast." She walked down the hall and then looked over her shoulder. "You coming, Castle?"