1045. Chapter 1045

Castle came out of the bathroom dressed in jeans and a tee shirt.

"Castle, what is this?" She held up the DVD case for him to see.

"Just what it says it is. The producer's cut of Forbidden Planet."

She shook her head. "This is one of the most influential science fiction movies ever made. It's one of my favorites. There is not, and never has been, a producer's cut."

"But there it is in your hand."

"Castle…"

He held up his hands in mock surrender. "Let me explain. Several years ago Monarch Films wanted to do a Derrick Storm movie. They were hoping for a franchise like the James Bond films. I flew to LA to talk to them. The project fell through. A third of the suits wanted a slick Bond-like film filled with gadgets and girls. Another third wanted a gritty, cynical film, something like The Spy Who Came in from the Cold. The others wanted a Bond parody, like Woody Allen's Casino Royale."

"That explains nothing."

"Stay with me. There I met a producer named James Lawrence. We were both big fans of science fiction and we got to talking. He told me that when he was at MGM he found that the studio had a whole bunch of outtakes, scenes that ended up on the cutting room floor, scenes shot from different angles, blooper reels and more for the movie. He got a film editor and they cut and spliced the original film with the unused material. He was nice enough to make me a copy. Would you like to watch it?"

Kate knew, absolutely knew, that she should decline, get her clothes, go home and never see Richard Castle again. "Of course." She found herself saying.

"Good! I'll make some popcorn, get a bowl of M&Ms. Say, how about some chocolate chip cookies? They're the soft kind. And some lemonade? Or would you like more coffee?"

By the time ten minutes had passed, Castle had enough munchies out for an entire theater full of people. Then he started the movie. It wasn't really any different from the movie she'd seen dozens of times, just some extra scenes giving the main characters background, and some scenes of the special effects which were spectacular for the mid-1950s, but dated now. There were also scenes where things went wrong: Robby the Robot bumped into scenery or actors; an actor accidentally said Anne Francis's line, and one hilarious scene where all the actors completely lost their place in the script and just ad libbed.

Then it was over.

"Thanks for showing it to me. It was…spectacular." Kate said.

"So, you like classic films?"

"I love them."

"The Angelica is having a special matinee today. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre and To Have and to Have Not. Do you want to go see them? They won't be showing them again until who knows when."

Thank you, Castle. I really must go. Was in her mind. "I'd love to." Was what came out of her mouth. "Um, but I really should go home and change clothes."

"No problem. Your clothes are dry now and I can drive you home. You could put a few things in a bag for the rest of the weekend."

That is not going to happen. She thought to herself.

Forty minutes later Kate very self consciously put an overnight bag into the trunk of Castle's car and got in.

"Have you ever eaten at Angelo's?" He asked. "It's a deli not even a block from the Angelica. We have time for a quick lunch."

"Sure. I've eaten there a hundred times."

Beckett enjoyed the lunch and the two films. Once back at Castle's loft they sat at the kitchen island.

"So, Castle, as a writer, do you have any idea who B. Traven was?"

"Ah!" He said with a smile. "One of the greatest pictures of the middle twentieth century and no one knows who wrote the book it was based on. And I don't know who B. Traven was, or if he existed."

Kate raised an eyebrow. "Oh, come on, Castle. You have no idea?"

He shrugged. "I have two ideas of whom I'd like it to be."

"Tell."

"The writer in me wants it to be some hack Hollywood writer who's made his living writing awful B-grade movies. He's overweight, balding and drinks too much, but somehow, he manages to write one great book. However, the studio heads are aghast that this loser is going to be associated with a great movie. They make up the name B. Traven and tell him that if he ever lets on that he wrote the book they'll bury him. He agrees, takes their money and drinks himself to death."

"That sounds like the plot to a Richard Castle novel." Kate teases.

"Hey, it does. Let me write it down."

"Not before you tell me what your other idea is."

"It's obvious. B. Traven was the real life Fred C. Dobbs. They say that everyone has one good novel in them, so Fred, who went to Mexico to seek his fortune, makes a fortune gold prospecting, loses it and almost gets killed and heads back to the US where, over the years, he writes the book. Since he is Fred C. Dobbs, whom Bogart called the biggest shit he ever played, Dobbs wanted to remain anonymous."

Kate shook her head. "They both sound like they're from a Richard Castle novel."

"Maybe someday, but would you like to order out for some Thai?"

"I'd love to."

They talked about many things over dinner and for long after. Then Beckett took his hand and led him to the bedroom. He began to undo the buttons on his shirt.

"No. Tonight I'm going to do all the work. You just stand by the bed."

He did so and Beckett took off his shirt and tee shirt, the kissed his chest and licked his nipples. She then squatted and took off his shoes and sox. She undid his belt and unzipped his pants, allowing them to drop to the floor. He stepped out of them. Then Kate pulled down his boxers. She gave him a kiss and stood up. "On the bed, Rick. On your back."

Kate stood at the end of the bed and began to slowly take off her blouse, undoing one button after the other, very, very slowly. She dropped the blouse to the floor, then reached behind her to unhook her bra. When she did so, she quickly turned around and only then let the bra fall. She looked over her shoulder at Rick and smiled, then blew him a kiss. She kicked off her shoes and then undid her own pants. They joined the other clothing on the floor. Still facing away from Castle, she bent over and pulled off her stockings, eliciting a moan from Rick. Finally, she pushed her panties down over her hips and deliberately threw then on top of the curtain valence.

"Ready?"

"I've never been more ready." He said, his voice thick with lust.

She hopped on the bed next to him and began kissing him with her mouth open. She quickly moved down to his chest, then his flat stomach and stopped just below his belly button.

"Beckett?" He croaked. "What are you doing?"

"Just trying to decide what to do next." She waited a beat and added. "I remember what I wanted to do."

To Castle's misery she began kissing the inside of his thighs. He reached for her, but she moved out of his way. "Rick, I'm doing all the work tonight."

'Well, excuse me, but I feel like I'm the one being worked on."

Kate giggled and moved forward a bit so she could take him into her mouth. She stayed very much in control, bringing him almost to a climax and then stopping. She kept this up until he was begging her for release. She smiled and swung her leg over his hips and impaled herself upon him. They had both reached such a pitch that they both found their release in minutes. She collapsed on top of him.

"Detective Katherine Beckett, you are an evil woman." He gasped.

She started to get up. "Oh, well, if I'm that bad, I should just leave."

He quickly grabbed her and pulled her back. "You can't go. It's my turn to be in charge." And in the next hour he treated her just as she had treated him.

The next day was a lazy day. They talked, they made love, they ate, they made love, and they talked.

In bed, Rick pulled her close to him. "Beckett, I need to talk to you about something."

She ran her hand over his chest. "Don't worry. I know. You're Richard Castle and I'm just some cop. I'll be gone before you wake up."

"No. I want to see more of you."

She looked down at her nakedness. "If you do, you'd better have an X-ray machine handy."

"Do you know why I killed Derrick Storm off?"

Kate was surprised by the change of subject, but replied. "No."

"He wasn't any fun to write anymore. It was just like work to write Derrick Storm."

She laughed. "Oh, poor Rick Castle. Having to work like he was a cop or something."

"I'm serious. When that happens, the writing becomes trite and formulaic. Boring even. If the author isn't having fun, the reader isn't either. Pretty soon people are asking, "What happened to Rick Castle? He used to be such a good writer." I've seen it happen with other writers. They just keep writing the same stuff, but it's no good anymore."

"Okay. I guess I've seen that, too."

Castle continued. "So, I killed off Derrick Storm and I sat down to write. Nothing happened. Nothing came to me. No characters, no plots, no nothing. That went on for months. Then something happened."

"What?"

"I met you and all of a sudden I had all sorts of ideas, plots, characters, names, everything. Ever since I met you, whenever we weren't together, I was writing something down. Even at the precinct when you'd be away talking to Montgomery or whoever, I'd be scribbling in my notebook."

"How can I help you?" She was puzzled as to where this was going.

"I want to follow you around, just like I did on the Tisdale case."

She shook her head. "Castle, that'll never happen. You got to help me on the Tisdale case because you had special knowledge. That wouldn't apply. The NYPD would never allow it."

"Let me worry about the NYPD. Would you be okay with it?"

Kate was about to say no, but reconsidered. Castle had been a help and she had seen a side to him that she liked that she hadn't seen before. Why ruin their relationship when it was coming to an end anyway?

"Okay, but two things. One, you do as I tell you. No more Lone Ranger. Got that?"

"Yes, Kemo Sabe."

Kate rolled her eyes. "And, after tonight you are not to try, in any way, to have sex with me. I can't have you trying to grope my ass in the middle of a bust." She was positive he'd argue that one, but he agreed promptly. Shit! She thought. I didn't think that one through. Of course, he's not interested in me anymore. He's gotten his conquest and now he can go back to the bimbos he's used to.

Kate went back to work on Monday convinced she'd seen the last of Richard Castle. It had been kind of fun. She thought.

On Tuesday she was surprised to see Castle coming toward her in the bullpen. "Castle, what are you doing here?"

"Getting ready to follow you around."

"You can't just come in here and follow me around. The NYPD has to approve this. That'll take weeks. Months even."

"No. I just called up Bob."

"Bob?" She demanded.

"Bob Weldon, the mayor. I'm sure you've heard of him. He's been in all of the papers. He thought it was a great idea. The Police Commissioner always thinks the Mayor's ideas are great. And the Police Chief always like ideas that are both the Commissioner's and the Mayor's. And here I am."

"Castle, you can't follow me around."

"Why not?" He asked, somewhat puzzled.

"I won't let you, that's why."

"But you said it'd be okay."

"I didn't think the NYPD would ever let you do this."

"So you lied to me? Whose fault is that, then?"

"You can't do this!" She said firmly.

"Then I suggest you go tell Captain Montgomery that you won't follow his orders. Then he and you can go to the Chief of Police…You know, this could take weeks, even months."

"Hey, Beckett. We got one to roll on. Grab your new partner and let's go." Esposito called.

"Can I drive?" Castle asked, smiling as Beckett stood and gathered her things.

"No!"

To be continued in After A Chill Goes Through Her Veins.