512. Chapter 512

After The Limey

Episode 4.20

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: Bloody hell, mate. I don't own Castle. Rating: M Time: See above.

Author's note: As with the last chapter I have felt that I had to make a few, hardly noticeable changes from the canon episode. You'll have to read this very carefully to find the changes.

When Castle saw Kate Beckett walking towards him in the evening gown, his jaw almost dropped. My god, but Beckett is beautiful. Just looking at her reminds me of all the things I'll never have with her. He thought. And I have to stop thinking about those things.

"Where are you two going?" Espo asked.

Colin Hunt smiled. "The British Consulate. There's a party there tonight and we're sure Nigel Wyndham will be there. We'll find something he's touched and get a match for the fingerprint found on Naomi's body. Then this will be over."

"I guess as Scotland Yard, you can just walk into these things." Ryan said.

Hunt shook his head. "There's no way I could get in. My accent isn't posh enough. But, as Sir Alfred Heath, I can walk right in. I'm told he's been invited but won't be coming."

Castle got a sinking feeling in his stomach. "Sir Alfred Heath? My height, but skinnier, with sandy hair going prematurely grey?"

"Right. Do you know him, mate?"

Castle nodded. "He's on the board of directors for Black Pawn, Ltd. That's the British branch of my publisher. And he will be there. He called me and invited me earlier but I said I had other plans."

"Bloody hell." He looked at Beckett. "If I can't go, then you can't go. Bloody, bloody hell!"

"But Castle can go." Beckett said quickly.

Castle hated the idea at once. "Go with you to a diplomatic function? Bor-ring."

"A woman was murdered, Castle. Do you think that maybe Naomi deserves a little of your time?"

Rick hated it, but he couldn't let Nigel Wyndham get away with murder, even if he did have to look at gorgeous Kate Beckett all night and feel all of that pain.

Castle made a call to Sir Alfred, went home and changed into his tuxedo and they drove to the Consulate in his Ferrari. Once inside, they discovered that Nigel Wyndham hadn't made an appearance yet. Kate pulled Rick out onto the dance floor.

"What are we doing here?" He asked.

"It's called dancing." She said, and put her arms around him. He's away from that damned blonde and he has his arms around me, even if he is staying as far away as he can. This'll work. I'm so damned close to being able to tell him how I feel. She took a step forward and pressed her body against his, resting her head on his chest and ran her finger along the back of his neck. This is what I want, Castle. Us together, just like this. I can and will make you forget all about that stewardess.

Castle's reaction was different. What the hell does Beckett think she's doing? She lies to me, she doesn't love me, and she's rubbing her body against me so that I'll get a real good idea of what I'll never have? I never have understood Beckett. She's so different than what I thought.

He pushed her away, harder than he intended. He saw the shock and hurt in her eyes, but ignored it. "There's Wyndham and I see Sir Alfred over in the corner." He walked away from her without another word.

Kate took a second to compose herself. Have I lost him? Is it too late? No, dammit. But first I have to see about getting Windham's prints.

Kate flirted with Wyndham and soon found herself dancing with him. She surreptitiously looked over at Castle who kept his back to her the entire time. Eventually, she managed to snag Wyndham's card case and told him she needed to go to the ladies room.

"Come on, Castle. I've got something." She said, taking his arm.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay? You looked like you were having a good time." He replied coldly.

She ignored the comment and walked to the car with him.

As they drove back to the precinct, Kate put her hand on his thigh and started running her hand up and down. Then she leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder. If I just grope him, he'll have to know that I care for him. I'll just slowly move my hand up…"

Castle slammed on the brakes and pulled up to the curb. "Beckett, do you think this is funny? Are you enjoying what you're doing to me? Is this a big fucking joke to you?" He said angrily.

She shook her head. Shit. This is worse than I thought. "Of course it's not a joke. I…I thought you'd enjoy it."

"You have the most bizarre sense of humor that I can imagine, lady."

"What're you talking about?"

"Coming onto me. Pretending you feel something for me when we both know you don't."

"What? Of course I feel something for you. I feel a lot more than I've ever been able to tell you, but I do."

"Then why did you lie?" He snapped at her.

"Lie? What do you mean?"

"I heard you interrogate Bobby Lopez. I heard you admit that you remembered every fucking thing that happened that day."

Kate was stunned. She sat there desperately trying to figure out how to fix this.

Rick spoke before she could think of a way to do that. "I'm having a good time with Jacinda. I can't imagine that that would bother you, but I don't appreciate you being a cock tease with me. I'll take you back to the precinct and you can arrest Wyndham by yourself."

Castle closed his eyes, gripped the steering wheel forcefully and took several deep breaths. Then he heard the sound of a zipper. He looked over. Beckett had unzipped the back of her dress and was pushing it over her hips. Then she undid her bra and threw it on the floor of the car, followed by her panties. "Beckett, what the hell do you think you're doing?"

When she turned he could see the tears in her eyes. "You think I'm a cock tease, Castle? Well, I'm not. I'm showing you my body because I want you to know it's yours. My body, my heart, my mind and my soul. They're all yours if you want. I know I've fucked up terribly, but I will show you how I feel about you and I sure as hell feel more for you than anyone I've ever known.

Kate launched herself onto his lap, grabbed his hand and put it on her boob. "Yours, Castle. All yours. Any place, any time, any way. Stroke them, squeeze them, pinch them, use them any way you want." She pulled his other hand between her legs. "Feel that? I'm hot and wet for you. Just you. I want you now. Inside of me." She began to straddle him.

"No." He cried. "What are you doing?"

"Showing you how I feel. So you think I'd do this if I didn't have feelings for you?" She began kissing him.

He pushed her away. "Time out, Kate. Someone will see us." He looked around and saw only a couple standing outside a bar half a block away.

"I don't care. I want people to see us." She continued pushing herself down on him.

"Kate, you win. But not until we've talked about this. I want to know why you lied to me. I need to know first. Okay?"

Kate relaxed as he put her arms around her. "Okay." She whispered.

"Could you get dressed, honey?"

She smiled. "Did you call me honey?"

"Would you prefer sweetie, lover, dear, darling, what?"

"Anything you want is fine." She whispered, pulling on her clothes.

After a long and difficult, but successful night, they want back to Kate's apartment. She changed into a long tee shirt and made no effort to hide the fact that she had nothing on underneath it. She sat next to Castle, then put her head on his lap, letting him see her long, trim legs. "You know I've been a mess since my mother died. I built up those walls around me to keep from ever getting hurt again. But, what happened with Roy was more than even my walls could take. He was my mentor, Castle. He made me the cop I am today. I admired and respected him more than any other cop I've ever known. And then I found out he was involved in my mom's murder. Before I could even start to process that, he died. He died for me and made Evelyn a widow and left his children fatherless and I felt guilty. And I was shot and I died, although they brought me back. And you told me that you loved me."

"I could have picked a better time." He said.

She smiled. "We both suck at timing. "The smile faded. "And every time I tried to think about you saying you loved me, everything just came rushing back to me. Everything. Not just Roy and the shooting, but my mom's death and dad's drinking, the kind of person I became. "Kate was crying now. "Do you know that I was once fun and uncomplicated? Just like what you want?"

He stroked her hair. "Fun and uncomplicated it over rated. What I want is Kate Beckett. She may be a tiny bit complicated, but she can be fun. If she'll let herself be."

"So…We'll be lovers?"

"I prefer to say we'll be a couple. But lovers, too."

"You should punish me for what I did to you. Spank me? Hard? Tie me to the bed? Cuff my hands behind my back and use me any way you want?"

He shook his head. "I won't tell you I'm not angry and hurt about this. I could never punish you. You've already had too much pain in your life. And I have the feeling that you'll punish yourself about this, much worse than I ever could. Just don't go overboard. Okay?"

"Okay." She got up. "My bed?"

"Your bed."