20. Chapter 20

After A Deadly Affair, Again.

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: This is no more mine than it was before. Rating: K+ Time: If you have to ask….

Author's note: Yes, I know that the first fic I wrote in this series was also about A Deadly Affair. So?

Further Author's Note: See? This is what happens when you have a long list of fics that all begin with the word After, and you try to update in the early hours after watching the Olympics. This should have been posted before After Punked. On the other hand, this is fanfic, people. Read it in any order you want.

Kate Beckett sat at her desk, reviewing the events of the last few days. Someone suddenly sat down in Castle's chair. For a moment, she thought he must have come back, but it was Ryan.

"So Castle weaseled his way back onto our team?"

She stared at the Irish detective. She hadn't expected that. "What?"

"You should have just told him to move on. He doesn't belong here. Not with us. We did just fine without him."

"Look, Ryan, I made a deal with him. I let him stay to begin with because he already was involved in the case. It's easier to let him be on the inside than have him outside and going all rogue on us."

"That was a mistake. He was still a suspect. Just because his piece was a .38 and the killer used a .45, doesn't mean he wasn't involved somehow. You always say there are no coincidences in murder investigations. You should have kicked him to the curb."

Kate took a deep breath. "He was cleared and I told him he could stay if he figured out the connection between our vics before I did. He won the bet, he stays."

"Bullshit, Beckett. You had that figured out first. I know you did."

Beckett raised an eyebrow at Ryan. "Oh? So now you have ESP, Ryan? You can tell what a person is thinking? That'll come in handy. Now instead of having to do those interrogations, I can just have you read the suspects mind."

"The only reason he's back is so that he can get you into bed."

"So, it's your ESP again, Ryan? Extra Sexual Perception?"

"I'm just saying what's obvious."

Kate stared at Ryan. "In the year that we were together, Castle kissed me once, on the cheek, when we thought we were closing the Tisdale case. He never tried to grab my boobs, feel my butt, slide his hands under my clothes, wrestle me into the backseat of the car, or push me up against a wall and grope me. All of which were tried by my colleagues in my first precinct back when I was a rookie, before they learned not to do that. Does that sound like he's so hot for me? Besides, he's in a relationship."

Ryan shrugged. "Yeah, with his second ex-wife. Which means he's slept with both of his ex-wives, one Stollywood harlot, and who knows who else, since he showed up last year. That sounds like a guy out for what he can get."

Kate glared at Ryan. "Look, who Castle sleeps with is Castle's business. Not ours. All we need to know is that he's here to help. In case you don't remember, he's pretty good at solving murder cases. Who was it that wondered how a guy with a vending machine business could suddenly pay off his loan shark?"

"We had his financials. We'd have gotten it."

"Eventually. This isn't the first time Castle has helped us. And it won't be the last. Do you really have that big of a problem with this?"

Ryan shrugged. "Just telling you what I think."

"Fine. And now you know what I think."

"Okay, Beckett. Have it your way. Good night." Ryan headed for the elevator.

Kate watched until the elevator door closed on Ryan and then smiled. He's back. I was furious with him when I first saw him. He hadn't called us…me after he got back. There was no reason for me to do that. I have no claim or hold on Castle. As far as he knew from me, I couldn't have cared less if he ever came back. But he wanted back with me. He started his own investigation, which infuriated me, since it was so…so Castle. But then I thought it was cute. Then he accepted being back just for this case, then he wanted to come back and be my partner. I had to help him, of course, but he's back. Now we're partners again, and we'll be friends again. I'll have some fun in my life. But more? I can't offer Castle my heart again until I know exactly where our relationship is going. I just can't.

Kate smiled again. That empty space where her heart was had gone away.

Kevin Ryan rode the elevator down and got off at the morgue. Lanie was waiting for him in her office. "Well, was I right?" She asked.

Ryan smiled. "You hit it on the head. I criticized everything about Castle, and she defended him to the hilt. She wants him."

Lanie smiled hugely. "I knew it. I just knew it."

"You should have seen her when Castle was back. They completed each other's sentences and even said "I know who the killer is." together. It was just like old times. Mom and Dad were back." Ryan smiled. "Over the summer, I saw Beckett smile five times, and two of those were for the Captain's jokes, so they don't count and I'll bet she was thinking of Castle the other three times. Today? She smiled just about every time Castle wasn't looking at her."

"And you're sure about Castle?" Lanie asked.

"You bet. I was watching the interrogation through the two way mirror. As soon as Castle found out that Beckett wasn't with Demming, he turned 180 degrees. He couldn't wait to get back with her." Ryan and Lanie exchanged smiles. "So, how do we push them together?"

Lanie shook her head. "Won't work. I've tried to push Beckett to accept her feelings for Castle, and the more I push, the more she resists. And Castle is smart, if we try too hard to push him to Beckett, he'll get suspicious."

Ryan bowed slightly to Lanie. "Do you have a plan, Doctor Parish?"

Lanie smiled and curtsied as best she could in scrubs. "Of course I have a plan, Detective Ryan. All we need to do is keep the two of them together and let nature take its course. If we find a hot piece of evidence that'll blow the case open, we get it to Castle. Nothing obvious, of course. If you find something in someone's financials, just give the financials to Castle and tell him you don't have time to look at it, and will he do the honors? He'll find the clue, and…"

"They'll get together." Ryan and Lanie said in unison.

"That was weird." Lanie said.