303. Chapter 303

AU After When the Bough Breaks

Episode 2.05

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle. Those are the breaks. Rating: K Time: See above.

Author's note: I've written three After When the Bough Breaks stories, and all of them are AU. Just an odd factoid. I really should try writing one that isn't AU just to see if I can.

"Any news about a certain British secret agent?" Kate asked with a smile.

Castle started to tell her and then stopped. "Beckett, can I talk to you alone for just a second?"

"Are you going to try something?" She asked suspiciously.

"Sure, with a whole building full of people and a bunch of cops. Will you just come with me? Just down the hall will be fine. "

He led her down the hall a bit and stopped.

"Castle, can we go around the corner. People are looking at us."

"Sure." Castle led her around the corner. "Better?"

She nodded. "What did you want?"

"Beckett, you have been an enormous help in writing Nikki Heat. I've learned an enormous amount from you, even if our relationship hasn't been the best."

Kate shrugged. "It wasn't all bad, you know." What the hell is Castle up to now? She thought.

"It was very good for me, but I know a lot of it was terrible for you." Having me shadow you at all I know you've hated. When I looked into your mom's murder was a real low point. Castle went on. "I wanted to do something nice for you to show my appreciation for all that you had to put up with."

Kate nodded. Is this some sort of final come on?

"I put a lot of thought into it, but I had a really hard time coming up with anything. I know what your reaction to asking you to dinner or a show or anything at all social would be, so that was out. I thought about buying you something, but I really don't know what you like, what you may already have, your likes and dislikes, as it were."

"For my present, you're giving me a long explanation as to why you didn't get me anything else?" Kate asked. Will he ever get to the point?

"It was the word "dislikes" that got me thinking. I realized that I could remove something you really, really dislike from your life. Me." Castle smiled at her like a magician who had just pulled a rabbit from his hat. "I've decided to do the British secret agent book, so I'm out of your hair at last. No more Castle shadowing Beckett. One thing, though. I do plan to write more Nikki Heat books. She's just too good a character to leave at just one book. I'll either write them between the other books, or at the same time. But I absolutely promise you that I won't bother you on the next Nikki Heat books. If I need any help, I'll go to Ryan and Esposito or Captain Montgomery. If I really need a woman's point of view I can go to Karpowski."

"Karpowski?" Kate said softly.

"And I won't come to the precinct. If I have to meet anyone I'll make sure to do it some place other than the precinct. Richard Castle will never bother you again. What do you think of your present?" Castle was smiling broadly, obviously thinking he'd gotten Kate the perfect gift.

Kate stood there and stared at him. A million things went through her mind. Before she could stop herself, she blurted out the truth. "I hate it." She turned on her heel and stormed down the hallway and out the back of the building.

Castle stood there completely shocked. What the hell did I do wrong? Only one thing occurred to him. He followed Beckett down the hallway and out into the alleyway behind the bookstore. He found Beckett standing there, facing away from him. "Beckett, I'll admit I don't understand you at all. I never have and I never will. I'm sorry you don't like my idea, but it's the best I can do. I know you hate Nikki Heat and I know you hate Heat Wave, and I'm now convinced you hate me. But that's the best I can do. Everyone knows the main character's name, so I can't change her name from Nikki Heat to Priscilla Prim. I can't kill the book. Black Pawn has it now. I've done the best I can and apparently it isn't enough. But at least we're over. That at least must make you a little happy."

Beckett stood there, facing away from him, saying not a word.

Castle took two steps forward so he was standing right behind her. He could see goose bumps on her arms from the cold. "Beckett, it's cold. We should go back in."

If Beckett had heard him, she gave no sign.

Castle shook his head and took his jacket off and put it over her shoulders and stood there. After a few seconds, she pulled the jacket tightly around her.

I will never, ever understand Kate Beckett. Castle decided that it would be best to just leave Kate by herself. That was the present he was giving her, after all. He took a step back and started to turn away from her to go back inside.

"Heat Wave is the best thing you've ever written." Kate suddenly said.

Castle stopped dead. What did she just say?

Kate went on. "And Nikki Heat is such a fascinating character that I don't think that anyone will ever think she's got a stripper name and not a cop name. I just wish I was as good as she is."

"Beckett, you're infinitely better than Nikki Heat. I could write a million Nikki Heat stories and she'd never be as good as you are."

"Do you want to write more Nikki Heat?" Beckett asked. "Be honest with me."

Castle took a deep breath. "Yes. I'd rather write about Nikki Heat than try to write about some other author's character. I'm fascinated by Nikki."

"Just by Nikki?" Beckett took a step forward, put her arms around Castle and rested her head on his chest.

"I'm fascinated by Detective Kate Beckett. You are like no one I've ever met and I want to solve murders with you as your partner. I'd like to be your friend, if that's possible. But I'll settle for partner if I have to."

"Castle, I'm a mess. I have been since my mother died. I've put my life on hold to be a cop. And for years that was fine. I didn't really miss having no life outside of being a cop. You changed that. Yes, you can infuriate me, but you're a great, if completely unorthodox, detective and I'm happy to have you as part of my team. As my partner. But you scare the hell out of me. You make my life fun for once and that terrifies me. Ever since my mom died I've been frightened of letting anyone get close to me for fear that I'd lose them somehow and I'd be hurt again. I can't take that kind of pain again."

Castle started to speak, but Kate went on. "And I don't know how to do this. When I was in high school and college I never had any serious…boyfriends. After that….Will Sorenson was as close as I ever let anyone get and that only lasted six months. And he left me. For his damned job."

Castle pulled her to him and hugged her. "Beckett…Kate, I don't have any answers. All I can do is tell you that I'll do the best that I can. We can do this as slowly as you want. Okay?"

Kate's answer was to rise up and kiss him. Castle thought it best not to kiss her back too passionately, and when they broke the kiss, he kissed her again on the forehead.

"We should go back inside. People will wonder where we got to." He whispered in her ear.

She started to take his jacket off, but he told her not to. "This way, people will think we just stepped out for some fresh air and you got cold."

But, no one seemed to have noticed the two had left, or if they did, they said nothing.

The next day when Castle and Beckett were alone in the car, Castle was able to speak to her alone for the first time. "I may know the identity of your next murder victim."

"How could you know that?"

"It'll be me. Paula went absolutely ballistic when I told her I was passing on the James Bond books to write more Nikki Heat. After all the work she put into it, I don't blame her. Can you see if you can get her charged with manslaughter, or something?"

Before Kate could answer, Castle's phone rang. "I'd better get this. It's Paula. I'll put it on speaker for you."

"Castle."

"Rick, are you some kind of freakin' genius or something?"

"At the risk of sounding egotistical, yes."

"Heat Wave sales are through the roof! The reviews are raves, fawning even. And the best part is that Black Pawn wants you to sign a three book deal for more Nikki Heat. For twice what you were offered for the spy book."

"Twice! I'll take it." Castle looked over at Kate and smiled. She smiled back.

"Is that lady cop with you?" Paula asked.

"Yes." Castle answered, wondering why Paula would ask that.

"Beckett, I don't know what you've been doing to him, but please don't stop."

Kate laughed. "I'll do my best."

"I've asked the mayor to let him keep following you around. Is that okay?"

Before Kate could answer, Rick spoke up. "You know, this is really a big imposition on Detective Beckett. Couldn't we do something for her? Buy her a gold played Glock or something?"

"It'll come out of your pocket, Rick."

"Okay, I'll buy her something nice as a business expense. Okay?"

"Do that. I'll start the paperwork for the next Nikki Heat books. I'll call you when it's ready. Bye."

"I'm a business expense now?" Kate asked.

"This way you won't have to explain some present from me to the NYPD. I'll take you shopping soon. And I'll get something nice for Ryan, Esposito, Montgomery and Lanie. And I'll buy something for the rest of the murder squad detectives. Okay?"

Kate nodded. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Anything."

"Did you really think I'd prefer Priscilla Prim to Nikki Heat? Is that how you think of me? Really, Castle, you know so little about me."

Castle just smiled. He was going to love learning.