81. Chapter 81

After A Deadly Affair, Once Again

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: have I told you lately that I don't own Castle? Rating: K Time: See above.

Author's note: Okay, this is the third of these that I've written for After a Deadly Affair. (Chapters One and 20.) You realize, if this goes on, I'll end up writing After…stories from Perlemutter's POV.

"So, you've been to the precinct and everything worked out? The villains were brought to justice? Harmony now reigns in Manhattan?" Martha asked.

"Absolutely." Richard Castle replied, quickly grabbing more food so that he wouldn't have to talk.

"And…?" Martha said sternly.

"And?" Rick did his best, But-I'm-innocent-look.

"And what else? I know that look on your face, kiddo. There's more going on here than meets the eye."

"Your eye not included, apparently." Castle was trying hard not to answer.

"Talk, or do I have to bring out the thumbscrews?"

"Beckett and I made a little bet." Castle stopped, hoping that this would satisfy Martha.

"Richard! Quit stalling!"

"Okay. There were these three murders, including the sculptor friend of mine, Maya? Well, I felt obligated to help, but Beckett for some reason didn't want me on the case. So, I decided to investigate by myself…"

"Wait!" Martha said, holding up her hands to stop him. "Obligated? I wasn't aware that you knew the meaning of that word. Since when have you ever regarded obligations as anything but something to be ignored? And you can't figure out why Beckett didn't want you on the case anymore? Really?"

"She's not with that detective. They broke up." Castle couldn't help but smile.

"Oh! My! God!" Martha said dramatically. She took a deep breath and went on. "Tell me the rest."

"First, she said I could stay to help on this one case, since I was already involved. But I bet her that I could figure out the connection between the three murders before she did. If she figured it out, I'd leave her alone. But if I figured it out, she had to take me back as her partner. I won."

Martha looked sternly at Castle. Finally she spoke. "And you see no downside to this?"

Castle frowned. "Downside? No. What could be the downside?"

"Do you recall a certain blonde lady that you spent the summer with? Someone that you are in a relationship with right now? Someone that you've been sleeping with? Gina? Do you remember Gina?"

Castle looked puzzled. "Of course I remember Gina. There's nothing wrong with my memory, Mary."

"Oh! Very funny Richard." Martha was starting to get angry. "Now I accepted Gina as your wife. I admit that I had a few qualms about her suitability…"

"A few qualms?" Castle interrupted. "You had so many qualms I doubt if any other human being could have gotten any. You had the market cornered."

Martha waved her hands dismissively. "That's neither here nor there. You know very well that you are, and have been, smitten with Kate Beckett since you met her."

"Smitten? People still use the word smitten."

Martha glared at her son. "I just did." She said coldly. "You are smitten with Kate Beckett. I know, and don't you deny it, that you only got back with Gina because Beckett was going out with that other fellow. Which means that you will eventually hurt Gina. She seems to think that you're interested in her. And while you may not object to hurting someone else to get what you want, may I remind you that she works for your publisher? She is your editor, in fact."

"She does very little editing. My writing doesn't need much editing. It's crisp, clean, spelled properly, uses proper grammar and I use irony correctly." Castle said with a superior smile.

"I will only say that I will be able to tolerate not having Gina Cowell in our lives if it comes to that. Which I am sure it will. Kate Beckett is another story, kiddo."

"What? I'm doing research. I'm helping the police like a good citizen. Why, I'm behaving as a responsible adult!" He said triumphantly. "How about that? Alexis will be so proud."

"Kate Beckett is not some bimbo that you can have your way with and then discard. She's had a terrible loss in her life which changed her. She deserves a lot more than you've proved you can give her, Richard. A lot more. I will not allow you to hurt Beckett."

"I have no intention whatsoever of hurting Beckett. I respect her. I admire her. I think she's remarkable. I would never hurt her."

Martha just rolled her eyes, something that reminded Castle of Beckett.

"In fact, mother, I think I've helped her. In addition to helping her solve cases. I've managed to put a little fun in her life. She needed fun."

"She needs fun now, kiddo. But she'll eventually reach a point where she needs more than fun. Are you prepared to give her more than fun? Ask yourself that and answer honestly."

"Look, I'll be going into the precinct tomorrow. I seriously doubt that Beckett will need more than fun by tomorrow. I'll be careful with her. I won't hurt her. I promise. And now if you'll excuse me, I need to write." Castle retreated to his office as Martha stared at his back.

Castle turned on his laptop, but nothing came to his mind. He couldn't think about Nikki Heat, only Kate Beckett. I didn't really know how much I'd missed her until I saw her. We were standing in front of the murder board, completing each other's sentences and then we turned and said, "I know who the murderer is?" together and her eyes lit up. I loved to see that look on her face. I want her to always look like that. I want her to be happy. Always.

Gina! Well, who was I kidding, anyway? I only got with Gina because Beckett was with Demming. Now that she isn't…Hell, Martha was right. I can't just tell Gina good bye out of nowhere. "Sorry, Gina. You were just my second choice, now get lost." No, not really a problem. Even now she's getting on my nerves. We'll break up sooner or later. Correction. We'll break up sooner.

I have to be careful with Kate. She means too much to me to let me hurt her. I'll have to go very slow and be very careful. And I'll have to think a lot about just what I'll do for Kate Beckett.