434. Chapter 434

After Home is Where the Heart Stops

Episode 1.07

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: I don't have to get all dressed up to admit that I don't own Castle. Rating: K Time: See above.

"Detective Beckett." Castle smiled at finding Kate Beckett at his door. "To what do I owe the honor?"

Beckett handed him a large cardboard box. "I had the dress dry cleaned." She held the box out, but Castle didn't take it.

"I've seen dry cleaned dresses before, Beckett." He said with a smile. "I've actually seen dry cleaned suits, sport coats and even a few sweaters. My knowledge of dry cleaning is quite extensive. And, thanks to my mother, I've seen, and worn, heavily starched underwear." Castle grimaced theatrically. "I can't recommend it."

Beckett glared at him. "I'm returning your dress, Castle."

Castle looked down at the box. "I usually go for understated elegance. I'm really not into that sort of attire." He quickly added. "Not that I have any objections to anyone who does."

"Castle, I can't accept this from you. Now, take it back."

"Detective Beckett, I gave you that dress so that we could go and catch a killer. Note, I gave you that dress. It's yours."

She frowned. "Castle, I have some idea of how much a dress like this costs. A lot."

He nodded. "More than you'd think, actually."

"Which is why I can't accept it from you."

"Beckett, I stood in that apartment where Mrs. Delgado had been murdered, her wedding ring finger cut off and then she was stuffed into a safe. I was there when you talked to Joanne Delgado about her mother. I saw photos of the other victims. I bought you that dress for one reason and one reason only: To get Nadir and his crew and put them in prison. I have no use for the dress. On the other hand, it was made especially for you and so, you should have it. Wear it, throw it in the trash, cut it up and use it for cleaning rags, but it's your dress."

"Wait? It was made for me?" Beckett's eyes narrowed. "How did you do that?"

Unwilling to admit that Lanie had helped him out, Rick smoothly lied. "Martha is more than an actress. She's an expert in all the facets of the theater, including wardrobe. She went to a clothier she knows, and the result is your dress."

"Then I'll pay you for it."

"No! You will not!" Castle said forcefully. "I'm happy to do anything I can, including spending my own money, to help the NYPD. And I don't want to have to have an argument with you if the NYPD needs my money again. What you do, what we do, is too important."

"What am I going to do with a dress like this?"

"Wear it?"

Beckett laughed. "Where? Where is a homicide cop like me going to wear a dress like this? You tell me one place I can wear it, and I'll take the dress and wear it there."

"No problem. You can wear it to the season opening of the New York City Ballet. I'm a major contributor, so they send me two tickets to the season's opening every year. Normally, I take Alexis, but she has two AP tests the next day, so she can't go. It's on next Monday night. Eight o'clock. I'll pick you up."

"Wait. You can't ….I can't…Castle!"

"You said if I could tell you one place you could…."

"I know what I said. And I…I…"She would have continued, but the phone rang and she was needed at the precinct.

Next Monday after work at Kate's apartment, Lanie was positively gushing at the way Kate looked. "You are absolutely perfect, sweetie. You'll knock Castle's eyes right out of his head."

"Good idea. And a few other body parts, too."

"Kate, when I was growing up all I ever wanted to do was dance. You are going out with Castle to the ballet, and you will tell me everything, and I do mean everything, about the ballet."

Before Kate could say anything, there was a knock on the door. "That's Castle." Lanie cried. "I'm so excited."

Kate just rolled her eyes.

When they arrived at the theater, the lobby was full of expensively dressed, coifed and bejeweled men and women. Normally, Kate had no trouble dealing with the rich and powerful. Normally, she saw them on her own turf and she had the upper hand. She was the cop and they were a suspect. This was different. She felt like outsider. Any minute I'm afraid someone will point at me and yell that it's only Kate Beckett and she doesn't belong here. In spite of herself, she held Rick's arm a little tighter and moved just a bit closer to him.

"Smile, Beckett." He said under his breath.

"Certainly." She said through clenched teeth.

"Look around you, Beckett. There are only a couple of women as beautiful as you are and none of them are more beautiful than you are."

Kate wasn't sure whether Castle was saying that to make her feel better or to stroke his own ego for having her as his date. No. This is not a date. He tricked me into coming here with him.

Castle walked through the crowd, talking to seemingly everyone and introducing Kate to them all. Finally they found themselves at the bar. "Drink, Beckett?"

She nodded. "Vodka. Make it a double."

Castle disappeared into the crowd around the bar. Kate suddenly found herself facing a tall, well dressed man, who smiled down at her. "Hello, darling. I haven't seen you before. I'm David."

David was standing so close to her that he could and did easily look down her dress at her boobs. She decided his smile was more of a leer. She tried to back up, but found she was against some large men who were deep in conversation and weren't inclined to move.

"She's Kate, David. My date." He handed Kate her drink. "Here you are, darling."

David gave both Castle and Kate a nasty look. "Yours, Rick?"

"His." Kate said, leaning against Rick.

"Mine." Rick said with a smile.

"I must be going. So nice to have met you, Kate. Perhaps we can meet again?"

Kate put her head on Rick's shoulder. "Perhaps not."

David disappeared into the crowd.

Castle let out a sigh. "I was just in time. He'd grope his ninety nine year old grandmother."

"I'm a cop, Castle. I can take care of myself." She moved away from him.

"You could have busted him and then you'd spend years in court with his lawyers. No one would thank you for that."

Kate was about to snap back, then thought better of it. "In that case, thanks."

"Any time."

Before either could say anything more, the orchestra began the overture. Castle and Beckett headed for their seat. Kate was not a fan of the ballet, but she found that the music and the dancing entranced her. She tried to remember everything for Lanie tomorrow.

At the intermission, Kate asked for another double vodka and was very careful of the men she stood near while Castle was away at the bar.

"You're Kate, aren't you?" The speaker was a tall, elegant woman, a bit older than Kate and perfectly turned out. "You're with Rick Castle. You're the detective? We met at the Metropolitan American Dance Theater fund raiser. I'm Alice de Ruyter."

Kate nodded. "Detective Kate Beckett." She felt like she was about to be exposed as a fraud.

The woman smiled at her. "I'm glad Rick is starting to show some sense. Quite frankly, you're a vast improvement over his usual dates. In fact, you're quite an improvement over his usual wives." Alice suddenly looked over Kate's shoulder. "Dear me. My husband is waving at me. Have a good time, dear."

A vast improvement? She thought.

Castle's car service picked them up after the ballet. Kate, who was already tired, and with a bit too much vodka in her, not to mention having an adrenaline let down from the excitement, soon rested her head on Castle's shoulder and nodded off.

"Beckett?" He said softly. "We're back at your place."

Kate woke up and looked around. "So we are. Thank you for the evening." As she got out of the car, Castle followed her. "You don't need to see me to my door."

"Of course I do. A gentleman always sees a lady to her door." He followed her inside, into the elevator and to her door. Oh my god! Does he really expect me to kiss him goodnight? She thought.

As she turned to face him he leaned over and kissed the top of her head. "Good night, Detective. I had a great time, too." He turned and left her at her door.

I did too.