840. Chapter 840

After A Dance with Death

Episode 4.18

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: You put your left foot in, you put your left foot out and you don't own Castle and neither do I. Rating: K Time: See above.

Rick Castle thought back to his brief dance with Detective Kate Beckett at the charity event where they had broken the case of the murderous jewel thieves. He had been to dozens, maybe hundreds, of similar events, but this one was different. Thinking carefully, he realized because it was because he was there with Kate Beckett. Okay, Beckett was certainly beautiful and she had an excellent body, long legs and a great ass, but there was more than that to her. Most women he had been with gave off a definitive vibe of, Look at me! I'm with Rick Castle. He knew he was referred to behind his back as the "White Whale", after the whale from Moby Dick who never really was taken by the whalers. Beckett wasn't that way. She was probably the only woman in his adult life who hadn't wanted to be with him at the charity event, but went because it was her job to go. Was it just the thrill of the chase that got to him? Were the other women in his life too easy? Did he want a challenge? He thought carefully. To his surprise, he decided it wasn't just the thought of a long and difficult chase followed by the inevitable conquest. Kate Beckett was different. Different from any other woman he'd ever known. He had been right when he told her about her life on their first case. Kate Beckett had been hurt and that left her with depths that he hadn't been able to plumb. She's a mystery I may never be able to solve. But I need to try. For both of our sakes.

Kate took off her shoes and carefully hung up her dress. She sat on her bed and relaxed. The night hadn't really been that bad. Castle hadn't tried to grope her as she had feared he might. In fact, he'd been a gentleman and a help. Without Castle's ability to enter into the world of Manhattan's political and social elite, she would have been on the outside looking in. It angered her for a second that Castle could use his money, celebrity and friends to do things she never could. Then she shrugged. Why be angry? We know who we're looking for and we'll be able to grab him tomorrow. And, in spite of everything, there is more to Castle than I first thought. Not that there isn't plenty of the self-centered, egotistical playboy I first saw. Maybe this won't be so bad if Castle can be a help. If. And that's a big if.

Castle watched Beckett dance in her short, tight blue dress on the crowded dance floor. He had to admit she was gorgeous. He didn't see Beckett get dressed up and looking sexy very often. Oh, she was gorgeous in her skinny jeans, tees and leather jackets, but Kate Beckett is full sexy Beckett mode was a sight to see.

She turned around and glared at him. Right. I'm just here for local color and to schlep drinks for her. She's here to track down the drug dealer Oz. She isn't shaking her ass for me, but for some low life drug dealer. Castle sighed and went for the drinks. When he got them, he waited for Beckett to act. He saw her smile at Oz in a way she never smiled at him. She was talking to him, flirting with him and then he saw him run his hand over her leg. That's something that drug dealers get to do, but not her partner. Before he could carry that thought any further, Beckett slammed Oz down and took out his bodyguard. He headed for her.

What the hell is the matter with Castle? This is a serious business. We're trying to catch a possible killer here and a definite drug dealer. He's got better things to do than watch my ass. She took a deep breath. Maybe I should give Castle the benefit of the doubt. We're not supposed to be acting like cops tonight. I'm some dumb party girl and Castle is some rich stud I've picked up. Okay, he should be checking out my ass. I hope he doesn't go all method acting on me and try to grope me. No. He knows better than that. As she sat with Oz, she kept an eye on the bodyguard and Castle. What the hell is Castle doing now? He can't possibly be jealous of me coming on to Oz to get the man to drop his guard. He has to know how I feel about people like Oz. I'm over reacting. He's acting exactly like a guy who sees his date being hit on by another man. Okay, Castle's doing good. This going to work. Once she got the packet of drugs in her hand, she slammed Oz face first into the table. See, Castle? This is how I feel about Oz.

They say the third time's the charm, Castle.

That line had been running through Rick Castle's mind ever since Beckett had said it just before he had walked her into the church. His thoughts about marriage had been the same since he had divorced Gina: Never again. But he looked at Ryan and Jenny dancing so happily together and remembered how lucky he'd felt Ryan was. He had found the perfect wife for him. He absolutely knew that he two of them would be together forever. This was it for them. If Ryan is that lucky, could I be lucky, too? He looked down at Beckett's chestnut hair as she rested her head on his shoulder as they danced. Beckett was different from Kyra, and god knows she was different from Meredith. She was light years better than Meredith and a hell of a lot better than Gina. As he thought about his two ex-wives, he realized he'd been wondering on and off for some time now about why he had married them. He had married Meredith because she was fun and he was all about fun back then. He had married Gina because…He couldn't quite decide why he'd married Gina. Getting a mother figure for Alexis had figured into it somehow, in spite of how badly that had worked out. Becoming a serious adult, as befitted a father and wealthy writer had been another part of it. And I'm more of an adult with Beckett than I've ever been in my life. He inhaled the scent of cherries in Beckett's hair. Beckett is like Ryan and Jenny. She'll be married for life. The question is, I'm I now the kind of person who can be married to one person for life? Well, if that one person is Kate Beckett, I can see it.

Kate hadn't believed it when Castle had not only called Ryan a lucky man, and said he envied Ryan. Castle had told her that he loved her, but she knew that some men said that all the time. And, since she had lied to him, she had no idea what exactly he had meant by that. Certainly he had meant it when he had said it to Kyra, and Meredith and Gina and maybe more women. They're gone now. And I'm still here. So, what does that mean? I have to get with Dr. Burke and try to get my head together enough to be able to face Rick and actually talk to the man. I have to. But for now, we'll just dance.

Castle listened to In My Veins playing as he danced with his wife.

"You have no idea how long I've waited to dance with you like this."

"We've danced before, Castle. I can remind you of them if you'd like." She said with a smile.

"No, we've never danced like this before, Mrs. Castle. And I've wanted to for so long now."

"Me, too, Castle. Me too."