Beta: digitaldesigner
Pairings: Castle/Beckett, Beckett/OC
Rating: PG
Summary: "Who the hell is this guy?"
Disclaimer: If it looks or sounds like something from Castle, I don't own it.
Spoilers: Minor ones for Always Buy Retail and Little Girl Lost, but nothing major.
A/N: I'm not 100% sure where this story came from, but here it is :)
"I'm telling you, she did it," Castle insisted as he and Beckett stepped off the precinct's elevator.
"Castle, we don't have any proof that she even knew our victim, much less that she had a reason to kill him."
"There's no need to be such a downer about it. I say we bring her in and -- " He stopped when he realized that he'd lost her attention. Following her surprised gaze, Castle saw a tall, muscular man with dark hair stand up from Castle's usual seat at Beckett's desk. The mystery man was returning Beckett's stare just as intensely.
"Johnny?"
"Hey, Kate."
Both parties moved towards each other in unison, as if it was vital that they reach the other as soon as possible. Castle stood there in shocked silence as the newly identified Johnny pulled Kate Beckett into a deep kiss. 'Who was this guy that he was able to make her forget that she was in the middle of the precinct?'
When the pair came up for air Castle expected her to pull away, but instead she wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his shoulder.
"Hey, boss, we found those -- " Esposito stopped short at the sight in front of him, causing Ryan to collide into him. "What's going... Johnny?"
The other man looked over at the two detectives and smiled. "Hey, guys."
The two cops rushed over almost as quickly as Beckett had and slapped Johnny on the back in greeting.
'What the hell is going on?' Castle wondered dazedly.
"When did you get back, man?" Esposito asked.
"This morning," Johnny answered him, but he was looking straight at Beckett when he did.
"Aw, you missed us so much that we were your first stop?" Ryan teased.
"Something like that." When Johnny leaned in and brushed his lips against Beckett's, Castle was pretty sure he now knew what it felt like when your brain exploded.
"Who the hell is this guy?" Castle asked the guys immediately after Johnny had left and Beckett had gone to get some coffee.
Esposito pointed a finger at him and said, "No."
"What?" That was clearly not an answer to his question.
"You are not going to act all possessive of her now and screw everything up with Johnny."
"She likes him that much?"
"We like him that much."
Ryan nodded his head emphatically. "Do you know how many Wills we have to put up with between the Johnnys?" He paused, as if trying to think of the number himself. "Well, really we just get Johnny back eventually."
Finally, some actual information. "So they have an on-again-off-again relationship?"
"He's in the army, Castle. They're 'on' as long as they can be. The last time she saw him was before he got deployed to Iraq," Esposito informed him, his voice still holding a warning. "Johnny is not a deep-fried twinkie."
"Okay," Castle said holding up his hands defensively. "Is she dating him or are you guys?"
Castle knocked on the door in front of him, not entirely sure what he was doing there. When the door opened he wished that he wasn't on the other side.
Kate Beckett looked at him with a surprised expression on her face, wearing a very tight, thigh-length red dress with spaghetti straps.
"Wow," he said, before he could stop himself.
"Very articulate, Writer Boy. What are you doing here?"
"I just -- " What was he doing here? "We didn't get to talk before you left today."
Her brow furrowed. "And this couldn't wait until tomorrow?"
He tried to think of the right way to say what he'd come here to ask. "Is he good enough for you?"
'Well, that wasn't funny at all,' he mentally berated himself.
"Is anyone?" Beckett asked, trying to lighten the mood.
"No one that I can think of."
'What the hell?' his subconscious yelled at him.
Her mouth dropped open slightly, and she took longer than he was comfortable with to answer. "He's probably too good for me, Castle."
"Who's too good for you?" a voice behind Castle made him jump. And there was Johnny, looking disgustingly like a male model in his suit. He smiled easily, not a touch of distrust in his voice when he said, "Now, Kate, what have I told you about double booking dates?"
"I don't remember," she teased, smiling back.
"Clearly." He sighed in exasperation, turning to Castle, "Women."
Rolling her eyes, Beckett turned her back on them. "I'm going to grab my coat. Thanks for stopping by, Castle."
Having been dismissed, Castle nodded his goodbye to Johnny before heading off down the hallway. He was almost to the end when Johnny called after him.
Glancing back to make sure they wouldn't be heard, Johnny whispered, "Castle, I just wanted to say... thanks."
"For what?"
"Saving her life."
Castle's mind immediately went to the case with the knock-off purses. "It wasn't that big of -- "
"I know you think that all you did was write your novels, but they got her through the hardest months after her mother's death when I didn't think she was going to make it... So, thanks."
Castle stood in shock, as Johnny walked back towards Beckett's door. 'What just happened?'
Castle was turning off the downstairs lights when he heard a knock on his front door.
As soon as the door was open, a fist struck out lightning fast, catching him on the jaw and sending him falling backwards. Shaking his head, trying to recover his jostled wits, he looked up at a very angry Beckett.
"Uh, hi?" he asked from his still prone position.
"I can't believe you."
"While normally I would agree with you, I've been a relatively good boy recently."
She kneeled down next to him, looming over him menacingly, while he tried to pretend he couldn't see down her dress from their current position. "Too good. What was that 'no one's good enough for you' crap?"
"I think it's called being nice, Beckett."
"Yeah, well because of your 'niceness' I just broke up with the greatest guy on the planet! So, you better have meant it, and every other damn innuendo you've thrown at me, because if you didn't -- "
"You broke up with Johnny?" Castle asked, ignoring the threat and concentrating on the part he wanted to hear.
Losing some of her steam, Beckett nibbled on her bottom lip. "Yes."
"So, if I'm hearing you correctly... I've ruined you for all other men." He grinned crookedly at her and raised an eyebrow.
She pulled back her fist to hit him again, but he was prepared this time and caught it, pulling her towards him, capturing her lips in a sweet, slow kiss.
After a few moments he pulled back, just far enough to whisper, "Was there a particular innuendo you wanted me to make good on, or -- "
"I've got a list," she retorted, before leaning back in to kiss him again.
"I knew there had to be a benefit to you being so organized."
"Shut up, Castle."
"Yes, ma'am"
Ryan and Esposito had been trying to figure out what was going on with Castle and Beckett all day. To the casual observer, nothing had changed. They still snipped at each other, stood closer than was socially appropriate, and stared at the other when they thought they weren't looking. But they just seemed... lighter somehow, like...
"You owe me twenty bucks, bro," Esposito said, pointing a triumphant finger at Ryan.
"Damn, I thought it would take a week of Johnny being back to make him break," Ryan grumbled as he slid the money to his partner. Turning back to the couple. "They're going to be sickeningly happy, aren't they?"
"Until Castle does something stupid, and then they'll be just the normal amount of happy."
Ryan laughed. "I give it three days 'til that happens."
Esposito scoffed. "End of the day, at most."
"You're on."
"Castle!" they heard Beckett yell from across the room.
"Damn it," Ryan protested, pulling out his wallet.
The End
