The love triangle between Castle, Beckett, and Sorenson is at its high, when Castle finds out that Beckett is back with Will. He notices her emotions become sadder and she isn't her normal self. Will comes to the precinct one day and Castle watches as they fight with each other, will he intervene?
•••
I'm in so deep
I'm scared to death
It's like I could drown
It's effortless
I feel so juvenile
Emotions going wild
Cheryl - Don't Talk About This Love
•••
"Kate, are you really back with Will?"
"Why do you care, Castle."
It's been three months since Kate and Will were once again together. They had become a couple during a case involving kidnapping. Kidnapping cases always drew them together, they dug up memories of the good times, ignoring the ones where he left. But, with much convincing, Beckett agreed to give them another try while he was staying in New York for a few months, and when the time is up, if they're still not working then they would break it off, no strings attached.
The major opposer of this was of course Castle, who wanted to be with Beckett more than anything, but yet he didn't have to balls to say anything, he just sat back and watched it happen. He and Sorenson weren't the best of buddies, and he knew that whenever the two were together Sorenson would make a point to show him that she was his.
But over the course of one month Castle noticed the lack of happiness in Kate. She would smile less, and rarely laugh at his jokes, but what really bothered him was how no rose color flustered her cheeks whenever he complimented her, because the way her cheeks filled with red and her head drops to cover it with a sheepish smile, was one of the reasons he fell for her so hard. But now that was gone. Not his love, but her joy. And he hated it, he wondered why. Had she been noticing his poor attitude, and had it really been affecting her that much? If it was, and if she really saw a future Will, then he would stop, he would man up and be happy for her.
He saw her walk into the bullpen with her head down and her hands still at her side. He stood to be polite and greet her with his notorious charming smile and rapier wit. He even held out her coffee he'd brought for her. But she ignored him, he didn't think it was on purpose, he thought that there was probably something more important on her mind than jokes or theories.
"Hey." Castle said leaning over placing his elbows on her desk as he sat down. She seemed to jump and look up, obviously shocked he was there. Had she really been that deep in thought?
"When did you get here?" She asked distracted, dark circles evident under her seemingly lifeless eyes.
"I-I've...been here-Kate are you ok?"
"I'm fine Castle, how was your night?" She avoided his eyes, knowing that if she looked into them, she would be relentless to his oncoming pestering of questions about her night. She shouldn't have even ask him about his in the first place.
"Fine..." Castle thought for a moment to ask her about hers, but it was clear she that didn't want to talk about it, "Just had a rough sleep is all."
"Me too." She said quickly but quietly.
"Really?"
"Yeah." She shrugged.
"Twinsies!" Castle decided to try a joke, a simple comical banter, and for a moment he thought it worked, when he saw a tiny smile creep onto her lips. She let out a short laugh before going quiet and putting on the same emotionless expression she had just moments before. There was silence between the pair, which for once, felt uncomfortable, and Castle couldn't handle it, so he pushed,
"Are you ok Beckett?"
"Why wouldn't I be?" She looked at him and gave him the best sincere smile she could before averting her eyes away from his.
"I don't know, but if you ever wanna talk-"
"I know." She interrupted him.
"Got any big plans this weekend?" Castle continued, wanting some conversation, he needed some.
"No. You?"
"Nah."
"Twinsies." Kate said with a smirk, and looked up at him, peering through hair that had fallen from behind her ear. Castle smiled as well, and he thought he saw light sparking in her once hazel eyes.
"A smile, haven't seen one of those in a while." He meant it as a joke, of course, but she took it not totally the wrong way, but enough of it to make the smile drop from her mouth, "I didn't-"
"No, I know," She interrupted him once more, "but it's true."
Before Castle could get out his next question the both of them turned toward the ding in the elevator. Sorenson stepped out. Castle saw Beckett's demeanor change from somewhat happy to something he couldn't tell. But there was definitely a change in her posture and the way she held herself in that moment.
Sorenson approached the two and directed his full attention toward Kate, not really even acknowledging Castle with more than a glance.
"Kate." Sorenson said, too without emotion.
"Will." Kate matched his tone turning around to face her work, once more picking up her pen, and beginning to write.
"Kate, please." He didn't beg, but it was evident to anyone who was listening, that he wanted to talk.
"Why?" was all she said.
"Do you really want to do this here?"
"Do we have to do it at all?" Kate rolled her eyes.
"Yes." He said more stern than any of his previous statements, and placed a hand on Kate's shoulder. Castle couldn't tell how tight his grip was, but he noticed how obviously uncomfortable it made Beckett. Kate nodded and stood and the two of them headed into the break room and closed both doors. But to Castle's advantage they left the blinds open, not much but they had remained that way because no one had opened them from the night before.
He stayed where he was and observed as the two started off with a normal tone, but as the gestures they used and as their expressions change from neutral to anger, he began to hear more of their voices as they rose. He knew they were both fighting for something they had totally different views on. But what? As the voices became more audible through the walls some of the other officers began to turn their heads. It was only a few, but still, they shouldn't be, he shouldn't either. As the yelling dies down the few who were watching turned their vision back to their work and Castle did to, but out of the corner of his arms he saw one quick motion. It was Sorenson. He had swung back his arm ready to strike Kate. Castle stood ready to break through the door. But she wasn't having it, she raised her hand too, but only to slap his away and give him a small shove backwards. Sorenson wasn't in the mood either, and gave her a shove back, more powerful, forceful. She hit the back of the table, but it didn't seem to phase her. She was ready to punch his lights out of him when Castle thought maybe it's time to intervene. He booked it across the small distance between the break room and Beckett's desk and pulled open the door with force.
The two looked at him surprised, before turning back to each other ready for another shouting match. Castle maneuvered his body in between them and placed his arms out. He was out of breath.
"You guys-" he tried.
"Stay out of this buddy!" Sorenson yelled. Wow, yelling is always much louder in person.
"He can do whatever the hell he wants!" Kate scolded.
"Was I talking to you!"
"It doesn't matter, Castle's my partner, we protect each other!"
"Well he's not your boyfriend now is he!"
"Who cares! You're not the only man I can spend time with! If you're even a man..." she mumbled the last part under her breath, but both of them heard.
"Watch it, Kate!"
"Oh, what are you gonna do? Hit me? Go! Do it! I dare you, that hasn't stopped you before!"
"Try me!"
"I just did!"
"Hey, hey, hey, hey!" Castle matched their yells, "Hey!" He said once more for emphasis, "I think the two of you need to take a walk."
"He needs to take a walk back to Boise, or wherever the hell he came from, because I can't even look at him right now." Beckett said turning her head away from him.
"It was Boston."
"They both start with a 'b'." She scoffed.
"Oh I can think of another word that starts with a 'b', that perfectly describes you." Sorenson took a step closer and puffed out his chest pushing himself, trying his luck against Castle's hand.
"Don't talk about Beckett like that. As a matter of fact, don't talk about anyone like that," he paused, "Especially women." Castle said with a cold stern voice, as he slightly pushed his left hand causing Will to somewhat stumble back.
"Kate just needs to learn that her Mommy's death, isn't a valid reason for her to be such a lousy cop. People die, and you were never supposed to be here, you don't deserve it. You don't deserve justice for Jo-" Kate's hand connected with his cheek, this ended his offensive rant. Castle could see the boiling anger rise in his eyes, and took a step closer to Beckett, covering her with his whole body. If Sorenson was going to come after Kate, he was going to have to take down Castle first. But he didn't. Or at least not yet.
"I hope you have a shitty life, just like your mother." He laughed to himself as he saw Kate head toward him again, yelling, "fuck you" and "fuck off," only to be held down by Castle, who was uttering contant, "he's not worth it." along with, "the scene is already big enough."
Kate held back and spit at him instead. Sorenson gave her a sickening smile and turned and walked off and out of the precinct, and hopefully, out of her life forever. Once both Castle and Beckett made sure that Will was gone for good Castle closed the break room door once more and sat down on the couch while Kate paced around.
"Ok, now what the hell was that all about?" He wanted answers, but he wasn't going to push.
"It's nothing. It has nothing to do with you." She tried to convince him.
"Kate-"
"Rick."
"Sorry."
There was the defeating silence dawning on them once more and Castle shifted his weight on the couch, awkwardly clearing his throat.
Kate walked over and sat down next to him, proper posture, legs bent slightly, cross at mid calf, and placed a hand on Rick's knee.
"Thank you." She smiled. And this time when he met her eyes, he could tell that it was with genuine gratitude.
"I'd do it a million times more."
"You would not." She joked, with more seriousness in her tone than she expected.
"I would." He said and they locked eyes.
"Nah..."
"I would do anything for you Kate when will you learn that." The pair made direct eye contact and stared at each other lovingly for about a minute. Kate was the first to look away.
"Gate's will probably want to talk to me."
"Tell her the truth."
"Yeah, I can't lie about shit like this."
"I'll be waiting for you when you get out."
"It's not like I'm going to prison Castle." She laughed.
"I would wait for you even then."
"Would you really?"
"Always."
With that Kate stood up smiling and giddy while heading over to her Captain's office with her door wide open and standing at the entrance with a stern look on her face. But at that moment Kate didn't care, she only cared about her Castle.