Chapter Twenty-Two

[thebestseller]

Kate Beckett left the castle this morning.

If anyone needs me, I'll be at the Death Match getting shit out of my head drunk.

Comments

Dictated

[onlyanapple]

Sounds like a plan to me.

Know her well?

Dictated

[thebestseller]

Yeah. She's my girlfriend, actually- we lived together.

Dictated

[onlyanapple]

Tough break. [He does sound genuinely sympathetic at least.]

Dictated

[thebestseller]

Yeah. I mean, I guess it had to happen to one of us eventually, but... I dunno. I was kinda hoping if we had to leave, we'd go together. Life sucks like that.

Dictated

[onlyanapple]

Sorry to break it to you, but the castle laughs at dreams like that.

voice;

[wishmadeinfire]

So, there is something that can make the jester sad...

_{[ It's not said in a mean or condescending way, more like he's upset that Richard isn't really his usual upbeat self. ]}

I am sorry, Castle.

voice;

[thebestseller]

[Awww.]

Not much laughter in the court of Cair Paradisa tonight, nope.

Re: voice;

[wishmadeinfire]

It does not sound like it.

Do you care for company in your drinking?

[thebestseller]

Misery loves company and all. I won't be a very good companion, though.

[wishmadeinfire]

I would not really expect you to be, all things considered.

[handwritten]

[fearbringer]

Is that something that happens a lot?

[handwritten]

[thebestseller]

More often than we'd like. There's no real rhyme or reason behind who stays and who goes.

[handwritten]

[fearbringer]

What happens to them?

[handwritten]

[thebestseller]

They go home, most likely. Of course, I don't think there's any way to tell for certain.

[handwritten]

[fearbringer]

That's disconcerting.

Voice

[hasmommyissues]

How sad ... she was such a good host.

Dictated

[thebestseller]

She did have quite a way with criminals.

Dictated

[hasmommyissues]

Firm but fair ... how I like all my women.

Dictated

[thebestseller]

It's what makes her such a damn good cop, after all.

Dictated

[hasmommyissues]

Did she ever ... learn how to switch off?

I mean she seemed to take her work so seriously ... I found it so hard to picture her lighter side.

Later, at the bar

[putuporshutup]

[Meg's heart twists when she hears that Kate's gone, and... well, she knows exactly what he's going through. She's ready and waiting with a bottle of nice single-malt scotch and a sympathetic half-smile by the time he gets there.]

Hey.

[thebestseller]

[Castle gives a half smile in reply and sits down, eyeing the scotch.]

You know me so well.

[putuporshutup]

I try.

[She pours a couple of generous glasses, totally aware that he's not even remotely kidding about the shit out of his head drunk part.]

You... okay? Not like I can talk.

[thebestseller]

[He shrugs.]

I think it's going to feel a lot worse when I get home to that empty bed. And then wake up, and see that she's still not there.

[putuporshutup]

[She sighs.]

That'll pretty much do it, and if it doesn't, it'll be catching a little whiff of her every so often, and knowing that she's not really there.