Happy birthday, Beckett!

[thebestseller]

WHO: Castle thebestseller, Beckett themuse, and you!
WHAT: It's Beckett's birthday, so Castle feels like she needs a little fun and decides to throw a party for her. The fact that she doesn't know about it is just a bonus.
WHEN: Backdated slightly to November 17th
WHERE: The conference room at the precinct
WARNINGS: Everyone on the island is invited, so please, feel free to show up and mingle. There won't be any alcohol, as it's at the police station, unless someone brings it, but then you might get arrested for disorderly conduct, oh, my...

---

Keeping secrets was one of Castle's skills, he thought. And keeping them from Beckett was a nearly impossible task, so when he was able to actually do it, he felt quite proud of himself.

It was sheer luck that he managed to smuggle an entire party into the precinct under her nose, however- but then again, it wasn't much, because he knew she wouldn't want much, and the part where he was even throwing her a surprise party could be delicate to begin with. But there was cake- two cakes, in fact, a handsome red velvet and a chocolate cake Castle had baked himself- some sandwiches and other assorted snacks, and coffee, and hot chocolate, and balloons and presents.

It wasn't the grand party he felt like she deserved, but he hoped she would, at least, enjoy herself.

Now he had to hope people showed up.

Comments

PARTY TIME

[thebestseller]

[Feel free to make your own threads and mingle!]

Re: PARTY TIME

[hot4engines]

Kaylee had been more than happy to help set up Kate's birthday party when Mr. Castle had approached her about it at the book store one day. She was her Captain, after all, even if it had only been for a brief period, and Kaylee was growing more and more fond of the older woman by the day. There was something in her strength and way she spoke and carried herself that reminded Kaylee a little of Zoe, and it almost felt like having a piece of home back.

So she had agreed to help with the setup, and in the mean time, she had worked hard on knitting Kate a new pair of gloves and scarf, both from a pretty skien of yarn she had found that was many different shades of red.

After the birthday girl arrived, Kaylee took a seat near the door, munching on a sandwich and people-watching.

[themuse]

After doing some meet-and-greet rounds, Kate got a moment to grab and sandwich and made a bee-line for Kaylee, pulling out a chair and settling down next to her.

"Castle told me you helped organize this," she said, pulling a piece of bread of her sandwich and taking a bite. "Thanks. It was really thoughtful."

[hot4engines]

"Ain't nothin'," Kaylee replied with a big smile, swallowing her mouthful. "Mr. Castle was so excited about the idea, and how can ya say no to someone like that? You deserve it."

[themuse]

"I'm surprised he managed to keep it quiet," she admitted. "Not that... I didn't suspect. I mean, he's pretty easy to read."

To be fair, she wasn't lying. If she hadn't been so wrapped up in work, she probably would have suspected it, anyway. "And yeah, he's pretty hard to say no to."

[hot4engines]

"True. I don't even know him all that well, but I can tell. And I'm always happy to find an excuse to spend time with my friends, too."

Kaylee grabbed her mug of hot chocolate from the table next to her, blowing on it to cool it.

"It's the same reason I wanted a movie night, you know? Ain't like this place is ever normal, but sometimes we deserve to try and make it a little more so. And enjoy each others' company while it lasts. It's important to hold on to each other."

Her heart still hurt to think about the lack of her crew members here, of her still-complicated feelings for Simon, of the fact that so many of her friends had come and gone- yet she was still here, and she wanted to keep her sunny personality shining on everyone while she could.

[themuse]

Even though Kate had yet to lose anyone she was close to on the island, she was still sympathetic to Kaylee's situation. As far as she was concerned, it was just blind luck that Castle was even there - and even more unlikely that they had even decided to take their relationship to the next level. Not having him there would have been hard enough; losing him now was a thought she didn't even like to linger on.

"There's something to be said about keeping things a little normal," Kate agreed. "When I got here, the only thing on my mind was getting home. And not to say that still isn't true but... I've gotten used to it here. And knowing people like you definitely helps."

[hot4engines]

"Uh-huh. I feel the same way. I wanna get home, and I really miss my crew, but I ain't gonna stop living here just because they ain't here. I've made friends with people I'd never have met otherwise, and somehow I've managed to be happy."

She grinned at her friend.

"And that's awful nice of you to say."

[themuse]

"Well, you know, it's true." She smiles back. Making friends here was right under "getting used to it" on her to-do list. But "getting together with Castle" hadn't even been on list, so Beckett had figured out pretty quickly that her to-do list didn't mean a whole lot on New Moore.

"I miss my team back home. I miss my dad. But I just have to believe that they're okay and I'll see them again. And I'm sure you'll see your crew again, too."

[allthezpms]

Rodney wasn't normally much of a party person, much less planning surprise parties- he wasn't much for suspense, after all- but seeing as how Detective Beckett was one of his few friends and always treated him with respect, he couldn't really say no.

That didn't stop him from retreating to a corner with a plate piled high once the party was underway, however. He didn't have to be social.

[themuse]

After Castle got distracted chatting with some of her workmates, Kate found her way to Rodney's corner and leaned against the wall, looking out at the room.

"I wasn't expecting you to show up to something like this," she told him.

[allthezpms]

"Neither was I, to tell you the truth," Rodney replied around a mouthful, stopping to chew and swallow. "But, well, free food, and a chance to hang out with grownups and be away from my students for a while... and... Once-ler practicing music. The company is hard to resist."

[themuse]

That made Kate laugh and she nodded.

"Yeah, there is something to be said about spending time with other adults." She cast a sideways glance at Castle. "Though, I think the definition of adult is pretty flexible around here... How's school going, anyway?"

[allthezpms]

"True. But even the least adult of us is probably more mature than most of my students."

He sighed, setting his plate down and crossing his arms.

"I sometimes wonder how the other teachers have managed to function for very long when we keep getting interrupted. I mean, how are you supposed to grade your students when 'cats ate my homework' is a perfectly valid excuse some months? It's not like I dislike the idea of teaching, either, I just... don't feel all that suited to the job a lot of the time. I don't know what else I could do with all these fictional degrees I have, though."

[themuse]

Kate pursed her lips, thinking that one over.

"Well, I guess I'm not really in any different position. I mean, I'm investigating a string of murders right now that happened during the crime wave and... I don't even know how to profile that. Is it someone who came here a killer and was just looking for the opportunity to take it? Or did the island make them that way? And when we do get him, how do we decide how to punish them based on that?"

These are all thoughts that she's entertained - she was used to some moral ambiguity back home, especially in the cases of people doing the wrong things for the right reasons. But here, it seemed even more complex. "But the best I can figure it that, island messing with our heads or not, there's still some level of responsibility that has to be taken in regards to our actions. And those of us who have the job of reinforcing that responsibility just have to do our best." She smiled. "I'm sure you're doing just fine, Rodney."

[allthezpms]

Rodney was quiet for a moment after that, picking up a sandwich speared with a toothpick and peeling it apart layer by layer, eating each one in turn.

"I don't know why, but when I first got here, for some reason it never occurred to me that there'd still be crime. I learned the truth pretty fast, but still... I guess supposedly once-fictional people will still be people. Even if they are incredibly difficult."

He gave a half-smile back.

"I try. I confess I've never really been fond of kids, my niece excepted, and even then I didn't meet her til she was four. But somehow they're worming their way into my cold, cynical heart."

[themuse]

Kate watched him pick apart his sandwich like a kindergartener and found it hugely ironic that he seemed to carry such a disdain for children. She smiled knowingly and nodded her head.

"Well, I can certainly see why it was such a struggle for you." Biting her bottom lip, she narrowed her eyes. "Can't say I know many kids. Well, Castle has a daughter but she's... more of the adult, really. I guess I always figured I'd like them, though."

[themuse]

When Kate comes in, she's still sporting a pair of dark sunglasses and looking none-too-happy about the part she had just walked into.

But her friends are there, and she knows the work Castle put into this, and it softens her. She's not really used to anything like this - she can count on one hand how many birthday parties she's had since her mom died - and she forces herself to relax and mingle.

She even takes off her sunglasses, showing off the already forming blue and black bruise over her right eye - courtesy of her afternoon training with Rose who was, in fact, just as strong as she had bragged. But in retrospect, with the party around her and her friends surrounding her on her birthday, Kate decided it was actually kind of a funny story and no reason to sour her mood.

Besides, there was cake, and everyone know how Kate felt about cake.

[dontmindmepleasecontinue]

A very short while after Castle started planning the party, Koizumi had approached him and offered his assistance. How he had known about it in the first place was anyone's guess, given that it was supposed to be a closely guarded secret, but Castle had accepted his help. Koizumi was an excellent event planner, with lots of experience in making sure that Haruhi was never bored.

He didn't know her terribly well, but they had always been pleasant and agreeable. What's more, they had formed a bond during the pirate event, when he was her right hand man and she was his captain. The memories of things they had done together were... unsettling, to say the least. Nevertheless, Koizumi felt that the loyalty they had had to each other was genuine and something worth pursuing in this reality as well.

Besides which, Koizumi knew how hard she worked at the station to help people, and that it could sometimes be an incredibly thankless task. She deserved a night like this, and he was glad to help make it happen.

Once at the party, however, it was hard to miss that he was one of if not the only minor there. This would make many uncomfortable, but of course, even if he were, he'd never show it.

He didn't retreat from the people, but circulated among them, always remaining on the periphery of the conversation - often just listening and not contributing - never intruding too far on what was clearly, for some of them, a respite from kids and students his age.

He saw that Kate was busy, but she had a lot of people to get around to. Anyway, she seemed to be having a good time, so he continued to simply wander, confident that she would eventually have the chance to pass by and converse with him, should she be interested.

[themuse]

It had taken Kate a little while to relax into the feel of the party. But once she did, she through herself in completely, laughing and making the rounds and catching up with everyone. She was sporting a rather awkward birthday black eye, but even that didn't seem to bring down her spirits.

She had caught sight of Koizumi ages before, but it took a while to politely peel herself away from conversation. She waited until Castle started stealing the show with the current group to bow out silently, snagging a glass of punch off the table before making her way over to Koizumi and offering him a warm smile.

It was true - they didn't know each other that well. But Kate had the same memories as he did from the time they were pirates, and Koizumi had been there again to help save Castle. So Kate felt not only connected to him, but indebted to him, as well.

"Hey," she said as she approached him, extending her hand to offer him the glass of punch. "You having fun?"

[dontmindmepleasecontinue]

Goodness only knows if Koizumi knew how she felt, but he most certainly did not feel that she owed him a debt. He was used to saving the world with nobody the wiser; fighting the good fight was simply what one did. What's more, harsh though it might sound, he didn't help save Castle because of his friendship with Kate; he helped save Castle because Castle needed saving. That was it - he could have hated the man, and he still would have been there. And since Kate is hardly responsible for Castle, from his perspective, there was no logical cause for her to be in his debt.

He takes the punch graciously, smiling beatifically at her as she approaches him.

"Ah, I have no cause to complain."

Not truly an answer, of course, but good luck getting a better one out of him.

"Truly, though, you're missing the more important question here. Are you having fun?" His voice is gently amused as he pauses to take a sip of his punch. "This is, as they say, your party."

He notes her black eye, but says nothing. A closer look at him will show that he still has several visible scrapes and bruises, some fresh, although he does look quite a bit better than he did a month or so ago.

[themuse]

Knowing his thought process, Kate could certainly relate. She had her own fair share of experience saving people for saving people's sake - but unlike a lot of cops, she did always develop some kind of emotional attachment to the victims. But this, of course, had been different. And she did blame herself for Castle's predicament, even if she would have never admitted it to anyone. His insecurities were rooted in what had happened to them over the last few years, and she couldn't deny a certain responsibility she had felt for his pain.

Beckett pauses, noting the scrapes and bruises and wondering if it was nothing more than her own situation - some good-natured sparring that got out of hand. But every time she talked to him now, he always seemed injured in some kind of way. And after what she had seen during the Dark Hour, she suspected there was a lot more to the story than just poorly choreographed fighting.

"I am, thank you," she said, deciding to forgo questions for casual conversation. She didn't like it when people pried into her own business, but it was generally her job to pry into the business of others. For now, however, she would let it go. "I've been to some of Castle's parties back home, so I can't say he's outdone himself... But it's still really sweet. It's nice to see everyone."

[dontmindmepleasecontinue]

Koizumi would understand her feelings if he knew them, though he would likely disagree with them.

"Ah, I am glad to hear that." He gives a knowing glance toward Castle. "It was very thoughtful, and I know he worked pretty hard to get everything together." Koizumi conveniently neglects to mention his own part in organizing the party.

"If it is not too bold of me to ask, what age does this make you?" He gives a small laugh, as if an amusing thought comes to him. "Though I suppose, unless you appeared here on the same day you disappeared from your world, your physical age no longer corresponds to your birthday."

[themuse]

Kate laughed. She wasn't ever the most forthcoming type - especially before Castle came along - but something about the island had loosened her a little. Maybe it was the distance from her world, and with that, the distance from everything that had made her who she was. Or maybe it was still Castle. She knew she couldn't entirely be sure.

But for as prying as the question could have been, she didn't really have an issue in answering it, either way. "Thirty-three. But you're right, I hadn't really thought of it that way. When I left, it was September, and here is was July so... Actually, I've been thirty-three over a month now, at least." She shrugged, biting her bottom lip. "I don't feel any older, though."

[dontmindmepleasecontinue]

"We rarely do." He looks around the room in a relaxed manner, leaning back against a table and looking over at the rest of the party, smiling philosophically as he quietly begins to speak.

"We make a big deal of it once a year, but the rate of our passage through time never actually changes - there is no more difference between the day before and the day of your birthday than there is any other two consecutive days of the year. It is merely a product of human convention - really, there is as much logic in it as in celebrating every month you grow older, or every day, or second. That period of time in your life holds no intrinsic meaning just for taking 365 days."

His smile widens a little, and he turns his head to look back at her. "And yet it does have meaning, because our culture demands it to have meaning. Because of the people in our lives who celebrate with you. They have no more reason to celebrate your existence than any other day of the year.

And yet they do. And that is what makes today special."