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

[hot4engines]

"I hope so," Kaylee replied quietly, her sunny expression darkening a little. "When they do come here, they never seem to stick around for long. Much better for me to just go back home where I can keep track of them a lot better."

[themuse]

Kate nodded. "I can't... Even imagine that. I mean, if..." She glanced over at Castle again, her heart sinking. She never let herself linger too long on the thought of him leaving. As much as she wanted him to go home - as much as she yearned for him to be safe and with Alexis and where he belonged - the idea of losing him, suddenly, was almost crippling. She tried to push it out of her head.

"I'm sure they're all fine. And when we find a way outta here you'll be able to check up on all of them."

[hot4engines]

Kaylee shifted in her chair, but nodded resolutely.

"I keep holding onto that idea no matter how long I'm stuck here and all. I never wanna become so... so scared and so worried and so jaded about everythin' that I just up and give up hope of seein' them again. Ain't who I am, and ain't what I wanna be."

[themuse]

"Yeah, I get that." Mostly because it had taken Kate long enough to figure out that was exactly who she had become, and she didn't like it at all. Now that things were going so well with Castle, she wondered if her mom would actually be ashamed of the lonely life her daughter had lived back home. Kate had never intended to turn out like that. "And you shouldn't. If you're too scared to live, it cheapens it. You start expecting everything to go wrong. And then you miss out on the things that make life worth living." She glanced at Castle again, her lips curling into a smile.

[hot4engines]

Kaylee didn't miss the glance, nor the reaction it elicited and stifled a giggle behind her hand.

"And the people, am I right?" she grinned. "... You know, it's a funny thing about Mr. Castle," she blurted, "but he looks almost exactly like someone I knew back home. Like Mal- my Cap'n. He sure as hell ain't Mal, though."

Kaylee hadn't even meant to bring that up, but she realized she'd been waiting a long time to tell someone about it.

[themuse]

Kate actually blushed when she realized that Kaylee had caught the look. It wasn't exactly top-secret, but she hadn't gone out of her way to advertise what was between her and Castle, either. She wasn't embarrassed, but it was special. And somehow it seemed a little safer to keep the world out of it for as long as they could.

"The captain of your ship?" Kate shook her head. "Better not tell him that, he'd probably let it go to his head. He'll think he was some space pirate in a parallel universe and you and I will never hear the end of it."

[hot4engines]

Kaylee noted the blush and giggled again. She was no stranger to romance, after all, as complicated as her current romantic life was. Then she laughed aloud.

"I'd say it might be true if'n it weren't for the fact that I'm from 500 years into y'all's future. But it still might be true. I met two women who looked and sounded just like me earlier this year. They just showed up like people usually do here. One of 'em was a doctor and the other an actress, and neither of them was anythin' like me, though."

[themuse]

Kate did shoot her something like a playful dirty look at the giggle, but she wasn't really upset. But she did wrinkle her nose at Kaylee's story.

"Two women who looked like you? That had to be weird. Did they get sent home or on or... Whatever?"

[hot4engines]

"Yeah- they was only here for a week or so before disappearin'. I got talk to both of them, though, and one of 'em said she came from Dr. McKay's world. She was real nice, though so different from me in personality- she was pretty shy, to begin with. That made it even weirder to talk to her. seeing someone who looked so much like me but don't act like me. But at the same time, it was interesting, too- hearin' someone else's story sorta coming out of my mouth."

[themuse]

Kate just blinks in disbelief, shaking her head.

"That would be way too weird for me. I can't imagine meeting someone with my face and a totally different background." Though if she did, she hoped that they had a better story than she did. "Where was the other one from?"

[hot4engines]

"From around your time, I think- don't know any more specific than that. Miss Raquel is an actress, so she thought I was her stunt double." Kaylee rocked back in her chair and giggled again. "Or at least she told herself that- 'cause you're right, it is pretty damn weird, and not everyone would be chill with it like I was."

[themuse]

"Well, let's face it, Kaylee. You've seen some way weirder things than people who have your face and you are pretty good with rolling with stuff that is pretty bizarre, anyway. I don't think I'd even be that chill with it." Kate shrugged. "Actually, I kind of hope it's not something I ever have to deal with."

[hot4engines]

"Well, that's true," said Kaylee thoughtfully. "Havin' been here for as long as I have, the weird just don't seem all that weird no more. But yeah, it didn't bother me but it ain't something I'd ever want someone else to see, neither. Not me, nor the folks who know someone as looks like me like Dr. McKay does, 'cause I know how frustrating that is."

[themuse]

Kate hadn't thought about that. After all, if someone showed up who looked like Alexis, she was sure it would probably tear Castle up. Hell, if someone showed up who looked like her mom or even Ryan or Espo, it would probably be hard on her, too.

"God, I hadn't even thought about that. It must have been so hard for you with Castle looking like your captain. If our roles had been reversed and it was your captain and not Castle, well..." Well, considering the fact that hadn't been speaking when she arrived on the island, she wasn't sure how she would have felt. "I'm sure I would have had some mixed feelings on that."

[hot4engines]

"You would," Kaylee agreed. "I love Mal, but he ain't exactly the friendly sort to new folks, and he wouldn't really know what to make of this, I don't think. He and Mr. Castle are totally different. I like 'em both, though. Mr. Castle lets me sit and read in the bookstore."

[themuse]

Kate smiled. For some reason, that tiny comment warmed her heart. "Yeah, well... He's a generous guy." A big part of why she fell for him, really. Kate knew that she was starting to look a Kaylee like a little sister almost; it was hard not to, with a personality like hers. So she wondered briefly if Castle found something in the girl that helped sooth his pain in missing Alexis. She'd never ask him about it, though.

"I'm sorry that you have to be so far away from your friends, Kaylee. But I'm glad you have some here, too."

[hot4engines]

Kaylee was quiet for a moment after that. She was very far away from her crew, after all- both in distance and in time. This was 500 years into her own world's past, a time period she'd never stopped to learn or even really think about.

"It hurts not havin' any of them around," she admitted quietly, a pain in her heart as she thought suddenly of Wash and Book. "My attitude about this place has always been 'make the best of it', but I wish I at least knew they were okay. It ain't something I really dwell on, but I think about them a lot."

[themuse]

"You should think about them," Kate urged, reaching out to pat her arm affectionately. "I think remembering people is what keeps them real to us. You shouldn't ever forget... But you shouldn't let it take over your life, either."

It had taken thirteen years for Kate to learn that. Thirteen years of thinking the only way she could honor her mother's memory was by letting it define her every move, her every thought, her every motivation. She'd almost lost the man she loved because of it; and ironically, that was probably the last thing her mother would have ever wanted.

[hot4engines]

Kaylee nodded her agreement, feeling a little jolt of warmth from the touch. She always loved little physical gestures like that, and Mal's little touches and hugs and kisses of brotherly affection were one of the things she missed most.

"Especially when I'm the only one here," she agreed. "I ain't never been one to much dwell on stuff, thankfully. I feel happy when I think about them most of the time."

[themuse]

"I'm glad." Kate squeezes her arm, looking around at the party and smiling thinly. "I guess I better get back to the schmoozing but... Lunch sometime soon, okay?"

[hot4engines]

"Absolutely," Kaylee grins back. "You go and have fun. It's your birthday, after all!"

[themuse]

Kate laughed and nodded, standing up. "Thanks for coming, Kaylee." With a nod she moved on to mingle with the other party guests.