Because Of You

Chapter 10

Back at the precinct, Ryan receives a warm welcome. Fellow detectives and NYPD officers greet him like a returning hero. None of them know yet that Ryan isn't pressing charges against Mick McConnell, but they'll find out sooner or later. Word spreads quickly in this place. When this particular gossip spreads, Ryan doubts he'll be welcomed as warmly as before by his co-workers.

Esposito leans against his desk with his arms folded. Eyes trained on his partner like a hawk. Ryan stands a distance away from them and is patted on the back by their co-workers. Castle joins the worried detective by his desk.

"It's so out of character for Ryan to not tell us why he's not pressing charges, don't you think?" Castle casually asks watching his blue eyed friend. The amount of fascination he has for Kevin has grown exponentially over the past few hours.

"What's odd is that he didn't want to press charges in the first place" Espo adds turning to face the writer.

Castle isn't usually his go to confidant for these sorts of things, but desperate times call for desperate measures and Espo is desperate to know what's going on with his partner.

"So, when you two were getting all touchy feely in the back seat, he didn't tell you why he wasn't pressing charges?" the crime novelist gives Esposito a knowing look.

The detective's cheeks burn a deep fiery red. Neither he nor Ryan thought anyone had seen them holding hands. Big mistake. Castle may act very foolishly at times, but one of the biggest mistakes people make is taking for a fool. The writer is certainly not dim. The hand holding was spotted almost immediately. Watching them through the rear view mirror had made him smile. First of all, because Esposito was blushing like an idiot and Ryan, for the first time today, looked at peace with the world. It also excitingly confirms Kevin's feelings for his partner. Rick knew it would take him some time to work things out for himself, but he's sure glad he did. Considering everything that's happened already, he'll need his partner as close to him as possible.

"What?! Castle, there was no... no hand holding" the Hispanic detective stammers as he struggles to hide his embarrassment.

Castle smirks, fixing his friend with a calm stare "Esposito, you're a terrible liar. I saw you and Ryan on the back seat. I take it from that, he's admitted his feelings for you?"

Excitement bubbles inside of him. It has been torture for him just watching the both of them. There have been so many times when he wanted to just whack both of their heads together to try and knock some sense into them, but his wife has always insisted that he should leave them to work it out for themselves. The thought that they might finally admit the obvious is almost too much for him to handle.

"Kev has feelings for me? Did he tell you that?" Esposito queries with a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

"I think it's pretty obvious from the fact that he held your hand and the way you look at each other" Castle replies with a soft smile.

This is probably the closest him and the former soldier have ever gotten in terms of a deep conversation. Normally when it comes to having those kind of talks, Rick will either talk to his wife or his mini-Castle, but not Espo.

On the other side of the room, Kevin smiles fondly when he spots Esposito and Castle talking to each other. There's an odd aura about them that even Ryan isn't used to. Normally they're locked in a nonstop battle of sarcasm. As Ryan stares at them, he notices an easiness in their body language. Whatever the pair are talking about, there's certainly a level of understanding there.