Big thanks as always to LewisInNC for the editing and LittleLizzieZentara for the story idea.

Happy Easter

Bachelor Auction

By

Natalie Elizabeth

Beckett strode towards the stage and her prize. She quickly dealt with the tedious task of handing over her money and signing some sort of waiver. Turning to claim her prize, she saw the smile quickly slip from his face as he looked at her. A scarf and sunglasses were enough to disguise her from a distance, but he had obviously recognised her immediately from up close.

"Hi," she offered, nervously biting her lip.

He didn't say anything; simply grabbed her by the arm and dragged her off the stage.

"Well it looks like they're off to a flying start," the auctioneer told the crowd.

There was laughter from the crowd, but Beckett knew that Castle dragging her off the stage was no laughing matter. His grip on her wrist was tight, and under normal circumstances she would never let a man handle her that way. Castle took them behind the curtain as the next bachelor stared at them in shock as he made his way on stage. Dragging her over to the corner, he released her hand before walking away. He ran a hand through his hair.

"You can remove the disguise now, Detective."

"Right." Beckett reached up and took the glasses and scarf off. "I need to give them back to Martha and Alexis."

Castle turned to look at her. "My mother and daughter were in on this. How did you get them to go along with your charade?"

Beckett shrugged. "I told them the truth."

Castle scoffed. "That would be a first."

Beckett bit her lip. He was angry and he had a reason to be—at least partly.

She took a step towards him trying to close the physical and mental distance between them.

"You told me today that you were feeling unloved, and I want you to know that's the last thing l wanted. I'm sorry my actions made you feel that way."

Castle shrugged. "You can't help the way you feel."

"No, I can't, and yet I tried to run from those feelings anyway."

Castle narrowed his eyes at her. "What are you talking about? You mean run from me—from my feelings."

Wrapping her arms around body to give herself comfort, Beckett sighed. "When you told me you loved me, I got scared."

"You don't get scared," he told her.

"Maybe not of the dark and bad guys, no. Of love, yes. You're not the kind of person to throw around the 'I love yous'. Like me, you've been hurt, and I didn't want to be the person to hurt you again."

"Telling me you don't feel the same way would have hurt less than you lying about it."

Beckett reached out a hand to him, but he stepped back, this time hitting the wall.

"Castle, you're misinterpreting me. I didn't lie because I don't feel the same. I lied because I do."

Castle stared at her for a few seconds before closing his eyes and shaking his head.

"I'm sorry. What?"

"I feel the same way."

Castle's eyes widened. "Then why didn't you say anything."

Beckett shook her head. "I thought you understood that day I spoke to you after your book signing."

He ran a hand over his face. "I thought you meant that you were interested in dating me. Not that you were already in…in lo…"

"In love with you," Beckett offered.

Castle took in an unsteady breath. "Yeah."

"I told you the truth that day. The wall inside of me was preventing me from having the relationship I wanted. I want a relationship where I can be open and honest with my partner—a relationship full of unrestricted love. I thought I could do it on my own though. Just like I thought I could come back to the precinct and be a cop after a three-month absence. I couldn't face my first suspect, just like I couldn't break down this wall on my own. You helped me face my fears at work, Castle, so I could do my job. I accepted help and the world didn't end. So I sought help to get rid of this wall. I've been seeing a therapist ever since then. He has been helping me with my mom, and you, and me."

"You started seeing a therapist for me?"

Beckett nodded.

"I just wanted to be perfect for you."

He laughed.

"If you say I am perfect, Castle, I will shoot you."

Castle shook his head. "Okay, I won't, but why would you need to be perfect for me. I am far from perfect."

"I know, Castle, but I wanted to be better than I was."

"I can understand that. It's the way I felt after first meeting you. You helped me be a better man. I could have helped you be a better woman if that's what you wanted."

Beckett shook her head. "I didn't want to be the damsel that you had to rescue, Castle. I wanted to be the strong person you believe me to be. I wanted to be free to love you. I was scared that if I started something with you before I was ready that I would eventually push you away."

"Why?"

Beckett shrugged. "Because that's what I do. I push people away because I can't open up to them."

"But you have opened up to me."

"Not like I should have. Not completely. I wanted to be able to dive in with you, Castle—to have both feet firmly planted on the right side of the door. I wanted you to feel the way you make me feel."

"And how is that? "

"Loved, but also safe," she told him sincerely.

"I always feel safe when I'm with you."

"Your body was safe, but your heart wasn't. While I was messed up, your heart wasn't safe from me. Tonight is a prime example. I proved myself right. I hurt you because I couldn't be honest with you. You wouldn't be here now if I'd been able to open up to you."

"You explained why."

Beckett shook her head. "Just because I have a reason, doesn't make it right."

"So if you weren't ready, then why did you just pay $1000 for a date with me?"

Beckett could hear the humor in his voice.

"Because I didn't want someone like Officer Robbery to get her hands on you."

"Officer Robbery?" Castle questioned.

Beckett shrugged. "I don't know her name. It was either 'Officer Robbery' or 'the bitch who tried to steal my man.'"

"Your man"

Beckett waved the slip she had been given when she handed over her money. "Yeah, this says I'm entitled to a night of fun with insert bachelor's name here."

Castle smiled. "Insert bachelor's name here, huh?"

Beckett shrugged. "I guess I was in too much of a rush to write the name of my bachelor on a piece of paper. It doesn't matter though; he has written his name on my heart."

Castle threw back his head and laughed. "You really do need to see a therapist if you're spouting corny lines like that."

Beckett rolled her eyes but smiled. He was right. It was corny, but she figured he would appreciate the symbolism. "I have an appointment next week. Will you come with me?"

Castle quickly became serious. "You want me to go with you?"

Beckett nodded. "I'm still not quite where I want to be, but I was thinking we could tackle the last bit together. Maybe if we went to see my therapist, we could discover what we both need to make this relationship last. I want us to last."

"Me too. I'll do whatever it takes. Whatever you need, whatever you need me to do. Just ask?"

"Kiss me."

"I don't think that was part of the bachelor auction agreement," Castle joked stepping closer.

Beckett smiled. "Well, someone better tell your mother that."

Castle stopped. "What?

"She won the bachelor before you. You didn't know?"

Castle shook his head. "I was too busy trying to talk myself into going out there."

"You didn't want to go out there?

"No, I wanted you."

Beckett closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Well now you can have me." She then leaned in and pressed her lips against his. Castle didn't hesitate to pull her closer. He held her tightly before running his hand over her body and gripping her butt.

"Okay, now I need therapy. First Gram, then you two. Can I have the name of your therapist, Detective Beckett?"

Beckett extracted herself from Castle's embrace and turned to look at the young woman who was covering her eyes with her hand.

"Sorry, Alexis," she told Castle's daughter.

"Sorry, pumpkin."

Alexis parted her fingers and peaked through them. "It's okay. You guys kissing is a good thing. I just don't need to see it." Realizing they weren't kissing, she removed her hand. "Thankfully, Gram and her man left before any more people could complain about their PDA."

Beckett bit her lip at the word "More." More people—which meant there had been others apart from Alexis.

"Gram said not to wait up for her. I was just wondering if you were going to tell me the same and if I should just call the car to take me home."

"Ahhh…now…umm…"Castle stammered in front of his daughter.

"I don't know about you two, but I'm hungry," Beckett addressed the two Castles.

Alexis frowned. "Don't the two of you want to be alone?" she asked awkwardly.

Beckett shrugged. "Well, I'd like to leave here and spend time with just the two of you. My treat. I still have $1000 that I was willing to spend."

Alexis smiled. "If you're sure?"

Beckett nodded and then turned to look at Castle. "Well?"

"Sure. Wait. Why do you have $1000 to spend? Did you win the lottery and not tell me?"

"Detective Beckett was willing to pay up to $2000 for you, Dad," Alexis informed her father

Castle raised his brows at the woman. "Really?"

Beckett shrugged. "It was my way of making a grand, romantic gesture."

Castle frowned.

"Like in the movies," his daughter told him.

Castle's mouth dropped open. "Did you race all over the city to find me?"

"I raced from my apartment," Beckett told him.

Castle bristled. "Close enough." He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and gave her a quick squeeze. "You raced across the city for me. You got into a bidding war for me." Castle placed a hand to his chest and batted his eyes. "I'm touched."

Beckett rolled her eyes. Now that was going too far with the corniness. "I'll touch you alright."

Castle gasped in shock. "Detective! Not in front of my daughter."

Beckett pulled Castle's arm away from her.

"You're right. I do need therapy." Beckett started to walk over to Alexis who was laughing, but stopped when she felt a hand on her wrist again.

She turned to see Castle giving her his puppy dog look.

"I'm sorry. I just can't believe you went to all that trouble, all for me."

Beckett shrugged. "You're worth it. And it's the least I can do, considering what I put you through."

Castle mouth twitched into a smile. "I wouldn't go that far, but thank you."

Beckett smiled and twisted her hand so she was now holding his. "So, dinner?"

Castle grinned. "Yeah that sounds like a good place to start."

Beckett bit her lip then smiled. "Yeah, a new start."

The end

And that's all folks. Hope you liked it. Hope I did Lizzies original story justice.

Always looking for new ideas so throw them at me.

Oh and seriously please review. I am already dreading Easter with the BIL. I need something to distract me and tons of review will hopefully stop me from doing anything drastic. (To him)