A/N - I just thought there was potential for an extension of the 'ship name' conversation, as there is for pretty much every exchange these two have. And sure I'm a fanfiction writer...I couldn't resist the opportunity to have these two discussing shipping, could I?

Enjoy, and review. Merci bien (:

What A Shame

"Esplanie!" Castle exclaimed as he and Beckett walked through the set. She turned her head towards him, a look of amused confusion in her eyes.

"What?" She asked with a slight laugh. She was used to Castle blurting things out with a certain amount of spontaneity on a regular basis, but she was clueless as to where this had come from.

"You know, Esplanie. Lanie and Esposito. Like Fox-Can. We can call them Esplanie, which is perfect because they are always ess-plaining things!" Beckett found it hard to keep the snort from escaping.

"Oh really? And since when do we work in, I 'dunno, 'Seduction Precinct'?" This time it was Castle's turn to giggle slightly.

"Oh if only, Kate." She didn't miss his use of her first name. "Well, if my research is to be trusted, the mashing of character names for 'ships isn't limited to soap operas. I came across some very interesting ones, actually...Lante, you know, Lulu and Dante from General Hospital-"

"Well, I don't know, actually. You know, seeing as I don't watch it." She wanted to make that point very clear.

"Mhmm yes, yes." He didn't believe that entirely, but continued anyway. "Drarry, Draco and-"

"Don't finish that, Castle. I may not have grown up with Harry Potter but I still feel like knowing that ship exists will ruin my childhood." He smirked.

"Chair, as in Chuck and Blair-"

"Castle, no. I'll lose whatever respect I still have for you if you tell me you watch Gossip Girl." She shook her head, pushing the button for the elevator.

"Okay, firstly, Alexis watches it, not me, and secondly, how would you recognise the reference if you didn't watch it?" She was speechless for a moment, blushing. "Aha! Detective, this is happening too often."

"Castle, we're not getting into this." She dismissed him, stepping through the open doors.

"Denial." He said in a sing-song voice.

"What does it matter, anyway? I'm a woman, it's socially acceptable for me to watch crappy television like that."

"Yeah, but you're no ordinary woman, Kate." She swiveled around towards him again, mouth open to say something in response, but words failing her. She shut her mouth after a second, not wanting to open that can of worms at that precise moment. It wasn't worth it, though his dazzling eyes and charming smile were tempting enough. She turned back to face forwards. Castle sensed he'd crossed a line, but for some reason didn't want to step back. "Caskett." Her eyes darted back to meet his almost faster than her neck could accomodate.

"What?" She knew well what he was saying, he could see it in those big, brown eyes of hers. Perhaps she didn't want to admit that the idea of them having a 'ship name had crossed her mind before.

"You know, our shipper name. Castle and Beckett...Caskett." He grinned impishly at her, before leading the way out through the doors as they slid open. She smirked. She couldn't fault his flirtatious ways.

"Well, not that we have any need for one-" He raised an eyebrow "- but how terribly fitting, what with all the murders." His eyes lit up, in spite of her air of sarcasm.

"Exactly." He drew the word out dramatically. "Kate, I like how you think. But sure what else is new?"

"Caskett." She repeated, testing the name out. It rolled off her tongue as if she was born to utter it. "What a shame, then, that we're not characters on a soap opera. Only place the writers could get away with, eh, this." She gestured back and forth between the two of them with her index finger. Lies, Katie, lies. You know it.

"Nah, I'm glad we aren't in a soap opera." She looked at him quizzically. Wasn't he the one who was shipping this? She wasn't blind, after all.

"And why is that?" She asked, honestly interested in how he'd respond.

"Well, how often do you get two characters like us in a show like Temptation Lane? A sexy homicide detective being followed around by a dashing, best-selling author, catching killers together?" She raised an eyebrow, not that she wasn't used to his kind of description of the two of them from him. A flash of inspiration appeared in his eyes. "Though now that I think of it, that'd make a fantastic TV show, wouldn't it?"

"Hey, you've already turned this into a series of novels, not to mention a feature film. I say we leave it at that." She smirked again - it was becoming one of her default expressions around him - though there was genuine warning in her eyes. Once Castle got an idea into his head, there was little stopping it. She didn't need this to go any further.

"Don't worry, Kate. I wouldn't put loyal viewers through this kind of turmoil every week." He made those faux puppy dog eyes, as if to say 'put me out of my misery, Beckett'.

"I get it, Castle. You're a truly tortured soul. Doesn't mean I'm going to succumb to your...charm." She brushed him off in her usual way as they approached her car. He grinned at her. He enjoyed eliciting that kind of response from her.

"Hmm, I suppose on a soap opera we'd have cut to the chase already, in fairness." He grinned at her, but there was slightly more sincerity to it.

"Only if you were writing it, Castle." She pulled the car door open, sliding into the driver's seat.

"I wouldn't be so sure." He said, following suit.

"Believe me," She looked straight into his eyes, a smirk dancing across her lips, "I'm sure, and you should be too."

"Whatever you say, Detective." He beamed deviously back at her as she started the car. "Whatever you say..."

fin