Author's Note: This story picks up in the early portions of 7x06, "Time of Our Lives." This AU is far more extensive than just exploring how Beckett and Castle never met - and yes, I took *a lot* of liberties. Enjoy!
It took almost a minute for Kate Beckett to gather her bearings. The ringing in her ears eventually stopped; her vision cleared soon after. The detective sat up, her face scrunched in confusion. She wasn't in any pain. She still had all of her extremities. Her engagement ring was still firmly planted on her left hand.
For a second, Kate couldn't remember why she was in an abandoned coal plant. The memory returned soon enough. She was working on a case, her fiancé having convinced her to come up here because he had a hunch.
Most of the time, Richard Castle's hunches were right.
Gingerly, Kate got back to her feet, dusting herself off. Her green eyes examined her surroundings. The plant was definitely abandoned, and there was no sign of anyone else on the premises. A wave of worry surged within the detective as she took a tentative step forward.
"Castle?"
Silence. Kate brushed a strand of brown hair behind her ear, swallowing back dread.
"Castle?!"
Still nothing. Her heartbeat quickened, adrenaline and fear sending her into a dead sprint before she slammed her shoulder into a heavy door, pushing past it and rolling onto her back with a grunt.
The dull ache in her shoulder faded, and Kate took a few moments to catch her breath. She sat up, her eyes dancing around the facility. The black Jeep was gone. So was the silver briefcase. There was no evidence that anything had gone on in the coal plant any time recently, and as Kate stood up again, she couldn't help but shake her head.
"Castle?!"
Her voice echoed back at her, but Kate heard nothing else. There was no sign of her fiancé. Panic threatened to overwhelm the detective, but she ran her fingers through her hair and sucked in a deep, calming breath. Fishing the white iPhone from her pocket, Kate fished through her contacts list until she saw Castle's name.
She was about to hit "call" when she noticed: no bars.
"Shit."
She ignored the panic threatening to rear its ugly head again, pacing in circles and spouting off facts as she knew them, out loud, despite there being no one around to hear these ideas. "Okay, uh…" Think, Kate…think! "It was just a flash bomb. No real harm. I'm okay. There's no blood anywhere."
She turned on the balls of her feet to where she remembered the Jeep being…only to see there were no tire tracks, nothing to hint that the vehicle had once been parked there. The table she remembered the briefcase being on was also undisturbed.
Kate frowned. It was as if this place had been wiped completely clean.
"Maybe Rick went home." She was a terrible liar, especially to herself.
Still, it was the best theory she could come up with at the moment – and it had the added benefit of getting her the hell out of this abandoned coal plant. Since she clearly wasn't going to find any clues here, she was better off cutting her losses and going somewhere else.
No sooner did Kate emerge from the elevator on the floor she needed, she was nearly bowled over by a redhead in a hurry. She kept her footing, in part, by grabbing onto the railing in the elevator, furrowing her brow when her eyes focused on the woman in question.
"Martha?!"
The other woman stopped, her eyes focusing once she heard her own name said back to her. She stood upright, left arm curled in front of her, purple purse hanging off her elbow. The redheaded woman, who looked to be in her 60s, if not older, wore a lime green button down over a blue-and-white patterned t-shirt. Her pants were white, and the entire ensemble just screamed…loud.
"Is there something I can do for you, dear?"
Kate frowned, her arm jutting out to keep the elevator doors from closing when she heard the familiar ping. Why was Martha acting like she was looking at a stranger? The detective saw the unfamiliarity, the questioning, in the older woman's gaze, and she felt a pit in her stomach.
"Martha." Kate repeated. "It…it's me. Kate."
Martha furrowed her brow, leaning in and shaking her head. "I'm sorry, dear, but I don't know anyone by that name."
Kate opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. She shook her head, eyes narrowing. "But…your son…"
"Oh, you know Richard!" Martha's expression instantly lightened and she softly clasped her hands together. "It's good for him to get out and meet new people. And you certainly seem much more put-together than Chelsea." The redhead waved her hand in a dismissive fashion. "I wouldn't bother him right now, though. He's trying to meet deadline."
Kate stepped out of the elevator with a frown, watching as Martha disappeared behind the closing doors. She stared down the hallway, her feet seemingly glued to the carpet. She could see the door to Castle's loft from where she stood. What was keeping her from walking over and just…knocking on his door?
And what was with Martha, anyway?
Casting one more glance back at the elevator, Kate forced herself to move. She tentatively wandered to Castle's door, taking in a deep breath before rapping her knuckles against the door. She cringed at how timid the sound was, and how little sense this was all making. She waited far longer than she thought she should, thinking maybe he hadn't heard the knock, but when she raised her fist to try again, she was startled by the door swinging open.
"Mother, did you forget your—" Richard Castle blinked, his hand on the door. He wore about a week's worth of stubble on his face, and his blue eyes were dark and worn – though they brightened considerably when he laid eyes on the woman standing at his door. "Um…hi."
"Hey, Castle." She tried to keep it casual, trying to act like everything was normal – even though it sure as hell wasn't – and…his clothes were awful clean for having just been hoofing around in a coal plant.
"Hi." His brow furrowed and his head cocked to the side. "I'm sorry…do I know you?"
Kate felt her heart sink, her shoulders lowering. She could almost feel the breath being sucked out of her, and she shot the man standing across from her a look of shock, anger, and hurt before showing him her left hand – and the sparkling ring on her finger.
His eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. "Wow." He swallowed, giving the woman at his door a sympathetic yet skeptical look. "Hey, look, I'm sorry, but…I think I would remember someone if I bought that for them."
"Dad, what's going on?"
Kate frowned at the sound of Alexis' voice, watching as Castle looked behind the door and shook his head. "Nothing, sweetie."
"Well, Gina called, and she wants the last four chapters by midnight."
Castle rolled his eyes and shook his head before giving a forced smile to Kate. She folded her arms over her chest and gave him the look – to which his furrowed brow only deepened and he took a step forward.
Much to Kate's surprise, she took a step back.
"What's your name?" He propped his left elbow against the door frame.
Unfolding her arms, Kate shook her head and laughed. "Ooookay…" She ran her fingers through her hair and shrugged her shoulders. "That's cute, Castle. Reeeeal cute. You got me. Consider us even after what I pulled on your birthday a couple years back. Now come on, cut the game."
Castle frowned, his hands stuffed in the pocket of his jeans. He seemed genuinely confused. "I'm sorry, Miss…?"
Kate felt her cheeks growing hot, averting her gaze. "Beckett." She swallowed. "Kate Beckett."
Castle's expression brightened, as if a pang of familiarity had hit him. Kate watched with equal parts hope and exasperation, but before she could say anything, Castle ran back into his apartment, behind the door and out of her line of sight.
She thought about following him inside, but he was back at the doorway before she could react, a childish grin on his face and a folded-up newspaper in his hand.
"Beckett." He repeated. "You the new Senator's daughter?"
Her brow furrowed. "Excuse me?"
Castle unfolded the newspaper and showed Kate the headline. Her eyes took in the big, bold print, and as soon as she did, her knees grew weak and she grabbed at the door frame to keep herself from falling over.
The headline read: Johanna Beckett: New York's Next Senator.
