Spirit of the Law

-Prospero Hibiki

Disclaimer: Castle is owned by Andrew W. Marlowe and ABC Studios. Use of these characters is in no way being used for personal profit.

Author's Note: Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know none of you have seen anything I've written in ages and also that none of you were expecting a Castle fanfic, but here it is anyway. It's one of my two favorite series at the moment (Criminal Minds being the other) and I was just thrilled after watching 'Always' that I just had to write this. That being said this is NOT an 'Always' post-ep fic. This is an alternate universe fic who's divergence point is rather obvious early on. Take nothing for granted for things are not as they seem. On a final note this story has so far been written without a beta (I had no internet access when I wrote this) so if someone is interested PM me on the site.

-K

Prologue: This Spirit

The launch party was everything that she'd always dreamed one would be. There were the trendy socialites talking with some of her favorite authors. She still couldn't believe that she was actually here. If only she could get a drink, but that was clearly out of the question. It'd have been nice though. Now she just wanted to find Richard Castle so she could leave.

She paused. She was at Richard Castle's release party for his newest Derek Storm novel! She wasn't going to squeal. She wasn't. Okay maybe a little one. Better.

Kate caught her breath. She could do this. It would be easy, right? How hard could it be to find Richard Castle at his own launch party. Then again she hadn't gotten here at the start of it so it's not like he'd still be up on stage. She checked out the stage anyway to be sure. Good, that would have been embarrassing. Still, where in the hell was the man? Didn't he have to be out smoozing the guests or something. With his reputation he should be out giving autographs to every bimbette and celebutante he could get his hands near. Just because he was her favorite author didn't mean she didn't know just what type of man he really was. She wasn't that naive. But he didn't seem to be anywhere around.

"Are you asking as my blood-sucking publisher or my blood-sucking ex-wife?"

The voice was quiet and she didn't even know how she'd heard it but it attracted her attention anyway. She recognized him from the book jackets though it seemed he hadn't shaved before his own party. He seemed to be having a discussion with his publisher that she was almost ashamed to be eavesdropping on.

"You could've retired him, you could've crippled him, had him join a frickin' circus! But no. You had to put a bullet through his head."

Well great, now she knew how the book ended. These people should come with spoiler warnings. Then again, it's not like she didn't already read about it on the fansites a couple of days previously, but it was entirely different when you heard the words come directly out of the mouth of Richard Castle's publisher at his own party. Definitely some hard feelings still there between them. If she were going to be investigating his murder she'd definitely be looking at the ex-wife as a suspect. She chuckled to herself. She certainly wasn't going to be in charge of his murder case so the thought was completely absurd. Aside from that the man wasn't even dead. Though if it was true that he had killed off Derek Storm that might change really quickly. Hell, she might have become a suspect herself. Wouldn't that have been embarrassing. The guys would never have let her hear the end of that one.

The rest of the conversation doesn't go nearly as well for the author. For a brief moment or two she thinks she sees something else in his face as he talks to the woman. He almost seems sympathetic. It seems odd that she thinks it because he has to be worth millions and from what she's read on page six he parties harder than almost anyone else. But he autographs a woman's book without even thinking about it. The woman still receives a dose of the Richard Castle charm but it's a reflex that doesn't touch his eyes. Odd that. He doesn't seem nearly as happy as he should be.

She follows him over to the corner of the bar where he talks to a pair of women. One she recognizes as his mother, but the other seems strangely young to be at this sort of party until he kisses her on the cheek and calls him dad. She's heard the girl for a total of thirty seconds and Kate can already tell she's ten times as mature as her father. "The ever popular 'Will you sign my chest?'"

"That one I don't mind so much"

The girl turns her attention back to her homework. "Yeah, well, FYI I do."

"Just once I'd life for someone to come up to me and say something new."

Kate can't help but snort to herself as she leans onto the nearby bar. "Please, you probably enjoy the chest signing way to much to ever give that one up for something original."

Castle turns to face her and wiggles his eyebrows. "I'm more than willing to give it up if you let me sign yours as a finale."

The silence stretches between them as Kate stares in shock. "You heard that?"

The red-headed girl snickers to herself. "It isn't like you were all that quiet about saying it. And, Dad, we both know you're not going to stop anytime soon."

Her head whipping around Kate looks between the father and daughter several times unable to believe what she's seeing and hearing. "You both heard me? And can see me?"

"Is there a reason we shouldn't be able to?" The author is beginning to look at her as if she's insane and steps so that he is directly between her and his daughter.

"I'd say there is. I'm dead. Have been for the past few days from what I can understand."

"Alexis, get your things." Castle looks over at the girl and signals her to back away.

Great, she's managing to freak out her favorite author and his teenage daughter. What did she ever do to end up like this? Maybe she was a mass murderer in a past life.

"Dad, I don't think she's insane. Look at her hand." Alexis sounds slightly hysterical and all three turn to look at Kate's hand.

There on the bar where she's been resting her arm her fingers have been idly tapping, but it seems the bartender has recently placed a person's glass on that space and her hand now seems to have a champagne flute sprouting from the back of the hand.

Kate looks back up at the pair and waits until they meet her eyes again. "Would it help if I said that I'm your biggest fan, or would that just make this creepy?"

"You've got to admit, Dad, that's new."

Hamlet - Act I - Scene II

Horatio: Break we our watch up; and by my advice

Let us impart what we have seen tonight

Unto young Hamlet; for, upon my life,

This spirit, dumb to us, will speak to him.