After much meditation (and re-watching the older seasons) I have found the inspiration to re post this story and finish writing it
I have decided to NOT watch season 8 as it is a total disaster and destroys the show.
So if by accident I use any canon now, it will be by accident
To restate all the rules once again
1. I do not own or rent Castle or any of the players. I do not have a lease with option to buy. They are the
exclusive property of ABC/Disney
2. My stories are Alternate Universe. That means I take the legend and back story and do my own thing
Do not say I did something different from what was on the show. I don't do canon. I leave that to the real writers
3. This is the fourth installment in my "A Murder in the..." series.
Please read them before reading this one. They will tell you how we got here.
Backdrop... They have been married now for 6 months and are still very much newlyweds
So...Hold on
I did not realize I could recover the old story. Sorry everyone
Richard Castle is sitting at the desk in his study looking at his computer screen.
A computer screen filled with letters.
Letters that when connected together form words.
Then these words are placed end to end to form complete sentences
Then, finally, these sentences are turned into paragraphs.
At the end of the day, these letters and words and sentences and paragraphs come together to create complete stories. Stories filled with murder, mayhem, mystery, drama, humor, and now they tell a love story.
Their love story.
The love story that began as an imaginary romance between his imaginary characters, Nikki Heat and her tag along magazine writer but now the imaginary story has emerged from his mind and it has taken on a real life all its own It has taken Nikki and Rook places that even the famous mystery writer never imagined they would travel. At least he did not imagine it could happen until his muse gave her heart to him and now she is his everything, the love of his life and completely into his life.
So he can now tell the love story from a love deep inside of himself
That love story that only existed in Richard Castle's vivid imagination a year ago, now exists in the real world and he only needs to close his eyes and know how much he loves the woman currently in the next room getting dressed for an evening out together.
Tonight's activity is at a formal fund raiser for the mayor's re-election campaign and not just a date, but it a date none the less.
In the past six months, since they both finally realized how much they were destined to be together and gave into those emotions, and connected their lives by getting married, they have spent every possible moment trying to make up for four years of denying what was obviously meant to be between them
In spite of having a head filled with the story he wants to tell about them, that is trying to get out, he knows he needs to stop writing for the evening and get dressed himself, or they will be late to this formal Soiree
Actually it is not uncommon for them to be late to events like this. It seems that they both get easily distracted when they are alone getting dressed for a night on the town. Arriving on time to these social events is not near as interesting to Rick and Kate as spending a few more minutes celebrating their married life together
Rick walks into the dressing room where he finds that Kate has apparently completed putting on what little make up she uses. A little eye shadow and some eye liner, a tiny about of face powder and the rest is the pure beauty that radiates from inside Katherine Beckett-Castle
Kate is looking at herself in the mirror in the dressing area just off the bedroom. When built, this area was originally framed in with a woman in mind but since no woman was worthy of this place in his loft before Kate, the place was waiting for this woman of substance to arrive. It was waiting for her to claim it as hers and hers alone.
After Kate and Rick married and she moved from her old apartment into the loft, he had the dressing area customized specially for her. She had total control of how it was finished out from the hanger bars for her evening dresses. Items that, prior to their marriage, were few and never too fancy, to the more opulent that exist in the room now. Also the shelving designed to hold both tall, high heeled, boots and stilettos to comfortable flats and tennis shoes
Drawers line one wall giving her a place for folded items and those items not requiring a hanger. She now has places for everything. He has made sure every need and every desire of hers is completely fulfilled
Kate looks thru the opening to the many dresses that are now kept here. Most dresses are hers but there are some that originally belonged to her mother. Her dad insisted that Kate take them, and since she and her mother wore the exact same size Kate went ahead and brought them here but has no intention of ever wearing any of them.
But for tonight she glances over to the beautiful new floor length gown hanging on the hook just waiting for her to take it and place it on her body. A gown that he insisted they purchase for this evening's activities. A gown that she would have never selected just for herself, but for his benefit, she is excited about wearing it
Looking back to herself in the mirror she is almost ready to dress and to go out for the evening, she sees a happy satisfied woman looking back.
When he sees her standing at the front of the dressing table unmoving and looking at herself he thinks he sees that she has something on her mind
"Hey love" Castle comments as he enters the room
"Hey babe" she softly responds
He senses there is an unspoken issue in the air "What's wrong?"
Uh. Nothing. Why?" she answers
"I have known you for over four years. Even before we were married I could tell when something is wrong" and he steps up as close behind her as he can and wraps his arms around her waist pulling her into his body
She reaches up and smooths out a small amount of eye shadow on one of her lids before responding "Sometimes I just feel like this is all so…surreal" She turns her smiling face toward her husband "Before you came along these parties were something I would only read about in the Ledger or you talked about when you would come in the next day bragging about who you had brought as your date" using the chance to chide him a tiny bit
Rick thinks carefully before responding to her "Right…and now I can enjoy these parties much more and I really get to brag about who I brought because you are the one I honestly had wanted to be with and now I am"
She closes her eyes and leans into his shoulder "I love you" she says quietly
Castle responds "Back at ya"
After a few moments of silent snuggling Kate finally straightens up and looks at her husband "I guess we better get dressed or we will be late to the mayor's party"
She sees a glint in his eyes and a soft smile turns up on the edge of her lips "We are probably going to be late again…aren't we?"
His eyebrows rise ever so slightly
The couple's late arrival at the ballroom is documented and photographed by a crowd of photographers and local reporters. Beckett is the center of attention as she exits the town car and they gracefully move toward the entry.
Her black with white layered evening gown dropping from off one shoulder then hugging each curve of her long body flowing all the way to the ground is complimenting Castle's tuxedo making them one of the most handsome couples to have passed the crowd of onlookers this evening.
Kate puts on her best smile as she gracefully glides up the red carpet toward the entrance with her fingers firmly wrapped into the crook of her husband's arm and smiling toward the flashing strobes of the cameras.
But before they can disappear inside the hotel, the last reporter captures them asking for a brief statement from the couple
"Hey Richard Castle! You and Mrs. Castle are here to support the mayor in his re-election campaign. Any comment on the rumors that if the mayor is successful in he re-election that your wife, Detective Beckett, will be promoted to deputy chief?"
"I don't know where you get your information, but if Kate were to be promoted within the department it will be because she earned it through her hard work and talent and not some political payback. The mayor does not work that way…now if you will excuse us" The couple step away and they push their way inside the main doors
After they enter into the relative quiet of the lobby Beckett whispers to Castle "where do they get these questions? Does someone sit around an office dreaming up dumb comments?"
"I think that is probably the case" Rick responds just as he sees someone waiting for their arrival. A woman who he knew could possibly be there, yet he was hoping she would miss this event
"Hello Gina"
"Hello Rick" the blond responds
Kate leans into her husband "And be nice"
"As nice as I can be to her" he whispers back and the couple move on through the crowd .toward his ex wife
"I didn't' know you were a fan of the mayor" Castle comments
"I'm not but this is a great way to network with those in power. Keeps me and my boyfriend Claude Wisdom on everyone's mind" she turns then faces her date "Claude, this is one of my clients, Richard Castle and his wife Kate Beckett. Rick, Kate this is Claude"
Castle reaches out with his free hand and the two men shake hands "So Claude, are you in the publishing business too?"
Gina answers for him "No he is a developer. We met when he came to Black Pawn wanting to buy our building"
"And you didn't sell it to him? I thought you were always looking for a way to make a dollar"
"Funny" she responds sarcastically
"I thought you were going on a vacation promotion tour of some type" Castle comments
"We leave day after tomorrow" Gina answers "I will be gone for a week"
"What was it again?...Oh yeah Black Pawn Mystery Tour?"
"Yes Rick and don't forget. I asked you to go with me and you turned me down"
Kate can feel the muscles in her husband's arm tighten up while he is talking to his ex
"Yes I turned you down since it required me to be away from my wife and be with you for a week on this party"
"You knew it was only a ruse, because Claude agreed to be my escort"
"Well, have fun, Gina and I will see you two later, and nice to meet you Claude" Castle smiles at her and her date then he turns with Kate and they move toward the mayor and his entourage
Beckett leans close to Rick's ear "Gina asked you to be her date for some mystery party?"
"She actually asked me to be her host mystery writer, but it would have meant that I would have been apart from you for a week and there was no way that was going to happen"
Kate pauses a few seconds before speaking "Thank you"
"Always"
The evening progresses with the usual dinner and drinks interspersed with short fund raising speeches and a silent auction and lots of mingling with important guests
Since his marriage to Kate, there is one thing that has changed drastically in Castle's social life. Since he and Kate got married his wife usually draws more attention than he does at these parties especially with the men. Tonight he watches her being cornered by so many individuals who all want to be in the know about her and her life now that she and Rick are one flesh
He can tell that she seems uncomfortable so Castle steps up to Kate and speaks into the group "Excuse me. Can I steal my wife away?"
The pair step away from the crowd "Thank you Castle" she tells her husband "I felt trapped in there with all those people"
"You looked like you could use rescuing"
"There were so many around me"
"I know. It can be intimidating sometimes"
"Were you surrounded as well?" Kate asks
"No just you"
Kate pulls Rick around the corner and away from the crowd "Were you jealous in there that there were so many people all around me and not you?"
"No?" he responds but it is evident to Kate that he does have feelings about the situation
She leans into his face and touches his cheek softly with her hand "You are too jealous"
"No. Actually I am not".
"You want to keep trying Castle?"
"No actually I am proud to have you as my wife and I am proud you are getting so much attention"
The evening progresses with all the political party members crowding around the mayor along with the invited press asking questions about his future plans for the city if he is successful in his re election
Kate and Rick are fortunate having not encountered his ex-wife slash publisher too many times during the evening but just before the festivities closes she rushes up to the happy couple as they are saying their good byes to the mayor's entourage
"Rick! I need to talk to you. This is real important"
"OK Gina What is it?"
"I need you"
Kate responds "What do you mean? You need him"
"My guest mystery writer, Patterson, has come down with the flu and I need a replacement mystery writer. I need you to go"
"Gina. As I said there is no way I'm going on this tour with you"
"You can bring your wife! It's only a week. I need you Rick. Please…."
Beckett answers the question "I can't be off work for a week Castle"
The mayor interrupts "Kate. This will be a great publicity event to tie with my campaign. I will call the commissioner and set it all up. Anyway I know that you and Rickey have not had a proper honeymoon and this could double as a good time for you two to have a little alone time"
Castel looks at Becket "What do you say?"