Title: A Spell is Cast
Author: Mindy35
Rating: K, all ages
Disclaimer: Characters belong to Andrew Marlowe, ABC et al.
Spoilers: minor, "He's Dead, She's Dead", "Poof! You're Dead."
Pairing: Rick Castle/Kate Beckett
Summary: Pre-series. First she stole his wallet. Later she stole his heart. An early meeting at Drake's magic shop.
-x-x-x-
Ricky Rodgers rolled up his sleeve and plunged an arm deep into the discount bin. Drake's always put out a whole horde of unwanted, damaged or incomplete costumes right before Halloween. To him, it represented a treasure trove of ideas and possibilities. Ferreting his way past kiddie cowboy hats and nurse outfits and alien bodysuits and vampire cloaks and masks of various famous people, he happened upon something with potential, tugging at his find with a triumphant smile, only to find that while he had grasped the foot, another pair of hands had a hold of the head. Looking up, he saw that someone was standing on the other side of the overflowing bin. A girl. Younger than him, if the roundness of her features was anything to go by. It was hard to tell though because of the limp, almost black hair that hung to her waist, blanketing most of her face and frame. Visible through the curtain of hair were two glaring green eyes; they narrowed ominously as she grit at him:
"Let. Go."
Ricky attempted an easy smile. "I'm pretty sure I had this first."
The girl continued to glare. "Let go," she repeated, adding even more ominously, "or else."
"Or else what, little girl?" he asked, unable to keep from snickering at her peculiar intensity.
"Who you callin' little?" she spat, rankled by both his term of address and his laughter. "And girl?"
"No one," he muttered, pulling back a little, looking around for some help but finding none nearby. "No, no one…"
"Good," the girl said, leaning across the bin, pulling the costume they both wanted a little more her way. "Cos I do karate three times a week and the guys in my class know to be afraid. Very afraid."
Again, Ricky couldn't help grinning at her underage bravado as he leant across the bin as well, clutching the costume tighter. "That's a real cute story. And hey, you've got a great stare happening and you definitely talk a good game. But I still had it first."
"Says who?"
"Says me."
"Oh yeah?" she snapped, her voice raising and eyebrow arching. "Well, find me a witness and maybe I'll believe you."
Ricky took a moment to study his opponent then let out a breath, deciding to try a different tack. "What do you want a skeleton costume for anyway?" he asked, heading around the bin towards the dark figure who stood between him and possible Halloween glory. "They're for boys, not girls. Why don't you be a nurse or something instead? You'll probably get more candy as a nurse."
"What do you care?" she answered, pulling a face at him. "You're too fat to fit into it anyway."
"Well, you're too skinny for it," he shot back, stopping in front of her and finding that though she was definitely younger than him she was almost as tall. "People will think you're an actual skeleton walking round."
"Well, at least I'll scare someone on Halloween," she retorted, two little patches of pink staining her cheeks. "I bet you won't. Unless it's with how much you talk."
"Whatever, ah-" he stalled in the absence of a name to call her, "whoever you are. I'll tell you what, okay? If you let go, I'll give you five bucks."
At this, a small, lopsided smile started to show on her face. She lifted up one hand, asking him slyly, "But why would I let go for five bucks when I have your wallet with all your cash in it right here?"
"You little thief!" he muttered, making a grab for the wallet she'd stolen and letting go of the coveted costume as he did.
"Ha!" The girl grabbed her booty, clutching it close to her chest. "Mine!"
"That was unfair," he said, trailing her to the counter. "Give it back."
"That was unfair," she mimicked in a sing-sing voice, "Give it back."
"That's really mature. How old are you?" He stuffed his hands in his pockets, powerless to stop her handing over a rolled up note from the front pocket of her jeans.
"How old are you?" The girl cast him a sideways glance as her purchase was placed in one of Drake's old-fashioned paper bags. "Aren't you too old to be in a magic shop?"
"You're never too old for magic," Ricky said, frowning slightly.
The girl just rolled her eyes, "Geek…" and made for the door, the bag hugged to her chest.
"Hey, wait up-" He rushed after her, reaching for the doorhandle.
The girl practically leapt back, looking like she was about to land a karate kick to his head. "Get outta my way, what're you doin'?"
Ricky held up both hands in surrender. "I was just going to open the door for you."
"Oh." She eyed him suspiciously. "…Why?"
"That's what gentlemen do for ladies," he told her.
"Do I look like a lady to you?" she asked, face set in an adorable frown.
Ricky reached for the handle again, slowly pulling the door open for her. "Actually, you look like a mean little Goth with a metal mouth and light fingers. But my mom brought me up to have some manners."
"I can tell…" she muttered as she strode past him.
Ricky followed her out onto the street, Drake's heavy door banging shut behind them. "So you wanna get a hotdog or something?"
The girl was scanning the opposite footpath. "What?"
"A hotdog?" He pointed to a street vendor set up a few doors down.
"With you?" she asked with a snort.
He shrugged. "I guess."
"After you called me a metal mouth and a thief?"
He grinned, pulled a coin out from behind her ear. "My treat."
The girl refused to look impressed by his sleight-of-hand trickery. "You're not getting the costume if that's what you're thinking."
"I don't want it," he replied, his tone turning briefly thoughtful. "I have other ideas for Halloween costumes. I'm working on a whole Cowboy from Outer Space thing..."
"What d'you want then?" she asked, flicking her long hair behind her shoulder.
"My wallet back would be a start."
"Sure thing," she grinned, handing it over, "Richard."
He tilted his head at her. "How did you…?"
"It's on your student ID, genius."
"Right. Well…" he shoved his wallet back in his pocket, "no one calls me that but my mom."
"I'd change my name too if I was called Richard," the girl commented, pulling a packet of gobstoppers out of her jeans.
"I go by my middle name," he told her, bobbing his head a few times. "Alexander. It's a thing I'm trying out, see if it sticks."
"Yeah, cos that's so much better…" She popped a brightly colored orb in her mouth but didn't offer him one.
"And you are?" he asked, shooting her a curious look.
"Leaving," she replied, turning suddenly and heading down the footpath. "I gotta meet my grandfather across the street."
"Want me to walk you?" he asked, trailing her.
"What for?"
"It's a busy street."
"I'm fine," she mumbled, looking at him as if he were nuts. "I grew up here."
"So did I. In New York, I mean."
"Wow," she breathed, voice dripping with sarcasm, "we have so much in common."
"Yeah," he murmured, ignoring her tone and quickening his pace to keep up with her. "So you like magic too, huh?"
"Maybe I just like nicking stuff from people's pockets."
"Well, you're very good at it. Also stealing their purchases out from under their noses."
"You bet I am, Richie or Alex or whatever your name is."
"So…do you go to Drake's a lot then?"
The girl stopped as suddenly as she'd started off. "Why do you want to know that?"
"Just making conversation, being polite."
She looked him over, her cheek bulging with her gobstopper. "Are you following me?"
"Should you be eating that thing with your-?" He broke off at her look, the adorable frowny one again, gesturing down the street instead and answering, "I, uh, I'm going this way, actually."
"Well, I'm not," she said, darting off the curb and between two parked cars. "I see my grandfather, I gotta go."
"Hey!" he called after her, "You didn't tell me your name."
The girl turned, flashing him one last glimpse of that dazzling metallic smile, "That's right, I didn't!" before rushing across the street, her hair flying in her wake.
Ricky watched her run up to a tall, thin man in a dark blue blazer whose old eyes lit up at the sight of her. Grinning, she opened the paper bag and showed him her score. Then the old man made her spit out her gobstopper and throw it in the trash before they continued down the path together, vanishing in the chaos of New York.
Ricky stood on the curb for another moment, gazing after the green-eyed girl. "Fascinating…." he murmured, taking out a notepad and scribbling a few notes to remember for later. Then he turned and walked in the opposite direction, double-checking his pocket for his wallet as he did.
END.