Happenstance by Judy Peak
Written May 2011
Disclaimer: I do not own Castle. This is just my way of having fun and spending more time with the characters. Thanks to Andrew Marlowe and the rest of the crew involved in the show for creating them and giving us such great episodes each week.
Timeline: This story takes place, late third season, after Lucky Stiff but before Knockout.
As the early morning sunrise beckoned notice through the sheer curtains in Kate Beckett's bedroom, she turned over, awakened by the intruding light. With half closed eyes she sought out the clock on the bedside table and read the time: 6:17am. The first thought that crossed her mind was that she had slept through her alarm and she would get to work later that normal. She was usually one of the first to arrive in the morning to take advantage of the quiet time alone before her day began , allowing her to focus all her attention to the murder board and the clues collected during a case. It was then she realized that it was Saturday and Captain Montgomery had told her to have a good weekend when she headed out the night before.
Her case load had been lighter than usual lately and she found herself engrossed again in her mother's case. Not that it was ever far from her mind but at times like these when she did have a few moments of solitude it once again consumed her thoughts. She wondered if that was the reason her mom's presence had made itself known quite frequently at night in her dreams.
Kate swung her legs onto the floor and grabbed a ponytail holder off her nightstand and made tidiness of her hair in less than three seconds flat. She continued on into the kitchen and started the coffeepot brewing. She couldn't imagine facing a morning without her caffeine fix.
As she contemplated breakfast, she slid onto the couch, grabbing the guitar that was resting on the ottoman as she went. Since opening her eyes just a few minutes ago, she could not get a certain little tune out of her head. Where did she know it from? She started to hum a few notes and proceeded to try to find the right chords. It felt a bit clumsy at first especially since it felt as if her hands had a mind of their own, picking out a tone that seemed so foreign to her yet familiar at the same time.
What a beautiful melody she thought as she continued to hum along and miraculously found most of the right notes. Her nose started to tingle, a sure sign that tears were welling up from an unknown place deep inside her. Those feelings you try to bury that linger and arise when you least expect them.
My mom used to play that song on her guitar all the time, she thought. She would catch her humming it sometimes as she did the most mundane things like washing the dishes, or doing laundry or even as she sat silently lost in thought riding along in the car.
Okay, I have to stop this right now, she thought as she propped her guitar against the far side of the couch. She grabbed a tissue from the box on the coffee table and dabbed at her eyes and then wiped her nose. She headed back into the kitchen to scour the refrigerator for something appetizing to eat to possibly distract her and get her mind on other things.
Rick Castle stood in the shower, letting the warm water gently pelt his face. He felt numb, not even realizing he had not moved once since stepping in. His mind was racing with so many thoughts that they all bumped into one another, causing chaos. Little snippets of a conversation last night with his mother kept running through his mind as if he was watching a trailer for a movie.
He felt it unmanly to give in to the emotions that he was feeling, to actually let himself cry. Instead, he let the anger take over and wished he could punch something to make himself feel better. He remembered how bad his hand ached for weeks after punching out Lockwood to save him from shooting Beckett. But as in that case he knew the temporary pain would be worth it.
The cell phone ringing on the bathroom counter brought him out of his daze. He opened the shower door slightly to inquire as to who was calling. Gina's name and phone number were illuminated on the screen. His ex wife and still publisher had some nerve calling him this early. He knew she was being nosy trying to check the progress on his latest book. But 6:30am is a little early to be calling, he thought. It was then he remembered that she was in London promoting an up and coming writer everyone touted as the next JK Rowling. She will just have to wait, he thought.
Rick finished his shower and got dressed for the day. He really didn't have any plans set in stone since Alexis had spent the night at a friend's house. Castle thought back to last night and found the actions of his mother and daughter quite peculiar.
Martha had spontaneously announced that Alexis had plans for the night. A confused look swept across Alexis' face as Castle noticed her grandmother giving her a look with her eyes that said, "If you don't already have plans kiddo, make some."
Alexis played along telling Castle that her friend Amanda had invited her to a slumber party.
"Do I know this girl?" Castle inquired.
"Dad, she has spent the night here and I've spent the night there a million times."
"Is she the one with the thing?" he pointed into his mouth as he stuck out his tongue indicating a tongue piercing.
Alexis looked appalled as her mouth gaped open a bit.
"The one with one crossed eye? ", he turned only his right eye in towards his nose in demonstration.
Alexis crossed her arms over her chest and sighed.
"Well, it must be the one whose boyfriend is in and out of the detention home then?"
"DAD! You know which one she is."
Castle did, he just couldn't resist teasing his adorable teenage daughter. Aren't these girls a little old to still have slumber parties, he thought. But he gave his blessing and told her to be home by the next evening.
Alexis walked across the living room peering back at her Gram trying to gauge by her demeanor the reason she was trying to get rid of her so badly. Oh no, she thought, she caught Ashley and me in a modestly passionate make out session last week and what if she wants to rat me out?
As she climbed the stairs to go pack, she dialed Amanda's number hoping she had no plans for the evening. As she got to the top of the stairs and disappeared around the corner, Martha looked at her son and said, "Looks like it's just you and me, kid."
Castle's Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed hard. What is this all about? he wondered. His mother seemed in agreeable spirits so he doubted she had bad news. In fact it seemed quite the contrary. She had been walking around the apartment for the past hour with a smile plastered on her face. But something about it unsettled him.
That smile reminded him of the time she did a toothpaste commercial when he was a kid. She roamed the house for days with a grin that could rival that of the Joker himself. Every thirty seconds her face would go from relaxed to spotlight wattage in less than a second. She'd say she was practicing for the shoot and getting into character. "How do I look Richard?" she would ask, barely moving her lips. "Really good mother, almost life like", he replied.
Kate tugged on the refrigerator door breaking the seal as she pulled it open. A blast of cool air hit her bare feet as she scanned the selection of choices to start her day. She grabbed a plastic tub containing fruit salad and a yogurt and returned to the kitchen counter. Hmm, still good she thought as she noticed the freshness date imprinted on the tops of each of the containers.
She had learned her lesson the hard way once causing her to miss her cousin's wedding when she got violently ill after eating some outdated tofu. Her stomach muscles hurt for a week afterwards. It was bad, real bad, and she was trying not to make that mistake again.
She sat down on a stool at the bar in the kitchen, grabbing the newspaper along with a spoon and a fork and reached for her breakfast. She opened the paper to her usual section and absentmindedly poked at the fruit in her bowl. As she looked at the happy couples in the Engagement and Wedding section, she couldn't help but think how much the guys at the precinct would tease her if they knew she has such a girlie interest in weddings. As she started to imagine the bodily harm she could inflict on Ryan and Esposito if they dared try to kid her about it, her phone alerted her to an incoming call.
She jumped down off her perch and scanned which end of the coffee table she had left her phone, saw it and plucked it up to see Castles' name on the screen. She noticed the time as she answered, it was barely 7am. She was usually the one calling at all hours, and it worried her a little that this time she was the recipient of this early morning summons.
"Hello?" she said tentatively. Castle's tone was clipped as he spoke. "Kate, did I wake you?" He continued without letting her answer. "I' m sorry to bother you and to call you so early. It's just…I've been up most of the night, I can barely sleep and I figured maybe you'd be up already. I really need someone to talk to and well, you're my best friend Kate and I can't think of anyone else I would rather discuss this with."
"Are you ok?" She finally butted in.
"Well, I'm not sure,"
"Are Alexis and Martha okay, has something happened?"
"No, no the girls are fine."
"Castle, you know I am here, whatever you need, what can I do to help?"
"Can you go have coffee with me?"
"Sure, sure, what time should I be..." Her sentence died off as just then there was a knock at the door.
"Oh, hold on Castle just one second there's someone at the door." she said into the phone.
"Ok" he replied.
She crossed the living room and approached the door, all the while holding the phone to her ear so she wouldn't lose the call. "Let me just see who is ..." Her words trailed off as she peered through the peephole and saw Castle wave at her, his phone still to his ear.
She experienced a fleeting thought of embarrassment as she realized how she was dressed. A slight blush flushed her cheeks as she unlocked the deadbolt and opened the door. Castle, still holding the phone to his ear finally slid his thumb over the screen to disconnect the call.
"Hi" he said.
"Hey Castle." She just stood there looking at him for a few seconds while her mind tried to register the fact that he was there, at her front door at this time in the morning and it wasn't about a case. At least she didn't think it was.
As Castle stood at the threshold of her apartment his eyes did a quick scan of her attire. She looked so comfortable in her NYPD tank top, flannel shorts, with her hair pulled back in a ponytail. He couldn't help but notice the brightly colored toenails too as he cast his eyes downward.
Again, Castle started to apologize, "I'm sorry to just barge in on you this early..."
Kate interrupted him as she lightly grabbed his forearm and tugged at it. "Castle, get in here!"
The sight of her in her PJ's and the way she just welcomed him in no questions asked put a slight grin on his face despite the serious nature behind the reason for his visit.
Kate motioned to the couch. "You want to sit down, Castle?"
"Well, I kind of need my usual caffeine buzz right about now and am ready for some coffee. So how soon can you be ready?"
"You meant you want to go right now? I have some coffee made in the kitchen if..."
Castle cut her off with a shake of his head "Nah, that's ok." He was really starting to make Kate nervous with his refusal to sit down and just his whole fidgety vibe in general.
"By the way" he said as an afterthought, "Did you have plans that I interrupted today?"
She felt another apology coming on so she hurried and replied, "No, you didn't. I usually have a 10 am karate class on Saturdays, when my case load doesn't require my complete attention. But I go so sporadically as it is, they won't even notice I'm not there."
She smiled and told him to make himself at home and to give her about 20 minutes before she'd be ready to go.
As Castle watched her retreat into her bedroom he couldn't help but imagine her, with her cute little barefoot toes, in a white karate outfit, kicking some butt as he has seen her do on many occasions out on the tough streets of Manhattan.
It was then he decided he would pour himself a little bit of the coffee she offered after all. He approached the kitchen cupboard that he thought might hold the mugs. As the cabinet door opened, he heard the sound of water trickling and figured Kate had started her shower. Soon after, he thought he heard humming coming from that vicinity. He poured half a cup of what was by now lukewarm liquid into his mug and crept toward the sound coming from Kate's half opened bedroom door.
With one eye he peered through the crack in the door, believing he would feel less guilty if he saw more then he intended too with only half his sight. The phrase Curiosity killed the Cat entered his mind as he imagined his fate if Kate caught him. He could see that the bathroom door was shut and was relieved to know he couldn't be tried and convicted of being a complete peeping Tom at least. By then, he realized that Kate not only had been humming, but now he could make out actual words. Kate was singing in the shower! He took one step back away from the door still afraid she would somehow know he was hovering right outside. He turned his good ear towards the door straining to make out the lyrics she was singing.
"Love...soft as an easy chair...love fresh as the morning air...one love that is shared by two, I have found with you...like a rose under the April snow, I was always certain love would grow...love ageless and Evergreen, seldom seen by two...you and I will make each night a first, everyday a beginning..."
He never knew she could sing like that. He stood transfixed to the little piece of the carpet he was standing on. She wasn't kidding about the many layers of the Beckett onion. He had no idea that she could sing like a bird.
It was then he noticed the guitar propped at the end of the couch. As he walked towards it to take a closer look, he thought back to the night he had dropped by unexpectedly to let Kate know that he had started a scholarship in her mom's name. He thought he had noticed a guitar in the living room but he hadn't given it another thought until just now.
He was so lost in thought that he failed to answer the question Kate has asked him. He looked to the bedroom door to see her standing there in her robe, her hair wrapped in a towel with a green toothbrush, the handle poking out, pushed to the one side of her mouth like a lollipop.
"Hmm?" he asked, letting her know with his blank facial expression that he had not heard her.
She plucked the toothbrush from her mouth and said again, "Are you staying out of trouble?"
"Don't I always?
"Do you really want me to answer that?"
"Please don't" he grinned.
"Oh so you did want some coffee I see?"
"Just took a little to wet my whistle" he pursed his lips together and blew to demonstrate.
She rolled her eyes as she extended her right index finger indicating to give her a moment. She pushed the bedroom door shut with a soft click. Castle took a sip of his coffee and made a face as he discovered that it was now stone cold. He made his way to the sink and poured it out and rinsed the mug. If Martha taught me anything it was to be a polite house guest, he thought. And if you weren't going to wash the dish that you used you could at least rinse it out. My Mother, the thought bringing him back to reality, she's the reason I'm here.
Castle found his way over to Kate's bookshelf and noticed right away that she had the entire Richard Castle collection, neatly lined up in chronological order. He could tell she had probably read them all and not just once by the condition they were in. Gently worn was the phrase most often used.
He took Gathering Storm out of its place amongst the others and flipped open the cover. His heart skipped a beat as he flipped to the title page and saw his signature there along with an inscription.
To Kate: Your beauty is unsurpassed. May you one day calm the "storm" brewing in your eyes. Love, Rick.
Had he really put the word storm in quotes? She must have thought I am the cheesiest guy out there, he thought. Not to mention she probably figured I sign that same thing to all the girls and just change the name.
He felt a twinge, that pull she had on his heart as he realized that she had come to his book signing, just one of the many hundreds that he had done over the years. Kate had stood in line and they had a "moment". Knowing how hard it must have been just to get her name out of her. And the fact that his usual autograph included nothing less shallow than an "All the best to you" or "Good Luck." She had never mentioned to him anything about their meeting before.
Just then Kate's door swung open. Castle clapped the book shut and slid it back onto the shelf.
"I'm ready." she said. Kate had dressed in jeans, the sides of her hair pulled back neatly and clasped behind her head.
As they both walked towards the door, he noticed the difference in their height and looked down to note she wasn't wearing her usual high heels
"How's the weather down there?" he teased.
"Hey!" she said as she elbowed him in the side.
She pulled the front door shut and used her key to lock the deadbolt. Castle made his way to the elevator, pushing the button that summoned the large metal box. Just as Kate got to where he was standing, she head the trilling *ding* of the bell indicating their ride had arrived. As they stepped into the elevator, Castle put a casual arm around her shoulder. "Come on, shorty." he said.
Applying light pressure with her index finger, Beckett touched the button with the large number 1 on it. It instantly became illuminated, sending the metal box on its casual descent. Kate could feel the tone between them shift a little more serious as Castle cleared his throat. "Kate, can I ask you something?"
She gave him a tentative sideways glance. A few seconds later she replied, "Sure."
"I was just wondering, what was your relationship with your mother like?"
She was a little surprised by his question and it caused a few silent beats between them before she replied. "Um, I guess the typical mother daughter kind. I don't know Castle, I was a bit of a rebellious teenager and I think I may have caused her unnecessary heartache. When I was a little girl, we were very close."
There was hesitation from Kate again as she recalled memories she had tried to hold at bay as much as possible. "I adored her though. I just didn't have the time with her that I would have liked." As Castle remained silent she went on, "Why do you ask?"
Just then they reached the ground floor. Castle held his arm out across the open door on his side letting her exit first. They made their way across the lobby and out into the street. It was there they realized a specific destination had not been chosen. "Where to?" Beckett asked.
"You know, I didn't have anywhere specific in mind."
"Alright, follow me then." Kate called over her shoulder as she headed east.
They walked along in companionable silence, each lost in their own thoughts. A few blocks later, they arrived at the front door of a diner simply called Joe's. There were very few customers inside, so the jangling of the bell on the door had the waitress to their table just as they slid into seats on opposite sides of the booth. Her name was Kay according to her nametag and she greeted them right away.
"Hiya, welcome to Joe's. Youse probably need menus huh cuz I ain't never seen ya here before?" Kate looked at Castle with a grin and a slight question in her voice and replied "Just coffee for both?" Castle nodded his head indicating he wasn't there to sample their culinary delights today, as tempting as they may be.
As the waitress walked away to retrieve the coffeepot, Castle said under his breath. "Native girl, you suppose?" Beckett smiled. "That hair has its own ozone layer." He opened his eyes wide, "Should I tell her the 80's called and want their hair back?"
Beckett narrowed her eyes and glared at him. How the man across from her could go from serious questions just a few minutes ago to good natured teasing about the waitress' outdated hairstyle would never cease to amaze her.
Just then Kay returned and poured them both a cup. "Cream and sugar are on the table there." She indicated with a nod of her head. "Can I get ya's anything else for now?"
"No, but thanks." Castle smiled back at her.
They sat in silence for a moment while each put cream in their coffee and Castle added a little sugar also to his. As they both stirred, there was the unmistakable clinking of steel on ceramic filling the silence in the air.
They sat that way for several minutes while Castle stared down into his mug. Finally, Kate reached across the table and placed her hand on top of his hand that was resting there. The warmth from her skin on his seemed to bring him back into the moment and he looked up into her eyes, slightly smiling.
"Whatever it is" was all Kate said. Castle exhaled the breath he didn't realize he had been holding in. He stared into her eyes for a moment drawing from them the strength he needed to find the right words.
He figured he would start at the beginning of the events of last night. "My mother was acting strangely last night. She got Alexis to spend the night at a friend's and told me she wanted her and I to spend some time together."
Just then Kay approached the table, coffeepot in hand. "Refills?" she asked. Kate put her free hand over the top of her coffee cup indicating she didn't want more and shook her head no. The waitress looked down to see Kate's hand holding that of the handsome man's across the table and took that as her cue to exit.
Castle continued, "We ended up going to the theater. She was very excited about it telling me she had tickets for a revival of one of the plays she had been in earlier in her stage career. It was actually pretty good and she kept me entertained over drinks during intermission telling me outlandish stories of rehearsals and how one of the theater reviewers had actually called her an ingénue." Kate smiled as she imagined this scene with his mother as he described it.
"We had really great seats in the front row", his story continued. "They had announced at the beginning of the show that the playwright was actually in attendance and would be coming onstage at the end of the performance to take his bows with the actors. My mother had grabbed my hand and leaned over and whispered to me how excited she was. And that she had heard it was rumored that he would be there that night but had not been confirmed."
Kate still sat in silence, every once in awhile nodding her head as he talked and giving him a slight smile now and then to let him know she was engaged in the story he was telling.
"So, it's the end of the play and we are all applauding and cheering and from stage left came this older gentleman, walking a little slowly. As they hand him an armload of roses, he takes a slight bow in acknowledgment to the crowd and it's then that my mother starts applauding even louder. It draws the attention of the man onstage and as he looks her in the face there is a slight recognition that crosses it and he smiled at her. The applause died down as the curtain closed and the man exited the far end of the stage. My mother taps my arm and then she walks towards where he is descending the stairs. Richard, Richard come on, she says excitedly calling back over her shoulder. She had already reached the playwright and hugged him before I could get to them. And as I approached she starts her introduction. She looks at the older man and says Tobias Sloan, meet my son Richard Castle. Richard Darling, she says to me, this is the creator of that wonderful play we just saw. I extend my hand to him and tell him it's nice to meet him as he shakes my hand he says how do you do?"
Castle took a break for a moment, taking a sip of his coffee. Kate still waited patiently though she was by now on pins and needles with all this build up of the events of last night. She knew Castle was headed somewhere with it. He didn't lack storytelling abilities that was for sure, if owning his entire Derek Storm collection proved anything.
He set his coffee mug down and continued. "I kept looking at him because he seemed so familiar. Then it dawned on me, he was a dead ringer for Christopher Plummer."
Kate looked confused.
"You know Captain von Trapp from The Sound of Music."
She shook her head no.
"You've never seen The Sound of Music?"
Kate finally spoke "I can't believe you have."
"My mother got Alexis hooked on that movie at a very young age. Alexis watched it constantly for a whole year. Let me tell you, I wanted to strangle those hills that were alive more than once." He kind of chuckled to himself while Kate continued to look totally lost on the references to a movie she had never seen.
"Never mind" he sighed.
"Okay, so I stood there as they chitchatted a bit catching up on old times for about ten minutes when he abruptly announced that he had to go. An older woman had been standing off to the side as my mother and he talked and he suddenly leaves to join her and they walk down the aisle together and exit the theater. "
"My mother and I rode back home in the taxi as she continued going down memory lane telling me all about that summer and the play. Once home we poured ourselves a drink to unwind before calling it a night. That's when Martha had gone quiet and I knew something was up."
It was at this point that Castle slowed his story down a bit. The events of the night before played out in his mind like a movie slowed way down with the sound slightly muted.
"Martha let out a sigh, set her drink on the table and clasped her hands in her lap. Richard, I don't know how else to tell you this so I just have to say it flat out. Tonight, at the theater, that man you met is your father."
At that declaration Kate's eye widened in surprise.
"Luckily I had just swallowed the liquid that was in my mouth when she dropped that news on me; else it would have been splattered all over the front of her and the furniture in an involuntary response. As it was I started to cough uncontrollably as my face turned crimson. Martha rushed to the kitchen to get me a glass of water as I continued to cough and was having a hard time catching my breath. She handed me the glass and I had it emptied within seconds. She says to me, I'm so sorry sweetheart, I didn't know how else to tell you. I have lived with the guilt of keeping it from you all these years. I always thought you were better off not knowing. You aren't the only one I never told. He doesn't know you are his son."
It was then that Kate noticed that Castle was struggling with his words. She saw the slight pool of moisture collecting in the corners of his eyes.
Kate felt helpless. She knew what a blow this was. As much as Castle came across at times as the class clown, she knew underneath it all he had a very sensitive side and that the identity of his father was something he yearned to know probably above all else.
He had stopped speaking and looked down. She knew there was more to the story but wanted him to continue only if he chose to.
Finally, her voice soft and low, she simply said "Rick".
He let out a staggering breath and when he spoke again his voice had taken on a slightly more angry tone.
"Kate, do you know what I would have given to grow up with a dad? It's what I have always wanted, what I have begged my mother to tell me all these years. Do you know how many little league teams I joined only to quit halfway through because I would be taunted endlessly by the other kids...Ricky doesn't have a daddy or Ricky runs like a girl. I mean, you name it they used it to tease me with. I think it's why I turned to writing. Something I could do on my own, to take me out of reality for awhile, you know?
"I do" she replied in a sympathetic tone. "Did she tell you why she kept this a secret from both you and him?"
"From what she has told me, which isn't much so far, is that the reason she kept it from us is that she had a lapse of good judgment and she made a choice that she realized would affect all of us and not just herself. She said she didn't know at the time when their relationship started that he was married and already had kids of his own. She was totally infatuated by the attention of this older man whom she admired. And she said as quickly as he had come into her life, he was gone. She found out she was pregnant soon after and decided not to contact him. She said she hadn't seen him again until last night. She told me she was ashamed of the circumstances surrounding how I got here but she never regretted having me or raising me alone. And that I was the joy of her life and she couldn't ask for a better son."
Kate realized that she had been holding his hand the whole time he talked and she took her thumb and rubbed it across the back of his hand, trying in her small way to convey how sorry she was that he had found out in this way but in a way happy that he finally knew.
"Did she tell you anything else about him?" she asked
"The only other thing I got out of her is that he is Canadian. Go figure, eh?" With that Castle broke a smile and eased the tension.
Castle let out a sigh of relief feeling better that he was able to talk it all out. Or at least the parts of it that he knew for now. His next thought was that he felt like he had intruded on Kate's time enough already so he motioned to the waitress for the check.
Kate was surprised that he had finished the telling her about it so abruptly but took that as the cue that he was done talking about it for now. Castle took some money out of his wallet and laid it on the table to cover the coffee and the tip.
They made their way to the door, the bell jangling again as they exited the restaurant.
"I have a little bit of time before I have to take a conference call with the publishing company and Gina," Castle said while mimicking having a noose around his neck and pulling on the rope. "I can walk you back home if you want."
She thought again how this man had the uncanny ability to find humor at the oddest moments. She hated to admit it but it was one of the things that drew him to her.
She looked at her watch just then noticing it was still fairly early. I guess I will join my karate class this morning after all she thought.
"Nah, Castle, I'm good you go ahead."
He raised his hand high in the air and flagged a cab. He stepped down off the curb as a car made great haste in reaching him. He opened the door and stopped and turned back towards Kate who was standing in front of him on the sidewalk.
"Kate, I can't thank you enough for being here. I really needed someone to talk to."
Without thinking about what she was doing, she stepped towards him and wrapped her arms around him. Instantly, she had been welcomed into his warm embrace. They held on tightly for a few moments.
Only when Castle felt the slight hitch of the car door move slightly forward as the impatient cabbie shifted the car into drive did he finally loosen his hold, wishing they could have a few moments more.
As Kate let go of Rick, she said softly into his ear, "Always."
THE END