Summary: After a weekend of romance between Kate and Rick, Kate is left alone, pregnant with his child. Five years later, a murder leads Kate to question Rick, where she can't seem to get rid of him after. How long can she go keeping their daughter a secret from him? Can they forgive each other?
This story is going to be following the episodes, as well as following Kate and Rick as they learn to forgive each other. In this story they both have done wrong.
Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.
Chapter 1.
Kate observed the body carefully, the way Alison Tisdale was laid out seemed familiar to her. Alison's death was planned, the hand of someone who hadn't felt guilty killing her, someone who has killed before. Her gut twisted unpleasantly. "Does anyone find this familiar?"
"No, but I'm not the one with a thing for freaky ones. Just give me a Jack shot Jill over Bill so I can get my call and go home." Esposito said.
"Oh, but the freaky ones require more. They reveal more. Look at how he left her: covered modestly." Now that she thought about it, she knew she had seen this before.
"So?" Ryan questioned.
No. This couldn't be. She was just looking into this too much. Her death wasn't anything to do with Richard Castle's books. It couldn't be. She wouldn't allow it.
"Beckett?" Esposito questioned.
"What – uh – I," She clenched her fists.
"Girl, you look like you've seen a ghost," Lanie said, her eyes watching Kate with concern.
"Its from his books," Kate whispered knowing Lanie knew who she was talking about, she was the only one Kate had told.
"As in?" Lanie hinted.
"Yes," Kate groaned, after five years and now here she was staring at a victim that's been laid out like in one of his books.
"Care to explain?" Esposito asked, looking between the two girls.
"You think he did this?" Lanie asked ignoring Esposito.
"Who?" Ryan asked.
"Is it wrong to hope that he did?" Kate questioned.
"I hardly blame you, girl," Lanie shook her head. "But you know your going to have to see him."
"Is the suspect an ex?" Ryan asked.
"Oh, he's more than an ex," Lanie said.
Kate glared at her friend, she really didn't want everyone to know, but they were going to have to question him and that put her in a horrible position. Five years she had kept the secret buried, five years she had gotten away with it and now it was all coming out.
"You're telling me Richard Castle is your daughters father," Esposito shouted in shock. Thankfully, the three of them was in Kate's car on their way to talk to said Richard Castle at his book launch party.
"You can't tell anyone," Kate hissed, she didn't want to tell them, but they were her partners and she couldn't keep it from them if Rick ended up being a suspect. She just hoped she didn't have to tell Montgomery.
"Little Anna is his child," Ryan muttered. "Now that you think about it, she has his eyes."
"Thanks for pointing that out, Ryan," Kate muttered. Her little girl, Anna, was only four years old and was at home sleeping while her mother was out about to question her father. She didn't know who her dad was and Kate planned on keeping it that way.
"And you still bother reading his books?" Esposito shook his head.
"The man who wrote the books and the man I met are completely different people in my mind," Kate said. It was the truth, she did separate the two as the man who wrote the books meant a lot to her, his books had helped her get through life.
"You want us to knock him out?" Esposito cracked his knuckles as Kate rolled her eyes, focusing on the road instead of them.
"No, just do your job and then we'll be done for the night," Kate told them.
Rick's book launch party was a grand affair, she wasn't going to lie, it annoyed her how he was here living in the high end of life when her daughter was at home asleep with Kate's dad, while she was working. She had spent the afternoon with her before being called out for a body, though.
Music played as she entered the building, the room packed with people from Rick's life, everyone there to celebrate his new book. She scanned the room, finding him at the bar. Clenching her jaw, she walked over knowing that this wasn't going to be pleasant.
"Mr Castle?" Ryan asked for her.
Rick turned around, his eyes widening at the sight of Kate. She pulled out her badge, pulling it up for him to see. "Detective Kate Beckett. NYPD. We need to ask you a few questions about a murder that took place earlier tonight."
A young red headed girl plucked the pen out of his hand, "That's new."
"She was his daughter?" Kate asked Esposito, taking Richard Castle's files from his hand as she read over them. He was hers, his fifteen year old daughter was sat at his book launch party, sitting there for her father. She had no right to be mad, he didn't know he was the father to another girl, didn't know Kate had even fallen pregnant, but he never mentioned having a kid. For that weekend of romance, it seemed Richard Castle was just full with lies.
"Beckett, are you sure you want to be on this case?" Ryan asked.
"I'm sure," Kate said, reading more into his files as she walked over to the interrogation room. She wasn't going to allow Rick to get to her tonight.
"Mr Castle... you've got quite the rap sheet for a bestselling author. Disorderly conduct, uh, resisting arrest." Kate listed them off.
"Ouch. You don't remember me?" Richard questioned, which Kate decided to ignore.
"Says here you stole a police horse?"
"Borrowed."
"Ah. And you was naked at the time?"
"It was spring."
"And every time the charges were dropped."
"What can I say? The mayor is a fan. But if it makes you feel any better, I'd be happy to let you spank me." He grinned at her. She clutched the file tighter in her hand, she couldn't believe him!
"Mr. Castle, this whole bad boy charm thing that you've got going isn't going to work again. You can either make my life easier or harder, and trust me, you don't want to be the guy that makes my life harder." She glared at him, he had already made her life harder. Being a single mother with a four year old daughter and a full time job, while on call most of the time, was hard. So hard, that her father had moved in with them. She didn't regret Anna, she could never regret her baby, but while times had been tough, her little girl had brought Kate and her father closer again.
"K." He said simply, completely unaware.
Kate pulled out the photo of Alison, sliding it in front of Rick. "Alison Tisdale. Daughter of real estate mogul Jonathan Tisdale."
"She's cute." Kate glared at him again.
"She's dead. Did you ever meet her? Book signing? Charity event?" Kate questioned, wanting to get this interview over and done with, him out of her life again.
"It's possible. She's not in my little black book if that's what you're asking."
By the time the interview came to an end, Kate couldn't have been more happier. She was infuriated with the way he acted, annoyed that he didn't even offer an explanation to where he went on that final morning, leaving her alone in bed, to be pregnant with his child. What she wanted was to just go home to her daughter.
"How about a drink for a catch up?" He asked as she stood up to leave. Was he serious?
"Goodbye, Mr Castle," She said.
"You never told me you were a detective," he continued.
"You never told me you were a father," Kate snapped, leaving the room.
"Everything OK, Beckett?" Esposito asked.
"Yes, please escort Mr Castle out of the building," Kate told him.
Esposito cracked his knuckles again. "With pleasure."
"I take it he wasn't the author," Ryan said.
"No, just a complete jackass," Kate grumbled.
She looked up, finding Esposito escorting Rick out, but she didn't miss the wink Rick sent her way before they entered the elevator. Picking up her bag, she wished Ryan a goodnight and then left the precinct.
When she got home, she found her father asleep on the sofa. She sighed, knowing that this was getting too much for him. Anna went to a nursery during the days when Kate worked, her father picking her up, but these night calls drained him. Pulling out a blanket, she placed it on top of her father before going to her daughters room. Anna was asleep, her favourite lion teddy held close to her chest. Kate smiled, she looked so peaceful, her eyelids fluttering with dreams and her breathing slow and calm. She made her way over to her room, falling into bed exhusted with the day.
"Mommy!" A body jumped on top of her, causing Kate to groan. "Wake up, Mommy!"
Kate opened her eyes, finding her daughter on top of her. Long strands of her brown hair fell into her daughters face, those blue eyes standing out. Kate let out a sigh, those blue eyes, just like Rick's and his other daughter.
"What's wrong, Mommy?" Anna asked, cupping Kate's cheeks as Kate laughed.
"Nothing, everything's fine, baby girl," Kate whispered, kissing the top of Anna's head.
"Grandpa's made pancakes!" Anna told her.
"Has he?" Kate tucked a strand of hair behind the girls ear. "Why don't you go eat them up while I get dressed then."
"Okay," She watched as Anna jumped of her bed, hurrying out of the room. Smiling, Kate got out of bed getting ready for the day. When she left her room, she found her father and daughter sitting on the sofa eating pancakes together.
"Yours is in the kitchen, Mommy," Anna told her.
"Thank you, sweetie," she kissed the top of her head before getting her pancakes. Kate knew it was going to be a hard case at work, but now the hardest part of Richard Castle was done, she could focus more on finding the murderer now. She watched her daughter, wondering how she could be his child, her sweet little angel was nothing like him, but the eyes were a constant reminder.
When she finally reached work after dropping Anna of at the nursery she carried her box of Richard Castle's books into the precinct, knowing that the answer to the murders were in them. She had kept these books far away from Anna, not wanting her to see or question Kate about them. Not only did she have to deal with going through his books looking for answers, she had to collect and go through his fan mail. She really wasn't enjoying this case.
"You're not going to like this," Esposito said as she dumped the bags of letters on her desk.
"If its anything to do with him then I don't want to know," Kate mumbled. They stood silently. Kate rolled her eyes turning to face them.
Ryan sighed. "He's back."
Kate followed where they were looking, finding Richard Castle talking to her Captain. She hated this case. What was he doing here now? How had he managed to go five years without appearing back in Kate's life? Now she was seeing him for the second time with not even in a day.
"You sure you don't want me to hit him?" Esposito asked.
She couldn't help but grin at the image. "No,"
"Detective Beckett," Montgomery called.
Kate took a deep breath, entering Montgomery's office. "Yes, sir?"
"Mr. Castle's offered to assist with the investigation." Montgomery said. She really didn't think it was possible to hate a case this much. This couldn't be happening, she wouldn't allow it to.
"Really?" Kate asked looking at Rick in disbelief.
"It's the least I can do for the city I love," he said with a smile. Kate ground her teeth together, was that all he was good at? Lying. He wasn't obviously here for the city and a few years a go Kate would have swooned over that, now she resented him.
"Considering the nature of the crime scenes, I think it's a good idea." Montgomery seemed excited about the idea. Kate's mouth opened and closed in shock, confusion, horror.
"Sir, can I talk to you for a minute? In private." Kate asked knowing she was going to have to tell him. He would understand, he loved Anna and he wouldn't want any conflict caused in the precinct.
"Nope," he simply said, leaving it at that.
Kate left the office, picking up Richard Castle's letters, ignoring the questions of Esposito and Ryan. For a second, she thought she was going to cry. But, she wasn't going to let him get to her any more. Instead, she sat with him opposite her, ignoring him completely as they went through his fan mail. From her pocket she could feel her phone vibrating and she checked it, only finding it was Lanie calling for the hundredth time that day.
She couldn't even last an hour locked up in a room with him. He thought he knew her, maybe he was right, but he had no right. By the time she found something, her teeth ached from being clenched too long. Kate had asked him why he was here, him claiming the story. He kept dropping hints about that weekend, but not bothering to explain once how he just left her with no note or explanation, only just the memory and her daughter.
"Be a good girl for you Grandpa, okay?" Kate asked down the phone to her daughter.
"Are you coming home soon?" Anna whined, missing Kate.
"I'll be home as soon as I can, baby," She knew she worked too much, but she couldn't give this job up and it was keeping them all stable. If only she could close this case soon and go home to her daughter.
"Can we come by the precinct for dinner?" Anna asked.
"Not tonight," Kate told her, hating Rick for it.
"Oh," her heart broke hearing her daughters disappointment.
"Don't be sad, sweetheart. We'll finish this case up and then I promise we'll spend a lot of time together. I think Kevin and Javier want to see you."
"Then I can come to the precinct with you?" Ever since Kate brought Anna to the precinct for the first time, the girl had insisted coming at least once a week, finding Kate's work place fascinating. Her little girl had won everyone's heart around here.
"Yes," Kate said knowing Rick would be long gone by then.
"Okay, Mommy," Anna said and Kate could picture her smiling. "Grandpa's calling for me. Bye. I love you,"
"I love you, too," Kate said, wishing she could hug and kiss her daughter right now.
"Well, that's awkward," A voice said behind her making Kate jump.
"Do you mind?" Kate snapped. She looked up at Richard Castle, his grin angering her. Thankfully, he must have believed Kate was talking to a boyfriend. If he really knew who she was talking to then that grin would soon fall from his face.
"Boyfriend?" Kate rolled her eyes.
"It's none of your business," Kate told him.
"I get it, your still mad over that weekend," he said, still grinning.
"If your apologising then don't bother," It was obvious he wasn't sorry and Kate didn't need his pity.
"You want me to apologise?" Rick asked, flashing Kate an amused grin.
"No, I want you to leave me alone," Kate growled.
The phone went and Kate gladly picked it up. From the corner of her eye, Rick was looking at the photo of Anna on her desk. Kate hadn't thought anything of them, the pictures of her and Anna together, Anna by herself, then one of her dad with Anna. She even had a group picture of Anna with the rest of the team at the precinct. She hung up, turning to talk to Esposito.
"Who's the kid?" Rick asked. Kate froze, watching as Esposito give her an amused grin.
"My niece," Kate lied.
"She looks a lot like you," he said and Kate watched as he moved in to look closer. Biting her lip, Kate silently begged that he wouldn't see the blue eyes.
"Well she is my sisters kid," Kate said. Esposito snorted, making Kate turn back around to glare at him.
"Anyway," Kate said. "Lab's got lifts off the letter."
Too Kate's annoyance and shock, Richard Castle had dialled the mayor up, wanting to hurry up the prints from a week to an hour. He just had to show how rich and famous he is. She couldn't put up with him any more, he had left her and now suddenly he wanted to come back in her life again.
"Sir, can I talk to you?" Kate asked, knocking on Montgomery's door.
"Beckett, Castle's staying," Montgomery said.
Kate entered the room, closing the door behind her. "He can't, sir."
"And why not?" He questioned.
"He's," Kate bit her lip. "He's Anna's father."
"Richard Castle?" Kate nodded her head. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"I was going to, but you wouldn't let me," Kate said, pushing her hair back behind her ears.
"He has no idea?" Montgomery asked.
"I don't plan on him ever finding out." Kate told him.
"The mayor gave him permission, Beckett. I can't send him away," Montgomery told her.
"He's already asking about her. How long do you think it will be before someone says something in front of him?" Kate asked, the panic slipping into her voice, she hadn't realised how easy it could be for him to find out.
"He's here until the end of this investigation," Montgomery told her. "Solve this case and then he leaves."
"What if he finds out before then?" Kate whispered.
"I'm sorry, detective, but you'll just have to make sure he doesn't."
That was the first chapter. Anna comes in more in the next one, she even comes to the precinct... Who will she meet? I'm going to post the chapter later tonight as Anna is just such an adorable girl and the situation is great. Please do review and tell me what you think:)