He'd always wondered what to do in a situation like this. Living in the city his entire life had kept the lonely theatres actually quite full, kept conversation to a minimum… until now.
Does he sit next to her? Does he avoid her? Does he crack a joke about them both being at a 2:00 pm showing of Ali? Does he—
Oh. Her bottom lip is quivering, and the trails of mascara on her cheeks are definitely fresh.
And before he can truly process what's happening, he's walking to the crying woman's row — middle of the theatre, with the "foot rests" — and sitting one seat over from her.
"Hey," he murmurs as the trailers switch from generic placeholders to ones suited to the film.
She looks over to him just as the screen flashes white and oh — he's caught off guard again — she's beautiful, puffy eyes and damp nose.
"Hi," she replies and takes a sip of her soda.
Castle pulls the snack tray over so that it's between them and pops a few pieces of buttery popcorn into his mouth. "You can't come to the movies and just drink soda. That's…" He took a sip of his own drink, root beer, before slipping it back into the holder. "That's practically illegal."
She rolls her hazel eyes but offers a small smile. "I don't know… Cherry Coke is pretty good. Besides, I'll be graduating from the Police Academy in the spring, so I like to think that I know the law."
Castle's eyes go wide, and for once he ignores the screen, even as the movie starts. "You're a cop?"
She shrugs. "Well, hopefully I will be… if all goes well."
He offers her some popcorn, but she waves him off, smiling. "Wait, how old are you?"
She laughs and takes another sip of her soda, and in that moment Castle decides that it's not just the drink that smells like cherries. "You're not gonna even ask for my name first?"
"Sorry," he says as his ears turned pink, "what is your name, officer?" Suddenly that is all he wants to know: what is the name of this intriguing and sad woman?
"Beck… Kate. Twenty-one." He doesn't know why, but it makes so much sense.
He sticks out his hand. "Rick—"
"—Castle." She finishes his sentence along with the handshake, before realizing what she'd just done.
And if the smile on his face is any indicator, so has he. "I see I have a fan?"
It's her turn to blush, and suddenly she's digging her hand into the bag of popcorn and pointedly avoiding making eye contact.
"I've read a few of your books, okay? They're pretty good."
Castle lets out a loud laugh, eliciting a quieter one from Kate. "A soon to be cop reads murder mysteries? The thrills of the Academy aren't enough for you?"
She tries to hide the despair that comes over her, but it's a whole body thing: the slouching shoulders, the pale cheeks, the bags under her eyes… a whole body thing.
And he notices… everything.
"Did I say something?"
She looks back at him (apparently she'd been eyeing the movie screen). "No, it's just… My mom used to read you. She loved your books. And she practiced Criminal Law."
"I'm honored," he says, and Kate would have scoffed at him, but there was something genuine in those piercing blue eyes.
"I'd imagine that she's not the movie-premiere-on-Christmas-afternoon type of person."
"No, she wasn't. But my dad isn't really available for family dinners right now." Kate lets out a sigh, louder than she meant to, but Castle figures out his mistake immediately. He goes to apologize but she simply places her arm on his, a soothing touch. "And that's why I'm in the movie theatre on Christmas, Mr. Castle."
"That's why you're in the theatre."
They sit and actually watch the movie for a little while, watch Will Smith impersonate Muhammed Ali. But then she speaks. "So, why are you here?"
Castle's thick eyebrows quirk up. "Oh, look who's prying now?" There's nothing accusatory in his voice, just amusement, so Kate pushes on.
"It's only fair."
"Touché, officer." He reaches for the Gummy Worms and tears open the bag, eliciting a puff of sugar, before taking one and wrapping it around a piece of popcorn.
Kate makes a face. "If you really didn't want me to ask, you could've just said so."
He laughs before popping the concoction into his mouth. "You should try my smorelette. It takes salty and sweet to a whole new level." Kate nods, but refrains from saying anything, waiting him out. "My daughter is spending today with her mother. I've had her the past few years, so I thought it was only fair when her mother asked to have her for the afternoon. She even flew out to New York… they're in a hotel, or at least she said they are… God, I'm never doing this again."
Kate's hand again rested on his arm in an attempt to soothe the rambling. "Hey, it's okay. I'm sure they're in the hotel, just having some girl time."
It's Castle's turn to roll his eyes. "Let's just hope that the Mimosas are kept to a minimum."
He freezes, but she simply laughs. "Don't worry about it, Castle. I'm not a cop yet."
"Castle… just my last name. I like it; like a cop. But I'll still call you Kate."
She smirks. "You say that like we'll be seeing each other again."
Castle shrugs and hands her one of his Gummy Popcorn creations, smiling when she acquiesces. And then she's smiling too, reaching for another Gummy Worm and piece of popcorn. "You have no idea."
She flashes him one of those killer smiles, before nodding to the screen. "Just watch the movie, Castle."
He does watch, but it's her instead of the movie, and he in no way regrets it.
And they do see each other again, eight years later at a book release party. Sure, there's another divorce from him and a little more relationship damage from her, but this time she is the one to say you have no idea. And this time the truth is his to find.