Title: Who Really Killed Derrick Storm
Rating: T
Summary: A tour of Mode has unforeseen consequences.
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the demented plot. Ugly Betty was created by Fernando Gaitan, developed by Silvio Horta and produced by Silent H Productions, Ventanarosa Productions, Reveille Productions, Touchstone Television, ABC Studios, etc. Castle was created by Andrew W. Marlowe and produced by Beacon Pictures, Experimental Pictures and ABC Studios.
Author's Notes:
1) The story is set prior to the season one of Castle and midway through season three of Ugly Betty. However, there are significant Ugly Betty spoilers right up to the beginning of season four as incidents from past episodes are revealed as part of the tour.
2) Because people may be more familiar with one show and may know very little (if anything) about the other show, I've also decided to list the episodes that are referenced within the chapters in author's notes.
3) I've played a little with other elements of the timelines to suit the story (e.g. Castle's mother has moved in prior to him writing Storm Fall).
4) Finally, though no actual murders take place, there is violent imagery courtesy of Castle's mind.
Who Really Killed Derrick Storm?
Chapter 1
Richard Castle was bored and that was never good.
On the surface, things couldn't be better. He had a successful career, a great kid and was looking forward to the freedom of an impending divorce. Still, things seemed slightly off, and he was slowly beginning to realize what the reason was.
Derrick Storm.
Castle looked over to the stack of printed pages sitting on his desk. It was the manuscript of his latest Storm novel ready to be sent to his publisher. It was a good story. Of that, he had no doubt, but something was different. This time the whole writing process felt like work, and work was rarely fun. As far as he was concerned, if it wasn't fun then what was the point.
His contract stipulated that he produce two books a year which meant he needed to start plotting the next Derrick Storm novel. No rest for the wicked, he thought then sighed, took a sip of coffee and reached for the New York Ledger. The daily newspaper had provided the inspiration for many of his stories and, with a little luck, would continue to do so.
Clad in his boxers, t-shirt, robe and the fuzzy slippers his daughter, Alexis, had bought him, Castle sat on the couch and flipped through the paper. Nothing caught his interest until he saw a photo of Daniel Meade handing over a check to a fund set up to benefit the victims of several tornadoes that recently tore through the Midwest.
Hmm, murder at a magazine, he thought. That had potential.
He reached for his iPhone and dialled. "Hey, Daniel. It's Rick."
ooOoo
Author notes: The Ugly Betty episode referenced in this chapter is 3.8 "Tornado Girl".