Richard Castle has a secret. Not even his Mother knows. He has an identical twin. One named Richard Alexander Rodgers born on April 1, 1969. the other is his brother. Born 20 minutes later. Named Alexander Richard Rodgers. Martha Rodgers was never told of the second baby. Their father was the one to hush up this second birth. Richard Castle muses about how twisted his life became when Alexander came into his life.

They were both 14 at the time. They both ended up at the same school and did not meet each other until that fateful day at Drake's magic shop. Richard had just came in with a few of his friends and was admiring all the neat objects in the store. One was his favorite the trick mirror. Richard would spend hours gazing at the funny shapes that mirror would produce. However, Today something very unexpected happened. He was dressed in his school uniform and ran over to his favorite mirror. The frame was there but the mirror which had the funny shapes was not. It was just a straight mirror. Richard thought well I can still get some fun out of that. So he started making funny faces. Unbeknownst to him it was not a mirror at all.

Alexander was bored. He was always bored. The butler/chauffeur/nanny Fred was standing outside the door of this magical place. It was Tuesday. Alex always loved the magical mirror. It helped him alleviate the boredom. Today it was gone. Only a straight mirror was hung in its place. Alex studied the mirror image over and over again. Not a hair out of place he thought. Then he had the idea to make funny faces. It was fun. The boredom was starting to recede. Until the mirror image did something extraordinary. It turned around showed his back. Now Alex knew this was a magical place but seeing his backside instead of his front was strange indeed. Now the image was moving away from him then it disappeared around the corner. Alex thought that was so strange because the mirror no longer showed his reflection. And there was a definite breeze being felt through the mirror. The sounds of the twilight zone theme came rushing through his head. Alex stood there for a few minutes until a little girl no more than 6 appeared in the mirror. Alex was all sort of confused. The girl pondered him for a second then thrust out her hand through the mirror and said.

"I am Katie. Did I not see you a few minutes ago?"

Alex grasped her warm hand and said

"No, I do not think so. I am Alex."

"How can you put your hand through the mirror?"

Katie looked at him funny.

"What? There is not a mirror here just the old frame. Granddad had to remove it. It broke yesterday."

Alex thoroughly confused

"Are you sure? I just saw my reflection a few minutes ago."

Katie looking at the older boy with curiosity.

"You are sure a strange one."

At that Katie now skipped over to where her granddad was ringing up a purchase.

"PawPaw", Katie said to get the older man's attention.

"Yes Katie",the older man replied.

"There is a strange one here today."

"Why is that?"

"He said he saw his reflection in the broken mirror frame."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah."

"Very strange indeed little one."

Katie got mad she did not like being called little at all.

Katie now jumped down and ran away from her PawPaw.

Katie not watching where she was going ran smack into Richard as he was turning the corner.

Richard looked at the little girl

"Are you ok?"

"I am fine Alex."

"Alex? Are you sure you did not bump your head?"

"No, I did not Alex."

Richard was perplexed here was an obvious little girl who must be injured. There was no swelling on the head from what he observed.

"Ok Little one You seem to be ok but my name is not Alex."

Katie getting mad because she did not like people calling her little.

"I am not little and quit trying to confuse me Alex!"

"But I am not Alex. I do not know your name. I am so sorry I called you little."

Katie thought Alex was playing a trick on her and she did not like it so she turned and ran to PawPaw.

Katie now saw Richard but she was convinced he was Alex.

Katie now had decided to just ignore what ever Alex said because she was tired of his tricks.

Richard still concerned for the youngster came up to the older gentleman who Katie had called her PawPaw.

"Sir. Your young friend ran into me and bumped her head on the ground."

Katie's granddad now looked at the older boy at the counter.

"Yes, I think she needs medical treatment. She seems to think I am called Alex."

"That is not my name. I am Rick or as my mother calls me Richard. As before today we have never met. I think this is serious."

The older man now considered Rick's words carefully.

Katie swinging her feet in the chair behind the counter was now ignoring the person called in her mind Alex.

"Katie", her granddad started to ask, "did you hit your head on the ground?"

Katie now looking straight at her concerned Grandfather said

"Yes I did but It did not hurt nor is there a bruise. I do not care what he says I know his name is Alex and I am ignoring him."

Katie's grandfather did a quick physical exam of her head and found no lump or anything else.

Feeling better he turned to a very worried Rick and said.

"There is nothing I can see but I will keep an eye on her."

Rick felt a bit better.

"Along as you feel ok then I will be running along."

Rick now exited the shop only to be accosted by a very large Black man holding a door open for him.

Rick now wondered maybe her mother's new boyfriend who he knew was rich sent a car for him.

Fred seeing the young man said

"Quit stalling and get into the car."

Rick complied.

Fred now closed the door and muttered under his breath.

This boy is going to be the death of me yet!

Fred drove the limo to a palatial estate on the New York's Eastside.

Rick sitting in the back got bored so he started looking at all the pockets and crevasses in the back of the limo. The wetbar was filled with his favorite soda. His mother's rich boyfriend sure knew what he liked. That was strange. Rick thought. He acts like he thought I was a bother. But yet he sends a limo and fills it with all my favorite stuff. I think I must thank him for the ride. Finally, the car stops.

Fred gets out and opens the door for him.

Rick is amazed at the size and the architecture of this building.

Fred watched as his charge acted so strangely.

It must be a phase he is going though he mused.

Fred now opened the front door and waited until his charge finished gawking and entered the house.

Fred now left then went to the kitchen to talk to the chef about tonight's meal.

Rick now wandered aimlessly through the house marveling at all the interesting art and found himself into a library.

Rick loved the library. He remembered getting his New York City library card when he was very young.

Rick ran his fingers over the volumes. There were books about almost everything he could imagine.

Select one at random. He sat down and started to read.

A few minutes later Fred was looking in the usual places the squash court or the handball arena even the basketball court. No Alex to be found. Fred wondered where his charge was. The Master would not like it if his charge was missing. He even looked into his room. No Alex. Finally in desperation he did a room by room search. Lo and behold he found him in the most unlikely place the library and reading a book too? This was perplexing Fred something fierce. Fred cleared his throat.

Rick looked up from the book and looked at Fred expectantly.

"Dinner is ready go wash up."

Rick now remembered where the washroom was in his search earlier and did what he was told.

Fred expecting the usual back talk was pleasantly surprised over how meek Alex was today.

The lord must have smiled on me today! Fred thought.

Rick now finished washing up was conducted to the dining room where the meal prepared was sitting.

Rick's mouth watered over the delicacies his nose was experiencing. It was all his favorite foods.

Rick sat down and began to eat.

Fred still wondering what happened sat next to him eating in silence.

Rick now completely full asked

Is anyone else going to join us?

Fred taken back about that question.

"The master never dines with us."

Rick thought well that is strange. Well, his mother does attract strange men.

Rick thought well I guess we will meet them at the stage?

"So when are we going to the theater?"

Fred thought What? Theater? When was he interested in that?

Fred thought quickly and said

"As soon as you are ready."

"Ok I am ready now."

"Fine sir I will get the car."

Rick now headed back to the library and picked up that book he was reading.

Fred brought the car around.

Rick got in carrying the book.

Fred now was told to stop at the theater actor's door.

Fred was perplexed but did as Rick said.

Rick now got out and rushed into the theater to find his mother.

Meanwhile back at the magic shop Alex getting bored paid for his items and Katie was still sitting on the chair. She felt it is punishment for running in the store.

Alex spotted her and said

"Hi Katie."

Katie still mad spun the chair around so she could not see his face.

Alex did not know what he did to provoke such a response in the young child but shrugged it off.

Alex left the shop and noticed the oaf Fred was missing!

Great! He is the biggest incompetent fool his father ever hired for him.

Alex not knowing what else to do decided to look at New York without his tail. Alex has been carefully monitored since he was very young. He never saw his father but he had been assured by all the nannies and butlers that he cared for him very much. This was the first time he was ever free. So he decided he wanted to go to the theater district. Once down there he was accosted by a big bouncer like guy with a Brooklyn accent and a large cigar in his mouth.

"Ricky! Your Mother is worried. Get in here."

Alex was stunned by the words this man who he had never met was speaking to him.

Mother? I see this must be something my Father planned for me.

"Ricky, do you not recognize me? It is Uncle Lou!"

Alex playing along said

"Of course Uncle Lou I was just playing with you."

Lou relaxed knowing Ricky the star's son was always placing tricks on the staff and crew.

"Oh you are a smart one aren't you! Come on get in here the play is about to start."

"Ok Uncle Lou."

Lou now leads Alex to the backstage, all the girls in the chorus line patted him on the head as they passed. And cooed over his new clothes. Alex beamed at the fawning the beautiful women were doing. Alex thought I could get to liking this. Alex was led to the dressing room and told to stay there. On the door was the star's name in bright red paint Martha Rodgers. Alex looked around the room and found several pictures of someone who looked like him. Standing next to a bevy of beauties. Then he saw one with a person like him and a very tall willowy red head who was drop dead gorgeous. There was a playbill which showed her face again. This was Martha Rodgers.

Alex thought I have a mother? And obviously a brother too? Alex thought what mother would mean.

The door now open and a person who looked exactly like him darted into the room. There was no magic mirror involved this time. Alex was face to face with his twin! Alex regarded his twin and noticed the book he was holding.

Rick rushing in to talk to his mother passed Uncle Lou and waved at him as he ran into his mother's dressing room. Rick stopped in his tracks as he saw a stranger who looked like him! Rick was stunned. Rick finally got over his initial surprise and held out his hand.

"I am Rick and you are?"

Alex looked at his twin and said grasping his hand.

"I am Alex. I must be your brother."

Brother? How could that be? Rick thought to himself.

"Oh, I noticed the book you are carrying. Did it come from my father's library?"

Rick now looked at the book.

"I guess so. There is so many books I doubt this one would be missed."

"I suppose not."

Alex replied.

"I do not bother with the library much."

"So that big Black man who drives you around is your?"

"I guess you could call him my constant companion. I cannot go anywhere without him present."

"Really, That sounds like no fun. So Alex do you want to have some fun? How about we trade places for awhile. That way you can have some freedom and I will get to know how you live. Plus you could experience Martha Rodger's our mother close up and personal. We need to keep this a secret."

"Sure I am in. What do you suggest."

"Well how about we meet in the New York library to discuss plans. I do not have a phone but you can find me there or here most anytime. Say we go to the same school? Why have I not seen you before?"

"I just got transferred in. My old school in London was bombed by the IRA. So my father brought me to New York."

"Oh I thought the IRA had a peace treaty?"

"Yeah, I suppose they were to but I was told differently."

"So this place I visited was a rental?"

"No, I live there with Fred and Wilma."

"What you live with the Flintstones? Is Barney and Betty there too?"

Rick laughed at his joke. He thought it was so funny.

Alex looked at his brother like he had gone insane.

"I do not know what you are talking about."

"You do not know the cartoon the Flintstones? Don't you watch TV?"

"Not really Sports are my bailiwick."

"Bailiwick? Now that is a strange word but that is ok. I like words even strange sounding ones. I am going to be a famous writer one day.

Alex regarded his twin.

"I am getting hungry. I have not eaten. I guess I will have to find Fred and get Wilma to fix me something."

Rick looked a bit sheepish.

"I ate your dinner. I am so sorry but I thought I was going to my mother's new boyfriend's house. I thought he had a change of mind about me. He is rich you see. So I naturally thought it was for me."

Alex looked at his brother and thought yeah I could see that happening.

"Always, Rick I need to find Fred and be off. I will look for you at school. Remember not a word to anyone!"

"Ok Alex see you there."

Alex now slipped out the door of the theater and located Fred who took him home.

Rick sat in the dressing room thinking of all the implications of having a father. Alex seemed well taken care of unlike Rick's upbringing. Rick thought his mother was doing the best that she could. Rick was going to have fun indeed. Rick now sat in the chair and resumed reading the book. He dreamt of the world of Alex and what fun it will be to impersonate him.