1:45 AM. That's what the clock sitting next to Kate Beckett's bed says. It's 1:45 in the morning…why is she awake? And that's when she hears her phone ring again. With a groan, Kate's hand fumbles around her nightstand, eyes half closed, until she finally finds her phone in the dark. Usually the only people calling her at this time of night are Ryan or Espo to tell her about a body drop, so when a strange man starts talking loudly in her ear she is surprised, and more than a little annoyed.

"Hey beautiful," the voice on the other end of the phone says. From the way his words were slurred, Kate can tell he had been drinking, and she thought this might be some sort of prank call, which only furthers her annoyance.

"Who is this?" she snaps into the phone. This call is messing with her precious sleep schedule. She should just hang up, but some unknown force is keeping her on the phone, the mystery caller inexplicably piquing her interest.

"Don't act like you don't 'member me," the voice huffs, "I thought we got to know each other very well at the bar earlier."

For a moment Kate is silent, until understanding dawns on her sleep-deprived brain. He must have the wrong number; he obviously has the wrong number seeing as she definitely wasn't at any bars last night. Kate hasn't had a night out in a while, hasn't had any fun in a while for that matter. She is more focused on solving her mother's murder, moving up the ranks to detective.

Her silent musings are interrupted by a loud crash and she finds herself staring at the phone, wondering what is happening on the other end. She gets her answer a second later. "Sorry…tripped…dropped the phone," he mumbles into the phone.

"Hey, I hope you're ok, but you have the wrong number. I wasn't at any bar last night."

For a long minute the phone is silent, and Kate thinks the stranger must have hung up, but just as she is about to put her own phone down she hears him mumbling…something about 'liar' and 'fake number'. At this she has to stifle a giggle; apparently the girl who he had gotten to know so well had given him a fake number, and it just turned out to be hers.

"I'm sorry you got the wrong number, but I really need to get back to sleep now," Kate said gently. She does feel bad for him, but she needs to get back to bed.

"No. No, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up." And then, "I can't believe she gave me a fake number!"

This news must have sobered him up because Kate thinks he sounded a little more coherent. And she also realizes he has a nice voice, warm and gentle. She needs to get off the phone, but she finds herself wanting to hear more of his voice. Something about it is very comforting, like wrapping herself in a warm blanket, and she can't get enough of this feeling.

"Are you walking somewhere? Do you need me to call you a cab?" she asks, real concern laced in her voice. The cop in her doesn't like the idea of an intoxicated person wandering around the city in the middle of the night; she doesn't want anything bad to happen to him.

"Yes, I mean no…I am walking but I don't need a cab. I'm almost to my building."

"Ok, will you stay on the phone with me until you get there, so I know you're safe?" Kate questions. She tells herself this was solely for his benefit, so she can make sure he made it home, but she also wants to know more about this stranger.

"Uh, sure. That's awfully nice of you considering I woke you up in the middle of the night," he says sincerely.

"Well I'm a cop, it's my job to protect people – even when it doesn't fit into my schedule."

This gets a chuckle out of him, and Kate finds she likes that sound even more than his voice. She's trying to picture him in her mind; he sounds handsome, broad shouldered, maybe a little scruff on his face. She snorts out loud as she realizes she made up his entire appearance based on his voice, he probably looks nothing like that.

But he must have heard her snort because she hears another low chuckle in her ear and then, "is something funny?"

"Um, no, sorry," Kate stammers. If he were in the room with her, he would see the blush creeping up Kate's neck as she was caught in her daydream. "I think I'm imagining things, I'm just tired."

"Well you're in luck then because I just walked into my building and I'm in the elevator now."

Kate feels an unexplained sadness at his proclamation; she wants to keep talking to him. And what she says next is a total surprise to both of them. "I don't usually do this," she starts, "but would you like to meet for drinks? Um maybe not drinks, breakfast? Lunch?" All of that comes out in a rush, and she starts to panic when he doesn't answer right away.

"Why I'm not sure you're following good safety procedures for an officer of the law," he, finally, answers teasingly. "I could be a criminal for all you know!"

That did cross Kate's mind, but something in his voice tells her it wasn't true. She definitely wants to meet him. "Well I am a cop and that means I always carry a gun, so you can decide if you want to try anything," she replies with a smirk.

"Have it your way…I don't even know your name," he suddenly whispers.

"Kate, my name is Kate."

"Well it's been wonderful talking to you Kate. Thank you for seeing me home safe. My name's Rick by the way."

Rick. That name fits perfectly with the picture Kate formed earlier in her mind, and she had to shake her head to focus on the conversation. She tucks her hair behind her ear, suddenly feeling like a nervous teenager. "It's been my pleasure Rick, and I'm sorry you got the wrong number." Even though she really isn't that sorry.

"I think this call turned out much better than the other one would have. And if you don't mind, I would like to call you at a more appropriate time tomorrow."

"I'm looking forward to it," Kate answers, and she can't stop the butterflies that flutter in her stomach.

Kate is smiling when they finally hang up, and for the first time in a long time, she only has good dreams.