A/N: The first paragraph had been sitting on a page for months, I had lost the idea once I wrote the first paragraph, you know how when something distracts you, you lose it. It's SO annoying!
Anywayz… it's only a one-shot. But the idea came instantly and so I wrote it down, a lil advice when an idea comes… jot it down if you don't have time to write instantly, or else, you can lose it. :)
This one-shot is taken from the beginning, before Beckett and Castle met. Hope you like it… :)
Leaning back in his black leather swivel chair, Richard Castle sighed heavily. He had been sitting at his desk for over two hours and he was drawing a blank. Writer's block! There was nothing more frustrating for him than that. He hated the feeling of being without control, especially when it came to his writing, when the words didn't flow and he sat silently, with nothing for hours.
Frustrated and bored, he spun the chair in circles, until his eyes were unfocussed on the blur that surrounded him.
The phone jolted him from his own little world. He pressed the green button and held it to his ear. "The one and only handsome, Richard Castle…" he answered.
A short laugh echoed through the phone. "You always were a little into yourself…" said the voice.
"Gina?" he gasped. His publicist! He looked at his watch. Damn! He knew he had to be somewhere, but his mind had been lost in writer's block, and he'd completely forgotten about the time. It happened to Richard Castle A LOT!
"You are supposed to be down at the Sandbar library for book signings," she told him in her signature business-like tone. She'd always been like that, it was one of the things he had married her for, her ability to keep her emotions in check, and possibly the same reason he had divorced her. Gina hadn't been one of those women who fell to his feet and worshipped him, which he had been intrigued by in the beginning of their relationship, but she had also never put any emotions into their marriage, and after a while it was hard to fight when he forgot what he was fighting for.
"Does this mean you're going to spank me!" he said teasingly.
"No it doesn't," she replied coolly. "Get down here, Castle!"
"Roger that," his tone deflated and he hung up the phone. He sighed leaning back against his leather chair, only for a moment, before he rose and went to change into own of his "author" suits.
He walked into the Sandbar library 40 minutes later.
Richard Castle knew the drill. He knew it would take a few hours of signing books and "other areas of expertise", not that wasn't his favorite signature signing. He decided to make the most of it, and who knew, this might be just what he needed to bring his mind back from that blank slate he hated so much.
"Good, you're here!" Gina said tugging him on the sleeve of his Armani suit and dragging him to a chair. She shoved him down and handed him a pen. He looked up to find a line as long as the Oldies on pension day. He inwardly sighed. This was going to be a long day.
The first woman stepped up to the table.
"Hi, can you make this out to Geraldine Walker please," she smiled widely. Richard Castle brought his pen to her open book and signed his name. It had become so robotic that he never thought about it anymore, he seemed to write the same sentence, changing it slightly at every book signing.
This book was his fifth installment of his famous Derek Storm series. It was still fun at this stage, and when he wrote, the words flowed and he was surprised at where his characters ended up. He knew it was time for a change of pace, when his characters became predictable.
Richard Castle looked up at Geraldine and smiled, adding a wink out of shear boredom. His fan seemed to appreciate that, and giggled slightly as she made her way out with her book in hand.
Devotee after devotee, he signed their book or their chosen anatomy, going through the same routine and in his head he played games of "what if…" to keep his boredom under control.
At least an hour and half had passed since he started.
A tall brunette stepped forward, a sweet smile on her face, breaking Richard Castle's concentration. "Hello…" her voice was soft and delicate, with an air of confidence. Richard Castle was instantly intrigued.
"Well, hello to you…" he smiled genuinely. She was beautiful, with long luscious auburn-brown hair that fell past her shoulders. Her warm green eyes seemed to read into his soul, piercing his heart and causing butterflies to flutter in the pit of his stomach. He suddenly felt like a twelve year old schoolboy. He grinned raising his pen. "Where would you like it?" his eyes glinted playfully.
The woman pushed her book across the table.
"And what name would that be?" he held her eyes a moment slightly disappointed that she had silently requested he sign her book as appose to a particular body part.
"Kate, my name is Kate Beckett," she smiled shyly. While her body language cried out confident, her eyes told him that she was clearly impressed with what lay before her.
"Kate Beckett…" he repeated. I'll remember that, he thought silently. "It's beautiful."
Kate blushed and watched as he jotted down his signature and a small note in her purchased copy of his new book. He slid the book across the table back at her. "It was lovely to meet you, Kate," he smiled.
He would have stayed and chatted, had it not been for the hundreds of people he still had to sign books for. He didn't mind book signings on average, but everyone had their bad days. Richard Castle was tired, and he was suddenly eager to get writing, an idea had entered his mind and he was keen to explore it.
Kate Beckett, he thought as he watched her walk away, throwing a smile over her shoulder as she headed out of the library, she was going to be an inspiration, talk about star-struck, damn it Castle, you're way out of your league with this one…
Sorry it's so short… please review if you have the time and patience :)