WIth any kind of script there's a lot of backstory the audience will never know. Sometimes the writers fill the actor in on the character's thought process, sometimes the actor is the one who builds the history. So this is about the things behind the words, and why certain choices might be made. I'm working on other stories too, but this one was clamoring to be written. I love these Castle creations of Andrew W, Marlowe. The characters are such fun to play with! (In other words, not my characters.)
Chapter 1
She's rarely caught off guard but Richard Castle has always had a knack for it. Kate Beckett had been preparing to beg him not to break up with her. That's right - she was going to beg - when he got down on one knee and asked her to marry him. It happened so fast it took her several moments to take in his words and realize he wasn't asking to end it.
But that ring was real and Rick is dead serious. ( She really needs a better phrase for this, given Rick's irreverence for dead bodies...It's more like when he asked for a few minutes alone with Alexis's kidnapper.)
God, this wasn't how she'd pictured this - and she has been picturing it. Ever since his birthday - well, really before. She'd gone to Martha first, figuring as the theatre maven she'd have some ideas of how to make the Rear Window thing work - not to mention be a bit of an enticement for Alexis. There wouldn't be a way to pull it off without her, and she wasn't sure how she'd react to staging a murder.
At that point all she'd done was talk to the building manager about renting the empty apartment for a week. With the real estate market being what is was, fourteen hundred bucks - two hundred a day - was great money for the five grand a month rental.
Martha had been her usual over-the-top enthusiastic self, but insisted "Katherine" should approach Alexis herself. It was a good call, although it wasn't immediately clear. While Alexis may have inherited those baby blues from her dad she had a much better poker face.
"It sounds like a lot of work."
"Some. Mostly making arrangements. It can't work without you though - but you wouldn't have to be doubting him. I'd be the one pretending not to believe him -"
"I'd just have to keep a straight face."
"Well, yes, but he's probably going to get mad at me. Also, I...I know you've both been through a lot, and -"
"Oh, but this is just pretend!"
Just like that, her cool blue eyes got brighter and twinkled just like her dad's.
"He's going to love it! I think it may be the best birthday gift ever!
That was how she'd found herself with two redheads in an exclusive little Soho boutique trying on black "Rear Window-like" dresses. She couldn't help imagining being with them trying on white dresses instead of black - even before Martha commented about doing just that.
"Kate."
She snaps back into the present, to the man down on one knee asking her a question she'd been longing to hear, and yet he'd been so angry...
"I'm not taking the job, Rick. I - I wanted to tell you that -
"- Kate, your job is irrelevant to us. At least to the us I thought we were. The us I've dreamed about, the one I've been afraid to tell you because I thought you'd run. I -"
Oh, dear God, she's gonna cry. She can feel the tears welling up - with joy, with relief, and pure amazement...
"I'm not running, Rick."
"- I know when you...what?"
His startled look makes her smile, she loves when does that - always has. In the beginning part of her teasing and shocking him had been to see the face he's currently making.
"I came to tell you I want us more than this job, but I needed to know where you saw us heading."
It takes him a moment to process, but she sees the sudden gleam of mirth in his eyes before he speaks.
"Katherine Houghton Beckett - is that a yes?"
"Yes...it is."