IMPORTANT: This is total AU. This is an assignment that I had to do for English and I though why not share it with you guys. Rick is deaf.

Bold text is the signing in the story.

Italic text is the flashback

Declaimer: I DO NOT OWN CASTLE CHARACTERS

Hearing a knock on her door, Kate stands up and grabs her remote to the TV pausing it before walking over to the door. Looking though the peep hole she recognizes the face staring back at her. Sighing, she leans her head against the door, as she replays the events that happened not less than twenty-four hours ago.

Flashback

"Hey" Richard Castle signs as enters Kate's house.

"Hey" Kate smiles as she closes the door to her apartment.

"Ready to learn some new signs today?"

Kate nods following him as he walks into her living room taking a seat on her couch before signing, "Again I can't thank you enough for helping me study for my sign language class"

"It's nothing. I'm happy to help" Rick takes a seat next to her.

"So I have my…my…" Kate looks at him looking for help.

"Finger spell it"

"N-O-T-E-S"

Rick places his hands in front of his chest. His left hand standing straight in the air as his right hand taps the fingertips, before moving down to tap the palm, before tapping the wrist. Then he himself finger spells it, so that she understands.

"OK, so I have my notes…" She pauses looking over at Rick making sure he isn't going to correct her before continuing, "…from class today" Pulling out a piece of paper and placing it in front of the two of them. "We are learning feeling signs, R-E-L-A-T-I-O-N-S-H-I-P signs, and family signs"

"OK, R-E-L-A-T-I-O-N-S-H-I-P." With both hands he places his index finger at the tip of his thumb so that it the two fingers make a circle, then connecting the two circles before he shakes his hands a couple times back and forth. Watching as Kate signs back the word before nodding and continuing, "We will start with feelings, then move on to relationships, before getting to family."

"OK" Kate said getting readjusted on her couch so that she is facing him fully.

"Ready?"

"Yes"

"H-A-P-P-Y" Placing both hands flat hands near his chest, he moves them forward in circles and touches his chest alternately a couple times. Watching Kate fingerspell the word and sign it before he continues.

"S-A-D" Placing both hands with fingers spread out, bent a little at the tips, near his face, he pulls the fingers down as if he is scratching his face, while looking sad.

"E-X-C-I-T-E-D" Placing his middle fingers at his chest while the other fingers are extended, he moves the middle finger forward in circular motions several times.

"A-N-G-R-Y" Placing his hand in front of his face, he bends and unbends his fingers while looking angry.

"T-I-R-E-D" Holding bent finger tips on his chest before swiveling the hands down, ending with the fingers pointing up.

"L-I-K-E"

Before he could teach her the sign, she stops him.

"I know this one"

"Oh really? What is it?" He signs looking shocked.

"Don't look so surprised, I looked it up." She laughs as she lightly pushes on his shoulder.

"When?" He looks into her eyes, trying to read her.

"After our first signing lesson together" Looking down at her lap, avoiding his eye contact before looking back up.

"OK, what is the sign then?"

Placing her middle finger and thumb on her chest, the other fingers not touching, she pulls back moving the middle finger and the thumb so that they touch in front of her body.

"Good job"

"Thanks"

"Why did you only look up like?" He questions.

"Because…" She points to herself, signs the word like, and then points to Rick.

Moving closer to her on the couch, he looks her in the eyes before asking, "Really?"

All she can do is nod, before he presses his lips to hers. Placing his hand against her cheek as he runs his tongue across her bottom lip.

Suddenly Rick pulls back, "I'm sorry" Rushing to collect this things. "That shouldn't have happened" He stands up and rushes out the door, leaving Kate shocked sitting on her couch.

End Flashback

A loud knock stirs her from her thoughts. Sighing again before she places her hand on the handle of the door before she opens it. Without signing a word he pushes himself past her and into her house. Closing the door behind her, she turns around to him, looking him in the eye before he starts to sign to her.

"All my life, I told myself that I wouldn't date a hearing girl. I told myself that I wouldn't because hearing people don't understand the struggles that we deaf people have to deal with. I went to a hearing school from about 4 years. From when I was 11-15 years old. The whole time I was there I had to have an interpreter with me. The only friend I had was that interpreter."

"Oh…Rick" Kate said talking a step closer to him.

"I am not tell you this so that I get your sympathy, I am telling you this so you can get an understanding of my decision." Kate nods as she looks down at the ground, trying to understand his point. Placing his finger under her chin he pulls her chin up so that she is looking at him again. "But…"

"But...?" Kate says trying not to get her hopes up.

"You're different" He says, smiling down at her.

Her face looks shocked, before she smiles, looking up at him with teary eyes, "You spoke"

THANK YOU! R&R