A/N - Hi guys! Just me trying on another genre. Let me know what you think.

~GeekMom

The Courtship of Katherine Beckett

Chapter One

Trees

"Beckett." The rich sweet sound drifted through her dream. She knew she should respond, but she was feeling oh so very good: warm, safe and loved. She smiled and rolled onto her left side, the side closest to him and his warmth.

"Kate." There it was again.

"Mmhm, sleeping, Castle," she said as she snuggled her head onto his chest. He smelled like coffee and musk. She breathed him in deeply.

"Wasn't it Katherine Beckett who said," he closed his eyes, "and I quote, 'all we have time for lately is going out to eat. Could we go somewhere or do something that doesn't involve a restaurant? Maybe an adventure?"

She opened her eyes. "When did I say that? I sound so churlish. Are you sure that was me?" She ran a hand across her face, brushing away the sleep induced cobwebs.

He chuckled, "Yeah, I'm pretty sure you delivered the crushing commentary of our outings and your use of the word churlish is incredibly hot."

She yawned. "I'm sorry Castle, was I awake?"

"Yeah, yeah you were. Are you awake now?"

"Mmhm, okay." She sat up and leaned against the headboard. He handed her a cup of coffee. "Thanks," she said and took a deep drink. A small moan escaped.

"God, you even make coffee sexy." He watched her take another swallow and then lick the foam off of her lips, never breaking eye contact with him. He took a deep breath. "No, Beckett, I'm not falling for your witchy ways today. It's time to get up and get dressed. There is a beautiful Indian summer day waiting. We're going to take advantage of it and of it being your day off."

"What are we doing?" She asked, suspiciously. "You didn't say that we had plans today."

"Just rest assured that we won't be going to some boring five star restaurant." He stood up and headed for the bathroom. He stuck his head back out the door. "Dress for hiking."

"Hiking? Castle, come on, tell me where we're going."

"Seriously?" He shook his head and mimed zipping his lips and ducked back into the bathroom. He made quick work of his shower and she took her turn. He dressed in jeans, hiking boots, a navy tee shirt and a plaid flannel shirt he left open and untucked. While she finished showering and dressing, he packed their lunch and pulled muffins out of the oven. He had been up for a little while before he woke her. He prepared two travel mugs of coffee and read the paper while he waited for her to emerge.

"Hey, handsome," she said as she joined him a few minutes later wearing jeans, sneakers, a vee-neck tee shirt that fit her just right with a button-down shirt tied by its shirttails. She wore her hair up in a loose ponytail. She looked gorgeous, but more importantly, she looked relaxed.

He stood up and put his hands on her hips. "Ruggedly handsome," he corrected, "and are you ready to go?"

"Depends," she teased as she shoved her hands into his pockets and pulled him closer.

He bent his head and kissed her. "Good morning, but it's not going to work." He disengaged himself from her limbs, handed her a coffee and picked up the cooler and a backpack. "Let's go," he said and he led her out the door.

They got down to the garage and she automatically went towards his Mercedes. He did not stop there, though. "This way, Beckett, we're taking the truck."

His 'truck' was a ninety thousand dollar Range Rover. Hardly just a truck, his SUV had all the bells and whistles the Mercedes had plus all the power of a four by four. She was pretty sure it could fly, too.

He opened the door and held her coffee and her hand as she climbed in. He deposited the cooler and backpack in the rear and climbed into the driver's seat. She smiled and hummed her approval. He really did look ruggedly handsome, especially in this setting. He reached behind him just before he backed out and produced a basket of freshly baked and still warm blueberry muffins. He placed it on her lap along with napkins.

"Oh my god, they smell wonderful," she exclaimed as she inhaled deeply. She turned her eyes on Castle and asked, "Really, where are we going?"

"Okay, let me get on the road and I'll fill you in." She sunk her teeth into the warm muffin and smiled.

She watched the scenery change from Manhattan city streets to the Harlem Parkway to the rolling landscape next to the Palisades Interstate. The leaves had begun their brightly colored death dance. It was not the first time that Kate had mused about the incredible beauty at the time of their expiration.

"What are you thinking about?" Castle asked. He was driving his truck. He looked so comfortable and she hated to admit it, but rugged. His left hand was gripping the wheel loosely while his right had been entwined with hers for the past twenty minutes. He looked over at her through his sunglasses.

"Death, actually." She quipped, knowing that she would get a reaction. She smiled when he jerked the wheel slightly and turned concerned eyes on her.

"Beckett?"

"Relax, Castle. I was thinking about how beautiful the leaves were as they died."

"Very poetic…and morbid." He said shaking his head. He let go of her hand so he could pick up his coffee cup.

"So, Castle, are you going to tell me where we're going?"

He glanced at her. She was relaxed but alert. Almost excited. He smiled and raised an eyebrow. "Hmm, I kind of like keeping you in suspense. Ow," he added as she grabbed his ear. "Okay, okay, Bear Mountain State Park."

"Bear Mountain State Park? Why are we going there?"

"Trees."

"Trees," she repeated.

"Yeah."

She raised her eyebrows and said, "You know, there are trees a lot closer than Bear Mountain."

He smiled the smile that made her toes curl. "I know, but these are special trees."

"Special."

"Are you going to repeat everything I say today?"

She grinned wickedly. "Maybe."

He raised an eyebrow and said, "Rick Castle is the most wonderful…" His self-aggrandizing was cut short by a sharp slap across his chest.

He pulled off of the highway and onto the park drive, winding and twisting their way through the bright deciduous trees and the green conifers.

As he parked in the lot, Kate read a banner stretching over the camp office door. "Welcome to Canapés in the Canopy. What's this, Castle?"

He smiled from ear to ear. "It's a picnic…in the tree tops."

She leaned forward in her seat to look at the trees around the parking area. She estimated them to be between seventy-five and a hundred feet. She glanced at him expecting more detail.

The explanation practically burst from him. "So, you climb trees and then take a tour of the canopy using three conjoined zip lines and end up at one of the camp's tree houses, where they will bring your picnic, or where a picnic has been prepared for you." He slid out of the driver's seat and walked to the back of the truck to retrieve the backpack and cooler.

"Oh, Castle," she breathed as she caught up with him at the rear hatch.

"I know, right? Ready?" His eyes danced with excitement and anticipation as he took her hand and led her to their first adventure date.

She stood on the deck of a log cabin supported by three closely growing oaks. The hundred-year-old trees holding them as securely as any concrete and steel structure in the city. They spent the day climbing, rappelling, and zip lining in the treetops. The autumn leaves paled by comparison to how her face lit up at each new activity. They ended the day at twilight eating a gourmet meal Castle had arranged by candle light on the deck of the treehouse that was mounted thirty feet in the air. She gazed at the sunset feeling tired and sore, but gratified. She had never had an experience like today given to her by a suitor. Castle was amazing. And generous and kind and so many other adjectives, oh warm, so very warm as his encircled her waist with his arms.

"Hey," he whispered into the crook of her neck."

"Hey, Castle." She bit her lip and turned in his arms to face him. "Rick, this has been an amazing day." She stretched up to nuzzle his neck.

He turned his head and kissed her, silhouetted by the setting sun and blanketed by the dazzling trees. He pulled his head back to look at her and smiled. "This is just the inaugural adventure date, Kate. Wait until you see what I have planned for next week." He grinned and kissed her again until the oranges, reds and violets of the setting sun had completely dissolved into a stunning indigo evening.