Hola! And happy Yuletide and almost new year! YAY! This is a slightly random oneshot about why his friends call still call him Castle in my story Forever and Always, which you don't have to read, but it would be great if you did!

If you don't, just so you understand the premise, they're in high school, but they still call Rick, Castle. I'm just fixing the continuity. :D

Without further ado/ramblings, I give you:

A Rookie Mistake

"Why do they call you Castle anyway?"

"Ahh... A fitting story for such a dark night." Rick settled down and put on his 'story face'. "Basically, I'm just such a great friend to everyone, I'm their fortress... Like a Castle. It's really a tribute to greatness. Because there was one event, where I truly showed everyone my... Greatness." He was going to have to find a new word.

"We were on a desolate moor, on some crazy invention; the school camp, which they parade as 'character building'. Anyway, a group of us got separated from the main congregation, through no fault of our own of course. But we were lost, and it was dark, and stormy and someone had used all the batteries for the torches up by performing shadow puppet shows throughout the night, not me of course! No no! Rick Rogers was the only sane man on this camp! Prepared for everything!"

"But you didn't have a spare torch?"

"Well... Not exactly. But no matter! Back to the story. I, while everyone else in this small party was panicking, was keeping calm, essential for finding your way back is keeping calm! I told everyone to stay together while I scouted out someplace where everyone could stay dry until light. So I crept through the wood, braving the wild man-eating animals -"

"Woods? I thought you were on a moor."

"Moor, woods? Same diff. They both have double Os. But I was creeping through these... moor trees, until I happened upon a cave. Now it just so happened that this particular cave was inhabited by a vicious bear! It's snarling mouth and dripping teeth appeared from no where, gaping above me. There was nothing to do but to bravely fight it, not only for myself, but for all those I'd left waiting behind me, depending on me."

"Oh come on! Not even you are so stupid to fight a bear."

"Well... Okay. I decided then that fighting it would be suicidal, and would let down everyone. So there was nothing to do but to bravely run from it, not only for myself, but for all those I'd left waiting behind me, depending on me. So I made it back to the others, and it was chosen that the only option was to for someone to find there way back to the campsite, and send out searchers. And it was naturally decided that that would be me, the most competent in these situations. So out I went, on a journey that would change my life, or at least my name, the details of this journey are too gruesome to share, they may or may not involve an alligator, and several deadly snakes. But I made it out of the woods alive, and found my way back to camp, and having alerted the supervisors to the situation, refused their offer of hot cocoa, and once again braved the moor trees, to save my friends from the horrors that thrived there."

"Uh-huh. The ever brave Rick to the rescue."

"Exactly, and needless to say, in admiration and commendation of my efforts that night, I was dubbed 'Castle'. A fitting name for the protector of many."

"Riiight. Well thanks for that enlightening piece of fiction, I'm gonna go talk to Beckett."

"Uhh. You do that Lanie! She'll probably tell you some toned down version of the tale cause she thinks you can't handle the details, but IT'S TRUE I TELL YOU! TRUE!... Or something like it."

Castle watched Lanie smirk and walk away, presumably in search of Kate, and his mind wandered to the actual origins of his name, which did occur on a dark, stormy night, after he'd been annoying whole camp with his 'tales from the shadows'...

Rick Rogers walked behind a very annoyed Kate Beckett down the water trail through the woods to the river. Her torch was already starting to dim, and both of them knew it was his fault.

"Hey Espo, my torch is goin thanks to puppet guy here," she motioned to Rick. "How's yours?"

"Err... Just died." Esposito said, as their remaining light sources dramatically decreased.

"Dammit!" Beckett glared at Rick, and for once he was glad of the dim light, so he could pretend he didn't notice her. "Kev?"

"Got a few minutes left in it I reckon." Was the reply from Ryan, who was last in the small line of four trooping down to replenish their water bottles.

"You are gonna regret this sooo much when we get back to camp!" Alas, Rick couldn't pretend he didn't notice Beckett yelling at him.

"What if I took your torch and ran down to the river, and fill them all up, and then I carry them back to where you guys stay, and we can all go back to camp safely and you don't hurt me." Rick rushed, in an vain attempt to appease the raging girl in front of him.

"You know what Ricky? Do that! And if you aren't back in 5 minutes, we're going back to camp." Kate was really mad at him (she only ever called him Ricky when she was mad), her hand that wasn't clutching the fading torch was tightly curled into a fist, ready to strike out at him. "And we're keeping BOTH the torches."

"Whaaat? You want me to go down there in the dark? I can't do that I -" he broke off after another piercing glare from Beckett. He did not want that fist in his face. "Okay. Fine!"

So he gathered the empty bottles from Ryan and Espo, and closed his eyes for a moment, in an effort to make them adjust to the darkness, then set off at a brisk pace, as Beckett tapped her foot. He would happily face any wild animals to escape the wrath of that wild girl.

He made it down to the rivers edge without trouble, a fact of which he was rather proud, and had started filling the bottles from the water when he heard a sound in the water. Trying to tame his wild imagination from its first thoughts, he told himself it was just a fish, maybe a cute turtle, or maybe it was just him pulling the bottle out of the water. Any way it wasn't anything to be worried about, especially as he had a time constraint. He had moved onto the fourth bottle when he heard it again; a kind of splash out in the river. Too far away to be stray drops from him.

Don't panic Rick. They're depending on you.

By this time, his eyes had well adjusted to the dim woods, and when he looked out at the river, straining to see something, he did. A long dark shadowy shape in the middle of the river. Could be moving towards him. Could be an ALLIGATOR!

Kevin dropped his torch when he heard the shriek. Kate and Javier both leapt to their feet, the former cursing loudly. He picked up his torch just in time to drop it again when he heard the second scream, accompanied by a resounding splash. Kate and Javi looked at each other then both started sprinting down the trail towards the river, Kevin close behind; the light from his torch illuminating random flashes of the surrounding trees, bouncing around as he ran.

Rick was floundering in the river, each time he tried to get back to the bank he would slip on the mossy stones underfoot and fall back in to the water, his motions getting more panicked and clumsy each time. It would have been rather comical to watch if not for the constant shrieks of terror coming from his mouth.

Beckett swore again when she reached the bank and saw him, then carefully, but swiftly navigated the slippery rocks to reach the water, and reached out to Rick, who in an frenzied panic to get out of the water, only succeeded in pulling her in with him.

A short trial later, they both stood, dripping, on the bank with Esposito, who had been knee-high in the water, and Ryan, who had been constantly splashed all over by the rescue efforts.

"Why were you in the water?" Beckett sighed, looking pained.

"I... I thought there was an alligmmm..." Rick mumbled.

"What?"

"I thought there was an alligammmm..." Again he was undecipherable.

"A what?" Beckett was getting even more impatience, if that were possible.

"An alligator!" Kate's jaw dropped in shock. "And I tried to get away from the edge, and fell in."

He had actually managed to render her speechless, a feat quite rarely achieved.

"Bro. Seriously?" Esposito stepped in. "You do know there are no alligators around here."

"Well. One might have come on holiday. Or been forced to by its school. There are usually no school kids around here."

Ryan shined the last torch out into the river, where a resound log sat in the middle. "Not even any scales on it dude."

It was of course at this point that the torch decided that it was sick of life, and flickered out, plunging the group into darkness. Beckett, who still hadn't said anything clenched her teeth together and set out to where she thought the path was. And ran straight into Javi. She tried again, and resulted in kicking her foot against some deeply embedded rock. Breathing out heavily, trying to stay calm, she walked the other way. Backing into Ryan, who like a chain of dominos, stumbled and bumped Rick, who fell down on a sharp stick, causing a small yelp of pain.

"You scream like a girl," snorted Esposito, remembering Rick's squeals and shrieks from before.

"Oh yes. Lets all make fun of the poor traumatised victim here."

Kate let out a noise of astonishment, as if to say; Honestly? All of this is your fault! You cannot be serious.

"Oh come on! It's not my fault!... Well not ALL my fault. I make one castle mistake, and I'll never live it down with you people, will I?!"

"I'm sorry, castle mistake?" That was Ryan, finishing laughing from Espo's comment.

"Yeah yeah, you know? As in, I'm new at this, I didn't know any better kind of mistake."

"Dude. You mean Rookie mistake?" Espo's tone again was disdainfully amused.

"Same diff. In chess, another name for the castle piece is a rook." He stated, always happy to share facts, even when soaking wet and unable to see beyond his nose.

"Come on. A rook and a rookie are way different!" Espo retaliated. Offended that Rick had assumed he didn't know about chess. Sure it wasn't his cup of tea, but he still knew how to play and everything, including the different names for the pieces.

"I'm not sure this is the time to be talking about this..." Kevin being sensible as usual.

"Castle mistake sounds way cooler!"

"No way bro! It sounds ridiculous an-"

"I actually think it really works, Ricky." Everyone turned to try and see Beckett in the dark. "If someone in a castle makes a mistake, he brings the everyone down with him." The distain was metaphorically leaking from her mouth as she spoke. "You know, just like you." To punctuate those last three words she sharply poked him in the ribs on each word. He had no idea how she managed to find him in the dark, maybe she had superhuman powers! Envious! "Mr. Castle."

Eventually they made it back to camp. Though apparently no one had even noticed they were gone, let alone missed them. However, for the whole journey back from the river, Kate, Javi and Kevin were constantly calling him "Mr Castle". He put up with it, figuring that it was better than being punched by Beckett, but he was seriously tempted to snap when they told the whole camp the story (with Espo having way too much fun overacting his girlish screams of terror), however, even then he couldn't bring himself to get annoyed... Quite frankly he deserved it, and not that he would ever admit that to anyone, he was relieved that all that he got from that journey down to the river was a stupid nickname, rather than to be alligator dinner.

Castle stood up, and watched Lanie's figure in the distance, talking to Beckett. He preferred his version.

Hope you enjoyed it! Happy Holidays!

Skye xx