Author's Note: This is my very first Castle fic, so please be kind! LOL It's a one shot that I couldn't get out of my head after watching the pilot episode for the first time. As I watch more of the series, I may expand on this, but for now, it's just a one-shot.

I hope you like it!

~Angie

Kate Beckett climbed into bed with a glass of red wine in one hand, the last Richard Castle novel in the other. Unable able to tear herself away from it last night, she'd fallen asleep with the book still clenched in her hands—and this was her second time reading it. It really spoke to the author's craft that even during a reread he could capture her attention so wholly!

She was preparing for the release of his next Derrick Storm novel. It was coming out on Tuesday, and she couldn't be more excited. Never before had she been so invested in a fictional character. She'd been spending her nights reading like a fiend—not an exciting life by any means, but it was enough for her.

So much, in fact, that she planned on playing hooky from work the day of the release so she could meet the author. This would be the first time Richard Castle's face would be revealed to his readers. She wasn't sure what the rationale had been behind keeping the man a secret, but she felt it was her duty to thank him for the hours and hours of entertainment he'd provided her. She also wanted to have her favorite book autographed, but that was neither here nor there.

Less than fifteen minutes later, her wine glass sat on the nightstand forgotten as she devoured page after page of the spellbinding plot. It wasn't until three a.m.—when she'd finally finished the book—that Kate Beckett closed her eyes with a satisfied sigh and huddled beneath the covers adorning her queen sized bed.

She was jarred awake less than an hour later by the insistent ringing of her cell phone. She shot up in bed and snagged it off her nightstand, flipping it open. "Beckett," she answered, then listened to the voice on the other end. "I'll be right there." She flew up off her mattress and headed for the bathroom. A quick glance in the mirror told her she hadn't even been asleep long enough for her hair to move. With a groan, she squeezed some toothpaste onto her toothbrush, then splashed her face with some cold water before making her way downtown.

"Oh, my God," she said less than twenty minutes later as she looked around her. "Do you recognize this crime scene?"

Esposito stood there for a moment, his eyebrows drawing together as he began speculating; she knew the second the light bulb in his head went off. Richard Castle novels were one of the things she and her colleague had in common. "Derrick Storm," he said, awestruck as his eyes flew to hers. "Richard Castle."

Beckett nodded.

Esposito stepped aside and flipped his phone open. It was a quick call, and then he turned back to her. "Ryan's going to do what he can to get in touch with him."

It wasn't until hours later that an exhausted Beckett and Esposito finally made their way to the station.

"We got him," Ryan said as soon as the two walked in.

"Got who?" Beckett asked distractedly.

"Richard Castle," Ryan reminded her.

"Where…?"

Her train of thought had all but left the station as her eyes fell on the man sitting next to her desk. "Excuse me," she snapped, hurrying towards her desk. "What are you doing here?" she asked in a tone that was much calmer than she felt. Kate Beckett had been a sensible woman. Her entire adult life was filled with good choices, the respect of her colleagues, and a top notch credit score.

There was only one thing that marred her track record, and he was standing before her for the first time in years. She practically winced. She never should have gone to Vegas, she never should have had that first shot of tequila (or the second…or the third…or any of the ones after that,) and she sure has hell shouldn't have ended up married to Richard Rodgers. Luckily you could get a marriage annulled in Vegas almost as soon as it took place.

"I was…invited," he told her, his eyes dancing as he gave her a leisurely perusal.

She took a deep breath and reminded herself that good looking and good for you were two very different things.

"Oh, really?" she asked doubtfully, crossing her arms over her chest in an unconscious show of defiance. "By who?"

He pointed to Detective Ryan. "Him," he said.

"You were not…oh, God," she said as understanding dawned. "You're Richard Castle," she muttered.

"In the flesh," he confirmed cheerfully before winking at her. "It's been a long time, Katie."