Time-Honored Tradition
A Caskett High School AU story
Jim Beckett is a terrifying man.
At seventeen years old, Rick Rodgers already has an inch or two on the older man, but that height advantage means nothing as Jim stares him down in the entry way of the Beckett family home. He might as well be three feet tall under Kate's father's gaze.
"How are you tonight?" Rick asks, clearing his throat in an attempt to get rid of the squeak he hasn't had since his voice first started changing.
"I'm doing well, Richard." The 'thank you' gets tacked on like an afterthought.
A name correction springs to the tip of Rick's tongue, but he manages to stop it from slipping out. If his date's father wants to call him Richard, then okay. He'll take it. It's better than what Susan Powell's father called him last year, which admittedly isn't hard to beat, given how terrible the name had been.
"Good. That's good. Do you and Mrs. Beckett have any plans tonight?" he tries again to make conversation.
"I think my wife wanted to watch a special that's coming on TV. Nothing too exciting. We'll be around."
Okay, that's a hint if he's ever heard one: they'll be home and waiting the entire night.
"Listen, Mr. Beckett," Rick starts, shifting his weight. "Kate is–"
"My daughter, the most important thing to me on this earth alongside her mother," Jim interrupts, his voice low, firm. "And I would do anything to make sure she's happy and safe. Be sure you remember that as your night progresses."
Rick swallows, giving a serious nod.
"Yes, Sir," he says, standing straighter, squaring his shoulders.
Jim nods as well. "Good. Then we have an understanding."
"Yes, Sir," Rick answers again, shoving his hands into his pockets only to pull them out again and clasp them in front of him. He doesn't want Jim searching him or something. Not that he has anything on him that's suspect, but still.
A door overhead opens and shuts again, drawing his attention toward the stairs. Johanna Beckett appears first, looking stylish but comfortable in an oversized sweater and slacks. She offers Rick a warm smile that only serves to make his shoulders straighten more.
"Nice to see you, Ma'am."
"Johanna, Rick. We've talked about this." She smiles again, eyeing her husband without comment.
Rick nods. "We have, sorry."
"Katie's on her way down," Johanna says, waving off his apology. "She wanted to make an entrance of her own, so brace yourself."
That sounds like Kate. He smiles, lifting his eyes to the stairs again, watching for his date's arrival.
"Sorry," Kate says a few minutes later, emerging from the hallway and moving onto the top step. Rick gapes. "I had to grab a spare pair of shoes in case these heels suck." To illustrate her point, she holds up a worn pair of black and white Chucks.
Rick shakes his head, trying desperately to get his mouth to form intelligent speech. "You're okay. You look-" he stops, glancing over at Jim. "You look pretty," he concludes. "Really pretty."
Kate laughs, looking down at her dress. It's purple and flowy with strappy straps and soft-looking black flowers all over. She looks gorgeous.
"Thanks," she says, stepping down to meet him. He blinks at her sudden nearness, looking down at his hands before offering her one.
Kate stops, looking confused. "What are you-"
He takes her hand, shaking it firmly. "Hi."
"Hi, weirdo," she tosses back. She grins, though, letting him know she doesn't mean the tease.
"This is for you," Rick says, pulling his hand away. "I… wait, hang on." He spins, looking around the room for the small plastic container with the orchid corsage he'd set down after Jim let him in.
"Ah!"
Kate giggles when he returns with the box, putting her things aside and holding out her hand. "Good call getting the bracelet. I like those better."
"You do?" he asks. She nods, lifting onto her toes to kiss his cheek. His fingers stumble over her wrist as heat floods his face. Her lips are really soft, and she smells so nice – like cherries, he thinks.
"Yeah, I do. Thanks."
"You're welcome," he breathes, lowering his eyes and finishing his task. Kate takes her hand back once he's done, turning to her parents.
"Okay, Mom, Dad. Get your pictures so we can go."
Rick jumps as her arm winds around his waist. She glances over at him with an expression she might use if he's grown another head, lifting an eyebrow in question.
Oh, he is not being cool at all. Way to go, Ricky.
Rick smiles, pushing his nerves aside and wrapping his arm around her, making sure his hand falls to a perfectly respectable spot on her waist – not too close to her hip, not too close to her chest, either, despite their height difference. She thumbs his side through his jacket, moving closer between pictures.
Kate gives him a squeeze once Johanna declares that she has enough photos, moving to grab her shawl and her shoes from the back of the couch.
"We'll be back later," she says, picking up her purse and offering kisses to both of her parents.
"Eleven," Jim says, rubbing her arms. He meets Rick's eyes over Kate's head.
"Midnight," Kate counters. "The dance doesn't even end until ten-thirty and it takes time to get back."
"Eleven-thirty," Jim concedes, shaking his head at Kate's triumphant grin. "Not a minute later."
"Okay," she agrees, returning to Rick's side. "Ready?"
"Ready," he confirms, saying goodbye to her parents and offering her his arm. Kate takes it with a smile, waving over her shoulder and allowing him to lead her to the car he'd parked out in front of the Beckett home.
"How did you-?" she turns to him. "I didn't know you had a car."
"It's my mom's boyfriend's."
"Ah." She smirks. "Does he know you have the keys?"
Rick sticks his tongue out at her, opening the passenger door and helping her in. "Yes. He offered the car to me for the night, in fact."
"Your mouth says that, but the look in your eye says some mischief is afoot," Kate hums, wiggling her eyebrows.
"You are so hot when you say words like mischief and afoot."
Her head drops back with her laughter. Rick grins, moving to the driver's side. His smile fades as he spots Jim watching them from the window, but he slides behind the wheel all the same.
"So, uh, how are you?" he asks as he pulls the car away from the curb. Driving seems a little silly now that they're in the car, but then again it is chilly, and Kate's shawl is thin. Plus, there's nothing wrong with treating her this way instead of taking a cab.
"I'm good. How are you? You look stressed."
He shakes his head. "No, no, I'm good. Just… trying to figure out how traffic exploded while I was inside."
"Rush hour?" she offers, lifting an eyebrow.
"Yeah."
"Well, relax. We have time, and I don't mind it taking a little while. This is nice, even with traffic."
Rick nods, easing his grip on the steering wheel. She has a point; how often does he get to drive around with a beautiful girl in a cool car? "Yeah, it is."
Kate scoots closer, resting her chin on his shoulder. "I like your suit," she says, kissing his cheek. "We matched without even trying."
"I… what?" he asks, turning to see her grinning at his idiocy.
"Your tie," she says, giving said tie a tug for emphasis. "You picked purple."
"Oh yeah, yes. Yes, I did." He'd picked this tie because it's Kate's favorite color, matching is a secondary benefit.
"I like it," she says.
"Thanks." He takes a deep breath, exhaling slowly. He's going to die before the night ends, he just wants to make sure it's not because he was distracted by her proximity.
She grins, sitting back. "Did you pick a restaurant for dinner?"
"What do you think about Korean?" He'd scoured a phone book for something that sounded good, but wasn't too generic, so he hopes this place fits the bill.
Kate nods, her smile never wavering. "That sounds great. I'm so glad you didn't pick some chain like half the school is going to."
Pride surges through his chest. "Ah, yes, the Stuyvesant High School junior class trip to Olive Garden Times Square. How could we miss that?"
Kate giggles. "I know, it's tragic. But thank you for picking something different for us."
Her hand opens on the console, inviting him to slide his palm against hers. Satisfied that he won't crash Gerald's car if he drives one-handed, Rick slips his hand into hers.
"I won't bite, you know," she says.
"I know," he insists. "I know that."
She squeezes his hand, settling back against the seat, making herself comfortable. "Okay, good."
Dinner is pretty fantastic, and it's not just the food. Kate's easy to talk to, and she makes him laugh as often as he returns the favor. She tells him stories of the crazy things she's gotten up to with her friends and he files a couple of the pranks away for later. Just in case he ends up at another school before he finishes high school.
"That is evil," he says watching her grin around her straw.
"I can't believe you never thought of it! Aren't you the guy who got kicked out of your last school for putting a cow on the roof?"
Rick winces. "Technically, yes. But I–"
"So you have good ideas, too. You just need to work on not being the fall guy." She pats his hand, grinning. "Stick with me, Rodgers. Stick with me."
He laughs, holding her hand until their palms grow sweaty. The rest of their meal is just as easy and fun as the first part had been, as is the drive to Stuy and the fight to find parking. It's only once she takes his hand and leads him into the gymnasium with her chest pressed to his arm that he remembers the glare in her father's eyes.
He keeps his arms loose around her when they dance, refraining from pulling her in and dancing the way most of the floor is, even when she bumps closer.
"Rick," Kate singsongs when an upbeat song ends and the music grows slower and his arms remain limp at her waist like a kid at his first junior high dance. "Do you want to go?"
"What? No, no."
"Then dance with me," she instructs, rearranging his hands and resting her cheek on his shoulder. "Unless…" Her head lifts. "Can you not dance?"
He gasps. "Kate Beckett, I am offended. I can dance. I will dance your Chucks off."
She giggles as he grabs her hand and twists, spinning her out and bringing her back in – finishing with a dip, of course. Kate presses her face into his neck when he pulls her upright again, breathing her laughter into his skin. He fights the stumble of his heart, the heat that rises in his chest.
"Dork."
"Told you I could dance."
"You did," she agrees, leaning back so he can see that she's smirking again. "I stand corrected."
"Technically you sway corrected."
He grins at her groan. It's not quite a laugh, but he'll take it.
Despite standing in the parking lot talking with a few of Kate's friends after the dance, then battling traffic again, they make it back to the Beckett house with a few minutes to spare. Kate rolls her eyes at his triumph, tugging at his tie from the passenger seat.
"Look at you being responsible, Ricky. Believe me, this wouldn't be the first time I missed curfew."
He squirms. "I just, your dad said–"
She scoots across the seat. "I know what my dad said, and I don't care. And that's why we are going to sit out here for a few minutes, just to drive him nuts." She grins, leaning forward to mess with the radio, turning the station to his other favorite and sitting back.
"So how long have your mom and Gerald been dating?"
Rick squints in thought. "About… ten months? Maybe a year. Probably more like a year, but Mother only introduced me to him ten months ago."
Kate nods. "My mom and dad have been married since the dawn of time, I swear."
He laughs. "Mother was married once when I was little, but it didn't last very long. She's dated on and off but hasn't been married since then. Gerry might end up husband number two, though."
"Do you like him?" Kate asks, twisting in her seat to face him.
"He's okay. He treats her well, better than some of her boyfriends have, and of course he loans out his car… So it wouldn't be terrible if they got married someday."
"But he's not your dad?"
Rick shrugs. "I wouldn't know. Never met the guy."
Kate frowns, but he continues before she can express sympathy or pity. "It's okay. I like to pretend he's an astronaut or a secret agent, maybe someone super famous who needed to protect his anonymity."
"Well," she starts only to stop after a second and bite her lip. "Well, you have an impressive grasp on awful jokes anyway. Kudos."
It's not at all what he'd expected her to say, and surprised laughter tumbles from his lips.
"Thanks. I pride myself on my Dad jokes. I've done countless hours of research to become an expert despite my lack of first-hand experience hearing them."
She giggles. "Your dedication is admirable."
"I know." His eyes shift past her, spotting a face looking out from the front window. "Ah, speaking of fathers, we're being watched."
Kate groans. "God, this is mortifying. I'm sorry. I better go before he decides to walk out here and knock on the window or something."
"I'll walk you up," Rick says, hopping out of the car and jogging around to help her out.
The front door opens as they approach the house and Jim appears in the doorway, tapping his watch.
"You were watching us talk, Dad," Kate says, exasperated. "You know when we got here. It's not like we were out carousing."
Unsure if he should speak up or try to diffuse the situation, Rick brushes his hand over her knuckles. His date exhales, looking at her father again. "Can we at least say goodnight? In private?"
Jim sighs. "As always, Katie, you can do what you like."
"Well, not everything I'd like," she mutters, turning back to Rick. "I'm sorry. I had a great time tonight."
"Me too," he says, thrusting a hand toward her. He's well-aware that Kate's father is behind her front door watching them from the window and he's survived the night thus far; he wants to survive the rest of it.
Kate stares at him, her eyes lowering to his outstretched hand. "I-you-" She cuts herself off, shaking his hand quickly before she lifts onto her toes and brushes her mouth over his.
"Good night, Rick."
He stumbles, trying hard not to chase her as her lips leave his and their palms part. "Good night – night, Kate."
Dazed, Rick waits until she's inside, door closed firmly behind her, before turning and leaving her porch. He makes it just a block away before his head hits the steering wheel and a groan falls from his lips.
A handshake? Had he really given his date a handshake to conclude the evening? She'd wanted to kiss him – she had kissed him – and all he'd offered her was a freaking handshake.
Thankfully, nobody is home to witness him slinking to his bedroom, shedding his suit jacket and tie, and flopping onto his bed. The last thing he wants is to answer questions about how badly he'd screwed up by freezing and offering his date – a girl he's liked for months, since the moment they met at Comicadia, started talking, and realized they go to the same school – a handshake.
He's just reached a decision to smother himself with a pillow and be done with it when there's a tap at his window. Soft at first, but more insistent with each subsequent beat, and harder than what a daylight-confused pigeon can usually manage.
Throwing the pillow off his face, Rick sits up, stunned to find Kate Beckett staring back at him from behind the glass.
"Kate?" He jumps off his bed, scooping up the discarded clothing that's in his path and tossing the pile into his desk chair. "What are you doing here?" he asks, throwing the window open, reaching out to help her climb in from the fire escape. "How are you here?"
She lifts a shoulder, tugging the sleeves of her sweatshirt down over her elbows. "Carjacked a cabbie, made him drive me over."
He gives her a look that she returns before she sighs, "Rick, I walked. You don't live that far from me. It was fine."
"No, I know I don't. I just – why?"
She stands up straighter, her eyes flashing. "Because I like you, you idiot. And I thought you liked me, too – and I didn't even want to go to that stupid dance until you asked me – but you barely even looked at me tonight, except for when we were at dinner. And I want to know why."
He gawks. She – he – oh. Man, he sucks.
"I'm sorry."
Her face falls and he scrambles to yank his foot out of his mouth, to salvage this. Because oh, she likes him. She likes him as much as he likes her.
"No! No, that's not what I mean. I do like you, Kate. I like you a lot. A lot." He reaches out, touching her arms, relieved to see a small smile spread across her lips. "I was saying sorry because I made you think I didn't. And for being such a loser tonight."
She nods. "You were acting pretty strange," she agrees, gracing him with a flash of teeth when she smiles this time. She steps closer, palms landing on his chest. "Two handshakes in one night, Rick. That's a lot, even for you."
"I know, stupid. I was just – I was nervous," he explains, refraining from adding 'and scared of your dad' to the end of the statement. He shakes his head at himself.
Kate giggles, patting his chest. "Take me out again and act normal – if that's even possible for you – and we'll call it even, okay?"
He agrees before she even finishes the request. "Yes, absolutely."
"Okay, good," Kate breathes, her face bright with glee. "Kay, I'm going to go home now."
"Wait! Wait, wait, wait," he insists, though it's rather unnecessary because she's made no effort to leave at all. "Before you go, I wanna just," he trails off, dipping his head and touching his mouth to hers.
"Finally," Kate murmurs, grinning against his lips, her fingers tightening in his shirt. Her nose nudges his as she comes back for another kiss, then another, each one less tentative than the one before. "Took you long enough."
Rick laughs. "I kicked myself the entire way home," he says, dusting another kiss to her lips.
"Well," Kate starts, lifting into him, "don't make that mistake again."
"I won't," he promises between kisses. "Believe me, I won't."
Her arms wind around his neck, keeping him close when their lips part. Rick grins, wrapping her up in a hug where they stay until the clock in the living room that can't figure out AM from PM chimes one.
"I should go home," Kate sighs, tightening her arms around his waist, making no move to leave.
Rick brushes his lips over her cheek but doesn't release her either. There's no way he's letting her walk home. "Let me grab Gerry's keys and I'll drive you, okay?"
She nods, squeezing him again before she steps back. "Thanks, Rick."
He doesn't let her go far, though. Instead, he tangles his fingers with hers and together they pad through the apartment to grab the keys and head down to the car.
Kate cuddles close to him as he drives, instructing him to turn a block early. Off his confused look, she explains that she'll be going around the back and climbing in the window.
"If we go down my street, I'll have to walk around to the back and they might hear me in the alley."
He nods. "But you'll let me know you made it inside?"
She squeezes his arm. "Yeah. You might be able to see my window at an angle from the street, but I'll wait a few to let you get home and call you, too."
"Thank you."
He slows down on the street behind hers, pulling up to the curb where she tells him to, turning to face her. Once she unbuckles her seatbelt, Kate cups his cheek and leans in, kissing him hard, flicking her tongue over his lip when he returns the affection.
"Thanks for driving me home," she whispers as they part. "Again."
Rick licks his lips, brushes his hand down her sleeve. "Thanks for climbing my fire escape 'cause you were pissed at me."
She grins, stealing one last kiss. "Bye."
"Bye," he echoes, watching her climb out of the car and dart through someone's yard to get back home.
He inches the car forward, trying to see if he can tell when Kate climbs up and makes it into her room. He thinks he sees a light go on and off after a few minutes, but he can't be sure. Either way, he stays a minute or two longer before leaving and heading home.
This time, when he flops back on his bed, it's with a ridiculous, goofy smile on his face and his phone in his hand.
"My hands were shaking so bad, I could barely put on the corsage."
Rick nods in commiseration. He remembers that feeling all too well, right along with the knot in the pit of his stomach and the stumble of his heart.
"What'd your dad do?" Ryan asks, looking to Beckett.
Castle turns to face his wife, eager for her answer, her take on an evening that has stuck with him for a long time, only to find her brow furrowed in thought.
"I… don't know. I was in my room."
Ryan tilts his head. "Well, how was your date when you finally came out?"
Kate's eyes flick toward Rick, the question plain to see. Jim had warmed up to him after subsequent dates, so he'd never felt it necessary to elaborate why he'd been so nervous the night of the dance. "You know, now that you mention it, he looked terrified."
Castle nods, confirming that much. Her eyes narrow, no doubt trying to figure out more just from his expression.
"And this whole time, I thought you were scared of me," she muses. "Huh."
"Nope. Well, maybe a little," he concedes. "But your dad was all stern looks and 'Katie is my only daughter, keep that in mind,' and it was petrifying."
She shakes her head. "And now you want to do the same thing to your own daughter's unsuspecting date. Oh, how the tables have turned."
"Considering you still refuse to run a background check on him? Yep." He pops his lips. "Because if this Owen kid likes her as much as I liked you, and if she likes him even half as much as you liked me, we are in trouble."
Kate grins, reaching over to pat his thigh. "Don't worry, Ricky, I don't think that's possible. But even if it is, at least she can't climb out her bedroom window at night the way I did."
"Thank god for that," Rick murmurs as the boys whistle in amazement.
"By the Book Beckett sneaking out for any reason, let alone a boy," Esposito teases. "Who knew?"
"Oh, I could tell you stories," Rick says, backtracking as he receives a glare from his wife. "But I won't."
"No, you will not," Kate says. "You'll go home and help our daughter pick a dress for her first dance. And the two of you," she turns to Ryan and Esposito, "will go back to work. Find out where that money came from."
The boys nod, getting to their feet. "On it, boss."
Rick grins, mouthing 'later' to them as they move back to their desks. They nod, giving him exaggerated thumbs ups in return.
"Don't make me regret this shadowing arrangement more than I already do," Kate warns without looking up from the computer monitor. There's humor in her eyes when she does lift her head, though, and he takes that as an invitation to press a kiss to her mouth.
"I'll send pictures of the dresses she picks," he says. "That way you can give her your opinion, too."
"Thank you. Oh, remember, Dad's getting Ethan from school and taking him to soccer, so you don't have to worry about being in two places at one time."
"Perfect. And Mother, Alexis, and I will stop and get dinner on our way home. All you need to do after work is walk through the door."
Kate nods, grabbing his hand and giving it a squeeze. She's been playing it cool since Alexis came home bubbling about being asked to the dance, but he knows it's big for Kate, too; their baby's first dance – her first real date. "See you later."
He echoes it back to her, brushing his thumb over her knuckles before turning to leave the bullpen. He sees Kate looking over her shoulder as he steps onto the elevator and lifts his hand in a wave. His wife returns the gesture, going back to her work with an amused shake of her head.
She already knows that he'll think of a way, one less traumatizing than his own experience but still befitting the name Castle, to greet their daughter's date.
I hope you enjoyed this little AU tale. It was inspired by a comment/brainstorm I made on a tumblr post (bunysliper / post/ 169945574719/okay-but-picture-it-richard-rodgers-knocking-on). Thank you for reading!