-Coincidences Are Good -
It was a normal spring day. Katherine Beckett was jogging her way through Central Park. She wasn't usually keen on running but it was good to be out in fresh air. She needed to free her mind and working out with colleagues talking about their cases, wasn't what she thought, clearing her head was. She was taking it all in as she listened to her music, feeling the crisp fresh spring air in her lungs. Every breath she took felt as though it was 100% oxygen, she felt it going through her body, who was now relaxed.
Kate's run wasn't calculated, on the contrary she was improvising her run as she went along. She felt like going near the fountain it was a little bit out her he way but she liked it, made her think about her childhood. When Kate was a child her parents used to bring her to the park and they'd occasionally picnic on a little hill overseeing the lake. Being in the park always reminisces' these memories, sometimes making her smile, sometimes creating a pinch to her heart. She missed her mom so much that some good memories still hurt her.
Her mothers' loss had happened quite a while ago but still so close to home. Every time she passes a tape at a crime scene she thinks about that night when she and her father crossed that tape and found her mother, murdered. Her heart pounds as hard every time, there's no escaping that feeling, but that's what nourishes her. THAT feeling gives her strength and makes her go forward, for every time she has that feeling she knows that someone out there will have it and she has to solve this for them. Give them some closure, something she never got.
Kate continued her way, passing exactly where she and her parents sat so many times before, so many years ago. She looked at their usual spot and smiled, today was a good day and her heart was light. As she continued looking at that spot she suddenly felt a sudden pain in her right shoulder, pain that went right to her elbow as she was falling to her feet.
"Ow!" Kate had ended on her side on the ground, her elbow and knee scraped from her fall.
"Oh god, sorry miss. I was- ouch" Richard grimaced at her wounded knee,
"Oh my god I'm so sorry, I was, changing songs on my iPod and I wasn't looking where I was going" he continued.
"Speaking of," Kate picked up his iPod who hadn't survived the collision, she had stepped on it while falling.
"Opps, I think I fell on it" Kate handed Richard his ipod feeling somewhat bad about it. She had been in her memories and somewhere else completely so it was partially her fault too.
They both looked at each other as though they had known each other for the longest time.
They looked at each other with an ease. Richard was captivated by her, for she was so beautiful. Her hair was tied in a pony tail, from the looks of it she had long medium brown hair. Her eyes were of a dark green with a touch of yellow, as mysterious as the woman standing before him. Well lying cause she was still on the ground.
"Richard, Um my name's Richard Castle" Richard gave Kate his hand to help he get up, she gratefully took his hand and walked to the closest bench to take a look at her scraps
"Um- I'm Katerine Beckett." As she sat down on the bench giving him an official hand shake.
She felt a nudge in her stomach when they touched. She felt his strong hands on hers, he had broad shoulders and a nice smile, his eyes were pure blue and tender. She couldn't help but notice them, they hypnotized her.
"Sorry again for that, I live close by, we should clean those up so they don't get infected." Richard said plainly they were close friends.
Kate's face changed, she felt a sudden tightening in her stomach but not a good one. Umm I don't know you and I'm sure as hell not going to your place!
Richard saw the change in her face and realized how it looked
"Oh right, sorry about that. Well, I understand you not knowing me and all. Well get that cleaned off as soon as you can. I wouldn't want to be at fault for scaring your beautiful long legs." Richard said with a little corner smile, he had a way with her, well woman in general. Usually Kate would have punched the guy but he was different, she didn't know what it was but her gut told her he was.
"Thanks, and I won't blame you if I have a scar, promise" as she smiled at him. The way he made her feel was, was something she never felt before. As he kept the eye contact her heart skipped a beat, her stomach was in knots. She then glanced at the ground to cut the eye contact which was getting too intense for her.
Richard took Kate's hand and said,
"Well, I hope to run into you again Katherine, it'll be a pleasure." He got up and started walking away.
"Kate, my friends call me Kate!" Richard turned around and looked at her once more.
He too felt a nudge in his stomach her voice being gentle and reassuring. Kate gave him another beautiful smile that made his insides turn.
"Kate it is then." He smiled back, turning back to his route. He had his iPod in his hands and just put it back in his pocket as though it was no big deal. She couldn't see it but he had a huge smile on his face, he was glad that he changed that song and broke his iPod, she was worth it!
Kate watched him walk away. What was that..Kate my name is Kate? Gah seriously? She put her head in her hands, feeling completely embarrassed. She felt like she was back in high school and had a crush on a boy.
She was still sitting on the bench trying to get her head back on track. Right, running…I was running. She finally gets he head out of her hands goes to get up.
"Um Kate?" Richard said,
Kate jumped and was startled by him.
He couldn't just leave it all to fate if he ever saw her again. He took his destiny in his own hands when he turned back to her.
"Oh sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," as he gently put his hand on her left shoulder, calming her down instantly.
"It's okay, I was- " she blushed as she started saying it, she was thinking about him and how he made her feel. That feeling that she had had only a few times in her life. A longing that not a lot of people get in their lives.
"I was trying to figure out the fastest route to my car." she lied, but hey it could have been true.
Richard accepts her 'explanation' and sits back down next to her.
"I was thinking, do you run here a lot?" Richard wanted to ask her out but he sensed that this wasn't the type of thing she did. So he thought if she'd run here often he could run into her again. Ok not RUN INTO her AGAIN but see her again.
"Actually no, I never run here. I don't usually run at all." She could only grin back, this was true she never ran in the park.
She just wanted to see the sites she used to go to see as a kid, she knew today was a good day and it would make her feel good.
"Oh," Richard was obviously disappointed that running into her was a mere coincidence.
"But I think I'll come more often, the air here is much more refreshing than in a gym," She smiled back, her cheeks blushing a little.
Hey if I'm to run into you…I can run here again. She told herself
Richard's face lightened up as though he was a 5 yr old boy would had gotten the Hot Rod he had asked for, for Christmas.
"Good, I might see you around then." He got back up, smiled at her and headed back the way he had arrived.
Kate's stomach was full of butterflies. All she could think about was seeing him again. As she got back up she squirmed a little, the pain from the scratchs was getting to her but she shook it off. She saw something fall to the ground once she got up, it was a piece of paper
Just in case you'd want to have coffee, here's my number: 555-1413
See you around
Rick
Kate was stunned but it made her smile, she thought it was sweet of him.
She started walking towards her car. Damn, where IS my car…She stopped, started focusing she was trying to get off that cloud, trying to come back to reality. Oh right and walked to it. Luckily it wasn't too far off.
She finally sat in her car, she could feel her legs being sore not only from the jog but the fall. She then took out the piece of paper left by Richard, all she could do was smile. She put it back in her pocket and started her car.
This is hell of a lot better than the gym! She thought to herself and drove back to the precinct .