Hey everyone! This is my very first Castle fanfiction and I'm kind of nervous about it, but I hope you guys will like it. I'm not completely new to writing since I have written a couple of fanfictions for The mentalist so if you like that show too and you're interested you could check them out! :) (Yeah, self-promoting, I know I know… eww..sorry...)
I've never written a story for this show, even though I'm shamelessly in love with it and this pairing from the first time I saw it, because I think this show has the best writers in real life a fandom can wish for and they did absolutely everything I would have written about. So there was really nothing left for me. I have seen some pretty great ideas here on the site but obviously I didn't want to copy anybody so I just waited until the perfect idea appeared. And it did, only not in my head but on my computer in the form of a tumblr post which I thought to be an amazing idea. It belongs to Diana who has been so nice and allowed me to write a story about it. You can see her original post here :
www. mulderly. tumblr post/37733678737
Also just today I've found a breathtaking video on youtube from the same post, made by Half0utLoud and it doesn't exactly follow how I want to write this story but I thing you definitely should watch it if you're interested! You can find it on youtube dot com if you paste this:
/watch? feature=player_ embedded&v=SEI1Q91VZ7Q
Now, I'm done with the endless rambling and thank you if you've been patient enough to read all of this. I truly hope you will like the story and I really can't wait to hear your opinion! :)
Just one more thing, I'm sorry for any grammatical mistakes, my native language is not English but I'm really trying to avoid any errors. Thanks for the understanding! :)
Disclaimer: As much as it saddens me I don't own Castle…
Chapter 1
Kate Beckett aimed her rifle at her target as he exited his workplace in Lower Manhattan and pulled the trigger.
The shot echoed through the abandoned loft and she turned her head away so that she didn't have to see the elderly man collapsing on the ground. Dead.
She knew he couldn't survive it, her shot was always sharp. One bullet, right into their chest that was her usual M.O.
She pulled the elastic out of her bun and ran a hand through her long brown curls. As she stood up she was careful not to look out on the street where she could already hear ambulances approaching. There is probably a crowd gathered around the body and she would have to try and disappear as soon as possible. Before the cops arrived. And they would be all over the place when they figured out who the victim was.
Kate sighed and squeezed her eyes shut. She knew she shouldn't have been thinking about her targets and usually she could shut all feelings out and do her job, in which she was so good. But this case was different, because he was a detective. She hated killing cops, they always reminded her of her training officer.
She packed her equipment quickly with practiced movements and she was at the stairs in two minutes. She ran up to the roof and cautious not to be seen from street level she made her way to the fire escape and climbed down on the other side of the building. The small bag containing the rifle hung from her shoulder and when she hopped on the pavement she zipped her jacket and put on a beanie. She had to look unsuspicious.
This was no new thing for her, she did this after every job. It was routine.
Then she threw herself into the evening flow of the road, never looking back.
When she got off the subway she realized she had to do some grocery shopping so she stopped at the corner shop. The cashier at the counter greeted her with a friendly smile, recognizing Kate as a regular. Her name was Louisa and Kate couldn't help but wonder what she would do if someone hired her to kill Louisa next. Would she do it? Or would she let someone else do it?
Beckett gripped her bag harder and focused on the shelves in front of her.
Her fridge was empty so she needed food. Also she felt like having a hot bath so she searched for a relaxing shampoo and some bath salt.
When she was standing in line a young boy brushed against her bag and she put it on her other shoulder protectively. She didn't want anybody to find out what was hiding in her casual looking brown bag.
She paid for the goods and with a modest but warm smile wished Louisa a good night.
As she was walking up the stairs to her apartment her phone rang, signing that she had a new text message. It was from the bank, saying that her payment had arrived on her account.
When she entered her home she put the groceries on the kitchen counter and walked to the stereo to put on some music. Days like that she needed music to take her mind off things. Then she went to her bathroom and turned on the tap. She slowly undressed and pouring some of the fragrant bath salt into the tub she sank into the welcoming warmness of the water and let her problems and troubled thoughts melt away.
Richard Castle stepped off stage and rubbed his eyes with one hand, a bit teary from the harsh reflectors that lighted the podium where he stood the last half an hour. He wanted to sit down for a bit and have a drink. Look for Alexis and see if she's all right. But he couldn't because as soon as he set a foot on the ground he was surrounded by crazily yelling women and felt their hands all over him, everyone wanting to touch him even if only for a second.
„Hi, Mr. Castle I'm your hugest fan! I've read all your books!" a ginger shrieked into his ear.
„Mr. Castle, could you sign this please?"
„Could you sign my copy?"
„Would you sign my chest, Mr. Castle?"
He felt them closing up on him, pushing various objects his way. Books, posters of him, pieces of paper, underwear…. He pulled out a pen and signed what he could.
„Thank you for coming! I really appreciate your support!" he murmured again and again, smiling to flashing cameras, while hugging fans.
After long minutes his publisher Gina took pity on him and came to his rescue. She sauntered to him with graceful steps, a sweet smile on her face and when she got to him she took him by the arm and told the whining fans that the writer needed to talk to his agent.
„God, thank you so much!" he breathed as soon as they were out of earshot. He spotted his daughter sitting at a table, and he took a look around to see his mother chatting with a bunch of men.
„You have ten minutes then you have an interview with a magazine!" Gina chirped and patting his shoulder let him alone with Alexis.
„Hey Dad, you're already finished?" she asked with a surprised smile closing her book.
„Nope, Gina only gave me ten minutes to blow off the steam!" he shook his head and sank into a chair. „How are you holding up?" he asked from her with concern in his tone.
„I'm all right, I have my book and grams was here with me until a few minutes ago!" Alexis told him and pulling a bottle of water out of her bag she handed it to her father.
„Thanks pumpkin, you're my guardian angel!" he grinned gratefully and drank half of the bottle. Then he looked over her shoulder and he frowned. „Damn…" he muttered as his blond publisher walked towards them. „It wasn't ten minutes!" he told her when she stopped beside the table.
„Oh Ricky, don't be grumpy!" she giggled cheerfully but her eyes were warning. „This is Pamela, she words for The New York Times!" she introduced the tall, attractive woman who was standing at her side.
„Hi, it's nice to meet you!" he put on his charming grin and stood up to shake the journalist's hand. „This is my daughter Alexis!" he motioned towards the girl who just waved at Pamela. „Maybe we could find a quieter place for that interview, right?" he offered and led the woman away from the table.
After a twenty minutes long interview Pamela said goodbye with fluttering eyelashes and a bright smile, telling him that if he ever felt like having a drink with as she referred to herself, "a friend" he could feel free to give her a call.
He walked her to the exit like a gentleman, even gave her a light kiss on the cheek then checked his watch to see that it was already past eleven.
Castle looked around the club to see that many of the guests were long gone, the fans disappeared too. He searched for Alexis and found her at the same table, so immersed in her book that she didn't notice the drunk couples dancing a few feet from her.
"Hey sweetie, don't you want to go home?" he asked, stepping up to her.
For a moment she stayed motionless, finishing the sentence she was reading then she turned her eyes to him.
"You're done for the night?" she asked hopefully and he nodded.
"Yeah, let's get you home!" he smiled at her as they gathered their coats.
Even though she was already a grown up woman he saw her as his little girl, which sometimes annoyed her but he couldn't help it.
He went around the bar one more time, saying good byes and collecting several disapproving looks from both Gina and Paula for leaving so early. Then they wished goodnight to Marta who claimed to be full of energy and in need of a wild dancing.
Then twenty minutes later he finally got out of the building and could get in the car to take his sleepy daughter home.
"Hey Dad, have you read the paper?" Alexis asked as he walked into the kitchen after hours of writing in his study. He couldn't believe that even though his latest book had just been published his agent kept nagging at him for the next one, demanding more and more chapters.
"Nope, what's new?" he asked over his shoulder as he opened the fridge and searched for some ice cream.
"Looking for this?" His daughter asked and when he spun around he saw the bowl of ice cream in her hand, a playful grin adorning her face.
"Yeah..." he nodded and pulling out a spoon he joined her at the counter.
"The new novel already sells like hotcakes, people love it!" she cheered and pushed the newspaper towards him. Castle took a look at the cover and saw his own name in bolded fonts next to a picture of the latest Derrick Storm book.
"Wonderful, Gina will be pleased..." he muttered and took a spoonful of ice cream into his mouth.
"Speaking of... I think she had already called... like four times!" she said, jumping up and coming back with his phone in her hand.
Castle tapped the screen and saw the five missed calls, all from his ex-wife.
"Great!" he growled and put the phone on the counter. "Do you have plans for today, pumpkin?" he looked at his daughter.
"No. I was hoping to meet up with some friends but everybody's got a thing..." she sighed then shrugged.
"Then what do you say we go get some lunch then go to the movies and watch The Hobbit ?" he asked with sparkling eyes and Alexis rolled her eyes.
"Sure, it sounds nice!" she agreed and Castle punched up into the air triumphantly. "Don't be such a child, dad!" she laughed and he stuck his tongue out at her.
So an hour later they left the loft and hit the streets of Manhattan with the intent of walking to their favorite restaurant a couple of blocks down. Alexis was telling her father about school and how everyone in her class kept talking about going abroad to study.
"I mean, seriously Dad, even Stacey goes to Scotland!" she said throwing her hands in the air helplessly. "Why don't you want me to go to Oxford? It's a great university, really prestigious…" she told him.
"Darling, you know I don't care about those things. All I'm saying is that it might be better for both of us if we didn't have a sea between us in case we wanted to meet!" he shrugged defensively. He just couldn't imagine not seeing his little girl for a whole semester.
"Yeah, I know. That's why I'm really thinking about Columbia. They say there is a good psychology department." She said as they crossed Lafayette street.
Castle watched their reflection in the windows of shops, thinking about how his daughter grew up so fast when he noticed something weird. He wasn't sure it was really a thing and he wanted to make sure so he stopped and put his hand on Alexis's shoulder to stop her too.
"Wait a minute pumpkin, I want to turn left here…" he motioned to a street and his daughter raised her eyebrow questioningly.
"But why dad, I thought we were going to Paolo's…" she told him and he nodded.
"Yeah we are, I just wanted to check out the…" he looked along the street looking for some excuse and saw a sign of a bookstore. "…the bookstore right there!" he told her, pointing at the red building at about the middle of the street.
"The bookstore?" she asked with a confused expression but followed him nevertheless when he started walking in the direction of said building.
"Yes, I ..uh… want to buy a book. It will be… a gift for somebody!" he said, scowling at himself for making up such a lame story. He was making up stories for a living, he was supposed to lie better than that, right?
Castle looked at one of the windows they were passing by and saw the same man he saw before. He was keeping his distance but following them. Castle turned his head back slightly, careful not to be suspicious. The man was wearing a blue hoodie and he had brown hair. He didn't look like a psychopath.
"Dad, what's going on?" Alexis asked as he simply walked by the bookstore. "I thought you wanted to buy a book!" she pointed back at the sign.
"No, I've changed my mind. Let's go this way!" he said and ushered her out of the small street to a more crowded one.
He checked the man out in every window, even pulled out his phone once to use it as a mirror and now Castle was sure. That man was following them.
On the one hand it was creeping him out. Why would anybody be stalking him? But on the other hand, it was starting to get exciting. Like a strange kind of a spy game. If it wasn't for Alexis jogging at his side, asking worried questions he would have definitely enjoyed this.
"All right Alexis, don't freak out but I think there's a man following us..." he murmured to her after they got out of a pharmacy without buying anything.
"Are you sure?" she asked turning her head back.
"Wait, no! Don't look!" he caught her arm and pulled her with himself as he strolled to a street vendor.
"Which one?" she questioned, glancing back at the sidewalk from beside a magazine.
"The man with the blue hoodie!" he whisper yelled.
"Dad, he's not following us. He's just a passerby." she shook her head and put the paper down.
"I'm telling you. He's been after us since LaFayette street!" he told her but she rolled her eyes.
"Dad, we barely walked 5 blocks. He might just have business this way..." she said but then to both of their huge surprise the man in the blue sweater quickened his steps and soon he was pushing his way between people until he was standing in front of them. He had a wide grin plastered on his face and he started to rummage in his backpack. Castle tugged Alexis behind himself defensively and ignored that annoyed little sound of protest that she made.
"Mr. Castle?" the man said as he looked up again and he pulled an object out of his bag.
"Yeah?" Castle said, now completely unsure of this situation.
"Could you please sign this for me?" the man handed him a copy of the new Derrick Storm novel and he just stared at it wordlessly.
A few seconds passed by as Castle took in the new information all the while keeping his eyes on the book. A fan, of course. Not some kind of sick stalker, only a fan. He was also extremely relieved and a bit disappointed.
"Yes...Yes of course!" he tore himself out of his shock and took a pen out of his coat. "Who should I make it out to?" he asked, putting on his most charming smile.
"Hilary." the man said and Castle's unbelieving eyes shot up at him instantly. "Oh, it's for my girlfriend..." the man added with a blush rising on his face. He ran his fingers through his hair and grinned.
Castle nodded and opened the cover of the book. He pondered for a moment, not quite sure what to write then uncapped his pen and wrote down a few sentences.
Dear Hilary,
I was starting to lose hope in true love but then your boyfriend chased me four blocks down the street to get this book signed. I think he's a keeper...
All the best,
Richard Castle
He gave the book back then squeezed Alexis's elbow and after saying a quick bye they continued their walk. When Castle looked back over his shoulder he could see the man still standing there, the open book in his hands and a happy grin lighting up his face.
So, this was the first chapter, I hope you like the story so far... I'd love to hear your thoughts about it so pretty please write me a review! It would totally make my day! :) Also, I could really use some reassuring that you guys are interested in the story or not… So please? If only just a few words!
Thank you all for reading and reviewing! I really appreciate it!
I'll try to update soon and I can't wait to hear what you guys think!