A/N: This is an AU story that came to me in a plot bunny that just wouldn't hop away. It's set in before the show in an alternative way for our favorite cannon couple to meet. It's fluffy. Like you may have cavities form from the cotton candy fluff, but I hope you find it as fun to read as I am having writing it.

This is just a brief intro. A prologue of sorts. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I of course, do not own Castle or ABC. I just have fun making the characters do what I want them to do.

She was going to kill her.

Detective Kate Beckett stood in the entrance to the shopping center she was supposed to meet her best friend at and said best friend was nowhere to be found. On top of that she wasn't answering her phone.

Kate was lucky enough to have the Thanksgiving weekend off and had promised to delve into the tradition of Black Friday shopping despite her very nature to avoid the crowds and supposed sales.

The speakers blaring the old Christmas songs were starting to give Kate a headache and she watched the crowds of people around her with a slim amount of civility. She really had no desire to be here but a promise, however conned, was a promise.

"Damn it Lanie," Kate murmured under her breath, "where in the hell are you?"

She dialed her friend's number again and was once again directed to her voicemail after only a few rings and Kate didn't leave a message this time. The first three would be enough to show her frustration.

Kate waited on the bench, her coat wrapped tightly around her to fend off the already bitterly cold New York City air that flooded through the doors at a nearly constant state as people came and went, for another twenty minutes before deciding to abandon her post. The smells of freshly roasted coffee called to her and she wandered through the crowds to find a coffee shop. The Starbucks line was ridiculously long but Kate figured that treating herself to a latte was a welcome reward for being ditched by her best friend.

It was hard not to ease drop on the conversations happening around her but she tried her hardest to keep her ears to herself. Especially because the two people in front of her were obviously a mother and daughter combo and her heart was aching. It didn't matter that it was nearly six years ago now; the loss still ate away at her. And around the holidays the ache was ten times as bad.

She was trying, like her therapist insisted she did, which is why she had agreed to come out into the insanity that was Black Friday when Lanie invited her. At least she knew that her therapist would be happy with her this week.

When she finally made it to the front of the line and received her coffee she decided that she was bailing. And she was not talking to Lanie for at least a week.

As she stepped back into the main walkway of the mall she went to take a drink. At the same time a long haired red head was barreling through the area and ran right into Kate's legs. The force of the impact caused Kate to jerk and spill her latte down the front of her and the girl fell to the floor.

"ALEXIS!"

The girl in front of her cringed just a little bit at the deep voice of who Kate assumed to be the girl's father, despite the differences in their appearances. The man, who was tall, leaned down to scoop up the girl and whispered a few things into her ear. The girl had tears spilling down her cheeks and she buried her face into the man's shoulder.

When the man finally turned to face Kate she couldn't help but gasp a little and tried her very hardest to hide her surprise.

"I'm so sorry," he said with a sigh. "I promised her hot chocolate for putting up with me today and she got a little excited and wasn't paying attention to the crowds. Are you okay? You're not burned are you?"

"No," Kate answered with a slight smile, still shocked with who she was talking to, "my coat is pretty thick so I'm fine. And it's alright. The promise of hot chocolate would be enough to distract me too."

Alexis turned her head and wiped the tears from her cheeks, "I'm really sorry ma'am. I shouldn't have been running."

"It's okay, thank you for apologizing."

Alexis nodded and squirmed until her father set her down, but he kept his hand firmly around hers.

"I'm Rick Castle," he said with a smile and outstretched his free hand for a handshake and Kate hesitated only briefly before accepting.

"I know…" she mumbled and her face flamed bright red. "I mean, Kate. I'm Kate…Beckett."

"Nice to meet a fan Ms. Beckett," Rick responded with a dazzling smile and he motioned to the still full coffee shop. "Can I replace your coffee? It's the least I can do."

"No, that's okay…"

"Please," Rick asked again, his face turning slightly pouty and Kate struggled to keep her breathing even. "I would feel awful if I didn't."

"Um…okay. Yeah, I guess I could let you do that."

"Good," Rick responded his grin coming back brightly. "Come on pumpkin; let's get you that hot chocolate I promised."

She joined Rick and Alexis in line and the trio was quiet for the first several minutes. Alexis was watching her with wide blue eyes and Kate was keeping herself from watching Rick.

She was waiting in line at Starbucks with Richard freaking Castle. Lanie would have a field day with this. Kate smirked and thought to herself, Lanie is going to be pissed that she missed this.

"Something funny?"

His voice jerked her out of her thoughts and forced her to look his way. He was definitely more handsome in person.

"Um, not really," Kate answered, "just thinking."

"About?"

"Nothing," Kate answered quickly and turned towards Alexis. "How old are you Alexis?"

The girl looked thrilled to be included in the adult's conversation and answered, "I'm eight now."

"Wow," Kate exclaimed, "so grown up. Are you in third grade?"

"Uh-huh," Alexis responded with a nod of her head.

"What is your favorite subject in school?" Kate asked in order to avoid any more of a conversation with the charming girl's father.

"Um…" Alexis stammered her lips and nose twisting as she thought hard, "I like all the subjects we learn about. I don't think I could pick only one."

"Wow!" Kate said with a grin, "You must be really smart Alexis."

Alexis only shrugged and Rick jumped in to their conversation happily. "She is. Not to brag about my own kid, but she's brilliant. And certainly more mature than I was at eight."

"Well she is a girl," Kate teased, "Girls are always better than boys. Right Alexis?"

"Right!" the girl cried out in agreement and Rick groaned in mock frustration.

"Not fair," he said with a skillfully placed hurt face, "You always make fun of me. What did I do to deserve this?"

"Oh daddy," Alexis said in exasperation and both she and Kate rolled their eyes at the same time, "Ms. Beckett and I are only teasing."

Before he could say anything though the worker behind the counter was asking for their order and he turned his attention to the pimply faced high school boy who was not hiding his admiration of Kate. Rick felt suddenly defensive of Kate and gave the boy a steely glare. Once their order was placed they moved down to where they would pick it up and Rick realized that Alexis and Kate were still having their own conversation and his daughter's hand was tucked into the older woman's. He didn't hide his smile.

"Why don't you ladies go grab an empty table and I'll grab our drinks?" Rick suggested and Kate looked at him with a shrug, but Alexis answered for her.

"Sure daddy."

Kate felt herself being pulled back through the crowded coffee shop until they reached the entrance where Alexis paused before making her way back out into the crowd. When there was a break in the traffic of people Alexis led her to a small round table that happened to have three chairs already around it.

Kate turned to see Rick wasn't too far behind them.

"Look daddy!" Alexis exclaimed, "I found us a table. And there are three chairs!"

"Great job pumpkin," Rick praised and set the drinks down on the table. He was almost surprised that Kate didn't argue staying. "So Ms. Beckett, you know what I do, what is it that you do?"

"Call me Kate," she responded after taking a quick sip of coffee, "and I'm actually a cop. Or…a detective."

"Ooo," Rick said with obvious interest, "a detective? That's awesome!"

"Daddy likes cops," Alexis stated around a mouthful of whip cream. "He likes to write in his books about them."

"I know," Kate admitted with a tiny smile. "I'm only a Detective-Third Class and only since July, but my captain seems to believe I can move up in the ranks pretty easily."

"Which division do you work with?" Rick asked his eyes shining brightly in curiosity.

Kate smirked, "I'm in homicide."

"That is so hot."

Kate's eyes widen with his statement and her eyes flicked over to Alexis who didn't seem to be paying attention to them thankfully.

"Sorry," Rick said quietly, "sometimes I speak without thinking. But…it's true."

"Uh," Kate stammered, "thanks…I think."

"Definitely a compliment."

Kate could feel the blush rising on her cheeks and glanced around quickly. "I uh, I should go. Thank you for the coffee."

Rick nodded, "thank you for not yelling at my kid."

"Who could yell at her?" Kate asked, "She's too adorable."

"I think so too," Rick responded with a smile at his daughter and then turned back to her. "Anyways, it was wonderful meeting you Detective. Enjoy your shopping adventures."

"Nice meeting you both," Kate replied with a return smile. "Bye Alexis."

"Bye Ms. Beckett!"

Kate waved to the Castles' as she walked out and she fished her phone out of her purse and dialed Lanie's number again. She wasn't surprised when it went to voicemail and smiled as she left the vague message.

"You'll never guess who I met today."

Rick Castle carried his sleeping daughter and three bags worth of shopping adventures through the front door of his loft with a bit of difficulty. Alexis was growing up and at eight years old she was almost impossible to carry anymore but he couldn't bear the thought of not being able to scoop her up and tote her around in his arms.

He dropped the bags in the entrance, kicked the door closed with her foot and readjusted Alexis in his arms so he could carry her to his bed. She was at the age where naps were far and few between so he was going to take advantage of this. Alexis had woken early and they'd been going and going so he knew she was tuckered out.

When he placed her on her bed she curled up into the pillows and instinctively wrapped her arms around the stuffed monkey that rested there. He slipped off her shoes and covered her up before kissing the top of her head and slipping out of the room.

He leaned against the wall near her room and sighed. Ever since they had met Detective Beckett that afternoon Alexis hadn't stopped talking about the woman. All afternoon it was Detective Beckett this and Detective Beckett that and it warmed Rick's heart but also gave him reason to worry. Alexis was shy and didn't take to people as quickly as she had taken to Kate. He wasn't sure what it meant but he knew he had to tread those waters lightly.

He wouldn't lie to himself. He wanted to see her again. Kate was mesmerizing.

He needed to see her again.

Now Rick just had to figure out how to do that without making himself look like a stalker. He wanted to know her story; he could tell there was one behind her eyes. There was something about her that made him want to figure out everything there was to know about her.

Yeah, he was definitely starting to sound like a stalker.

He wondered if he could look her up online.

Rick shook his head. He couldn't do that. He would figure out a much less creepy way of tracking her down. He had resources. He knew a few guys on the force from when he was doing research for some of his books. He was sure he could get one of them to help him out.

He would just make a few calls on Monday and see what he could discover.

Rick pushed himself off the wall and headed to the kitchen to pull something out for dinner knowing that Alexis would be starving when she woke from her nap and it was a good excuse to distract himself from the haunted green eyes of one Detective Kate Beckett.

A/N: Please let me know what you think and if you're interested in having it continued. Feedback makes me a better author and I always love getting it. If you can spare a moment or two, just let me know what you think.