A/N: This takes place in 2002/3 when everybody was starting to get used with cellphones.
Rick woke up with a loud annoying sound coming from his phone somewhere in his bedside table. He pops one eye open only to be greeted with a streak of sunlight straight into his eyes.
He grunts and rolls to the other side of the bed trying to ignore the sun and the sound. The latter stops for a brief moment only to start again, but this time the ring was short, indicating a new message.
Part of his brain wants to simply ignore it and go back to sleep, however the other part worries that it might be something related to his daughter, Alexis. So he slowly sits in bed and starts looking for his phone.
Rick furrowed his brows when he sees that the missing call and the message are from a unknow unumber. Probably a mistake, but he opens it anyway.
Hey, why are you still asleep? It's like 8 in the morning. Anyway, I was thinking about going out for a run and then maybe we could grab lunch and go a movie? Or you could just crash here, how does that sound?
Oh, sounds intimate. How does someone send this to a wrong number with all the technology they've now created that allows you to save people's number and stuff.
Unless it's not a mistake. He search his mind for any girl — well, assuming it's a girl — who might have texted him this, but his mind doesn't come up with any names. In fact he doesn't even remember the last time he has been this cozy with someone.
Who is this?
The answer comes almost immediately.
Oh shit. Wrong number. I'm sorry!
Even though it was predictable, something inside of him aches with jealous of a relationship like this. Where someone texts you in the morning telling their plans for the day even when you're only included in a certain part of it. And they do it not as an obligation, but simply because they wanna share that with you.
Don't get this wrong Rick Castle loved his life. He had an amazing daughter that was somewhere in Europe with her study group right now, a crazy but loving Mother and a pretty amazing job. But sometimes this playboy life he was so used to, especially since his lastest divorce, gets old and tiring, and he finds himself wondering what will happen when he is becomes too old for one night stands. When his Mother is no longer present and Alexis have a life of her own. What then?
So, driven by the moment and without thinking that he could possibly be intruding in someone else's relationship, he texted back.
No, wait. I want to hang out :(
Expecting the person on the other line to ignore his text, he decides that it's time for breakfast, since he knows there is no way he would fall back into slumber.
Half way through his pancakes, his phone beeped. Unknow number. He didn't know if he laughed about the fact that they really texted him back, or got a little worried about the possible profanities and threats in the text.
What are your experiences with padlocks?
He smiled shaking his head in amusement. They really went for it, whoever this person was, he liked them already.
Well, it actually depends if we are talking about cylinder one or a combination deadbolt.
It took a few minutes until the answer came and when it did, he wasn't able to control his laugh.
Hm. Do you have a penis?
As far as I'm concerned, yes.
Then sorry, pal. Only girls allowed in the club.
Before he had a chance to answer, another message arrived.
That being said I really hope you're a mechanical of some kind, otherwise I'd hate to arrest you.
Not wanting to reveal his real profession just yet, he sent 'Just a guy who travels a lot', only then to realize what she had revealed in the last part of the text.
Wait. You're a cop?
Why, something to hide?
Nothing, unless eating chantilly straight from the tube is a crime.
Gross. And by the way, it's detective.
A hand on her shoulder made Kate jump out of her skin. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you." Said her best friend, Lanie, while she sat at a chair in front of her. "I got your text, what's up? It sounded important."
After sending the text, that was once directed to her best friend, to the mysterious man, Kate's been talking to him all morning. It felt good, but she needed a fresh pair of eyes in the situation so she texted Lanie asking her to meet her at Remy's ASAP and a lot of exclamation points.
"Don't worry. Mm..." She didn't know how to explain that she is kind of having a crush on someone she hasn't even seen face to face, but being shut definitely wasn't going to take her anywhere. "This morning I text you to check today's plan"
"What? I didn't get anything! I swear to God, this shitty cellphone thing, only here to stress me." Complained her friend while serching for her cellphone on her purse. Kate laughed, "Let me finish."
"This morning I text you today's plan... Except I didn't." Lanie looked at her quizzically and she explained. "I accidentally typed the wrong number — you know me and technology don't get along very well — and this, uh, guy texted me back." Apparently Kate had mentioned the key word, because it had her friend leaning foward on the table and arching one eyebrow.
Not needing any more encouragement, Kate told her everything that happened, how the conversation was simply there, they didn't need to force it. Dispite their diferente tastes and opinions in some matters, it was easy talking to him, confortable. She felt like she could drop any subject in the world and he would go for it as enthusiastic as if he was talking about his favorite thing in the world.
"And that's it." Concluded her, waiting for her friend's reaction and when she didn't say anything, Kate continued; "I don't know what to do about all this, because it's weird." Lanie smiled goofily at her friend.
"Why?" Kate didn't answer, she just bent down her head. "Kate, I haven't seen you talking about someone like this since... I don't know, how long do we know each other?"
Kate gave her friend a shy smile. "But I don't even know him." Lanie shrugged her shoulders, like it was no big deal. "I could tell you some pretty good stories about a few bling dates I've had throught the years."
"What if he's a psycho?" Lanie laughed, but had to admit that it was a pretty rational fear. "You're a detective. Take your gun with you on your first date." Kate chuckled. "How romantic."
Lanie knew her friend all too well to know that there was more in her head that she was letting show. "Why are you so against meeting this guy, Kate?"
"I'm not. I just, I... I'm broken." Lanie's heart shattered a little with her friend's words, breaking even more when a single tear scaped her eye. "He doesn't know the real me, the I lost my mother and want revenge me."
"I thought you chose to put this case behind you." Lanie's words were soft, she knows how delicate this subject is. "I did, but just because I dont have anymore leads, what if I find one someday, what then?"
"Ok, first you're talking like you are going to marry this - what's him name - guy, are we there already? Second, if you do marry him or anyone else you'll have to learn how to put things in a balance, or are you willing to give up happiness in order to get revenge?" Kate looked at her like a lost puppy and Lanie reach out for her hand.
"You are an amazing detective, Kate, there's no doubt in the world that you're going to take down whoever killed your mom. But don't you think that it'll be easier to go through all of this with someone by your side?" Kate nodded. "Yeah, maybe."
"Good, because I bet Johanna Beckett would be really pissed to see you mopping in your pajamas every friday night." That earned Lanie a smile.
"And just so we are clear, I'm not saying you should jump in and drop everything for this guy, all I'm saying is; have fun, get drunk, get laid, live. He may be the grossest man you'll ever meet, or he may be the one. You're always telling me all those fantastic stories about your mom, but now I think it's time for you to create your own."
It took everything she got to not fall apart right there in the middle of Remy's at 11 in the morning. She hated talking about her mom's murder, it made her feel so helpless. She was able to bring justice to so many family, just not her own.
Perhaps Lanie was right, perhaps having someone by your side really is better than fighting alone.
"Rick. His name is Rick." Said Kate swallowing her tears. Lanie didn't bother to say anything else, she just nodded and changed the subject to something embarassing her boyfriend, who also happens to be Kate's partner, Javier Esposito had done.
Rick was getting ready to bed when his phone started ringing. Whe he saw the name of caller on the tiny screen he held in his hand, his heart skipped a beat. Taking a deep breath he pressed the button to answer the call. "Hello." Silence.
"Uh, hi. It's Kate." Oh good Lord, her voice was even better than he imagined. So soft and melodic, like a angel sent straight from heaven.
"Kate, hi. Good to finally hear your voice." He hoped she could hear the honesty in his tone, because he's waited all day to this moment. Actually he, many times, thought about calling her himself, but assumed that if she didn't call yet, it was probably because wasn't ready or she didn't want to at all, so he decided to wait and give her time. "You too, Rick. And I have to say, you sound different than I expected."
He laughed at that comment. "Oh, really? And how did you imagined it?" She hummed. "Well, giving by your sexy and the city type of personality I'd say something more feminine"
"Oh, just wait until you hear me scream, darling. That might change." She laughed and oh my God, it was possibly the most beautiful sound he'd ever heard.
When she answered him, she was still laughing. "Looking foward to it.", She said. But soon, any trace of laugh disappeared from her voice, giving its place to a much more serious tone. "So, uh, I was think, uh, I, uh..."
He held back a laugh, she sounded adorable when she was nervous. But in order to free her from her pain, he stepped in. "Kate, would you like to go out with me?" His words came out fastest than he had predicted. Wow, apparently he was more nervous than he thought.
She didn't answer at first and he started to freak out, what if this wasn't what she was thinking? Holy shit, you screwed everything, Rick. But without giving him time to apologize, she spoke again. "Yes."
"R-really?" Oh shit, did he said out loud? Probably, since she let out a nervous laugh. "Yes, Rick. Uh, this week is really tight for me on schedule, but maybe next weekend? Saturday is my day off."
Next weekend? That was like the whole week! He wanted to whine and beg her to meet with him sooner, but God the woman was a freaking detective. There was no way in hell, crime would give her a break. So instead, he conveniently said, "Saturday sounds perfect."
"Great!" He could hear the excitement in her voice, which made the whole wait one week to see you so much worth it.
Rick knew Kate wasn't just another one of his conquest. She was for real. She was funny, a complete badass and a scifi geek, she was everything he could have ever dreamed of and he hasn't even seen her face.
"So, what are you doing?" He asked longing to hear everything about her.
Saturday finally arrived after a long and tiring week. They talked every day since, for long hours or just for a minute when she was too busy with a case, but they always talked. And the more she learned him, the more terrified she was about actually developing feelings for a guy she met online.
He is a writer, but he's claimed that she's never read anything from him for sure, he also has a teenage daughter who was now on Europe in a school trip. This last bit of information scared her at first, but the minute she heard him speaking about her with so much adoration on his voice, she found out it wasn't such a bad thing after all.
He had also traveled a lot, vising some of the countries she's been dying to see since she a little girl. He also subtly dropped a hint that he would go back to all of those places and give her a tour, if she wanted to. Her heart skipped a beat with the thought.
At 6PM Kate started the praparation for the date. She took a long shower and was now staring at every dress she owned without knowing what to do. But thankfully she knew someone who would.
She texted Lanie and in ten minutes the girl was standing by her door, looking even more excited than Kate. "Ok, let's see what we have here."
About an hour later, they've decided on a simple black dress, that valued her curves and ended right in the middle of her thighs. 'You gotta use those legs, girlfriend.' Said Lanie earlier and with a smirk Kate put on the dress. She kept her hair simple, put the minimum of make up and was about to grab a black heel, when Lanie stoped her.
"What are you doing?" Asked Lanie and Kate looked at her confused. "Uh, putting on my shoes?" Her friend shook her head and walked towards her closet.
"Wear those." Said her throwing a pair of black leather boots in Kate's direction. "You've just said I have to show my legs!" Exclaimed Kate. "No, I said you have to use them. Trust me on this, his jaw will hit the floor the second he sees you."
At Lanie's mention on that subject, Kate froze on her steps. Suddenly it all seemed too real. She was getting ready to meet a man whom she had no idea if he was really the person who he was telling her all about. "I- I can't do this!"
"The hell you can't, Kate." Said Lanie sitting at Kate's bed. "You didn't do all this to give up now. Don't make me do the speech all over again." Kate shook vehemently her head.
"What if he doesn't like me?" Her voice, now, barely a whisper and Lanie gave her a sympathetic smile. "Kate, if he didn't like you, he wouldn't ask you out in the first place. And if your looks is what it's worring you, just check yourself in the mirror."
Kate took a deep breath and started to put on her boots. "It's ok to be nervous. I mean when was the last time you went on a date because you actually liked the guy and not because you needed some booty call?" Kate rolled her eyes, but a small smiled started to apper in the corner of her mouth.
"Ok, I'm gonna do this." Lanie squealed launching herself at her best friend. "Now, that's my girl."
He is sitting alone in one of the restaurant's table, his hand shaking everytime someone came through the door. They've agreed in meeting each other at the place. Kate thought that it was too early for him to know where she lived, which he understood and respected.
After 10 minutes of pure agony a tall brunnete came throught the door and walked toward the recepcionist desk. He tried his best not to stare, in case she wasn't his actual date, but holy hell that woman was a godess. She was wearning a small black dress, boots and a leather jacket, the the killer outfit for every man alive.
The recepcinist pointed to his table and his heart actually stopped. He looked away quickly, not wanting her to see him drooling, but apparently he was incapable of keep his eyes off her for long. And the moment he looked up again their eyes locked and she froze in her step for a moment.
What are the odds of your unbelievably interesting and smart date is also a greek godess? Oh man, he was doomed, so doomed.
He got up a little bit faster than necessary, almost hitting the table with his knees. "K-Kate?" Great, you sound like a teenage boy in his first date. When she's spoke her voice sounded even more beautiful in person. "Hi."
"Here, allow me." Said Rick, pulling a chair for her, suddenly regaining his composture. "Thank you."
They stayed in silence for a brief moment just looking at each other until she started laughing. "What?" He asked a little confused.
"Nothing, it's just... I should've put the pieces together." But when his quizzical look didn't fade, she explained. "Rick. Writer. I should've guessed you are Rick Castle."
"Oh, so you're familiar with my writing?" He risked. He didn't want her to know what kind of books he wrote at first because the woman was a freaking detective, she probably hated hates crime novels, and he didn't want to ruin this very real possibility of a relationship before it even started. But it was better for him, her knowing his work than his page six reputation.
Just the thought of it made him a thousand times more nervous with all of this. The last thing he wanted was for her to thing was that he was just a hollow playboy who didn't have the ability to be in a serious relationship.
Because even thought he likes to party and couldn't deny he liked the girls that came with it, half of what they say about him in the media is either in amplified magnitude or false.
But for his relief, she nodded. He offered her a shy, bordering apologetic, smile. "Sorry if it sucks."
"I like it." She said softly, taking a sip on the glass of wine the waitress brought in a few minutes ago. "Y-you do?" He asked, half of the weight on his shoulders disappearing, when nodded again.
"Yeah, you are one of very few writer who can describe a crime scene without being overly dramatic. I mean of course there are something you put in there that aren't necessarily true in a detective's daily basis, but I understand it's importante for the trama." It was his time to laugh. There was no way in hell he was letting this one go.
"Sorry, I just did a review you clearly did not ask for." Her cheeks gaining a darker shade of pink, at that and he smiled at her. "No, I loved it. Best review I got in a very long time and from someone who actually understand what she's talking about."
She bit her bottom lip and he had to hold back the urge to just kiss her right there. "Maybe one day you can help me get better at the details of a detective's life." He prompted and she smiled. "Yeah, I'd love too."
xxx
The evening went by lovely, they've talked, laughed and had some really good food and wine. She was everything he had imagined and more.
So when Rick checked his watch, he was disappointed to see that it was already a quarter to midnight. He didn't want this night to end, but she had to go to work early in the morning and he shouldn't keep her here much longer.
"It's late, you probably should get going, right?" There was disappointment in his tone, he couldn't help it. He didn't want to wait a whole week to see her again.
She checked her own watch and he saw a glitch of the same disappointment he was feeling in her eyes. "Probably. But I wouldn't mind another dessert."
She looked at him with a half smile on her lips and he was the luckiest man alive. "Another dessert coming up."
When Kate arrived at the restaurant she couldn't believe that the man she's been talking to was her favorite author. It scared her — more than she already was — because she read the papers and she was very familiar with his playboy behavior that most of the time had her rolling her eyes.
However he couldn't be that bad, considering they've been talking all week non stop and that man didn't have any indication of the behavior she linked with the writer so much.
And thankfully she was right. Rick wasn't bad at all, quite the opposite actually. He funny, was smart, he didn't thought it was weird or complained when she brought up some case she had worked on, like her previous dates, he was everything she dreamed and more.
He asked her a lot of questions too, eager to learn about her and her job as much as he could.
Rick was also the most loving father she's ever met besides her own. He talked about Alexis with so much pride that had Kate smiling like a dork and wishing foward to the day she was going to meet this young delightful girl.
Yeah, she got it bad. The evening had been perfect and she couldn't stop smiling as they walked with their fingers interlocked through the streets of Manhattan.
He wanted to call a cab to take her to her place, but she told him she only lived two block away from the restaurant, suggesting a walk instead.
He made sure she was okay with him knowing where she lived, which she thought it was adorable, but she claimed that since now she knows that he is not a phycho it was ok.
A confortable silenced lingered between then and she felt sorry for having to interrupt. "This is it." She said, pointing to her build's entrance.
His eyes shifted between the building and her. "So, uh, it was nice to see you, Kate." She gave him a smile. "It was nice seeing you too, Rick."
For a moment they just stood there looking at each other and she started to wondering if she would have to do the kissing part on her own. But before she could take action he spoke. "Do you think we could repeat this someday?"
She pretended to think about it for a while, mostly for her own amusement in seeing him nervous and then, finally nodded. "But, it actually depends on how you're are going to finish this particular date."
It took him a minute to take the hint and she could see the sparks light up in his eyes when it did.
He gave her that boyish smile that made her want to attack his lips all the time during dinner, but this time she actually did.
His lips were soft on hers and soon his tongue was running through her lips seeking entrance, which she gladly allowed.
Kate pull away after a few minutes, afraid they would start losing control right in the middle of the street and she wasn't ready to go there just yet.
When she opened her eyes, she found Rick smiling at her and her heart did a weird little dance on her chest. "So, is that a yes for a second date?" She laughed. "Definitely a yes, Mr. Castle."
Before he could say goodbye, she hold his hand not ready to let him go. "Thank you for tonight." She said genuinely. "Thank you. It's the most fun I had in a long while."
"Mhm, alright, Mr. Party All Week." She said it as a joke, but the minute the words fell from her lips she regreted saying it. He bend down his head, embarrassment all over his face. "Rick, I'm so —"
He looked up at her with a hesitant smile on his lips. "It's ok, Kate. Don't worry." She knew he was being honest, but it didn't stop her from feeling terrible.
Apparently he sensed that, because the next thing she knows is that her lips were in his again. The kiss was brief this time, just to reassure his words.
"But just so you know, this, us, I'm all in." She smiled at him, any doubt she had about wanting to get into a relationship at this point of her life disappearing.
Maybe she wasn't completely healed yet, but she had no doubt in her mind that out of everyone in the world, if someone could help her through this, that one was the man standing in front of her. "Good. Me too."
"I'll wait for you to get in. Make sure you're save." He said and she opened her purse to search for her keys.
"You know I'm a cop, right?" She rolled her eyes, but couldn't help the smile on her lips. If felt good to know someone cared.
"Oh yeah. An by the way, is that a gun?" She had completely forgot she took Lanie's advice seriously and just shrugged her shoulder like it was no big deal. "In case you were a pervy or a phyco."
"Hot." She rolled her eyes again, but this time she wouldn't let him go easy.
Wanting to tease him some more, she took a step closer and whispered in his ear. "If you think that's hot, just wait until you see the handcuffs."
Not waiting to see his reaction, she turned away entering the building only to hear him grunt and yell something like 'Not fair!' in the background.
As soon as she stepped in the elevator, her phone beeped and she smiled at herself.
This was going to be good.
A/N: There may or may not be another chapter, just let me know what you think ;)