Unexpected Detour
by Castlefan6
Authors Note: Thisis my AU version to a different outcome from the RISE episode in Canon. Kate left to deal with her demons, perhaps she wasn't the only one needing to come to terms with what life brought them all. This is a LONG Road but initial plan is to wind up CASKETT, don't push too hard it will take some time to develop plot points.
I don't own Castle; I use the characters for amusement purposes only
Prelude
Previously Dust Jackets Dot Com RISE Episode
It's three months later. BECKETT is back for the first time since her shooting and she's hesitant. She takes a second to look at her mom's ring, then at her empty desk. She's brought out of her thoughts by clapping. She looks around and smiles. Everyone is clapping for her and her return. RYAN and ESPOSITO join the applause but quickly stop in favor of talking to her.
RYAN
Hey, Beckett. What are you doing here? Didn't think you were back until next week.
BECKETT
Yeah well, two months of listening to crickets in my dad's cabin was driving me nuts.
She starts to unpack her bag.
ESPOSITO
It's okay. You don't have to make excuses. We know you missed us. That's why you couldn't stay away.
She shakes her head but she's smiling.
BECKETT
Shut up.
They smile with her.
BECKETT
So … anything?
RYAN
Still nowhere.
Having to tell her that makes RYAN uncomfortable.
BECKETT
Well, what about the groundskeeper?
RYAN
The guy's a ghost. We ran face hits on surveillance, license plates … nothing panned out.
That information bothers her.
ESPOSITO
We did get DNA off the weapon, but there were no matches in the system. We flagged it, though.
RYAN
(hesitates) Didn't Castle tell you about all this?
BECKETT
No.
ESPOSITO
That's weird. Why wouldn't he … why would he hide that from you?
BECKETT
He isn't hiding anything, I just haven't seen him in a while.
ESPOSITO
How long is awhile?
BECKETT
Pretty much since the shooting.
RYAN
Why? What happened?
She's moving, but they're not letting this go.
BECKETT
Nothing happened. I just needed some time.
ESPOSITO
What, and he left you alone for three months?
BECKETT
You guys, it wasn't his fault. I told him that I would call.
ESPOSITO
Well, why didn't you?
She pauses in her coffee making, considering.
ESPOSITO
He was here with us, every day, working the case.
She wasn't expecting that.
ESPOSITO
For months. He'd still be here if the new captain hadn't kicked him to the curb.
BECKETT
She kicked him out? Why?
RYAN
Apparently her precinct's got no room for, uh … "dilettante writer playing cop". (he nods out the window to GATES passing by) Captain Victoria Gates, aka Iron Gates. She's as by the book as they come. She cut her teeth as a detective in Internal Affairs.
BECKETT
Wow. That's not going to win her any popularity points.
RYAN
Yeah, it's like she brought her distrust of cops along with her.
ESPOSITO
Well, one thing's for sure. She's no Montgomery.
RYAN
(to ESPOSITO) Hey, if she hasn't talked to Castle she doesn't know about the bank yet.
BECKETT
What bank?
ESPOSITO
Oh, well, we didn't get any traction with the shooter, so Castle suggested we check out Montgomery, McCallister, and Raglan, see who they might have been in business with back in the day.
RYAN
We know those guys were getting fat ransom, and wise guys maybe used that stash to pay off the guy who paid off your mother's murderer.
ESPOSITO
Yeah, and Castle thinks he's found the bank that they used.
BECKETT
So there's a money trail.
RYAN
The only problem is that the bank closed down. No one knows where those records ended up.
ESPOSITO
We were working to locate them when Iron Gates shut down the investigation.
BECKETT
Wha - she shut the case down? Why?
RYAN
No new leads on the shooter. And we couldn't tell her the rest of it without implicating Captain Montgomery.
TWENTY MINUTES LATER AFTER FIRST ENCOUNTER WITH IRON GATES.
BECKETT is leaving GATES' office. She's upset as she walks past RYAN and ESPOSITO.
BECKETT
I want my gun.
ESPOSITO
So you got to re-qualify. It's no big deal. It's a little insulting, but …
BECKETT
Where are the files on the money trail?
RYAN
Castle's got them.
BECKETT is shocked and RYAN catches it.
RYAN
What were we supposed to do, leave them here so – (he drops his voice) Gates can find them?
ESPOSITO
The first thing she would do is open an investigation on Montgomery.
BECKETT scoffs.
RYAN
You want to see the files, you're going to have to talk to him. Whatever you do, don't get caught.
BECKETT
(scoffs again) Oh, c'mon. What's she going to do? Bust me down to traffic?
RYAN
Worse. It's not like it was before. We go against her orders on this, we could all lose our badges.
His phone rings and he's thankful for the distraction.
RYAN
Yeah, Ryan. Yeah, what do you got?
RYAN walks away.
ESPOSITO
He is paranoid. But right.
BECKETT
Well then, I guess I better not get caught.
Chapter 1
Two Hours Later
Beckett's Desk
12th Precinct
Kate decided without her gun, she would sit out the new case the boys just got dispatched to, hell, she wasn't an idiot and if Gates wanted to play it by the book so could she. She would requalify before leaving Desk Duty, one problem solved, now what the hell was she going to do about Castle and him having the file she needed to verify what had happened herself, she trusted few in this matter.
She thought a call to Rick, especially after this long and the way she left things with him wouldn't be appropriate, she needed to see him so he could see she was back. She knew he loved her, and sure he would be pissed, but he would accept her apology and pout a little then they would get back to normal.
Check that, normal was he came to the precinct, but now that Gates had banned that, she was sure his connections were higher and he would be back by her side in no time. He always had come back, there was no reason for her to doubt this would be any different.
FLASHBACK
32 Days after Beckett's Shooting
29 days from her promise to call
2 Days after her discharge from the hospital
3 Days after Gates Banishment of him from HER precinct.
Kate's 3rd day at her Dad's Cabin
Rick sat in his office at the Loft with a problem he never thought he would face. How could he leave Kate Beckett, the 12th Precinct, and his Nikki Heat work behind? Once Ryan had informed him that Kate had been discharged to an unnamed location earlier in the day, he knew that he had committed the biggest mistake in his life.
He had fallen in love with his muse, even worse he had broadcasted it to anyone who wasn't clinically deaf as she lay crumpled on the crimson stained grass as he held another man's girlfriend and professed his love to her and the world.
What the hell did he expect, it was stupid, he knew that she had chosen Josh, the good looking and Motorcycle riding heart surgeon over him. Josh had pounded home the fact that it was his fault that Kate was lying in surgery, as well as Evelyn Montgomery now being a widow because he pushed for a story. Josh's shove and angry words were justified in his mind, Hell he didn't know what he would have done had roles been reversed but he was sure he would have taken some action. He didn't blame Josh, he was hurting, and the truth was it was not only because of the damn book, but also his desire to give Kate something she had wanted since she was 19, those responsible for the murder of her mother.
His desire to be the bigshot, the hero, overshadowed the dangers that this action would bring, and now although Kate had survived the surgery, barely, her Dad was hanging on by a thread, and Josh was upset and pissed as any boyfriend should be. It was probably the reason Kate had dismissed him so quickly, and now she had a clear path to heal with her Boyfriend who understood all of the medical issues she faced.
He had caused this hurt, and it was up to him to make it right somehow, but for now, it was best if he let Kate heal with Josh, it was clear when she hadn't called by now, she wasn't going to. Why should she, to say what, "Gee Castle, heard you love me, but I'm kind of busy now building a life with my boyfriend," what an Ass he had been.
Even worse, he had slipped into drinking himself numb each night, and knew he had heard Alexis cry more than once after she had helped him to his bed. This had to stop permanently, and now.
He had already lost his little girl, she had opted to Graduate early and accepted the scholarship to Stanford, she would be leaving day after tomorrow. She reluctantly agreed to allow him to fly with her to San Jose and drive to her Dorm, after he had stayed sober for two weeks straight.
His Mother was travelling Europe, her Acting Company were very successful with several sell outs. It was a blessing she was gone, and not witness to the mess that he had become. He had to snap out of this funk, and that wasn't going to happen in New York, too many memories no matter where he looked.
Rick had just returned from a meeting with Black Pawn, Gina as well as Paula, and all of the brass as well as his attorneys. His current contract was for three books, the second was in final edit which left only one additional novel on the contract to write. Black Pawn had harassed Paula about getting him to sign an extension to his contract, and the more he said no, the more money they offered.
He shocked everyone when he entered today's meeting with a completed third manuscript for the last book Lost Heat. He had written it where if in the future, (his thought was at least ten years or more), if he ever wanted to or needed to revisit the series he could, he had only wounded Rook, he didn't kill him off as he had done to his leads in the Storm Novels.
The series ended on a cliffhanger, Rook was wounded but readers had been assured he was on the way to recovery from physical wounds, BUT Nikki Heat had moved in with her new boyfriend, the Doctor and had little time for anything or anyone else and there is no prescription for a broken heart.
Gina was sincere when she spoke, "Rick, I have to say this is the first time you have been early not only with a chapter, but the entire manuscript. I know you've gone through a lot so let me know how we can make this easier for you. I may have divorced you, but I never stopped caring about you" as a tear trickled from her eye down her cheek.
Rick looked up sadly, "I know Gina, and for what it's worth now, I'm sorry. I know I hurt you and for that I will always be sorry."
"We're good Rick, just take care of yourself, I assume it's the same process as the last time you went off the grid, all emails to the Black Pawn encrypted account, no phone calls except to Paula, who will have your burner cell, allow a few days for response since your location is still TBD and may not have the cell coverage we come to expect living in New York. Did I miss anything Rick?"
"Only that no contact with Mother or Alexis, they only know that I am off on a trip, they don't need to worry any further"
"OK Hotshot you told us everything but one detail" Paula blasts out in her nasal tone, only to be interrupted by Rick,
"Read your email Paula, I leave with Alexis tomorrow for San Jose, then after driving her to Stanford, my trip begins." He snipped as Paula winced.
"I think this concludes what we need to discuss for business, does anyone have anything for me before I excuse myself?" It was more of a directive than a question,
"Take care of yourself, let us know you are well from time to time, PLEASE?" as Gina surprised Rick with a gentle kiss, and quickly turned away to hide the tears in her eye.
San Jose Airport
Next Day 2:00 PM Local Time (Still in Flashback)
Rick allowed Alexis to drive to Stanford, or at least start the trip, she needed to know how to drive on the West Coast. He hadn't told her but he had purchased her a new BMW Z4 Convertible for graduation, it was practical, well in his eyes, since she would soon be living off campus like most students who could afford to do so.
After they arrived, Alexis was more like his little girl than she had been in weeks. Almost sad instead of being on top of the world with her surprise gift.
"Dad, I'm sorry you're hurting, I wish I could make it go away, but Thank You so very much for the gifts, I love them both."
"Alexis, did I miss something, I only gave you the car pumpkin, what other gift are you talking about."
"Daddy, you stopped drinking just so you could spend a few extra days with me, that tells me how much you love me, even more than anything else ever could, so Thank You for the gift of you. I love you and I'll miss you but I have to do this on my own."
Rick's eyes pool with tears, as he chokes out,
"Pumpkin, it's you who saved me, and you don't worry about Dad. I'm going to take some down time and just put things out of my mind so when you are on your first break, we can enjoy the time together, OK?"
"Of Course, Daddy, I know you're off the grid, but I'll skype you when I can, if you can take the call it'll be great but I understand you need to do this to get yourself back to you, all the way.
I bet Gina and Black Pawn were shocked when you submitted the entire manuscript for Lost Heat. I didn't even know you completed it, I guess I just focused on your drinking too much to ask what was going on, and I'm sorry Daddy. I know you're hurting but like you told me, trust the universe, things happen for a reason."
"Listen to my little girl, when did you grow up so fast, I still can't believe that you're in college, are you sure you're not going to miss your Senior Year, I mean*"
"Dad we've been through this, outside of my circle of friends, there's really nothing to stay for. Sure, Class Valedictorian would have been nice to put in my memory drawer but seriously, who even cares once they leave school who did what. I bet the speech I would have given would have been forgotten by the time the parties were over.
You need to focus on you for a while, Grams is doing her thing and will be for the next year or so, I'm working on my degree, trying to figure out what I really would like to do when I graduate, so this is the perfect time for you to figure out what you WANT to do.
You never have to write again if you don't care too, there's only so much money I can spend in my lifetime, and you don't need to worry about leaving me tons of cash. I plan on making my own nest egg, and making you proud of me."
Rick's eyes now fill with tears, as he barely chokes out, "Alexis, I've always been proud of you, never more than I am today."
TBC
A/N I'm not sure how long this will be or what the end will be, Caskett is my hope but I make no promises. This will deal more with an introspective view of Rick, and how he actually dealt with Kate's time in the Cabin. Again, this is my version all strictly AU, so please don't send reviews telling me what happened in Canon.