A/N: Thank you guys for reviewing last chapter! I have to confess though... I was dying to write another chapter. Not literally, but you get the point. Hopefully. Alright, here's the next one. You know what to do ;)

Disclaimer: I own all seasons on DVD. Does that count?

He recognized her in the crowd the second he stepped out of the classroom. ''Kate?'' He took a small sprint and caught up with her. ''Kate. Hi.'' She seemed to realize that the guy, Rick, was it? was talking to her and decided that it might be for the best if she gave him some attention.

She pulled out one of her headphones. ''Rick, right?'' You can never be too sure, she had tried to forget that he was the one who found her notebook. But unfortunately, she only forgot his name.

''Yeah.'' She did remember him. He gave her a smile and cleared his throat. ''I saw you walking here and was just wondering if you maybe wanted to go and grab a cup of coffee? I know this nice place down town-''

''I can't, sorry.'' She said quickly as she picked up her pace.

''But it's almost weekend!'' He quickened his pace too. ''We don't have to get coffee, I could do dinner too-''

''Listen, Rodgers I have somewhere to be, so I can't, alright?''

He chuckled. ''Rodgers?''

''That's your last name if I'm not mistaken.''

''Well, actually, I changed it legally to Castle this week.''

She stopped in her track. ''Why would you change your last name?''

''I'm going to be a best-selling novelist someday and Castle sounds like the kind of name that would sell better than Richard Rodgers. I already have a couple of books published, actually. It was only till now that I decided to change it legally.''

Castle. It had this familiar sound to it. She pushed the thought quickly away.

''Good for you.'' She gave him a small smile and turned the corner.

Even though within a couple of seconds, he was next to her again, breathing heavily.

''Damn you woman, you walk fast.'' She waited for him to even out his breath and then slowly started walking again.

''What's it Castle, can't keep up with me?'' She said with a teasing tone. He immediately stood up straighter and caught up with her. ''You should come running with me sometime, get your body in shape. Maybe lose some of that beer belly.''

''What, this?'' He said patting his belly. ''This- This is all muscle.''

''Uh-huh. Of course it is.''

He gasped. ''You don't believe me?''

''Actually, I don't.'' She crossed her arms, smirk on her face.

''Okay, now you're just asking for it.'' He moved his hands to the bottom of his shirt but Kate stopped him, grasping his wrists, laughing. ''What? You didn't believe me.''

''You can keep the shirt on Casanova. I'm not Madison Queller, after all I do not fall for a guy because of his body.''

He chuckled. ''Oh, come on.''

''Nah, believe it or not Castle, I actually look for more in guys than just abs.'' She said, leaning forward, making him stop in his track.

He swallowed. ''Like what?'' He stammered.

''I don't know a brain maybe, a pulse would be nice too.''

He laughed. ''So what you're actually saying is that you could date me?''

''I'm not sure Castle... do you have a functioning brain?''

She chuckled. He wasn't offended by her joke, at all, but he was just glad that she could laugh. And her smile... ''Oh, very funny Beckett.'' She stuck her tongue out to him. ''And very mature.''

Kate checked her watch and saw that if she wouldn't step in her car right now, she would miss her dad coming home. ''I really have to go now though.'' She pointed at the pick up truck behind her and gestured 'mine'.

''Of course, I'll see you around.'' He took a step back and watched her get in the car. Once she drove by him, with her window open, he yelled: ''Bye Kate!'' With a tone so cheery that he scared himself.

XXXXXXXXXX

He felt stupid.

After he'd realized that she was in the classroom the hour before he would be there, he'd decided to get to the class a couple of minutes earlier. Okay, two full hours earlier. Just in time for her to start her class. He was holding two cups of coffee and was standing on the opposite of the hallway, looking out for her. Some people were giving him looks, which he realized was logical, because he definitely did not look like a lawyer.

Eventually everyone got seated, the teacher closed the door and started his lecture but Kate was nowhere to be found. He became worried, what if something happened to her? Did she finally do it? He was slowly losing his mind as he suddenly saw someone sprinting towards him, or running to the door. Kate came in his vision and he let out a shaky laugh, she'd probably just slept through her alarm.

''Rick? What are you doing here?'' She said, slightly out of breath.

''I've switched studies, becoming a lawyer.'' He tried with a cheeky smile. She rolled her eyes at him and walked back to the classroom. He walked after her.

She turned around and put her hand on his chest to keep him from walking further. ''What do you think you're doing?''

''Going to class with you.''

''What? No. Castle, you can't do that.''

''Of course, I can. Watch me.'' He pushed her aside with ease and walked into the classroom. ''Where do you usually sit?'' He whispered to her, trying to avoid getting glared at by the teacher.

In which he failed. He mouthed a sorry to the teacher and made his way over to the back rows.

''Shut up.''

He let her settle first and only then sat down next to her. Once she was comfortable and started taking out her books, he handed her a coffee.

''Seriously Castle, why are you doing this?'' She put the coffee down on her desk and turned her attention to him.

''Well, since you don't have any time in the weekends, I figured we could spent some time together in class.'' He said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

''You don't even follow this class!'' She hissed.

''But you do.''

She waved a hand through her hair in frustration. ''I can't believe I'm even talking to you.''

''Is it really that bad?''

She sighed. No, she liked talking to him somehow. But she just couldn't afford herself to get attached to someone at the moment. They all end up leaving her alone, as usual. ''What can I do to get you away from me?''

''I'll tell you what, we arrange a get-together sometime this week and if you still don't like me, I'll be out of your life.'' He was lying, she knew it.

She knew that he would try to sneak his way into her life. He'd already gone further then anyone else had just by listening to what she had to say. On a certain level though, he was still acting like a nine-year-old on a sugar rush.

''When.''

He shrugged. ''That's up to you.''

''How about tomorrow evening? I have a few classes in the morning, but I still need to get groceries and check on my dad- I need to check on some data, for the exams, I'm still not sure when those take place.'' She finished lamely. He didn't have to know that her father was drowning himself in alcohol and that she would be the once cleaning up his mess.

''Yeah, no, I can do tomorrow.''

They got another glare from the teacher and Rick kept his mouth shut for a couple of seconds before he turned back to Kate again.

''Great, see you tomorrow.'' She said, looking back at the teacher trying to figure out what he was saying.

He smiled. ''I'll see you tomorrow.''

After a couple of minutes, he still hadn't left. She looked back at Castle with a questioning look. ''Why aren't you leaving?''

''Leaving during a lecture? That's just rude.'' He said innocently. ''I'll sit this one out, my lecture is right after this.''

''You're going to sit through a two-hour speech about how society is fucked up?''

He looked at the professor. ''Really, that's a subject?''

She groaned. ''You know what I mean.''

''If it means that I'll get to spent more time with you, then yes.'' He grabbed his coffee and too a gulp, trying to hide his smug smile.

And he could swear that he saw the beginning of a smile.

XXXXXXXXXX

''Don't you have a roommate?'' She asked, looking through the room, which was extremely clean and tidy, much to her surprise. She'd seen some other dorm rooms from guys and let's just say that she would rather not get into detail about it.

He looked up to meet her gaze. ''Kicked him out.''

''Why? You hoping to get lucky tonight?''

Taken back by her answer, he chuckled nervously. ''I did not have that in mind when I kicked him out, no.'' He said honestly.

''Then what did you have in mind?''

''A private room, great seating aka my bed, big screen television and the best dvd-collection you'll ever see, accompanied with the most beautiful girl on campus.''

She blushed, but seemed to realize something and immediately her mood fell. ''I'm not.'' She mumbled softly, sitting down on his bed.

He was sure that she thought that he hadn't heard her say it, but he had. This girl kept surprising him.

He sat down next to her and put his hand on her knee, she didn't pull away and that was just another reminder that he was making progress with her. She was finally willing to let someone help her and it tore his heart apart when he hear her say 'I'm not'.

''You are.'' Don't push her Ri- Castle. He was still getting used to the name and her calling him Castle wasn't really helping either, since she said it in such away that his heartbeat sped up. And she'd only said his name. Oh, boy. ''All right, do you want something to drink? I got coke, orange juice, beer-''

''How about something a little stronger?'' She tried, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. He wanted to reach out and do it for himself so bad, but he managed to keep himself in line.

''I do have some liquor stashed away somewhere in this room, yes, but that wouldn't be too smart if you haven't eaten since breakfast this morning.'' She blushed.

He got her, again.

''Then where are you keeping my pizza?''

He checked his watch. ''Actually, it should have been here by now.''

''How did you know that I haven't eaten anything today?''

''Well, you have two classes on Thursday. And while you eat a blue berry muffin and drink some coffee in the morning on your way to school, those two classes take place right after each other right about lunch time and by the time you are done with your second class it's too late to get lunch... so you just eat dinner. If you remember to, of course.''

''I'm impressed. What did you do? Follow me?'' He gave her a smug smile and she just shook her head. ''And there's the ego again, it does not look pretty on you.''

''I don't have to look pretty.''

''No?''

''Nope, I am ruggedly handsome.''

She laughed. ''You are so full of yourself!''

He heard a knock before he could think of a clever response, so he stood up and grabbed his wallet from the table near the door. He paid the delivery guy and walked back with two pizza's in his hand.

''I'm not sure what you like, so I got two different pizza's... just take whatever you want.'' She nodded and settled back against the headboard. Rick set two coke's for them on his nightstand as he walked back to the television in search of a movie to watch.

''So, any suggestions?'' he said, holding up a bunch of dvd's.

''I don't care. This is your night.''

He chuckled. ''Really? Okay, um, how about The Killer? Haven't seen that in a while.''

''John Woo? Sure.'' She took a sip from her drink and then took a quick bite of her pizza. He smiled, seeing that she was loosening up. That, and she just looked really comfortable in his bed.

After he'd settled a little too closely to her, . She didn't feel cornered with him, she was starting to feel more like herself. Not like the person she'd been pretending to be over the last couple of months. He was good for her, somehow.

He kept talking about the movie while it was still playing, annoying Kate immensely just by doing so. But she just listened as he told background stories about the actors or how they'd set up a stunt. It wasn't what he told her, it was how he told the story. She liked listening to him.

He'd gotten out the strong liquor at her request, and handed her a glass. He knew she was still underage, but what would it hurt, really? It was only after the movie had ended and Kate was slowly starting to fall asleep, he realized that it might be for the best if she'd go back to her dorm. They weren't in that stage yet. Much to his disappointment.

He got up from the bed. ''Come on, let's get you home.''

''I lost my home a long time ago, let's just call it dorm, all right?'' He'd have to ask her about that sometime but decided to let it slide for now.

''Alright.'' He agreed, giving her an understanding smile. ''Can you still walk, you know, because it's no problem if you just stay her tonight, I'll take the couch.''

She wove him off. ''I'll manage.'' She stretched and stood up from his bed, almost immediately falling over. Still swaying, he put his arm around her waist, holding her up.

''Wow, hey there, slow down.'' He tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and quickly pulled away after he'd realized what he'd done. Did she lean in to his touch? That had got to be his imagination. Or the alcohol. ''Uh- Let me just grab my coat.'' He first grabbed hers and helped her into it, after that he quickly put on his own jacket and grabbed the keys to his room, locking the door behind him.

Once they came close to her building, Kate was hanging onto Rick not to fall over.

''This isn't going to work.'' He mumbled. She gave him a questioning look. He let go of her and knelt down in front of her. ''Come on.''

''You've got to be kidding me.''

''What's wrong with a piggy back ride? This way I can get you back safely.''

''Yeah, whatever.'' She wrapped her legs around his waist to keep herself from falling. Rick was trying very hard to stay a gentleman about it, but the feeling of her pressed against his back was a little too overwhelming. He took a deep breath and continued his walk.

Once they were inside her building, he gently put her to the ground and Kate grabbed her keys out of her pocket.

''Open the door for me.'' He kept looking at her, as if he wanted to say something. ''Please?'' She tried, hoping that he would hurry once she'd said the magic words.

''I- yeah, sure.'' He fished the keys out of her hand and opened the door.

''Oh- oh yeah-'' Madison moaned. ''Oh my god, Mark!''

Rick closed the door immediately and put his back to it, preventing Kate from going in.

He cleared his throat. ''You know what, it looks like my roommate is going to be away for the night... and so is yours... so uh, you can crash at my place?''

She sighed. ''Fine. Just don't look so happy about it.'' He laughed and knelt down again, waiting for her to jump on his back.