Dinner Date
by Castlefan6
Authors Note: Thisis my AU version to the events when Demming has dinner catered by Hung's China Sea, complete with the candle light. Sometimes, a candle provides the light that is needed to get you out of the dark. Based on a prompt and request from mbeckettcastle or JC. This is for you, I hope I do it justice.
I don't own Castle, I use the characters for amusement purposes only
Chapter 3
Previously
Rick spots him but it's too late, "Gina, hate to tell you but we'll be in the paper tomorrow, I'm sorry"
"I'm not, Not in the least, but you better call Paula, she'll think I staged it in my plan to get you back," she smiles,
"I'll call her when we get upstairs," as they pause, this time the kiss is jointly initiated and neither seem to care about pictures, press or anyone else,
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A/N Lots of Guests, no surprise there, knocking the tie in with Gina, first, it's my story, you want one your way, write it, second, it was a request from a reader, trying to write to honor her request, also Gina Was his wife, and news for some of you, she will always be a part of his life, good bad or indifferent, No one is hooking up with anyone, I love how the peanut gallery has gotten this story all complete and even I don't know where it's going completely. Also no one is bashing Kate, see the reviews, AU is ALTERNATE UNIVERSE, forget what you saw on TV, if it's not in my story, it didn't happen.
Castles Loft
An Hour Later
Gina is still wrapped around Rick with her head on his shoulder as they enter the loft and fall onto the sofa. Finally, after a long cry, Rick comforting her when he can, Gina composes herself enough to whisper,
"You better call Paula Rick, she's gonna blame me no matter what but better to have it in the open tonight."
"Yeah, I guess you're right. I'll call from here unless it would upset you, then I can go to the office,"
"Rick, can you call from here, please? I don't care what she thinks, I just want to be around you as much as I can, sounds like a desperate old housewife I know, but can we spend this time together, please? You don't even have to kiss me, just hold me OK?"
"Sure Gina, I understand and you're not old, or desperate. You're just as lovely as you were the day we married, maybe more so now that I can appreciate what beauty is."
"You always know what to say don't you, why is our timing so bad Rick, it just doesn't seem fair?"
"I know Gina, but let me call Paula, get that over with and then we can talk all night while I hold you if you wish,"
He pulls his cell out and hits a speed dial button, "Hey Paula, I'm with Gina, and some creep was hiding and got some shots, What, Hell NO, let them run, I just wanted to give you the heads up. Be on the lookout for the usual, anything to do with her private life, or my family, Paula, I didn't call to hear your input or your I told you take care of it like I pay you to do, and stay out of my personal business, understand, Good" as he disconnects the call.
"Sorry about that Gina, she's got some idea that you'd do anything to get back with me"
Gina looked up at him through tears, "She's not wrong Rick, but I didn't do this tonight, I would admit it if I set a trap for you"
"I know, it was me who invited you remember?"
"Yeah I remember, you scared the hell out of me, I thought you were dying, or something was wrong with Alexis, I mean how many times have you ever called me at work to invite me to dinner, even when we were married?"
Rick holds his head low for a moment, then looks out the window, "You're right Gina, I was worse to you than Meredith was to me, at least with her it was a clean I'm outta here but with us, I gave you just enough to keep you hanging on, hoping, wishing, praying I would change, I'm sorry, more sorry than I can express, now I can see how badly I really did hurt you, God, Please forgive me."
"Rick, Rick, RICK, Look at me, I forgave you a long time ago, how about forgiving yourself, you didn't do it to be hurtful, I know that now." As she gently takes his face and turns toward her. She gently pulls him to her with his head on her shoulder, as she kisses his temple gently. "Oh Rick, you can't fix the world sweetie, and no one is perfect, stop being so hard on yourself, please?"
They sit there for a while, well Alexis covered them with the throw when she came in, and found the two sitting on the couch, head to head gently breathing, as they were lost in sleep. It might be the last good nights sleep Gina would get for quite a while, She couldn't tell her Dad that Gina was still crazy about him, not without letting it out she was still seeing her Step Mother for weekly lunches.
Gina woke feeling the comfortable arm around her she had missed for so long. She listened to his breathing, remembering the days when they would lie in bed for hours, just making love and falling asleep together, how did it go so bad, so fast. She thought she had to wake him, he would be all stiff in the position he was in, when she heard his voice quietly say,
"Yeah, I really missed this too, I'm so sorry Gina I know I keep saying it but what a fool I was, am. "
"Hey, we talked about this, right, forgive yourself Rick, I'm not hurt anymore, just lonesome for the old days. The big difference now is I want your happiness over mine, so if Kate makes you happy, go for it and I'll step aside." As tears fill her eyes.
"Gina, there's no Kate, how can you continue to love someone who doesn't acknowledge you're even alive some days, I mean*"
"It's hard, I know, but how much do you love her Rick? Enough to change your whole life going to someplace God knows where just so you can get away. What about those that do love you Rick, what about Alexis, me, your Mother? I don't understand it, but if this is what you need, just know, I love you, and I'll be here when you come back, if that's what you want."
"Gina, I can't make any promises, and I won't ask you to put your life on hold any longer for me, you're young, beautiful and you have needs, and you need someone to love you as much as you give love. That might be me some day, but I don't know. I wish I did, God how I wish I knew how this was going to work out, but I won't hurt you anymore if I can help it."
Gina got a sad look on her face as tears filled her eyes, "I understand, and if this is what you feel you have to do, I support you, I haven't a fucking clue what it is I am supporting, but if you need it, I support it"
Rick leaned over and kissed her forehead, "Thanks Gina, that means a lot, I'll tell you when I can, I promise"
A thump is heard at the front door, as Rick glances at the clock, 5:30 AM, the morning paper. "Want me to get it Rick, I'm sure you're dying to see what they printed this time, but honestly, it doesn't matter to me, not one bit."
Gina is back with the paper as Rick starts a pot of coffee, and heats a tea pot for Gina, he still has her special blend of tea she loves so much. She recognizes the package immediately,
"So how old is the tea, since our divorce or did you just happen to go to the specialty shop on 5th Ave, the only place in the city that carries the brand, just because?"
"OK you got me, I happened to order it last week, I was going to send it to your office, then this came up, and I figured you deserved an opportunity to discuss it face to face. I know I have failed in many ways, but I didn't want to take the coward's way out when it came to you."
Gina has opened the paper to the entertainment section of the paper and there they are a full page devoted to how Rick Castle is reuniting with his ex-wife number 2. It took almost a quarter of a page before Gina was mentioned by name, but the shots were all rather good for a Paparazzi. Rick noticed her mood change and thought he had said or done something,
"Gina, did I screw up and hurt your feelings with something I said, I mean I*"
"No Rick, it's not you, no matter how hard I try, I will always be labeled the Gold Digger, the Ex, or Blood Sucking Ex, it took the paper almost half a page to even mention my name, then they spelled it wrong to boot"
Rick looked at her, then started laughing, softly, then louder and louder, "you know what you sound like don't you"
Gina pauses then laughs "Oh My God, I do don't I, God I hated that fucking doll you got Alexis, all it did was laugh like some moron all day" now both were laughing so hard they didn't hear Alexis come down the stairs to get ready for school.
"Hey Dad, Gina, what's so funny,"
"Good morning Pumpkin, just a memory of a fight we had, it was so stupid, and now we can laugh about it, but just in case take a quick peek at these pictures, in case your friends say anything"
"I'm sorry Alexis, it was my fault, I mea*"
"What my Dad can't kiss my Step Mom, what's the big deal, and whose business is it any way, but I hope you gave Paula a heads up, she's going to go nuts" Alexis smiles
"You're not upset Alexis?" Gina asked,
"About what, Dad kissing you, DUH, you were married, and I think you did more than that once upon a time" she giggled,
Gina threw a pillow at her as she continued to laugh,
"Hey I got to get to school, as she came around kissed Rick then pulled Gina in for a hug, and a kiss on the cheek, whispering, "We'll get through this, we just have to let him get her out of his system"
"I know Sweetie, Thank You,"
Becketts Apartment
Same Morning
Kate was up early even though she had the weekend off, she couldn't sleep. Something seemed off to her, but she just couldn't put her finger on it. She had showered and started the coffee when she heard the thud of the paper hit the door, giving the pervert who delivered them enough time to leave her floor, she opened the door carefully and grabbed the paper returning quickly to her apartment.
Locked and secure she now felt comfortable, she spread the paper on the table as she grabbed her first cup of coffee and returned. Skipping ahead to the Entertainment Section, she froze, there he was, and who was he with, it was, NO, GINA, What the Fuck did he think he was doing?
She continued reading under the byline that read Could it be 2nd times the Charm with Richard Castle and his ex-wife number two, Gina Castle Cowell? Sources who saw the couple out last evening would bet money there is more going on than discussions about books or alimony checks. From the pictures here, we would have to agree. Paula Haas, Publicist for Mr. Castle returned a No Comment when asked if there were any truth to the rumors that a reconciliation was in the works.
She also gave the same response to the question about if there had been any romantic link between NYPD Homicide Detective and Muse for Mr. Castle's Nikki Heat Series Katherine Beckett and Mr. Castle. Based on our observation I think it's safe to say the Detective is a muse, nothing more since there has never been a sighting of the two anywhere but other than a professional setting.
Kate turned the TV on, if anyone had the scoop it would be TMZ, those vultures always seemed to know. As she turned the volume up, she heard the announcer say,
Ms. Haas became quite upset when a reporter posed the question if there was any truth to the rumor that Mr. Castle would be ending the Nikki Heat Series early, forgoing the last 4 books on his contract with Black Pawn. "Where the hell do you get your information, Mr. Castle will tell you when the Heat Series is ending, currently there is no further comment"
"Ms. Haas, that's not a denial, so is it a possibility" shouted another reporter, then Paula's No Comment sounded as she went out of sight.
Kate dropped her coffee cup, Ending the Heat Series? Why? Just when she was getting used to having the pain in the ass around, he was going to bail on her and leave her with, with what, she thought, Demming? A Castle substitute because she didn't have the courage to tell him the truth. This can't be happening, it just can't what the hell was he thinking.
She suddenly couldn't stay in the apartment, grabbing her phone, badge and gun, she quickly changed into her running gear and headed out. She needed to clear her head, and running was always her best option. As she ran, she kept thinking why would Rick want to end the Heat Books? Then a question came from within "Why Not Kate, what support have you given him, especially of late."
He had to know she didn't mean half the things she said, she was just, what, OH GOD, she let Tom and Espo tee off on Castle, even when he came to her with a possible solution to a case where they had gotten no where with, despite Tom's claims that he had it almost solved. The more she ran, the clearer picture she got, not the one from her end dishing it out, but from Rick's Point of View, and it wasn't pretty.
Paula Haas Office
11:45 AM Saturday
Paula had worked out two different itineraries for Rick to approve, one had them leaving New York tomorrow at 2:00 PM with a direct flight to London arriving at 10:15 PM. The seats were first class for both options. Option 2 was leaving Tuesday at 10:35 AM arriving London at 6:45 PM, if he wanted to leave any later it would be at least a week before anything opened up in First Class. She hated to call, especially knowing that Gina was probably still with him, but she could only hold the tickets for 2 hours before she would lose the option,
She dialed his new cell, and on the second ring, she heard him answer, "Hi Paula, glad you're trying out the new cell before we leave, what's up so early for you."
"First, it's not early Ricky, second, glad the phones arrived and were what you wanted, and last, when do you want to blow this popcorn stand? We have two options, tomorrow at 2:00 or wait till Tuesday at 10:35 AM, I just have to confirm within the hour so we can keep first class status."
Without a second or hesitation Rick said firmly, "Book tomorrow's flights and send me the itinerary. As of now NO ONE gets the new Cell Phone unless I authorize it, all communication to go through Alexis, she knows who to channel it too. ABSOLUTELY No Contact with ANYONE at the 12th precinct, send the gifts tomorrow before we leave for Monday delivery.
"Got it Rick, I'll see you tomorrow, I assume you are taking the car service, so I'll see you there."
"Paula, we'll swing by and pick you up at noon, it's an international flight, so we need to clear customs,"
"Thanks Rick, see you tomorrow, and the line goes dead as Paula is left to wonder what the hell is going on with Gina. Turns out, she wasn't the only one.
Kate always ran in the opposite direction from the route to Rick's loft, that is till today, when she ran towards it. She began to kick herself as her suspicions were confirmed as she ducked into a doorway. Rick and Gina were getting into a limo, her still wearing the clothes she was photographed in last night, he with an overnight bag. She was going to have to talk to Rick when he came to the station Monday, she needed to apologize.
