Title: The Unknown

Disclaimer: Characters aren't mine, just something I wanted to write.

Summary: Months after Kate Beckett is shot, her and Richard Castle are still friends, but things are about to change.


Chapter Three

Kate was sipping her coffee as Rick spoke, she spat out her drink, spilling it on the table. She clamped her hand to her mouth she hadn't heard him right she can't have. She grabbed the tissue to her left and wiped her mouth, glancing back up at Rick.

"I'm sorry?" Kate replied

"I want you to help me find my dad. I mean you know that I don't know anything about him, but I think it's time I knew who he is." Rick replied

"Rick, I have something that I need to tell you." Kate interjected before Rick could say another word.

"Kate?" Rick looked up, confused, she had an intense look on her face, one that he knew well, it was her bad news face, she hid it well to strangers when telling them that their loved one was dead, "What is it?"

"I..I..I think I met your father today." Kate stammered, she looked at Rick, his face was awestruck, he just sat there, looking at her, not saying anything. She sat silently for a moment, not knowing whether to bring him out of his thoughts, whether he needed more time.

She sipped her coffee silently, Rick just sat there, taking a sip every so often, but still not talking. The waiter came across to their table; she looked at Rick, then back at Kate, her face just as confused as the other two.

"Two more coffee's please." Kate asked silently, the waiter turned on her heels, and walked back into the cafe to get their drinks. Kate turned back to face Rick, who was still sat silently, looking into his now empty coffee mug. "Rick?" Kate tried to talk calmly, and as softly as she could.

"Just, don't" Rick answered, he didn't say it in an angry tone, but she knew that he wasn't happy, he was still processing what she'd told him. "Let's just drink our coffee and go"

Kate looked at him, another mug of coffee in silence, this was working out to be a great day, not, Rick always knew how to cheer her up, she was looking forward to an eventful day, but it had turned into yet another stressful day. "Sure"

They sat there in silence; the waiter arrived with their fresh coffee, placed them on the table, and removed their empty mugs. Kate sipped her coffee, looking out at the street in front of them; Rick was sipping his coffee looking at Kate. Since the waiter had left, he hadn't taken his eyes off of Kate, and his expression wasn't changing.

"Look, Castle, I can't sit here, silent, can't we talk about anything else while you're ready?" Kate asked she looked up to see Rick staring at her, be he didn't blink; he didn't shift his gaze, and was now looking her straight in the eye.

"How do you know it's my father?" Rick asked, he continued to look at her, his eyes intense. "Did he tell you?"

"Not exactly" Kate replied, she didn't know how to explain how she knew it was his father, she just did.

"Well, how do you know that he's my father?" Rick asked again

"Because he's you in 30 years" Kate answered "I always thought you looked like your mother, but Rick, he, he was you, I couldn't see it at first, until he asked where he could find you, and then I looked at him again, and it was there, you were there."

Rick's eyes were filling; he'd placed his coffee on the table, letting his hand drop to the table. He continued to look at her, Kate placed her mug on the table, moving her hand to place it over Rick's, and she gave his hand squeeze. Rick looked down at the table, then back up at Kate's face, tears now starting to trickle down his cheek. Kate used her free hand to remove her purse and to pay the bill for their coffees. Kate stood, still holding Rick's hand, he followed her suite and stood alongside her, Kate squeezed his hand again, before releasing and walking to the edge of the street to call a cab.

The cab pulled up, Rick held the door open for Kate and she climbed in, he climbed in after her, sitting closer than she'd expected. She didn't seem to mind, yet another step forward in their ever changing relationship. Kate relaxed back into the seat of the cab, Rick doing the same next to her, he had already told the driver his address, and knowing that she wasn't going back to her apartment didn't even bother her.

The cab pulled up at Rick's building, Rick climbed out, holding the door for Kate, before paying the driver. As the cab pulled off, Rick and Kate began to walk into his building. She'd become well known within his building in the past few months, the doorman knew her by name, and always smiled at her and had a little chat as she walked in. She felt comforted by the fact that this wasn't just some stranger that she was going to her friend's apartment. The elevator ride up was silent, the pair stood at either ends, looking down at the floor, neither of them knowing what to say.

As the elevator stopped, Rick grabbed Kate's arm and pulled her out and towards his apartment. About four months ago, she would have stopped him, hit him, pulled away, anything to release herself from him, but now it felt so normal. Rick unlocked the door pulling them into the hallway of his house, he could hear voices in the kitchen, one most definitely his mother, but he didn't recognise the other.

"Should we disturb them?" Kate asked, she had also noticed that there were other people present in the house.

"This is my house, but I'm not sure." Rick started, he knew his mother liked her privacy, and he had told her that he would be out all day.

"My apartment then?" Kate asked, just as she heard the unknown voice speak, she'd only heard laughing before now, but now she heard the voice.

"Is that a man?" Rick laughed as he looked at Kate, but he didn't get a laugh out of her, she simply stood there, jaw dropped as she listened to the voices.


Authors Note: This is my first ever Castle only fanfiction, I know the chapters aren't long, but I want to keep them short and catchy and keep you wanting more. The more feedback the faster I will write another chapter.

This is the chapter that kicks it all off, things will become much more intense soon.

Amy

P.S. thank you for the amazing reviews, its much appreciated, if you have any ideas please feel free to leave me a message, and criticism is always welcome if you must. Also, castle season 4 today, I can't watch it until tomorrow at least, I'm so excited.