The One that Changes You

Erin walked through the halls of her daughter's school, her old alma mater, waiting for the 11:00 panel to be called. Taking in the old photos that hung on the walls, she was reminded of her time here with Danny, the over protective bother; and Rick, the fun loving drifter who came to the school with a reputation in hand his and Danny's senior year but blended in within the first day of meeting her and her brother.

How he had managed to get her to tell him the 'football and the hat' story she will never know. One thing she did remember clearly, as she passed the hall that led to the drama room, was that even then he would say that "There is always a story". It was what had led Danny to introduce Rick to her. She remembered having a crush on him then, the roguish new boy, and a senior to her sophomore. Rick had said something to piss off her brother, what would end up being a common occurrence during their friendship, which caused Danny to drag Rick by the arm to her and Reggie as they were exiting drama class after 2nd period to recount the whole thing.

Erin smiled as she remembered that day, biting her knuckle.

She had sided with Rick, only to piss off Danny more who then had raised his hands in exasperation. Reggie had ventured another opinion which caused both Danny and Ricky to turn on him to validate his argument, or try to convince him otherwise.

It was then that Mr. Switzer, the old philosophy and debate teacher, who had hear their raised voices summoned the four of them into his office.

It wasn't until she, Reggie and Rick had each joined the fencing team that the Musketeers names had started being thrown about; Danny was on the hockey team. But, it was in that office with that argument that seemed to go on for hours, and would become a running joke with the four of them, that their friendship started.

Looking over she saw a frame of old production photos, it made her smile, and tear up at the memories.

Last she had heard Danny and Rick were not on speaking terms.

'I'll have to ask day if I can invite Rick over for dinner on Sunday,' Erin thought.

"Hey Sis!"

Erin paused in the hall, turning back to look at the play photos, Robin Hood.

"Hey, Erin!" Jamie Reagan said. "Did you hear me?"

Jamie reached out to touch his sister on the shoulder.

Startled Erin yelped, "Ah!" she said turning around, she saw her younger brother.

"Don't do that!" she said as she slapped him about the shoulders.

"Hey!" Jamie said as he fought her off. "You didn't answer me."

"Its true councilor," Kevin Ryan said as he carefully approached the pair, mindful to keep a distance lest Erin turn on him. Having a sister of his own, Kevin knew to not get between the siblings in their current state.

"He was calling you for a few minutes," Ryan continued. "You seem a bit lost. Old memories?"

"Yeah," Erin said after a moment. She pointed to the cast photo and performance shots from the play along the wall.

"Nice," Ryan said as he leaned in for a closer look. "Hey, is that Castle?" he asked pointing to a shot of the dueling Sherriff of Nottingham, sword askance.

Jamie leaned in to see. "Looks like him," he said. "From what I saw at the car earlier."

Looking at the grouped cast shot, he noted. "Says here that his name was R.A. Rodgers."

Ryan glanced at the names under the photo. "Yeah, his mom's name is Rodgers. It looks like your brother was in the play there too, Kirkland. Daniel 'Aramis' Reagan; R.A. 'Athos' Rodgers, Reginald 'Porthos' Bancroft," Ryan paused at this.

"Bancroft," Kevin said resting his had back for a moment. "Bancroft, hmm. It'll come to me. Hey! There's you councilor. Erin 'D' 'Legs' Reagan."

Ryan looked over to Erin and Jamie, then back.

"You said you'd never heard of the 'Legs' nickname before, Kirkland," Ryan accused Jamie pointing at him.

"I hadn't."

Erin intervened with an explanation.

"The play only had a 3 run performance before we had to shut down. I got the name when Rick flubbed a line during rehearsals. The guys stopped calling be that after the play ended. I made people go back to calling be just Erin, or Lady 'D if they were brave enough," Erin said.

"Why did the play shut down?" Kevin asked.

"One of the main cast members died."

"I'm sorry," Ryan said.

"It was a long time ago now," Erin said.

Ryan leaned his head back, studying the ceiling for a moment.

"Bancroft," he said, snapping his fingers. "I knew the name was familiar. My uncle used to run with a Matty Bancroft."

Erin nodded. "That was Reggie's dad," she said. "So you're Kevin Ryan?"

"Oh, yes sorry," Kevin said extending his hand in greeting. "Jamie here is working with me for a while to see if he'll like Homicide as a career. If you ask me, if he's half as good as his work with OCCB, he'll be just fine."

"How the hell?" Jamie asked.

"Castle told me," Kevin said. "And no, I don't know how in the hell he knows."

"Pops told me!" Castle's voice echoed from down the hall.

Looking over the lawyer and two cops saw Castle strolling down the hall arm in arm with a happy looking Kate Beckett. Rick was pointing out various photos or items along the walls, or a classroom.

"Pops was regaling me with stories of his grandkids exploits over dinner at my bar," Rick continued when the pair reached Ryan. "We kind of ended up playing cards in the basement until 6 in the morning."

Castle managed to look sheepish at that.

Erin turned to face him. "Dad only told me that he was out with an old friend. He never said anything about you. You didn't let him drink did you?"

Castle ignored the look Erin was sending him.

"Apparently," he continued. "Pops hadn't told your dad where he was going, and he put out a call for some of the boys to go and find him. You dad's assistant, Baker found us. Your dad wasn't too happy."

"You think?" Erin said sternly.

Kate who was leaning into Castle's shoulder laughed at this.

"Richard is ever the nine year old sometimes," she said.

Erin glanced at Kate, nodding her head in agreement, a grin starting on her face.

"Erin Reagan," she said introducing herself to Kate.

"Kate Beckett."

"Oh, no!" Castle groaned and laid his head in his palm.

Kate leaned away from his shoulder leveling a look at him, raising an eyebrow.

Erin crossed her arm over her chest, and angled her had to the side.

"What?" they both said in unison, and in a similar tone.

Ryan leaned over to Jamie and whispered not so subtly, "Now that's scary!"

"Ryan!" the two women said.

Kevin looked at Jamie again, this time gesturing between the ladies as if to say, 'Isn't it obvious'.

Jamie shrugged his shoulders, and then nodded.

In unison, Jamie and Kevin turned around and left Castle staring silently between Kate and Erin.

"Y'know," he finally said. "How they say that wives should never meet old lovers?"