First things first, I greatly apologize for the wait on this chapter, and thanks for sticking with me! Something about this chapter just wouldn't sit right, and I'm not sure I ended up 100% happy with it, but what can you do, and I also of course have to thank real life for getting in the way of this too, I hope to not have another giant break in these chapters, and I accept all pestering that comes my from you guys. And with that, this chapter goes out to the ever wonderful Pau, who without her pestering, this chapter probably still would have yet to surface. Love you Pau! And as always, enjoy the chapter and all reviews are greatly appreciated!
Chapter 4: Learn Something New About You
He paced slowly around his living room, cell phone in his hand, staring at the small little contact card that read Kate and had her phone number beneath it. He said he would call her, so it's not like it would be completely out of the blue, right? They hadn't talked much that day, not since she had made it clear she was going to be busy for the majority of it with other things. Most guys would take it and leave it right then and there, but something about the homicide detective greatly intruiged him, he wanted to get to know her, and he was willing to put in a little bit of work if it meant he would get the chance to do so.
He sat down on his couch, still staring at the phone in his hands as his thumb hovered over her number. He didn't want to be bothersome, theres nothing he would be turned off by more if the roles were switched. But if he didn't call her, what was he supposed to do? He could send her another text tomorrow, and the day after, sure, but he was much witty and charming over the phone, that he was sure of.
Kate climbed into bed after a long, albeit productive Sunday. She headed to church with her dad that morning, going out for lunch following the service, and got all of her groceries and laundry done later that afternoon, before finishing off her evening with a light glass of wine, a good book and soaking in the tub. It was a nearly perfect Sunday. She grabbed the book she was reading off her living room table and made her way toward her bedroom, curling her toes up under her duvet, propping herself against the headboard and flipping open the book. It really didn't get much better than this.
A short time later she heard her phone ring next to her on the night stand, and she sighed as she closed her book and reached for it. Not bothering to glance at the caller ID, there was generally no one that called her but the precinct, meaning they had probably caught a case, and her hopes of one more wonderful night of sleep was being cut short.
"Beckett," she answered.
"All you have to do is pick up the phone and I learn something new about you," the voice on the other end said. She pulled her phone away from her ear quick, the screen read Castle's name, damn, this was definitely why they invented caller ID, it just helped if you actually read it before picking up he phone apparently.
She thought that just maybe she had gotten rid of him when she turned him down for both drinks last night and for coffee today. She hadn't heard from him since this morning before she headed to church with her Dad, and told him that it was going to be a busy day and she wouldn't have much time to talk, but here he was, continuing to be persistent, and apparently keeping up on his word that he would call her.
"I hope I caught you at an alright time, Kate." He said to her, pulling her back into the fact that she was on her phone.
"I'm just curled up in bed with a book, so a pretty good time, actually," apparently she was going along with this phone conversation.
"Am I allowed to hope it's one of my own?" he asked her.
"Wouldn't you like to know," she replied.
"I would, but I'm going to guess by that comment I'm not going to get to."
"You catch on quick, you know,?" Kate laughed.
"How was the busy Sunday?" He asked changing the subject, knowing she was never going to admit it was one of his books, so he would just cross his fingers and hope it was.
"It was good, went by quickly, but that's what happens when you rarely get weekends off I assume. They just fly by."
"Couldn't say I know anything about weekends off," Castle laughed.
"I guess that must be the nice thing about basically working whenever you want," Kate laughed as well.
"It's not too shabby," Castle replied. "Gives me lots of time to grab coffee and get to know people throughout the week, you know."
"I'm sure it does," Kate laughed lightly. "Unfortunately the role of homicide detective doesn't leave nearly as much time to do such things."
"Is that you trying to let me down nicely, Kate?" He asked. "Because I'll have you know I have numerous people to get coffee with and get to know." He joked.
"Numerous people?" Kate asked. "Well then you must be much too busy to get coffee with me then."
"I think I'd be able to make time, just for you." He replied.
"Look, as nice as that would be, Rick, you really don't have to. I'll probably catch a case at some point this week, and once I do it's my entire focus until it's closed. Which doesn't generally lead to having a lot of free time."
"Well then why don't we leave it up in the air?" He asked. "If you get some time and you want to grab a drink, or bite to eat, you just have to give me a call, we'll work something out."
Kate didn't know what to say. The guy was willing to work around her insane work schedule just to get a coffee with her. As much as she wanted to say yes, this just wasn't something she did. It wasn't like Kate Beckett at all. They came from two completely different worlds, they couldn't be any less similar.
"That's sweet, Rick, really, but maybe I can take a raincheck for now?" Kate asked. She felt bad, the guy was clearly willing to put in some time and effort, and here she was, shooting him down at every turn.
"I'm going to hold you accountable to that raincheck, I hope you know that." He replied.
"I'd hope you would." She laughed. "What kind of detective would I be if I went back on my word?"
"Probably the usual kind," he joked. "But i'd like to think you're nicer than the rest. And definitely better looking."
"You're a real charmer, aren't you, Castle?" She laughed.
"I'd like to think so. But again with the last name Kate, does this mean I can start calling you Beckett?"
"If you'd like to sound like all the guys I work with, that's completely up to you."
"Okay, maybe not," he retorted. "Kate it is."
"As fun as this has been Rick, I better get some sleep, some of us don't get to sleep in until noon."
"Give me some credit Kate, I'm usually out of bed by 11 at the latest," he laughed.
The conversation stayed light between them for a little while, laughing and joking with each other.
"Yawning again, I really ought to let you get some sleep, I'm starting to feel bad for keeping you up." Rick told her.
"That or I'm going to be one grumpy detective in the morning," she said holding back another yawn.
"I hardly believe that you could be grumpy, but you're the one with the gun, so I won't cross you. Sleep well Kate, and remember, the second you get a break this week I'm cashing in the rain check for coffee," he told her.
"Alright castle, I'll keep it in mind."
"Goodnight, Kate,"
"Night, Castle," she replied before hanging up her phone and placing it on the charging dock on her bedside table.
Kate couldn't remember the last time he had spent a half an hour on the phone with a guy, just talking. Most of her phone calls centered around APBs, witnesses and evidence. It was rather nice for a change in pace of the subject of her calls. She wouldn't complain about it, she spent the last half hour laughing with Rick. She shut off the lamp that sat on her bedside table, sinking down into her bed and pulling the duvet up to her chin. She figured he ought to get some sleep now before her phone was ringing before the sun got up about her needing to be at a crime scene. Having the entire weekend go off without a hitch was too good to be true. She's be pleasantly surprised if her 7am alarm was what was waking her up in the morning.
Castle hung the phone up, placing it next to him on the couch where he sat before grabbing for his laptop on the coffee table in front of him. He was overjoyed that the conversation had gone well, he'd be lying if he said he wasn't nervously before giving her a call. Even though she had yet to agree to go out with him again, he was sure the phone call had helped him make progress with the homicide detective. He opened up the document he had started earlier that day, outlining a new story he was thinking about giving a shot. A sexy, determined, driven yet damaged homicide detective who gets bogged down by a reporter following her around for research. It was a change from Derrick storm, a rather large one at that, but it seemed just like the change he needed rigtht now. He'd probably spend his night planning and outlining into the wee hours, that how it always seemed to work, he'd finally be struck with an idea and he wouldn't be able to stop running with it. Though he wouldn't complain, it would take his mind of the real life homicide detective he was currently trying to convince to give him the time of day, and if he was lucky enough it might even get Gina off his back as well, and he could definitely use that.