A/N: So today is basically the last day of my class and I have a week off putting me in a good mood which is good for you guys because I feel like giving you this chapter. In return all I ask for are reviews! Please :)
They arrived at the precinct to find the boys in front of the murder board. She was hoping they had gone home already she didn't want to face them. She felt bad for just walking out and leaving them to deal with the case on their own, she knew they were more than capable to handle it and were more than happy to try and show her up but still they were a team and you don't leave your team.
"Hey guys anything new?"
"No just another dead end," Ryan answered.
"This case is really starting to tick me off," Esposito muttered through his teeth.
Kate noticed Castle was wondering around looking at the murder board, "So this the murder board you guys use?"
Ryan and Esposito didn't notice him before they looked at each other before answering, "Uh yeah it is."
"Looks like the one I use." All three turned and looked him with the same dumbfounded expression, "the difference is mine are fake. For my books I use a board to plan out the murder so I know what to include in which chapters."
They nodded as Beckett said, "I'm going to go talk to Montgomery."
The boys took this opportunity to get to know Castle a little bit better. Beckett kept her private life private but this guy had been around twice now and they knew his reputation.
"So you write crime novels? Are these fiction or based on experience?"
"Are you guys asking if I've ever killed someone?"
"Well have you?"
"No. Besides even if I had do you think I would tell you two? Considering you guys are homicide cops."
"Detectives. Homicide detectives. We're just saying sitting around at home writing about murder, how do you even get into that."
"Well it's not that different from homicide detective, I mean how did you guys get into that?"
"Yo I was special forces before joining homicide."
"I was undercover, deep undercover. If they're same thing then why not take a crack at the case on the board."
Castle stood up, pulling on his jacket and wiping his nose trying to butch up a bit. He scanned over the murder board theories forming in his mind.
Before he could voice any theories they heard the elevator ding and saw Lanie come out. "I have been waiting downstairs for you two. I thought we were all going out for drinks-" She stopped when she saw Rick, "You're Rick Castle the author, I'm Lanie Parish. Wait what are you doing here?"
Castle opened his mouth to answer when Kate came out of Montgomery's office.
"Hey, Lanie what are you doing up here?"
"I was going to grab drinks with these two," pointing to Ryan and Esposito. She noticed Rick watching Kate, looks like she had her answer. "You better call me later. Come on guys let's go." They wanted to stay but they knew better than to invade on Kate's life and ignore Lanie.
Rick and Kate found themselves alone in the precinct, "I'm almost ready just let me grab my stuff and change and I'll be right out." She came back five minutes later to find Castle sitting in a chair next to her desk. That chair wasn't there before, "ready to go?"
"Yeah sure, where did you have in mind?"
"Do you like pizza?"
"Who doesn't like pizza?"
"Well then I know the perfect the place." He followed her out, catching her hand in his.
She took him to a little family ran Italian place, looked like nothing from the outside however when you walked in it was like you had just stepped into Italy off the streets of New York. The walls were painted like the streets; windows were painted on with metal railings coming off the wall to look like a balcony. Ivy was hung from the balcony; they felt like they were sitting outside a restaurant in Italy.
They sat down at a small table for two, a young boy came over with some waters he couldn't be older the 17.
"Hey Luke, how's your parents?" Kate greeted the boy.
"Hello Kate! I didn't see you there. They're good. Actually, in the back right now. I'll go get them."
"Hold on if I remember correctly you owe me some information about Janice, I did help you ask her out, now spill how'd it go?"
A smile broke out on his face, "Thanks to you things worked out and we've been dating for 3 months."
She patted him on the shoulder, "Good work man! Now you better keep her."
A very Italian couple came in from the back, "Katherine Beckett is that you?"
"Yes, It's been a long time."
"Too long, shame on you for not coming around more."
"I'm sorry work has taken over my life," she paused "that's what happens when you are made lead detective." She broke out a big grin.
"Oh my god! You made it? I knew you would, all that worrying for nothing."
The man chimed in, "They'd be a fool if they didn't promote you."
The older woman noticed Rick sitting there, "I am so sorry where are our manners, I am Angela, this is my husband Lorenzo."
Rick stood up and shook their hand, "I'm Rick."
Angela turned to Kate, "He's good looking, you better keep him," She said as she eyed her.
Kate felt her cheeks turning red, "Oh no. We aren't together…" She peeked at Rick in the corner of eye and the disappoint flicker across his face before he controlled it.
"Oh I'm sorry, Kate just doesn't bring guys here so I assumed. We've got to get back to the food." Angela pulled Lorenzo away by the arm.
Kate heard her whisper to her husband, "She is a fool."
They sat back down. Rick spoke up, "You know them." Hoping to steer the conversation from Angela's last comment.
"Yeah they're really good family friends. Actually their whole family is friends with my family. Grandparent's friends with grandparents, their friends with my parents, it's like a multi generation friendship. They've always been a second family to me."
"That's nice. They're a good family."
"How can you tell you just met them?"
"I'm a writer, I study people, read them. It helps me create my characters, make them seem real. So what's good here?"
"Well they're known for their pizza especially the ricotta, tomato, and basil one."
Rick put his menu down and leans in, "Ok. I trust you."
Lanie's picture flashed on Kate's phone, "Hi Lanie."
"So are you going to tell me on your own or do I have to coerce you?" Lanie said on the other line, Kate could picture her raising her eyebrows in question.
"Yes, the Rick from the baseball game and from the date is Rick Castle. Yes he's the best selling author Rick Castle," Kate said, a little monotony, hoping that was enough to calm her friend
"Why were you keeping this from me?"
"I wasn't keeping it I just- I don't know. It's complicated."
"Are you two dating?" Lanie pressed on, knowing there was more to the story.
"We've been on the one official date and a couple other casual impromptu dates but I wouldn't say we're dating," Kate stated, slightly frustrated, as she sank further into her couch.
"I know that tone, what happened?"
"I may have taken him to San Remo's…and told Lorenzo and Angela we were just friends." Lanie heard Kate groan on the other line, and stayed silent as she went on. "I don't know what's going on. We meet at a baseball game, go out to lunch with his daughter, then he takes me on a date. We don't see each other for a week but talk everyday then I ended up on at his door after my father showed up in my interrogation as my suspect's lawyer. Then I tell Lorenzo and Angela we're just friends when in reality I have no idea, he had an opening at dinner last night but didn't take it."
"It sounds to me like you need to talk to him. You aren't going to get any answers talking to me or keeping these thoughts to yourself," Lanie advised before steering back to an overlooked comment. "Now you have to tell me about the date, I mean details."
Rick sat on the couch with his daughter curled up in his side, "Did you have fun with Paige at the pool today?"
"Yeah, we played tag, and did pool tricks."
"What kind of tricks?"
"Under water somersaults and flips. We even had a tea party!"
"How did the tea stay in the cups?"
She giggled, "Dad! There wasn't actually tea, we just sat at the bottom of the pool."
"Oh I'm sorry, my mistake."
"What did you do? Did you get some writing done?"
"Well sort of…"
"Dad, Gina's going to yell at you again if you procrastinate anymore."
"Hey I got some work done, but then Kate came over and we grabbed some dinner."
"Are you guys dating?"
Rick looked at her, "I- I don't know. Things aren't easy as an adult sometimes. I like hanging out with her and I think she likes hanging out with me but that doesn't mean we're dating."
"But you want to date her right?"
"I would like to at some point but we haven't talked about. Besides we just met, no need to jump into things, that hasn't worked in the past, and if Kate and I do date at some point then I want it to last."
She paused and thought for a minute, "If you guys date, I want it to last too." With that she turned her attention back to the movie.
A/N: the last scene isn't exactly what I wanted but I can't fiddle with it anymore and it got the point across like I said here's a present for you an chapter early I will still update again on sunday. Review please?