As Beckett said she "believes in the everyday magic of life in … the way that I feel when I hear Coltrane", this is from his album "Ballads". While there is not a vocalist on this album, there are lyrics to the songs.

These vignettes come to mind when I hear the songs as played by John Coltrane.

This song is "It's Easy To Remember". You can hear the song as played by The Coltrane Quartet on YouTube.

watch?v=qMPdRgYLDDw

There is a vocal version by Johnny Hartman and Errol Garner on YouTube also

watch?v=JkDBV4GGV50

Disclaimer: The characters are the property of Andrew W. Marlowe and ABC television. The lyrics are the property of their respective owners. No infringement is intended.

I have added references to the episodes that the vignettes come from.


Your sweet expression, the smile you gave me, the way you looked when we met

It's easy to remember, but so hard to forget


A/N: 1x01 Flowers for Your Grave

Bestselling author Richard Castle pondered for a moment. He had just released his final Derrick Storm novel, having killed off the main character. And what drops in his lap but this hot NYPD detective.

He recalled what the first thing she said to him.

"Mr. Castle, Detective Kate Beckett, NYPD. We need to ask you a few questions about a murder that happened earlier tonight."

He pondered her for a moment.

"She has an enigmatic smile, almost like the Mona Lisa," he thought.

"And those eyes! Those gorgeous eyes!"

"Lo … Lust at first sight!"

The more he thought about this NYPD detective, the more intrigued he became.

"She solves mysteries for a living and ironically, she is a living mystery," he contemplated. "A very attractive woman as a police detective, there is a story there. I bet there is a great story there."

He sat down at his desk in his Manhattan loft. He opened his laptop and started to type. He started to list the things he learned in his brief observation of Detective Beckett.

"What can I recollect about our meeting?" Rick thought.

She wears a man's watch. Ex-boyfriend perhaps? Reminder of something. Or very practical for noting time in low light like in a dim alley. ("Aren't all alleys dim?" he thought.)

No wedding band. Not much jewelry to speak of. No earrings. Collared shirt/blouse hid any large necklace. Necklace would be something for a criminal to grab for, probably not a good idea to wear.

Short, practical hairstyle, ideal for quick arrivals at crime scenes.

Rather tall for a woman. 5 foot 9 or 10.

Killer heels, they must be 4 inch. In them she is over 6 feet tall. Intimidation. She must wear them so she can tower over suspects and others.

Svelte, probably works out a lot. Long sleeves prevented seeing how muscular her arms are.

Smart, or reasonably intelligent since she is a police detective and rather young one at that.

Graceful, almost cat like in movement. Previous job as a model?

No borough accent, but probably grew up in area, therefore Manhattan.

"Hmm," he thought. "If that is the case. She wouldn't have to work if her parents were very wealthy. At least as a NYPD detective."

Only child of professional parents.

Attractive woman, unlikely profession. Why?

"Something to ponder," he mused. "Why would a very attractive woman work as a police detective? She probably would have plenty of options for other vocations."

"Oh, and one last thing," he thought. "She's a Castle groupie."


I hear you whisper, I'll always love you, I know it's over and yet

It's easy to remember, but so hard to forget


A/N: 4x01 Rise

Kate Beckett looked out from the window in her father's cabin. She saw a pastoral scene in front of her. The meadow just to the right was starting to bloom with wildflowers. Little dots of reds and yellows were seen in the field of green grass.

The sun had risen a couple of hours ago. Puffy white clouds populated the sky with fantastic creatures and faces. Kate, still in her practical sleepwear, sipped her tea.

She was thankful to be alive after being shot at her captain and mentor's funeral. She continued to feel the pain from the bullet and the surgery. Bandages enveloped her chest and side so much that she felt almost like the Michelin man.

Over the past couple of weeks, she became proficient at putting the bandages on.

Beside her and throughout the cabin were books to pass the time while she healed. Her appointments were set so that she could spend two weeks in the cabin, alone.

That was the way she wanted it, to be alone. Licking her wounds was what she wanted to do.

Alone.

No one with her to see her in this state, weak, frail, pathetic not the tough as nails, kick ass, NYPD detective.

Specially and specifically, Castle. He couldn't see her in this state. Not an inspiration for Nikki Heat but a puny being.

"How could he love me like this?" Kate thought.

She remembered the last time she saw him.

She lied to him.

As she lay in her hospital bed, she told him she didn't remember her shooting. That she didn't remember him saying to her, "Kate, I love you. I love you, Kate."

She lied to the man she loves.

She lied because she couldn't face all that happened that day. And she wondered if he said that because he felt he had to.

"Does he still feel that way?" she thought. "I wonder what he is doing. I wonder if he thinks of me at all."

She convinced herself that he wasn't thinking about her. He is a world famous author. Why would he worry about a simple cop? Why would he think at all about Kate Beckett? Would he even remember what he said to her in the cemetery?

Castle rarely left her thoughts. He kept her going. He kept her focused on healing. He kept her wanting to live, to be more, to be worthy of him.

But she couldn't call him now. She told him she would call, but now after the days had passed, she felt she couldn't call him.

Castle would be upset. And he would be justified because she didn't communicate with him.

Communicate how she felt.

Communicate her pain.

Communicate her love for him, too.


So I must dream to have your hands caress me, fingers press me tight

I'd rather dream than have that lonely feeling stealing through the night


Kate Beckett heard a knock at her apartment door. She had been relaxing on her couch with a glass of Chardonnay.

"Beckett, are you in there? Beckett!"

She thought she recognized the voice muffled by the shut door. Becket set her wine glass down on the coffee table in front of the couch.

"Castle? Castle, is that you?" Kate responded.

"Beckett! Beckett, open the door." Castle answered. "Please open the door."

As she approached the door, Beckett picked up her spare Glock.

Kate put her finger over the door spy hole in case there was someone other than Castle outside her door.

No shots rang out, so Beckett felt it was safe to look through to viewer to see who was on the other side.

"Castle! Step away from the view finder. You can't see in."

"Au contraire, detective. You're wearing a white blouse and black slacks."

"Castle, you saw me this morning. That's what I was wearing today at work. I've only been home an hour. And I haven't changed."

"Okay, but please open the door," Rick begged.

With that, Beckett opened the door to a haggard Castle.

"You look like hell, Castle. What have you been doing?" Beckett asked as she put down her gun on the table beside the door.

"I have been walking the around the city all afternoon, thinking," Rick replied.

"Thinking about what?"

"Thinking about this …" Castle said as he gently put his hands on either side of Kate's head. He slowly, softly pressed his lips to hers. Kate held her breath as the kiss deepened. As the shock of him kissing her wore off, Beckett raised her arms and held his head in her hands, her fingers playing with the short hairs on the back of his neck.

They briefly stopped kissing to come up for air. Their foreheads resting on their partner's. One of Castle's arms wrapped around Beckett while his other hand caressed her face and neck.

"You're so beautiful, Kate," said Rick. "You mean so much to me."

They kissed again, the want for each other conducted through their lips like electricity. Their lips opening, their tongues touching, their arms enveloping each other.

She almost felt like her heart was going to beat out of her chest, the feelings for her partner so intense.

His hands on her face, her neck, her hair, her arms, gently stroking her. It felt wonderful.

Castle and Beckett slowly backed toward her couch, never breaking their embrace.

Castle kissed Beckett's neck and exposed shoulder then returned to her lips. His tongue asked for and she granted him entrance. The intensity of their passion almost threatened to ignite everything in Beckett's apartment.

As they moved clumsily to the couch they bumped the coffee table, sending the wine glass crashing to the floor.

Kate woke up. She had been sleeping on the couch. Her empty wine glass had rolled off of her and fell on the floor. Shards of glass and the remains of the glass stem were on the floor beside her.

"It was only a dream," Beckett thought. "Only a dream."

A/N: Sometime in Season 4


Each little moment is clear before me, and though it brings me regret

It's easy to remember but so hard to forget


Rick Castle scanned the crowd. There were many people here, some he recognized, some he didn't. He saw Jim Beckett talking to a woman that could have been Kate's aunt.

All of the tables had festive flower arrangements as centerpieces. All the people were animated but happily talking with their neighbors at their respective tables or scattered around the ballroom.

"She's a beautiful bride, isn't she Mr. Castle?"

Rick turned and saw that it was Captain Gates talking to him with an actual smile. He looked around, then he saw her, Kate, talking with an older gentleman that he didn't recognize. She was touching him on his arm in a familiar way, like she knew him for a long time.

Not turning back to Captain Gates, he responded, "I have never seen her happier or more lovely."

There was the saying that the bride glows at her wedding, but in this case it seemed literally true. She had an aura around her that radiated love and happiness.

While he watched, Kate hugged the man and then said something to him. Both of them nodded to each other and then they parted. Kate walked away to greet another of her many wedding guests.

Watching her made him love her even more, she moved with a grace that hidden so often at the precinct, but now revealed in all its glory. She looked angelic with the white lace bodice and the full ruffled skirt. Her veil pulled back from her face, her hair in a French braid.

"Angel wings would almost be appropriate with her except for the Victoria Secret connotations," Rick chuckled to himself.

"My more whimsical side would say that Botticelli would be an appropriate painter to capture her beauty."

Rick glanced over the room again. There were multiple tables of 8 but only one of two at the center. The center two chairs were high backed white wicker adorned with flowers. On the center of that table lay the bride's bouquet that would be tossed to the single ladies in the festive throng.

Castle wondered if Kate had conspired with Lanie to throw the bouquet to her.

"Ricky!"

Rick turned and said, "Big cheese, how are you doing man?"

They shook each other's hand with gusto, patting the other's shoulder with their free hand.

"Good to see you, Ricky," the mayor responded. "This is a great party."

"Yes, it is Bob, yes it is," Rick responded.

The mayor asked, "Hey, Rick, is this marriage going to change you following Detective Beckett? Are there going to be any more Nikki Heat books?"

"Oh, I don't know. Perhaps Heat and Rook will get married. I really hadn't thought about it," Castle responded truthfully.

"Married?" questioned the mayor. The mayor looked at Rick almost as if he had two heads.

"Sure, why not, it is happening in real life, why not in the book?"

"Ok, Ricky … yeah … yeah, it sounds good … yeah, good to me. Well, yeah … are we still on for another poker night soon?"

Rick answered, "Soon. Yeah, real soon."

They shook each other's hand again, less vigorously on the mayor's part, and then the mayor went on to work the crowd.

Rick saw the wedding cake on a table to the side of the ballroom. Walking over to the cake, he noted the two glass love birds suspended in a glass, heart-shaped cage. Beside the wedding cake was a groom's cake, topped by a set of police handcuffs.

Rick turned to find Ryan and Esposito beside him.

"Esposito, was this your idea?" Rick asked, smiling.

"Well, really Ryan thought of it, I put them on the cake. Don't tell Beckett, but those are her spare set from her desk," Esposito sniggered.

All three of them chuckled about the joke.

"Beckett is going to kill you both when she gets back from the honeymoon," Rick said.

"Yeah. Yeah, she will," Ryan responded. "But maybe she'll forget because of all the sex she will be having on the honeymoon."

Esposito bumped Ryan while he was speaking.

Rick smirked, "Yeah, I figure she will."

As the three seemingly adult nine-year-olds continued their snorting, another approached them.

"Having fun Rick, Javi and Kevin?" Jim Beckett asked.

"Oh, yes sir," Rick answered, with Javi and Kevin sputtering behind him.

"Rick, can I have a word?"

"Sure, Jim, what can I do for you," Castle responded.

The two men wandered off into a corner of the room.

Jim turned to Rick and said, "I'm glad you came into Kate's life. I can't thank you enough for all that you have done for my daughter. Katie has told me some of it. I suspect there is more that she hasn't told me."

Rick smiled.

"You have brought her back to the living from the despondency of her mother's murder," Jim said.

"It was my pleasure, sir," Castle answered with a sincere smile. "She is extraordinary."

"I am forever in your debt, Rick," Jim continued with watery eyes. "Thank you."

As Castle nodded at Jim Beckett, "You're welcome."

The shook hands with their left hands gripping the other's shoulder earnestly, and then parted.

Rick looked around and noticed that Ryan and Esposito had left him alone beside the cakes.

The DJ had been playing some soft mood music throughout the party but now stopped with the announcement of the first dance.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, the bride and groom will now have their first dance as a married couple."

Rick looked around for Kate and couldn't find her nearby.

The DJ continued, "May I present to you, Dr. and Mrs. Joshua Davidson."

There he saw Kate, her hand in her new husband's, gracefully walking to the center of the dance floor with Josh behind her.

Kate and Josh embraced and started to sway with the music. They lovingly looked into each other's eyes as they moved around the dance floor. They whispered sweetly to each other of their love as they held each other.

"Kate married Josh? No this can't be," Rick thought. "No. She is supposed to marry me. Kate is supposed to be my wife."

"Noooooo! Noooooo!" Rick yelled.

The entire ballroom turned to him, staring at him as if he had gone mad.

"NOOOOOO! NOOOOOO!" Rick continued yelling.

Ryan and Esposito ran to him. Grabbed him to take him out of the ballroom. He tried to resist them but Javi, with his training and years on Rick, dragged him out.

"NOOOOOO! NOOOOOO!" Rick screamed.

"Dad! Dad! DAD! Wake up!" Alexis yelled, shaking her father. "DAD! DAD!"

Rick opened his eyes. He found himself on his chair in his office. His laptop in front of him on the desk.

"Dad, you were screaming. What happened? Was that some kind of extreme nightmare?"

Rick blinked several times trying to wake up. He looked around and then focused on his daughter's face. Rick pulled her in for a tight hug.

"I'm … I'm okay pumpkin. Yeah … yeah it was a nightmare. But it is gone now. I'll be alright. Yeah … yeah. I'm sorry I woke you."

"You sure?" Alexis asked.

"Yeah, go to bed pumpkin. I'll just wash my face and climb into bed. And hope I don't have any more nightmares like that one." Rick sheepishly smiled at her.

Alexis walked up the stairs to her bedroom, Castle waving to her to go to bed. He turned out the lights in the loft and went through his office to his empty bedroom.

"It's been almost three months and no word from Kate. And I get a nightmare about her."

He ran his hand through his hair.

"I hope she is doing ok. I hope she is getting everything she needs. But I hope she doesn't marry Dr. Motorcycle Boy. She can't, can she?"

A/N: 4x01 Rise.


Thoughts?