CH7

Saturday had been hell as far as Rick was concerned. First it was Gina and her attitude, then it was Alexis and her breakdown over her mother, who was acting like anything but a mother.

Meredith had given birth to her and promptly disappeared after that unless it suited her to show up. Alexis was just an afterthought. Still not matter how bad a job Meredith did at being a mother she was Alexis's mother, and there was nothing he could do about that.

Meredith was never here long enough to talk to her about their child. Actually every time he brought up Alexis, Meredith shut him down. Now Rick didn't know what to do.

It was Monday and he had just gotten home after dropping Alexis off at school and was sitting in his car in the underground parking garage. He had gone shopping yesterday so they had food to cook meals with. Maybe a little something to make Alexis happy? He just didn't know what.

Rick got out and started walking, maybe he would see something. He wasn't trying to buy here, it's just that he didn't know what else to do. Getting Meredith to listen was likely a lost cause.

Rick was still wondering around on a semi-busy street when he saw the front page of the ledger. Rick knew he had a copy waiting for him at home, but the cover caught his attention so he stopped and bought one.

Richard Castle is dumping Black Pawn

Numerous people had spotted Richard Castle and Gina Cowell at the airport having a heated argument. The argument was about Gina Cowell creating and trying to keep Richard Castle's playboy image intact.

Gina Cowell was obviously upset about Richard Castle taking his daughter with him on his latest book signing trip. It didn't take much imagination to determine that Gina does not like children, especially the daughter of Richard Castle.

Was this because Miss Gina Cowell wants to be the next Mrs. Castle and wants the daughter out of the picture?

Richard Castle was heard to refer to the blonde young women he has been seen with as being a ships anchor and chain, dragging him down. That he was a family man who had a daughter.

This appeared to upset Miss Gina Cowell greatly. Was this Gina's plan to have Richard Castle tire of the playboy image and take Gina Cowell of Black Pawn, who is his publisher as his next girlfriend?

What kind of game is Gina Cowell playing with Richard Castle as the prize?

Pictures of them at the airport on page 6.

Turning to page 6, Rick could see the pictures that were definitely them with his daughter in the pictures. There was even more coverage about how Gina blew up in the airport yelling at all of the passengers after Richard Castle had left with his daughter.

Rick was furious! His daughter had her picture taken and was in the paper all because of his argument with Gina in a public location. Ok, so having an argument in a public location wasn't one of his better ideas. But all of those topics in the paper had given him a lot to think about.

Rick pulled out his Nokia 5110 cell phone and called his lawyer after shoving the paper into the trash. Swearing to take the one at home and maybe burn it in the fireplace. Except his fireplace was gas fired.

"Damn it!" Things were going from bad to worse. Rick now had an appointment for later today with his lawyer.

Rick didn't get mad easily, but things were getting seriously out of hand. Rick was more than willing to let his lawyer be the bad guy.

Rick started striding for home in a really dark mood. After his meeting with his lawyer he needed to pick up Alexis from school, today being her first day of the school year.

Kate and Lanie had found out that the guy who got them their fake ID's couldn't help them with fake social security numbers. That was beyond his skill and he didn't know anyone who could help them.

Now they were walking for the building that had their shuttle on its roof. They wanted to look it over and make sure it was there. "We need to think of a more permanent solution for where to leave the shuttle. We may not have time to keep checking it." Kate points out.

Lanie knew it was their only way back to the ship on the far side of this planets moon. She just didn't know of anyplace else to leave it. The building it was sitting on was only a few blocks away, making getting to it easy.

They had both made it to the front door of the building with the intention of going around the side and then jumping up onto the building, when Kate suddenly stopped dead in her tracks.

From Lanie's point of view Kate looked like she was in a trance or something.

Kate suddenly felt weak in the knees. There was a smell that she had just noticed that was the most delicious thing she had ever smelled. It was absolutely heavenly! It also instantly brought out her fangs and Kate's ability to see clearly was getting difficult.

"Kate, your fangs are showing." Lanie didn't understand what was going on. Lanie knew she didn't need to feed, neither of them did. Besides if they found another house tonight like last time, they wouldn't need to feed for days still after that.

Lanie got in front of Kate to look into her eyes. "Kate! Retract your fangs before someone sees." Lanie put her hand over Kate's mouth while whispering to her since there were people around them.

Kate worked at getting her mind back and concentrated on retracting her fangs, still the smell was present and was actually getting stronger. It was soooo delicious smelling and it was clouding her mind again.

"You ladies alright, can I help you with something?" Rick asks the two women not far outside his front door. They were both relatively young looking. Likely college students. One was a lovely Latino looking woman. The other was a simply drop dead gorgeous brunette who looked a little thin, but still in great shape.

"We're fine honest, no problem." Lanie responds.

"You're sure? I'm perfectly willing to help you with something. Trying to find someplace? Looking for a good place to have lunch? I haven't had lunch yet, you can eat with me it you want." Rick had no idea why he said that, but the brunette was looking at him with eyes the like of which he had never seen before.

Lanie didn't quite know what to say, they did need to find someone who could get them better ID's, but his guy was just some random guy them met on the street. Then Lanie was suddenly shocked.

Kate walked right up to him and buried her face into his chest and wrapped her arms around him.

Rick didn't know just what to do. He had, had the women Gina stuck him with at parties try and get him to take them to bed for a one night stand or maybe more, but this was different.

Rick was soon shocked when he found his arms wrapped around her, whoever she is.

Kate had buried her face into his chest and was breathing him in. Whoever this was, was what she was smelling and she wanted more of it. Then she felt her fangs come out. She wasn't thirsty and her throat didn't burn, but somehow she just knew that his blood would be just as delicious as he smelled.

Kate buried her face in even tighter trying to will her fangs to retract, while breathing him in. Then Kate felt him push her away just as she got her fangs to retract and she was now looking into his eyes.

Then Kate felt a tingling like she had never felt before. His hands were on either side of her face as he looked into her eyes. "Are you alright? Is there something I can help you with?" Rick looked at her.

Rick felt a tingling run up his hands and then up his arms as he held his hands on each side of her face and looked into her eyes. Rick could now feel his heart pounding in his chest.

Kate was trying so hard to say something, anything, but no matter how she tried nothing came out. Kate could feel tears starting and her heart was pounding in her chest and she could still smell him, as she actively took in deep breathes.

"I'm Rick." Rick offered trying to get his mind to work. "Richard Castle." Rick used his thumbs to stroke her check just below her eyes and side of her nose.

"I'm Lanie, this is Kate." Lanie offers since it looked like Kate wasn't leaving anytime soon.

"Beckett." Kate whispered out, barely.

Rick knew he had things to do. A number of things that he had to take care of. As he forced his mind to work for him. "Pleased to meet you Kate Beckett." Rick withdrew his hands, though it was a struggle.

Rick started looking them each over. They didn't have any purses on them. Not unusual for college students. COLLEGE STUDENT! Kate was too young for him, still there was something. Something he didn't want to lose. He needed to learn more. There was a story in here somewhere.

"I have errands I have to complete, things I really need to take care of." Rick felt his heart was pounding on the outside of his body somehow. Kate Beckett!

Rick reached into a pocket and pulled out his ever present sharpie pen. He didn't think they had any paper on them and he didn't have any on him. Still his apartment was just inside, but Kate might be gone by the time he came back down with paper.

Rick pushed up the sleeve of Kate's shirt. "This is my home number." Rick writes it on her arm. Then switches arms. "And this is my cell phone number." Rick writes on her other arm.

"Call me and we can arrange something, hopefully. I live in this building here, it's mine actually. I'm up on the 4th floor. … Don't wash that off." Rick smiles at her.

Rick then takes a big risk and leans in to kiss Kate on the cheek.

Kate saw him getting closer and felt his lips on her cheek, wishing she had been fast enough to turn her head and get him to kiss her lips instead. Still the kiss almost had her knees give out, plus he was in really close again and his smell was delicious. Kate couldn't help but let a soft low moan escape her throat. Partially hoping her throat swallowed most of the sound.

Then her fears took over because her fangs were out again forcing her to lift a hand to cover her mouth to hid them. "I'll see you later." Rick tells her.

Rick forces himself to look at Lanie who looked completely shocked. "I'll see you two later. … Don't lose those numbers." Rick tells them and then gives Kate a quick kiss to her forehead and heads into his building and then down to the garage for his drive to his lawyer.

Though his mind was still swimming in Kate Beckett all the way to his car. How he got to his lawyers office he'll never know since his mind was still on Kate Beckett.

Part of him was telling him she was a college student and way too young for him, but another part of him didn't care.

"Kate?" Lanie tried to get her attention, however all Kate was doing was watching where this Rick went into the building, right past the doorman on the building.

"Kate." Lanie took a hold of her and guided her over to the side of the building, away from the foot traffic on the street.

"Kate?" Lanie tried looking into her eyes, which looked to be becoming more clear as Lanie waited.

"Lanie." Kate was back with her, looking at her.

"You good to jump?" Lanie wanted answers but wanted to do it in a more private location. Lanie looked up since Kate still looked a little lost.

Kate looked up. "Sure." Then Kate watched Lanie look around and take in a deep breath and then jump up onto the roof. Kate followed a second later.

Once Lanie had Kate sitting in one of the seats of the shuttle. "What was that?" Lanie started asking questions.

"I don't know Lanie. At first I started smelling something. Something that was the most delicious smell I had ever encountered. It was like I was drawn to it. … What did I do?" Kate asks.

"You don't remember?" Lanie asks shocked. Watching Kate shake her head.

Lanie reached over and pulled up one of her sleeves. "You remember getting these?" Again watching Kate shake her head.

"You wrapped your arms around him and buried your face in his chest." Lanie explains. "And then he took your face and kissed your cheek." You remember that?

"His touch was amazing, it was like electricity running down my body, and his smell." Kate started remembering it.

Lanie was watching and it was like Kate was smelling him all over again and she started to disappear on her again. "Kate." Lanie shakes her.

Kate shakes her head bringing her back into the here and now. "It was amazing Lanie. It was the most perfect thing. … What did you smell?" Kate looked at her, and then noticed for the first time that they were in the shuttle. "How did we get here?" Kate looked around.

"I didn't smell anything different, and we jumped up here while you were still in the clouds." Lanie tells her, not sure just what to think.

"Nothing?" Kate didn't understand. How could Lanie not smell him? It was the most delicious smell ever. Let alone his touch. It also told Kate that he wasn't a vampire. Rick was just another human. But maybe not just any other human.

"Are you going to call him?" Lanie pointed at her arm.

"I, …. I, …." Kate didn't know what to say. She was a vampire and he was a human. If he found out she was a vampire there could be trouble. They may have to run and start all over again. London maybe, or some other city. Another planet maybe? Just was that even a possibility anymore.

"Just be careful Kate, he's human." Lanie knew she was going to call or even just show up at his front door. Lanie didn't know who this Rick Castle was. "He said he lives on the 4th floor of this building." Lanie tells her.

That got Kate to open her eyes wide. She didn't remember that, but then she didn't really remember getting the numbers on her arm(s) either.

They had landed on his building? Why was she only just now smelling him if they landed on his building? Kate now had a mystery to solve.

Rick was parked at his lawyer's office when he finally came to his senses. "Oh I'm in trouble." He had never encountered anyone who had that effect on him, plus she was a young college student.

Kate Beckett was a child still, or at least she looked like one. Maybe she is older than she looks. There were a lot of women out there that fit into the role. And if she wasn't?

Oh who was he kidding. He still wanted to see her. Was she a fan of his work? Was that why she had moved right in and held him close? It had caught him by surprise a little, but found that he had liked it, and his arms felt empty without her in them even now.

"Yeah, I'm in big trouble." Rick got out and went inside.

"Hi Mr. Castle, let me tell him you're here." Jennifer wasn't going to win any Miss America awards, she was a little plain looking, and maybe just a little too thin, but she had one of the most bubbly personalities he had ever encountered. It was always fun to come into the office.

"You can go right in Mr. Castle. I hope it's nothing too serious, and for what it's worth, you should give that Gina Cowell a good swift kick in the ass. Alexis is far too sweet to be treated like that." Jennifer decided to give Rick her opinion after what she had read in the paper.

Jennifer may secretly wish Rick would pay attention to her, but also knew he didn't see her like that. It however didn't stop her from liking Alexis and getting to spend time with his daughter when Rick brought her with him, but had to leave her behind when going in to see Henry.

Rick smiled at her. "Thanks Jenn, I'll keep that in mind." Since kicking Gina in her ass was one of the things Rick had secretly wished he could do.

"Henry." Rick offered his hand.

"Rick." Henry took it and gave him a firm grip. "I take it you're here about what's in today's paper." Henry wasn't slow and Rick was one of his best and favorite clients.

"You saw that? …. Not surprising I suppose since Jenn also saw it. She thinks I should give Gina a good swift kick in the ass." Rick was smiling. He didn't want to get Jenn into trouble.

"I think she secretly adores Alexis, so I'm not surprised. But then Alexis is easy to love at first sight. … So tell me your version, likely it starts long before you landed at the airport." Henry offered up, knowing papers tend to make up their own stories, to get headlines and sell papers.

Rick spent the next 45 minutes going over everything he could think of from the moment they left New York, till he was in the car on his way home.

"That could be a serious enough breach to end the contract you have with Black Pawn if you want to take that route.

I did a quick review and except for one more local book signing session that is the only remaining item that is left on your current contract with Black Pawn. You can either keep it or we can try and get you out of it. In either case we can ask Black Pawn to not allow Gina to attend since likely Alexis will be going with you.

Do you want to keep them or find another publisher?" Henry only knew contracts, not what it took to sell books.

"I don't know if changing publisher's is something readers notice when they buy books, or if they even care. However the press I could get leaving Black Pawn might be construed as a negative and impact sales, in a bad way.

The new publisher may be happy to gain me, but I don't know if either of us would be happy if sales dropped because of this." Rick points out.

"Ok, so it sounds like we keep Black Pawn for now. Since your old contract is ending, we can create points together for your new one. One's that will not allow a repeat of what is in today's paper, along with anything else we can think of that might impact your family." Henry offers.

"Perfect, I'm also thinking of getting a publicist, someone who can help keep Alexis out of the papers or pictures. She shouldn't have to have herself dragged through this or anything else. I don't need kids at school teasing her because her father is slightly famous, at least locally." Rick wasn't that high on himself. He was happy to be recognized for the work that he did, so that part did stroke his ego a little.

It took them another hour to go over the points they wanted to convey to Black Pawn for them to keep Rick and publish his work.

Henry had brought Jennifer in so she could take notes and type it up for them to review later, and then make any additional changes.

Jennifer to her credit hadn't said a word, she had however grunted or coughed when Rick didn't press a point home about Gina and her actions. Still she did seem to get her personal point across and was smiling when Rick conceded to being a little more harsh with Gina and Black Pawn in general.

Jennifer had long since worked out that it just wasn't in Rick's nature to be strict with anyone. Jenn secretly wished Rick would get a back bone and stand up for himself and his daughter, instead of letting people or companies off the hook.

Still his being so nice was one of his most endearing qualities, it's just that it was also a negative when it came to things like this. He was a nice man who tended to only see the good in people.

Jennifer stopped Rick before he left the office. "I can do some research for you about publicists if you want. A law office has lots of contacts to find people." Jennifer asked shyly, she wanted Alexis out of the papers too.

"Thanks Jenn, I'll take it. Send me what you find and write notes on the side if you like. Then I can make appointments with a couple of them to decide." Rick appreciated the help.

"Not a problem Mr. Castle." Jennifer was glad to help.

"You are going to have to start calling me Rick one of these days Jenn." Rick smiled at her. Jenn had been with Henry for a little while now, and as often he was over here, being called Mr. Castle all the time made him feel old.

And he needed to think of himself as young if he was going to be around one certain Kate Beckett. Provided that she called.

Except it was two days later and Kate hadn't called, and he had no way of finding her. He had a name, but nothing else. It was only his opinion that she was a college student, she may not be.

"Will you call him already, you're driving me crazy." Lanie moaned watching Kate fidget and wander around the apartment for no apparent reason.

"I want to Lanie." Kate moans. Kate had liked being in his arms, holding him close so she could bury her nose into him. Plus what she really craved was to bite him. If he smelled this good, what would he taste like?

His taste might be the closest thing to heaven she was ever going to reach. She may not have ever killed anyone, but she was a vampire who lived off of other people's blood.

"But he's human Lanie. What if he finds out? We only just got here, and I like this place." Kate motioned with her arms meaning the apartment they had found. They did however need to go back out tonight and search another part of the city.

After shopping for clothes, they were below $70,000 now and they needed a lot of that to pay the other 6 months of their apartment. Plus they needed they didn't know how much money to attend the University.

They needed jobs if they were going to fit in. Plus they needed access to blood if they were to stop biting people.

"Yeah and look at yourself, human of not, you're hooked on him. … Turn and look in the mirror." Lanie tells her.

It got Kate to turn where she was and look into the decorative mirror on the wall.

Kate's hair was a mess, since she had forgotten to brush it out after showering this morning. He eyes were a little red showing where she had cried last night missing his smell and wondering what it was like to be in his arms again.

Plus as Kate looked she was biting her lower lip, and would likely puncture it if her fangs were out, and she could see that she was fidgeting with her hands to keep them busy.

This was all so unlike her. Kate moved over to plop down on the sofa, crossed her legs under herself and bent over to place her head in her hands. "Ok fine, I'll call him in the morning. We still need to go out tonight." They needed to find another house like the first one.

Just now Kate was scared. What if Rick didn't feel the same way and sent her away. She was a wreck because she wanted to smell him and taste him. But what if he found out? "I'm in big trouble." Kate moaned to herself, getting Lanie to smile because she agreed. But secretly happy for her friend, almost sister. If this worked out Kate may have just found the perfect person for her.

And they had to come to the Tormented Zone to do it. Now where were Kate's/their parents?