Disclaimer: Yeah right. I don't own Castle.
A/N: Sometimes I get carried away. [If anyone does review: please no spoilers.] Just as an aside, unlike Hunt and Vaughn, both of who attempted to make moves of varying levels of aggressiveness on a woman a obviously emotionally attached to someone else... Well, not all British guys (or supposed characters) are actually predatory slime bags. Trust me on that, or call my bluff - maybe I'm the only one.
A/N 2: Still don't get how this story can have more readers for Chapter 10 than 9 (for example) - does it actually make sense if chapters are skipped? Doesn't me and I wrote it ;-)
Kate and Lanie had this girls night planned for a week. It was going to be a little celebration of Kate making it back to the homocide floor, no matter that she was starting out a junior detective. She had high hopes.
They had nothing fancy planned, certainly no clubbing. Lanie had initially suggested that as an idea, lots of alcohol, tiny dresses, and a little dancing; but Kate had killed that idea quickly, she had no particular interest in fending off crowds of drunken guys. No, instead it was going to be a night on the sofa with some wine, maybe some tequila if things needed a bit of livening up, a couple of movies and then with a bit of luck passing out and no hangover. Kate wasn't so optimistic about the last part.
The was a knock at the door, but Lanie wasn't supposed to be here for another half hour, and Lanie arriving early seemed very unlikely. On opening the door, Kate was a little surprised, "Rick, hello, come in, please. I didn't think you knew my new place."
"I didn't, I asked Lanie. I know she's coming over, I won't be long I promise."
"Why didn't you ask me?" Kate waved him in through the door, "Don't worry about it, you are always welcome. Truly."
"It just came up Kate, I was asking her about something else. About this." He held out a large manilla envelope towards her, wiggling it a little as she looked at him quizzically.
"Since we started talking again Kate, spending some real time together, just being more us, more the old us, well... I've been writing again, it started out slowly, but more recently things have been picking up. I've always processed my thoughts better through writing than speaking, and this my latest book. I've already given it to Gina, it'll be released in a month or so."
She gently took the envelope out of his hand as he paused before finishing his thoughts, "I thought about things, and I want you to read it. Don't feel that you have to, but please, at least think about it."
He left her there, staring at him open mouthed. Stunned.
That he believed for a second she might not read the book frightened her, at least when she recovered enough to think. She knew he suspected, more than suspected really, that she was a fan but not how very important his words had always been to her.
She took the enveloped over to her desk and pulled out the manuscript. The title page read simply 'ReHeat', and she rapidly shuffled some pages. The dedication page was missing.
Lanie found her still there, flipping pages, when she arrived an hour later.
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She called in sick the next day, she really wasn't feeling 100% after not getting any sleep, especially since her mind had stayed wired all night. Normally she'd just tough it out, but she had more important matters to deal with. She needed to read the book again. In fact, she read 'Missing Heat' again first, then flowed straight through into 'ReHeat'. She would, if pushed, concede that she skimmed both the second time through; a little desperate to reach the ending where they were back together again.
She had to see him, had to see him now. It was early, he'd still be at the loft. She quickly changed, grabbed the manuscript and another book before heading out.
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Kate stood outside the loft, Eduardo had wave her through without the need for her to flash a badge, or for him to call up; she had clearly been added to an approved list. That at least helped her confidence a little
Her knock went unanswered, then unanswered again, only on the third did she hear movement behind the door. When they swung open she was greeted by a bleary, red-eyed Martha. "Katherine, do come in. I was just heading up to get some rest."
"Martha, is Rick here?" Kate had stepped inside now, the first time she had entered the loft in over three years, while the relationship between her and Rick had certainly improved she had still placed his home on a mental no entry zone until things were... something. She want sure what she'd been waiting for, maybe this; she felt she needed to be there, belonged today.
"Well, I'm sure he must be my dear, but I haven't seen him this morning."
"I need to talk to him." As soon as she spoke she remember what had happened the last time she spoke those very words to Martha. Frogmarch. She hoped for a better reception this time.
"It seems to me dear that if you need to talk to him, you know how to find him now." Martha had been wobbling a little, but straightened up at those words. "Also seems to me that the last time we spoke I asked to stay away from him for his own good. You didn't listen."
"Martha, I..."
"Ha! No Katherine, I am so very glad you decided to ignore that advice, I hindsight it appears you were the only one who could perhaps make him whole again."
With that Martha resumed her wobbling and tottered off up the stairs. Kate was left alone in the loft, a place that had once before seemed so very much like a home to her. The way things stood still, she was not going to fish Rick out of bed; so she called him, possibly what she should have done originally so he'd know she was coming.
"Hmmpgh?"
"Rick, it's Kate. We need to talk please."
"Body?"
"No Rick, no body, I'm in your den. Make yourself presentable and I'll put some coffee on."
It took a good 15 minutes for Rick to be both presentable and have consumed an initial dose of caffeine, allowing him to actually string together semi-coherent thought. She honestly missed mornings like this.
"I have some things to say Rick, please listen, this is going to be hard so... Just let me finish please?" He was watching now, paying careful attention and gave a slight nod.
"I read the book Rick, and I loved it. You know I've read all you books, I know you do. I don't think you know just how much they've meant to me though. I never told you, but your books were what saved me after my mother's murder, they allowed me to believe that justice would always prevail, that eventually my mother's killer would be brought down. He was Rick, eventually, and only because of your help years ago."
"I once stood in line to get this signed Rick, two hours to get your signature on a page," she slid the opened, signed copy of her favorite book across the breakfast bar towards him.
"I'm sorry I never told you this, just how much your words meant to me. When you asked me to read the manuscript, but told me not to feel obliged. That scared me Rick, that you could not know how important every one of you words has been to me."
Kate had reached the final thing she wanted to say, "Rick, I want to be there, for this book launch. I want to be there for you and support you in any way I can. This is big for you I know, this is big for us I hope."
"Thank you Kate, for sharing that." Rick stared down, still processing, wondering why she had never trusted him with this before. He continued stirring his coffee, before speaking, "Would it be alright right if we put your name on the invite? Sort of a, meet the muse behind the book thing?"
She hesitated barely a split second, "As I said Rick, whatever you need. I want to be there, I can go as detective Beckett, as your muse, I can go as your friend, or... Rick, I could go as your date."
She held her breathe for a second after that as it seemed everything stopped, waiting as Rick contemplated his coffee, now without stirring.
"As my date? You want to go to the book launch as my date?"
She breathed a sigh, that was certainly not the rejection she had been so concerned about, however she felt they had been progressing, to date was a huge step she knew, "Yes. I want to go as you date, but only if you want that too; I really don't want to rush you Rick."
"Will you bring me a corsage?" He looked up from his coffee finally, and he was definitely smiling.
"Only if you wear a dress Rick."
"Ok, no dress though, for me; you will be wearing a dress right? Where's my phone? I can start a countdown app for this - thirty days until our first date."
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After their agreement had been made, Kate had almost immediate started having second thoughts about the date, not the date per se, but the date - it was month off. Another month of handshakes and kissed cheeks she suspected, doubting that Rick would push things forward with such an obviously narrative catalyst for him to work toward.
When the date finally appeared, even then Kate felt a little let down. She was going to be picked up by town car unfortunately. Despite being Rick's date for the night, he had to be present two hours early so they had decided to meet there. She'd text him as she pulled up, so he could meet her on the carpet for some initial photos.
She had also insisted that he not buy her a dress, she wanted to surprise him. The dress wouldn't be the only surprise she'd be wearing, new lingerie has also been purchased. She was not normally one for even considering lingerie as relevant for a first date. Kate was a realist however, this was more like date 107 by her count, so lingerie viewing was definitely not out of the question from her side.
The car picked her up on time, and whisked her off to the party; and as she promised Rick, she sent a text as the car drew up outside. She stepped out of the car to face a few photographers just as Rick approached. He looked good dressed in a tuxedo. He looked really good.
He held out both hands towards her as she approached, "You look spectacular Kate. Absolutely spectacular."
She tugged him closer, leaning in to place a relatively chaste kiss on his cheek, and whispered to him, "I had to look good for my date Rick. I've been waiting for this night all month."
Together, his arm loosely around he waist they made their way into the reception, ignoring the calls outside for more photos; Rick had told her there would be plenty of photo opportunities when the book was unveiled at the end of the evening.
They mingled, not needing to be together to fight nerves; both had their fair share of experience at swanky receptions, though Kate's were more politically oriented than the entertainment crowd seen here. They just wanted to spend the evening together, touching even hip to clothed hip was comforting to the pair of them.
Eventually, after being introduced to all of Rick's friends as his muse, which while appropriate for the evening was not the same as being introduced as his date, and that did slightly irritate Kate. She'd waited a long time for this, not just the month, but the year of work she'd put into rebuilding. She wanted to be acknowledge as more than just inspiration for words, though she wasn't irritated at Rick really, didn't think he meant anything by it; he was just honoring her contribution to the reason for the evening.
As the night wore on, eventually the hour approached when the book would be formally launched. The only downside for that part of the evening would be Rick leaving her side, as Gina firmly reminded him as 9pm approached. He needed to be ready to ascend the podium, ready on the stroke of the hour, and Gina was not about to let anything go wrong in that regard.
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Shortly after Rick was dragged off unwillingly by Gina, Lanie sidled up alongside her. Lanie, sidled. Something was definitely up.
"Girl! You have to look at this." Lanie thrust a coverless book into her grasp.
Kate turned it over in her hands, and saw printed on the spine: 'ReHeat'. She hissed a Lanie, "Where did you get this? It's not being unveiled until later!"
"Don't ask questions you don't want answered to girlfriend. Just open it."
Kate cracked open the book, she'd read everything in it twice already except the one page missing from her manuscript, the dedication. There it was now, staring her in the face, "To KB - Whom I wish I had never lost."
Kate choked off a gasp, recalling how the books told a story of loss, pain, and reconnection. In 'Missing Heat' Nikki and Rook had investigated a string of kidnappings and murders, and towards the end of the book Nikki herself was kidnapped. Through the combined efforts of Rook and the Roach they had finally cracked opens the case, closed in on the kidnapping ring, and ultimately taken down the villains. Nikki though, was nowhere to be found, she had simply vanished, and none of the surviving kidnappers would say anything about her whereabouts no matter the plea deal they were offered. She was simply gone, taken from Rook. Separated through no fault of her own, or his.
Kate had cried, honest open tears, when she had first read the book. In writing fiction Castle could bring himself to believe that Nikki would ever choose to separate herself from Rook; it was inconceivable to him how such characterization could be aligned with the history he had built in five prior books. It generated a heart wrenching sense of guilt in Kate the first time, and even repeated readings, knowing she had come back, left a unpleasant taste in her mouth.
In 'ReHeat' Rook had, at the beginning, given up all hope of being reunited, until clues started to fall into his lap. Again with the assistance of the Roach, clues were followed, traces found, until Rook discovered Nikki was very much alive. They moved heaven and earth to recover her, and the book ended with a reunion which had once again brought tears to her eyes. It truly was not their story at its core, since Rook had no reason for anger toward Nikki, but it was nonetheless a story of restoration and reunion.
Despite the anger he had, and had overcome towards Kate, both books had been love letters to Nikki, to his dream of who Kate was. She had been lost to him, and now was found. She stood still, eyes closed and tried to gather her thoughts and control her emotions.
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Gina was very well aware Richard Castle's sometimes childish foibles, but still having to drag him by his wrist over towards the stage was starting to try her patience, "Richard, we need to go over the time line for the unveiling of the book. Richard? Are you paying attention?"
"What? Sorry. Why is he here?"
"Who?"
Rick spit out the name, "Erik Vaughn."
"Who?"
"Gina, don't mess with me about this. You know who he is. You obviously invited him. He's over there talking to the Mayor. Why is he here?"
She tossed a careless glance in the direction of the man Richard was talking about, and yes, she supposed she did recognize him, "I really don't know Richard. Are you sure Paula didn't invite him?"
"This is a Black Pawn event Gina. You are the Black Pawn representative. You are seriously telling me you didn't know he'd be here?"
"Well, he's a prominent man, he's probably just on the automatic list, like the Mayor and Governor. Those types never actually show Richard, well accept the Mayor for you obviously. We just send invites to them automatically, never hurts the PR if one of them does actually make an appearance."
Richard stood staring off into space as she continued talking.
"Why does it matter? Do you know him?" Something was clearly bothering her author, and she did not need an irritated Richard Castle this evening, the charming one need to reappear before the photo op later.
"I don't like him Gina, let's just leave it at that."
"Well why would he bother coming?"
He was borderline growling now, unhappy, "Because of the invite Gina. The invite said Detective Beckett would be here. He came to see her."
Gina gave a nonchalant wave at that, it was time refocus her star for the evening, "Well I'm sure she can look after herself. Focus Richard, tonight is important, don't forget you are out of contract right now. I pulled strings to get another Nikki Heat book the green light, instead of a new trilogy you initially promised."
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One she had recovered her emotional stability a bit, Kate had spent some more time chatting with Lanie, before she slipped off to drop the book back wherever she found it. Kate spent some time mingling, talking to Ryan, Esposito, both of whom were guests of honor, though not named on the invitation as she was. She felt temporarily alone, even more so after reading the dedication; she wanted to speak to Rick, but could see him across the room apparently bickering with Gina over something.
"Kate, it is so good to see you after so long!" She heard the voice at the same time she felt a touch on her lower back. She jerked away with a shiver, turning to face possibly the last person she expected to see.
As she complete her turn he reached out for her hand, stepping closer, she quickly wrapped both hands around her drink glass and took a firm step away, reestablishing a comfortable space between them. "Mr Vaughn, it's honestly a surprise to see you here."
"Kate, it's Erik, please. I was invited, I always get invited to these things, I just never usually find anyone at these events interesting enough to make my attendance worthwhile. This time though, I saw you name on the invitation as muse de jour."
Kate was puzzled, why on earth would Castle invite Vaughn of all people, then she mentally slapped herself. Castle didn't, he doesn't supervise the guest list at his events, either Gina or Paula were behind this.
"Mr Vaughn, I'm here to support Richard Castle, it's his night after all; not to entertain you."
"Oh, I don't know Kate, I don't think Mr Castle is in need of much support right now, he seems distracted by that blond; we could probably slip out, pick back up where we left off over drinks the last time."
"Mr Vaughn. Look, I regret everything about our last meeting. You manipulated me, you pulled strings with the NYPD brass to do it; you manipulated the whole situation." Kate was actually starting to get both irritated and offended by his tone now, rather than finding his mere presence aggravating.
"Kate, again, Erik, please." He was still wearing his over processed, plasticized smile as he continued, "You didn't seem to regret it at the time Kate. You let me kiss you, you only turned me down because you were in relationship, and you hesitated even then. I asked around, you aren't in a relationship now are you?"
She shook her head, he wasn't listening to anything other than what he wanted to be true, "Like I said Vaughn. Mr Vaughn. I regret that incident, and the kiss? It meant nothing to me, less than nothing."
She glanced over to where Castle was in conversation with both Paula and Gina now, near the stairs to the podium. It appeared the climax of the evening was coming, and she had somewhere to be.
"Mr Vaughn, I apologize if I ever gave you the wrong impression. But realize, you never really had a chance then, and you certainly don't now. Goodbye Mr Vaughn, I have serious things to take care of. "
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As Kate joined Castle at the steps leading to the stage and podium, she pulled him aside briefly, whispering to ensure neither Gina nor Paula overheard, "Rick, do you want to make a splash?"
He wiggled his eyebrows at her, "Seriously!? When do I not want to make a splash?"
She put her game face on for a moment, there were deals to be made, conditions to be negotiated, things were about to get serious, "Ok, no more signing any other women's chests. That's the deal, take it or leave it."
He studied her, eyes boring into hers for a second, "What do it get in exch.. Other women's chests? That means I can sign yours? For real?"
She grinned at him, "Quick Ricky at work? That's the deal. No other chests, and I don't mean just tonight. We go up there, you present the book, then you sign Nikki Heat's chest in front of all those cameras. Deal?"
His grin dropped away for a moment then, "Kate, seriously, you don't have to do this, I don't want to embarrass you."
"This won't embarrass me, or not enough that I don't want to do it. I want you to know how seriously I take us Rick, and just how much this book means to me."
"You, or we, will be on Page 6 tomorrow if you do this Kate - your face, your chest will be a public spectacle. Couldn't you get into trouble at work?"
"You're right Rick - we'd be a public spectacle. We. In public. Everyone would know. Why wouldn't I want that?"
She turned then to, faced the stairs, speaking over her shoulder, "You coming Rick?"
The normal things were said, Castle flashed his charming smile, holding the book up for the camera, then introduced Kate, "This is, as you all know, the inspiration for Nikki Heat; Detective Katherine Beckett of the NYPD." There were the expected camera flashes after that.
Rick then leaned in, to whisper in her ear, "Last chance to back out Kate."
Feeling a little dazed already, she hissed back, "Just do it already!"
With an overly extravagant flourish, Richard Castle, showman author, pulled a sharpie out of his jacket pocket to an exaggerate gasp form those in attendance. With yet another flourish, placed his hand on her lower back, and then signed his name across the top of Kate's cleavage, the pen leaving a tingling wake behind it that was not entirely related to the ink drying. He was taking his time about it too she realized; leaving lots of opportunity for the photographers to capture the whole moment.
After the signing moment was over, Kate felt like she must have been beet red all over, her face absolutely glowing. In for a penny, in for a pound she thought, and made another decision. She reached up her hand to grab Rick firmly be the back of the neck and pulled his face towards hers, if she'd thought the camera flashes were rapid before, they were machine gun like now as she pressed lips to his in a firm kiss. She pulled back slowly, holding his bottom lip between her teeth for a little longer than strictly necessary, and pulled her own lips simultaneous into a wide grin.
Finally releasing his lip, if not her hold on his neck, she could see that he was grinning too now, and she whispered to him, "Rick, that really meant something to me!"