Author's Notes: Thank you for all the wonderful comments on the previous chapter and apologies, as always, for the delay.
I wrote this after the bulk of the next two chapters because I thought I needed it but after a week-long holiday I found it difficult to get back into the zone so I'm hoping I've made it work at least a little. Otherwise you are looking at this emperor's new clothes.
All thanks to the creators, cast and crew of Castle, especially Stana and Nathan who have made those characters sing like angels.
I don't own Castle. I'm just obsessed with it.
(UPDATE: Eep! No wonder some people were confused. I had two Kate lines in succession in the second section. I've added the line "True." after Kate says "It's morning somewhere." Sorry about that.)
Chapter 11: Eating Alone
His cell-phone rang and his smile brightened his face as he saw the name brought up by Caller ID. "Good morning, Detective." Then he remembered and corrected quickly. "Kate. Detective Kate."
"Good morning, Writer Rick." Her voice sounded a little softer than usual for this time of the morning.
"I'm glad you called, Kate."
"Why? What's up?"
"Nothing. I'm just glad you called."
He grinned as her gently mocking tone failed to conceal the smile in her voice. "That's so sweet."
"I'm a sweet man."
"I thought you were salty."
"I am Legion. I contain multitudes."
Murmuring. "You certainly do."
"That's why you like me."
"Who said I liked you?"
"You don't like me?"
"I never said that."
"I like you."
"You better."
He leant back in his chair, eyes roaming to the photo he had placed in constant sight of his desk. "Did you sleep well?"
"Mmmm."
"Did you dream?"
"I don't remember."
"Neither do I."
"They mustn't have been important."
"Completely forgettable."
His eyes wandered the photo, remembering when he had taken it, glad she had let him keep it.
"I had a really good night last night, Rick."
"Me, too."
"We should do it again."
"I'd really like that."
"Alternate between your place and mine?"
"Sounds like a plan."
He tore his gaze from the photo, imagined her sitting at her desk, wondering what she was wearing today. He hoped that wasn't creepy.
"What did you have for breakfast?" she asked.
"Bacon and eggs."
"I had a bearclaw."
"The bears will be coming to get you."
"I have a gun."
"They have bazookas."
"I thought you said they had hooks."
"They upgraded."
Giggling. "You're making that up."
He loved her giggle. He was so glad she had given him a chance to hear it.
"I hope I didn't wake you," she said.
"I've been up for hours."
"It's only seven-thirty."
"I've been up since the crack of dawn."
"Why?"
"I've been busy."
He heard her take a deep breath. "Rick, if it's too much hassle—"
Firmly. "It's not."
"You can leave the chapter as is."
Gently. "I won't."
"I trust you."
"Gina said it was a lousy chapter anyway."
"What does she know?"
He smiled at her aggrieved tone. "So what can you do for me, Kate?"
He heard her give a theatrical sigh. "I'm in trouble."
"Is it serious?"
"Lanie's going to kill me."
"Nothing to worry about."
"My death is nothing to worry about?"
"You have a gun. She has a scalpel."
"She could be a ninja."
"I promised I'd send flowers."
"Can you call your guys?"
He smiled as he imagined the look on her face that matched her tone.
"She wasn't happy?"
"Very unhappy."
"She'll come around."
"You don't know Lanie."
"Yes, I do. She's your best friend. Cuts bodies up for a living."
"I owe her a dinner."
"And you want me to cook it for you?"
He imagined her biting her lip as she spoke, her eyes crinkling. "I want to keep her as my friend."
He smiled and adopted a tone of mock indignance. "I am an excellent cook, Detective Kate."
Her voice lowered and the warmth in it increased his longing to see her. "I know. You've cooked enough meals for me."
"Do you really not cook?"
"Does reading the side of the packet count?"
"Close enough."
"I tried booking Mario's but can't get in for three months."
"It's Mario's. Worth waiting three months."
"She's waited four months already."
Gently mocking. "You're a lousy friend."
Sighing. "I know."
His eyes flashed in annoyance with himself and he sat forward, changing his tone. "Kate, you're really not. This-"
"It's okay, Rick. You weren't a jerk."
He paused a moment before he spoke again, still silently berating himself. "Do you want me to give him a call?"
"No, I need to organize it myself."
"I understand."
"But thank you."
"Then how can I help?"
"You've taken—" Slight pause. "—people—" Moving past it. "—out to lots of restaurants in the city."
He spoke slowly as the regret of years of appearances on page 6 washed through him. "I have."
"You must know many places I don't."
"Probably."
"Where's somewhere good I can take her?"
"When do you want it for?"
"Sometime next week."
"I'll come up with a list. Give it to you tomorrow night."
"Thank you."
He heard noises in the background.
"I have to go," she said.
"I'm in no hurry."
"The boys just caught a call."
Her cell-phone sounded the arrival of a text message and she smiled as she saw the sender ID. You busy?
She texted back. Five minutes
Exactly five minutes later her cell phone rang and she smiled as she answered it without bothering to look at the Caller ID. "Good morning again."
"It's afternoon. Just."
"It's morning somewhere."
"True."
"What's up?"
"Nothing."
"So why are you calling?"
"I told you I'd call you around lunchtime."
She failed to hold back another smile. "But we just spoke this morning."
"That was supposed to be in place of this call?"
"Not necessarily."
"So we can only talk once a day?"
"Not necessarily."
"Do you mind that I called?"
"Not necessarily."
She was more than glad he called.
"Did I interrupt you?"
"Just getting lunch on the way back to the precinct."
"What are you getting?"
"I think a falafel."
"You're making me hungry."
"Get something to eat."
"Might pop downstairs and grab a falafel."
"Good choice."
She liked the idea they would be eating the same thing even if they weren't together.
"I finished the chapter."
"What is she now?"
"A nun."
"Quite a career change."
"Not a real nun."
"She wasn't a real dominatrix."
"Rook didn't know that."
"What type of chapter did you write, Castle?"
"He wasn't a client."
"Then why didn't he know?"
"You'll have to read it."
"Not sure I want to anymore."
"When you read the replacement, you will definitely want to read the original."
"We'll see."
She hoped her face wasn't reflecting the thoughts she was having about a dominating Nikki and an unknowing Rook.
"What's the case about?"
"It's an interesting one."
"Really?"
"And a weird one."
"You have me intrigued."
"A woman's body was found in a hotel bathtub full of motor oil."
"That is intriguing."
"Have you got any theories?"
"She was hoping for a nice relaxing lube job but drowsiness overtook her and she drowned."
"Lanie says there was a slight contusion on the back of her head."
"She arranged a secret midnight appointment for a lube job from a gentleman for sale who was very upset when she refused to pay for his - ahem - failure to provide adequate service."
"You're very focussed on lube jobs."
He was silent.
She tried to conceal her grin from the passers-by. "You're biting your tongue, aren't you?"
"Uh-huh."
"You need to get someone to do that for you."
"Are you offering?" Yes.
"Are you asking?" Yes.
"You're in a good mood today, Kate."
"I know."
A beat. "You ready for tomorrow night?"
"Who's going to be there?"
"Judge Markoway. Bob. And I invited Roy."
"Really?"
"I hope you don't mind."
"Why should I mind?"
"Thought you might not want to humiliate your boss in front of others."
"You think I'll beat him?"
"I think you'll beat me."
"Wow, your ego isn't as big as I thought it was." She smiled and bit her lip and waited. "You still there?"
"I think my tongue's bleeding."
"You should stop biting it."
"You're a cruel woman, Detective." A beat, quickly. "Kate. Detective Kate."
She decided to show compassion for him. "Do you want a different word, Rick?"
"Yes, please."
"What word would you like?"
A beat. "'Sweetheart'."
Mixed emotions flooded through her as she curled into the phone, lowered her voice and hissed. "You want to call me 'sweetheart'?"
"I'd do it like Bogie."
Still hissing. "You are not calling me 'sweetheart' in public."
"Can I call you 'sweetheart' in private?"
She couldn't stop the grin spreading across her face. "No."
"So what word can I use?"
"I'll think of something."
"I'll make up a list. Give it to you tomorrow night."
She blushed as her stomach gave a growl loud enough she was certain he must have heard.
"I better go. My stomach's attacking me."
"Use your gun."
"I ran out of bullets."
"And it's still attacking?"
"I have a strong stomach."
"Much stronger than mine."
"The Samson case proved that."
The memory returned with a vengeance. "I think I'll skip lunch."
"Did you get it out of your shoes?"
"I bought new shoes."
"I better go. I'm outside the shop."
"Talk to you later?"
"I'll call before you go."
His cell-phone rang and he stopped struggling with the tie as he smiled at the name brought up by Caller ID. "Good evening, Detective."
There was only a touch of exasperation in her voice. "Why do you insist on calling me just 'Detective'?"
"Because it reminds me of the first time I saw you and that's a good thing to remember."
"Oh."
"I also call you 'Kate', Kate."
"You do."
"I'll stop if you want me to."
"Stop calling me 'Kate'?"
"Stop calling you 'Detective'."
"It's okay now that I know why."
He looked into the mirror and renewed the struggle with the tie.
"You can call me 'Writer'."
"I already do."
"I also call you 'Ms Beckett'."
"I don't like that one very much."
"Why not?"
"Makes me sound like a teacher."
"A really—"
Smile in her voice. "Don't be a jerk, Castle."
Bogie impersonation. "Sorry, 'sweetheart'."
Soft. Hissing. "Don't call me 'sweetheart'."
"We're not in public."
"I am."
"Did you put me on speaker?"
"No."
"Then no-one can hear me."
"You can call me 'sweetheart' when we're dating."
His breath stopped for a moment. "Don't you mean 'if'?"
Airily. "I know what I mean."
He kept his voice as neutral as he could. "Don't make promises you have no intention of keeping, Kate."
She was silent for a moment. "So are you ready yet, Writer?"
He rolled his eyes. "Did Mother or Alexis call you?"
"No."
"I'm getting ready."
He tore the tie from his neck and decided to start again.
"You don't want to be late."
"I'm not going to be late."
Alexis frowned at him as she popped her head into the room. "Dad, we're going to be late."
"Is your grandmother ready?
"Nearly." Alexis dragged her head out of the room and he heard her hurrying away.
He called after her. "We're not going to be late."
"Tell Alexis 'congratulations' for me."
"She's gone. I'll tell her when I finish getting ready."
"You better hurry. You'll be late."
"Well, if this damn tie would co-operate I'd be ready by now."
"You're trying to tie a tie one-handed?"
"My other hand's busy."
She was silent.
He stopped the struggle with the tie and smirked. "You let that one go, didn't you?"
Soft smile in her voice. "I thought I better."
"Can't think of a line?"
"Not the time for a line."
"I think I've been a bad influence on you."
Softly. "I think you've been a good influence."
"Did you have to bite your tongue?"
"No."
"Good. It isn't much fun."
"That's why I don't bite it."
A beat. "You're doing this deliberately, aren't you?"
There was silence on the other end of the line until eventually she said softly, "You must be so proud of her, Rick."
"I am."
"She's going to be so embarrassed by you."
"She will be."
"I doubt that."
"She doesn't know what I'm going to say."
"You have prepared the speech, haven't you?"
"Yes, but I'm not going to show her."
"She'll have checked your computer."
"I wrote it long-hand."
Alexis' voice came from the other room. "Dad, I don't want to be late."
"I better go. Let you get ready." She sounded as regretful as he felt.
"What's for dinner?"
"I don't know. You're the one going."
He wished he could have invited her. "I meant for you."
"Probably cook something simple."
"Any ideas?"
"Something where the side of the packet says six minutes."
He shook his head, softly smiling. "You need to eat better, Kate."
"I have been lately, thanks to you."
"Cook proper meals for yourself."
"It's no fun cooking for one."
"Is that an invitation to cook for me?"
"Do you want it to be?"
No hesitation. "Yes."
"Then it's an invitation."
"I accept."
"Just don't expect anything too special."
"Anything you cook for me, Kate, will be one of the most special meals of my life."
Her voice was the softest he had heard it all day. "Martha's right. You really can get sentimental."
"Sorry."
"I think it's sweet."
"I'm glad you called, Kate."
"You better go. You're going to be late."
"Dad, will you hurry, you're making us late."
"Richard Castle, will you get a move on, we can't afford to be late."
She sat on her couch, music softly playing, wine glass nearby. She picked up her phone, typed a quick message – Has she received it yet? – and pressed Send.
Five minutes and a top-up of her wine glass later she heard the sound of a reply. Yes. She looked so proud. Got a standing ovation
Just you standing, right
Yes
Amazing achievement. You both should be proud
Alexis did the hard work
So did you
Wasn't work. Labour of love
Did you take photos
I'll send you the best one
A few moments later her phone chimed again and she looked at the photo of Alexis standing on stage, looking directly into the camera, proudly but shyly smiling, holding up her award.
She looks glorious, Rick
Other ones didn't come out so well. Too many tears in my eyes
Give her a hug from me
Will do
Have you eaten yet
I think I'd have preferred to eat your packet
Should I let that one go
Probably should
Have you given your speech yet
Soon
Wish I could hear it
I'll call you, put my phone on the podium
Thank you
I warn you, it's long
That's what they all say
I cannot believe you went there
I'll start biting my tongue
I told you I've been a bad influence on you
I told you I think you're a good influence
Her cell-phone rang and she smiled as she quickly answered it, resting her head against her pillow. "I was hoping you'd call."
"Wasn't sure if you'd be asleep."
"Not yet."
"Just letting you know I survived the adulation."
"It was a good speech."
"It had its moments."
"Was Alexis embarrassed?"
"I'm afraid to go to sleep tonight."
"Do you want me to come over and protect you?"
"I'll lock the door."
"That section where you talked about friendship."
"Yes?"
"I really liked that."
"I was thinking about you when I wrote it."
"So I've inspired more than just Nikki?"
"You've done a lot more for me than just inspire Nikki."
"You've done a lot for me, too, Rick."
"It's almost as if we're good for each other."
"Maybe we are."
"So how was your dinner?"
"Should have eaten the packet."
"Mine was no better."
"I hope mine will be better."
"So what are you going to cook for me?"
"What would you like?"
"I'd like you to surprise me."
"I hope it's a good one."
"Can't be worse than some of the things Mother came up with."
"That could be the surprise."
"I have faith in you, Kate."
"Your funeral."
"Will you send flowers?"
"A hundred yellow daffodils, a hundred pink carnations and a single larkspur."
"What do they mean?"
"Google it." She heard him moving. "Not now, Rick."
"Why not?"
She failed to stifle a yawn. "I need you to keep me awake."
"How can I do that?"
"Just talk to me."
"What about?"
"Anything."
"Everytime you laugh you burn up roughly three and a half calories."
"So you are good for me."
"You have been in a really good mood all day, Kate."
"You don't like it?"
"No, I like it. I really like it. I've just… I've never heard you like this before."
She paused, bit her lip and and wasn't too tired to smile. "You've never been around when I get in a mood like this."
"I've been missing out."
She was about to speak but another yawn stopped her. "Sorry."
"I should let you go."
"I'm alright."
"You're working tomorrow."
She wasn't ready to let his voice go.
"What are your plans?"
"Taking Mother and Alexis shopping."
"What's the occasion?"
"Just buying them gifts."
"Because of the award?"
"Just for being them."
Even to her own ears her voice sounded less than a murmur. "You really are a sweet man, Rick."
"You sound like you're fading."
"You really did forget the real you, didn't you?"
"Never with them."
"I'm glad you're remembering with me."
"I'm glad you've given me a reason to."
She yawned again, began losing the battle with her eyelids.
"I'll go," she heard him say.
"You don't have to."
"I do."
"M'kay."
"Good night, Kate."
"See you tomorrow night."
"I can't wait."
"Neither can I."
Thanks for calling, Rick
Thanks for answering, Kate
Always
Author's Notes: I tried to capture the mood that was so vivid when this chapter was still in my head.
This time, I think my reach may have exceeded my grasp.
Please let me know if it's just repetitive or redundant or boring.