A/N: Sorry for the delay, but I was sick last weekend and swamped with school work this week. I'm sorry if this chapter is a little OOC, but I'm trying my best. Crossovers are harder than I anticipated them to be. Anyway, enjoy!
Chapter 11
Kate sighed in frustration as she ended the call. No matter what they talked about, it somehow always ended up with them fighting about Castle. Why did he have to bring this up now?
She gently placed her phone on the table and pulled the quilt around her more securely, drawing her knees up to her chest. The sun was just starting to rise, its rays peeking from the drawn curtains and slowly filling the room with light.
She startled when she heard the bed shift, thinking Castle was waking up. Thankfully, he was just turning, still completely knocked out. She studied him for a moment, taking in this new side to him.
She was so used to seeing him perfectly groomed and bubbly, ready to chase after leads or annoy her (sometimes both at the same time). Now, his hair was adorably rumpled, the usual carefully-styled strands falling over his face or sticking up in different directions. He looked younger and more peaceful, even. He snored softly, something she normally hates but found manageable when it came to him.
He was also a cuddler, somehow managing to grab her pillow, holding it close to himself. When she first woke up, he had his arm wrapped around her waist. Normally, she'd panic and probably punch him, but she found it oddly comforting. Which was why she'd carefully gotten out of bed.
As much as she fought with Josh about it, deep down, she knew he was right. She was just too scared to admit it. It's because of it that she's even in a relationship with Josh. She knew it wasn't fair to him, but she wasn't ready to admit her feelings for Castle. Hell, she didn't even know what her feelings for Castle were.
She was pulled from her thoughts when she heard him stir, his eyes fluttering open to reveal his beautiful blue irises. He slowly sat up and stretched with a yawn, still blinking away the remnants of sleep.
"I've gotta hand it to Granny; she makes great food and has comfy beds," he said, his voice still a little raspy. Kate smiled slightly, slowly stretching out her legs. "I would imagine. You were knocked out pretty good. I've never seen you stay quiet and still that long."
"What's got you up so early?" he yawned, glancing at the clock. She shrugged nonchalantly.
"Nothing."
Castle studied her for a moment, the wheels turning in his head and coming up with a conclusion.
"Josh."
Her silence was answer enough. Even though he was slightly happy that Josh was acting jealous because of him, he didn't like seeing Kate upset. So he decided not to press the subject.
"I don't know about you, but I'm starving. What do you say we check on your car and have breakfast before we go?" he asked, changing the subject. She nodded, giving him a grateful smile.
"Half an hour?"
(~)
The frustration was practically radiating off of her as she drove.
"He's doing the best he can, Kate. This is a small town, and your car is an older model."
"I just want to go home already," she sighed, pulling up to Granny's Diner.
"I do too, but we just have to wait a little longer. Maybe we can do some investigating on the town while we're stuck here," he suggested, squeezing her hand. She nodded.
"But first, coffee."
"Coffee," he agreed with a smile.
(~)
"So what happens next in that story of yours?" Beckett asked after they were both nearly finished with their respective meals.
"Why, Detective Beckett, are you actually enjoying a fairytale?" he teased, setting down his mug. She rolled her eyes.
"You started the story. Now, you have to finish it."
He smiled and pulled the book from under his jacket, opening it to where he left off.
"Watch it, Boy!" a merchant scolded, nearly hitting Augustus with his cart. Gus stumbled and fell back into the mud, dirtying his cloak.
He frowned and got up, dusting himself off as best he could and making sure the satchel was still intact. It wasn't as easy as he thought it would be to get a job. He was small for his age, so no one gave a passing glance at him. It's been weeks since the shipwreck, and he was already at the king's castle.
From what little he could gather as he passed through each village, King Uther of Camelot was a harsh but just king, not too fond of strangers but tolerant of them. Gus kept his head down and tucked the seal into one of the satchel's pockets, playing the role of simple peasant boy.
Now, he stood before the gates leading into the city, watching the bustling crowd. Maybe he'll have better luck here or at least get a decent bite of food.
He went to the usual places: the blacksmith, carver, and even the baker. Once again, no one wanted a tiny orphaned boy for an apprentice.
He used his last coins to purchase a loaf of bread. With the last bit of meat he'd managed to hunt in the woods, it'll do for a meal tonight.
Making himself invisible was an easy task. That's why no one bothered him as he ate by the well. No one spared a passing glance or comment towards him, only rushing by to do their work or get ready for the evening meal.
"Are you lost, Boy?"
He startled and looked up mid-bite. Judging by his clothing, the man was a farmer. Not an old man quite yet, but the lines on his face were starting to get more prominent.
"No, Sir," Gus replied after swallowing the bite.
"Well you should head home soon. Your Mama will be worried, and the palace guards will take you if you stay here too long," the farmer said. At Augustus's look, the older man realized the boy might not have a home to go to.
"Farmer, what business do you have here?" a stern voice said behind him.
Augustus looked quite frighten, and the farmer didn't hesitate to say, "I was delivering some grain with my boy, and he wandered off."
"He's your boy?" the guard asked. The farmer nodded.
"I apologize for any inconvenience, Sir."
The guard paused for a moment before saying, "Keep a close eye on him. The king is not too keen on boys running around being a bother."
After the guard left, the farmer turned back to the boy.
"What's your name?"
"Augustus," the young boy said after hesitating.
"Would you like to come and work on my farm? You won't have much luck anywhere else getting an apprenticeship," the farmer offered.
"If I'm not imposing, Sir, but I don't know much about farming," Augustus replied politely but secretly ecstatic to finally have a job.
The farmer smiled and held out his hand, "I'll teach you."
(~)
Henry didn't know whether to feel relieved or confused. He'd opened the vent where he kept the book hidden and found it right where he'd left it.
He stared at the familiar leather book with a frown.
If the book Mr. Castle had wasn't his, then there are more books like it out there. Mr. Castle was most likely an outsider; he didn't seem to know anyone in Storybrooke.
Henry flipped through the book carefully just in case he was wrong. After a few long minutes, he came up empty. If he was a fairytale character, he wasn't in this book.
Maybe the mansion by the lake can offer any clues. They already found out that it belongs to the author of this book. The style of Castle's book was the same, so it's a pretty safe bet that he wrote that one too. Later today, he'll sneak out there to do a little investigating.
"Hey Kid, breakfast is ready!"
He quickly put the book back in its spot before heading out to the kitchen. His mom was already dressed and nursing a coffee with his grandpa while his grandma took care of his uncle. If he didn't think about how weird the curse made everything, it looked like a normal family setting.
Hook was there, too.
Henry wasn't sure how he felt about his relationship with his mom. Hook was a pirate and tried to kill his other grandpa when he first came to Storybrooke. But he made his mom happy and smile ever since his dad died, so he learned to tolerate it. That doesn't mean he wanted to watch them make out or anything.
He cleared his throat and startled his mom. "Morning, Kid," she smiled, pulling him in for a hug before setting a plate of pancakes in front of him with some milk.
"So I heard we have some visitors in Storybrooke…" Emma froze and looked at her son for a moment.
"Yes, Detective Beckett and Mr. Castle are here from New York investigating a case," she replied, pouring herself another cup of coffee.
"They're not in the book, but they still found the town," Henry mentioned.
"I think they're just normal people passing through. Nothing to worry about," Emma replied.
"About the murder right? Kimberly Logan, aka Angela. And her boyfriend Henry Lance, aka Asher is a suspect, right?"
"How do you know about that?" Emma asked, eyeing him suspiciously. Henry shrugged.
"Word travels fast. Anyway, Angela was a messenger at Leopold's palace, and Asher was a stable boy. Anything they were doing for the two of you?"
"Did Mr. Castle talk to you?" Emma asked, wondering where he was getting this information. Henry shook his head, tapping into his acting skills.
"No. I just saw him at the diner and overheard his conversation with Detective Beckett."
"Visitors never bring good news for the town, love. I say we get them out of here as fast as we can," Hook suggested, turning to Emma.
"I'm trying to do what I can, but our mechanic says the part he needs won't come in any faster," she sighed, setting down her coffee mug.
"Were you able to find anything about them?" David asked. Emma turned to the file she managed to get from New York secretly.
"Detective Katherine Beckett, born 11/17/79, badge number 41319. Lives in Manhattan, unmarried, no kids. Recent incident report was a shooting at her precinct where she killed a man named Richard Coonan. Her father is a business lawyer, but her mom was murdered when she was 19. Other than that, nothing really interesting about her," Emma reported, skimming through the file.
"And the other one?" Snow asked.
"Richard Castle, born 4/1/69. Millionaire best-selling author and known playboy. Lives in SoHo at 525 Broome St. with his mother, Martha Rodgers, and daughter, Alexis Castle. Married twice and divorced just as many times. Has been shadowing Detective Beckett in the name of research for the past few years. Multiple arrests for disorderly conduct and resisting arrest, all charges dropped. No recent arrests though…" Emma concluded.
"They don't seem like bad people," Snow shrugged, setting Neil in his high chair.
"So did Tamara and Greg. We still need to keep a close eye on them. I also have the case file about the murder. Maybe if we can give them the leads they need, they won't stay much longer or get too curious. Kid, you can stay here or go see your mom, but don't investigate this. We don't want to tip their hand," Emma said, finally turning to her son.
Before Henry could protest, Emma interrupted him.
"I mean it. No investigating." Henry sighed dejectedly but reluctantly agreed.
"Fine."
He'll sneak off to the mansion after his mom left. He just won't tell his mom (both of them) until he was sure.
