A Box Full of Memories

by Castlefan6

Authors Note: AU Story for Rick and Jordan Shaw by request, prior to meeting Kate. This is TOTALLY AU, PRE-SERIES, with some fragments from Canon used, picks up where Rick has been dumped by Kyra and finds love with Jordan. THIS IS NOT CASKETT, THIS IS NOT CASKETT, THIS IS NOT CASKETT

I don't own Castle; I use the characters for amusement purposes only, except the ones I create.

Also, we take MANY liberties with the timeline from Canon and use events from other Canon episodes to make this a more believable fiction, thanks.

Chapter 7

Rick's Suite

Portland OR 11:46 PM

/_/

Rick took the glass the older man had pushed his way and took a healthy sip, it burned going down, it was a smooth burn meaning the whiskey wasn't cheap if that made sense. He watched as Jackson took his first sip of the smooth whiskey, he enjoyed the smoothness, meaning it was expensive, although Hunt seemed to be used to the taste and burn, no reaction at all.

"OK, I'm sitting, I'm drinking, so why don't you tell me what the hell you're doing in my room, three nights before I'm supposed to be back in New York, and 4 months from graduation. How the hell did you know about the FBI?" What does Tom Shaw have to do with this? I've been patient, but I'm losing it so start explaining.

"OK, you want to hear the direct story or one that won't hurt your feelings so much?" Hunt asked,

"Fuck you, when did you ever consider my feelings? What I want is the truth, no bullshit, no punches pulled." Rick spat out

"Great verse for a Hallmark Father's Day card Richard, slow your jets down, shut your mouth and listen, lives are at stake here and not just yours. Sometimes I wish I hadn't kept in touch with your mother, the older you got the bigger asshole you became" he spat out, looked out the window, took another sip of his whiskey, and then started to speak.

"First off, what's said in this room, stays here, do you understand?" He looked at Rick like he was the prisoner, not his son,

"Or what, you gonna kill me if I tell state secrets" Rick smarted off, the answer he got chilled him to the bone,

"Yes, slow and painful," Hunt said with a look in his eyes telling Rick he had done so before and he wasn't kidding around.

"I asked you a question, Richard" he replied,

"Yes, I agree, what's said in this room stays here." He finally gave in reluctantly,

"Very well, I'll start with your girlfriend, Jordan Baes, the daughter of the current FBI Director." He said Rick rose from his seat,

"What about her, leave her out of this," he said,

"Sit Down Richard, you don't call the shots, understand? Now, do you want to know or don't you? If you do sit your ass on that chair and don't interrupt me again unless it's for a potty break," he spat out,

Rick looked at his face and this was not the same Jackson Hunt he had encountered when he first walked into his room that night.

"OK, I'm sitting, please continue" Rick finally said.

"How much do you know about Jordan's previous relationship? Do you know who it was with or for how long she had been involved with him?" Hunt asked, not expecting a firm answer,

"No, I don't she just said that she wasn't ready to talk about it yet when she was, we would talk." He replied,

"I take it she knows all about Kyra, hell everyone on campus knows about her, thanks to your asshole buddy Weldon, can't that son of a bitch ever shut up?" Jackson rolled his eyes,

"Yes, to answer your question she knows all about Kyra, and yes Bob, eh Weldon did and does run his mouth too much, especially about gossip that is none of his business.

"How did she find out about Georgette Cowell, the niece of the owner of the publishing company that published your book, and your sex toy for almost three months?" he asked,

"I told her about Georgie, about the tour, about where I was coming from that it was a friend with benefits relationship that I didn't care to renew since she and I were now a couple," Rick replied,

"Did she believe you? I mean that's quite a tale, one minute you're screwing this hot blonde 3 to 4 times a week, she moves, you're going to her area, and you're not going to pick up where you left off? Come on Rick, if situations were reversed would you buy that bullshit?"

"What are you getting at Hunt? She doesn't trust me? Where do you come in this situation, what business of it is yours? How am I impacting National Security?" Rick popped off,

"Let me ask you did she give you anything to remind you of her, something you keep close to you at all times?" He asked as Rick pulled out the chain with the right half side of a heart, she had given him the weekend before he left. She wore the matching piece on the same chain as the charm he had given her.

"I suppose you're going to tell me she's using this to track me, a college student, even though her father is the FBI Director there are limits to things she can do. What the hell are you talking about?"

"Rick, Jordan has been working for the FBI for two years, the majority of what she has told you is true, she's really tried to steer you away from areas where she would have to lie to you. And your necklace, toss it over here for a second," Hunt said,

Rick looked stunned but complied, and as he tossed his necklace, Jackson brought out what looked like a small flashlight, flipped a switch, and started to wand the necklace as the beeps were heard loud and clear. He then took his watch off repeated the same exercise, no sounds. He then stood and extended the length on the tool, and waved the wand over Rick's body, it was silent until it reached his wallet, then his keys.

Hunt held his finger to his mouth, as to indicate silence, then proceeded to program the device, and set it down near Rick, immediately the sounds went away.

"I scrambled their signal Rick; it won't last but it'll give us a few minutes to talk.

Rick looked stunned, shocked, and almost in tears, Hunt noticed. "Rick, she's doing her job, I think along the way she fell in love with you as well, but the mission, it's always the mission."

"Why, why would she care about me, or what I was up to, I mean I understand tracking me with Georgie, but"

"It's not you Rick, it's me, it a connection to me to find out where and what I'm doing. CIA and FBI don't always play nice together and let's just say we make have derailed a few of their well-meaning but misguided investigations as of late. Jordan was assigned to you to see if she could get intel on me."

"Where does Tom Shaw come into all this Jackson? I mean you asked about him specifically"

"Rick, look, I'm sorry, but Jordan and Tom were sweethearts all the way through middle and high school. About a month before you and Kyra broke up, she was meeting a mark in a bar, Tom caught sight of her with another man and in a lie, and they broke up, it was a tough break up for both." Hunt said,

"She knows Tom and I are friends, that's why she said she wasn't ready to talk about it, so where does that leave me? Am I keeping the bed warm for him until they make up? Is that part of this fucking spy game you're playing?" Rick asked now showing his emotion,

"No, she's not in our plans, nor is Tom, BUT, you and your bigmouth buddy are," Hunt said,

"What do you mean, Weldon and I are in your plans? Am I supposed to believe you?" Rick spat out,

"No, someone will be in touch, and Rick, Jordan can't know you know about her assignment. Just look out for another business contact to reach out to you. I know you'll never believe me, so tell your Mother I send my best, like I said Rick, this conversation never happened." And he was out the door, leaving Rick sad, angry, and feeling foolish.

The worst part, he couldn't even confront her, he had to play the role, God Damn it why did his Dad have to turn out to be an agent. Most dads just fuck up their kid's lives during high school; Hunt was making up for the lost time.

He started to trace things Hunt had said through his memories, he thought Tom had said his fiancé's name was Marie, not Jordan. A quick internet search gave him his answer, Jordan Marie Baes, the only child to current FBI Director Martin Baes, and deceased mother Margaret Jordan Baes, nee Bracken. Her mother's obituary listed a brother, William Bracken, District Attorney, New York as her only surviving relative.

She had died as Jordy had said, cancer, and as he began to piece her story together, she had admitted seeing him and Kyra around but where? Kyra's classes were in a totally separate wing and buildings of the campus, where would she have had the opportunity to see them together? Worst yet, she didn't just have a breakup, a wedding was called off, between her and Tom just a month before he and Kyra had parted.

He thought he had seen her before, and racking his memory, he remembered a party, Tom had a little too much to drink, and Jordan, eh, Marie at that time was trying to get him into her car. He recalled the event as he watched the small frame girl struggle to get Tom on his fee, and felt sorry for her. He and Kyra were just going to get a burger and shake, so it wouldn't take long to take Tom back to the dorm.

Rick walked over, hosted Tom over his shoulder, "I'll make sure he gets into his dorm room, once he's there I'm sure all he's going to do is pass out and well, the rest is on him to clean up" he smiled,

She had worn her hair differently then, that's one reason he hadn't recognized her. In addition, she had colored it back to the natural reddish auburn color when he met her later. He only caught a brief look at her, Kyra was on his side, so he knew better than to look too long.

"Thank you so much, it's Rick, isn't it? Rick and you're Kyra if I'm right, you're the class couple" she smiled. He remembered that damn smile that was Jordy, now it was coming back to him.

"Yes, it is, thank you, Rick will be sure he gets home safe, so don't worry" Kyra had reassured her, and so he did. He remembered the night well now, but what the hell was going on. How could she kiss, make love the way she did, part of the job? Either she was an award-winning actress or there was something there. And what the hell was Hunt babbling about, he and Bob figured into their plans? What was that about?

XxX

There was no hope of sleep now, not after the bombshell Jackson had dropped and Rick verified it through memory and some research. Now, what the hell was he going to do? He had toyed around with a character, now he seemed to take on life. He sat in front of his laptop and typed and typed and typed. The end result was the first draft of Derrick Storm, A Storm is Brewing.

He glanced at the synopsis of the story and made some adjustments to what he originally intended.

"When Derrick Storm needed to leave the CIA, he couldn't just retire. He had to fake his own death. So, when his former boss calls in an old favor that will bring Storm out of early retirement and back to Washington to investigate a high-profile kidnapping, he knows there must be more at stake than the life of a Senator's son. Working alongside, but not exactly with, bombshell FBI investigator April Showers, Storm must make sense of a confusing flurry of ransom notes and a complicated web of personal relationships and international politics. He'll get to the bottom of the kidnapping, but the storm is still brewing..."

That should be enough to get the readers interested enough to buy the book, it promised romance, intrigue, mystery, although when he had come up with the characters, he never thought his life would be so intertwined with them in real life.

He was pleased with the first draft, but he knew there was one person's opinion that meant more to him than anyone, Georgie. He needed to meet with her for her to read the manuscript, without a copy leaving his possession. He may be wide-eyed and young, but he wasn't stupid enough to hand over intellectual property without some contract or assurance he would be paid for his work.

It was already 6:00 AM, so he turned the alarm clock off, showered, shaved, and prepared for one of his last west coast signings. He could fake a lot of things, but Georgie, hell Jordy, they were going to see right through him. He had to pull himself together and come up with a cover or diversion of some sort.

The cover for Jordan came easily, Black Pawn was pressuring Georgie to get Rick under contract and to sign him to a three-book deal. He had just received an email from Georgie, with her Uncles email to her blind copied to him below revealing numbers and limits to go to in the negotiations.

He called Jordy, since she was three hours ahead of him, and asked her to read the email he just forwarded to her. He, Black Pawn, Paula, and some lawyers would be in negotiations immediately following the book signing tonight, she wasn't to worry about him if he couldn't call. He still loved and missed her just as much, well that part was true, but what the hell was he going to do about it?

"So, Rick, you'll be locked in a room with a woman you have a history with, another woman that wants you and some lawyers and you want me to remain calm? Is that what I'm hearing?" Jordy said in a strange voice,

"Jordy, it's work, I swear" then he heard her laughing,

"I know it is Rick, and I'm not worried about you or Georgie, just watch Paula, especially if she is drinking" Jordy laughed,

"I have no idea of what is going on, but as you can see, it's a pretty big deal, I mean"

"It's a huge deal and I'm so very proud of you, so go, negotiate, and I'll be here when you can call. Just get some rest Rick, you already sound exhausted," Jordy said,

"Well, I guess I haven't slept too well, you know the anticipation of returning home then this comes up, I thought I could coast until I got home to my love," he said, he never had to pretend, he loved Jordy, no matter what the past was.

The second diversion came out of the blue, once again, Georgie had sent an email to the store owners, Paula, and him to advise that Rick was needed in a mandatory company meeting this afternoon from 12:00 noon until 3:00 PM and that signings must be postponed until tomorrow, offering compensation for the interruption.

Great he thought, he could pull Georgie aside and allow her to read his next work, or at least skim it from his suite, even if Paula was there on a conference call with Black Pawn. Things were falling into place, all but the last statement Hunt had made about him and Weldon, that was still a mystery.

He caught Georgie just coming out of her suite on the way to breakfast and motioned for her to come in. She jumped at the chance at what she thought was going to be a trip down memory lane, but Rick stopped her once inside the door.

"Stop, not that Georgie, as she was already trying to climb him and put her tongue down his throat, I need you to read this quickly, form an opinion before our call, and tell me if it's trash or should I bet the farm on it." He said as he looked into the disappointed eyes of the woman who once rocked his world.

"So, this isn't a get re-acquainted session Rick, it's strictly business?" she asked, hurt in her eyes,

"Georgie, you know me well enough by now to know that we can't go back there, not now, not ever. I'm with someone, and well, I don't play that love the one you're with game, no matter how hot, and how horny you make me. It isn't worth the hurt I know I would cause Jordy, you, and myself.

"You deserve better Georgie, whoever he was, get over him, not just by fucking every young hot guy you can find, but by finding happiness," Rick said, holding her arms gently looking deep into her beautiful eyes.

"She's lucky you know that Rick, she doesn't know how lucky she is. A man that will stay true, even under these circumstances is someone I would love to find, but I'm not worth it" she said tears forming

"Who told you that? It's a lie, you're a beautiful sensuous woman who deserves that and more. Look, I don't know who hurt you but he was a fool. If you really want to make him sorry, find someone to love, not just to screw, once he knows you're gone then his hurt starts" Rick said as he hugged her,

"Do you really think so Rick?" she asked

"I know so, I've been there, both sides," he said quietly, thinking about both Jordy and Kyra, would he ever find the true love that people thought he had found already?

"Thanks, Ricky", as she turned and began to read, out came her patented green felt tip pen, but the marks got fewer and fewer until they stopped,

"This is great Rick, how long have you been sitting on this gem?" she asked,

"I couldn't sleep so I wrote from notes that had been scrambling around in my brain, do you think it's good enough?" Rick asked, almost like a little boy asking permission,

"It's great Rick, this series, and I know you are going to make this character a series is going to cost Uncle Paul three times what he started with. I have some leverage for our meeting, so leave it to me. I'll fill Paula in before the call, so she can play the bad cop in this scenario" Georgie said,

Rick smiled, he looked tired, but something else Georgie noticed, the happiness in his eyes was gone again, something was bothering her friend, she wouldn't push, he knew she was there.

TBC