Accidental Discovery
by Castlefan6
Authors Note: This is AU; No Jacinda, No Flights, What happens when Rick overhears a conversation between Inspector Hunt and Kate, not intended for his ears.
THEY WILL NOT END UP TOGETHER! Taking Literary License to fill in the blanks.
A/N: THIS IS NOT A CASKETT ENDING: THIS IS NOT A CASKETT ENDING.
I don't own Castle; I use the characters for amusement purposes only, except the ones I create.
From a Prompt from Swordwriter: Kate accepts Hunt's drink proposal and or more at the BEGINNING of the episode The Limey, no Jacinda, so Rick allows her the freedom to work the case without him, once Gates allows Hunt in, he acknowledges that he'll never be accepted, BUT then overhears a statement from Kate that will seal the two going separate ways permanently.
Also, we take liberties with the timeline from Canon and use events to make this a more believable fiction, thanks.
THIS IS NOT A CASKETT ENDING. THIS IS NOT A CASKETT ENDING. THIS IS NOT A CASKETT ENDING. **************************************************************************/
Chapter 5
The Hamptons
Three Weeks Later
Rick had finally convinced his daughter and Gina that he was doing OK, and he was heading to the Hamptons to decompress and relax. It seems he couldn't sleep in the city, there was too much street noise, or if that wasn't keeping him awake, some kook would call his cell phone or the landline asking for an exclusive interview.
He finally tracked down how his number was getting out. A telephone sales representative was taking orders for his number. It started at $500, but after he had changed it three times in the three weeks since the service, the price was now going for $2500.
He discovered it quite by accident when he stopped by the phone store as he was driving to the Hamptons, and asked the clerk to see the manager. He had handled all of the previous transactions, changing his number completely online, but he wanted to be sure that they were aware of the problem and were taking steps to protect his privacy.
"He's at lunch, besides it's me that you want to see if you want that phone number, of course on the DL, for the famous writer." Once again Rick hit the record button on his phone in his front pocket, he had saved Kate's conversation with Hunt in the cloud and on a thumb drive, so he wanted to see where this joker was taking this.
"I guess you pegged me for the reporter who needs a scoop eh," Rick played along, anyway you could see your way clear into revealing those digits I need to talk to that Castle guy." He said,
"Well, that depends, the going rate is $3000, you know I could lose my job if it gets out." He said, Rick still recording,
"Three K? For a freaking phone number, what if he changes it, then I'm out the money that I don't have" Rick countered,
"Well, it takes 3-5 business days to change the number, BUT I'm running a special, if he changes it, I'll give you the new one for just $500, one time only," the young man said, It was all Rick could do to keep from shoving him through the wall, but the manager walked in just then and asked, "Are you being waited on?"
"Are you the manager?" When he received confirmation, he grabbed the young man by the neck and said, "let's go to your office, then we'll talk about how much my lawyers are going to sue you for invasion of privacy"
"Let me introduce myself, my name is Richard Castle," the young man fainted, Rick let him fall to the ground and just played the recording, to the manager. "Have your legal department call my attorney, within 24 hours, and cancel my service, I have two other phones with different carriers that I'm making my primary carrier, AND I'm going public with how private information got sold from your store.
The young man was coming around, and they finally got out that he had made over 42K on his scheme to date, which he would need to repay Rick for his betrayal. Rick had LT, come and arrest him, more to scare the hell out of him than anything else, it worked, he saw the size of the officer and heard the cuffs lock he fainted again.
LT simply shrugged his shoulders, picked him up, and tossed him over his shoulders, as if he were a rag doll, "where do you want me to take him, Rick, folks at the 12th are sorry for your loss, and we sure miss you"
"Thank you, LT, I appreciate that, it's going to be a while, I'm on my way out of town this morning and I just happen to stop by the phone store to find this punk selling my number. Take him to the 54th, and have Gonzales handle the case will you, this is their jurisdiction, just tell him my attorney will be down to file the paperwork." Rick said sadly,
He watched as the huge man effortlessly tossed the young man into the back of the squad car, buckle his seat belt around him, and then enter the squad car and drive off. The manager was full of apologies but Rick handed him his attorney's card, Walter Austin, and just said, "talk to my attorney, I'm done."
He stopped by the competitor's store, met with the manager, explained he had numbers under different names and why, and was pleased when they rolled out the red carpet with the latest phone, watch, and unlimited plans for less than he had been paying. "I will personally guarantee that your number will never be sold, either by the corporation or an individual since we only use the last four digits of your social security along with the last four of the phone number in all our record keeping.
Rick left for the Hamptons with his new phone, and watch, feeling good that he had discovered the pain in the ass root cause for the calls at all hours of the night. He was going to press charges, just to teach the young man a lesson, then drop the charges when, or if he was sure he was truly sorry for what he did. Too many times criminals found remorse then when released went out and committed more serious crimes.
He arrived at his Hampton's Home driveway, and the first thing he did was change the gate code from Beckett's badge number to Meredith's birthday, 100877. If he was going to remember anyone when he came here, it wasn't going to be the Detective from the NYPD who made it clear he wasn't wanted, needed, or appreciated. Once changed he tested the new code, and the gates swung open to allow him to drive up the long winding driveway that secluded the home and beach from the roadway.
He had called ahead to his housekeeping staff who had opened the home, dusted, and stocked up the pantry and refrigerator for at least a month's stay. He walked into his office, glanced around, took out a small box from the closet, and packed away every article connected to the 12th precinct, especially photographs.
There were a few of him and Beckett snapped at the Old Haunt, both smiling, both looking at each other like they were in love, then some pics of them taken at the precinct, again, unplanned, and catching them in moments of deep eye contact. The only one he kept out was one with him and Roy, and one with Roy, Bob, and him, all smiling, something rare for Roy.
He placed one picture on each corner of his now bare desk and then opened the closet to toss the box onto a shelf. He would burn them later, now hiding them was as far as he could go. He replaced the pictures that he removed with pictures of Meredith and Alexis together, and a few of Gina and Meredith laughing at a pool party. He glanced around and thought mission accomplished, purge Beckett from your life, and try to do what you promised Mer, live your life.
He changed into his running clothes and shoes and decided to go for a run on his private beach. Over the years it was here he always came to think, to plan, or to try to mend what hurt, usually his heart, without letting anyone close to him know of his sorrow.
He never wanted Alexis to feel his pain, and after he and Gina had become friends again, he was very careful and guarded around her as well. She was seeing someone steady now and had bought a home just a few blocks away, oceanside, rather than his bay front property. He was happy for her, she seemed very happy with her new man, and that's all he wanted.
Gina had set her boundaries when it came to Alexis and Rick. She had told him, she was going with Rick and Alexis to California, she wouldn't ask, he could take it or leave it. Once she explained the circumstance he had no problem, but a line in the sand had been drawn by her. Don't ever try to come between her daughter, and her friend Rick, or he would lose. He received the message loud and clear.
Meredith had always been honest with him, even when the truth hurt, well other than the sex part of her job. When she told him that she and Gina had talked and they both agreed he needed someone new, someone, different than either of them, but how the hell was he supposed to go about meeting them he thought.
With his popularity as a bestselling writer, he couldn't just join a dating app he saw advertised constantly late at night. He could see it now, so many young attractive ladies swiping left on his picture, if that didn't put your ego in check nothing would.
He was running, lost in his thoughts, when realization set in, he saw he was far past the normal turnaround spot and worse, already on another owner's private beach, something that wasn't acceptable. Everyone tried to refrain from intruding on their neighbor's space unless invited for a party, which there were many, all summer long.
He made a quick U-turn, without looking and ran right into a beautiful lady running with her earbuds in, knocking her to the ground, and sending her hat, sunglasses, and belongings scattering on the beach. At first, he thought it was Bridget Moynahan, the beautiful movie star currently on a TV show about cops and former girlfriend of NFL star, Tom Brady.
"Oh my gosh, I'm sorry, I'm so very sorry, I wasn't looking. Are you hurt?" He asked sincerely, raising his sunglasses to sit atop his head, as he tried to gather her belongings.
"No, no, I'm not hurt, I'm fine," that voice, he knew that voice and it wasn't Bridget, but she was just as beautiful up close, and he was very close.
"Again, I was lost in thoughts, and not paying attention to where I was going, I'm Rick"
"So, it is you Ricky, all these years and we reconnect like this?" she laughed, and then he knew without a doubt who she was, "is it really you Erin, I mean I would know that laugh, I've heard it in my head since, well since that day," he said sadly,
"Yeah, it's me, Rick, I'm back to Erin Boyle again, I guess you read about the messy divorce, Dad had a hand in that but I owe you an explanation." She said, "I'm staying in Uncle Frank's home to regroup, and Nicky is at Summer Camp for a month." She said, "Oh, my God, I guess I left you with little to no explanation, I'm so sorry." She said,
"Well, we dated, hell your Dad threatened to shoot me if we got any closer from what 9th grade to just the start of our senior year. You went to visit your Aunt, and the next thing I knew you broke up with me by a letter and left school" Rick said, sadness still in his voice. "I often wondered what happened to us?"
"I read you married some guy when I was in college, so yeah, I guess you could say I would love to find out what happened? What did I do? I know you knew I loved you, and I thought you loved me too, but maybe I was wrong, I mean"
She kissed him there on the beach, "You weren't wrong Rick, and I do owe you a lot of explaining. Can we go to your house? My Aunt sticks her ears to the walls every time she knows I'm talking to a man; she calls me damaged goods and tells me not to set my expectations too high." She lowered her head,
"Erin you're never going to be damaged goods, and you look so beautiful, I mean what all these years you look better than you did then," he said, as he gently took her hand, "My place is down here, two houses from your uncle's, and I'm completely alone. Alexis took her step-mom to Parris for a month, a gift from her birth mother, long story," Rick said,
"I'm so very sorry, so you're married, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have kissed you, back there, it was just an impulse. I hope your wife understands" as Rick started laughing,
"I'm not married Erin, I've been divorced for 5 years now, Alexis was my daughter from my first wife, who we just laid to rest three weeks ago. She and I divorced before Alexis was one year old, so I'm single and been that way for as I said five years" he noticed her hand tighten and her fingers intertwine with his.
They reached his path to his home, which was over twice as big as her Uncle's, "Oh my God, Rick you live here? Everyone said that this is the house everyone wanted in the neighborhood." She gushed,
"Hey, it's a beautiful house that Alexis and I bought when she was 10, so yeah, I've made some improvements, but basically, it's the same as every other house in our area.
Rick noticed she had worked up a sweat from running and walking back, so as they entered the pool area, he said, "Take your choice Erin, pool, then shower, or just shower. It's completely enclosed and private and there are lady's clothes that will fit you if you don't want to put your suit back on."
He saw the devilish look in her eye, what a beautiful pair of eyes, he was lost but knew what was coming as she pushed him into the pool and then jumped in after. A water fight ensued as if the two had rolled the clock back some 20 years to their youth, and finally, she gave up when he dunked her for the third time.
He got a little water in his lungs and started to cough, Erin was beside him, and kissing him, "CPR can be fun Rick, but I know I owe you so much background information." Her lips felt so soft and gentle against his, memories of days gone by came flooding into his mind.
"I do love your form of CPR, Erin, but I do need to know what happened, I can't get hurt like that again. They all told me it was just puppy love, that I would get over it, but I didn't, I never got over you." Rick said softly, as tears dropped from Erin's eyes.
"Hey, hey, none of that, let's talk then I'll fire up the grill and make your steak you love, or at least you used to, then we can just catch up. No pressure, just tell me what you're comfortable with. Shall we go to the veranda, and get out of the sun before you burn, or don't tell me that changed?"
"Is there nothing that you don't remember about our time?" She smiled, obviously pleased,
"Not much, just the goodbye, I still have your letter somewhere. I read it every day for almost a year until my friends drug me out to a party, and I met a girl that I was comfortable being myself around.
He dabbed another tear from her eye, helped her out of the pool and they showered the pool chemicals off and sat on the comfortable beach chairs, hell they were top-of-the-line furniture that conformed to her body.
"Can I get you something to drink, I'm going to have a cold beer" he said,
"A beer would be great Rick," she said, trying to keep her courage to admit her shameful past, and silently praying that he still had that same soft and forgiving heart.
He returned in a moment with a bucket of ice, her brand of beer, and two cold bottles of water.
"Not sure how many beers conversation this is going to be but didn't want you to feel like I was trying to take advantage of you, " He smiled shyly,
"You never change, STILL, always worried about the other person, and how they would feel, thanks Rick," she said softly, as she took a long drink from her beer.
"First, please let me talk, let me get through this, or I never will if you stop or console me, OK?" She asked,
Rick nodded his head and sat back in his chair, sipping on his beer, eyes locked on her.
"Well, God help me get through this, well, you're right Rick, I love you, I have since the first day in 9th grade when you picked up my books when that asshole Larry Fitzgerald knocked them out of my hand. I still remember you told him you would rearrange his face if he ever came near me again. That's when I fell in love with you, someone who would love and protect me, just for me.
"I remember every date, starting with the one that my Dad took you into his office and scared the hell out of you, we were going to a birthday party, where there were as many adults as there were kids for God's sake. That was and still is Dad. It was, Mary Coens' birthday, I think, she was turning the big 14." She laughed, as Rick just laughed softly, she did remember it perfectly, he just gently shook his head.
"I remember how we progressed from chaperoned dates to the first time you borrowed a car, and we went to Pearl Road Drive-In theater, I know what movie played, but I couldn't tell you one line from it, I bet you can't either. That was a night, I will never forget Rick. You could have had what any other guy would have taken but you stopped, and I remember what you said to me,
"You said, you weren't stopping because you didn't want me, or you didn't love me, but because you did, you loved me so much you didn't want to cheapen our first time to remember it in the backseat of a borrowed car, that I deserved more.
"At first, I thought you were lying then I heard other girls recount how they had been taken advantage of, they thought they were in love, but all the guy wanted was in her pants. No one would believe me if I told them about it, worse than that, they would want to steal you from me.
"I know there's a lot more, but I owe you answers, so let me get there, I know it's killing you, it is me as well." She reached for the water, but couldn't get the top off, Rick silently stepped forward, opened the other bottle, sat it in front of her, and took the obstinate one from her hands.
"I remember our junior prom, I don't know how you afforded all of it, I never asked, but the tuxedo, limo, the corsage, and the gift do you remember what it was Rick?" she asked, looking at him for an answer,
"Of course, I remember, it was a necklace with a locket that played a song, a special song to us at the time." He said softly,
She pulled that same necklace from under her jogging top, protected in a plastic sleeve, removed the sleeve, and opened it, as Rick's eyes went wide as if he had seen a ghost. The sweet sounds began to fill the air of a song that made her cry, he was barely holding his own emotions in as he listened to Juice Newton's voice,
THE SWEETEST THING I'VE EVER KNOWN
When I see you in the morning
That old sleep still in your eyes
I remember all the laughter
And the tears we shared last night
And as we lie here, just two shadows
In the light before the dawn
The sweetest thing I've ever known
Is loving you
And I have never been afraid of losing
And I have never wanted love to be a chain
I only know that when I'm with you
You're my sunshine, you're my rain
The sweetest thing I've ever known
Is loving you
Now, you and I, we're not children
We have both been loved before
We have given and we have taken
Many rides on troubled shores
And all the heartaches and temptations
Only make me love you more
The sweetest thing I've ever known
Is loving you
And I have never been afraid of losing
And I have never wanted love to be a chain
I only know that when I'm with you
You're my sunshine, you're my rain
The sweetest thing I've ever known
Is loving you
The sweetest thing I've ever known
Is loving you
"Erin, that song was ours, after we made love for the first time, I knew I never wanted anyone but you, and I thought you felt the same, I can't believe you still have it, after all these years," Rick said,
"Being honest, (Rick reached over and gently dabbed her tears) this isn't the original one, that is at home in my forever drawer. I had 6 duplicates custom-made so I could have it near me, I've gone through some pretty bleak times Rick, nothing that wasn't my fault."
He pulled her into his lap and just held her, "Do you have to be anywhere because I don't, you don't have to do this all at one time." She kissed him, then completely broke down in tears as he held her. He was the same Rick, the same man who would die for those he loved, and now she had to break his heart with the next part of her explanation. She was thankful he gave her a reprieve, it felt so good to be held in his arms again. She was hoping he would still feel the same after she had told him everything.
TBC