What if Kate had gone to Rick's apartment that evening.
"Well, guess this is it."
"It doesn't have to be. We could go to dinner, debrief each other."
"Why, Castle? So I can be just another one of your conquests?"
"Or I could be one of yours."
"It was nice to meet you, Castle."
"It's too bad. It would've been great."
"You have no idea," she whispers in his ear before turning and leaving.
Rick stared after her retreating back, smiling. He then turned and walked the other way, his mind suddenly alive with ideas for a new story.
He was sat with a drink, his feet up on the desk, and his laptop on his knee, the words were coming to him in a rush and he just had to get them down. He hadn't felt this alive writing in a long time, but something about Detective Beckett had just given him his passion back.
A sudden knock at the door broke his concentration. "Coming," he yelled as he untangled himself from his seating position.
He got to the door and pulled it open saying, "Did you forget your keys again mother?" only for the words to die in his mouth.
"Hi," he said taking in the sight of the woman stood in his doorway.
"Hi," Kate replied slightly shyly.
The two were silent for a moment. "Would you like to come in?" Rick offered, stepping to one side as he spoke.
"Sure," Kate said. She stepped into the loft and took it all in. "Nice place," she said.
"So what can I do for you, Beckett?" Rick asked, shutting the door behind her, "I swear I didn't take anything else from your desk."
"That's not why I'm here," Kate said, her back still to him.
"Ok," Rick said, not really sure where this was going, "Can I offer you a drink or something?"
He saw Kate shake her head, but she still didn't turn towards him. Silence fell over them again. Rick continued to stare at the back of Kate's head, she was the one who had come to see him so he was waiting for her to speak.
"Where are your mother and daughter?" Kate then asked.
"Out," Rick said, "I came home to a note saying they were going to catch a show and then go out for dinner after. It also said not to wait up, which would normally concern me if it was just my mother, but Alexis is a sensible kid so I'm sure she'll keep mother out of trouble, and she has school in the morning so I'm not too worried about them being out too late." He was rambling, and he knew it, but he felt a sudden need to keep the silence from returning.
"Yeah she seemed like a really good kid," Kate said, "And you mother…"
She left it hanging, not really sure how to continue, but then Rick interrupted her.
"And my mother is an eccentric, whose last husband stole all her money which is why she now lives with me."
Kate laughed and then finally turned to face Rick. There was a look on her face that Rick wasn't sure what to make of. He was about to say something when Kate took a step towards him, crowding into his personal space. Rick swallowed hard but didn't move, he really didn't know what was going on here, but he also wanted to see where this was going to go.
"I was thinking," Kate said, her voice low and suggestive, as she looked between Rick's eyes and his lips, "And I don't think I'd mind being another one of your conquests." She was closer now, her breath now mingling with his.
Rick swallowed hard again, debating whether or not this was a good idea before he shrugged to himself and swept down to capture Kate's lips with his own. She stayed still as a statue for a fraction of a second, she hadn't been expecting him to move quite so quickly before she eagerly responded.
They made their way to the bedroom, their lips still locked, before they fell onto the bed together.
Over the next few hours, Rick realised he really had had no idea.
As they lay side by side, panting, and both their bodies glistening with sweat, Kate turned to Rick. "I should go," she said, "Before your family get home. It would be awkward if they found me here."
"Why Kate Beckett, are you kissing and running," Rick teased.
"We did a lot more than kiss," Kate retorted with a smile, trailing her fingers over his naked chest.
Rick smirked and nodded. "That we did."
"But I really do need to go," Kate said, "I have work in the morning." She got to her feet and started to get dressed. "This was fun though," she said, "I'll always be able to brag about my one night stand with a famous person."
Rick gasped in mock outrage. "Did you just use me for my body?" he asked, the smirk still firmly on his face, "Or maybe my fame?"
Kate laughed and as she finished getting dressed she leant in and kissed him. "I'll see you around Castle."
She left, grabbing her shoes on her way, and quietly letting herself out of the loft. Rick watched her go and then smiled to himself. "You certainly will see me around Detective," he muttered to himself. He debated what he should do now, then decided to jump in the shower and then carry on with the writing he'd been doing when Kate had so unexpectedly appeared at his door.
The next morning Kate got up and headed into work. She felt good, there was an extra bounce in her step. One night stands weren't usually her style, but when in Rome and all that, she'd seen a chance and she'd taken it. There was no chance of ever seeing him again, she'd really would have to have the worst luck for him to be involved with a second case of hers.
"Morning," Esposito greeted, "Someones's happy today. Something to do with the writer I wonder?"
Kate ignored him and went to her desk. Just as she sat down Ryan came up to her, "The Captain wants to see you, Beckett."
"Thanks, Ryan," she responded. She put all her stuff down and then headed over to the Captain's office. Knocking on the already open door she poked her head in. "You wanted to see me, sir?"
"I did," Montgomery answered, gesturing for Kate to take a seat, "I just had a call from the Mayor." He paused, judging Kate's mood before continuing. "Apparently, you have a fan."
"A fan, sir?" Kate asked, she wasn't sure where this was going.
"Rick Castle," Montgomery continued, "Seems he's found the main character for his next set of novels, a tough but savvy female detective."
Kate had a horrible feeling about what was about to be said. "I'm flattered?" It was more of a hesitant question than an actual statement of fact.
"Don't be," Montgomery cautioned, "He says he has to do research."
Her heart dropped. "Oh no." Now she was beginning to regret her impetuous actions the night before.
"Oh yes," Montgomery said, a smile on his face.
Kate thought for a second before speaking. "Sir, you can't be serious, he is like a nine-year-old on a sugar rush. He can't take anything seriously." She was reaching for any reason for this not to happen.
"But he did help you solve your case," Montgomery pointed out. Kate just stared at him, she really couldn't believe this was happening. "And it'll make the Mayor happy, and when the Mayor's happy, the commissioner's happy, and do you know whos happy when the commissioner's happy, Beckett?"
"You sir?" Kate guessed.
"Exactly," Montgomery said, still smiling.
Kate sighed. "How long sir?" When he didn't answer she asked again. "How long will he be following me, sir?"
Montgomery looked over her shoulder. "Why don't you ask him yourself, Detective."
Kate slowly turned and saw the writer leaning against the door frame to the Captain's office, a large smile on his face.
Trying not to think of the last time she'd seen that smile, it had been the night before and she really needed a clear head right now and not to start blushing, she glared at him. "A word," she said, getting up and walking past him, heading for the observation room.
Rick followed after her, a smile still on his face. Esposito and Ryan watched as they passed, the pissed off look on Kate's face telling them that asking her anything at this point was going to end badly, and likely with them in a great deal of pain.
"Out," Kate said to the officer who was drinking coffee in the room. He took one look at her face and quickly turned and left.
Kate waited for the door to shut behind him before she rounded on Rick. She was standing close, close enough for Kate to jab Rick hard in the chest. "What the hell," she hissed, "You knew about this last night didn't you."
There was a look in Rick's eye that made her stop for a second. "Not a chance," she said, taking a step back, putting some distance between them. "You are never kissing me again Castle. You know this was going to happen when we slept together last night."
"In my defence," Rick started, licking his lips both nervously and slightly seductively, Kate just glared at him, "There is not a single man in the world who wouldn't jump at the chance of jumping into bed with you at even the slightest invitation."
Kate continued to glare. "I never would have done what I did last night if I'd known I'd be seeing you again," she stated, her voice now slightly louder but still a hiss.
Rick took a step closer to her and she took a step back, determined to keep a gap between them. "Not happening," she said, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Look," Rick said, "I didn't know this was going to happen when you appeared at my door last night." He made to take another step forward but then thought better of it and stayed where he was. "I'd mentioned to the Mayor that I'd had a great time following you and that you'd given me an idea for a new character. Then I sat and started writing, and then you appeared at my door, and there was no way I was going to turn you down." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and Kate's glare cracked into a tiny smile for a fraction of a second before the glare returned. "And I didn't even think about it again until this morning when the Mayor rang and said he'd spoken to the commissioner, who'd spoken to your Captain, and that it had all been set up." He paused for a second, judging from her expression if this was a good idea or not. "When we slept together last night I did also think it was going to be a one-time thing unless of course, I could somehow talk you into a second date, but I wasn't expecting to be working with you today."
Kate continued to glare at him for another few seconds, and Rick shifted uneasily on his feet. Then she sighed. "Fine, let's say I believe you," she said, and then continued before Rick could say anything in response, "Then we need to set some ground rules."
"Ok…" Rick said, "I'm fairly sure the lawyers will go over that with me later."
"Oh not ground rules for working with the police force," Kate said with a smile, "Ground rules for working with me."
"So Beckett rules," Rick said, "Should I be taking notes?"
Kate narrowed her eyes at him. She kept staring at him until Rick looked away sheepishly.
"Rule one," Kate started, "Last night never happened. Neither of us is ever going to mention it again, especially not in front of anyone I work with." She stared at him as she spoke, making sure that he was listening to her. "Rule two," she continued, "What happened last night will never happen again, ever."
Rick opened his mouth to speak but Kate cut across him. "Whatever smary crap you're about to spurt don't, what happened last night, while fun, was a mistake. If we're going to work together we can't sleep together ever again."
"Never say never Detective," Rick said quickly, then he took a step back when Kate growled softly under her breath.
"Never ever going to happen again Castle," she stated firmly.
"Ok," Rick said, "Are there any more rules I should know about?"
"No," Kate snapped, "But don't push your luck Castle, as much as I know this will keep the Captain happy, I also know people and I'm pretty sure I can get you kicked out of the precinct if I try hard enough."
"Whatever you say, detective," Rick said, "I'll behave."
Kate glared at him for another few seconds before she shook her head. "Right then," she said, "Let's do this."
She made to walk past Rick, to go back out into the bullpen, but Rick's hand on her shoulder stopped her in her tracks.
"So you really don't want a repeat of last night detective?" he asked, putting his head close to hers as he spoke, "Because I don't know about you, but I thought it was pretty fantastic."
She swallowed hard, she really should be putting him in a headlock, or something equally as painful, right now, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. A small part of her brain was shouting at her that he was right, last night really had been a lot of fun.
Rick took her silence, and the lack of pain he was currently in, as an invitation to move even closer, now crowding her against the window through to interrogation.
"Screw it," Kate muttered before she caught Rick's lips with her own.
He was shocked for a second before kissing her back eagerly.
Kate pulled away and pushed him away from her. "We can't do this here Castle."
"How about a rule change," Rick suggested, dropping his hands from her waist and giving her some space.
"Ok," she said hesitantly.
"How about we see where this goes," Rick suggested, "We work together and then see if dating works." Kate's eyebrows almost meet as she frowned. "And then if it doesn't work out we say no hard feelings and either go our separate ways, or I keep shadowing you for research, just see where the world takes us."
Kate thought for a moment, thinking back over the night before and the kiss they'd just shared and then shrugged. "Sure Castle," she finally said, "But if we're going to do this I have a few rules."
"Sure," Rick said.
"Nothing at the precinct, as far as anyone here will know there's nothing between us except you shadowing me," Kate stated. She was willing to give this a go, but she really didn't want anyone at work to know about it, she really would never hear the end of it, "And I'm aware you're somewhat famous."
"Somewhat," Rick chocked out, sounding offended.
Kate ignored him. "Please try and keep this out of the press ok. I really don't need my life all over the paper."
"I can work with that," Rick accepted, "In fact, I think I'd rather keep it that way. I sense something special might come of this Kate and I really don't want to ruin it."
Kate didn't know how to take that. "One last thing," she said, her hand on the door, getting ready to leave, "I want to be wined and dined Castle. If we're doing this I want to do this properly, no falling into bed without so much as dinner first."
Rick thought for a minute then stopped the door with his foot as Kate went to open it. "You're on," he said, putting his face close to her's again as he spoke, "I'll wine and dine the pants off of you Detective Beckett."
Kate blushed slightly then cleared her throat. "We need to get back out there Castle," she said, "Before someone comes looking for us."
"Of course," Rick said, "But first things first." He leant in and gave her a soft kiss on the lips. "Would you like to go on a date with me tonight?"
"You think you can arrange something that fast?" Kate asked.
Rick winked and Kate just laughed. "Sure thing Castle," she said, "It's a date." She then pushed his foot out of the way and opened the door, leaving Rick standing, staring after her. She smiled slightly to herself, and then let her detective mask slip into place as Esposito and Ryan smiled back at her.
"Looks like he's staying," she told the both of them as she took a seat, "So you better get used to having him around."
The two shared a look. "Oh this is going to be fun," Esposito said in a quiet voice to Ryan, "She's going to eat him alive."
His voice wasn't as quiet as he thought it was, Kate heard every word he said, and she smiled, just as she'd told Rick the day before, they too had no idea.
