A Leprechaun's Tale
An AU story set after the series. What happens when a Leprechaun stops by the loft to demand his pot of gold back? The one that Richard Rogers stole many years ago.
A/N: Someone in comments mentioned something about my having until St. Patrick's Day to post something. So I inferred that they meant a St. Patrick's Day story. Once again I hope I'm the first to do such a story.
All standard disclaimers apply
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Kate Beckett-Castle was making her morning coffee rather than her loving husband doing it. This was one of those days that Castle hadn't been woken when she got up. He'd spent extra hours into the early morning working on his latest manuscript. He was three chapters behind and Gina was on the warpath. So Kate was careful not to wake him when she got up to get ready for work.
The NYPD Captain decided she would indulge herself with a piece of toast along with her coffee. Hardly the breakfast of champions, but definitely the breakfast of convenience.
She was just finishing up her elaborate breakfast and her second cup of coffee when there was a knocking on their door. Kate checked the time and frowned as she moved toward the door.
She glanced through the peep hole but didn't see anyone. She unlatched the chain and opened the door part way.
She was surprised by what, or who was standing there in the hallway facing the door with a smile on its face.
"Good mornin' to ye, madam. My name is Finnegan O'Reilly" He doffed his green derby hat to her. "I would very much love to have me some words with a Mr. Richard Rogers. My investigations have led me to this fine establishment." He gave Kate a big smile. "Is he in?"
Kate stood there, speechless. She knew she was awake because she could still taste the coffee in her mouth, but her eyes told her something else. Standing in front of her was a short individual not more than three feet tall. He had a chunky build and was decked out all in green except for the black belt with a large golden buckle at his waist. His jacket was Kelly green, his shirt was Kelly green, and his pants were Kelly green. Even his shoes were Kelly green
Kate had to bite her lips to keep from laughing. Granted, it was St. Patrick's Day, but the fellow was taking the charade to the extreme. She didn't believe in Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, or things that go bump in the night. So she wasn't about to believe that she had a Leprechaun standing outside the loft's door.
"May I inquire as to the purpose of this visit might be? Mr. Castle," She emphasized the name. "Is still sleeping. He had a long night writing and needs his rest."
The Irish elf frowned as he nodded. "Ach, that itself is part of what I wish to discuss with the Master of the Manor. You see milady, your…"
"Husband." Kate quickly provided.
"Quite right, your husband entered into a contract, as it were, with me and he cheated me. So I'm here to claim that which he owes me."
"What's all the racket out here? I'm trying to get some sleep here." Castle stumbled out of the bedroom, a rumpled robe carelessly wrapped around his body. "Kate? Who's at the door?"
Kate arched a brow as she stepped away pulling the door open as she did. "You have a guest."
Castle's eyes goggled when he saw the diminutive fellow who stepped through the door.
"Finnegan?" Rick came closer. "Finnegan O'Reilly?"
The little man nodded. "Aye, tis I."
"Finnegan, you old scoundrel! How the heck have you been?" Castle rushed over and bent down to give the leprechaun a hug.
Finnegan stepped back, out of Rick's embrace. "Not all that well, if you must know. I've spent a long time tracking you down Richard. You didn't use the name Castle when we met."
Castle looked puzzled. "Track me down? Why would you need to track me down?"
Kate stepped up and got his attention by putting her hand on his arm. "He's says you cheated him on a 'contract'?"
Castle shook his head vigorously. "Oh no, I found you fair and square."
Finnegan nodded. "Aye, I acknowledge that ye did find me fair and square."
Castle nodded just as vigorously. "And I know my legends very well. If I managed to find a Leprechaun on St. Patrick's Day I could ask a wish that would be granted and be given the location of his horde of gold."
The annoyed Leprechaun just shook his head. "That's not exactly right boyo." Finnegan paced the living room in a small circle. What else could it be? "The legend is you would be granted a wish "or" be given to location of me horde. I only showed where I kept it because I thought we'd become friends and I was proud of my hiding place."
Finnegan glared at Rick. "Imagine my surprise when I next came to check on me horde and found it missing."
Rick fell back onto the couch. "I came back the next day with a rental car and took it home with me." He frowned at the little man. "That was twenty five year ago. Why did you wait so long to come after me?"
"Because I only noticed that it was gone a few years ago. It's not like we check on our hordes every day. That's why we hide it. But once I found it gone I knew it had to be you, but by then you had changed your name and it took some deeper investigation to find out that Richard Castle was Richard Rogers, and even more to find where you lived."
Kate turned to Finnegan. "What was his wish?"
The leprechaun gave a fierce look. "He claimed to be a struggling writer and wanted to become a successful, bestselling author. I made that happen for him."
Castle let his head drop. "So now you know the truth. I'm a fraud. It wasn't me that has been putting out all those bestsellers, if was magic. I was living off a wish granted by a leprechaun."
Kate grabbed his chin and turned his face toward him. "Really? That's what you believe?"
Castle furrowed his brow. "What do you mean?"
Kate rolled her eyes. "When was this "wish" granted?" Castle told her. "I happen to know that your first book was published before then."
Rick nodded. "Yeah, but it wasn't doing well, I was sure that Black Pawn was going to dump me, but shortly after my encounter with Finnegan the book began to sell. Soon it became a hit. Just shy of bestseller numbers. Black Pawn extended my contract for three more books."
Kate nodded. "So the book that eventually became a near bestseller was the exact same book that you wrote." Rick nodded. "So from where I'm sitting, your talent is what caused the book to be successful, not some mumbo jumbo bullshit spouted from the mouth of a tiny con man."
Finnegan stomped his foot. "Hey now, I'll not be having ye disparage me honor."
Kate laughed out loud. "Honor? I don't really believe in all the stories and fairytale rubbish. But if I'm not mistaken, Leprechauns are considered evil spirits, who delight in mischievous mayhem and trickery. The only thing they value is their gold and they go to great lengths to protect it. But they are bound to the legend if they are caught."
Castle turned to Kate. "So?"
"So, in order to not have to give his horde over to you he pretended to grant you that wish, thinking that you'd go home thinking you'd become a successful writer."
"And he did! He became famous because of me." Finnegan stomped around the room.
Kate shook her head. "No, you had nothing to do with it. The book was already written before you encountered each other. It would succeed or fail on its own. And it succeeded with no help from you."
Castle's eyes got big. "And that means I didn't cheat him by choosing the wish and the horde. He tried to cheat me by claiming I didn't follow the legend. Since the wish was never true I did follow protocol and only wound up choosing the one option."
Castle kissed Kate, then leaned back. "But then why show me the gold horde anyway if he didn't believe I would go after it?"
Kate glanced at the pouting face of the leprechaun. "Because he was arrogant. He wanted you to know that you missed out on everything when your book failed and you had no horde either."
Castle frowned. "He just assumed the book would fail."
Finnegan rolled his eyes and glared at Castle. "Oh fer crissakes laddie, what are the odds of a struggling new author will hit on his first book."
Kate stood up, and pulled Castle up with her. "And there you have it." She walked over and held the door open for the little man.
Finnegan gave both of them angry stares as he walked toward the door. "I still curse the day the almighty granted women brains." He mumbled as he walked out the door.
Kate closed the door behind the grumpy leprechaun, and went back to her husband. "I'm going to call in for today. I think we deserve some time to ourselves… a sort of celebration for besting the little prick."
"I think that's a great idea, Kate." He laughed, then kissed her.
After a few hours of strenuous activity they each rolled over onto their backs. They were silent as they regained their breath. Kate turned toward Castle.
"So, you got your first fortune from a leprechaun, huh? How much did you get?"
Castle put his hands behind his head. "Well, legend claims that a leprechaun's horde is a pot containing a thousand coins. It's always been implied that the coins would be gold. Unfortunately leprechauns aren't all that familiar with metals nor actual coinage."
Castle chuckled. "There were a thousand coins there alright, but only a handful had been gold. Some were silver, but most were ancient coins made out of just about anything from copper to iron. There were even some wooden nickels in there."
Kate laughed. "So not so much a fortune, huh?"
Castle shrugged. "All tolled it came out to be around twelve thousand dollars, much of that came from coin collectors."
Kate turned toward Rick. "Well that's not too bad for a young struggling writer."
Castle sighed. "Yeah, it would have been, but it just didn't feel right to me. So I gave it to a food kitchen down on 98th and Exeter."
Kate rolled over and put her head on his chest. "You know something, Mr. Castle?"
Rick chuckled. "What's that Mrs. Castle?"
"We've been together for years now, but every so often you still manage to surprise me." She grabbed his hand and kissed his palm. "And every time you do, I find I love you more."
She rolled over and began to instigate round three.
FIN
A/N: This is my attempt to be the first to post a story in honor of St. Patrick's Day, and encourage others to write on of their own.
Readers are always Appreciated, Review if you wish.
