A/N 1: Hi everyone, after years of having unfinished fanfic on my computer I finally decided to publish.
This piece was written several years ago, and I made the decision to polish it up and show it to the world. It's a very good way of avoiding writing my PhD.
It's set during '47 Seconds', and each line break indicates a change in perspective. It goes back and forth between the cafe server, Grace, and Castle.
I don't have a beta (unless you count looking at it 6 years later), so any mistakes are my own.
I do not own any part of Castle. These wonderful characters are all from their creator, Andrew W Marlowe.
Let me know if you enjoy it!
Summary: Instead of talking at the Precinct, Castle takes Beckett to a local café to have an important talk during the Occupy Wall Street bombing case. Cue the romantic and meddling server. Set during 4x19 '47 Seconds'.
Coffee Cup Of Love
I'm just doing my usual shift at the coffee shop. Getting bossed around, serving people who have no manners, dealing with getting no tips whatsoever, the usual. My job consists of going around to the tables and taking food orders from people I don't know. Not fun at all if you ask me.
I'm working my butt off one day when a couple come through the doors that shield the inside of the shop from the freezing cold. At least, I think they are a couple. The man holds the seat out for the woman, takes her coat and lets her settle in her seat before sitting himself down. How could they not be a couple? They look like they are perfect for each other and I've only seen them for about a minute. I haven't even talked to them yet. The man has his back turned towards me so I can't tell who he is, but he looks familiar.
I head towards their table ready to take their order. I'm hoping that they aren't the type of people that are so rude to you that you want to push them off a cliff. No, hopefully they aren't those people.
"Hi, my name's Grace. Can I take your order?" I ask.
"Yes, Thank you," the man replied, "I'll have the apple pie and some of that special coffee I know you make here. Kate? " So, that's what the woman's name is, Kate.
"Yeah, I'll have the coffee too and a chocolate muffin."
"A chocolate muffin Detective? Letting loose a little bit now are we?", the man interjects.
"Shut it, Castle. I can eat what I want."
"I'm not complaining."
So the man's name is Castle. Oh, that's who he is. Richard Castle, bestselling author and billionaire. When he first came in I thought he looked a bit like Jason Bateman, but I had an odd feeling that it wasn't.
"Right," I say, "I'll be right back with your order." I walk away with a smile, leaving them to their conversation and banter.
Now that I've seen them, I'm definite they are together. The way the talk to each other and exchange knowing looks. Yep, definitely married. I take a quick glance at their hands that lie on top of the table for any sign of a wedding or engagement ring. Nothing. Zip. Nada. Zilch. On either of their hands. Well, if they're not married or engaged, then they must be going out. With all the glances that I have seen between them since they came through the door, they must be.
Maybe they just need a little bit of help getting to the next step. I'm going to help that Richard Castle out and lend him a hand in proposing to his girl, Kate. He did say he wanted the special coffee didn't he?
"Castle, why are we here?"
"Am I not allowed to take my favourite detective out for lunch? Beckett, I'm hurt!"
"You're fine Castle. Thank you for taking me out. I needed a break from that heart-wrenching case. "
"I think we both do." I take her hands into mine and caress them gently with my thumbs.
"I was thinking…", I pause.
"Castle. Rick…" She gives me this look that just stops my heart and rips it out of my chest.
I continue, "...Thinking that we can't keep on going like this anymore." She gives me a worried and pained look and I know exactly what she's thinking. She thinks this is about following her around at the precinct. She draws her hands away from me and folds them in her lap.
"All the people involved in this case…, it just pains me that they're gone, and all their chances in life were taken from them in an instant. They'll never get to experience what the've been looking forward to their whole life. Anything could happen at any moment, and all our hopes, dreams, and plans are gone. And I don't want that to happen to me. To us."
She gives me this look. It is full of confusion and possibly frustration yet it is also filled with hope and maybe, just maybe, a hint of love.
She lets out a sigh. "I thought that you were going to talk to me about leaving the precinct. You gave me a bit of a fright there. " Her face lit up with a smile and she retook my hands and held them tighter.
"Why would I leave when every time I go to the precinct I get to see you." Kate blushes a deep shade of pink and I take her in for a moment.
"I can't deny it any longer Kate. I need to tell you and be ready to face the consequences..." She looks intently at my eyes. I'm sure I've made the right decision. I know that this will change us forever. Even if she shoots me, I would be content that she knows and she wasn't unconscious when I told her.
"Kate, I love you. I know it might be a bit much for you to handle right now but I just wanted you to hear it. So I know that you will remember me saying it to you. I love you so much. "
"Castle-"
"I know I might be little-"
"Castle- "
"- upfront about it -
"Rick!"
"Yes Kate?"
"You know what?"
"What?"
"I love you too." I couldn't believe it. Are my ears deceiving me? Did she actually just say that? That she loves me?
She must have because she is giving me this ear to ear smile that she only shows when she is with me.
"Really?"
"Really really." She replies. I start to do my happy dance in my head. I look over to Kate and see her facial expression. She has started laughing at something. I realise she is laughing at me because I'm actually doing my happy dance in the middle of a coffee shop, just after I heard that the woman I love, loves me too.
"Really, Castle?"
"I can't help it!"
"Hey Rick, I have to tell you something too..."
I look at her intently. If she needs to tell me something it must be important.
"... I heard you. When I was shot. I heard you say that you love me. And I know that I should have told you that day on the swings but I couldn't find the guts to tell you, no pun intended, I was afraid that it was all just a dream, or that if it wasn't, it was spur of the moment and that you didn't mean it. I know that you mean it now but I wasn't sure back then. And then there was the problem with Josh. I was with someone. And then there is my wall and I couldn't find the strength..."
"Hey, Kate. I can understand where you are coming from and, yeah, I'm a bit angry, but not as much as what I would be if you didn't tell me and I found out from somebody else. We can work through this together. I know we can. " I squeeze her hand tighter and press her knuckles to my lips, comforting her.
"And Rick..."
"Yeah? "
"I think the last brick of my wall just came down. You broke it all down. Brick by brick."
I had to give Kate and Castle their order otherwise it will be cold by the time I got it to them. I could tell they were having a heart to heart. I watched them (not in a stalker-ish way!) talk to each other and I could tell they were having a deep conversation that should not be interrupted. I'm guessing that Castle has just said that he wants Kate to marry him. That is my guess, I may be wrong but I rarely am. All I have to do is to serve them with their special coffee and my work here will be done.
I took the coffee from the pot and placed it into the mugs that will change their lives forever. I make sure I have everything they ordered before heading out to the table. I know that they're finished with their deep conversation because I can hear Kate laughing. That would be my cue that it is time to serve.
"Hey guys, sorry it took so long." I explain. They don't know that I was watching them to know exactly when to come over. What they don't know won't kill them.
"That's okay, we needed to talk and that was the perfect chance to." replied Castle.
"Hope you got everything sorted out."
Kate spoke this time, "We definitely did."
"Glad to hear that. Enjoy."
"Thank you." Castle and Kate say in unison. Wow. That was creepy. Not bad creepy, just different creepy. I could tell they were meant to be but I didn't know they finished each other's sentences.
I head back towards the counter and ready myself for the onslaught of people with no manners.
My coffee was brewed to perfection. Every sip of the wonderful substance is amazing. Better than anything that I could ever make. Kate seems to be enjoying it too. When she took the first bite of her muffin, a small moan came from her mouth, a sign that she is thoroughly enjoying it.
"Hey, did you want a bite of my muffin? I can't seem to finish it." she asks.
"Yeah, sure, but I'm not going to be used as a walking garbage bin."
She gives me the famous Beckett eye roll and places a piece of the muffin on my plate. I take a bite of the muffin and immediately realise why she let out that moan of approval.
"This is delicious!" I exclaim.
My apple pie is amazing too, so I put some on my fork on offer it to her. Instead of taking the fork, she opened her mouth and just let me feed her. This was not like Kate Beckett. The strong, independent, determined woman that is Detective Katherine Beckett would never let me do something like this, let alone in a public place where everyone can see what we are doing. This is all Kate.
"Thanks Rick."
I just stare at her. She is so beautiful. I cannot believe that someone like me could be with someone like her. She is just so...extraordinary.
I just realised I had been staring at her with this smug smile on my face when she waved her hands in front of me.
"Hello... earth to Rick."
"I'm sorry. What were you saying? And did you just call me Rick?"
"Yeah, multiple times."
I just give her this confused look and she can tell right away what I am thinking.
"Stop it Castle. If we want to get this to work I have to call you by your first name at some point. Why not now? And you've been using my first name more often so... "
"Don't worry Kate, it's fine. I actually quite like it. " She just smiles at me with that dazzling smile. The smile she flashed that time when she came to free mother and I from the bank. The smile was full of love and hope and it wasn't just her mouth, when she smiles, her eyes light up like stars in the night sky. They are completely mesmerising.
"Hey, Castle..."
"Yeah..." She looks tense and shocked.
"Look at this." She shows me her coffee cup.
"What am I looking at?"
"Look at the bottom of the mug."
I peer into the cup, wondering what could get Kate so worked up. Then I saw it. At the bottom of the cup were four words that read 'Will you marry me?'. I looked back to Kate. She had a dumbstruck look on her face, like she was scared about what was going to happen.
"Just so you know, Detective. I had nothing to do with this."
"Is there anything on the bottom of your cup?"
I had to finish the rest of my coffee before I could answer her question. She laughs as I quickly drank the rest of my wonderful brew.
As soon as I finish I check the bottom of the cup. Sure enough, those four words were also resting on the bottom of my mug.
"Ahh...Kate?"
I show her the mug and her face goes into shock.
"I would you know," she turns her head up as I say that, "Marry you."
"What? Rick, I have no idea what we are at the moment because we only just admitted our feelings towards each other. We haven't even kissed yet." I give her a confused look. "Not as a couple anyway."
"You know we could always change that." For that comment I got a Beckett stare that pierced through my eyes. Not literally. That would be bad.
"As much as I like that idea, maybe that can wait until later. And not in that way Castle." That is really creepy that she can tell what I am thinking, although, I do it to her too.
"Castle, I think I know who did this."
"I think I do too. What do you think Kate, is it time to pay the bill?"
"Definitely."
I'm still observing Kate and Castle from the counter. I watched them as they discovered the message at the bottom of their coffee cups. Their faces were priceless. I thought I had actually done something wonderful for this couple, helping them start a life together.
I didn't realise I was staring at them until they looked straight at me and beckoned me over. Great. I'm in trouble now.
I walk over, not knowing what to expect.
Not knowing what to do, I ask, "Are you guys ready to pay?"
"We will in a minute but we would like you to explain this first." explains Castle, while Kate gives me this piercing death stare.
Oh, great, I'm definitely in trouble.
"Well...you see...you two looked like you were together and... I thought that you may need a little help...getting to the next step..." I trail off.
"We appreciate the thought, but we are not together. Well, at least we weren't when we walked in." Castle replied.
"Don't worry, you helped us, just in a different way to what you thought." Kate continued.
I don't say anything in response. I just wanted to do something for a pair of people that I believed should be together. I'm pretty sure everyone they meet thinks that they are perfect for each other, not just me.
"Here you go, that should cover the food, and keep the change." Rick says as he passes me a twenty dollar note, "We'll be sure to come back soon. Don't get up to too much mischief with those cups, ok?"
I just nod in approval, not knowing what to say to the amazing people in front of me. Man, that was embarrassing.
I just stand at their table as Castle helps Kate into her coat and walks with her towards the door. I look down throughout all this, hoping that none of the annoying customers bug me for information on the events that have just occurred. I only look up when I realise that there is someone standing right in front of me.
It was Castle, he had left Kate waiting impatiently at the door. I don't respond, I just look at his ruggedly handsome features.
"I really like those mugs, never thought of proposing that way before. That was brilliant. I'm more of a helicopter or hot air balloon ride guy myself. But that was epic and intimate.
"Next time we come in, I'll be sure to tell you that I want the special coffee and you can serve us in those mugs again, ok?"
"Sure, will do." I give him the biggest smile as he heads out towards the exit again to join Kate outside.
"What was that about?" asks Kate while giving me this curious look.
"You know, just talking...about stuff." queue one of the famous Beckett death stares, I'm getting a lot of these today. "No need to worry Detective, I only belong to you."
"You're such a sap." she replies, pulling herself closer to me.
"You wouldn't want me any other way."
We are extremely close now, with Kate's arms wrapped around my neck and her fingers tangling into my hair. I place my hands on her hip, making sure she's comfortable. I would only have to lean in a few inches until our lips would meet.
Kate looked down at my lips, fully showing the love and want in her eyes. The words were unspoken but I knew what she wanted. I lean in closer, closing the gap, fusing our lips together in a dance that I want to dance forever. One of us lets out a moan, I'm not sure who, and her tongue enters my mouth. I open my mouth wider to accommodate for our duelling tongues while moving my hands further up her shirt, caressing her bare skin.
Kate was the first to break away. "Rick, if we go any further I would have to arrest us for indecent exposure."
"And we should also get back to the precinct." I said in a disappointing tone, I didn't want to stop kissing those beautiful lips of hers.
"We should get back before Esposito and Ryan start to think that we're handcuffed together again."
"Is that such a bad thing?" I say with the most innocent face I can make. Despite this act, Kate goes to poke me in the ribs. I take that as a warning not to joke about the circumstances surrounding that case. "Ok, ok, point taken."
She pulls out of our embrace but still holds onto my hand, pulling me towards the direction of the parked police cruiser. "Let's go, Castle."
I follow her willingly towards the car, onwards towards something more.
One year later...
Kate and I enter the same coffee shop that furthered our relationship a year ago. I hold the door for her as we pass through the the front entrance. We seat ourselves towards the back of the popular Cafe, and wait to be served by the waitress that tried to do a good deed all those months ago.
Then I see her, Grace, heading towards our table, pen and notepad in hand.
"Hello again, what will you two be having today?" She asked, obviously remembering us from last year.
"We'll have some coffee and I'll have the chocolate muffin again, thanks." Answers Kate.
"I'll have the blueberry pie this time. And can you make that the special coffee." I put emphasis on the word 'special' but made sure the Kate isn't clued in to what is about to happen. What am I kidding, she's a detective, she's going to figure it out.
"Sure can. I'll be back soon with your food and special coffee."
I cannot believe this. Richard Castle, is going to propose to his girlfriend. In this very coffee shop. This is going to be the most amazing thing that is going to happen to me all year.
Ever since that little encounter last year I have followed their relationship, as depicted by 'Page 6' and other gossip columns on the internet. I had a part in them coming together, albeit a small one. I'm so proud of them.
Now I get to make an even bigger impact on their lives in the best way possible.