Chapter Five:

The months came and went and soon spring became summer and summer became fall. Lanie and Hayley both tried to get Kate to go out with them clubbing on multiple occasions and every time she refused. They, like Dr Burke tried to prepare her for the idea that she may never see Rick again. Thanksgiving was coming in a couple of weeks and Hayley suggested that they take a weekend getaway to Florida. Lanie had a few friends that lived in Key West and knew they could have fun. Kate immediately turns down the idea stating that it was too close to her wedding anniversary and that it would be just like Rick to show up on that date.

Lanie and Hayley knew there was no point in arguing with her and decided to go anyway without her. Kate ended up spending what would have been their second wedding anniversary evening sitting alone in the loft hoping that Rick would appear. Knowing that Castle was doing the exact same thing in this place a year ago only made the guilt she felt for her actions that much worse. She pulls the necklace she wears everyday out from inside the cocktail dress she was wearing and stares at the symbols of the two people that she has lost. She could only hope that wherever he was he was happy...

X-X-X-X

Lanie and Hayley arrived in Miami the night of what should have been Rick and Kate's second anniversary. The two women decide to stay in the city for the night and drive down to the Keys the next morning. After an early dinner and a few drinks in the hotel bar, both decide to turn in early. The next morning they loaded up their rental and were on their way. Lanie's friends were a married couple that she knew from medical school, Bree and Matt Larsen. They were both Doctors on staff at one of the local medical centers in the city and promised to take the women out to see the sights like a local rather than the tourist traps.

They arrived at their hotel a little after 4:00 pm. Bree and Matt were supposed to pick them up at 7:00 so they decided to unpack, shower and change into appropriate clothes for an evening out.

The two women were waiting in the hotel lobby when their tour guides arrive fifteen minutes late. After introductions and apologies for their tardiness was made, the four piled into the Larsen's Range Rover. They had dinner at one of the restaurants frequented by the locals, but usually ignored by the tourists because of the exterior appearance. The group made small talk and tried to include Hayley in the conversation as much as possible but considering three of the four people there were in the medical profession, most of the topics discussed were in medicine. The meal was excellent, and soon the group was talking about some of the local pubs they could visit after.

Bree announced to the others that she had just found out she was pregnant a few days ago so she would be the designated driver. Soon they were on their way to the first of several local bars that Matt had planned on showing them. The moment they entered the first bar Lanie gasps and has to laugh as she takes in her surroundings. Hayley picks up on it too and is soon smiling herself.

Puzzled by their reaction to the bar, Matt looks at his wife who is just as confused as he is. "Am I missing something ladies?"

Both Lanie and Hayley exchange a knowing look before the ME speaks. "No, it's that this place reminds me of the bar we go to in New York and how much the guy who owns that place would like this..." The decor was reminiscent of that in the Olde Haunt, although the pictures on the walls were more of celebrities that had visited rather than writers. There was one section that did contain a group of pictures of Hemingway, but probably every bar in Key West did if the stories were true. The group found an empty booth and placed their drink orders as Lanie told them about the Olde Haunt.

"You see, this guy I knew wrote his first novel in that bar and ended up working with my best friend at the NYPD on a murder case that involved the owner... After they solved the case, he was afraid that the bar would be sold to that chain T J McChucklenuts, so he went and bought the bar. We meet there for drinks every Friday."

Bree had listened intently to her friends story and is curious as to who this mysterious owner is. "So who is this guy?" She asks.

"Have You heard of Richard Castle?" Lanie asks with a grin.

"You mean the Richard Castle? The creator of Derrick Storm and Nikki Heat?"

"One and the same." Lanie replies as she takes a sip of her drink. "My best friend was the woman that he based Nikki Heat on..."

"No way!" Bree replies in disbelief. "So you knew Richard Castle? Tell me what was he really like? I mean I went to a book signing in Miami a couple of years ago and he seemed really nice..."

Lanie was preparing to share with her friends the inside scoop on Richard Castle when the baritone voice that she'd recognize anywhere pierces the silence, causing her to spit the the mouthful of her drink to be dispensed across the booth. "He was a coward who ran away from his problems... Hello Lanie..."

The ME practically knocks Hayley out of her seat as she rushes to get out of the booth. She leaps into the man's arms as he twirls her around in a hug, as the two doctors sit there in stunned silence. He lowers her back to the floor and she pushes away from him. She holds him at arms length and gives him an appraising once over. "Damn writer boy, you sure look different. I wouldn't have recognized you..."

Rick/Rodger gives her one of his trademark smiles as he inquires. "Is that a good or bad thing?"

She gives him a mock frown and replies. "Too early to tell." She breaks into a smile and says. "Come have a drink with us as I think about it..." She takes his hand in hers an pulls him to the booth where a grinning Hayley and confused couple were still seated. Lanie stops at the front of the booth still holding tightly on Rick/Rodger's hand as if he might try to escape. "Bree, Matt, I'd like you to meet a dear friend of mine... Richard Castle."

The look on the Larsen's face was priceless. They had probably seen Rick several times in this bar during the last year and would have never guessed who he was. Rick extends his hand to each of the pair to shake their hands. "Bree, Matt, it's a pleasure to meet you..." Hayley slid out of the booth and gives him a big hug. "It's good to see you too." Rick whispers to her.

"Come, sit down..." Hayley gestures for Rick to take a seat between her and Lanie in the booth, secretly afraid that he'd try to escape before they could talk. He slides into the booth as Hayley can only shake her head in disbelief. "I've got to give you credit, when you go off the grid, you know how to do it... What are the odds?" Hayley comments out loud to herself as Bree and Matt sit there still puzzled by the interaction between this man and the two women.

Rick/Rodger signals to the waitress to bring another round to everyone at the table. The young woman smiles and replies "sure thing Mr Richards", followed by a flirting wink, which earns laughs from Hayley.

The feisty ME fights back the urge to yell at Rick as the waitress brings their drinks and he gives the young woman a wink and a smile which causes her to blush. 'How dare he!' She thought to herself. 'My best friend has been living like a monk for the last year while you've been having a good time.'

Rick can see the change in Lanie's posture and sees her fists clenching. He'd been around her long enough to know that she was ready to explode and he was in no mood to take a tongue lashing from her, regardless of why. He starts to push against Hayley as he tries to extricate himself from his seat. "Maybe this was a bad idea... I think I'd best be going. It was nice to meet you two. Enjoy your evening..." The words came out hurried as he started thinking about making contact with his sources that could provide him with a new identity. He was so tired of it all...

Lanie grabs his arm, tightly squeezing on his bicep. "Not so fast writer-boy. I haven't seen you in over a year... We have a lot of catching up to do..." The tone of her voice left no room for argument. "You look so different..."

Rick tries to offer a forced smile now wishing that he'd never revealed himself to the ME. He should have known that she'd take Kate's side regardless of what she did. "Different good or different bad?" He asks not really concerned with her response.

"I think you look hot." Hayley replies as she gives his hand a squeeze. Lanie simply scowls while Bree gives him a blushing smile.

Rick decides to delay the inevitable confrontation with Lanie by focusing on the two strangers at the table. "So, Matt, Bree how do you know these two?" He gestures to the women on either side of him. Bree proceeds to tell him how Dr Parish and they were all residents at the same hospital for a few years, and how Lanie was her maid of honor at her wedding to Matt. Castle/Richards was his usual charming self allowing the couple to become the center of the conversation.

Bree confesses that she was a huge fan of his novels which elicits a groan from Lanie and a laugh from Hayley. Another round of drinks soon follows and the ME realizes that Rick has managed to keep the conversation away from anything related to what he has been doing for the last year which makes her even angrier.

Matt looks at his watch and comments that they had an early shift at the hospital and should get some rest. Rick congratulated the couple on their upcoming new addition and promises to send Bree an autographed copy of his latest novel if she promised to keep his identity a secret. Rick settled the bar tab and walked out with the others.

As they approached the Larsen's Rover, Hayley stops and takes Rick by the arm. "You know we're going to be staying here a few days and take in the sights... I was wondering if you'd act as out tour guide as you seem to have become a local..."

He gives Lanie a quick glance and can see that she is still angry for whatever reason. "I don't know Hayley. I don't think that your friend is too pleased to see me..."

"Nonsense Rick. Would you please do us the honor of showing us around your town? What do you say Lanie?"

Lanie's glare now shifts to Hayley for being put on the spot in front of her friends. "Yes, Rick. Would you please show us around the town?" Her words felt forced, which they were.

Now put on the spot himself, he simply sighs and replies. "Sure, I'll pick you up at the hotel at 10:00. We'll have to take your car as mine can only handle two adults..."

"So, you're back to driving a Ferrari again? Bet the bimbos love it." Lanie sarcastically comments.

"Hardly." Rick replies as he gestures to the his Lexus parked a couple of spaces from where they were. "I didn't realize just how little use you can actually get from a convertible down here, Between the blistering sun during the day and the afternoon showers, the only chance I get is in the evening."

Rick stops in front of their car and extends his hand to the couple. "Matt, Bree, it was a pleasure to meet you. Perhaps we'll see each other around..." They shake his hand and Bree places a shy kiss on his cheek and giggles. This earns a surprised look from both her husband and Dr Parish. Rick turns and hugs Hayley and Lanie. "I'll see you two ladies in the morning. Have a good night." He starts to walk away, but stops himself as he turns back to the women. "You never told me where you're staying..."