A/N: A huge thank you goes to hallow777 for being my sounding board and helping me through my writers block and making me feel guilty for not writing when I get super busy at work. I'm actually having a lot of fun writing this and you have all be super patient with me. Thank you so much!
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Kate scrolled to her contacts and was immediately alarmed.
"That's not right," Kate said confused. "My dad has always been first in my phone book." Kate finished scrolling through her contacts and came up with four numbers that she didn't recognize. The most alarming was a number titled Home. She didn't have a home number. With how much her schedule varies, it's easier for people to just call her cell phone. That still left three numbers.
Alexis, Castle, Martha. Kate read the three names a few times before deciding on the middle one. Who would call themselves Castle anyway? A Castle was a building, not a person unless you could that author. Kate laughed at herself. Castle wasn't just an author. He was her favorite author but she would never admit to something so naive. One the third ring someone picked up.
"Hello?" A male voice answered.
"Um is there a Castle there?" Kate rolled her eyes. She felt so dumb for even asking that question. Surely this man thought she was insane.
"This is Castle," The man replied with an amused tone. "But you can call me Rick."
"Rick," Kate repeated and heard him chuckle. "I found your number in my phone. Were we close?"
Rick was silent for a while. "Why don't we met somewhere to talk in person? It might be easier to explain then. Do you know where Remy's is?"
"Yeah," Kate nodded before rattling off the address.
"Ok, meet there in thirty minutes?"
Kate agreed before hanging up and thinking about who she was about to meet. It had to be a coincidence that this guy's name happened to be Rick Castle too.
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Kate saw the sign for Remy's before she saw the building. She was early but that didn't bother her. After paying the cabbie she walked into Remy's and immediately went to a booth in the back corner. It gave her a clear line of sight to the door and everyone in the little dinner. Plus it just felt right.
The door opened again and Rick walked in. Kate couldn't help but feel butterflies in her stomach when his gaze landed on her and he smiled. She could feel herself smiling back but inside she was terrified. There was no coincidence. This man was Richard Castle, famous novelist. How they knew each other was still a mystery to her.
"Hello," Rick smiled as he approached the table quickly taking in her appearance.
"Hi," Kate answered back and she clasped her hands together on the table. "Have a seat?"
"Thank you," Rick slid into the booth. "So you have some questions?"
Kate nodded slowly. "First being how do we know each other. You're a famous writer and I'm a cop."
"I shadowed you," Rick clarified. "For a few years."
"Why?" Kate confusion was evident in her tone.
"Because you're tall," Rick smiled but let it fade when Kate just stared at him. "Sorry that was a joke. It was because you had inspired me."
"Inspired you?" Kate's mind ran through many less than glamorous ways to be inspiring. "How?" She heard herself asking.
Rick thought for a minute before answering. "By the way you related to the victim's families, chase after a suspect, being you. Just talking with you would paint pictures in my mind of the things I could write. Being with you was like turning a light switch."
A waitress walked up to their tabke and placed two plates down each. containing a burger and fries. Rick started picking at his fries while Kate stared at her plate.
"But we didn't order yet. How did they know this is what we wanted?"
Rick paused with half a fry hanging from his mouth. Busted. How would he explain this? "Um we used to eat here a lot after cases. After awhile they just knew what we would order."
"How did they know it was us though?"
"We always sat in this booth," Rick smirked silently pleased that at least subconsciously she was remembering some of their past.
