Once Kate had managed to get rid of the over-lively nurse, she got back to her reading and was soon engrossed in the story. A story written by a certain Richard Castle. If Kate had been completely shocked to find him at her bedside in the hospital, there was a reason. Every time she thought about it, she was mad at herself. How had she let the few minutes she had spent with him turn her into a complete idiot? She assumed it was the fan-girl syndrome. Because yes, Katherine Beckett was a huge fan of Richard Castle. She had all his books, she had read them so much that the covers were cornered, theirs spines were crackled and some pages were detached... She also had Richard Castle mugs, Richard Castle T-shirts in her dresser and even cut out pictures of him that she liked from magazines and newspapers. No one but her father knew about it, she wanted to call him right now and giggle about how she met him but it was not possible. Because her father didn't want to talk to her.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

For Kate, the next day started with a visit to her mother's grave. It was still hard for her to go there but she needed it. It reinforced her decision to help her father get out of the bottle. Instead of calling the hospital, she decided to go there. She was going to see her father, even if he didn't want to see her. She had to make him understand what was happening, what he was doing to himself and what he was doing to her. However, her decision weakened as she entered the hospital. The was to her father's room seemed endless and her resolution weakened with each step. She stopped at his door and didn't move for a couple of minutes. She shook her head and opened the door, entering his room with a decided step. Her father was in his bed, reading the newspaper. He looked up when he heard the door open but looked back down when he saw his daughter come in.

"Hey dad." Kate said, sitting in the chair next to his bed.

She was not expecting any answer but it still hurt when she didn't get any. She sat there, looking at him. He was doing a pretty good job at ignoring her. After fifteen minutes of silence, Kate couldn't take it anymore. She took a piece of paper and a pen out of her handbag and started to write.

"Dad,

I know you don't want to talk to me, I really don't understand why but I respect your decision. If it's because of your problem with alcohol, don't shut me out, please! I can help you. Together we can overcome this. There is no need for you to face it by yourself. I'm here for you. I know Mom's death was hard for you – I assume that's why you started drinking – but it was hard on me too. I finally got my head around everything that has happened and now this? I can't lose you Dad! I can't lose the only parent I have left. I can't be an orphan at 23! But I can't accept a father who will not face his problems and deal with them either. I can't just stay here and watch you drink your life away. I get that you're hurting, I do, but there are other ways to deal with it. I went to see a psychiatrist. Me! I think that means that anything can happen. And it actually helped. If you don't take any actions to face your problem with alcohol, I just can't stay by your side. I know it's harsh and probably selfish and unfair of me to say this but it's either the alcohol or me. Your choice.

I just want my daddy back.

Katie"

When she had finished writing the letter, Kate dried her tears, folded up the piece of paper and put it on the table by his bed. She gathered her things and left the room, her father still pretending to read the newspaper. Once she was out in the hallway, she leaned against the wall, dropped to the floor and started crying. She only stopped when she felt a hand squeeze her shoulder. She looked up to see Richard Castle crouching next to her.

"Hey, are you ok?"

"Do I look like I'm ok?" she snapped.

"No, but you look like you're going to pass out. Come on, I'll get you something to eat." Rick said, presenting his hand for her to take and get up.

She seemed to be thinking about the proposition before accepting his help. What harm could it make? He took her out of the hospital and to a coffee shop just a block away. He sat her at a table and went back to the counter to place his order. When he came back, he placed a fuming cup of cocoa and a giant chocolate muffin in front of her.

"What is with the chocolate?" Kate asked, talking for the first time since they left the hospital.

"It's the best comforting food known to man!" Rick answered, smiling softly.

"I'm sorry I snapped at you before." Kate added, picking at her muffin.

"Don't worry about that. We all have our moments."

They ate and drank in silence for a moment before Kate asked the question that had been bugging her.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Doing what?" Rick asked, clearly confused.

"Talking to me, making me eat, sending me flowers? Thank you for those by the way, they were really beautiful."

"I'm doing this because I don't like to see people hurt. I admit, if Alexis hadn't run to you the other night, I probably wouldn't have stopped. I mean, it's not really uncommon to see people crying around a hospital. But once you fainted into my arms … I don't know … well, first of all I couldn't leave you there, that's just common sense but … it felt right to help you. You seemed so fragile at he time. And then I saw how determined you were, arguing with this nurse, it intrigued me. You seem special. I don't know." he explained.

"Wow. You're good at all this talking and sharing stuff, aren't you?"

"Yes, that's why I'm a writer. And apparently you know me." he laughed. "or at least my name.

"Yeah, sorry about that. I was kind of … shocked."Kate said, smiling. "But you're different from what I thought."

"Good different, I hope."

"Yeah. You seem … more real."

"You shouldn't believe everything you read in the magazines or the newspapers. They print what they want to print and in the way they want to print it."

"Oh, so you're not a best-selling author who parties the night away every weekend with a different date each time?" she teased.

"Well, you got the best-selling author part right but I'm not really into parties. Not the big public one anyway. I prefer parties with real friends and family. But according to Paula, my agent, a thirty-year-old should not stay at home with his daughter in front of the TV for a Disney marathon. He should be out on the town, at the most famous restaurants and clubs with beautiful women who have absolutely nothing interesting to say."

"Oh, it's so hard to be you Castle!" Kate laughed.

"Castle?"

"Sorry. It's a job habit, calling everyone by their last name."

"And what is it that you do?"

"I'm a cop. Training to make detective next year." she answered proudly.

"Wow! Now, that's interesting." Rick said, clearly surprised but looking really interested.

Apparently, she had found the exception that proves the rule.

so, here you go with chapter three! what did you think?

oh, i'm going on holidays for three weeks so i won't be able to update until August 19th ... have a great summer!