Thank you all for reading, and I really do appreciate the reviews! They've been helpful. Sorry this took so long, but hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters or Castle. If I did, I don't think I'd be writing fanfic.

Chapter 3

Beckett's heels clicked loudly against the floor as she walked over to her desk the following day. She had sent Lanie a text to meet her in the conference room, and was planning on calling both Ryan and Esposito in too. While she tried to fall asleep last night, which had been impossible for at least three hours, Kate had come to the conclusion that there were only a handful of people who knew she was a fan of Castle's work, and most of them were at the precinct. Those same people had also purchased copies of Castle's book and would have had access to submitting an entry card for the contest to win a date with Castle.

"Ryan. Esposito. Conference room. Now." She ordered and walked toward the room expecting them to follow. Kate felt them stare at each other with confused looks, and then they obediently stood and entered the conference room right behind her.

Lanie was already inside, sitting in a chair with her arms crossed."Would you mind telling me what's going on?" She asked Beckett, but shut her mouth when she saw the 'don't mess with me' look on her best friend's face.

Beckett cleared her throat, while she stood and stared down at the other three who were all sitting. Her eyes stayed on Ryan for a long pause, then moved to Esposito, and then the medical examiner, who only needed that short connection of their eyes to understand what was going through her friend's mind. "Now, I received a phone call yesterday from Richard Castle. Remember him? The author that was here a few weeks back?" She questioned sarcastically. "He called me to tell me I had won a date with him." Her eyes roamed over each of them individually again. "Would one of you maybe like to explain to me how my name was submitted to that contest ten times?" Kate crossed her arms tight in front of her, waiting for their answers.

Three pairs of eyes widened in front of her, followed by Ryan and Esposito turning toward each other, both looking confused and a little guilty, while Lanie just continued on staring at Beckett. "Ten times?" The woman asked kind of stunned. "If that isn't some kind of sign—" but she stopped at Beckett's unspoken don't start, and silence filled the room as the two guys continued staring at each other, practically ordering each other to confess.

Ryan gave in first with a groan. "Fine. I submitted one. Just one." He clarified, when Beckett questioned him with her eyes. "In my defense, I wrote my name, but then scratched it out and put your's. Just because it said women only, and I didn't want it to go to waste. I knew you were a fan."

"You were going to enter yourself?" Esposito said with a shake of his head. "Geez, bro."

Ryan became defensive. "But I didn't."

"Yeah, only because of the rules." Esposito retorted.

"What? Castle's a nice guy. I don't think you'd mind grabbing a beer with him."

"Grabbing a beer is not a date." Esposito argued, before turning to Beckett. "Ok, look. I entered your name too. Same reasons Ryan did, aside from the scratching my own name out. Plus, you and Castle worked good together. Thought maybe you could have both gotten to know each other outside of, ya know, solving a murder."

They waited for her to digest what they were saying. In no way had she thought that this wouldn't be a joke they were playing on her. Beckett wasn't sure how to respond. On the one hand, it was very sweet. On the other, she didn't want them interfering with her personal life. "Guys, it was nice, what you did. But I don't need help getting a date. Especially, not with someone like Castle."

She heard Lanie scoff from her seat at the corner of the table, and looked over just in time to see her rolling her eyes. Kate sent her a glare. "Thanks for trying to help you two. I do appreciate it, but like I said, no help needed." She smiled warmly, and Ryan and Esposito took it as their hint to leave.

Even before they were out of the room, Beckett had once again fixed her gaze on Lanie. "I can't believe you did this," She said, as soon as the door closed. The hurt of her friend's betrayal was evident in Kate's voice, and made Lanie choose to let silence fill the room briefly before she spoke.

"Hey girl, I'm not the only one. Even the boys think you need some fun in your life. Hell, even the Captain does."

Beckett's eyes widened. "Him too?" Lanie nodded. Kate was shocked and slightly embarrassed. "Did you tell them all to do this?"

"Girl, we just want to help you." Lanie said standing up. "And no, I didn't. I may have hinted at it when the Captain said he didn't have anyone in mind to enter, but I had no idea those two put your name in."

"Yeah, well I don't need help. If I wanted a date with Castle, I would have said yes when he asked me."

"You sure about that? Because I'm pretty sure he asked you, and you said no. I'm also pretty sure you wanted that date," Lanie told her, as she walked over and put a sympathetic hand on Kate's arm. If anyone knew how to even somewhat get through to her, it was Lanie.

"Rick's not my type," she answered quietly.

"Of course he isn't," Lanie's hand moved from Kate's arm, to her own hip. "Your type has become a hot bath and a glass of wine on Friday and Saturday nights, and then bed by nine or ten? When was the last time you even went out on a real date?"

Kate thought it over, noticing that Lanie had quirked an eyebrow at her as the long pause continued. "Ok, I see your point," she finally conceded, causing Lanie to smile victoriously to herself. "I'm just not looking for anything right now."

"Girl, you may not be looking, but I think something found you," Lanie smirked.

Kate sighed. "And you really think that something is Rick? The guy notorious for signing women's chests, having flings with tons of women, and two divorces under his belt?" Although there was some sarcasm in her tone, both women knew that she was seriously asking the question. After all, her best friend appeared to think that this guy that Kate had found almost repulsive at first, could be someone she should try to have some kind of relationship with. It was important to repaint that whole picture of him for Lanie.

The other woman shrugged. "They say third time's a charm," Kate rolled her eyes. "Hey, I don't know for sure, but what I do know is you need some fun, and I've already seen him add a little of that to your life. Kate, you need someone."

"The last time I needed someone, we broke up because I didn't want to leave here, and he expected me to just pack up and go, or he'd leave without me. Not a good feeling." They both heard Kate's voice catch at her admittance.

There was sympathy in Lanie's face as they stared at each other. "I get your point, but risks can be good. And hurt, well, that just comes with life. It sucks, but…"

"But if I try to start something with a famous writer who seems to like to sleep around I'll never get hurt again?" Her tone was sarcastic, but Lanie could detect some amount of hope in her words. Almost like she could feel Kate unknowingly wishing that something with so little possibility could possibly happen.

"I get it doesn't seem ideal for any trust issues you might have, but you could try it. Who knows? Stranger things have happened than a guy cleaning up his act to be with someone he really cares about." The understanding and slightly pleading look that Lanie was giving her, made it very hard for Kate to think anything other than that her friend could be right. She still felt the need to be careful, though, and for reasons she didn't know, she was having trouble easily going along with what she was hearing.

"You know, I don't take Castle for the changing type."

"Seriously? Will you please just go out on one date with the man? These questions come later," Lanie begged, exasperated. As much as she wanted to be there for Kate, and help her through all her insecurities, there was too much thinking going on by someone who hadn't even been on a date with the guy she was obsessing over yet.

"Fine." Kate resigned. "If it will make you happy."

"Yes. It would," Came the matter-of-fact response. "And I'm sure you're going to thank me."

"I only have one problem," came the hesitant admission.

Lanie exhaled loudly, "Now what?"

"I have nothing to wear," Kate smiled, knowing how her friend had been ready to slap her.

Lanie returned the smile, "Now, that I can do something about."

They started to walk out of the room, but stopped in the doorway, as realization crossed Kate's face. "You know, I just realized, if you, Esposito, Ryan, and the Captain were the only ones who submitted my name, who sent the rest in?"

"Well, I may have sent in more than one?"

Kate lifted an eyebrow. "More than one?"
Lanie's face scrunched up, begging Kate not to hurt her. "More like five," She said quickly. "But, like I said don't kill me until you've gone out with him and aren't thanking me."

Shaking her head, Kate just stared incredulously at Lanie. She wasn't sure whether it was something to laugh at or be angry about, so she just let it go. There was nothing she could now to change it, anyway. "Ok, so you and the boys make eight. That leaves two other entries. Who else could it be?"

"Got me. Maybe it was Mr. Writer himself."

"He didn't seem to know about it. I mean he looked like he was just as shocked as I was." Kate responded, still appearing like she was deep in thought.

A small grin appeared on Lanie's face. "Huh. So you saw him," It was a statement, not a question.

Kate winced, knowing Lanie now expected details. "He came over last night because I was ignoring his calls. I finally agreed to go on this stupid date, just so he would leave my apartment."

"Uh huh. No other reason?" Lanie pressed.

After a slightly aggravated groan, Kate admitted to herself that if she was in Lanie's place she'd be asking the same questions. "He may have gotten me to feel sorry for him with the way he seemed tortured by just the thought of going on a date with an overly obsessed fan that he didn't know," Kate reluctantly confessed.

Lanie listened to her friend. It wasn't the reason she thought she was going to get, but it did show that Kate cared on some level for Castle. Trying not to smile or laugh at the way Castle had gotten to Kate, Lanie just nodded, and then tried to be the supportive best friend Kate was expecting. "How dare he! Trying to get you to pity him. Did he at least come up with some grand gesture to invite you out?"

"Not exactly, but I have a feeling that grand gesture thing might be in the works. Not that I really want one." It was the truth. Sure, she had mentioned it to Castle that it hadn't been a very conventional way of getting asked out, but Kate really didn't need him to do anything extravagant. That wasn't her style, and she just hoped that his over-the-top ideas weren't going to come into play. "Oh, not to mention he didn't really have time, since I tricked him?"

"What? How?"

"I gave him an ultimatum. I'd go on the date, if he promised to leave me alone." Kate felt her eyes travel to the floor, but then she quickly brought them back up to meet Lanie's again.

"And, he agreed?" For some reason Lanie was a little surprised that the writer would say yes to something like that. Not that he had come back to the precinct or had been bothering Kate in the last three weeks, but she had had a feeling Castle would be back at some point to try to get the detective to change her mind. There was something indescribable she had noticed between them, and she couldn't believe either of them would be ok never talking to the other again.

"Yeah," She breathed.

"Did he seem like he liked your deal?" Lanie wondered, trying to understand. Something was just not sitting right. This seemed out of character for Castle. Unless her instincts had failed her and Kate was right. Maybe he really was a 'one night only' kind of guy. But even though she was sure of his playboy ways, Lanie couldn't see him walking away in the end.

"He was a little stunned at first, but I mean, he did agree to it." Kate replied, trying to remember the night before, and also trying to figure out what Lanie was picking up on.

"Of course he did," Lanie sounded like her mind was somewhere else, which it was.

Kate looked at her, confused by the way her friend was slipping away from her. "Something wrong?"

Lanie came out of her fog after another moment of pondering. "Huh? Oh…no. It's nothing. I just—There's something I forgot to do. How about tomorrow for dress shopping?"

Watching puzzled, as Lanie took a step away from her, Kate couldn't help but find her friend's behavior strange and abrupt. It was just like last night when Castle had given her the sense that he was planning something. She knew Lanie well, and the way she had that frowning look on her face after coming out of her thoughts, told Kate that she was up to something. Instead of bringing it up, though, she let it slide, since Lanie was already walking backwards toward the elevator. "Tomorrow's fine," Kate replied, raising her voice.

The elevator doors chimed open and Lanie walked inside. Kate stared at her mystified, trying to see through her, and understand what was going on underneath that dark hair. After the doors came between them, the detective walked over to her desk, hoping to get some work done. Ryan and Esposito gazed at her until she acknowledged them with an irritated, "What?"

Esposito wheeled his chair over to her desk. "So, where's Castle taking you?"

Beckett sighed and sat back in her chair. A part of her wanted to say something snarky, but after deciding that the other two detectives didn't really deserve that, she softened a little. "Nowhere."

"Nowhere?" Ryan repeated, moving his chair beside his partner's.

"Yep."

Esposito gave her a knowing look. "She means he didn't say," Beckett gave him a pointed stare, but then gave Ryan a small nod, telling him that it was true.

"Hm," Ryan commented, shifting his eyes from Beckett's to Esposito's.

Catching the silent conversation they were having, Beckett interrupted them. "Would you care to share what you're both thinking with those of us that can't read minds?"

Before either of them had time to respond, however, the phone was ringing, and Beckett was being given the address of where a body had just been found. Forgetting the conversation they were having, all three stood up, and began heading toward the elevator at Beckett's, "Let's go."