A/N: See Disclaimer in Chapter 1.


Chapter 4: Coffee Housing

He stops by the florist's and Godiva's before taking a deep breath and entering his wife's workplace. It is oddly quiet, and he feels as if he is doing the walk of shame as everyone stares and grins knowingly at the gifts in his arms. He screwed up, he can hear everyone thinking.

Stopping just outside her office, he leans over her receptionist's desk, and winks. "Stephanie, is Gina busy?"

"No, not at the moment," she replies, blushing at him. "I can let her know you're here...?"

"No, it's all right," he answers. "I'll just let myself in."

As he walks the two feet to her office, his charisma falls away and all he can feel is trepidation. He knocks.

"Come in," Gina answers. It's her absentminded voice, which means she is preoccupied, which means...right now might not be the best time. It's too late, he's here. He squares his shoulders, and enters her office.

She looks up, and an expression of surprise forms on her face, before quickly replaced by anger. Slamming the door, she hisses at him, "What are you doing here?!"

"I-I'm sorry!" His apology comes across like a petulant child whose favourite toy has been taken from him; entirely the opposite of what he was hoping. He coughs nervously, and begins again. "I mean, I wanted to come by and apologize. I know that I haven't been the best of husbands lately, and..."

Her expression softens. Thinking this is his chance, he forges ahead, "Well, I brought these for you." He extends the gifts he had bought, and she takes them.

"Rick..."

"You don't like them? I can get new ones!" His voice comes off plaintively.

She sighs. "Rick, no. They're lovely and I love them. But our fights can't keep ending like this! You know...at the end of the day, I feel like I'm competing with Alexis for your attention."

"But you're not," he protests. "You're both equally important to me."

She shakes her head sadly, putting her gifts down on her desk. "If only that was true. We ended the honeymoon early because you were convinced she was missing you. You found her happy with her babysitter when we got back. You've bailed on almost all our nights out, just because you want to be with Alexis more. Grocery shopping, same thing."

Rick isn't in the mood to fight. He slumps in defeat, and wearily looks up at his wife. "Gina...we'll fix this, I promise." He walks over to her, and wraps her in his arms; she doesn't resist. "How could I neglect you? The person who's been there for me in all..." He gestures wildly. "Well, all of what happened with Meredith?" Hugging her tightly, "It'll be all right, I promise."

She sighs again. "I hope so, Rick."

"Well..." he drawls out slowly. "I could ask Johanna Beckett if she can keep Alexis for a little longer, and we could go out for dinner, just the two of us?"

Gina quickly agrees, and he makes a quick phone call. "Hi Johanna, it's Rick. I was wondering if Alexis could stay with you a while longer? Gina and I've decided to go out just the two of us tonight - could we take a raincheck?" He stifles a grin at Johanna's reply. "Yes, will do. I'll see you around nine, then."

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He drops Gina back at the loft first before heading towards the Becketts' house. While they did have a good time the previous night, he still can't help but think of what their marriage is based on: mutual hurt and clinging, rather than love. Though, he has to admit to himself, there is some ounce of affection in him for his wife - his walls aren't so thick that he has become an emotionless robot.

He is sure he's closed, though, and Gina is similarly closed off. That's why their marriage works, or has, so far anyway. If it could be called 'working', he thinks cynically. There's more than a bit of him that thinks this marriage to Gina won't be lasting for very long, either.

His mother is right. Again. He hits his steering wheel out of frustration, and almost swerves into the other lane. Fortunately, he manages to just miss another incoming car, but gets blared at loudly for his stunt. His heart beating wildly, he is careful the rest of the drive there.

He pulls up in front of their house, and kills the engine. Shoving his keys into his pocket, he rings the doorbell.

"Papa!" a little bundle of red barrels towards him, and he swings her up into his arms. "Papa, I had so much fun!"

"For a three year old, she does have a large vocabulary," Johanna says, closing the door behind Rick. "Though I suppose that's typical of a writer's daughter."

"I can't take any credit," Rick laughs ruefully. "Her first word was denouement - being a writer and all, I've been stressing story structure since the beginning. Mostly it's when I'm writing or cooking, the easiest way to distract her is to give her a book. I remember the phone book would entertain her for hours."

Alexis has put her thumb in her mouth, and Rick pries it out gently. "Alexis, we don't suck our thumbs, remember?" He sets her down, and begins to help her with her coat and mitts. "She wasn't too much trouble, was she?"

"Oh, no," Johanna assures him. "She was a spectacular house-guest. And Katie just adores her. They spent all evening reading together. Well, Katie read to Alexis, that is." She momentarily frowns. "Actually, where is she?" Upon hearing the shower run, she smiles. "Well, I don't think you'll be getting to say goodbye tonight, Alexis. Looks like Katie's in the shower."

"Katie?" Alexis looks at Johanna, puzzled, then announces self-importantly in a way only toddlers can; "I say goodbye already. Katie say I should come back and play again."

Johanna laughs. "Does she? Well, you're welcome anytime to, Alexis. And you too, of course, Rick. But I'm sure Gina will appreciate time with you." She winks. "Bye-bye, Alexis!"

"Bye, Aunt Johanna." A look of surprise passes on Rick's face at the endearment, but he mentally shrugs. "Goodnight, Johanna. I'll call you to arrange something?"

"Sure," she replies. "Goodnight, Richard."

She closes the door as they walk down the steps.

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"Well, what did you think, Alexis? Do you like the Becketts'?" But his daughter is already fast asleep. Though, when she wakes up the next morning, it is abundantly clear how much she adores "Aunt Johanna" and Katie, and begs to see them again. And so it became that whenever Gina and Rick need a night out - which still isn't enough for Gina's tastes, Alexis would go to the Becketts'.

Rick never does get to meet Katie, but he does meet Jim, Johanna's husband, and right away the two of them hit off. Once the winter break is over, he is surprised to hear he can continue to drop Alexis off - their daughter has transferred for a semester to NYU from Stanford.

And then his life turns into a whirlwind again, after only what feels like a brief respite. His newest book is a hit, and if he isn't trying to churn out chapters faster than a windmill, then he is at book signings and tours and all over the country. Gina, of course, comes with him, and fortunately for Rick, his mother comes back from her tour (devastatingly broke, but alive) in time to take care of Alexis. Rick lets her know of the arrangement he has with Johanna, and once he is on the other side of the country, he can only hear of "what wonderful people the Becketts' are" and "Oh, Katie is such a wonderful girl", and lastly, "they're all coming for dinner after the New Year's".

By the time it's Christmas, he and Gina are both ready to call it quits. Both know that this marriage is a mistake, and that though they both hold affection for each other, they are better off as friends. So as 1999 rolls around, Rick Castle is once again a single man...and one who is no less whole than he was at the beginning of 1998.


A/N: My sincerest apologies. Real life turned upside down quick-like since I've last posted. I won't bother you with all the details. It seems as though I am in need of a new beta reader, as my friend has disappeared. I'm moving half-way across the world in a week's time, so my hope is that the next chapter will be out as soon as I land. Leave a review to tell me how much you've hated me for not updating this story. Cheers!