Chapter 2: The Grand Entrance
The shiny black Town Car pulled up along 5th Avenue near 59th Street waiting its turn to deposit its occupants under the flags adorning the front of the Plaza Hotel. Upon reaching its destination, an immaculately costumed bellhop promptly opened the rear passenger door revealing a stunning brunette in her early 30's and a distinguished looking gentleman of about 60. The bellhop took the hand of the woman helping her from the car. She emerged in a stunning midnight blue sequined gown with a modestly plunging neckline and a slit up the right side that, as she stepped onto the curb, revealed a flawless pair of incredibly long legs. The woman's hair was delicately swept up with wavy tendrils of hair softly framing her face. She wore a single piece of jewelry…a chain around her neck bearing a simple gold band. Perhaps not the typical bauble one might expect to find at such an extravagant affair, but somehow it worked on this lovely woman. "Oh! It's you! I…I almost didn't recognize you Detective…Miss Beckett," stammered the bellhop. "Have we met, Jimmy?" Kate replied, instinctively looking at his name tag. "No…no Ma'am, but Mr. Castle's been out here…um…well…a few times to check if you'd arrived. He made me promise to take excellent care of you and your father. Mr. Castle described you…said I would know you when I saw you," Jimmy said motioning to the ring hanging from her neck. Jim Beckett who had exited the Town Car during this exchange smiled to himself. Apparently, Richard Castle knew his daughter pretty well. Jimmy escorted the special guests through the lobby of the hotel and directed them towards the Grand Ballroom earning the twenty dollars Castle had slipped him earlier.
As soon as they entered the hotel, its opulence was apparent. Marble floors, an oversize table bursting with flowers, and a Baccarat crystal chandelier greeted Kate and Jim as they entered the lobby. Everything, from the high ceilings to the floral arrangements to the elaborate chandeliers, appeared larger-than-life. The colors also radiated larger-than-life warmth successfully coddling the guests even if they were a bit over the top, just like the man who graciously offered to host the event honoring Kate's mother. As they approached the venue Kate caught a glimpse of the Grand Ballroom over the heads of the guests waiting to enter. She was staggered by the magnificence of the recently renovated room. The cream and golden-hued Grand Ballroom had been meticulously restored to its 1929 magnificence. Reminiscent of the Gatsby era, it was perhaps the most beautiful room in New York. As they drew closer to the entrance of the ballroom, Kate heard her now predictable pseudonym being screamed in her direction as a horde of people suddenly rushed towards her. "Nikki Heat, Nikki Heat, Detective…look this way…over here please," the photographers demanded as they began feverishly flashing pictures and bombarding her with questions. The normally confident Detective Kate Beckett felt a wave of panic begin to wash over her as she anchored herself to her father's arm. Her discomfort was growing as she began fidgeting and defending herself against the blitzkrieg of journalists and predatory paparazzi.
The party was in full swing; however, the guests of honor had yet to arrive. Castle was a bundle of nervous energy, but as always, the consummate host. He graciously shook hands and chatted briefly with every guest as they made their way past the core of press and paparazzi that Castle's agent had invited to generate buzz for the charity. With every hand he shook, Castle gave a warm smile while somehow managing to maintain constant visual surveillance on the entrance in anticipation Kate's arrival. He suddenly noticed the press and paparazzi swarming to the foyer just outside the Grand Ballroom. A frenzy of flash bulbs and shouts of "Nikki Heat" drew his attention away from his guests as he bolted for the source of the commotion. As Castle broke through the front line of the mob, he came to a sudden and complete halt. The crowd of normally rapacious reporters grew silent as Castle and Beckett stood face to face for the first time this evening. Castle was completely mesmerized by the woman standing before him and, for one of the few times in his life, was speechless. He had to remind himself to breath.
As their eyes met Kate's overwhelming sense of panic was replaced by a peace of mind she hadn't known in a very long time. The authentic smile that spread across Kate's face upon seeing Castle come to her rescue rose from a place inside her that she thought had died with her mother. As she looked into his eyes at that moment, no one else in the room existed. His eyes spoke volumes…reassuring her to push through her fears and doubts, telling her that he was there for her and that everything would be ok. It was a picture of Kate and Rick taken at that very moment that would appear on page 6 of the newspaper the next day under the caption…"Castle In Love."
Jim was moved by the moment between his daughter and the handsome author. When the tuxedo clad man busted through the throng of people to get to Kate only to stand there paralyzed, slack-jawed, and speechless, Jim couldn't resist a quiet chuckle. He noticed Kate's trembling ceased and her grip on his arm eased when her eyes met those of Richard Castle. Kate rarely gave him access to the men in her life, so it was not odd that he knew very little about Castle with the exception of what he read in the papers. Jim was pleasantly surprised at the soothing influence the author apparently had on Kate. The way Castle was looking at his daughter was a look Jim was very familiar with. It was the same way he had looked at his wife. "This man was in for the ride of his life," thought Jim Beckett.
The momentary detente ended and the reporters resumed their assault. Castle and Kate begrudgingly broke their gaze as Castle assumed the public persona the media had come to expect from him. He faced the relentless reporters turning on his characteristic charm. Castle begged their patience. He assured them that the evening was young and that he and the Becketts were looking forward to posing for pictures and answering any question they had about the Johanna Beckett Scholarship Fund or his work with the NYPD…provided they gave them the opportunity to greet the rest of their guests first. He invited them to go back into the ballroom and have a drink on him. They seemed placated and slowly filed back into the ballroom as Martha made her way up to Castle's side.
Martha immediately pulled Kate into a warm hug. "You look striking, kiddo," Martha whispered into Kate's ear. Kate thanked the older woman and returned the compliment. As the two women were greeting each other, Castle cleared his throat reminding Kate of her manners. "Oh…I'm sorry. Dad, this is Richard Castle and his mother, Martha Rogers. Martha…Castle…this is my dad, Jim Beckett," Kate said proudly.
Castle gripped Jim Beckett's extended hand. "Mr. Beckett, it's an honor to meet you," Castle said feeling a little bit like an uneasy teenager meeting his girlfriend's dad just before prom. Kate and Martha looked at each other sharing an amused grin at Castle's uncharacteristic nervousness.
"No, Mr. Castle. The honor is mine. Johanna would have been proud to have her name associated with such a worthwhile cause. Thank you!…and please call me Jim," the older man said cordially.
Jim turned his attention to Martha. "Ms. Rogers...Martha…may I call you Martha?…I'm actually familiar with your work. My wife and I saw you many years ago in an off off Broadway play," Jim recalled.
"Was it any good?" Martha quipped.
"The play…not so much…but you were a revelation," Jim reassured her. The two fell into an easy rapport as Castle and Kate looked on in wonder.
"Martha, may I escort you into the ballroom?" Jim said offering Martha his arm. The two shared a conspiratorial look leaving Rick and Kate alone in the foyer.
Castle turned to face Kate. He looked into her eyes as he took her left hand in his right and brought it up to his lips. He bowed down reverently, lightly kissing the back of her hand in an old fashioned gesture befitting the occasion and their surroundings. "You look stunning," Castle whispered breathlessly.
Kate felt the warmth of his kiss radiate from her hand to her cheeks and quickly spread to the rest of her body leaving her slightly weak in the knees. She had no idea what to make of her body's involuntary reaction to his touch, but she would be lying to herself if said she wasn't excited by it.
Kate gratefully took the arm Castle was now offering and allowed him to lead her through the gauntlet of flashing lights and curious onlookers. Castle proudly walked the nervous, yet beautiful daughter of Johanna Beckett into the ballroom to face the rest of the evening…together.