Good Mythical Friday Morning my lovelies. I apologize for the lateness of this chapter but when I have time off, nothing gets done. Therefore, I know what I'm doing to for the next chapter but it isn't written yet. Maybe this weekend. Also, this Chapter is unbeta'd so all mistakes are mine - please forgive me. After this, we've got one more Rick-Centered chapter before we move forward to some crazy sexual tension in the next chapter.

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Enjoy 3

March 23 1997

We received word yesterday morning that Meredith Castle, wife of emerging best-selling author Richard Castle, has filed for divorce. The couple have just recently celebrated their fourth anniversary this past February and we have heard from a reliable source that the couple are preparing to part ways. According to the source, the couple have been having loud arguments in the night disturbing the neighbors in their Manhattan building, including one incident in which the police had to be involved. The arguments ended with Meredith supposedly walking out on Rick last week with an unidentified male. So it may be that New York's rising star author will be single in time for the summer rush. No word yet on who will receive custody of their nearly four year-old daughter Alexis Castle.

Rick placed the newspaper down on his desk calmly, taking a long, deep breath before folding the newspaper over, covering the blurb on the society page and reaching for his phone to make a very strict phone call to the Newspaper Editor. Alexis would not be mentioned again.

October 19 1997

Richard Castle, best-selling author, was spotted walking down the street hand in hand with none other than Lindsey Price last night, claim several New York readers. The twenty-one year old actress, who currently stars as Michael Lai on the Bold and the Beautiful, was spotted exiting La Bernardin with Castle last night looking to be in very high spirits. Sources say that the couple were friendly with each other, constantly touching and smiling, and only had eyes for each other. Since the confirmation of his divorce, readers have been anxious to know who will be on his arm for the premiere of his latest novel titled 'Hell Hath No Fury'. Could she be the right Price for this Castle?

Rick groaned into his black coffee, rolling his eyes at the cheesy pun closing the article. Sitting at the kitchen island, his butt slowly going numb from the wooden stool - he would have to get more comfortable chairs for this thing - he looked up when he heard the pattering of bare feet across the hard wood floor. He smiled sympathetically at the woman emerging from his study connected to his first floor bedroom, holding her head in discomfort. "Hey." He grimaced when she moaned in response.

"Oh, remind me to never drink that much ever again."

"Uh huh," he hummed in response "and it probably wasn't best to drink that much in such an expensive restaurant."

She finally reached the island and rested her elbows on it, leaning beside him. "Probably not;" she tilted her head with a small smile "thanks for letting me crash here but you know," she ran her finger down his chest, dipping into his undershirt briefly "you didn't have to sleep on the couch." Before she reached her destination, he gripped her hand tightly and patted it on the top of the counter.

"It was my pleasure to have you stay here last night, Lindsey; let's not have a repeat performance though?" He saw the disappointment in her eyes at his rejection but it was quickly replaced by some well-placed teasing.

"Well, if you ever want a different kind of performance, feel free to call me." It was then that the pair heard a groan coming from upstairs and Rick's eyes widened.

"Well," he clasped her waist and shoulder, subtly guiding her towards the front door, grabbing her discarded articles of clothing on his way out "it was lovely meeting you, thank you for a nice evening. Good luck with your career and I'm sure we'll meet again." Knowing the tactics of a man caught in a lie, Lindsey narrowed her eyes, her hands on her hips in the middle of the open doorway.

"You know, I thought you were a gentleman Richard Castle but I guess you didn't sleep on the couch last night did you?"

His eyes darted around the frame before meeting her. "Uh, nope." And then the door was closed in her face, forgotten as the sound of footsteps echoed on the stairs.

"Daddy?" He looked up to see a sleepy-eyed Alexis dressed in pink flannel pajamas rubbing her eyes as she slowly descended the stairs. "Who was at the door?"

Meeting her at the foot of the stairs, he scooped her into his arms, resting her on his hip as he stalked back to the island. "No one pumpkin." He rested her on the counter top next to his mug and kept a hand on her knee to steady her.

"Why do you call me pumpkin?" She tilted her head, watching him sip his coffee, cringing at the still steaming temperature.

"Because," he smiled, placing his coffee down so he could tap her nose "your hair is orange and you're always grinning." His explanation elicited a giggle, not at the silliness of his behavior but rather at the absurdity of his argument.

"Daddy," she grinned "my hair is red not orange; that makes no sense."

Sighing in awe and exasperation Rick shook his head. "Of course what was I thinking, I apologize." Her grin suddenly fell and she bit her lip, concentrating on what must be a rather puzzling question.

"But you'll still call me pumpkin right?"

September 24 1998

Last night, we ran into Kimora Lee Perkins on the arm best-selling mystery author Richard Castle at the New York premiere of Wit, written by Margaret Edson. Perkins, in New York to promote her new line of clothing known as 'Baby Phat', accompanied the author to the premiere with a smile on her face and nothing but good things to say about the ruggedly handsome writer next to her. Perkins claimed to be very happy with her fiance Richard Simmons and that she and Castle are simply good friends but we can't help wondering if Simmons should be worried about his fellow Richard.

Rick released a bark of laughter, reading the article in his office in the mid-morning light. He knew Alexis was up already - he had heard her come downstairs two hours ago to make herself breakfast - but would be playing silently in her room until hunger got the better of her so he still had a few hours to himself before he had to be dad. He enjoyed being dad - he did very much - but last night had been rather draining and he had consumed quite a large amount of alcohol and his own laughter shot through his temples at an alarming rate. Wincing, he closed his eyes to block out the suddenly bright light of the sun peering through his blinds, not hearing the little one in the doorway. "Daddy, are you okay?" His eyes shot open.

"Yeah pumpkin I'm good." Still suspicious, Alexis narrowed her eyes, approaching him cautiously with a scrutinizing gaze that could never belong to anyone else.

"I don't believe you." She spoke slowly, climbing into his lap to inspect her father's features; blood shot eyes, stale breath, thick five o'clock shadow. "You need to shave daddy." She observed, her tiny fingers running through his beard.

Gripping her waist he smiled down at her. "Did you have a nice night with Uncle Rick?"

He almost laughed out loud when she scrunched her nose and shook her head slightly. "He's nice but kind of creepy." He did laugh at this.

"Oh sweetie." He hugged her to him.

July 5 1999

To celebrate the last fourth of July of the Century we checked in with best-selling author Richard Castle outside of the Mets v. Braves game and he seemed to be in quite a rush to get inside. He politely cheered on his home team and mentioned his new book A Skull at Springtime before excusing himself to enter the stadium. Before speaking to us, we overheard a conversation between him and a woman whom we can only assume was waiting for him in the V.I.P. box where this news reporter was not allowed to enter. We're left wondering who this mysterious woman is as the couple where nowhere to be found after the home town win for the Mets - no doubt celebrating in private - so we can only speculate that it is someone from Castle's publishing house. Earlier this week, he was spotted getting into a cab outside his home with a rather attractive blonde whom sources have confirmed works for Black Pawn Publishing, the company currently representing Castle. More details to come.

As strange as it was, Rick felt a sense of pride in reading this little blurb about his outing with Alexis knowing that the society column hadn't made the connection - or refused to as per their agreement. He knew he couldn't control what dirty little minds wrote about him but as long as Alexis stayed out of it, he was content. But now it seemed as though they were willing to put him 'in a relationship' with any woman he happened to be standing beside. His new publisher, Gina, was far from girlfriend material.

February 13 2000

A source at Black Pawn Publishing confirmed that Richard Castle, best-selling author, is in a steady relationship with his publisher Gina Griffin. While neither would comment, we can assume that the relationship is serious - or at least growing so - as witnesses report Griffin leaving and entering Castle's downtown loft at all hours of the day and a large amount of yelling is involved. Since Castle's divorce in '97 all eligible bachelorettes in New York have been anxious to see who will become the next Mrs. to this ruggedly handsome author. Could Gina Griffin become wife number two?