This story is completely AU. So everything you already know about these characters and this show is wrong. I'm basically borrowing these characters for my own version of their love story.

Is a disclaimer necessary? If I were Milmar you all would get every Caskett wish you ever wanted! :)

Chapter 4

As Kate walked through the café door her eyes began to search the room. She saw him standing with his back towards her. He was talking to a blonde woman who was clearly flirting with him. After a moment the woman shook his hand and went back to sit at a table with two other women. They were all probably in their mid thirties so she knew that none of them posed any sort of threat. Castle turned around and they made eye contact. As he walked towards her she felt her chest tighten a bit and when he got within arms reach he leaned in and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Thank goodness you are finally here, I didn't think you were gonna show. And do you know what its like for cougars to attack in a café? Its horrible, Kate, horrible."

That quickly drew a laugh from Kate and he grabbed her hand and led her to a table in the back corner. As they passed the table of women that Kate had seen earlier they all glared at her and she threw a smile back at them. As Rick pulled out her seat and she sat down the women started to whisper quietly while still sneaking glances of the two of them.

"Do women always act territorial over you or just those wolves back there?'

"It happens a lot, you'll get use to it."

"Oh, will I Mr. Castle? You're assuming we'll be seeing each other again. What if this date goes horribly wrong?" Kate said leaning forward and placing her elbows on the table.

"Horribly wrong? Kate Beckett, with the plans I have there is no way this could go horribly wrong." He said with just enough certainty that it was charming and not cocky at all.

His attitude towards her was refreshing. He was light, and funny, and a bit of a goof. It was refreshing, especially after the last few months with Josh. Their relationship had become so heavy that she felt like she couldn't breathe at times and it was definitely taking a toll on her attitude towards other people. She knew that she hadn't been the most pleasant person to be around the last few months. Truth be told, she had been a miserable person. Most of her friends had even begun to notice and had not been making any effort to be around her as of lately, and she was starting to really take notice. She knew that Josh was the main cause of her unhappiness and that's why she had made the decision to break up with him.

"Well my hopes are that it goes perfectly well. It's refreshing to have someone so light and positive around who makes me smile more than I have in a year." Kate felt a shyness creep over her and she wasn't sure where it was coming from. She had never been one to be intimidated by anyone, much less a man she just met.

A smile broke upon Castles face and their eyes met, not breaking eye contact until the waitress approached. After they both placed their drink orders and decided on food. Kate went with the club sandwich and Castle chose a garlic pasta dish. They chatted a bit over lunch about Kate's college classes and she told him that law wasn't really her passion but more of her mothers. She just felt like school wasn't something that she was meant for. She had loved modeling and her career had been going pretty well. She was staying pretty busy with jobs and making a really good living.

"I would have never pegged you as a model to be honest. Sure you're tall, slim, and beautiful. I just see more substance." Castle regret the words as soon as they left his mouth.

"So you're saying models cant have substance? Did you miss the part where I'm pre-law? Modeling is my passion, but I have an actual brain." Kates attitude was clearly beginning to show. She had to draw back a little and take a deep breath.

"Sorry, I didn't mean anything by it. I think you're beautiful and smart and all I meant was that you surprised me, in a great way. I would never put you down in any way, not intentionally anyway." Rick was in a panic to make sure that he hadn't already screwed this up for himself.

"Truth is Kate, I am great with words and putting them on paper but in person it's a bit different. Plus you make me nervous." He said the last part under his breath and let out a nervous laugh.

"Nervous?" Kate pushed her hand over his on the table and rubbed circles over it. "There is absolutely no reason to be nervous around me. You're the famous one, not me. I'm just a college student and a part time model." She was trying to ease his mind and it was working.

"Is it weird for me to tell you that this is the most comfortable I've been with anyone in years and we just met."

"Is it weird for me to agree? I don't want to bring up the past or anything but I just got out of a long term relationship and I don't know that I ever felt this comfortable with him. Definitely not in the last year anyway."

"Well this is just me assuming but would you like to take this date on to the next phase?"

"Castle, we just met! I am not that kind of girl…." Kate knew what he meant but she decided to play with him a little bit.

"Oh, no, I would never…." Ricks face broke when Kate started laughing uncontrollably.

"Sooo not funny Miss Beckett.."

"Stop being so gullible Mr. Castle."

After covering the check Castle pulled his jacket over his arms and stuck his arm out for Kate to grab. When they walked out of the Café there was a black town car waiting for them. Castle addressed the driver as if they were best friends and introduced him to Kate. His name was Louis and apparently he had been Castles driver for a while now.

First stop was central park where they both slid on a pair of ice skates and hit the ice. Castle had no clue that Kate would be such a great skater. While she was skating circles around him he wasn't shy about vocalizing how he had chosen this as a stop on their date in hopes that she would need a little help and balance. Turns out she was the one that had to help him out when he wiped out once or twice.

After the two were worn out they slipped back into their own shoes and walked over to a street vender for a cup of coffee and sat down on a nearby bench. Neither of them were shy about sitting near each other, Castle even threw his arm around her shoulders. Kate pulled her phone out of her purse and saw that she had a text from Josh. She opened the text and read it. Rolling her eyes she shoved her phone back in her purse.

"Ouch, what did they say to get an eye roll that harsh?" Castle couldn't help but be a little nosy.

"My ex-boyfriend. He wont give up." Kate tried to play it off so that Castle would drop it, but it didn't work.

"How long have you been separated?"

"Not long, but it's not something I ever plan on revisiting. Can we not talk about him?" Kate met his eyes and gave him a small smile.

She heard her phone go off in her purse again so she pulled it out. This time it was a text from Myra asking how the luncheon had gone. Kate wrote a quick reply telling her that they were on a date right now and that she would call her later before shoving her phone back in her purse.

"He's persistent though, ill give him that." Rick had a bit of a jealous tone as he stared over towards a playground.

"Not him this time, just my agent. I'm done with the texting though, my phone will stay put away." She gave him a little nudge to lighten the mood. Castle was clearly a little uncomfortable so Kate thought maybe she should ease his mind and offer up more information about Josh.

"We were high school sweethearts, dated for over three years. We just don't have the same wants and it was becoming a huge issue. So I broke up with him." Kate said pulling back and switching positions so that her body was facing his on the bench.

"Look, Kate… I wasn't asking or trying to pry into your personal life." The look on his face was apologetic. He clearly had some regret about showing his discomfort with her texting her ex.

Kate laughed and shifted back towards him. "You were not asking pretty loudly." She bumped her shoulder into his side and he let out an embarrassed giggle.

"Can we make a first date promise? No matter what happens from this point on we will always be honest about it." Rick said. He was clearly already forming an attachment and Kate didn't really know how she should feel about that. Sure she felt it to, a pull, something very natural between them. She also knew that this was supposed to be a temporary fix for his publisher, a job. The thought of that was actually becoming a little creepy to her. Maybe she should tell Gina that she didn't want it to be a job. That maybe, instead she wanted to actually pursue a relationship with him. After all, the had hit it off pretty well naturally.

All of these things rushing to her head were just making her more and more anxious about what she had gotten herself into. She was definitely going to have to sleep on it and give the whole thing some thought.

Eventually Castle got a little uncomfortable with the cold and decided they should take this date indoors somewhere.

"So its about 4:30 now.." Castle said glancing down at his watch. "So it's a little early for dinner.."

"Dinner? You're really going for this all day date aren't you Castle?"

"Well unless you're opposed or have other plans I'd really like to take you out to dinner. You in?" Castle started to stand and Kate followed.

"I mean I don't have dinner plans but I'd kind of like to change if we are going out to dinner. I mean shouldn't I be dressed up for that?" Kate said looking up and down her own body insinuating that she wasn't properly dressed for a dinner date.

"Well, we can stop by your place if you'd like and you can change. Maybe pick up some wine on the way and have a glass before dinner?" Rick was testing his limits with how comfortable she was with him.

"Actually I have a better idea. Since it is so cold out I'd rather not even worry about getting dressed and getting back out in this. How about we order in and rent a movie and watch it at my house?" Kate offered it up, not knowing if he would bite. She really didn't like the cold and she didn't know how comfortable she was with them being seen on a date at a nice restaurant. She didn't want this to blow up before her eyes before she even had a chance to decide on what she was going to do.

"That sounds even better, Kate." He smiled at her and grabbed her hand, intertwining their fingers. She didn't resist at all. In fact, after their fingers were intertwined; she gave his hand a gentle squeeze a smile burst across her face.

"You're going to be good, right?" Kate jokingly asked.

"A perfect gentleman." He promised.

Reviews would be nice, and they're very motivational. Even if you just say you're still reading and I'm not writing for no one. :)