Two years ago, Rick had been on the cusp of discovery, having met the woman of his dreams and having had one incredible, glorious evening with her. How could he continue on without Emerald, or whoever she is in real life? Will he ever find another mystery as true as Emerald to explore; will he find another one that enchants him as she does? How can he get over a fantasy that will haunt him for eternity?

He was again lost in this reality, surely never to be found. He needed a reality in which Emerald resided beside him, his mainstay and partner, his purpose.

Kate; it's not Katie anymore; is not the person she was when she left Stanford. She is lost without a compass to guide her. Her one mainstay in life, her best friend and her anchor in the turmoil of this existence had been taken so brutally from her. Her mother, whom she idolized, was the victim of "random gang violence". Or at least that is what the incompetent detectives had told her. All she knows is her mom was found stabbed repeatedly and left to die in a dirty alley in a pile of garbage. Her beautiful, caring mother was left to die alone, frightened and in unimaginable pain. Kate wondered how she could go on without her guide, her North Star, her beacon in the darkness of her despair. She was lost without an avenue to follow. Kate had no path, no future in which she could invest.

How could she endure this devastating loss?

She was at the lowest she had ever been in her life, lower than she thought a person could get. Gone was the carefree, happy Katie. Gone was the dream of a life of purpose and dedication to a greater purpose. Gone was her dream of becoming something more than she could hope to achieve. What would she do?

Kate thought over the last two years on the things that brought her happiness and joy. She thought of her life in school, carefree and without concerns. She thought about her time in L.A. and San Francisco, modeling, going to college and especially dancing as Emerald. She wondered if it would make her feel better to reprise her role as the incomparable Emerald, giving her some control back in her life since she could become someone other than broken Kate. Probably not since she was now in her home town and would be discovered if she started dancing as Emerald again. She did not need that heaped upon her with all the other heartaches she had and was enduring. No, Kate was not the effervescent wild child she had been when the Emerald persona was created. She simply was not her anymore.

She thought about this 'Rick' she met and with whom she found an unbelievable fulfillment together on that fateful night before her world came crashing down on her. She wondered where Rick might be now, where he was, how he felt about her after the night she would never forget. Did he feel the same way, had the evening affected him as it did her? Had he found another woman to keep him warm at night, to hear him laugh and listen to his dreams, to share his bed? Had he found another person on which to create a character in whatever type of literature he happened to write? She wished she knew.

All she knows is darkness, an all-encompassing gloom that pervades every facet of her life. She is dealing with the loss, not only of her mother, but also her dad, who has found an escape in the bottom of a scotch bottle. He drinks to forget and then he drinks to forget he is drinking. Her dad, the one she looked up to as the rock in her childhood, the one she never wanted to disappoint, was a blithering drunk. She had to pick him up from the drunk tank at the local jail, haul him out of bars after he had passed out on the barstool, get him to bed after he had succumbed to the demon alcohol lying on the floor of his living room. Her existence was the never-ending task of Sisyphus, never quite able to get the stone to the top of the mountain.

She had had enough. She had her dad committed to rehab so he could detox and get the counseling he needed.

Now, what did Kate need to do to get herself out from under the weight of Atlas? She could not continue to carry the entire world on her shoulders. She knew that she would never find solace until her mother's murder was solved and justice for her had been served. However, that would not happen since the Keystone Kops had decided the case was not worth actually investigating.

So, she sought to enroll in the Police Academy so she could eventually investigate her mother's murder on her own. She never once believed it was simply random gang violence. She wanted to become a detective so she could set an example as to what a real detective should be, how a real detective would empathize with the victim and would always close the case if at all within her capacity.

Kate went back to her childhood home to try to clear her mind and emotions of her mother's death before she could start the path to the NYPD. This is where she was happiest as a child, where her fondest memories lay. She cleaned her dad's house, straightened her mother's belongings that had been left as they were on that dreadful day and put the house in order for her father, should he make it out of rehab a stronger person than he was for the last two years. She knew he had a tough road ahead, but hers had not been easy during this time either. She had been nearly broken, too.

During her soul searching and, yes, cleansing also, she discovered the last things her mother had been doing. She had been investigating a case of what she had thought was a wrongful imprisonment. Was this related? She did not know since she had no further information other than the mention of the case. She also found some books that she had been reading; one was about some sort of spy character named Derrick Storm. It was apparently one of her favorites since the book was well worn and dog eared, with notes in the margins and a bookmark indicating where she was when she last read.

When Kate flipped the book over the author's picture was on the back. She couldn't breathe, her heart leapt from her breast and her skin ignited. For on the back cover was the face of Rick, her Rick, staring into her soul with those fierce blue eyes.

Now she had a name, Rick Castle.

After a quick internet search, she found he lived right here in New York City. How could she not have known this for the past two years?

A book signing was mentioned on his website that would be held in a New York Barnes & Noble set for the next week. Should she go? Would the meeting be too much for her with her fragile psyche after her mother's murder, her dad's descent into alcoholism and her just starting to pull herself together? Could she handle meeting Rick and not be caught up in the emotion of the short time spent with him on those three occasions in California?

She had to see him; she was drawn as if to an unyielding whirlpool, caught in the maelstrom of the emotion of her loss, but also her only joy in the last two years. She could not deny the perfection of the passion she had experienced with this Rick Castle on that one glorious night in San Francisco.

She would go to the book signing and seek him out. Would he remember her?

Rick was struggling with his life without a person of value in it other than Alexis. She was the apple of his eye, no doubt, but he needed and desired meaningful companionship other than his daughter. He knew that he had met the one person he sought to spend eternity with, but she had disappeared from his life in the blink of an eye. The note Emerald had left him made him think she enjoyed the night in his hotel room as much as he had. It was a night he would never forget. It was a night of wild abandon, one of lust and, maybe, the infancy of love.

It was only one night.

Rick dreamed of Emerald often and thought of her more. He wondered what happened to her that she would simply vanish without any trace, leaving behind her job and school with no mention of what happened or where she might be.

He wondered with not a little trepidation, if she was dancing for someone else now, thrilling and enthralling them as she did him. He had savored the ecstasy that Emerald could bring to one who sought her out. He was distraught thinking she could be heaping this ecstasy on anyone other than him. He was ever in her embrace, having felt her being woven into the fabric of his very being. She had become inseparable from his aspirations, his dreams, his very being. He was incomplete without her, but he knew he must continue to live his life for himself and for Alexis. After all, he depended on Alexis as much as she did him. They were a team, the dynamic duo who could overcome any obstacle in their path.

It would be nice to have Emerald with him to brighten and compliment the journey, though.

Rick had continued writing the Storm series during the last two years and was very successful. He had amassed enough wealth to be considered part of the moneyed elite now. He was sought after by many eligible and desirable women of society. He was considered in many circles as The White Whale. Whoever landed him would have pulled off the coup of the decade.

However, Rick was not looking for that dance. Sure he was often on page six of The Ledger with a usually blonde celebutante on his arm, hype perpetrated by his agent and publisher, but that was not the person he really was, especially after he had experienced Emerald and all that she was. He truly felt no other woman would measure up the benchmark she had set. She was extraordinary and no other could achieve the standard. He had been entirely spoiled for any and all other companionship.

However, Rick still had to meet his publishing obligations to maintain the financial security he sought for his daughter. He now had his mother to worry about also, since her latest, now divorced ex-husband, had absconded with her not inconsiderable life savings. Martha had moved in with Rick when she was left nearly destitute by her ex's treachery. So Rick now was responsible for his mother and his daughter.

So, as they say, off to work we go, Rick thought.

Rick was seated at the table of honor in the Barnes & Noble bookstore, dutifully greeting his fans, writing and signing autographs. He had given up the practice of signing bosomy women's chests after meeting Emerald, feeling he was almost cheating on her, even though neither had any claim on the other. However, the connection he had felt in California had been so all encompassing he was consumed with the sense of kinship afforded to a meaningful relationship between a man and woman who were dedicated only to each other. How did this happen and would it ever be realized again? Was he destined to ever-longing for an unrealized life?

The lines for autographs had been long and demanding that particular day. New York was a big city and he was extremely popular among his hometown residents. He had been signing books for hours and he was becoming numb, simply asking," What's your name?" or "To whom do I make this out?"

Asking one more time, he heard,

"Kate, you can make it out to Kate."

He froze, his breath caught; he knew that voice, even after all this time. He felt a chill over his skin he had not felt in two years. He looked up and there she was; a beautiful tall brunette with an incandescent smile.

However, he did not let on he had recognized her since she had not introduced herself as Emerald. So he simply signed the book and watched her move away.

Kate silently crept out of the store and quickly opened the book to read what he had signed.

To Kate,

May your days be long and happy

And may the sadness I see be gone from your

Emerald eyes

Rick Castle

She was overcome with the realization he had recognized her on the spot without her mentioning her persona's name. She had a reputation and image to protect now that she was in the NYPD and could not afford for him to bring up that she used to dance nude, for either fun or a for a living. If word got out, she would probably lose her chance at a detective promotion. She had worked too long for that to happen and could not allow her search for justice for her mom to be sidetracked, so she faded into the throng leaving the bookstore along with the usual masses that populated the sidewalks of New York.

Rick immediately took a break from his signing duties and nearly ran out onto the street to talk to Emerald, or Kate, or Emerald. . . .

She was nowhere to be found, but he now had hope and once again, a purpose in life. He had a name, Kate, and he also had a glimpse of an NYPD badge on Kate's belt.

She was a cop!

Now he could start to look for her and he knew not only what she did, but knew she was from the city since to be a New York police officer regulations require she had to live here or in one of the six surrounding boroughs.

Rick was on the hunt for his destiny. But why had she disappeared so quickly? There was a story there somewhere, he knew it. He knew he had to find her again, but would she allow herself to be found?

He determined not to be denied in his quest.