A/N: didn't mean for this update to take so long, but here it is! content warning (mentions of sexual assault) for the second part of the chapter denoted after the page break.


Halloween Night, Soho

"You're sure this is the right place?" Lanie looked at Kate with uncertainty. This was where Richard Castle's crazy party was supposed to be happening?

"This is the address Rick sent me," Kate shrugs. She looks at the message again just to confirm, and sure enough the numbers on the front of the building matched the ones in the text.

"If we are about to get murdered, I'm gonna kill you," Lanie states plainly. Kate honestly didn't blame her for thinking it. The directions from her apartment found them at the very end of a quiet, narrow street in Soho. The block was empty except for them and the building they were standing in front of was not exactly giving off fun party vibes. It was a tall brick building with no windows facing the street and a front door that could only be accessed by descending a concrete staircase from the sidewalk. It was bizarre and honestly, a bit creepy, befitting of the date. The ambiance only added to the spookiness, as the familiar sounds of the city could only be heard in the distance, and an ominous fog had settled at Kate and Lanie's feet.

"Should we wait for your boo to get here? Should I just knock? Should I call Rick?" Kate felt an uneasiness as the very possible reality started creeping in. What if he was secretly a serial killer and they had walked right into his trap? Okay, now she was sounding like Castle with the absurd theories...Unless?

"It looks like Javi's coming now," Lanie says, pointing to the other end of the block. "Javi!" On the quiet street it felt like she was shouting, but really, it was just loud enough for him to hear. As he walked, the fog cleared and Kate could finally see Javier and his friend clearly.

"Wow, you two chicas look amazing," Javi says, wrapping his arm around Lanie's shoulder and gently kissing her cheek.

Lanie clears her throat and says, "Kate, this is Javi and his friend–"

"Kevin," said the shorter, pasty white guy who was dressed appropriately as a leprechaun. He offers a hand to Kate and then to Lanie with a kind smile.

"Ah, not that I don't trust you, but you sure this is the right place?" Javi says after a few moments of sizing up the building they were standing in front of. The Latino man who was just a little taller than Kevin was dressed as a police officer but left a few buttons of his shirt undone to reveal his well-sculpted chest that went along with his chiseled arms. He was most definitely Lanie's type, Kate thought.

"This is the address he sent me," Kate says again.

"Alright, well, Kev, why don't you go knock?" Javi suggests.

"Me?" Kevin scoffs. "Why just me?"

"Because by the looks of this place, we're gonna meet a little luck of the Irish," Javi jokes. It was obviously one that Kevin had heard before, Kate was guessing often, by the look on the man's face.

"Alright, come on," Kate sighs. "We'll all go together."

They all descend the staircase and Javi gives the locked door a sturdy knock. After a few seconds, the door unlatches and creaks open, just a few inches. A blue light emits through the crack and they can hear the distance beat of party music but no one greets them. The four share a look before silently deciding to pull the door open and walk inside. The blue light that beckoned them in continued down a long narrow hallway, at the end of which was the source of party music. As they got closer, a sturdy bouncer blocked them from joining the party, pulling out a clipboard and asking for a name.

"Um, Kate Beckett."

"Oh, Beckett! Rick's friend, right?" The man softens and smiles.

"Yes, and these are my friends as well," Kate says.

"Welcome. You all look great. If you have a coat or bag that you need to check, you can head all the way to the right and they'll take care of that for you. Otherwise, have a great night!"

They thanked the bouncer and walked inside. Kate had been to clubs before, but nothing quite like this place. The dance door was packed, the ambiance was fun—a weird combination of swanky and classic. Scanning the room, she quickly found Rick by the bar and made her way toward him.

"Kate! You made it!"

"We did," Kate smiles at his excitement.

"And wow, Lanie, you two look great," Rick said. Kate and Lanie had settled on the classic Angel/Devil combo. Lanie was in a short, flory white dress with a sparkly halo and she was in a tight red body suit, horns, and boots.

"Worth the wait?" Kate flirts.

"Oh, absolutely."

Kate introduces Javi and Kevin to Rick and they go off to the dance floor with Lanie. Meanwhile, Rick offers to get Kate a drink, so they head over to the bar.

"This place is really cool, Castle," she says as they wait for the bartender.

"I'm glad you like it. It first started as a speakeasy in the 30s, become a disco bar in the 70s, and a few years ago my buddy bought it and sort of combined those two vibes. Strange, but I think it works."

"Totally does," Kate agrees. "Though when I saw this place from outside I was convinced you had lured me to your murder lair."

"Trust me, my murder lair is much more sinister," Rick laughs.

"I do not doubt that," Kate says. They both smile awkwardly for a few moments of palpable silence.

After a few seconds ticked away, Rick said, "I am really glad that you made it."

"Yeah, well, consider yourself lucky because I don't just go to any Halloween party," Kate says.

"I do, consider myself very lucky that Kate Beckett chose to spend this evening with me," Rick says, handing Kate her drink and taking a sip from his own. They find a table near the dance floor and continue their conversation.

"So, does prolific party playboy novelist Richard Castle like to dance at these events or does that take away too much time from flirting with scantily clad women?"

"Wow, Kate Beckett, did you just ask me to dance with you? I am honored," Castle gasps.

"Right," Kate rolls her eyes. "That's totally what I meant."

"Knew it. Yes, I love dancing," Rick says. "Especially if you're my partner."

"How do you know you love dancing with me if we've never done it before?" Kate shoots back.

"You're my partner for other things, and I am loving that, so...educated guess," Rick smiles. Kate feels herself getting warmer and not from the alcohol.

"Well, let's go find out for sure," Kate says. She sets her empty glass on the table and stands up, holding her hand out to Rick.


"Lanie, bathroom, now, please," Kate mumbles as she grabs her friend away from the dance floor and frantically pulls her down the hallway.

"Whoa, whoa, Kate, what's wrong?" Lanie asks.

Kate's cheeks were almost as red as her costume when she says, "I think I messed up."

"Messed up? Are you okay?" Lanie fills with concern.

"Yes? No? I don't know!"

"Tell me what happened."

"It's Rick," Kate sighs.

"He didn't...hurt you, did he?"

"No, gosh, no. Just the opposite. He's been so perfect all night," Kate grimaces.

"Okay, so what's the problem?"

"Me. I'm the problem," Kate sighs. "We were just chatting and flirting and dancing and I was genuinely enjoying myself and I could tell he was too. We got more drinks and he leaned in to kiss me and I just...froze and then ran away."

"Froze?"

"Like I just stood there like an idiot," Kate elaborates. "And then I excused myself."

"Did you want him to kiss you?" Lanie asks. "I thought you were just partners."

"Oh, whatever, Lanie," Kate rolls her eyes. "Fine! I am starting to like him, okay? And he was going to kiss me and I ran? Is that a sign? Do I actually not like him? Why am I freaking out?"

"Kate, deep breaths. You and writer boy have been making googly eyes at each other all night," Lanie says. "You like him."

"I like him," Kate says, coming to acceptance of the fact.

"Now, you should go tell him".

"Tell him?"

"But only if you want to. We can go home if you want," Lanie offers.

"No. I should tell him. I'm gonna go tell him," Kate says.

"That's my girl," Lanie smiles. They walk back out of the bathroom and start scanning the busy club. After a few minutes, though, Rick was still no where to be seen.

"Do you see him anywhere?" Kate asks Lanie for the third time in less than two minutes.

"Sorry, girl," Lanie sighs. "Let's get drinks while we wait?"

"Sure, but you don't have to hang with me if you'd rather be with Javi," Kate smiles.

"Kate, please. The longer that boy waits for me, the better."

The two friends spent the better part of the next hour downing drinks. Even if Rick had been somewhere visible in the club, they wouldn't know it, or remember that they'd been looking for him. After Kate finishes off her fourth(?) vodka soda in that time, she decides to stumble back on to the dance floor. Lanie follows, but quickly finds Javi, leaving Kate alone in a mosh of other drunk people.

"Hey, you wanna dance?"

It was a miracle Kate heard it over the loud music, but she turns around expecting to meet Rick's blue eyes and sly smile. Instead, the voice belonged to a meaty frat guy dressed sloppily in a football jersey and hat which he wore backward. He was pretty cute, Kate thought, though she was starting to question if she was really in the state of mind to be a good judge of that. She nods and grabs the stranger's hand. The man took no time at all to start grinding up against Kate's back side. At first she leaned into it, enjoyed it, as they rocked together with the beat of the music. Soon, though, his grip became tighter and he began guiding her away from the crowd. His hands find her hips and she feels his fingers try to slide between her thighs.

"No!" She exclaims, doing all she can free herself him his grip.

"C'mon, you're so hot," the guy says. "I just want to thank you for dancing with me."

He pulls at her costume despite her protests. Kate feels her heart beating out her chest, suddenly feeling as sober as she'd been all day.

"Get off of me!" She yells. When the man still doesn't let go of her, she throws her fist as hard as she can into the guy's nose and kicks her leg between his.

The man's collapse suddenly brings the dance floor to a stand still. "You bitch!" He screams, determined to regain his grasp of her. Kate is unsteady, her hand seething in pain, still too drunk to fully comprehend the situation despite her momentary fight or flight response. She feels the man's hand on her arm again, but in the commotion, a familiar voice calls out.

"Kate!?" She turns to meet him. This time it really was Rick. "Hey! Get off of her!" He steps between Kate and the man who had just assaulted her.

"The bitch punched me!" The frat guy protests.

"For good reason, I'm sure," Rick says. "Roberto, let's get this guy out of here." He motions for the security team to escort the sloppy punk, blood pooling out of one of his nostrils. Realizing what had happened, Lanie, Javi, and Kevin all surround Kate to keep a crowd from forming around her.

"Kate, are you okay? Did he hurt you?" Lanie asks.

"No, no, um, just, my hand is...throbbing," Kate winces. Lanie gently grabs around Kate's wrist and slowly has her straighten her fingers. It hurts like hell, but she can do it.

"It's not broken," Lanie tells her. "But we gotta get ice on it stat."

"I can take her," Rick says. "My apartment is only a few blocks from here."

"Kate, are you okay to go home with Rick?" Lanie asks softly. Kate nods.

"Yes," she says. "I'm okay, really. It's just my hand. You stay and have fun."

Lanie smiles and warns Castle to take good care of her friend before heading back to the dance floor.

"Are you sure you're okay, Kate?" Rick asks.

"I'm 'kay," she assures him. Though he can smell the vodka on her breath, he smiles and carefully wraps his arm around her.

"Alright then, Rocky. Let's go back to my place".