Mid-November, Bobst Library
"Detective Beckett, good morning," Rick says with a chuckle as he walks into their study room, two coffee cups in hand.
Kate lets out a little giggle at the nickname then says, "Hey, Castle. You're late."
"Only by...three minutes," Rick says after looking at his watch. "Sorry."
"I'm just giving you a hard time. Thanks for the coffee," Kate smiles.
"I'll never stop getting you coffee if it means I get to see that smile," Rick flirts. Kate blushes and her smile gets wider. "Are you ready to solve a murder this morning?"
"Yes, I think we might be able to finish up by next week if we can get the methodology section done today," Kate tells him.
"That'd be great, get this turned in by Thanksgiving."
"Yeah."
It was a seemingly emotionless response but Rick could tell there was sadness behind it. Duh. How could he be so stupid?
"Which reminds me," Rick continues. "Would you like to join me and mother and Alexis for Thanksgiving? Or do you have plans?"
"I hadn't thought about it much," Kate lies. "I would love to."
"Great! That's great," Rick smiles.
They got to work on their project, but took breaks quite often to talk about everything and nothing.
How is Kate's dad doing with his program?
Fine, I guess.
Has she told Lanie what's been going on?
No.
If Kate could take a vacation anywhere in the world, where would she go?
New Zealand.
Was Alexis sleeping better now that her teeth had broken through?
Yes, thank god.
Who is the best Golden Girl and why?
Sophia, for obvious reasons.
What is Rick's favorite kind of pizza?
Sausage and fresh basil.
What is Kate's comfort movie?
Sleepless in Seattle. It was her mom's favorite.
Any headway on Richard Castle's next Great American novel?
He was no F. Scott Fitzgerald, but there's something in the works.
These past two weeks were like a slow, tentative dance and neither knew exactly where they stood. Kate had shared her biggest and most painful secret and Rick had shown her a part of his life that he was otherwise wary to share with anyone. There was a new level of comfort, for sure, but it also introduced a new layer to their complicated...friendship? Was it more than a friendship at this point? It had to be, right? I mean, they'd kissed. More than once. But neither of them truly knew and neither wanted to ask, either.
"What's the deal with you and Alexis's mom?" Kate had been curious for weeks, and since nothing seemed out of bounds today...
"The deal?"
"I meant like, I know you split custody with her, but what's she like?"
"Meredith is...Meredith. There's no words that truly do her justice," Rick says. "In terms of her absurdity."
"Oh?"
"She's uh...she's an actress," Rick begins. "We met a little less than two years ago in Vegas."
"Uh huh," Kate raises a brow.
"We were young and stupid and thought it was kismet that we'd met in Sin City despite both of us being from New York," Rick chuckles. "So, one drunken mistake led to another and we got married at one of those 24-hour chapels. We came back home and really, really tried our hand at the marriage thing but it really wasn't for us."
Kate looks on with serious intrigue, and perhaps a little bit of judgment.
"We were about to call it quits when we found out about Alexis," Rick continues. "A few months later, we knew it was for the best to end things. We couldn't bring a child into such an...irresponsible relationship."
"Irresponsible?"
"Yeah, I would say toxic, but it really wasn't like that. We just weren't each other's person and shouldn't have been married, really," Rick clarifies. "But, Meredith wasn't thrilled about the idea of being a single mother, or really a mother at all if we are being honest. So after Alexis was born, I took care of her pretty much full time. Meredith stayed in the guest bedroom for a few months, but then went back to acting."
"So, what's up with the weird schedule you have now?" Kate asked.
"When I decided to finish up my degree this semester, I practically begged Meredith to take care of Alexis while I'm in class. It sort of works because she mostly works at night, so Alexis is with her while I'm in class, and then she gets dropped off for nights with me," Rick explains. "It's convoluted."
"Hey, you gotta do what you gotta do," Kate says. "It's clear that Alexis adores you."
"Feeling's mutual," Rick smiles. "She's the best thing that's ever happened to me."
"She certainly does paint you in a different light," Kate smiles.
"What light is that?"
"A good one," Kate jokingly rolls her eyes. "It might be fair to say I misjudged you a little."
"Just a little?" Rick jokingly scoffs.
"Yes, just a little," Kate laughs. "You do remember how annoying you were at the beginning of the semester, don't you?"
"I assure you I don't know what you mean," Rick says.
"Anyway..." Kate sighs. "The methodology section looks good, so I suppose we can call it for today."
"Oh," Rick looks down at his watch and realizes they'd spent nearly five hours at the library. "Yeah, I should really be getting home, actually. Meredith will be by with Alexis soon."
"Then by all means," Kate smiles. "I had a good time today, Castle."
"Me, too," Rick agrees. "But it's always a pleasure to spend time with you. Do you have any crazy Saturday night plans?"
"No, actually," Kate laughs. "I'll probably put on a movie and pass out on my couch, honestly. It's been a very tiring few weeks."
"Understandable," Rick nods. "I suppose I'll see you Tuesday morning then?"
"Actually..."
Rick stopped in his tracks and turns back around to face her. "Yes?"
"I know you probably can't make it, but any chance you are free on Monday evening?" Kate asks.
"I could potentially call on Mother to watch Alexis for a bit, why?"
"Well, it's my birthday and I am getting dinner with a few friends," Kate explains. "I'd love it if you could join."
"Oh, wow, I'd be honored," Rick tells her. "I'm sure I can make it. Just, uh, text me the details and I'll confirm with the sitter."
"Of course," Kate says.
"Great, then it's a date," Rick nods.
"A date?"
"I–uh, no, not a date-date, just you know, like a friendship thing, dinner. Just dinner, with your friends, for you birthday," Rick stutters. "Happy birthday, by the way."
"Um, thank you," Kate laughs at his awkwardness.
"Sure, well, then I'll see you Monday. For your friend birthday dinner."
"Bye, Rick," Kate waves as they exit the library and head in separate directions.
November 17th, Kate's Birthday Dinner
He said he'd be here.
"So, Kate, when is this great guy you've been telling us about supposed to get here?" Kate's best friend from high school asks. It was meant as a harmless question, or at least, Maddie didn't mean any harm by it. But it hurt, mostly because he was supposed to arrive half an hour ago.
"He's not the most punctual person, I've learned," Kate tries to joke. "But he did tell me he'd be here."
"Well, writer boy better get here soon, I'm starving!" Lanie exclaims. It was a small gathering, just Kate and a handful of her close friends, and Rick—whatever he was.
"Let me just check on him quick, then we can order," Kate says, whipping out her phone to send Rick a text.
Are you coming?
The group had polished off appetizers and a round of drinks before Kate heard from him.
Mother's plans ran late, still at home with Alexis. I'll be there as soon as I can. I'm sorry.
She couldn't fault him, but it was frustrating that he wasn't there. She'd been talking about him to her friends for weeks so they were eager to meet him. Some impression he's making, she thinks as she reads his message. Now she was really being unfair, but she felt a bit sorry for herself honestly. It was her birthday, her 21st birthday and then man she lo—was excited about wasn't there to meet her friends.
"Okay, birthday girl," Kate's childhood friend Cassie says, raising her glass. "Turning 21 is supposed to be fun."
"I am having fun," Kate assures her, trying hard to conceal her conflicting emotions. "Thank you all so much for coming." She clinks her glass to Cassie's and takes a heavy swig.
"We love you, Kate!" Maddie cheers. "A round of shots on me!" The five other women cheer as they continue to load up on appetizers and spirits before their entrées arrive. Everyone dives into their heaping plates of whichever classic Italian dish they'd chosen for themselves. Kate picked at her chicken cacciatore and did her best not to sulk. She was with her closest friends in the world, the people who loved her the most, who understood her the best, but there was just one person she wanted to celebrate her birthday with.
He'd be there as soon as he could.
Kate was enjoying herself, she really was. She swallowed her feelings of ungratefulness and was having a lovely night with her friends. They'd polished off so much food and wine by the time dessert came around, but Kate would never pass on a slice of tiramisu.
"I guess writer boy couldn't make it, huh?" Lanie asks as she funneled a cannoli into her mouth.
"He said he'd be here as soon as he could, but I guess he's not going to make it," Kate shrugs.
"Another time," Maddie says optimistically, trying to lift her friend's spirits.
"Yeah," Kate sighs. She quickly reaches for more wine as she says, "I'm not about to let a man ruin my 21st birthday!"
Now that what the Kate Beckett they all knew and loved.
"Amen!" Lanie cheers. "Not even Richard Castle is worth crying over on your birthday."
"Richard Castle!?" The rest of the group gasps.
Oops.
Kate had made Lanie promise to keep Rick's identity a secret until she was able to introduce him to the others, but in her inebriated state, it slipped her mind.
"Oh, shit, Kate. I'm so sorry," Lanie says almost immediately, realizing her mistake.
"It's fine, Lanie. But yes, Rick/writer boy is Richard Castle."
"How?" Cassie asks, still processing that one of her best friends got stood up by a famous author on her birthday.
"We met in my Legal Studies class. We're partners for the semester project, actually. He was kind of an annoying jerk when I first met him, but he's a really amazing guy. He's just caught up with family stuff," Kate explains.
"Why didn't you tell us before?" Haley from Kate's economic class asks.
"I just wanted it to be a surprise, I guess," Kate shrugs. She honestly didn't have a better reason, not one that she would admit aloud, anyway.
"Sorry he couldn't make it, Katie," Maddie frowns.
"It's a bummer, but like you said, turning 21 is supposed to be fun, and I couldn't imagine anything better than celebrating with all of you," Kate shares a wonderful sentiment that elicits smiles and a few 'aw's from her friends.
After they'd finished their meals, stuffed to the brim with festa italiana, the women stack into a few taxis to head home. However, Kate decides a walk would do her some good.
Too late for me to come, I assume? Rick texts at a quarter past 9.
"Just a bit," Kate replies as she heads in the direction of her apartment. Just as she is about to slide her phone into her pocket, it vibrates, lighting up with Rick's name across her screen.
"Hey, Castle," Kate answers plainly.
"I am so sorry I couldn't make it," Rick replies.
"I'm sorry, too," Kate admits. "But I know you couldn't leave Alexis."
"No," Rick sighs. "Just sucks I couldn't be there for your birthday."
"You would've loved my friends," she tells him. "They were all excited to meet you, too."
"I believe it," Rick laughs. "And Gusto is one of my favorite restaurants. The chicken cacciatore—"
"To die for." They both say.
Realizing their jinx, they both laugh and then fall comfortably silent.
"Well, I should probably let you go enjoy the rest of the night," Rick eventually says. "I promise I will make this up to you."
"Make it up to me, huh?" Kate flirts. "How exactly will you do that?"
"However you'd like," Rick laughs. "I'm pretty rich, ya know."
"Hmm, well," Kate says. "There is one thing that I really, really want."
"Oh, really?" Rick smirks. "What's that?"
Suddenly the doorbell to his loft buzzes. He lifts his brow as he walks to the door and opens it to reveal Kate standing in the hall. She hangs up the phone and steps into the apartment before she finishes her wish.
"You."
