Something Old, Something New

by Castlefan6

A/N: By Request, PRE-Series Hookup, SEQUEL to Diminished Recall. Picks up exactly where that ends. COMPLETELY AU except for the conversation that prompted this and the use of some character's names. For CeCe, Friend, and Co-Writer with Pen2Paper.

I don't own Castle; I use the characters for amusement purposes only

I hope it's close to what you wanted.

A/N: Laurie's occupation was a songwriter, she said she had been lucky a few times. For the sake of this fiction, please assume the songs written by Diane Warren, were the work of Julie, under her pen name of DW. Thx

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Chapter 2

Outside Beaumont Hotel

One Hour Later

Laurie had been chased away from the small reception by none other than the bride, "Go, enjoy your day, and don't tell me you have obligations here, you've completed them. Now get out of here and have a great time, let me know how things are going with you two." Kyra said as Laurie made a fast exit from the hotel.

Rick had packed a suitcase, and they were going to stop by her condo to let her pick up some clothes before heading to the Hamptons for a few weeks. She didn't have anything on her schedule for three weeks, and Rick could write from anywhere. As the limo pulled up to the address, she had given him, it was very apparent that she was well off financially.

"Damn Laurie, are you rich or something?" Rick kidded her,

"I do OK, not like any of the millionaires on Sixteenth Avenue, but I've been lucky." She said,

16th Avenue would be in Nashville so are you a country artist" Rick asked his interest peaked, now.

She smiled, "As I said, I got lucky a few times, and the money was a hell of a lot better than trying to eke out a living traveling 40 weeks a year IF you could sell out a concert." She laughed,

Rick followed her into a very upscale condominium, with many of the extras he had installed in his loft. The remote was on the back of the couch, she picked it up and said, "These are a few of my kids that keep feeding me" She laughed, "Give me ten minutes, no more, I swear", as she tiptoed to kiss his lips and then she was off to a room to pack.

Rick, always curious pressed play and the sounds of Chicago, belting out the sounds of "I don't want to live without your love" Two lines in the song hit very close to home,

I don't want to live without your love
I don't want to face the night alone
I could never make it through my life
If I had to make it on my own

I don't want to love nobody else
I don't want to find somebody new
I don't want to live without your love
I just want to live my life with you

Probably just a coincidence that the lyrics matched how she told him she felt before she had to leave for UCLA, don't let your ego get too big, and you overthink this, he cautioned his inner self. The song finished, and went right into Cher, belting out If I could turn back time,

If I could turn back time
If I could find a way
I'd take back those words that have hurt you
And you'd stay
If I could reach the stars
I'd give 'em all to you
Then you'd love me, love me
Like you used to do, ohh

Was that another reference to when she had told Kyra after she left? Was that how she felt before she left for UCLA? He knew as a writer sometimes you needed to take liberties with who said what, but these two songs were very close to the narrative that they had been discussing for the last three days when they took time to talk at all.

She appeared in cute white shorts, a pink top, sandals, and a small bag exactly 9 minutes from when she kissed him. "You ready Rick?" She asked,

"Yes, can I ask you Julie, did you write songs under a different name, and would that name be Diane Warren?" He asked, with a huge smile

"I'm surprised with your knowledge of music Rick, but to answer your question, yes, that's me. I tried under my name, after cutting two records, and they pigeonholed me as a blues singer and writer, my partner, the one with the musical talent, suggested I write under a different name, such as his Aunt's. I thought, what the heck, it seemed to be a smart move" She laughed, "I guess it's working out OK,"

They climbed into the limo, to enjoy the ride to the Hamptons, she wasn't going to ask how they would get around once they arrived there, she knew he had a plan.

"You almost made me forget to lift Kyra's train this morning, I locked onto your eyes, and forgot where the heck we were" She smiled,

"Really? I thought I was pretty good; I mean I looked, but I tried to hide it,"

"Please, Rick. Even Kyra whispered in my ear that your eyes hadn't left me the entire service. She told me to treat you the way you deserved, and I would be a happy woman." She looked out the window, suddenly remembering,

Rick turned her face gently, "Hey, we can't change the past, all we can do is live in the moment, and right now, we're here, together. No, going back, please? I don't want to, and I know you don't either." She smiled, kissed him back gently, then settled into his shoulder.

"You know me so well, and you always know what to do and say, thanks, Rick. I don't want to go back to those days either." She snuggled closer, as he put his arm around her and pulled her in close.

"Then don't. Memories are given to us, not forced upon us, take the good and let go of the bad. Whatever reason things happened in the way they did I believe it was for a reason,"

She enjoyed the closeness, breathing in his aroma and thinking about what he had just said. No matter what happened in the future she had, they had, today, to live to their fullest. She dozed off, feeling safe, secure, and loved for one of the few times in her life.

When they pulled down the long drive that led to the house, Laurie thought they had turned onto another road, when she saw the huge wrought iron gates, the left with a huge gold-colored R in the middle, the opposite the same except for the letter was a C. She took a deep breath and then repeated Rick's question, "Damn Rick, are you rich or something" She laughed.

"I do OK, I mean not Patterson income, but then again, I don't crank out books like they are coming out of a widget factory, or hire good young writers for a small salary and then slap my name on the books. I think my fans deserve more than that, and besides, how much money does one man need?" he smiled,

"You're right Rick, we do, don't forget I'm a fan and have been since I met you, way back then." She blushed, as Rick took her hand and assisted her out of the limo,

He guided her up the walk, again, his hand gently on the small of her back sending goosebumps up her spine, that man, all he had to do was to touch her and she was a puddle of jello. He opened the door, and she about fainted. He had said a beach house, not a beach mansion, this home was absolutely beautiful.

"You can drop your bag, and I'll give you a quick tour, I love it out here because I can hear the ocean kissing the shore, all day, sometimes all night," he said, as he looked out the patio doors, open just far enough to allow a gentle breeze to float into the room, filling it with the smell of the ocean.

"Rick, I don't want to sound presumptuous, but you are having my bag taken to your room, aren't you? I mean,"

He interrupted her with a gentle kiss, "Of course, I'll only have it moved if and when you want it to be. I hope that is"

This time she interrupted him, with the same technique, "Be quiet, sir." She smiled, "I think we both know what we want for the next few weeks. How did Alexis take the news about us coming up here?" she asked,

"Before or after she stopped yelling and jumping up and down telling me "Don't Blow This Dad" he laughed, "I think she took it fairly well, "

They toured the house, then opted for a walk on the beach, Julie was surprised that Rick owned the right of way for his entire lot, and no one could legally intrude. It was something he only enforced when the paparazzi got too zealous, or his neighbor's nephew threw a college party and didn't respect the property of others.

As they strolled down the beach, Julie had her sandals in one hand, the other firmly intertwined with Rick's as she stopped, picked up a shell, placed it in a small container, and then kissed him and started to walk again. Rick wasn't complaining, this was the best way he had ever accompanied anyone collecting shells, she smiled, giggled, and was authentic, or as some would say she was real. What you saw, what you heard was what you got.

They moved to the shallow waters and let the incoming waves splash the cool water against the warmth that the sun had transferred to their legs and feet. She was in heaven, Rick was talking about how he, well he and Alexis actually bought the house. They had driven up to look at a different home, two blocks the other way, but when they drove down the street, and saw how quiet and private it was, it was where do I sign?

"Alexis adores you; you know that don't you Rick? I know you think of her as your little girl but she's growing up and wants to be sure you have found someone who, and I quote, "can love him as much as I do, even when he comes up with those stupid ideas that he swears will work, at least until they blow up" she laughed,

"I told you she does a good job in chaperoning me, she asked me after you left the first time, "Why I didn't ditch Kyra back in college? She came right out and said, Dad, Julie is way hotter than Kyra, well at least the pictures I've seen when you don't know I was looking. And Meredith? Please do we even need to discuss the woman who gave birth to me and then couldn't wait to spilt, from us both?"

"Was she right Rick, I mean is that how you felt? Why did you stick it out with Kyra, you had to know how much Sheila hated you, and wanted to bust you up, I'm sure" she said,

"I knew, Shelia was never shy when she got the opportunity to put me as she would say, 'in my rightful place, out with the servants and dreamers' She never thought I would make it as a writer. Even after I had my first bestseller, she just doubled down on everything I wasn't.

"Why did I stay? I had feelings for Kyra, I truly did. She believed in me when almost no one else did. I guess, I didn't want to leave her after she had stood by me, but well, we all know how that worked out. In retrospect, I'm not sure if I was afraid of being alone again in the world, or if I cared about her enough to put up with Sheila.

"I think we both know the answer to that question now, that's what's great about memories. We can see so clearly how we messed up, we're still helpless to go back and change things but at least we understand what was going on at that time of our life." He said, looking out at the ocean,

"I know what you mean, but you know, looking back now, walking with you, in the ocean, holding your hand, I would do it all over again, feel the same hurt, cry the same tears, and I know that sounds nuts." She said softly,

"No, not nuts, Julie, just human. All of the pain, disappointment, fear, and failures have shaped me into the man who is holding your hand and made me more appreciative of someone who never gave up on loving me."

She stopped, turned to him, and kissed him as though she was never going to be able to kiss him again. Finally, when they broke for air, she said softly, tears in her eyes, "That's the first time you used the L word, and you're exactly right, I never stopped loving you.

"I think I feel what's in your heart, but don't say it, please Rick, not until, you're sure. I've loved you from a distance for so long, I never want you to say it just because you know how I feel." Tears leaked from her eyes,

"You know me better than most anyone, you know when I say it, it will be because I feel it. I do love you; I have since we were reunited, and I think I'm falling in love with you, but as you said, let's let it develop. I just want to know, I want this to be exclusive, I mean if you"

She jumped into his arms, kissed him, and said, "You just try to see someone else and see what happens Mr. Rick Rogers Castle," then laughed and hugged him tight. The next three weeks gave them opportunities to discover things neither knew about the other. She never pressed, just letting him tell her of Germany, Lanie, and her parents and how badly he had been hurt.

She loved to lie between his legs on the sofa, her back against his chest, and hold his hand, as he spoke to her in his deep voice. She could turn her head and steal a kiss anytime she wanted, as he gently massaged her shoulders with one free arm. The closeness of just lying together was more intimate than she had with many of her previous partners. He made her feel free, safe, and wanted, finally after all this time, her dream had come true.

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12th Precinct

Same Time Frame

Kate Beckett had finally been able to move her shoulder a full 360 degrees, it had been almost two weeks, and as Lanie told her, she was damn lucky she didn't wind up with a broken bone or torn rotator cuff.

She had been dressed down by the Captain, then the Commissioner called to add on, letting her know in no uncertain terms, she was replaceable, there was already a list of qualified candidates to take her place. "Detective, I don't think I need to explain to you again, when Mr. Castle spares us his time to help solve high profile cases, by invitation of Mr. Mayor, YOU are not to interfere with him or make any cheap comments.

"The only way Mr. Castle will ever help again is if a stipulation he sent to Mr. Mayor is agreed upon and complied with. This is a direct quote, Detective. "He reports to Captain Montgomery and the female detective and her want to be detectives are to stay out of his way. He was embarrassed by your facial expressions as well as your actions Beckett, so that won't happen again, will it Detective?" Commissioner Boyle spit into the phone,

"Sir, no Sir" she barked back. Playing it by the book, she knew that she had pissed off her Captain, the commissioner, and the mayor, but still hadn't drawn how they were connected to Castle. She was dismissed and took her wounded pride back to her desk.

"How pissed off was the Captain, Kate?" Lanie was sitting in a visitor's chair.

"He was hot, then Commissioner Boyle called in the middle of it, and got his licks in as well. What the hell is so special about Castle and those three? The mayor, commissioner, and Roy all act like they're bosom buddies for some reason. I just don't understand it?" Kate sat, genuinely confused.

"Maybe if you spent some time researching the three of them instead of getting pissed off at Rick, you would understand, Kate. I'm not at liberty to say, it's not my story, but if I were you, I would do an internet search on Richard Rogers, USMC, and then dig deeper. Oh, don't let the Captain catch you, or you will be back on patrol quicker than you can pick up your dry cleaning." Lanie said,

"You know the story, Lanie, why won't you tell me? I knew you had a history with him, but I thought it was just romantic, I mean one of his"

"One of his what Kate Beckett?" Lanie rose, fire in her eyes, You better watch what you say until you get your facts straight, and that doesn't include page six of the society pages of The Times. If you ever refer to me as one of his one-night stands, or floozie of the month again, you're going to need a full-body cast. DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR DETECTIVE?" She made it clear not to F around with Dr. Parrish.

"Lanie, I didn't mean anything, oh come on, sit back down, let's talk this out." She tried as Lanie had already started her trip back to her own office.

"NOT NOW BECKETT. When are you going to learn to watch your fucking mouth?" Lanie let it fly and didn't care who heard it, unfortunately, Captain Montgomery did as he stood in his office, took a look at the experiment of his for lead detective, and shook his head.

TBC