synopsis: There are three things that Kate Beckett values more than anything else in her life: one is the love and loyalty of the people who care about her, then her work; that promotes justice and some comfort to the victims' families, and then, it has a good literature.

It's because of that third thing that she goes to that book launch party for her favorite author, even though she thinks the new saga isn't as good as the one that came first.

What surprises her though is that her favorite author - Richard Castle may have made her his source of inspiration without her having anything to say about it. And when she's finally gets her chance, it seems a little too late, they're in the middle of a crowded room, with a lot of stares and maybe a broken heart or two.

Pre-Canon Kate and Rick Crowded Room

[Illustrative cover only]

𓂃𓂃𓂃𓂃𓂃𓂃

Author's Notes:

Ok. Hello. How you guys are doing? I really hope you doing well. Here is the thing, english is not my first language and although I'm trying to write you probably will realized some obviously mistakes that i not notice, pls ignorem them or tell me. Thank You.

I don't know if there are any Castle fans left on the platform, as it's been several years since the show ended.I've only known the series for a few months and I really wanted to make my contribution as a fan and writer. If you give it a chance, I hope you don't be disappointed. Have a good read guys!

Just in case: I don't own castle!

xoxos, lehh.

The first time Kate hears about Richard Castle, she is 16 and in a bookstore with a friend.

His name was displayed in exaggeratedly large fashion on the cover of a book called Flowers For Your Grave, and although the cover of the thriller caught her eye, it wasn't enough to compel her to take him home with her. so when Maddie pulls her out the door, she just follows.

The second, third and fourth times are all mentioned by Johanna, her mother. Kate knows her incessant reading habit is something they share – along with a critical sense – so the moment she hears her mother praise Richard Castle for his astute writing over dinner, she makes a note about buying the works and seeing why by herself.

Turns out, she doesn't buy it. Maybe because she forgot, or found something more interesting at the bookstore β€” she's not sure β€” but at 18, there's a boxed set of three books on her bed with the same egocentrically huge name.

She rolled her eyes as she read it, I mean, did he have the need to make his name so big on the cover? She can bet the guy is a narcissist with a handful.

But then, she realizes that these were gifts from her mother, and a smile breaks out in warmth and genuine love.

She notes in the titles:

A Brewing Storm, A Raging Storm and A Bloody Storm.

In addition to being narcissistic, the note of him being obviously a fan of puns is taken, as the protagonist's name is Derek Storm.

Upon researching, Kate realizes that these are recent releases, all released within six months of each other. 1 year and a half then. And before that, there are only three books: the one she saw in the bookstore about two years ago, another one called Hail Of Bullets, and one more, Hell Hath No Fury. Unlike his three original works, this new series, Derrick Storm's, is raising his bar as an author and generating unbridled hype.

It's only after some more research, and after a particularly hectic week at college, that Katherine Beckett decides to start reading.

And, wow, okay, the guy is good. Admitting it to herself is quite liberating, especially as she wasn't quite convinced of the value of these books or their author. It becomes different, because once she is deeply immersed in Derrick Storm's life and the very well-developed plot of his story, her mother is no longer the only one talking about it over dinner.

And it's fun. Share your first instincts about cases as they happen, exchange respective opinions, and most importantly, look forward together to a continuation.Her dad Jim doesn't participate much, but there's a curious glint in his eye, and he insists he's fine just watching his girls' enthusiastic interaction.

In fact, Kate is so emotionally touched by this Richard Castle's writing that she ends up buying his first two works just to have something to focus on until the sequel to Derrick Storm is released. Maybe she goes to the launch party, and maybe she gets an autographed book?

At age 20, on a Friday night, something is wrong. She could feel it, surrounding her like an irrefutable instinct and building in short waves of despair and agony in her stomach. Kate had been with her father waiting for her for two hours, and when Johanna didn't show up, the uneasy and certain feeling of what had happened took over completely. But nothing prepared her for the moment she saw her mother's lifeless body. Kate has lost her.

The weeks following that were painfully slow and blotchy around the edges. Those were dark times, and the darkness was so dense that it was impossible to see any hope or even a spark of the blessed light at the end of the tunnel. In herself, Kate knows that her father couldn't see it either. Between real dreams that became heavy upon waking up and seeing that Johanna wasn't really there, written letters addressed to the fire and her father's chronic alcoholism, everything seemed quite hellish and irreversible.

When Stormfront launches, it doesn't read. Maybe it's the irony of the title with everything that's been happening in her life, or the fact that she won't have anyone to share all the good feelings that should come from this release, but she refuses. And just when a sense of justice takes hold, and the police academy feels like the right thing to do, Wild Storm is released.

It takes place on a particularly impossible night to erase. Kate was so tired. She had been training all day and just wanted to close her eyes and wake up the next morning, but the already sober version of her father bought her the books and the attempt seemed to be worth it. And did. Because as she read the words, she felt much more comforted than helpless.

It wasn't the sense of loss that the book reminded her of, in fact, for some not very logical reason, Kate found that she felt closer to her mother that way. That's why she wanted to kill Richard Castle when he killed Derrick Storm in the last book, Storm Fall. Mainly because she queued for an hour to see him and get the book signed, and he was absolutely adorable to her, so go and kill her favorite character. I mean, what's this guy's problem?

Even so, she had to move on, right?

Kate is 26 now, Richard Castle has a new book franchise which, if you ask her, is incomparably inferior to the entire Storm series. Not that she's going to take sides on it, obviously. It's frustrating, sure, but she assumes that's what life is about.

However, when she sees him at a launch party for this new franchise, she is surprised at herself by the fury that fills her that he has put an end to Derrick. Maybe she wanted to get the real answer of it, not all the bullshit he spouted on a Podcast with the New York Times, and thinking about it, she goes looking for answers the moment she notices him alone.

"Mr. Castle? Excuse me?"

You know the problem with impulsive decisions? They are hasty, need improvisation, and this is definitely not Kate's strong point. For some reason, she had it in her head that she would know exactly what to say when she got close enough, but then sky blue eyes are on her and it looks like the cat ate her tongueβ€”okay, bad choice of expression. Noted.

Richard Castle is wearing a flattering obsidian-hued suit, with a rather conspicuous burgundy dress shirt and a pair of shiny louboutins that must cost someone a kidney. He's exactly as she remembers, impeccable bearing, air of grace and elegance, and still a commoner – he'd make a great politician, he's got it all – and well, the piercing eyes that seem to see into his soul are there too. Kate swallows hard.

"Oh, good night. He salutes, a smile growing as his lips curve. She hates that he has so much decorum. "I take it we haven't been properly introduced yet?"

His suggestive tone is charismatic. Sweet, even.

"I'm Richard Castle," he extends his right hand to her as he says it, as if she doesn't know that, and hasn't even been to his book launch party. "But I think you already know that, since you've called me by name before. Right. What is your name?

Kate waits a moment. Just a few seconds, analyzing him and letting curiosity hover lightly in the air. Then she reaches out and touches his hand.

"I'm Kate. Well, Katherine Beckett."

Richard doesn't shake her hand like she expected. In fact, he does something completely different, which divides opinion: old-fashioned or chivalrous. She prefers the old-fashioned because she doesn't know what to do when he leans in and brushes his lips across the back of her hand.

It's fast, almost imperceptible. But happened. She saw. Though she can't say for sure that she wasn't straight out of a 19th century book.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss. Beckett." He smiles, and doesn't hide the way his eyes roam over her. Okay, maybe he didn't come out of the 1800s because the flirtation in his eyes is just too wide open.

"Yes, well, I guess the pleasure is mine." Kate replies, purely out of politeness. It would be a pleasure indeed if he hadn't killed Storm, but she's not sure how to say this without sounding rude and completely disrespectful to her all-time favorite author.

He waits a moment. And when a buffet lady passes by with a tray of champagne flutes, he bends over to pick up two.

"Do I need to assume that you follow and approve of David Wilder?" - Is a question. She can see between the lines that even though it should be obvious because this party is about the Wilder series, he wants real reviews, even though he hopes with all his heart that they will be positive.

She takes it when he holds out a glass to her. Very polite again.

"Thanks." She thanks him for the champagne, before moving on to the answer he's looking for. "Yes to the first question, not so much to the second," Kate says. She can see the scowl almost forming on his expression, but then it goes neutral just as quickly as it almost appeared. An excellent poker face, he must have.

Richard Castle closes his lips gently around the glass and swallows, he doesn't take his eyes off her.

"Now, this puzzled me. Do you want to elaborate?"

"I love your books, Mr. Castle. I just think maybe the Wilder series doesn't work for me." It's still pretty vague, but it's the best she can muster before she blurts out the thing about her revolt. "At least, not as much as Storm."

"Ah-ha! You're a Storm girl, then."

"Yes, i think you can say that." Kate takes her own sip of her drink. "Why the hell did you kill him anyway?"

"Well, like I told theβ€”"

"Yeah, you talked a lot of bullshit about moving on, but you never really gave a clear and honest reason why." Her interruption takes him by surprise. As if he was quite torn between being in awe or aghast at her boldness.

And there was your attempt at subtlety, Katherine, she thinks to herself.

"Why did you kill him, Mr. Castle?"

She arches her eyebrows, then keeps them raised as she waits for him to give her a concrete answer. He already knows she won't swallow anything.

"You know what? Being cornered by a beautiful woman usually means a little less talk and more action" This is his first comment that suggests promiscuity directed at her, and it's not that she's never heard of his fame, but she rolls her eyes at witnessing it in first hand.

Yes, he's charming, handsome, and polite, and he's unfortunately aware of it all. Which makes him an unprecedented arrogant.

"An answer to my question would be nice," Kate lets him know. "You're stalling."

"Yes of course" Just give me a moment, I'm putting together the necessary arguments for you," Richard explains. "I get the impression you're a pretty demanding woman.

And then there's the tone. The tone dripped with flirtation and innuendo, and she obviously realized he was implying another kind of demand on her part. She wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of an answer, not that he would deny or confirm anything anyway if she did.

Kate again takes a sip of the stars from her champagne. It's sweet on the tongue, and she looks at him incisively, waiting for his answer.

"Killing Storm was… something of a personal wreck for me, Miss. Beckett. He looks away from her as he says it, her expression suggesting he's reliving a memory and truly sharing it with her. "I mean, he was my first successful brilliant invention, and I made him do everything. Infiltrate all sorts of trouble, as you might already know if you've read the books. The point is…"

There is another pause. Like he was looking for the right ones answers.

"He has become an accommodation to me. I no longer saw the challenge in writing about him and everything became monotonous. Boring. And don't get me wrong, Storm is important to me to a massive degree, and the idea of killing him was beyond frustrating and kind of scary, but I couldn't let the franchise fall apart in a dull way."

At some point, his eyes returned solely to her. And she liked it.

"I think I gave him a worthy end to how his life was. And if that's what you suggested earlier, yes, Wilder is definitely not as interesting and flashy as Derrick, but it's been a challenge to write, and I think the attempt is worth something."

Kate smiles, because she likes this answer. It sounded sincere. And she's good at reading people. It's a job requirement now that she's become an NYPD detective.

"How did I do?" He raises his eyebrows suggestively, a playboy smile awaiting her approval. And she holds back the sudden urge to laugh.

"It was satisfying." Never that she's going to help boost his ego.

"Satisfying, huh?" Richard repeats. The flicker of something shining in the blue iris. "Satisfactory enough for me to get a positive response if I asked you out for a drink? Maybe a dinner?"

"We're already drinking together, Mr. Castle."

More expectation lights his expression. He shouldn't be rejected too much, so he's taking it as a challenge.

"True, and please call me Rick." The way he presses his lips together doesn't go unnoticed. "But we're at a business party. I wish we had something more private, for us to talk about the personal aspect of our lives.

"Private? Personal aspect?" Kate frowns. "You look like you're after some pillow talk, Mr. Castle."

"I'm after what you allow me to have."

That shuts her up for a few seconds. He didn't comment on the way she insisted on calling him by his last name, even though he noticed that. And he's acknowledging that she's in control, of course, but that's also called lip service – a strategy to get exactly what you want.

"Rick" A blonde woman appears, calling from afar and approaching very quickly. "It's time for you to satisfy your thirsty fans with an excerpt from the book."

"Okay, Ginna." he says, regaining some seriousness. "It was a real pleasure talking to you, Miss. Beckett. Think about my invitation, please."

And then he sets the glass on another tray and leaves, gracefully, behind the blonde woman named Gina.

She watches as she reads Wilder Code, the enthusiastic, well-interpreted way the words flow through her tongue.

He's... interesting.

But Kate isn't sure she's willing to dive into it and discover things that will eventually cause her to be disappointed in her current favorite author.

If you only know the superficial and like it, that's enough. Being a cop, she's fairly familiar with a few things, which if explored further, could spoil everything else. And Kate doesn't want to spoil that.

She had a nice night, so she's just going to get a book and go home, after all, she has to put murderers behind bars first thing in the morning.