Renaissance of Love

by Castlefan6

A/N: By Request, PRE-Series Hookup, This is the continuation of Diminished Recall; you must read that first, or this won't make sense. CAUTION: THIS IS NOT CASKETT. It continues on Rick's discussion with Alexis about the night he danced, fell in love, and lost contact with a girl in college; sometimes memories come back at the worst time. COMPLETELY AU, except for the conversation that prompted this and the use of some character's names. This picks up immediately after the conclusion of the original, with no time-lapse.

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

This began as a request from CRed1988; I hope it's close to what you wanted.

Chapter 2

Day One of Rick and Laurie's Hampton Visit

Rick and Laurie arrived at the Hamptons less than twenty minutes later. As Rick pulled into the double iron gates, which had the huge letter R on one gate and C on the other, Laurie gasped.

"Oh my God, Rick, you said your beach house; this isn't that; this is a frickin mansion," her eyes were taking in the majesty of the grounds and sounds of the ocean kissing the shore in the distance,

Rick laughed, "Somethings never change; I see Frickin is still your choice of swear words that aren't just like in college," he said as he gazed into her eyes for a moment before kissing her hand once again, then exiting the car. He hurried over to her side and opened the car door,

She blushed, "I never knew you heard me say anything; I mean, you were so wrapped up with my best friend. Some days, I wondered if I choked on a bone, would either of you notice? You two were so lost in love, I mean."

"I'm sorry for that, Laurie, that was rude," he said as he took her hand and assisted her out of the car. "Would you like to look around the outside before we go inside?" Rick asked,

"Oh, Rick, don't apologize; I mean, I knew you were taken by my best friend, and I would never have done anything that didn't support her and you. No matter what I felt inside, I knew that I could get by knowing that you were happy, so I had to be happy for you." She said, a sad tone coming from her sweet lips,

As she stood from the car, she was so close to him, she didn't know what possessed her, but she leaned in and kissed him slowly but gently, and to her surprise, he kissed her back. It wasn't a long, or I want to screw your brains out the type of kiss, rather a soft, gentle, I care about you type.

As they broke the kiss, she stammered and blushed, "I'm sorry, Rick, I don't know what got into me," she put her head down,

He gently lifted her head with his fingers, took her face between both of his hands and kissed her with such passion that she couldn't recall the last time the internal fire had been lit so quickly.

"Never be sorry for kissing me, God I've wanted to do that since I first saw you again at the wedding. You are beautiful, even more beautiful than you were in school." He said softly as he pulled her into an embrace, one that both were content to hold each other for quite a while. Laurie couldn't believe that the man she had dreams about was in her arms. Rick was counting his lucky stars and asking the universe if this could be the one time he found happiness that would last.

When they broke the embrace, it was followed by a kiss, this time initiated by Laurie and involving quite a bit of tongue, which was gladly reciprocated. When they broke for air, Laurie said in a hushed voice, "Rick, can we go inside? I don't think you want your neighbors witnessing what I intend to do to you soon if we keep this up," and laughed.

Rick laughed, a deep, soulful laugh, and his blue eyes twinkled as he smiled, "Anything my lady wants, she will get. " He wrapped his arm around her waist as they began the walk around the property. This would be the short version: There would be plenty of time to show her every inch of his property soon.

He felt her arm return the hug, wrapping it around him. She leaned her head on his shoulder as they walked to the pool area and through the back entrance to the house. The servants had already parked his car in the garage, and taken both bags to his master bedroom, and disappeared. He guided her into the entrance to the house, placing his hand on the small of her back, which sent shivers up her spine.

Was she dreaming? Was it really happening after all these years? God, what did she do to deserve this, she thought as they made their way into the kitchen / den area.

"I hope you don't mind, but I had the local restaurant cater a light evening meal. I know the ride is tiring, and I hope you still like beef tips over noodles." He smiled,

"Rick, how did you know, rather how did you remember? I mean, I only had dinner with you and KB three times. How could you remember my meal order after this long?" She said, surprised at the man and his way of making her feel so special with every deed and word that he did and spoke.

He smiled, "There was a lot I remember about you, Laurie. I may have been with Kyra, but I wasn't totally stupid about how you felt about me, or at least I thought you did. All three times that we went out for a meal, you ordered the same dish, even at the expensive restaurant, if you could call Denny's high-priced." He laughed

"Really, Rick? You knew how I felt, even Kyra didn't pick up on it, I mean,"

"Well, we both know Kyra was trying to be a good daughter to her mother, and I got what was left, which, after meeting Sheila Blaine, wasn't much. Do you remember our study sessions, just you and I, when Kyra had to bail on us at the last minute? That was another ploy by Sheila to try to get me to cheat on Kyra with you." He said with disgust in his voice,

"Well, any and every girl on campus could have told her she was wasting her time. If there was one male who believed in staying faithful, all of the girls knew it was you. I wasn't alone in my feelings for you; many wanted to try to act on it, but I saw you shut them down politely and firmly.

"Do you remember that incident with Darlene Coner coming from our study session at the library?" she asked with a smile on her face.

"If you're referring to the time she conveniently came from behind the tree without her blouse or bra, then put the blouse back on to be sure I saw what God and her surgeon had given her," He said, smiling, and Laurie howled with laughter.

"Most of the guys thought they were natural, but you called her out on it and told her she was risking an infection from her implant sites going braless this early after surgery after she came on to you." Laurie got out between her laughter.

"I felt sorry for her in one way, and in another thought, well, she got what she deserved trying something like that when the entire campus knew you were a one-girl man and would not cheat. I know she embarrassed you, as well as me, but you handled it like the gentleman you always were."

"Laurie, can I ask you something? You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but it's just something I heard and couldn't believe at the time." He said softly as he plated the food and motioned for her to sit. He poured the wine, her favorite, and brought out warm rolls from the warmer. God, this man thought of everything she thought.

She leaned up and kissed him gently. "Isn't that what this trip is about, to answer any and every question we had or have about each other? I'm like you, Rick. I won't live a lie, so when it comes to matters of the heart, well, we need to be on the same page, for both of our sakes." She said as his eyes captured hers, then sealed the moment with a gentle kiss of his own.

"You're right, Laurie, complete honesty, even if it is something that you or I might shy away from because, well, just because," he said, as he assisted her with her chair and arranged the food to be within her reach.

"Thank you, Rick; I have never been treated like such a lady. Ask anything you want, and I promise I will do my best to tell you exactly what I was feeling or what was happening at that time. Now ask your question."

"Well, I know, or at least I have it on reliable sources that you knew about my friendship with Jordy, eh, Jordan Bailes, and she mentioned to me that you had called Kyra in Parris and yelled at her for over a half hour about what she had done. Is that true?" he said, suddenly the shy boy she knew back in college.

"Well, I did hear about Jordy. I was tempted to visit you, but then I thought, "I am here, and she's there. It would be best if you had someone to talk to, and I wasn't going to be around like Jordy.

"Plus, she had a great body—big hooters if I recall—and most guys go for that. I've been left out in that department my entire life. I decided to let you pursue her without any interference from me; I mean, I wanted you to get over Kyra the best way you could.

"It's true. I did call her, but not for the half-hour; it was two minutes shy of two hours. I had to get a payment plan for my phone, or they would have disconnected me," she laughed as Rick's eyes grew wide. "I yelled at her that if she knew she was going to treat you that way, why the hell did she let me transfer schools? She had to know I was in love with you," she said, then blushed,

"Did you just say what I think you said, "You were in love with me, Laurie?" Rick asked shyly,

"Yes, for two and a half years, I was so in love with you I was willing to take whatever time I could get with you, knowing your heart belonged to my best friend, and I know that makes me an awful person. I knew that you would never stray, so I made myself accept the time I had with you and her and live in my own world.

"I think society will tell me that I should be sorry, but I'm not, not for one moment, because the memories I had with you got me through some pretty rough times when you were deployed overseas." She said with a tear in her eye.

By now, the meal was finished, so Rick cleared the table and took her wine glass down to the couch to be more comfortable. "Laurie, we have three days to talk, to tell each other every deep secret that you think each other should know, so why don't we start with one of us telling our story, then the other can tell theirs, OK?

She followed Rick to the den and sat close to him as he slipped his arm around her and pulled her close. "Hey, it's OK, as long as we are truthful with each other. Nothing matters, what you or I did, you promise?" he said softly, his forehead against hers. She nodded as he kissed her softly to reassure her.

"Let me go first, Rick, or I'll never get it all out if you don't mind," she pleaded,

"OK, Sweetie, tell me as much as you are comfortable with; don't worry about telling every detail. When you are finished, can I ask any questions I might have?" he asked gently,

She looked into his blue eyes and kissed him softly, "Always ask what you want, Rick; I'm an open book to you. I just hope you still like what you see after I finish," she said,

"Don't worry about that, Laurie; it's me who is worried that you will see you can do so much better than being with me. I mean, that is, oh God, I'm moving too fast."

He was silenced with a deep kiss, one that spelled out her love and desire to be his woman and only his woman. When the kiss was broken, she said, "That was the sweetest way I have ever heard asking me to be exclusive. That's what you were asking, was it not?" She smiled until she saw his eyes twinkle, and he captured her in a return kiss.

"You see, you know me so well, and yes, that's precisely what this rambling fool was trying to say," He said, a smile on his face,

"OK, Rick, from now on, you are mine, FINALLY; God, please pinch me to tell me this is real; I've loved you from a distance, and now I can love you like this." She ended the statement with a kiss and some tears, which Rick kissed away gently. He spoke low and softly to her, holding her as lovers do, exactly what she needed and had never had before.

"Hey, we better talk, or we never will if we keep this up," she laughed through her tears,

"How about a five-minute break? I'll get some cold drinks and use the restroom so we can concentrate on what each other is saying, OK?

"Deal, she kissed him on her way to the guest bathroom.

/

New York

Same Time Frame

Kate was scheduled to appear before the District Attorney for a mock trial, preliminary interview, and preparation for the upcoming trial; the court had set a date for two weeks from today. The state wasn't taking any chances that a rogue witness or subject matter expert would upset their carefully laid-out case against the defendant. She hadn't spoken to Lanie since she had left her morgue after receiving instructions not to ask her private questions, especially about Richard Castle.

When she arrived for her appointment with the prosecutor, Lanie was surprised to see the ME sitting in the DA's office. She looked up over her paperwork, rolled her eyes, and said, "Good Morning, Detective; what time is your appointment?" without the usual cheerful hello tone.

"Good Morning Lanie, look, I owe you an apology. Can we get a coffee or tea in your case after this? I'm a few minutes early for my appointment, but I really need to talk to you. I tried calling, and I'm sure you've seen the multiple voicemails,"

"Well, one rule, Beckett, no talk about Rick or my past. We've been over that, and if and when I am ready to tell you, I will do it on my terms, not as part of your interrogation of a suspect. Are we clear?" Lanie had eyes that could pierce steel, and they were glaring at Kate as she waited for her answer.

"Sure, Lanie, and again, I'm sorry," Kate said as the meeting was being called to order.

Two Hours Later

Becketts Apartment

"Damn, I didn't know that Gregg had that kind of money; no wonder he didn't miss six million dollars," Lanie said softly to start the conversation,

"I agree that money like that, to most of us, is just numbers on a piece of paper. I know I will never come close to the last six numbers in his net worth, even after working my entire life." Kate replied, keeping it generic.

"OK, Kate, you win. It's bugging the hell out of me, and I have to talk to someone, so you have to promise whatever is said, STAYS in this room, or I'll call my therapist, understood?" Once again, Lanie had those eyes staring at her aimed like two missile launchers

"Understood, Lanie," Kate said.

She poured her friend a glass of wine, removed the ginger ale sitting in her glass, and placed the wine bottle on the coffee table in front of them. For the next two and a half hours, she listened as Lanie recounted Rick's college life with the bride, or KB, as she called her; she never used her name, not once.

Then she listened as Lanie described the heartless gesture of breaking up with him, meeting in Times Square, and KB's mother accompanying her to Paris to break the two of them up. Next came the saga of Jordan Bailes. Although it was only a friendship on Jordy's part, it was Rick who wanted more, and once again, he was left reeling when Jordan accepted Tom Shaw's proposal and moved to Virginia with him.

Then she began to cry; Kate hugged her and allowed her a few moments to collect herself before she explained Allison, the hiding, and how Rick found her and called her out on her cowardness. She used the excuse that she wasn't ready for a relationship, as if he were.

They grew together, and then a fateful day came when she accepted the entire ride to USC for Forensic Medicine, and Rick joined the Marines. She didn't go into much detail, but enough to let Kate know there was something big between them, and then she started sobbing for over forty-five minutes.

She had reached the part where Brad had entered her life, and she had written Rick a Dear John letter when he was at the height of battle. She wept but got through how he was injured and the days in Germany with her parents and Rick. Then, he firmly rejected any bid to try it again; she had crossed the line, not cheating; that was one thing they both agreed on, and they were deal breakers. She had kept her promise, but once trust was broken, he never got it back, and the next thing she knew, he was in Los Angeles with a baby girl.

"It's not important what happened after that; it's just that you see how close Rick is to me. I still love him and know he loves me, just not in the way he loved KB." Lanie's tears started again,

"Yeah, Lanie, I understand, and for what it's worth, I'm so sorry you had to go through that." She said as she hugged her friend,

"Well, he's a gentleman, Kate; whatever happened was my fault, and he never stopped loving my parents, especially my Mom, until they were gone. He took care of everything.

"I'm sorry, Lanie. I guess I was so wrapped up in the case that I forgot about the human factor that we all feel. Please forgive me,"

The bottle of wine was finished without too much more being said, but Kate fully understood some of the back story on one Richard Castle and, in one way, respected the hell out of him for being a man.

TBC