mr-mellow-dj

[mr-mellow-dj]

Coltrane from Rick to Kate - Lush Life

A/N: As Beckett said she “believes in the everyday magic of life in … the way that I feel when I hear Coltrane”, and this album, “John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman”, being one of the few Coltrane albums that have vocals, this series of vignettes came to mind. I can almost hear Rick singing these to Kate, if he had as good a voice as Johnny Hartman.

Crossposted from Fanfiction.net. This was one of the first ‘Castle’ fanfictions I did (from 2014). Updated a little and fixed some formatting. Also figured I would get it on another platform. You can find my other fanfictions under user name ‘Mr.Mellow’.

This one is based on the Billy Strayhorn original, “Lush Life”. You can hear the version on You Tube.

/watch?v=0izjSUqCcSQ

Disclaimer: The characters are the property of their respective owners. The lyrics are Billy Strayhorn’s.

_____________________________________

I used to visit all the very gay places Those come what may places Where one relaxes on the axis of the wheel of life To get the feel of life from jazz and cocktails

____________________________________ A/N: Pre-series, Just before 1x01 Flowers for Your Grave

Richard Castle looked himself in the mirror. “Time to put on your playboy face,” he thought.

He had just killed off Derick Storm. His cash cow, his means for fame, maybe even his reason for writing.

He had grown tired of it all, the parties, the fans. “Where do you get your ideas?” “I am your number one fan.” “Can you sign this for my cousin, sister, mother, …” “What are your plans for Derrick?”

“Whatever, Whatever, Whatever, Whatever.”

Maybe Patterson would come and give him an idea for a new line. He has enough characters to last several lifetimes. Putting out books almost weekly it seems.

“At least the music is good from time to time at these parties. Gina and Paula know how to put on a party,” he thought. “OK, once more into the breach!”

_____________________________________ The girls I knew had sad and sullen grey faces With distingue traces That used to be there you could see where they'd been washed away By too many through the day twelve o'clock tales

_____________________________________ Castle had seen it all before, the girls wearing as little as legally possible with makeup that is put on slightly less than cake icing. “Hmm,” he thought, “there is a reason they call it war paint. This is the way they do battle for some man’s attention.”

Occasionally there is one maybe two that are actually clothed. They are somewhat demure in comparison, but each is still craving attention, his or some other rich author that comes to these soirees.

At least he gets to sign the more than the occasional chest. Some artificially augmented, but still nice none the less.

But every time he looked at one now, his writer’s imagination would always come up with some sad story for these young ladies, really girls if he thought about it. Barely older than his daughter, Alexis.

_____________________________________ Then you came along with your siren song To tempt me to madness

_____________________________________ “You know why I killed Derrick?” Rick asked his daughter. “There were no more surprises. I knew exactly what was going to happen every moment of every scene.”

Rick continued. “It’s just like these parties. They become so predictable. “I’m your biggest fan.” “Where do you get your ideas?””

“And the ever popular, “will you sign my chest?”” Alexis adding finger quotation marks.

“That one I don’t mind so much.” Rick said with a straight face. He thought that was about the only thing worth coming to these parties for.

“Well, FYI, I do.”

“Just once, I would like someone to come up to me and say something new,” Rick responded.

Someone behind Rick said, “Mr. Castle.”

“Where would you like it,” Rick responded, turning around and pulling out a pen.

“Detective Kate Beckett, NYPD. We need to ask you a few questions about a murder that took place earlier tonight.”

Alexis reached over her dad to grab the pen and said, “That’s new.”

_____________________________________ I thought for a while that your poignant smile Was tinged with the sadness of a great love for me Ah yes I was wrong, again I was wrong

_____________________________________ A/N: 2x23 Overkill “She is kissing Demming! Right here in the precinct!” Rick thought. “You are an idiot, thinking Kate had any feelings for you.”

He had to get away from there without her seeing him. Thinking quickly, he moved to the break room. He got out a new cup and was starting to make some coffee.

“Castle? What are you still doing here,” Kate asked.

“Hey, I was just about to leave myself,” Rick lied, smiling at her, hoping she didn’t pay attention to his obviously contradicting words with his actions of making coffee. “Good job closing the case.”

“Yeah. Well, we make a good team.”

“Yeah. Goodnight,” said Rick. “Damn, I hope she doesn’t notice this isn’t a to-go cup,” he thought. “Then she’ll think I was spying on her, or something worse.”

“Thanks. Night,” Kate said as she turned and walked away.

His smile left as she turned and he thought. “Going home alone again, wishing Kate was mine.”

_____________________________________ Life is lonely again And only last year everything seemed so sure

_____________________________________ A/N: 4x01 Rise

“It’s been three weeks since I saw her,” Rick thought. “I know I miss her. I can almost hear myself being Henry Higgins, although my singing is much worse than that “My Fair Lady” revival I took Mother to.”

“Yeah,” he pondered, “I am more than “Accustomed to Her Face. Hell, I can’t go to a fruit stand this summer because all I smell are the cherries. And I can’t have sundaes either.”

“At least helping Ryan and Esposito have given me something to focus on as opposed to my loneliness.”

_____________________________________ Now life is awful again A trough full of hearts could only be a bore A week in Paris could ease the bite of it All I care is to smile in spite of it

_____________________________________ “She is probably with Josh. He is breaking away from work any time he can to care for her. To help her heal from the shooting,” Rick mused. “I can and can’t hate him, all at the same time.”

Josh is an honorable man. He didn’t go to Haiti during that dirty bomb case. He stayed for her. An arrogant jackass wouldn’t volunteer to go to Haiti or Africa with Doctors Without Borders. No, he is a gentleman.

“He isn’t a jackass like me,” Rick thought sadly. “She has chosen wisely. He will be good for her. It just breaks my heart.”

“Well, I will smile for her and be happy for her when I see her next. If I can’t have her, at least Nikki and Rook can have a happy ending,” he thought. “At least I can continue to send her love letters in the form of Nikki Heat books.”

_____________________________________ I'll forget you, I will While yet you are still burning inside my brain

_____________________________________ “It is just as well that Captain Gates kicked me out of the precinct. By now, Kate is engaged to Josh and they are planning their wedding. That’s why she hasn’t called me. Just like she said with Demming, she doesn’t want it to get weird between us.”

“I wonder if a CIA buddy has some drug that will erase my memory of Kate. Yeah, like that is going to happen. Forget? No, my psyche is branded with the image of Kate Beckett.”

_____________________________________ Romance is mush, stifling those who strive So I'll live a lush life in some small dive And there I'll be While I rot With the rest of those whose lives are lonely too

_____________________________________ A/N: 3x24 Knockout

“Yeah, I told her she was in these nowhere relationships with men she doesn’t love. That was more for me than for her.”

“After that outburst, she’ll go to Montgomery and I’ll be gone. Damn!” Rick supposed.

“Of course, I am a fine one to talk. 2 divorces, countless one night stands, yeah, I really know about relationships … love,” he sarcastically thought.

“This new bottle of single malt will probably work. Let me forget. Let me let her go.”

_____________________________________ A/N: Thanks for reading.

#castle #castle fanfiction #caskett #rick castle #kate beckett

[mr-mellow-dj]

Wonderful Tonight

A/N: I have this song on my iPhone and every time I hear it I can hear Rick singing it to Kate. This is the classic by Eric Clapton “Wonderful Tonight” which he wrote celebrating his then wife. I also apologize to anyone else who may have written another fanfiction based on this song.

Cross posted from Fanfiction.net

 There are many versions of this song on YouTube, here is one of them:

watch?v=nfgg7DjMtwE

 This didn’t really fit in my Coltrane song book fanfiction so I present this as a one-shot. I hope you enjoy it.

 Disclaimer: The characters are the property of Andrew W. Marlowe and ABC television. The lyrics are the property of their respective owners. No infringement is intended.

Transcriptions from dustjackets dot wikifoundry dot com slash page slash Transcripts.

_________________________________________

It's late in the evening

She's wondering what clothes to wear

She puts on her make up

And brushes her long blonde [brown] hair

And then she asks me, "Do I look alright?"

And I say, "Yes, you look wonderful tonight"

_________________________________________ 

 A/N: Sometime after 3x14 Lucky Stiff

Richard Castle surveyed the Ballroom at the Hilton he had rented for the evening. This was the first (and hopefully annual) Johanna Beckett Memorial Scholarship fundraiser that he convinced, okay maybe cajoled, Kate Beckett into allowing him to host.

Around the room he saw the mayor, a couple of state assemblymen, members of the city council, along with other dignitaries (especially the mayor’s campaign contributors) and of course their spouses or significant others. He was one of the few that came ‘stag’. After the fiasco with his publisher, Gina Cowell, he was in no mood to be seen with any starlet, model or wannabe.

Of course he brought his mother, Martha Rodgers. As he took a sip from his the flute of Champagne, he saw Martha also scanning the crowd, her ‘graydar’, as she called it, on high alert. She seemed to recover better from Chet Paliburn’s death than Rick from the demise of his relationship with Gina.

He continued to scan the room for his muse. Then he saw her at the entrance and he was entranced. She was wearing a halter floor length dress of sky blue tulle. The bodice was lace with a high collar. Her hair was in a French twist. She was adorned with long silver earrings that enhanced the effect of her long, lovely neck.

She spotted him and seemed to float over to him (at least that’s what he thought). As she walked over to him, the dress would teasingly split showing one of her lovely legs. All of this was overwhelming to Rick’s senses.

“Castle.”

He didn’t respond. His mouth open slightly.

“Castle!”

“Sorry,” Rick finally responded.

“Cat go your tongue?” Beckett chuckled.

“I’m sorry.”

“What? Is there something wrong with my dress?” she asked as she looked around on her dress for something.

“No. You look wonderful.”

“What?” Beckett asked. “What are you sorry for? This fundraiser is so very sweet. You really didn’t have to get a ballroom to have it.”

“My pleasure, Beckett,” he answered. “But I am sorry.”

“Okay, I’ll bite. What are you sorry for?”

“I work with you every day. You are strong, badass Beckett. You are a warrior princess, like Xena. The best detective NYPD has.”

“Thank you, Castle.”

“It’s the truth. But that’s not what I’m sorry for. I’m sorry that I’m around the warrior you so much I keep forgetting how stunningly beautiful you are. And Josh should be very proud to call you his girlfriend.”

“Thank you, Castle.” Beckett blushed.

“And that’s the truth, too,” Castle added. “Speaking of which, where’s doctor motorcycle boy?”

“I wish you’d stop calling him that.”

“Okay, where is the good doctor?”

“He got called in.”

“We scheduled this to accommodate his schedule. What happened?”

“The cardiologist on duty had a conflict. His brother-in-law was brought in for an emergency bypass. Hospital rules.”

“I imagine it would be devastating if you’re operating on a loved one and they die on the table,” Castle acknowledged.

“Yeah,” Beckett agreed. “That’s why he called Josh. He and Josh have worked in surgery together several times. Also, Josh was the next on the call list.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, so am I. We really haven’t had a lot of time together lately and I was looking forward to tonight.”

“Well, if you don’t mind, I’d be happy to be your substitute escort, Beckett. For this evening, of course.”

Taking his arm, she said, “Of course, Castle. Thank you.”

“My pleasure.”

_________________________________________ 

We go to a party

And everyone turns to see

This beautiful lady

That's walking around with me

And then she asks me, "Do you feel alright?"

And I say, "Yes, I feel wonderful tonight"

_________________________________________ 

A/N: Sometime in season 4 before 4x19 47 Seconds

After surveying the room before the second annual Johanna Beckett Memorial Scholarship fundraiser, Jim Beckett came up to his daughter and asked, “Did Rick pay for this ballroom? My god, Katie, this is pretty extravagant even by NYC standards.”

“Yes, dad, he did,” Kate somewhat sheepishly answered. “He gets things into his head and refuses to listen. I asked him to tone it down a little but he wouldn’t hear of it. He said ‘that’s how I can get my rich friends to come.’”

“Katie,” her father said. “You know the man loves you. I see how he looks at you. He looks at you the same way I looked at your mother.”

“I know, dad,” Kate sheepishly responded. “I’m just not ready yet. I’m still getting over the shooting and my PTSD. But, I’ll tell him soon.”

“Tell him what?”

“That I love him, too.”

“Please don’t wait too long,” Jim Beckett said to his daughter touching her shoulder. “I almost waited too long to ask your mother out. When I first asked her, she said something to the effect of ‘it’s about time’. Please learn from your father’s mistake.”

“Thanks dad.” Kate smiled. “I’m almost there.”

Just then Rick Castle walked up.

“Hello, Jim,” Castle said as he held his hand out to shake. “It’s great to see you here. Thank you for coming.”

“Thanks, son,” Jim responded not too subtly shaking Rick’s hand. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world. And thank you for putting this on. You really didn’t have to do this.”

“Thanks, Jim. It’s my pleasure. I’d like to believe Johanna would be happy with this.”

“I’m sure she would, son.”

Castle continued smiling and then turning and looking Beckett in the eye, “I’m doubly sure that she would be very proud of your daughter, as I am sure you are, too.”

“Yes, I am.”

“If you don’t mind, Jim,” Rick said as he held out his elbow to Beckett. “I’d like to borrow your daughter. There are some people I’d like her to meet. And maybe open their checkbooks.”

“Oh, by all means,” Jim chuckled.

“Detective Beckett,” Castle said.

“Lead on, Castle,” she answered.

As the couple walked away, Jim could only marvel at the duo. He hoped very soon his ‘son’ comments would become true.

A woman looked at Jim and then the departing pair.

“They make a lovely couple,” the woman said to Jim. “They look like a long time married couple. Did they marry young?”

“No, they’re not married” Jim said. “But as the daughter’s father, I hope they change that soon.”

_________________________________________ 

I feel wonderful

Because I see the love light in your eyes

And the wonder of it all

Is that you just don't realize how much I love you

_________________________________________ 

A/N: After 5x23 Watershed

While she was just starting to get used to being at Nikki Heat book launch parties, and the associated paparazzi calls to her (‘Nikki’, ‘Nikki Heat’, ‘over here Nikki’) for pictures, she still didn’t like to be in the limelight. From her time in vice, she didn’t like to be the focus. Then being the focus could get her hurt or killed. Now being in the limelight sometimes interfered with her murder investigations. Plus, her new employer, the Justice Department, may not look kindly on her exploiting the fame associated with the books.

Furthermore, while Captain Gates knew about them as a couple, the aftermath of her standing on a bomb answered that question, Beckett still didn’t want to advertise the fact to the whole world. People would make assumptions. At first, she didn’t want to give confirmation, but now, with the huge ring on her finger, it was going to be hard to hide that the muse had become the fiancé. That’s why she came in solo and not on his arm. She also felt that that honor should go to Alexis and Martha. For the longest time they have been his ‘red-headed pillars of unconditional love’ as he called them. She also believed that this would not be Castle’s last book launch party so in the future she would come in on his arm as his wife.

She had talked with Castle about the ring and how she would wear it. Of course, when she was working, she would wear it on the necklace that held her mother’s ring. But only when they were out alone, would she wear it openly on her left hand. Tonight, since it was a public venue, she would wear it turned in her left hand. An acknowledgement for him, not a flaming red flag for everyone else.

She still was not comfortable with the dichotomy of a rich, best-selling, acclaimed author and a NYPD homicide detective.

Their worlds are so different. He had the mayor on speed dial. Almost effortlessly he could get many wealthy people in a room for a fundraiser.

She worked in the trenches, so to speak. She worked with and saw the underbelly of the city. The people in her circle of friends were just ‘average Joes’, not the affluent.

Sometimes she worried that his friends would look at her as some ‘gold-digger’, only after his money. While the money he has is nice and she wouldn’t complain too much about his spending habits, they’d fall on deaf ears anyway, she didn’t fall in love with him because of his money. Once she got through the playboy façade, she found a great father and a loving son, a gentle man who’d do anything for the women in his life, which now included her, without question or recompense. He’d shown that for the past 4 years.

Her discomfort went down, however, every time she looked at the ring now adorning her finger. It essentially said to her, Castle doesn’t care that they’re from different worlds now, all he wants is her.

There were times that he had to remind her. “Beckett, for the longest time, it was just mother and me, living hand-to-mouth. We weren’t rich by any stretch. So don’t think that just because I have money now, I always had money or I’m some egotistical high-maintenance author because of it. I’m just a man who happens to have a gift that is well rewarded. Looking back at our childhoods, you’d be the rich one in a different world. The daughter of two well educated, high profile Manhattan attorneys compared to the illegitimate son of a mid-tier struggling actress? Puleeze.”

After admiring the ring on her finger, she looked up, took a deep breath, and entered the ballroom for the book launch party.

As she did the first time she went to Castle’s ‘Nikki Heat’ book launch party, she went to the display of the books. She always anticipated the surprise of the dedication. Rick would never let her see it before it was published, even now that they were a couple. And he told her only Gina and the printer would know it prior to publication. Even Alexis didn’t know what he wrote. It was like it was Top Secret security launch codes or something.

So she picked up the closest copy of ‘Deadly Heat’ off of the table and opened it to the dedication. She looked over and saw him as she opened the book. He was gazing across the room at her with an intensity that almost set her ablaze with his love light. She lovingly smiled at him and then turned to the book.

There, (as if she needed another demonstration of his love for her) for all the world to see, was another declaration of his love for her.

To KB:

May the dance never end and the music never stop.

_________________________________________ 

It's time to go home now

And I've got an aching head

So I give her the car keys

She helps me to bed

And then I tell her as I turn out the light

I say, "My darling, you are wonderful tonight

Oh my darling, you are wonderful tonight"

_________________________________________ 

A/N: Several Years after 8x22 Crossfire

“I don’t know why I let you convince me to come to this gala,” a very pregnant Kate Beckett said to her husband, Rick Castle.

“You could have stayed home, you know,” Castle answered. “You didn’t have to come. I would have made very valid excuses.”

The pair walked in to the ballroom. Well, Rick walked in. Kate waddled in.

“Being 8 months pregnant with twins is no fun,” Kate hissed. “You did this to me.”

“I seem to remember you being a very willing, if not enthusiastic, participant,” Rick chuckled.

“You’re right,” Kate said as she kissed him. “But that doesn’t make me feel any better about being a beached whale.”

“Kate,” Rick said as he turned to look in his wife’s eyes. “You look amazing. You’re carrying our two boys. I can’t think of anything more amazing and awe inspiring than that.”

“Well, I need to find the ladies room.” Teasingly stabbing him in the chest with her index finger she continues, “Your two sons seem to be playing soccer with my bladder.”

“I love you, Kate,” Rick said as he kissed her.

“I love you, too.”

Beckett waddled over to the ladies room. It was early in the festivities so there wasn’t a long line at the door. She managed to make it to a stall.

Shortly after she was in the stall, she heard two women come in.

“I saw Rick Castle over by the bar,” said one.

“I could just eat him up,” said the second.

“He’s married now,” said the first. “I understand to some NYPD Detective.”

“NYPD Captain.” Kate thought.

“Maybe he’s up for a little on the side,” said the second.

“Be careful,” said the first. “I imagine the wife carries handcuffs and a gun.”

“Ooh,” said the second. “Kinky.”

“You’re such a nasty girl.”

“Yeah,” the second agreed. “That doesn’t change the fact that he’s a cutie.”

“Yeah,” agreed the first woman. “Rich and handsome. No wonder the girls call him the ‘white whale.’”

Kate heard small noises as if the women were fixing their lip gloss.

The first then piped up, “Sadly, I heard he’s devoted to this one.”

“Rick Castle? Devoted? He was such a hound not too long ago.”

The first continued, “That detective must have tamed him.”

“Damn straight,” Kate thought.

“Let’s see if there are any bachelors or stag husbands out there,” continued the first.

“Or maybe there are some couples looking for a third,” said the second.

The first chuckled, “Nasty, girl.”

“Yep. That’s me.”

Kate heard the click of their heels on the tile floor and then the door open and close. She felt it was safe to come out and finish her bathroom trip.

Finally she walked out of the ladies room and looked for her husband.

“Are you okay,” Castle asked. “You were in there a long time.”

“I’m fine, Castle.”

“I’m worried about you,” Castle continued. “You’re carrying precious cargo. I probably should have left you home.”

“No,” Beckett pointedly said as she kissed her husband. “I won’t leave you to the sharks.”

“Sharks?”

“Single women on the prowl. I overheard a couple of them in the ladies room talking about big game and especially a ‘white whale.’”

Castle chuckled. “And you’re marking your territory, huh?”

“Damn straight I’m marking my territory. I’ve got the ‘white whale’, I plan on keeping him … and I love him to pieces.”

“I love you, too, Kate.”

“Now, we need to mingle for a while to keep up appearances,” Beckett said as she kissed her husband.

Then after kissing him again, she said in a sultry tone as if to emphasize the kiss, “In about an hour, I want you to take me home and recreate the crime of getting me pregnant.”

Returning her kiss, Castle said, “I’d love to take you home, Beckett. Maybe we should get out your cuffs. I did commit the crime, didn’t I?”

_________________________________________ 

A/N: Thanks for reading!

#castle #castle fanfiction

[mr-mellow-dj]

Please make a post about the story of the RMS Carpathia, because it's something that's almost beyond belief and more people should know about it.

Carpathia received Titanic’s distress signal at 12:20am, April 15th, 1912. She was 58 miles away, a distance that absolutely could not be covered in less than four hours.

(Californian’s exact position at the time is…controversial. She was close enough to have helped. By all accounts she was close enough to see Titanic’s distress rockets. It’s uncertain to this day why her crew did not respond, or how many might not have been lost if she had been there. This is not the place for what-ifs. This is about what was done.)

Carpathia’s Captain Rostron had, yes, rolled out of bed instantly when woken by his radio operator, ordered his ship to Titanic’s aid and confirmed the signal before he was fully dressed. The man had never in his life responded to an emergency call. His goal tonight was to make sure nobody who heard that fact would ever believe it.

All of Carpathia’s lifeboats were swung out ready for deployment. Oil was set up to be poured off the side of the ship in case the sea turned choppy; oil would coat and calm the water near Carpathia if that happened, making it safer for lifeboats to draw up alongside her. He ordered lights to be rigged along the side of the ship so survivors could see it better, and had nets and ladders rigged along her sides ready to be dropped when they arrived, in order to let as many survivors as possible climb aboard at once.

I don’t know if his making provisions for there still being survivors in the water was optimism or not. I think he knew they were never going to get there in time for that. I think he did it anyway because, god, you have to hope.

Carpathia had three dining rooms, which were immediately converted into triage and first aid stations. Each had a doctor assigned to it. Hot soup, coffee, and tea were prepared in bulk in each dining room, and blankets and warm clothes were collected to be ready to hand out. By this time, many of the passengers were awake–prepping a ship for disaster relief isn’t quiet–and all of them stepped up to help, many donating their own clothes and blankets.

And then he did something I tend to refer to as diverting all power from life support.

Here’s the thing about steamships: They run on steam. Shocking, I know; but that steam powers everything on the ship, and right now, Carpathia needed power. So Rostron turned off hot water and central heating, which bled valuable steam power, to everywhere but the dining rooms–which, of course, were being used to make hot drinks and receive survivors. He woke up all the engineers, all the stokers and firemen, diverted all that steam back into the engines, and asked his ship to go as fast as she possibly could. And when she’d done that, he asked her to go faster.

I need you to understand that you simply can’t push a ship very far past its top speed. Pushing that much sheer tonnage through the water becomes harder with each extra knot past the speed it was designed for. Pushing a ship past its rated speed is not only reckless–it’s difficult to maneuver–but it puts an incredible amount of strain on the engines. Ships are not designed to exceed their top speed by even one knot. They can’t do it. It can’t be done.

Carpathia’s absolute do-or-die, the-engines-can’t-take-this-forever top speed was fourteen knots. Dodging icebergs, in the dark and the cold, surrounded by mist, she sustained a speed of almost seventeen and a half.

No one would have asked this of them. It wasn’t expected. They were almost sixty miles away, with icebergs in their path. They had a responsibility to respond; they did not have a responsibility to do the impossible and do it well. No one would have faulted them for taking more time to confirm the severity of the issue. No one would have blamed them for a slow and cautious approach. No one but themselves.

They damn near broke the laws of physics, galloping north headlong into the dark in the desperate hope that if they could shave an hour, half an hour, five minutes off their arrival time, maybe for one more person those five minutes would make the difference. I say: three people had died by the time they were lifted from the lifeboats. For all we know, in another hour it might have been more. I say they made all the difference in the world.

This ship and her crew received a message from a location they could not hope to reach in under four hours. Just barely over three hours later, they arrived at Titanic’s last known coordinates. Half an hour after that, at 4am, they would finally find the first of the lifeboats. it would take until 8:30 in the morning for the last survivor to be brought onboard. Passengers from Carpathia universally gave up their berths, staterooms, and clothing to the survivors, assisting the crew at every turn and sitting with the sobbing rescuees to offer whatever comfort they could.

In total, 705 people of Titanic’s original 2208 were brought onto Carpathia alive. No other ship would find survivors.

At 12:20am April 15th, 1912, there was a miracle on the North Atlantic. And it happened because a group of humans, some of them strangers, many of them only passengers on a small and unimpressive steam liner, looked at each other and decided: I cannot live with myself if I do anything less.

I think the least we can do is remember them for it.

[mr-mellow-dj]

I agree.

Just keep wearing what you’re wearing now. Or less. 16/365 days of caskett

[mr-mellow-dj]

Taughannock Falls

Disclaimer: Any recognizable characters are the property of Andrew W. Marlowe and ABC television. All others are the product of my imagination. Any resemblance with any person, living or dead is purely coincidental.

Transcriptions and some background information comes from seriesmonitor dot com slash castle slash transcripts slash index dot html. Other information comes from wiki dot castletv dot net.

All mistakes are mine. I have no beta for my story.

A/N: Semi AU post 4x07 Cops and Robbers (episode aired October 31, 2011)

Beckett had been driving for a while. She glanced over at her partner and friend reading his phone. She turned back to the road stretching in front of her and yawned. While it was not a long drive and it wasn’t late, she still had planned for a quiet Sunday of rest after the emotional rollercoaster of a case that just completed.

Suddenly, Castle said, “Oh yeah! Finally!”

“What?”

“I finally beat that level on ‘Angry Birds’,” Castle answered. “I’ve been trying to beat it for months.”

“Really,” Beckett said rolling her eyes.

“Well, it seems that way,” Castle answered.

“Hmm.”

They then sat in silence for another few miles on the interstate. They were going through Binghamton in upstate New York on their way to Ithaca.

Kate looked back on how she and her partner had ended up on a road to Ithaca.

 The Captain had called them into her office late on Friday.

“You wanted to see us, sir?” Beckett asked.

“Yes,” Captain Gates responded. “Both you and Mr. Castle need to be in Ithaca Monday morning for Ron Brandt’s hearing. Apparently the judge and local DA want to have a hearing before they grant a transfer to NYPD.”

“Sir?” Beckett asked.

“The DA in Ithaca wants to be convinced that the kidnapping and assault charge he has on Mr. Brandt aren’t the only charges. He wants to have the lead investigator and a witness to what happened give a statement in front of a judge. Further, the attorney for the defendant is also asking for statements.”

“What time do they want us there, Captain?” Castle asked.

“Mr. Castle, the judge wants you in chambers at 9:00 am Monday morning.”

“Drive or fly?” Beckett asked.

“There isn’t any budget for flying you up there, Detective. You’ll need to drive your NYPD car.”

“Beckett, we’ll need to drive up on Sunday.”

“No budget for hotel, either.”

“Don’t worry,” Castle said. “I know a nice bed and breakfast near the lake. My treat.”

“Alright, Mr. Castle. And thank you.”

“Thanks, Castle.”

“I can call them right now. I’ve taken Alexis and mother there a couple of times. Great couple that runs the place.”

 The rolling hills of upstate New York provided a welcome relief from the monotony of the urban canyons of the city and the rows and rows of houses in the suburbs. The fall leaves had just passed their peak but there were enough hold-outs that there were some splashes of color amongst the evergreens and barren trees.

Castle had convinced her to drive up early on Sunday morning. She came by the loft at 8 to leave.

 “We cannot go on a long car ride without sustenance,” Castle said. “Let me fix you some breakfast.”

“Alright, Castle,” Beckett said. “Thanks.”

 Shortly afterward he put in front of her scrambled eggs and toast, pancakes and bacon almost like she had when she stayed at the loft after her apartment was blown up.

She ate her fill while Martha and Alexis had come down to share in the breakfast and then the pair left with hugs and goodbyes.

Beckett could feel herself getting closer to the Castle family almost like she was already a part of his inner family circle. She wasn’t resisting as much as waiting to be healed. Her talks with Dr. Burke had helped her to understand the myriad of feelings she had about her mother, her life, her loves and most importantly, Castle.

They made their way through the town, Castle giving the final directions to the B & B.

Entering the B & B reception, the owner looked up and said, “Rick Castle! It’s been a long time. How are Martha and Alexis?”

“Doing great, Ron,” Castle answered. “Martha has an acting school going and Alexis is now a senior.”

“Alexis a senior? I can’t believe it.” Yelling toward the back, “Jane, guess who’s here?”

A lady in a colorful apron walked from the dining room. “Rick, oh it is so great to see you.”

“And you brighten my day, Jane,” Castle answered as she hugged him.

Looking at him Jane said, “You look great, Rick. And who is your friend.”

“I’m sorry,” Castle answered. “Ron and Jane Seymore, this is NYPD Detective Kate Beckett. Kate, Ron and Jane.”

As they shook hands, Jane looked over at Castle, “NYPD hmm. Have you been a bad boy, Rick?”

Castle laughed, “No, Beckett keeps me in line.”

“As if that was even possible,” Beckett snarks.

Jane laughed, “You know Rick well, Detective.”

“Call me Kate.”

“Okay, Kate.”

Jane pondered for a minute then asked, “Kate Beckett. Hmm. KB. Are you the ‘KB’ Rick dedicated those books to?”

“Well …,” Beckett stammered.

“My wife is a big fan of Rick’s work,” Ron interjected. “Every time he’s here she’s trying to get scoop on the next book or his next project. I think she’s a pest sometimes. Poor Rick comes here to relax and unwind and he has my wife all over him. I suppose I could get jealous but Rick told me he met someone extraordinary.”

“Ron, Jane isn’t a pest,” Rick disagreed. “She’s just a fan and I love my fans.” Chuckling he continued, “Platonically, of course.”

“Castle, you’ve been here before?”

“Oh yes,” Jane rejoined. “He’s come up here every summer for many years. You came last year but not the year before.”

“I was getting back with Gina at the time,” Rick answered. “She’s not big on B & Bs.”

“For many years it was just you and Alexis in adjacent rooms,” Ron continued. “I thought she would be with you this time.”

“Nope. She’s in school.”

“What grade is that cute redhead in now?” Jane asked.

“Oh, she’s a high school senior.”

“Senior?” Jane asked dumbfounded. “I can remember that precocious little girl asking about this and that. Has it been that long?”

Chuckling, Castle answers, “Yes it has. But imagine how it is for me seeing it up close.”

“Hmm.”

“So what are you up here for?” Ron asked.

“We’re here to see a judge,” Castle answered.

“Are you two getting …?” Jane continued.

Simultaneously Beckett and Castle answered.

“No,” said Beckett.

“Not yet,” said Castle.

The partners looked each other in the eye smiling and then Castle turned to Ron and Jane.

“So what ARE you here for?” Jane asked.

He started the story of the case that ended with the explosion at the New Amsterdam Bank. As Rick weaved his story for Ron and Jane, she stood there watching his movements punctuating points. His movements letting the couple focus on him instead of his muse. He understood the healing that Kate, the introvert, was still going through and how painful being the focus of attention would be for her. She was thankful for his intuitive actions to meet what her still healing psyche wants and needs even though they weren’t a couple.

“Yet,” she thought. “Aren’t a couple yet, I hope.”

While he continued with how he sent Morse Coded messages to the NYPD outside the bank, she looked at the man that she’d grown to respect and appreciate. She wondered at how he could make anyone feel at ease. And how he was “down to earth” with these people who would never have the money or fame that he had. How he didn’t act like some pretentious ass. But he never acted that way at the precinct either. He treated this couple who could do nothing for him like the most important people in the world right now. While he had his faults, he is a good man, a gentleman.

Then she remembered, when he was a child he was a person that had little. He wasn’t rich and famous, he was just an un-rich, un-famous illegitimate child of an unmarried, underemployed actress. For most of his childhood, he was very poor.

He treated unknown people kindly because it wasn’t that long ago, he was one of them, too.

She came out of her reverie as Castle said, “We were hoping to drop off our bags in our rooms.”

“Sorry, Rick,” Ron answered. “They’re not ready yet. We can hold your bags while you go out.”

“Yeah,” Castle answered. “That would be great. I wanted to show Beckett the falls before the light fades too much.”

“Okay,” Ron responded. “You leave them here and either Jane or I will put them up in your rooms.”

“Thanks Ron. Jane. Beckett, let’s go exploring.”

Castle turned to his partner and extended his arm toward the door. His hand laying on the small of her back directing her out of the B & B back to the car. As they walked to the cruiser Beckett asked, “Exploring Castle? Where are we going?”

“Not far, I’ll direct you,” He responded.

Beckett started the car and Castle instructed her where to go until they came to Buttermilk Falls State Park. Castle paid the parking fee and Beckett found a place to park. They walked the short distance to the lower falls area. There they found a large pool roped off for swimmers to enjoy the water in the summertime. Being fall, the pool and lifeguard chair was empty. People in singles and small groups walked the stairs on the far side of the falls.

“I’d come here just to for a change in perspective,” Castle answered Beckett’s unsaid question. “This was a place that mother would take me to when she was in plays in one of the nearby playhouses. It’s cheap and a good place for a young boy to play without getting into too much mischief.”

“I’d say it didn’t stick,” Beckett replied smirking.

“Touché, Detective,” Castle smiled. “Touché.”

They crossed the stream coming out of the pool and climbed the steep stairs on the other side. At each of the several landings, they caught their breath as they watched, mesmerized, the water cascading down the multiple steps of the falls.

“There’s something peaceful about falling water, isn’t there, Beckett?”

“Hmm.”

“It returns us to something in our prehistoric forerunners,” Castle mused. “Water is essential to life. Its movement shows a passage of time reminding us of our finite existence but still shows us we all have a promise for the future.”

They continued up the stairs silently. Castle scanned the scene before him. Beckett could hear him breathing deeply not entirely due to the strenuous climb.

Castle sat down on the wall beside the staircase and watched the water cascade down. Beckett climbed a few more steps above him and also sat on the wall. They sat in silence, watching. Beckett dividing her gaze between the falls and the man she was having growing feelings for.

The pair sat in silence for a few minutes, the water gurgling as it trickled down. Then, Castle finally stood up. Smiling, he turned to his partner, “I want to show you another place that Alexis and I like, too. Come on.”

He hesitated, wanting to hold his hand out to her to hold but realizing part way that they weren’t there yet for that type of intimacy.

To break the awkward moment he diverted, “I remember when Alexis was 2 or 3 she jumped down each one of the stairs here. I held her hand as she jumped but she jumped nevertheless. I can remember her saying ‘Daddy, look how high I jump’ as she leapt from one step to the next. There are times when I miss that little girl full of joy and wonder.”

Beckett smiled at him but did not speak as the pair went down the stairs. She knew any words she said would just spoil the moment with Castle. Part of her was frustrated with herself that she hadn’t fully healed from the shooting. But then she could hear Dr. Burke’s voice saying she needed to be patient with herself, that the healing process takes time and cannot be rushed.

“There were times that it was just the two of us, Alexis and me,” Castle started as they reached the bottom of the steps and crossed the footpath to the parking lot. “I can recall a time, it may have been the first time we came here, she was in her little two piece bathing suit, one shoulder strap falling down, running from me, excited to get into the water. Another time, maybe when she was 9 or 10, she came up to me where I was sitting, her arms wrapped around herself, her lips blue and her whole body shivering after swimming in the cold water.”

“You have pleasant memories of being here. And you loved being a dad.”

“Yeah,” Castle mused sadly. “The memories are reminders of the parts that I miss. Now she’s too old to have a ‘daddy’. Now it’s just ‘dad.’ And in just a year, she’ll be going away to college.”

“You’ll always be a ‘dad’, Castle,” Beckett answered as she unlocked the car. “Daughters still need their dads, even when they are adults. I still need mine.”

“Thanks, Beckett,” Castle smiled ruefully. “Good to know.”

As they sat down in the cruiser Beckett asked, “Where to now?”

“Another falls just to the northwest.”

Beckett drove through Ithaca to the northwest on highway 89 along Cayuga Lake. They went a couple of miles before they passed a parking lot.

“Stop here, Castle?”

“No, keep on going just a little while. The next left.”

Beckett drove up a steep incline and wove around the curving road until another parking lot appeared.

“Park here,” Castle said.

Beckett parked the car and the pair got out. They walked a short distance to the visitor’s center and beyond was a stone paved path way leading to some steps down.

As she approached she looked over the wall and saw it, “Oh my god, Castle. That’s magnificent.”

“Yeah,” Castle said looking directly at her for her expression. “That’s the same look Alexis had the first time we came here.”

He turned away from her and started for the overlook. In front of the pair was the impressive Taughannock Falls.

“These are one of the tallest single drop falls east of the Rockies,” Castle described. “It’s more impressive in the early spring with the snowmelt.”

“It’s still magnificent, Castle.”

“I’m glad I could be here when you saw it for the first time,” Castle smiled.

Being late fall, the leaf peepers had moved south for the autumn leaves. There were still a few stragglers around but there weren’t as many people as there would be in the summer or fall color peak.

Beckett stood in awe of the 215 foot tall falls, a few evergreens framing the top around the barren deciduous trees. A few still had some color but it had definitely faded by this early November Sunday.

The pair was silent for a while. Then the giggling of a group of women was heard. Castle turned to look up at the eight women descending the stairs to the overlook.

“Jason Bateman?” one of the group asked.

“No, I’m afraid not,” Castle chuckled.

Looking closer, the woman said, “No, I guess not. But while you’re here, could you take our picture? We’re a bachelorette party.”

“Sure,” Castle said as the woman handed her phone to him.

Castle walked up a few of the stairs so to get the women and the falls in the picture without it looking like the falls was dumping on their heads.

“Okay, on the count of three say ‘fuzzy pickles.’”

The women laughed.

“1, 2, 3,” Castle said as he took the picture. He took a second one for good measure for the women and handed the phone back.

As the women climbed the stairs, Beckett asked, “Fuzzy pickles?”

“Yeah, Alexis picked that up from someone in preschool and it has stuck with us since. Something different from the pedestrian ‘Cheese’.”

Beckett smiled and thought how this was just another little indication on how much a good dad, a great man he is.

Smiling, Beckett teased, “Perish the thought that you’d do something pedestrian, Castle.”

“You wound me, Detective.”

Turning to look down at the gorge Beckett asked, “How do you get to that viewing area?”

“We passed it on the way here. We go back to that other parking lot and the trail starts there.”

Shortly they were at the parking lot at the end of the gorge. They started to walk up the trail when they saw a couple, obviously just married, in their wedding attire. Two other men in tuxes were beside the couple. Two still camera men and a videographer were taking their pictures in front of the lower Taughannock Falls.

“They’re so obviously in love,” Beckett said looking at the happy couple. “You can tell when they look into each other’s eyes. Their body language shows a level of comfort of a couple in love.”

Beckett turned to Castle and looked into his eyes. Anyone with half a brain would look at Beckett and Castle and see the exact same thing.

As she turned away from him, embarrassed, Castle said still looking at Beckett, “Yes, you can.”

They continued down the trail toward the main falls walking close enough to hold hands but not doing so. Their shoulders bumped occasionally but neither minded in the least.

They reached the clearing on the trail where there was a footbridge crossing the river to the viewing area. A couple of photographers were snapping away at the falls. The pair walked the few feet to the end of the trail. A short wall around the viewing area had couples taking each other’s pictures with the falls as a backdrop.

“Beckett,” Castle asked. “Why don’t you sit on the wall and I’ll take your picture.”

Beckett looked at Castle and turned sideways so he could get an almost profile picture of her.

“Could you take one with my phone, too?” Beckett asked as she handed it to him.

Castle stepped back and took another picture of Beckett. He handed it back to her, saying, “Here.”

“Thanks, Castle.”

Castle smiled at her with an understood and unsaid, “You’re welcome.” Then he sat on the wall and breathed in the fresh fall air. The pair sat in silence for a few minutes and then got up.

“Let’s go, Castle,” said Beckett. “I’m hungry.”

They proceeded back to the cruiser and Beckett unlocked the doors. Looking over at her partner, she said, “Thanks, Castle. For showing me these places that are special to you and Alexis.”

Smiling over the hood of the car, Castle answered, “Always.”

A/N: Just a one-shot. I was at both of these falls recently. This story is based on what happened while I visited them. Also, I took the pictures.

#castle #kate beckett #castle fanfiction

[mr-mellow-dj]

Castle Ficlet: Disclosure 1/1

Disclosure

A Season 5 Ficlet

This kind of popped into my head the other day after seeing a gifset from Cloudy with a Chance of Murder. 

Any other day, she would be out the door already, but today she hesitates. Castle will beat her to the car and take great pleasure in messing with her seat while he waits, but it’s fine. This needs to be said.

“Lanie,” Kate starts, watching her friend’s face to be sure it’s a good time, that Lanie doesn’t have to rush off. “About what you said before…”

A sly smile turns Lanie’s lips up. “You getting busy with a new mystery man?”

If Castle were here, he would snicker at how apt that description is, but Kate just rolls her eyes.

“Yes, that,” she says, glancing over her shoulder to be sure they’re alone. The last thing she needs is Perlmutter walking in on this conversation and offering his input.

“Uh huh.” Her friend’s smirk deepens. “So, you gonna tell me more, or…” Lanie prods, looking expectant. Beckett opens her mouth to respond, but Lanie jumps back in, “And don’t try to deny that there is a man, because you said as much earlier. Plus I have eyes; I can tell.”

“It’s Castle,” she blurts out, putting an end to Lanie’s speech. “The-it’s Castle, okay?”

Lanie’s response comes as a surprise. She had expected, well, she’s not sure what she’d expected, but her friend doubled over, bracing herself against an empty examination table, full-belly laughter spilling from her lips isn’t it.

Kate gawks, looking around the room again. “What? What’s so funny? You wanted to know and I’m telling you. Castle’s the guy.”

Lanie’s laughter quiets, but the amusement doesn’t fade from her face. “Oh, honey, of course it’s Castle.”

“What does that mean?” Beckett asks, feeling her cheeks heat.

“It means I’m not surprised in the least. And not just because I know you. You’re happy, he’s happy – and you and I both know he’d be slinking off with his tail between his legs, not teasing you about something like this, if he weren’t your man.”

Her head dips at the idiotic rush she gets from hearing the words. Lanie’s right; the change in Castle’s behavior – in her own – is obvious to anyone who’s been paying attention.

“Yeah,” she breathes a laugh of her own. “Yeah, you’re right.”

Lanie grins. “Of course I’m right, Kate. But I’m glad you finally recognize that.”

“Oh, shush.”

Her friend chuckles. “I’m happy for you both, Kate. I know it was rough for a little while.”

Kate smiles, nodding. She has about two minutes, if that, before Castle texts her wondering where she is. “Thanks, Lane, I appreciate that.”

Lanie’s eyes sparkle to life again, and her next words come as no surprise, “I expect to hear all about it when you take me out for drinks after this case is over.”

“I see how it is.” Kate grins, stepping toward the door as Lanie moves to grab a fresh pair of gloves. “I’ll let you get back to work and I’ll see you later.”

Her friend nods, tossing a smile over her shoulder. “I am looking forward to that.”

Despite the interrogation she knows she’s going to face, Kate is, too.

[mr-mellow-dj]

Vacation Sunrise

An old file that I posted on FF dot net a while ago.

Disclaimer: The characters are the property of Andrew W. Marlowe and ABC television. No infringement is intended.

It was early. Lately, Rick Castle had been waking early in the morning partly because he was used to his early riser wife’s habits. Since this was a vacation, she slept much longer. She needed the rest and was trying to catch up from the previous several weeks lack of sleep. With Rick being several years older than his wife, his biological clock was stuck on early rising.

It seemed like the murderers were trying to get theirs in before Detective Kate Beckett went on vacation. Detective Beckett and her team had five murders in less than a two week span. And managed to solve them all before Rick and Kate left for a week’s vacation in the Hamptons.

And, of course, the murders didn’t happen during the day or at a reasonable hour. No, they had to happen in the dead of night (no pun intended). Kate had been getting up before 5 am every day the two weeks prior to the vacation. With the vacation, though, Kate was able to sleep soundly and much later than she had before.

Rick gently got up out of bed, hoping he would not disturb his sleeping wife. She was laying on her side toward the middle of the bed, her chestnut hair surrounding her face like a halo. Her peaceful face almost looked angelic to Rick. There were times, like now, that he almost had to pinch himself to make sure he wasn’t dreaming this, this extraordinary woman, this fiercely intelligent female, this beautiful lady, Katherine Beckett was his wife.

He pulled on some shorts and a t-shirt to go outside to watch the sunrise. He made one last look at his sleeping wife as he strode to the bedroom door.

Rick carefully went down the stairs to the first floor. Avoiding the sides of the steps that made the most noise. It took some talent to negotiate the stairs for a novice, but since Rick had owned this house for over 15 years, he knew where to step and where not to step.

He reached the end of the stairs and turned to go out the rear door to the porch facing the ocean. He looked at the new flag he put on the flag pole. When he decided to put up a flag, it was primarily to know if the wind was blowing. If it wasn’t a bright day or a windy day, the no-see-ums would eat everyone alive. Nighttime was especially bad if there wasn’t a breeze.

But, being Rick Castle, he had to have a humorous bent to his flag. It was his sign or signet, two black chess pieces on a field of red. Of course it would be a Rook and a Pawn. What else could there be?

The flag slowly flapped in the breeze. “Good,” Rick thought. “Maybe I’ll be able to go out and walk on the beach this morning.”

This was the last day of their vacation at the beach and Rick had a tradition to walk the beach and take pictures of the sunrise. Rick had started this tradition when his daughter was little. Alexis would spend much of the summer at the house in the Hamptons but they would both return to the city the weekend before the school year started. Leaving early to beat the traffic rush back to the city, they would pack and be on the road before 9 am most years. Another part of the tradition was that they would have breakfast at the beach and have a late lunch in the city.

Rick would at least do his part of the tradition. He would walk the beach and watch the sunrise. He grabbed his camera off his office desk, pocketed an additional set of batteries and set off.

Castle enjoyed photography even though he didn’t have much time for it anymore. After Kyra and before Meredith and Alexis, Rick would take his film camera and go on a trek in his car to see what looked interesting. Once Alexis came along, he couldn’t just drop everything and run off in any direction to suit his whimsy. However, every time he was involved in a photo shoot, he would talk to the photographer about lighting and composition. What each photographer thought made a good picture and how to avoid making bad ones.

Camera in hand, he walked barefoot down the path to the steps to the beach. As he put his foot on the sand, he marveled at how cool the sand was. Not a drop of rain happened overnight, yet the sand was cool, bordering on cold. Around him were the distinct, little crab tracks that bore witness to the lack of an overnight shower.

“I almost burned the soles of my feet on the sand noontime yesterday and this morning it feels very cool.” Rick thought.

Rick’s feet sunk a little into the soft sand, the sand pressing between his toes. High tide had not reached this far over the past several days, thus with the bright sun drying the sand it became a soft powder rather than the harder compacted sand that was closer to the water.

Now it was low tide and the expanse of sand to the water lay before him. Rick crossed the soft powder until he reached the harder, recently underwater beach.

He slowly walked toward the sunrise crossing over the band of small shells that had washed up on the beach. For the most part, these shells were not much more than a knuckle length and half as wide. Mostly, they were nondescript shells of shades of brown or grey. Occasionally, there was a scallop or cockle shell that was colorful with the occasional blue or purple. Kate seemed to have an affinity in finding those shells.

Rick continued down the beach looking for sandpipers. Previous years there had been small groups of three or four birds on the shore digging for their first meal of the day. Rick would try to get their silhouette in the picture surrounded by the colors of the sunrise reflected in the sea. Today, apparently the shore birds had slept in. No getting the proverbial early worm or early mollusk for them.

For the past several years, the sunrise was partly cloudy which happened to be Rick’s favorite. If it was overcast, there was little light to work with and the sky was a dull grey. No clouds and there were practically no different colors. Even with the wispy cirrus, there was little to the pallet. This morning’s sky was partly cloudy, so there were a multitude of colors. Reds, oranges, yellows, blues and greys were about the sky. The ocean reflected the colors with the waves making a series of cuts in the reflection with foamy whites and slightly ominous blacks.

Rick had walked maybe a couple hundred feet down the beach. No birds were nearby so Rick turned back. He took several pictures of the sunrise with his camera and his phone while retracing his steps.

He noticed the footprints in the sand he had left and took a picture of two of them a stride’s length apart. His footprint changed the color of the sand from a milk chocolate brown to a light, perhaps pale, beige. He could see where he stopped to ponder the sunrise and the magnificent colors before returning to the house.

Rick walked up the pathway to his porch and reached the door to enter the house. He turned to contemplate the sunrise once again. “God,” he thought. “You have made a splendid sunrise, but you outdid yourself with the woman in my bed. I cannot thank you enough for directing her into my life.”

Although not terribly religious, Rick continued thinking, “Thank you God for blessing me.”

#castle #castle fanfiction

[mr-mellow-dj]

I Never Kew

Cross Posted from FF dot net

As Beckett said she “believes in the everyday magic of life in … the way that I feel when I hear Coltrane”, this is from his album “Kenny Burrell & John Coltrane”. These vignettes come to mind when I hear the songs as played by John Coltrane.

This song is “I Never Knew.” You can hear the song as played by Coltrane, Burrell, Tommy Flanagan, Paul Chambers and Jimmy Cobb on YouTube.

watch?v=Nd03dS9oMD0

This song is by Ted Fio Rito and Gus Kahn. A version of it being sung by Frank Sinatra is also on YouTube.  

watch?v=3UfMojz2j0c

 Disclaimer: The characters are the property of Andrew W. Marlowe and ABC television. The lyrics are the property of their respective owners. No infringement is intended.

I never knew

That roses grew,

Or that skies were blue or grey.

I never knew,

When breezes blew,

What a Summer breeze could say.

A/N: A summer sometime in the future

“Mom!”

Kate looked up from her book to see the younger of the twins running toward her from the beach.

“Mom!” Reese said huffing after running. “Mom, we saw some. It was so cool.”

She looked over her 7 year old son’s shoulder to see her husband of 14 years jogging up with the other twin close behind. She looked back at her red faced son smiling.

“You saw some what?” She asked her son.

He responded in earnest, “Dolphins, just beyond where we swim to. There was a whole school of them.”

“Pod.” Kate corrected her son. “And how far out do you swim?”

“What?” Reese asked.

“Pod.” Kate answered.

“Pod what?”

“A group of dolphins is called a ‘pod’.” Kate answered.

By that time Castle and Jake had made it to her lounge chair. Castle leaned down, kissed her on the cheek and whispered in her ear, “You’re so hot when you use correct animal groupings.”

Smiling, she gently slapped his chest and said, “Little pitchers.”

Reese, looking between his parents, said, “What are ‘little pitchers’.”

Castle mischievously smiling at his wife turned to his son and said, “I’ll explain when you’re older.”

“Aww, I’m never gonna be older,” Reese whined as he turned and stomped off toward the house.

“Reese, come back please.” Her son still stomping away. “Now!”

He stops knowing that another step will get him into very hot water.

“How far out do you swim?” Kate asks as her mother hen sense goes on high.

Her son, grumbling comes back to his mother but doesn’t answer. He stands beside her chair head down and sighs.

She puts her hand under her son’s chin to look her in the eye.

“How far?”

“Only as far as dad lets us,” Reese smiled turning to his father.

Beckett turns to her husband, “And how far is that, Castle?”

Smiling back at his wife he says, “Not so far as I can’t get to them. And not ankle deep either. I let them explore their abilities without letting them get in too deep.”

“So that’s what dads do. Let their children explore their abilities, huh? Is that another way of saying dads or maybe a specific dad doesn’t pay attention when his kids are out in the ocean? Hmm, Castle?”

“No, it’s a way of saying that mothers smother their children keeping them from discovering the world,” Castle responds ending with a sweeping arm gesture.

“Channeling Martha I see,” Beckett teases.

“What?” Castle innocently asks.

“I don’t think so, Castle,” Kate continues. “No, another way of saying it is: mothers would kill fathers if anything ever happens to a hair on the head of their cubs. Capeesh?”

“Yep,” Castle responds.

“Okay,” Kate turns to her youngest children. “Reese. Jake. Go with your father to wash up. It’s getting close to lunch time. Mama’s hungry so you know what that means.”

“Ahhgg!” Reese yells running toward the house swinging his arms like a windmill. “Feed me Seymour!”

Jake follows close behind as their parents chuckle at the twins antics.

“You’re much cuter than Twoee.” Castle says leaning down and kissing his wife’s head.

“And I figure if anyone gets eaten, it would be me,” He continues waggling his eyebrows.

“Castle,” Kate says playfully slapping his legs. “That’s awful. Good thing little pitchers weren’t here to hear that.”

“What?” Castle said trying to keep an innocent face. “Just the facts, ma’am. Just the facts.”

Beckett rolled her eyes at him.

Castle continued, “I said nothing about whether I enjoyed it or not.” Whispering in her ear, “And believe me, I do.”

Standing up Castle held his hand out. “M’ lady.”

Beckett grasped his hand and pulled herself up. “Thank you, kind sir,” She said as she kissed his cheek and the pair followed their sons inside.

I never knew

That dreams came true

And took your cares away

I never knew

What love could do,

Until I met you today.

A/N: Another summer sometime further in the future

Castle sat down in the Adirondack chair on the back lawn at the Hamptons house and gazed over the ocean. The weekend had been a great success for him and his extended family.

The key members of the crew from the 12th had come by. Lanie and her husband and their 3 kids. Javi and his wife and theirs. Ryan and Jennie with Sarah Grace and her husband and Nick and his fiancée. Even retired Chief Gates and her husband had come.

Alexis had a flight to catch out of JFK back to Chicago so she left first. Lily, Reese and Jake were the last to leave. But all had left by mid-afternoon to try to beat some of the Sunday evening traffic back into the city. Beckett and Castle had ferried some of them to the nearby Long Island Railroad station. The rest were driving back.

Castle sat in the chair with the afterglow of a fun time with all his friends and family. Friends that liked him for being himself, Rick Rodgers, not the best-selling author, Richard Castle.

His brothers-in-arms still called him ‘Castle’ but his best-selling author fame or fortune weren’t why they were his friend, unless the Ferrari was involved. With age came the realization that they weren’t kids anymore that they didn’t need access to the mid-life crisis car, and that was emphasized the last time they tried to extract themselves from the seemingly lower than they remembered driver’s seat.  

He’d kept the Ferrari for ‘old time’s sake’ but hadn’t driven it in a couple of years. Kate drove it when they were out in the Hamptons but it mostly lay dormant in the garage.

Castle rides around the island with her occasionally remembering that sinfully short and tight midnight blue dress she wore while driving it during a case. If Beckett pushed him, he would give up that that was the only reason he kept the car.

He chuckled remembering all the fun times he had at the 12th.

“What’s so funny, Castle?” Asked Beckett.

“I never thanked him, you know,” Castle said to his wife of almost 30 years.

“Thanked who?” Beckett asked as she sat down in her husband’s lap. She wrapped her arms around his head and kissed him.

Still lost in thought, Castle answered. “I never thanked him.”

Kate pushed herself away so that she could see his face. She looked at Rick dumbfounded. “What are you talking about?”

“I never thanked him for his murders.”

“You never thanked him for killing people?” Kate asked. “Have you been in the sun too long?”

“Nope, never better,” Castle responded. “I’m feeling great right now. Great for being … uh, how old am I … 74 years old.”

“Ohhh kay,” Beckett said drawing out the ‘O’ and the ‘K’. “Who did you never thank? Jerry Tyson? Surely not William Bracken.”

“No. No. No.” Castle adamantly responded. “No. And never them. They’re ones that shouldn’t have seen the light of day. No. I’m talking about Harrison Tisdale. He’s the one I should be thanking.”

“So you never thanked Harrison Tisdale for what was it? Killing his sister and two other people? Castle, that doesn’t make any sense.”

“Yes it does,” Castle says. “It makes perfect sense.”

Beckett looked at him sideways as if to say “what crazy thought is he having now.”

Castle continues, “While it wasn’t perfect for his victims, it made my life perfect.”

Still looking at her husband, “Okay, I’ll bite. Why did it make your life perfect?”

Castle lovingly looks into Beckett’s eyes and says, “It actually made my dreams come true. Because if Harrison Tisdale hadn’t murdered his sister and two other people, making murder scenes look like those from my books, you would never had recognized them and come to my ‘Derrick Storm’ book launch party and arrested me. So probably we would never had met. That’s why I should thank him.”

“What about you always talking about ‘The Universe’? Saying that we were destined to be together. That we being together brought harmony to ‘The Universe’. What about that, hmm?”

Castle pondered for a moment. “You may have a point there, Beckett.”

Castle tapped his chin, thinking about what his wife said. “You know, though, sometimes ‘The Universe’ needs a little nudge to help it along. Tisdale did that.”

“A nudge, huh?”

“Yeah. Nudge. Prod. Push. Bump. Jolt. Yeah, nudge.”

Chuckling she continues, “Well thank you, Mr. Thesaurus.”

“I am a writer.”

With false surprise Beckett says, “You’re a writer? Who knew?”

“Mock all you like, Beckett. I feel like Rodney Dangerfield.”

Castle moves his left hand up to his neck as if to adjust an invisible necktie, “I never get any respect.”

“No respect, huh? Is that what you’re going with now?”

“Yes?” Castle answers sheepishly.

Standing up, Beckett says, “Well, now that the kids and friends are gone. I can think of something or maybe someone else that needs to be nudged. Prodded. Pushed.”

Castle stands up and wraps his arms around her waist, responding, “You do? Hmm, who could that be?”

“I don’t know. Maybe we should go upstairs and see what we can discover.”

“Discovery is nice,” Castle says. “Especially when it is the two of us discovering. Maybe some uncovering is involved?”

“I think that could be arranged,” Beckett responds, kissing her husband.

“Oh, goody,” Castle says rubbing his hands together.

“But not if you say ‘Oh, goody’ again.”

“Yes ma’am.”

Holding out her hand to him she says, “Come on. Let’s go inside.”

Grasping her hand in his he responds, “Beckett, I’d follow you anywhere.”

#Castle #castle fanfiction

[mr-mellow-dj]

Anniversary

Cross-posted from FF_Net.

Disclaimer: Any recognizable characters are the property of Andrew W. Marlowe and ABC television. All others are the product of my imagination. Any resemblance with any person, living or dead is purely coincidental.

All mistakes are mine. I have no beta for my story.

It was early on the Friday morning. One of those mornings after a long evening working a case. Kate didn’t have any early meetings on this particular Friday, on purpose.

She looked over at her husband of almost 4 years, smiling. His well-groomed hair disheveled from the pillow. She heard her almost year-old daughter starting to move in her crib.

“It’s time to move,” she thought. “Lily will soon want her breakfast.”

Kate quickly turned off the monitor before Lily woke her father. She then proceeded to the stairs to get the newest Castle.

Opening the door to the bedroom Beckett saw her daughter starting to move around in the crib.

Lily cooed at her mother.

Kate smiled and said, “Good morning, Lily. Did you sleep well?”

Lily smiled at her mother with a no longer toothless grin.

Kate picked up Lily and put her on the changing table. She took the baby out of the footie pajamas and then changed the diaper, liberally using the baby powder and diaper cream to prevent a rash. Dressing her daughter warmly with some button up pants, a long sleeve shirt, socks, and a drool bib that said ‘Daddy’s Girl’, Kate carried Lily out of the room.

Holding her child as she gently went down the stairs, she hummed a nonsense song to entertain Lily. Lily grinned around her fingers in her mouth. Several teeth showed but the others had not appeared. As Kate walked through the kitchen and office she smiled thinking about how much her life changed.

“Lily, do you know what today is?” Kate asked her daughter.

Lily looked at her, took her fingers out of her mouth, pointed to the master bedroom and said, “Da da?”

“Yes, my little flower, your daddy is in there asleep,” She answered her daughter smiling. “And today is a special day for your mommy and daddy. And for you for that matter.”

She kissed her child on the forehead and breathed in deeply the freshly diapered baby powder scent.

“Lily, today is a special day,” Kate continued. “A day that I didn’t know at the time would dramatically change my life for the better. Oh so much better.”

Pointing again to the bedroom Lily said, “Da da?”

“Yes my sweetie, today is the anniversary of when I first really met your father.”

Looking back at her mother Lily said, “Da da.”

“Uh huh,” Kate answered. “I went you your daddy’s book launch party for a ‘Derrick Storm’ novel.”

“Sa?”

“Derrick Storm. I was a police detective then and I recognized a crime scene that matched one from your daddy’s books.”

“Da da?”

“Yes, your daddy,” Kate said. “I took him in for questioning and he played the bad boy. Later I found out he is a fantastic father to your sister, Alexis.”

“Sis?” Lily started looking around for her sister.

“Sorry, Lily. Alexis isn’t here. She said she’ll be by this evening.”

Beckett carried her daughter into the master bedroom to look at Castle still asleep. Lily started squirming in her mother’s arms, saying, “Da da.”

Kate let Lily down on the bed keeping her from falling off. Lily crawled on the bed to her father.

“Da da,” she said as she patted her father.

Rick started to stir. Slowly he turned from his side to lay on his back. Lily crawled up onto his chest. Castle wrapped his arms around his youngest child and said, “Morning, sweet pea. My little flower.”

Rick looked over Lily’s head to Beckett. “Good morning, love. I didn’t hear you get up.”

“I’m not surprised,” Beckett responded. “You were up late. Writing, I presume?”

“Yeah,” Castle responded rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “I had a breakthrough on the one scene where Derrick was crawling through dense underbrush to get to a surveillance point. It took me a while to get it to my liking.”

Beckett looked at her husband and then said, “Do you know what today is?”

“I dunno,” Castle said. “Friday?”

“Yes, it is. But something else.”

Castle tapped his chin as if pondering. He looked up at the ceiling trying not to laugh.

“Hmm,” he said. “It’s not Alexis’s birthday. And it’s not Pi day. That’s a few days away. Hmm.”

He tapped his chin some more and then started to laugh.

“Oh you,” Kate said and hit him with a pillow.

Castle pulled his wife and daughter in for a hug.

“Did you think I would forget one of the most important and best days of my life?” Castle asked. “You really think that I wouldn’t remember one of the top 5 days of my life with you?”

“Top 5?” Beckett asked.

“Yes, well,” Castle said as he started to count his fingers on his left hand. “One, the day we got married. Two, the day Lily was born,” he said as he kissed his daughter. “The day you said yes, you would marry me. Four, the day you showed up at my door soaked to the bone. And today, the anniversary of the day that started it all. The day you crashed my Derrick Storm book launch party. So yeah, top 5.”

“What about Alexis?”

“Alexis was born pre you,” Castle said matter-of-factly. “I was talking about our days.”

“Yeah,” Beckett smiled. “Our days.”

Castle kissed his wife and then got out of bed. “Shall I make breakfast while you shower before you go to work?”

“That would be nice,” Kate answered.

Just then Lily made a red face and a large fart.

“I think that’s my cue,” Rick said.  “Lily, did you make us presents?” Sniffing his daughter, “Oh my, eyelash curlers. Come on, Lily,” Castle said as he picked up his little girl. “Let’s get you cleaned up. And then let me fix breakfast for my girls.”

Lily giggled as her father kissed her the cheek.

Kate grabbed her husband’s cheeks and pulled him in for a passionate kiss. “Love you, babe. Happy Anniversary.”

“Love you, too, Kate. Happy Anniversary.”

A/N: A little fluff for March 9, 2018.

#castle #castle fanfiction