173. Chapter 173

After The Third Man, Once Again

By

UCSDdad

Disclaimer: I really should be saying I don't own Castle with zither music in the background. Anyone pick up on that reference? Rating: K Time: See above.

Author's note: I wrote about this episode in Chapters 14 and 71, and my series Dinner At Remy's begins in this episode.

"That was not our first date." Kate said, turning around on Rick's lap so she could face him.

"Of course it was. We got all dressed up so we could solve a case and go to Remy's to celebrate. You looked gorgeous, as usual. So did I, of course."

She shook her head slowly. "Do you even remember what happened?"

"I remember it perfectly." He said, doing his best to appear that he couldn't imagine why she would question his accuracy.

"To begin with, you were horrified at the idea of being romantically linked to me. I was single handedly destroying the romantic street cred of Rick Castle, sex object to the elite of Manhattan."

"Horrified?" He assumed a very serious expression and looked at the ceiling. "No. I was not horrified. I was merely being proactive."

"Proactive? Proactive about what?"

"Protecting your image. We could hardly have it known that tough, kick-ass homicide detective Kate Beckett turned into romantic goo when in the presence of Rick Castle."

"Romantic goo?" She slid off of his lap. "The only goo around here is between your ears. If I remember correctly, and I do, this all started because all you could talk about to that reporter was that very same, tough, kick-ass Detective Kate Beckett. If there was anyone wallowing in romantic goo, it was you." Kate adopted the breathless style of celebrity media reporters. "All that Rick Castle talked about was the gorgeous, sexy, smart and very tough and kick-ass Detective Kate Beckett. While Castle was not willing to disclose his marriage plans to this reporter, sources close to Mr. Castle suggest a spring wedding is in the offing."

"You're going to try to blame me for the media's errors? And a celebrity reporter as well? Do you have any idea what their record for accuracy is like? They'll have Prince Harry marrying Katy Perry, or Brangelina adopting the entire country of Haiti. Hey! What about that rumor about me getting back with one of my ex-wives? Did you believe that particular piece of journalistic pap?"

"No, I didn't. But just because the media has been wrong, doesn't mean that they were wrong in this one particular instance. So, I'm going to ask you straight out: Did you talk about me to Donna Vincennes? Did you talk a lot about me? And remember, Castle, I can tell when you're lying."

Castle tried to find a way out of his predicament. He finally decided that honesty is policy. "Of course I did. So what?"

"So what?"

"You were the inspiration for Nikki Heat. You were, still are, and always will be, my muse. Naturally, I wanted everyone to know about you. It was just good literary business."

"And yet, when that reporter suggested it, you accepted a date with bachelorette number three? And let me think, who was bachelorette number three?" Kate looked very serious. "Why, the person you arranged to date that night was not Detective Kate Beckett, who as you so snottily pointed out was not listed at all on the eligible bachelorette list, but one Amanda Livingston. So, how could that have been our first date?"

Rick started to reply, but Kate kept speaking. "And, if you remember, which I am seriously beginning to doubt, I was dating…Let me see? Who was it? Why, it wasn't Rick Castle, was it? I was dating Mr. July from the FDNY calendar." She stuck her tongue out at Rick.

"Oh, yeah. Mr. Puppies. And how did that so called date go? Didn't you refer to him as self-absorbed?"

"He was a creep." Kate shot back. "Anyone who'd ask me in the first half an hour of a date if we were going to have sex is a creep." Seeing Castle smile, she quickly went on. "But, that's not the point. The point is, that I was on a date with someone else. Whether it was a good date, or a bad date, is immaterial. It was a date and not with you."

Castle shook his head slowly, as if in disbelief. "And you're really going to consider our brief, might I say, very brief, partial meals with Mr. Puppies and Ms. Three as constituting a date for either of us? Oh, really?"

Kate snorted in derision. "It would have been a date if you hadn't kept inserting yourself into my date with your incessant prying."

"Prying? I was curious. We had a double murder, remember? Naturally I wanted to keep up with what you were asking Ryan and Esposito."

"So? You knew I was talking to Ryan and Esposito about the case? How did you know that I wasn't arranging a room at some high priced and scandalous hotel, complete with champagne and oysters for Brad and me?"

"Because I know you, Kate. I know you well. I can tell from the look on your face when you know something is wrong with our case and we're chasing the wrong guy. I can tell when the very moment when you look at the murder board and all the pieces suddenly come together and you know who the killer is."

She smiled at him. "That's because you're usually standing by my side saying…"

"I know who the killer is." They said together and laughed.

"And that proves my point." Kate said. "We were discussing business, not having a date. QED."

"But we left Mr. Puppies and Ms. Three behind at Drago's to go raid the pet shop. And, may I say that you looked absolutely adorable going into the pet shop in that red dress and Glock?"

"May I say you looked absolutely adorable carrying my purse?"

"I've never been afraid to show my feminine side, Kate."

"None of that constitutes a date, no matter how adorable you looked."

"But, then we went to Remy's. I even took your arm to escort you there."

"Rick, do you think that two partners having a bite after a hard night of police work constitutes a date? You might as well say that the first time you brought me coffee was a date."

Rick's brow furrowed in thought. "You're right. Why, you went on hundreds of dates with me. You just couldn't stay away could you?"

She shook her head. "Our first date wasn't until after I came to the loft that night after I had resigned from the NYPD. We weren't a couple until then. And you know it."

"I suppose it's just that you were so beautiful, so determined, so courageous, so remarkable, so much the woman I wanted to be with for the rest of my life, that I just wanted it to be our first date."

She grinned. "You are really fighting dirty, aren't you?"

He nodded.

She climbed back up on his lap and kissed him. "So did you enjoy our first date there at Remy's?"

"More than anything."

"Me, too."