252. Chapter 252

AU After The Squab and the Quail

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: Not even a billionaire could make me say I owned Castle. Rating: T Time: See above.

As he stood there in the restaurant Richard Castle couldn't help but be impressed with Eric Vaughn. Oh my God! That's the famous Eric Vaughn. He an inventor, a billionaire, a humanitarian, a genius. If he left here and walked across the Hudson River to New Jersey, it wouldn't surprise me that much. Castle noticed something else. Beckett seems interested in him too. And just after I stupidly ignored her, too.

Detective Kate Beckett was upset that Vaughn wasn't paying any attention, but was mollified when he explained that he was having Arthur Felder's family flown to New York. She introduced herself and Castle.

"Richard Castle, the famous novelist?" Vaughn said.

Castle preened. "Semi-famous. I'm not as famous as you are." He was forced to admit honestly.

"You're too modest, Mr. Castle. I'm a huge fan of yours. I must admit that I was devastated when you ended the Derrick Storm series with his death. But I have to admit that I find the Nikki Heat series even better. Grittier, more realistic, and…" He turned to stare at Kate. "Of course! How could I have missed it? You're the Detective Kate Beckett, the real life Nikki Heat and Mr. Castle's famous muse.

Kate blushed slightly. "Like Mr. Castle, I don't think if myself as famous."

"You are both too modest." Vaughn gushed. He smiled ingratiatingly, "Could I possibly trouble you both for an autograph?" He held out a menu and a pen.

"Mr. Vaughn…." Kate began.

"Please, you must both call me Eric."

"Eric. This is a police murder investigation, not one of Castle's book signings. I don't think that…"

"Oh, come on, Beckett. It'll only take a minute." Castle took the menu and the pen, signed his name and wrote a brief personalized message to Vaughn.

Both Vaughn and Castle looked at Kate expectantly. "Oh, all right." She muttered. She simply signed her own name.

"Thank you so very much. You have no idea how much enjoyment I've gotten from your books over the years, Mr. Castle. In spite of all that I must do, I need to relax. I don't know why, but your books simply take me away from my everyday work-a-day world and transport me to another world entirely. Your work absolutely invigorates me."

Castle actually managed a blush at the praise. "Glad I could help you out."

"Castle?" Beckett said. "We need to get on with the investigation. You coming?"

"Oh, please, Detective Beckett, can Mr. Castle stay with me for just a bit longer?"

"Please call me Rick, Eric."

Kate nodded. "Okay, stay with Mr. Vaughn and see if you can get anything from him about the murder."

Both at the restaurant and back at the precinct, Kate was able to overhear snatches of the conversations between Castle and Vaughn.

"Really, Rick. You should have exercised more control over the Nikki Heat movie. Nikki Heat, straight to DVD? That's appalling. If it had been me, I would have insisted on control over the script. Really! What they did to the Heat/Rook relationship was disastrous. And while I can see why they cast Natalie Rhodes as Nikki, but she just seemed so…off center for the whole film."

Castle shook his head. "Eric, I'm afraid novelists aren't very high on the pecking order in Hollywood. There are a lot of egos that have to be stroked to get a film made and once I signed over the rights to Nikki, my ego no longer needed stroking."

Vaughn frowned and thought a while. "I think I may have an idea. I really know very little about the film industry, Rick, but there's no reason I couldn't buy the studio. Then my ego would be the one needing stroking. And yours, of course."

"Excuse me, gentlemen." Kate broke in. "We do have a murder to solve here." She nodded to Castle. "I need to talk to Mr. Vaughn. Without you, Castle." The two left Castle sitting there.

Captain Gates walked in on Rick and Kate in the break room. "Mr. Vaughn has checked into a hotel downtown. He's agreed to accept police protection."

Kate nodded. "I have a few uniforms that I'd like to suggest…"

Gates shook her head. "Mr. Vaughn has requested that you and Mr. Castle be with him."

"What?" Rick and Kate said in unison.

"Sir, I'm a homicide detective. I can't do my job if we're babysitting some billionaire."

Gates smiled. "The mayor is okay with this, the commissioner is okay with this, the chief is okay with this and I'm okay with this. Now, take Mr. Castle and go."

As they headed for the elevator, Kate muttered under her breath. "I don't believe this."

"I don't believe it either." Castle replied.

"Well, you can't be that unhappy. Vaughn is acting like he wears Rick Castle pajamas to bed at night. That can't be too hard on your ego."

"I never thought I'd say this, but having an obsessed fan, especially a billionaire obsesses fan, is creepy. I keep expecting him to announce that he's bought a unit in our building and wants to drop by every day for a cup of Nikki Heat."

Once in the elevator, Kate took his hand. "We'll manage, babe. We always do."

Once in the hotel, Vaughn spent all of his time talking to Castle about Nikki Heat and the actual cases that had inspired Nikki's cases. Kate had to keep reminding Castle that many of Vaughn's questions covered sensitive topics and information that could not be released to the public. Vaughn just kept asking questions, though.

There was a knock on the door and Kate answered it, weapon drawn. She sent room service away, but Vaughn insisted they keep the champagne. He grabbed three glasses and poured three glasses of champagne. All three were sitting on the sofa.

"None for me. I'm on duty." Kate said.

"Oh, come on, Beckett." Rick teased. "Be a sport."

"Can't you just have a bit?" Vaughn asked.

"I'm on duty." Kate said coldly." I need to talk to Epso." She said, got up, and walked into the bedroom.

"Rick?" Vaughn said. "You're in a relationship with Kate?"

Rick thought for a second. "Yes."

"Is it serious?"

Rick frowned, then said, "Yes. It is."

"But you had to think about it. So it's not that serious, I think."

"It's…complex. Kate is a complex woman."

Suddenly, Vaughn leaned in and kissed Rick on the lips. Castle screamed and pushed Vaughn away just as two shots rang out. Castle grabbed Vaughn and threw him to the floor. Beckett rushed out, gun drawn. "What happened?"

"Someone shot at Vaughn." Castle cried.

Later, with the room full of police, Beckett took Castle aside, "Castle, I heard you scream before I heard the shots. What happened?"

"Nothing." Castle said unconvincingly.

"Castle?" Beckett said, her eyes narrowing. "You know I know when you're lying."

"He kissed me." Castle whispered.

"He…What?" Kate whispered the last word.

"Kissed me." Castle whispered back. "But I didn't enjoy it. That's why I screamed."

"Are you sure?" She said into his ear.

"Kate, I love you. I don't ever want to kiss anyone but you."

"We'll discuss this later." She said, closing her notebook with a snap.

Much later, the case closed, Eric Vaughn was standing by the elevator, talking Rick. "It's been very interesting, Rick." He said.

"Good bye, Eric." Castle said and walked away.

Eric was still waiting for the elevator when Kate walked by. "That's quite a man you have there, Detective."

"Yes, I know."

"Do you?"

"Oh, yes. I do, Mr. Vaughn. I really do.

Later that night when Rick had finished the massage, he leaned in to kiss Kate. However, she put up her hand to push him away. "Really? You want me to kiss the lips that kissed Eric Vaughn?"

"Kate! He surprised me. I had no idea he was going to do that. You heard me. I screamed before the gunshots."

Kate frowned and looked serious. "I think you screamed before the shots, but everything was so close together it's hard to say."

"Kate, believe me…"

"You didn't sign his chest, did you?"

"Of course not! There's only one chest in the world for me now, yours. And only one set of lips, yours. There's only one person for me, you!"

"Well, if you say so." Kate said disinterestedly.

"I mean it. I love you."

"Then you'd better get busy with those lips proving it." As he lowered his head to kiss her lips, she pushed his head down while spreading her legs. "You'll have to start at the bottom and work up, Rick."

"Anything you want."