Everything Changes

(Adopted from Muse of Apollo by permission of author.)

by Castlefan6

Authors Note: Chapters 1-4 are loosely based on works of Courtesy of Muse of Apollo rewritten with permission. End of Season 2 AU, Everything Changes when Beckett leaves with Demming, Castle has had enough, Original concept based on abandoned story by Matt, Muse of Apollo. Rated M

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

Chapter 1

Previously (Courtesy of Dust Jackets dot com)

Beach house? Thought you were working this weekend.

Yeah, I'm sorry, Castle. I should've just told you. I just didn't want things to be awkward between us now that Tom and I are together.

No, I get it. Yeah. No, you want your private life to be private.

Yeah, I just don't- I don't want anyone to feel uncomfortable.

Castles first instinct was to tell her he was done shadowing her at the 12th, but he hadn't thought far enough ahead to make it seem like a planned event, not one of a pendulant child sulking when they didn't get their way. He had entertained the thought that now would be a good time to end whatever you wanted to call this working arrangement, ever since Tom Demming had come into the picture, he had been reduced back to the ranks of "Writer Boy", and his ideas in theory building largely ignored unless Tom agreed or slightly modified them, and claimed them for himself.

His years of enduring the multiple bullies at boarding school had taught him to hold his thoughts, and words, but as he thought this was just another lie in a series of lies, and confirmed that Kate Beckett felt absolutely nothing for him personally, no matter how hard he had tried to woo her over the last two years. Well, he wouldn't make a scene, let her enjoy her weekend as he planned out the changes that he would be making in his.

"It's fine Kate, what's going on with the case?"

He missed the look of her face, what was it guilt that she finally realized that he had feelings, as he stared at the murder board physically, but was miles away mentally planning his release from this torture. It wasn't Kate's fault she loved Tom and didn't care for him, BUT it was her fault to treat him with the utter disdain, and even worse allow her lover to throw even more cruel barbs at him. He had considered himself her partner, even though he didn't wear a badge, it had been documented in several cases where his insights proved valuable.

Later That Afternoon

May 28th

The storage locker was the break in the case they needed, once confronted Hugo folded like an old accordion, and explained how the Euro's got into the case, and a double check with financials proved that the housewife was much more than that to the Car Dealership owner, the only problem was her husband had figured it out almost as fast as the detectives did, and played a deadly game of his own.

Since the team was officially off, not on call for the three-day weekend, Castle sprung for pizza's and beer with Captain Montgomery's approval. It was great to enter the holiday without an open case hanging over them. The party went on for a few hours until the detective from Robbery stuck his head in the door, and asked,

"You ready Kate, we should get out of here as soon as possible to avoid some of the traffic"

"I'm ready" as she flashed Tom a big smile and grabbed her jacket and purse, over her shoulder she mouthed "See you guys Tuesday" and they were gone. Castle was sitting between Javi and the captain and played his poker face well.

After a reasonable amount of time had passed, he actually had not heard much since he was contemplating what he should do and how, hell he was 40 years old and had wasted two years chasing what he thought could be the love of his life. They had grown so close after the bombing of her apartment, or at least he thought they had.

Now he was setout to accomplish two things, plan for life after Beckett, even if it meant ending the Nikki Heat books early. Hell, he had more money than he would spend in his lifetime anyway, plus he had enough research to write more novels if the contract negotiations didn't go well and he had to complete his contract. Second, even if his little girl and Mother had other plans he was going to the seclusion of the Hamptons, via helicopter, the hell with sitting in traffic.

He had thought he might offer the ride to Kate and Demming, but then re-thought that idea, they would need a car to get back, and didn't have a few stashed at the beach house as he did.

He bid the boys and Captain farewell and made his way to the Helipad and for the short trip to his beach house. As they were travelling over the highway, Rick was glad as hell he decided to take the air route, traffic was bumper to bumper, and a two-hour trip could easily stretch out to 6 hours with this volume.

The Hamptons

5:30 PM Friday

As his helicopter touched down, his car service was standing by to take him to the beach house where the staff had already opened and prepared it for the summer visits. Retrieving his mail he reviewed several party invites, everyone always had a party this weekend, and he would have done so also had Alexis not bailed on him.

Imagine, foregoing the good type of fireworks for a summer program for high school students at a college, somewhere he had failed to get her priorities straight. He smiled with pride as he thought, just how grown up she was, and that he had no time to waste anymore on Beckett, it wasn't the typical biological clock but the hands of time were still turning on him and he needed to live his life.

One party invite stuck out to him among all the rest, the handwriting looked so familiar, and the fact that someone still took the time to handwrite invitations touched him just a bit. Opening the envelope, a picture and a piece of stationary fell out, it was a note from Erin Boyle, the daughter of the Police Commissioner, and her daughter Courtney. The picture had been taken recently, since her daughter was near Alexis age, only a few months separated them.

"Dear Rick,

It's been ages and forever since we saw you, I know the last time wasn't the way I wanted to end our relationship, so I'm asking for a chance to have our talk one more time. You were right, so right when you accused me of marrying the first man who came along to hurt you.

Actually Rick, my life almost copied yours, you married Meredith because it was the right thing to do, and Dad forced Martin to marry me once he found out Courtney was on the way, I know it's late to say this but I am sorry, so very sorry and I would like to be friends again, if you can forgive me, again.

My parents are throwing the party in the same spot, same time, so if you are up, PLEASE stop by, I would beg of you just 30 minutes of your time. Hope to see you Saturday,

Always,

Erin XoXo

This threw a bit of a wrench into his plans, he had come to the Hamptons for a marathon writing session without the interruptions that always seemed to happen in the city, the quicker he finished the book, the quicker he could get on with his life. Erin had been a friend of the family for years, and yes, He loved her, or had loved her very much, but long-distance romances often don't work out.

FLASHBACK

After Kyra had almost destroyed him, Erin was home that summer from UCLA on break, and somehow the friendship they always had known, had grown into something much more. Perhaps it was because he was on the rebound, and Erin made him feel safe, but in reality, they both knew they had fought the physical attraction for years.

Erin was the first to finally give in, by seducing him to a party, he was the only guest, and her parents were on a three day cruise, so by the time all the facts were known, both had acted on their animal instincts, often during day and night.

When the summer ended, they both pledged fidelity, yet it was only 4 months later that Erin had to break the news to Rick she was carrying another man's child. Things didn't go well for either, many hurtful things were said, and when the smoke cleared Rick had already lined up Meredith as her replacement, he never intended her to get pregnant, but 7 months after they were married, Alexis arrived.

What a sad state it turned out to be, Erin married to Marty, because she got hot pants and couldn't wait for the love of her life Rick, and he deciding on sleeping with the first beautiful lady he could find to hurt her, what a mess they both had made of their lives.

PRESENT DAY

They hadn't seen each other since the day Rick flew to LA to confront her, to be sure she was telling him the truth, and the fight that ensued. Sixteen years, two wives, and countless affairs if you believed the NY Times for Rick, and One husband, one fiancé and a lot of lonely nights thinking what if for Erin later she was asking for a do-over for their discussion.

The timing couldn't have been worse, he was barely alive after Kyra, and although much older and wiser, emotionally he wasn't sure if he were much better off from the recent events with Kate. He had always loved Erin, probably always would no matter who he was with. Other than one lie and act of deceit, caused by over indulgence of alcohol she claimed, she had never made him feel like Beckett had recently.

He was in the middle of the battle of pros and cons to go or decline as the driver pulled into his driveway, and there she sat, in the flesh, as beautiful as always Erin Boyle.

"Hi Rick, I hope you don't mind but I walked down the beach and jumped your fence, Dad saw the flight manifests at the airport so we knew you would be here, just not when so I didn't want to miss you."

"Hi Erin, no problem, you know you're always welcome here, always."

"Really Rick, do you remember the last time we saw each other and the awful things we both said, I know I do, and I am so sorry. She jogs the short distance to his arms and jumps into them, "I'm so sorry Rick, you've got to believe me, that was be far the dumbest thing I have ever done in my life, and I have paid for it for the last 16 years."

"Hey, as he dries her tears on his hankie, seems to me we both did some incredibly stupid things that hurt each other, and for what it's worth, I'm sorry too," they make their way into the house to discuss what happened, well one form of discussion anyway.

TBC Again this is "Loosely" based on The Muse of Apollo's work of the same title by permission, we are taking some liberties here and Thanks Matt, hope I do you justice with it.