Close Enough

A.N.: Extreme AU, in which Beckett is a waitress at a café where Castle comes to write. Set to "Marry Me" by Train. For esteliostana on twitter, who really really wanted someone to write an AU fic to this song. I never say no to a challenge. It's not really that good, but I hope you enjoy.

"Forever can never be long enough for me,

to feel like I've had long enough with you.

Forget the world now, we won't let them see,

But there's one thing left to do."

"I think it was a Monday."

"No, Castle, it was a Wednesday."

"I think I know when I write my books, Kate."

"Anyway, we met on a Wednesday-"

"It was a Monday and I was writing a book. She brought me coffee."

It's a Friday.

It's a Friday and it's the middle of the freaking winter and he's freezing his ass off, cheek by cheek. He looks around, searching for a taxi, gripping his laptop firmer. No yellow spots anywhere.

"Great.", he says bitterly, checking the watch on his wrist. He's supposed to be writing, not skipping around New York like Holden Caulfield and he's pretty sure Gina's going to kill him.

The next time he decides to get married, he'll make sure the third time really is the charm.

He looks back up at the school. Alexis' classes don't end for another few hours and he did promise to take her out for lunch. But freezing outside isn't really an option, either. Actually, he's pretty sure his left buttcheek is frozen enough to skate on it.

At the corner of his eye, he spots a small café. he sighs, hot air escaping his lips, and makes his way across the street. The café seems warm enough and he smiles when the cold air disappears and he is embraced by the warmness of the café and the smell of fresh coffee.

Castle takes a seat and opens his laptop. Turning it on, he inhales the smell of coffee that surrounds him and closes his eyes, enjoying the heat. He can feel his buttcheeks coming back to life. Oh, how he missed them.

"Can I get you anything?", he hears and opens his eyes, turning them to the laptop screen as he opens the Word file.

"Coffee.", he says, stretching his fingers, "Lots and lots of coffee."

The waitress laughs and he looks up only to see her from the back. He smiles and goes back to his laptop.

Time to finish off Derrick Storm.

It's spring and he's stuck.

Nothing. Nada. Zilch. He stares at the blank Word page open on the laptop screen in front of him and his mind is empty. Writer's block was no stranger to Richard Castle, but that didn't mean he had to enjoy her visits. Actually, he enjoyed them just as much as he enjoyed Gina's nagging every-five-minutes calls. Yes, he promised her a new book series, but he doesn't write out chapters after chapters in a few days.

"What's it gonna be today, Castle?", Kate asks, her notepad in one hand and her pen ready to write in the other.

Castle groans, "Inspiration."

Kate laughs, "Sorry, I don't think that's on the menu."

He chuckles, "Be my muse, Kate."

She looks at him questioningly. She was only here to bring coffee, not give ideas to a bestselling crime novelist, "And how do i do that?", she asks, putting away her pen and notepad.

"Tell me a story."

She takes a seat, "Once upon a time-", she starts playfully, as if she is talking to a five-year old child, but he cuts her off.

"Not that story.", he says, shutting his laptop so he could look at her, "Unless you want me to be your Prince Charming?", he wiggles his eyebrows.

"You're unbelievable.", she says, shaking her head.

"I know.", he replies, "Tell me your story. The story of Katherine-"

"Beckett.", she adds.

"Beckett.", he repeats, "What is the story of Katherine Beckett?"

"Well, the story of Katherine Beckett is that she has to get back to work, which is bringing you your regular cup of coffee as you mope around with writer's block and groan every five minutes when you get a call from your publisher slash - and I quote - 'ex-wife sent from hell to make my life miserable, oh why did I ever marry her'.", she replies, mocking him on the last sentences. she smiles as she gets up and he chuckles.

"Not even if I give you a very big tip?", he says. She turns around when he calls her name, "Beckett, help me out here."

She laughs, "Make me solve crimes.", she says, going back to work.

He opens his laptop and starts typing.

"So - what do you think?"

Alexis pauses, "Nikki Heat?"

Castle looks at his daughter in expectation, "Yeah."

Alexis takes a bite of her chocolate cake, "Isn't that a stripper name?"

"It's not a stripper name.", Castle replies defensively.

Alexis shrugs, "It's pretty good, dad."

"You're just saying that.", he says in false modesty, "But it is good, isn't it?"

"Don't enlarge his ego, sweetie.", Kate says, coming up to the table, "It's already big enough as it is."

"You wound me, Beckett."

She smiles, "Thank you, I try."

Alexis laughs, "The book is pretty good, though."

"Here,", Castle says, taking the book Alexis finished reading and signing the first page, "you get a signed first copy.", he continues, handing Kate the book, "I made you solve crimes.", he adds with a wink.

"Nikki Heat?"

"Yeah."

"Isn't that a stripper name?"

Alexis chuckles.

"It's not a stripper name!"

He drops the book on the counter.

"Is she naked on the cover again?", Kate asks, not turning around.

"Why does everyone keep asking me tha-"

She cuts him off, turning around and putting a cup of coffee on the counter, "She is naked on the cover again."

He takes a sip of coffee, mumbling, "Maybe.."

She shakes her head, "You're unbelievable."

"Oh, you love me."

She chuckles, "I do."

He puts the cup back on the counter, "Are you free on Friday?"

She leans against the counter, "Yes."

"What do you think you're doing?"

He kisses her again, "Research."

She smiles, "Oh, really?", she asks, raising an eyebrow.

"For your information, Ms. Beckett, I am in the middle of writing a very juicy scene between Detective Nikki Heat and journalist Jameson Rook.", he says in between kisses, "I could use some help."

"That depends,", she says, "how juicy?"

He pauses, "Excuse me?"

She leans in, whispering into his ear, "There's this thing I do with ice-cubes."

He kisses her, "My safe word is 'apples'."

She laughs.

"I don't like it here."

Alexis smiles sympathetically, "Too many people, I know."

"Too many important people.", Kate replies, "I don't feel like I belong here."

Alexis puts a hand on her shoulder, "You do belong here. And you're just as important as everyone else in this room.", Kate smiles, "Plus, my dad really wanted you to be here."

"I don't really get that. I wasn't on any of the previous book launches."

Alexis hands her a copy of the book, "Read the dedication.", she says, giving Kate a wink and a smile before she leaves.

Kate opens the first page.

'To the extraordinary KB. The best tip you could give me is for you to marry me. -RC'

She smiles, turning to Martha.

"Do you have a pen?"

She puts the book in front of him.

"Who should I make it out to?", he asks on instinct, but a sincere smile comes over his face as he looks up and sees her.

"Open it.", she says, smiling.

He takes the book, opening it to the dedication. A message written in blue pen is neatly scribbled under his initials and he smiles, closing the book and walking around the table to meet her for a kiss.

'To the unbelievable RC. Yes. -KB'