A/N: I just love song fics okay. Based on Taylor Swift's Love Story which I get emotional over whenever I sing it. But yea, I hope you like it, because I didn't do my homework to write this (Not that I would have done it anyways but… yea) For the record, Castle and Beckett are seniors in high school and Beckett's mom died before Kate was 19...
We were both young when I first saw you.
I close my eyes and the flashback starts:
I'm standing there on a balcony in summer air.
See the lights, see the party, the ball gowns.
See you make your way through the crowd
And say, "Hello,"
Little did I know...
She pushed open the large doors, stepping out onto the balcony, the loud music fading into the background. She leaned against the rails and closed her eyes, breathing in the fresh air. Something didn't feel right, it was her senior prom and they had decided to go old fashion and dress in large poofy dresses and outrageous jackets and coats, but something was missing she just didn't know what it was.
She opened her eyes and spotted a couple walking through the forest, she watched them stop by a tree as the boy touched the girl's face and brought her in for a kiss. She smiled looked away, partly to give them some privacy, mostly because she wished she had that herself.
It wasn't that there weren't many boys lining up at her door, wishing for the chance to go out with her, but none of them felt right and she did not want to string any of them along knowing it wouldn't work out later, she didn't want the drama. So it had been two years since she had been single and it had been a lonely two years. Initially she didn't want to come to the ball and preferred to stay at home and watch re-runs of Firefly, but her friends and convinced her to come, promising they would keep her company.
They kept their promise of course, until an hour later when their boyfriend's showed up and she was left standing awkwardly to the side. She decided to get away from the crowd, she was beginning to get a headache from the blaring music anyways, so that is what brought her out on the balcony, envying the relationship of another couple down in the forest.
She was too busy staring off down at the ducks swimming in the river to hear the door open and someone approach her.
"What the party's not good enough for you?"
She turned around and saw Richard Castle standing there, smirking. She rolled her eyes and smiled.
"There wasn't much for me to do." She answered him.
Okay, if there was one person she would go out with it was him. He was in her AP English class and sat right behind her. He was always annoying her; kicking her chair, pulling on her hair or throwing things playfully at her. He was the class clown and bad boy and she loved it. Her friends always told her he had a crush on her, but she didn't believe it. He was the most popular boy in school and all the girls wanted him, he wore leather jackets and rode a motorcycle for crying out loud. But she had told herself he didn't want her, he had all the other more popular girls with big boobs and bleach blonde hair to ogle over, she wasn't his type.
She tried to calm her racing heart as he came to stand beside her.
"Where's your date?" He asked, leaning his back on the rails.
She glanced up at him, ducking her head as a blush rose to her cheeks. He wasn't dressed according to their dress code, instead, he wore leather pants, a white T-shirt and his signature leather jacket and his hair was messed up and hanging over his eyes. She clasped her hands together to keep from reaching out and brushing it out of her eyes.
"Don't have one." She told him, looking back to the ducks.
"You? How is that possible?" He asked surprised.
She shrugged.
"I hear them talk about you all the time, how come no one asked you?" He asked, leaning closer. She could smell his cologne and her body began reacting to his nearness.
She shook her head, trying to clear it, "I was asked, but I mean … There wasn't anyone special."
"Hm. Sorry for them." He said thoughtfully.
"I didn't even want to come." She added.
"So why did you?" He asked, turning around, leaning over the railing and staring out at the scene.
"Friends made me."
He turned around and looked around, "Where are they?"
"They have boyfriends."
He smiled, "Ah, well in that case." He stood and extended his hand, "Katherine Beckett may I have this dance?"
She turned to him and looked down at his waiting hand in shock, "You – you know my name?"
He tilted his head to the side, looking confused, "Of course I do, why wouldn't I?"
"I don't know, you just never seemed to notice me." She said quietly.
"I notice you all the time." He said tenderly, "And I would like for you to notice my waiting hand."
She looked up at him, feeling her chest bubble at his smile, she slipped her hand into his, "I noticed."
He smiled and pulled her to him, they could hear the music playing faintly in the background and he swayed her gently in tune to it. She rested her head against his chest, feeling excited at the closeness and intimacy of this moment.
"Why do you think I wouldn't notice you?" He asked after a while.
"Because, you're Richard Castle, you're the most popular guy in school, you can have any pretty girl you want, why waste your time on me?" She responded, breathing deeply, taking in his scent and storing it in her memory because she knew after tonight, this would never happen again.
He gripped her shoulders and pulled her back to look at him. His eyes were wide and honest.
"Kate, I think you're the most beautiful girl in all of that high school."
She froze. Did he just say -? She was - … He thought she was beautiful?
"Why?" She heard herself say and kicked herself for asking such a stupid question.
"Because you're real. You don't ogle me or fawn over me like I'm some God like the other girls. I'm a person just like you and you're so kind and selfless and real, in every sense of the word."
She had to laugh at the last part of his sentence, it was true most of the girls in their year group had implants or dyed their hair or done some body modification.
"I know everything about you," he started quietly, "I know your schedule, I know what you prefer to have for lunch, I know you love mystery novels, I know your tutor after school, I know you love Remy's… Does that sound stalkerish?" He asked, having the grace to look concerned.
She simply stared at him, "Yes."
He grinned sheepishly, "I'd say I'm sorry, but I'm not. You fascinate me Kate."
"I do?"
He nodded, "You're a mystery that I want to solve, if you'd let me."
Her heart was racing, is he asking her to be with him? Her, Kate Beckett be with him, Richard Castle? Was this really happening?
"Are you serious?" She asked, searching his face for his to break out laughing, for this to be a cruel joke.
"You think I'd joke about this?" He asked, looking somewhat offended.
She didn't answer, just opened and closed her mouth, trying to find something to say.
She held her breath as he leaned in, holding her face in his hands and softly pressing his lips to hers. She didn't know what was happening and her head was spinning and by the time she registered that her was kissing her, he was pulling away.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have." He apologized, stepping away from her.
She wanted to reach for him, pull him back to her and taste him again, she hadn't had enough, but she didn't, her hands remained by her side.
"It's okay." She said quietly.
"No, it's not, I over stepped." He said running his hands through his hair.
"You really mean that?" She asked, "What you said about me?"
He looked at her, "I do. I want you Kate, I've wanted you for a while now, but I was afraid you wouldn't want me."
Now it was her turn to be dumbfounded, "Why?"
"Because I have this bad boy persona, you know, leather jacket, motor cycle, I didn't think I'm the type you would go for." He explained, leaning against the railing again.
"So why now?" She prompted.
He shrugged, "I saw you, downstairs alone and Kate," He paused, looking her over, "I've never seen you so beautiful and then you left, so I decided to take the chance. I want to get the chance to be with you Kate, if you'd let me."
She walked over to him, thinking over his words. Her hands were shaking as she reached for his, taking them in hers.
"Yes." She whispered as she raised her head to kiss him, letting herself savour the moment. She smiled when she felt him respond and tangle his hands in her hair, kissing her deeply.
Some time ago she was jealous of a kissing couple down in the forest, wishing she could have that for herself and now, not only did she have that for herself, but she had that with the one boy she wanted, the one she thought would never want her.
He broke the kiss and reached up to gently stroke his thumb across her cheek.
"Let's get out of here." He said.
She could only nod, still processing everything that was happening as he took her hand and led her back through the doors and down the stairs.
She noticed some stairs as they walked through the crowd. She spotted her friends gawking at her, she smiled and winked at them as he pulled her out the door.
He stopped in front of his bike and turned to face her, looking down at her dress.
"This may be a problem."
She looked down at her dress, it was one of those where the bottom tore away, so she reached down at tore it off, leaving her in a short version of her dress that stopped mid-thigh.
He was watching with wide eyes and she ripped it off, "Where are you gonna put that?"
She spotted her friend's car, which she had a key to, opened it and tossed it inside, she could get that later.
He staring openly at her bare legs with admiration in his eyes, she felt a little nervous at all the attention.
"Castle?" She called, bringing him back to the present, "Shall we?" She gestured to his bike.
"Yea, yea, uhh – "He cleared his throat, "I only have one helmet so, here." He said handing it to her.
She tied her hair up in a messy ponytail and placed the helmet over her head.
"What?" She asked.
"You just look so hot right now." He answered.
She blushed as she climbed on to the bike behind him, "Let's go."
"As you wish." He responded as she started the engine. She wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her chin on her shoulder as he rode off.
He took her to an open field, to see the stars he said. It was cliché, but she loved it. She was completely taken by him as she listened to him tell stories about his life, the trouble he got into at school for the show, but in reality, his favourite thing to do was taking care of his younger sister. His parents had died some time ago and since he was of age, he was the legal guardian of his ten year old sister, she could tell he loved her by the way he talked about her and it only made her fall for him more.
She told him stories about herself, how it was just her and her dad after her mom died and how she fought to bring him back from the tight clutch of alcoholism. She told him her dreams and her fears, feeling like she could tell him anything after only just meeting him.
Of course, the night could not pass without her needing to taste him again, to feel his lips against hers. So she rolled on top of him and kissed him senseless, she kissed him as if she was afraid this was a dream and she would wake up any minute now and he kissed her back just the same, holding her tightly to him.
It was when her stomach growled, they broke apart.
"You hungry?" He grinned.
"A bit." She admitted sheepishly.
He glanced at his watch, "Wow, it's later than I thought, I have to go put my sister to bed. Tell you what, we'll grab some drive-thru and I'll take you home." He suggested.
She couldn't help but feel sad the night was over, but it warmed her heart to know that it was only because he was completely devoted to his sister and promised her he would be home by 11 to tuck her into bed. She wished this was the side of him he showed, instead of the bad boy, although that side of him was attractive, it wasn't real and she didn't think many people knew that, but she felt honoured he trusted her enough to show her that part of him.
They stopped at the drive-thru and got a couple burgers and of course a kids meal for his sister before he rode up to her house. He shut off the bike and walked her to her door.
"Well, are you glad you went to prom?" He asked her, stroking his thumb over her hand.
"Yea, I'd have to say that I am." She grinned, looking down at their hands.
"Good. Me too." He whispered as he kissed her, tenderly cupping her cheek.
They heard someone clear their throat and the pulled apart.
"Dad!" She exclaimed, jumping back a bit.
Castle smoothed his face and extended a hand, "Mr. Beckett, I'm Richard Castle, good to meet you."
Jim took Castle's hand, shaking it a little tighter than necessary, "I've heard about you Mr. Castle." He said, disapproval heavy in his voice.
Kate glanced between the two men, wondering what her father could have heard about him, but then again he was a lawyer, it could be everything.
"Thank you for bringing Katie home." He said, not breaking eye contact.
Castle smiled an easy smile, a smile that made Kate smile as well, "It was my pleasure."
"Goodnight Mr. Castle." He said, pushing Kate inside.
She looked over her shoulder and mouthed "Sorry, goodnight" with a small smile.
He raised his hand and wave her a wave as her father shut the door in his face.
"Dad what was that about?" She hissed.
"I don't want you seeing him Kate." Her father said.
"What? Why?" She asked in disbelief.
"He's no good for you, he'll just waste your time and break your heart."
"No dad! You don't know him! That's not him, he just acts like that because he has to!" She yelled.
"I'm done talking Kate, you won't see him anymore."
She glared at him and folded her arms around her chest, "I can't wait 'til I leave for college." She spat as she turned and ran up the stairs.
"Katherine Beckett!" He yelled after her, but she didn't stop, she ran straight to her room and slammed the door.
She collapsed onto her bed and cried. Tonight had been the most fun she had had in some time and it was because of Castle. He made her feel beautiful, he made her feel wanted. She couldn't believe her dad was doing this, he didn't know him at all like she did. She couldn't stop seeing him, not when she had only just begun and already craved his presence, his kiss.
She heard a light tapping and sat up in bed rubbing her eyes, she glanced around the room wondering where it was coming from, when she realized it was coming from the window.
She got up and walked over to the window, smiling as she saw him standing down there, throwing pebbles. She opened her window and leaned out.
He held up a sign that read, "Tomorrow? 7pm, meet me in the field?"
She nodded, "Okay." She whispered.
He grinned and blew her a kiss as he backed away to his bike and rode away.
She stared after him, until he disappeared around the corner. She closed her window and made her way back to her bed and sat down.
No one had ever made her feel this way before and she was addicted to the feeling. She was seeing him tomorrow, whether her father approved or not. He wasn't going to stop her from seeing him.
That you were Romeo, you were throwing pebbles,
And my daddy said, "Stay away from Juliet"
And I was crying on the staircase
Begging you, "Please don't go"
And I said...
"Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone.
I'll be waiting; all that's left to do is run.
You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess,
It's a love story, baby, just say, 'Yes.'"
End A/N: Writing these fics make me so happy man, I really hope you like it. Leave me a review and let me know? So you can get the next chapter sooner? Yea? Good. There was something else I wanted to say… But I can't remember… I swear I'm getting old. Anyways, goodnight! Don't forget to review please!