DEVIL'S DUE

"You know, being married to Richard was great. Full of romance and excitement." Meredith explained nostalgically. "Like a deliciously sweet soufflé. And then one day I realized he knew everything about me. My deepest secrets, my worse pain. Enough to fill a million novels. But I didn't know enough about him to even write a pamphlet. For instance, whenever I asked him how he felt about never knowing his father, he would smirk. You know the way he smirks. And then he would throw out a quip and change the subject. Our marriage went one way. It wasn't enough for me. I mean, soufflé's are wonderful. But sooner or later, they always fall."

It had been eight weeks since that day, and Beckett couldn't get Meredith's parting shot out of her head. Kate knew nothing about Richard's life.

She decided she needed to attack this problem, but she knew Castle would deflect. She needed an angle. A way to get to the truth without making it clear there was an interrogation going on at all.

Castle was a tricky target to pin down. He didn't have a lot of weak spots. Alexis was one, but her loyalties to her father were too earnest and absolute. She would tweak her dad's nose but never reveal anything. That left just one option.

"Martha." Beckett put on her friendliest smile when the door opened.

"Katherine, darling." Martha took in the detective with her usual flair. "Richard isn't here."

"I know." Kate smiled winningly. "I was wondering if you were free for lunch?"

It was the most carefully prepared interrogation that Kate had ever undertaken, weaving friendly concern with polite chit-chat. Kate carefully steered the conversation to Life in the Castle Clan, during the Pre-Beckett days. By the salad course, Martha had opened up about it considerably.

"I didn't always live with him you know." Martha offered. "If you and Richard ever... needed me gone, I could probably find a place. Thing is... I've grown accustomed to a certain..."

"Comfortable lifestyle?" Beckett supplied.

"Is that terrible?"

"Not at all; I'm just surprised that you didn't already have one." Kate kept it light. "You strike me as the Zelda Fitzgerald type."

"Oh dear. High praise indeed." Martha toasted with her white wine; and took a bite of salad. "No, I did have a pretty comfortable set-up. Things happened."

There was more to it than that, and Kate pressed. "For example?"

Martha looked at her cannily. "But of course, I'm betting you already know about that?"

"Castle mentioned that you'd been conned; and needed a place to stay until you could get back on your feet." Kate admitted. "But this was back when we first met."

"Jake Thompson." Martha agreed. "Loved him dearly and then one day he was gone with... well, with everything."

"You know... I could try to find him." Kate offered. "I am a cop."

"Tempting, but..." Martha trailed off in the middle of the sentence. "No."

Kate was intrigued. "Martha." She pushed gently. "I've seen that reaction before. You're scared of him."

"Not of him." Martha shook her head quickly.

Kate saw the reaction, and just waited, letting Martha build up to a confession on her own.

Martha chewed her lip. "You know why I didn't like any of Richard's ex-wives?"

"Offhand I could give you a dozen reasons." Kate said matter of factly.

Martha snorted. "It's because I couldn't confide in any of them. Can I confide in you? I tell you this story, you don't tell Richard?"

Kate considered the implications, and gave a single nod.

Martha thus began to tell her story.

"It all started when I was doing a stage play of Sweet Charity off Broadway. I had auditioned for the lead, but it went to a more experienced actress. And by 'experienced' of course, I mean really too old to play the part."

Kate snorted.

"But if was my first supporting role where I actually had a dressing room, which was great for me because I had a three year old son. How a three year old gets kicked out of pre-school I don't know, but Richard found a way."

Kate burst out laughing.

At only two years old, Richard was excited to follow his mother to work. Martha was trying to keep up with the director, who speed-walked through the area backstage. "Your part isn't huge, but has enough lines that it could be helpful to your resume. Understand?"

Martha hurried to keep up. "Yessir."

"Keep your kid out of the way. You're not the only actress on stage with a kid to support, but you're the most junior one. Understand?"

"Yessir."

"You're replacing a young woman that we've worked with before. She slipped off with her boyfriend for drinks, and nobody's seen her since. Last time she did that, we got a postcard saying she'd eloped; but make no mistake, if she's back after opening night, then she gets her room back. It's in her contract."

"I understand." Martha said with quick acceptance. In truth, if she only had one appearance on stage, it would be enough to keep her and her son fed for another day.

The Director opened the door for her and Martha tried not to squeal at having a dressing room for the first time. "You'll find your lines on the table. First rehearsal in fifteen minutes. Don't be late."

Martha started to answer; when the door slammed shut and she was left with her son in sudden silence.

"I'm gonna put him in a book!" Richie said brightly; and pulled out a notepad.

Martha chuckled at her son's antics and went to the dressing room table. She would have to do her own makeup.

"Think I should make him the hero, or the villain?" Richie asked his mother eagerly.

She tried to shush him. "Either, but for now, I really have to rehearse this."

"Sorry mom."

"Ahh, don't be sorry, my boy." A voice creaked. "After all, we're all just stories in the end. Best to make it entertaining."

Martha spun in surprise to see a man in overalls mending a costume with a needle and thread. He smiled warmly at her. "Didn't mean to startle; but I help out with this and that fairly often, and nobody was using this room until just now." He held up the needle, which seemed to be trailing a slender gold thread. "I'm good with needles. And threads."

"I'm sorry, I was told this was Lisa's dressing room." Martha said awkwardly. "I'm just using it until... well, until she's found."

The man rose and leaned his cane. "Yes indeed. And you get her part too, from what I hear. Did you ever meet darling Lisa?"

Martha shook her head. "No, can't say that I did."

The man gestured with his cane, and Martha turned to see a beautiful oil paining that she hadn't noticed before, with a solid gold frame hanging on the wall. The painting was of a beautiful young woman dressed in a stage costume. It was a fantastic painting of a flawlessly beautiful woman. "Is that her?" Martha breathed.

"You could say that." The Stranger said. "She said she wanted to look as beautiful as that forever."

Young Richard came forward and held out a hand fearlessly. "I'm Richie."

The stranger shook his hand politely. "Pleased to meet you, young man. I'm Mister Gold." He looked down at the boy. "So, you like stories then?" He reached into a satchel he was carrying and pulled out a large leatherbound book. "Consider this a gift. The last kid who read it... moved on."

Richard looked quietly thrilled; and Martha could make out the title on the cover. 'Once Upon A Time...'

"Richard? Remember to thank... Oh, I'm sorry." Martha remembered herself. "I'm Martha. Martha Rogers, and this is my son."

"Martha." Gold shook her hand politely. "What a lovely name."

Martha took a slug of her third glass and explained to Kate. "So Gold and I met. We chatted for a bit... I remember that nobody really liked him; but I couldn't think why. He seemed charming enough. He offered to watch Richard a few times during rehearsals. See, the lead went to a woman named Carlotta Lansik..."

"Ohh, I've heard of her." Kate said excitedly.

"Everyone has. But nobody seems to know what a cow she was. She was a beast. Cruel and malicious to everyone. The Director's sole function was to keep her happy." Martha said in a voice that spoke of absolute doom. "It was two weeks later, when her... legacy, was assured."

Carlotta started the song again. She got halfway through the opening line before her voice cracked.

"What is that, the fourth time she's missed that note?" Martha hissed to herself; knowing that nobody was close enough to hear her.

Almost nobody.

"One wonders how she manages to keep the producer so happy." Gold's voice said in her ear.

Martha didn't jump. It was hardly the first time he had done that in the last two weeks.

"Trust me." The young woman whispered back. "It's not that hard to guess."

Gold let out a little giggle that raised the hairs on the back of Martha's neck.

"Okay, take five!" The director shouted; and everyone on stage relaxed. Martha turned to face Gold. "She has to straighten up soon or she'll kill the whole production. And probably herself if the reviews come out."

"There are worse things than dying, dearie." Gold said with a cold smirk.

"Like what?" Martha snorted.

Gold elaborately gestured to the other side of the stage. The leading lady was peering up at the lights, then to the Director, and then back again with a pained look of worry. "Take a look at our star attraction. Why is Carlotta so scared of the stage lights?"

Martha snorted. "Easy. They aren't flattering. And she's worried the director is going to notice that she looks about fifteen years too old for the part."

"This is a relatively small production for someone with Carlotta's resume. Carlotta thought that by now she'd have an Oscar, and yet here she is, past her prime, terrified of wrinkles..." Gold said without sympathy. "And clawing away at anyone who tries to get her off the stage before she can face it."

Martha shivered. "I hope never to be like that. To be that... desperate."

Gold tapped his cane. "Mm. One wonders how everyone else deals with it."

"Kids." Martha shrugged. "That's part of the reason we want our kids to have more than we do growing up."

Gold snorted. "As a retirement policy?"

"No, nothing so selfish. Just... Someone who won't trade us in for the younger model." Martha said, not smiling any more. "My kid... he's got the bug from his mother."

"He wants to act?"

"Not act. Entertain." Martha sighed. "I came home last night; and he had written me a play. Twenty pages long; one act, two characters. He said he wrote it for me."

"How was it?"

"Terrible. My son loves writing stores, but they're so..." Martha waved it off. "He's young. He'll grow out of it."

"Don't deny the power of chasing a passion, Martha." Gold said with a smirk. "All it takes is someone to help you through the rough patches. A friend in the right place can set a man up for life."

"Mm." Martha was unconvinced. "You think so? The acting profession is unforgiving. There are thirty hopefuls for every extra on stage. The world of writing even more so. There's nothing I would love more than to see my son get everything he hopes for, become a star..."

Gold turned to face her, and she froze. His eyes had turned Golden and Sharp. Martha took a step back from the sudden burst of power that flitted from his eyes to hers. "Everything you once wanted for yourself, you now want for your son?" Gold challenged.

Martha shivered violently. "Yes."

"If you could be sure of that..." Gold said, smoother than silk. "Everything comes with a price. You want your son to have everything you'd wish for him; to have success follow him, and his dreams come true. You want him to have a hugely successful life doing something he loves instead of something he has to suffer through?"

Martha was trembling, but couldn't place why. She just couldn't look away from those eyes. "Yes."

"Is that for him, or for you?" Gold hissed; and Martha stepped back with a gasp. Just for a second, it looked like his teeth were pointier, his tongue forked like a snake. "Do you want your child's future assured? Or are you just looking for a retirement package? Someone you can rely on in your old age?"

Martha swallowed. "I can make my own way. But it's a young woman's game. Every day Carlotta stays under that spotlight, is another chance I don't have."

"And if your wishes could come true..." Gold grinned, triumph in is eyes. "If you could have your chance and your son could have his... Would that be worth something to you, Miss Rogers?"

"Yes." Martha whispered; soft enough that she could barely hear her own voice.

"I could make it happen." Gold crooned.

"Why?" Martha whispered. She should have asked 'how', but had no doubts absolutely that he could do it, so she didn't have to wonder. Part of her didn't want to know. "What's in it for you?"

Gold shrugged that off casually. "Ohhh, lets just say... you'll owe me a favor." He held out his hand. "Do we have a deal?"

Martha bit her lip, and accepted the handshake. "Deal."

The second she had spoken, the instant she had touched his hand, someone behind her suddenly screamed. "LOOK OUT!"

Martha spun as the old theater chandelier suddenly came loose from it's chain and plummeted to the stage... landing squarely on Carlotta, killing her instantly.

Martha spun back to Gold, and found he was gone.

"I went to the Director, and..." Martha took a fortifying gulp of her drink. "He said there was no stage hand named Gold in the theater, and never had been. Then he told me that they needed a new leading lady; and since the only reason Carlotta had the lead was because she was sleeping with the producers... They gave the title role to me."

Kate let out a low whistle. "Wow."

"I couldn't believe how little everyone seemed to care that the lead had been turned into a pancake. Every time I tried to bring it up, all they would say was how lucky I was." Martha slugged back her drink and signaled for another. "The next day Richard entered a short story for some competition that his school was part of... and he won first prize. His story got published in the paper. He took it as a sign and started writing non stop."

Kate felt cold for some reason. "Martha... when did Gold come to collect?"

"Three months before you first came into our lives. Forty years. Forty years it took him to come back. By that time; I was living with my boyfriend, Richard had Alexis, and Derrick Storm was his biggest series of bestsellers." Kate whispered. "And I won't tell you what he wanted. I still can't believe it."

Kate reached out a hand. "Tell me."

Martha was slow dancing with her boyfriend Jake. Soft jazz in her loft-space apartment; a bottle of Chardonnay chilling nicely on the counter; and a plate of oysters waiting for the song to end. Martha loved Jake so much.

"What are you thinking?" She asked him as he dipped her gently to the music.

Jake smiled warmly. "That... it's rare to find such a perfect moment."

"Almost perfect." Martha pulled him in for a rich full kiss... and pulled back when she felt something in his jacket pocket press against her chest. He pulled back a bit instantly when he realized, but it was too late. The question was clear in her eyes, and he reached into his pocket obligingly.

It was a ring box. Martha felt her jaw drop.

Jake put one finger over her lips suddenly. "I was going to save that surprise for after dinner. But if you were... agreeable; I could go get the bottle of champagne I've had on ice at my place?"

Martha smiled, feeling tears forming in the corner of her eye. She was an actress; and loved it when someone cared enough to make a production of a special moment. "I'm not going anywhere."

Jake broke the clinch, and gave her the box. "Don't open it till I get back?"

"I won't." She promised.

Jake slipped out, and Martha tried to smother a shriek of excitement. Even in her late sixties, this was the happiest night of her life. She pounced on the Ring box as soon as the door closed; and saw the beautiful diamond ring inside. She smiled broadly at it.

"Such a heart-warming scene." A voice commented brightly.

Martha spun. "YOU!"

Gold was sitting with his feet up on the loveseat. "Me. I hate to sully the moment with work, dearie. But you and I have unfinished business."

Martha felt her jaw drop, a knife edge of fear hitting her. "After forty years, you just just show up... in my... locked apartment?"

"I didn't say when I'd collect. Only that I would." He dared her.

Martha was shaking. "But... you haven't..." She looked him up and down. "You haven't aged a day..."

"Clean living." He excused. "You got everything you wanted. A career you could live off; happiness with a man that loves you, a family filled with success that you could depend on... Did you think such things came free?"

Martha bit her lip. "Did you kill Carlotta Lansik?"

"I kept my deal." Gold retorted. "Everyone has their Wishes, Miss Rogers. Carlotta wanted to stay famous forever. And she got her wish. An experienced actress, cut off at the edge of her prime. A terrible tragedy the papers would say. As tragic as her career would have been if she'd lived. She should have read the fine print." He stood up and tapped his cane elaborately. "Speaking of that, I'm here to collect."

"So what did he want?" Kate pressed; caught up in the story.

"You want WHAT?!" Martha screamed in horror.

"Your granddaughter." Gold smirked. "Alexis Castle. Such a lovely name. Don't you agree?"

"No!" Martha said seriously. "No, you can't have her."

"Not my problem if you don't like the nature of the game." Gold challenged. "Didn't you enjoy your time in the spotlight? Didn't you like meeting Jake? Didn't you say you wanted Richard to have all that he got?"

"Who's to say that had anything to do with you?" Martha challenged with a strength she didn't really feel. "What do you want Alexis for anyway? Why would you want such a sweet sixteen year-" Martha broke off suddenly, bile rising in her throat. "No. It can't happen."

Gold's eyes flashed. "NOBODY BREAKS A DEAL WITH ME!" He shrieked suddenly.

Martha stood firm. "NO! You don't get Alexis! Ask for anything else; but you don't get her."

"Don't forget who gave you this lifestyle, dearie." Gold growled. "I can take it all back."

"The hell you can." Martha spat at him. "And even if you could, go ahead. But you're not taking Alexis. Everything I've gotten since that day... is nothing compared to my family. If you had kids, you'd know that!"

Gold's eyes darkened. "Ooh, and I was willing to make this fun until you said that."

"Alexis is off the table." Martha said with finality. "Anything else; anything you want. But not my kid, and definitely not my grandkid."

Gold smirked. "Remember you said that."

Martha sniffed into her fresh drink. "He left. Ten minutes later; Richard calls up and tells me he's decided to kill off Derrick Storm. He says he just can't write im any more." She whimpered a little. "I told him that was a bad idea, that it was his biggest seller. I told him not to kill the golden goose; but... he couldn't be swayed."

Kate tried to snap her out of it. "You can't think that-"

"An hour after that, I realized Jake wasn't back yet, and I called him. His cellphone was off, his home number was off the air. My bank called me a few hours later and told me that my account had been cleaned out by Jake... and that Jake Thompson wasn't his real name. My agent called the next morning and told me that I had lost the part I was offered in a new movie. My landlord called after that and told me that I had to move out; since the building had just been sold that morning. He said that I must have left the signature blank on the original lease, because he couldn't give me my security deposit back... I opened the ring box Jake had left. It was empty. I saw the ring with my own eyes. I even tried it on... and then it was gone." Martha looked to Kate with quiet desperation. "It can't be a coincidence... can it?"

Kate didn't know what to say.

"I saw him again, one week later." Martha whispered. "Gold said I could get my life back if I would 'be reasonable and pay the devil his due'. I told him to go to hell."

"What did he say?" Kate asked her quietly.

"He said... that nobody broke a deal with him... and there was more than one way to get one of my grandchildren out of me. He said if it wasn't going to be Alexis, there were other ways." She toasted Kate. "The next night was the book launch for Storm Fall. When you met Richard for the first time."

Kate felt a chill go up her spine convulsively. "I'll look into it."

"Please don't."

"Martha... if you're right about this man, then he's blackmailed, he's committed murder, he's attempted child abduction, bank fraud, and who knows what else. I have to look into it."

Kate had the description, and began a search. The name had turned up no leads. Kate didn't put her team on it. It wasn't a homicide, at least not one in their jurisdiction. She didn't want to tip off Castle just yet, and there was a procedure to Cold Cases.

She went home that night; and juggled Chinese food with her keys, just like she had a thousand times before.

But tonight; something was different in her home. She came into the kitchen; tossed down her take-out, and retreated to the living room, where she noticed a book sitting on her coffee table. It was big and worn. A beautiful hardcover book of Fairy Tales with rich illuminated images that seemed to come alive.

Kate picked up the book curiously. It was clearly the one Martha had described in her story, but how it had shown up in her apartment was anyone's guess. One page had been bookmarked and Kate flipped through to it. "Rumpelstiltskin." She read the title of the bookmarked story to herself.

"Can't judge a book by it's cover." A voice sliced into her from the couch. Beckett dropped the book and spun smoothly on her heels; her gun drawn and aimed in less time than it took to register the movement. Sitting on her couch was a man in a long black coat; with wavy oily hair, a long silver cane, and a pair of dark sunglasses. "But with a title like that? You can be sure it's a page turner."

"Who the hell are you?" Kate demanded. She was certain he wasn't sitting there when she came in.

"Now is that any way to treat a guest, Detective?" The stranger grinned.

"To be a guest, I have to invite you in." She countered. "The law is quite specific on that point."

"Ahh, but you've been looking for me all day. I assumed an invitation would be coming sooner or later." He shot back, with just a trace of an Irish accent coming through.

Kate blinked, but didn't shift her aim. "Mister Gold?"

"At your service." He somehow managed to bow elaborately without shifting from his seat on her couch. "You have a question?"

"...yes." Kate conceded. "I want to talk to you about a deal you made with Martha Rogers."

"All deals are confidential. But I will say that Martha got what she wanted. A career, someone to take her in when her looks couldn't carry her any more..."

"You cleaned her out and made her afraid of shadows for forty years." Kate shot back.

Gold gave her nothing. "If you say so. I can neither confirm nor deny. But I will say that Martha doesn't scare easily, and that if you were worried... you might be able to pay off her tab."

"And give you Alexis? Like hell." Beckett glared. "And just remember; I'm not some scared bystander here. You get shot by a cop; and you're in a world of hurt."

"No doubt." Gold didn't seem worried. "But if you'd rather... take over her arrangement, you should know that others have made me that offer before; and I've been agreeable."

"No deal. Martha's willing to let you have her life's savings. Alexis means more."

"But there is something you want." Gold challenged. "Your mother's case for instance?"

The gun in Kate's hand cocked at the mention of her mother. "What about it?"

"You already solved it." Gold said matter of factly. "But you can't act to arrest the Dragon. Yet." He seemed amused. "Dragons can be such tricky things, can't they?"

Kate shook her head, and did a little dance around the truth herself. "I... have no idea what you're talking about. But if you were right and I had knowledge of my mother's murder... I would say that I can get there without asking for favors."

"Ahh, but there is something you want more than justice." Gold said coolly. "You don't ask; because you think it's impossible. You think that Martha was the victim of a conman who made her believe in dark magic. But if there was such power in the universe... or any other universe... what would you wish for?"

"Nothing." Kate said swiftly.

"Nothing?" Gold challenged.

"Not with a price-tag like the one you charged Martha." Kate snarled. "There's nothing you can offer me that I'd take from you."

"What about your mother back?" Gold offered. "Safe and well, and oh so very alive?"

Kate's gun wavered, just the tiniest bit. "I don't believe in Magic." She said seriously. "And I don't believe you do either. In fact, I think you're full of it."

"But if I could make it happen?" Gold tempted; taking the sunglasses off to flash bright yellow cats-eyes at Beckett. "Would that be worth something to you, Detective?"

AN: And we're off. I'm not sure if Martha's con man beau was an ex-boyfriend or ex-husband, but either way, here it is. Read and Review