AUTHOR'S NOTE : I do not own Castle or the characters. If I did, Beckett and Castle would've gotten together a long time ago.
Chapter One; New York City, Friday Morning
Detective Kevin Ryan sighed nervously as he tapped his foot on the floor. It was his latest follow up visit to his therapist and doctor to get his arm in working condition again. After a sniper's bullet hit him in the shoulder nearly six months ago, he was ready to get back to work. He felt fine. His arm and shoulder worked fine too. Until he goes through the motion to quickly withdraw his gun. It twinges just ever so slightly, but enough for the doctor to keep him out of the field. The door opened and he looked up to see his doctor coming in. "I got good new and bad news," Dr. Lee said.
"Good news first, doc," Ryan said.
"You can return to desk duty on Monday," Dr. Lee said.
"And the bad news?"
"Probably be another couple of weeks until you can go back on the active duty list." Ryan nodded. "I'm sorry, Detective, but I didn't like the way you cringed when I asked you to go through the motions of drawing your fire arm."
"I understand, Dr. Lee," he said before taking the piece of paper from him.
"Have you been weaning yourself off the medication?"
"Yes, I have," Kevin said putting the note in his pocket.
"Good," he said. "You should be able to get by with one pill a day until the bottle runs out. Hopefully by then you'll be in the field." Kevin nodded his head. "Any plans for the weekend?"
"Not really," Kevin said. "Might go up to my beach house in Connecticut," he said. "Enjoy the nice weather we're suppose to get this weekend."
"Taking it easy before returning to your desk," Dr. Lee said. "Well, have fun, but not too much." Kevin chuckled before getting up from the chair. "I'll see you again in two weeks to check your gun drawing motion."
"All right, doc," he said before shaking hands with the good doctor.
"Remember, Monday. Not before," Dr. Lee added.
"See ya in two weeks," Kevin said before leaving the office. He stopped at the receptionist desk to get his appointment card before he left the doctor's office for the day. He hailed a cab and gave the driver the 12th Precinct's address. He flipped open his phone and hit speed dial number two. It rang a few times before someone picked up on the other end. "Hey, how ya doing?" he asked. "Good. I didn't wake you, did I? Oh, that was close. What are you doing this weekend? Feel like staying abroad and spending your weekend with your favorite detective? I was hoping you would," he said. "I'm going to stop at the precinct before heading home and packing. Yeah, I took a cab to the doctor's this morning. I can return to desk duty on Monday. Figured I spend the weekend with my favorite girl. He he, hey, behave or I'll have to spank you," he said. "Oh, you would enjoy it too much. Okay, I'll see you in the afternoon. I love you. Bye." He hung up the phone as the taxi pulled up to the station. Ryan paid him before heading up to the homicide floor.
The elevator dinged and he walked off being greeted by uniforms and other detectives. "Hey, look who's showing his face around here!" The only person who could sound like that was Castle.
"Hey, Castle," Ryan said as Castle patted him on the back. 'If only he knew.' Ryan thought.
"So, what's the verdict?" the mystery novelist asked.
"I'm back to desk duty on Monday."
"Hey, that's great," Castle said.
"Where are Esposito and Beckett?" he asked.
"They're running around here somewhere. Paperwork from the last case."
"Did ya close it?" he asked.
"Case closed," Castle said.
"Great, so I'm going to see the Captain and I'll be back out," he said gesturing to Montgomery's office.
Castle nodded and Ryan turned away from him letting out a big sigh.
Beckett and Esposito returned with their filed paperwork to hand in as Castle came out from the break room. "Ryan's here," he announced.
"Yeah, where?" Esposito asked.
"He's with Montgomery," the writer said. "He can come back to desk duty on Monday," he added.
"Sweet," Javier said.
"It'll be good to have Ryan back," Beckett said. Just then the Irishman came out of the captain's office with a smile. "Hey, Ryan."
"Hey, Beckett," Ryan said.
"How's the shoulder?' she asked.
"Getting better with each passing day," he said. "I'm back on Monday, but field work's going to have to wait for another couple of weeks," he said as he and Esposito bumped fists.
"Hurts to draw your gun?" his partner asked.
"Like a bitch," Ryan said.
"So, what are you going this weekend?" Esposito asked.
"I'm going to go out of town," Ryan said. "I'm tired of being cooped up in my apartment."
"Even with Yukon there?" Esposito asked about Ryan's white German Shepard.
"Yeah. He and I need to spend some time outdoors," Ryan said. "So, I'll see you guys on Monday."
"Okay," Beckett said. "Have fun."
"Where you going?" Castle asked.
"None of your business," Ryan said before walking away.
"Hey, your plans wouldn't include a woman, would they?" Castle asked causing Ryan to freeze. "Ow!" Castle yelped when Beckett hit him in the arm.
"Woman?" Ryan asked turning to face his three friends. "Why would you say that?"
"Oh, come on," Beckett said. "You've been different in the last couple of years. We can tell you have a new girlfriend since Jenny left you."
"Really?" he asked folding his arms.
"Oh, folding of the arms is a classic defensive move," Castle said causing Esposito to chuckle.
"Come on, bro. What's her name?" he asked.
"I, uh, gotta go," Ryan said before quickly moving to the elevator. Castle and Esposito tried to run after him, but the elevator doors closed before they got there, Ryan waving bye to them.
Ryan packed a bag with some clothes and other things before packing another bag for Yukon. He won't have any dog food at the the beach house. In fact, there probably wasn't going to be a whole lot of food there anywhere. Last time he was at his beach house, it was before he was shot. After stuffing the bag with treats, food and toys for his dog, Ryan grabbed the leash and hooked it to the German Shepard. "Okay, you ready to see Mama?" he asked causing the one year old dog to yip. "Shh!" The man and dog headed out of the apartment and down to the basement where there was parking for tenants. He didn't really drive that much. He could walk to the precinct from his place and get a good work out. Hopping into his car, Yukon making himself comfortable in the back, Ryan pulled out of his spot and began to drive out of the city.
Hours later, Kevin pulled onto Whitney Ave in New Haven and pulled into a parking spot. He told Yukon to behave before heading up to the apartment building. He rang a button that buzzed and a female voice came over the speaker. "Yes?"
"You ready for the weekend, Sweetie?" he asked causing her to laugh out loud.
"Come on up," she said before buzzing him in. He opened the door and walked up to the third floor and knocked on the door that said 5C. He heard shuffling before the door opened to reveal his favorite red head, Alexis Castle. "Hey, Detective," she said.
"Hey, yourself," he said before she pulled him into a kiss. They moaned in delight before pulling away to gaze into each others eyes. "Missed you."
"Missed you more," she said causing him to chuckle and they kissed again.
End of Chapter One