Disclaimer: I do not own Castle or the characters. I simply borrow them for my own enjoyment.

Notes: This came to me at work while I was listening to some intense soundtrack music. Anyway, I thought I should point out that I am trying to put my own spin on some things from previous and current seasons, but most importantly Caskett never took a break and Beckett did not get promoted to Captain. Also, the plan is to post one chapter every Monday- this will help me cope with our Castle-less Mondays. I hope you all enjoy it. Forgive my mistakes. I do own all of those.

Thanks, V, for the quick response!

No End in Sight

The tires came to a stop in a puddle of slush.

"I said no, Castle." Beckett rolled her eyes at her husband as they exited her car. The fog from their breaths mingled before them.

Castle pouted famously at her, hoping that this fifth time might work on changing her mind. "Please?"

Just as she formulated a stern response, their friend spoke. "What are you two arguing about?" Lanie questioned as she kept her eyes on their latest victim's body.

Castle was eager to start pleading his case to the group with the raise of a finger, but his wife beat him to it. "Please don't get him started. He's been talking the entire car ride." She squatted next to Lanie and Esposito as they shook their heads disapprovingly at Castle.

"Don't look at me like that." Castle scowled at the trio. "Where's Ryan? He usually takes my side." He joked as he too looked down at the victim. "What do we have?" He questioned nonchalantly.

"Our victim is a thirty-five year old male Hispanic." Lanie began. "I'm placing time of death at around two this morning." She scribbled into her notepad as Beckett and Castle both looked attentively at her.

"Eric Parrilla." Espo chimed in as he handed the victim's wallet over to Beckett. "New Jersey."

Beckett opened the wallet to rummage through its contents. Castle looked over her shoulder. "So what was he doing in this neighborhood so late at night?" She asked as she sifted through some twenty dollar bills, some receipts, and a baby photo.

"Family guy." Castle pointed sadly at the photo. "Bad way to go too. Are those bullet and knife wounds, Lanie?"

Lanie nodded. "These are definitely bullet wounds from a 9mm, but I don't want to assume the other entry wounds are from a knife. I'll run tests when I get back to the lab."

Castle nodded with understanding as he sighed. "This is pretty gruesome."

Beckett and Esposito agreed with their nods. "Yeah." Beckett began. "Definitely wasn't a mugging. He has at least two hundred in twenties in this wallet."

"Could be he fought the attacker. Our vic spooked them, and they finished him off before they could grab his stuff." Esposito shrugged.

"Attackers." Castle corrected his friend. "I doubt this guy could take on multiple attackers. He's only one forty-five. Against two assailants with a gun and a sharp weapon? I don't think so." Castle shook his head looking at the lifeless body once again.

"Well he didn't win the fight, Castle." Beckett handed the wallet over to Espo before she stood next to her partner.

"Neither did they." Castle pointed out. "Unless they weren't looking for a quick cash grab." He shrugged much like Espo had earlier. "Though this does look like something out of a mob movie." He snapped his fingers as an idea popped into his head.

"Nope." Beckett shook her head. "He's not a spy." She shot down his favorite theory before he could even begin.

"Spoil sport." He stated with a mock frown.

Beckett smiled before she turned her attention back to her team. "Alright Espo, canvas the area. Have someone search for the gun. Castle and I will run his personal information through the database to see if we can find anything on him. We'll see if we can connect him to this area. Lanie, call me when you get a conclusive answer on the second murder weapon." Her friends nodded up at her before they resumed their investigations.

"See you guys." Castle turned on his heel to catch up with his wife. "So can we resume our conversation?"

"Drop it, Castle." She smiled out of the corner of her mouth as she unlocked the vehicle to jump in.

Castle followed in quickly and sat with a thud into the passenger seat. "Kate, you can't let it slip that you already have my Christmas present and then not expect me to try and figure out what it is." He flashed her puppy eyes. "It's in my nature. It's what made you fall in love with me remember?" He grinned.

The engine roared to life as she turned the key. "It's also what made me want to toss you out of my squad car on plenty of occasions." She looked straight ahead as she drove out of the crime scene.

Clearing his throat, Castle looked out of his window. "Touché."

"Hey Beckett." Ryan entered the bullpen and fixed his hair in a rush. "I'm sorry I missed the crime scene this morning. I got held up at home." His face reddened a few shades as the duo opposite of him smiled knowingly.

"No worries, Ryan." Beckett shook her head to herself and faced the white board that her and Castle had been staring at.

"Latest vic?" Ryan looked at the photos that sat magnetized to the board.

"Eric Parrilla." Castle tried his best to annunciate it like Esposito had before, but shook his head in disappointment when he heard himself. "Thirty-five, from New Jersey." He continued.

Ryan stuffed his hands in his pant pockets. "Are we looking for two suspects?" He questioned as he noticed the wounds on the body.

"Seems that way." Beckett nodded. "Lanie is running some tests, but it looks like one had a 9mm and the other had a sharp object possibly a knife."

Ryan nodded. "So what do we know so far? Any possible suspects?"

"Nope." Castle responded with dissatisfaction. "But we know it was not a mob hit of a spy." He pointed playfully at Beckett and they did not fail to notice her eye roll.

Beckett sighed before she sat in her chair. "We've been running his name through the database. We've got nothing. He's clean. Address matches the I.D. he had on him. Phone number is to a prepaid phone that he seemed to pay monthly, but that's it. We found that photo of a baby in his wallet, but nothing is listed as to dependents or even a spouse." She looked back to her screen and shook her head. "Castle you and I should go check this address out. Maybe get with some neighbors."

"Sounds like a good idea." He stood and grabbed their coats from the chair he had claimed as his own several years ago.

Beckett stood to accept his assistance with the garment while she looked at Ryan. "Ryan can you get with Espo? He's at the crime scene. We need that gun if we want some suspects." Ryan nodded as he headed out in a rush.

"Let's go, Castle." They walked toward the elevator side by side.

...