#unemployedBeckett

What will Kate do now that she's unemployed? Follow-up to "Need To Know". Based off of the hashtag and tweets on twitter.

A/N: I've got the story idea while reading some funny #unemployedBeckett tweets. So Kate might seem somewhat out of character in this story. I borrowed the tweets without asking the permission of the people who posted them. If anyone feels offended please let me know and I'll remove the tweet.

Special thanks go to the tweeters: aspen_musing, CMcCord25, Jessmuir0407, CastleFreak811, SpeciosaClade31, alanapaints, TinkonBrink, Experiment_627, bunysliper, VickyIsEnough, RoninBlackwing, Castle_Fanatic

Thanks to KrissaBelle7 for the fast beta!

"Kate, you're one of the best agents I've ever worked with. But I'm here to tell you, you're fired."

The words were still going round and round in her mind. She was clearly in shock. Castle had taken her by the arm and helped her sit on the couch. She didn't even know how or when Rachel had left.

She'd hoped that her ploy to inform the press would work – and it clearly had. There was even a chance that the DA's Office would find out. What she hadn't counted on was that they would react so harshly and quickly.

What should she do now? Suddenly being out of work with all her belongings still in DC - what should her next move be? Oh God, she was so screwed.

Finally, she was able to come back to the here and now. She found Castle sitting patiently next to her on the couch and holding on to her hand.

He watched her regaining her equilibrium and looking at him.

"Rick, what am I going to do?" she asked him with a broken voice, still feeling out of sorts.

He looked at her patiently and full of understanding. "Is that really something you want to decide right now? I think you should take your time and think about all your options. There's no hurry to rush anything."

There were a lot of things to think about. First, she had to return to DC. There had to be paperwork involved for ending the job. She also had to pack her things and cancel the lease for her house. But obviously she wasn't thinking straight and had her priorities jumbled. Kate was slightly thankful Rick decided to let her work through it in her own time."

Finally she blurted out, "But I – a few minutes ago I was an agent in DC and all of a sudden I'm unemployed and in New York! Oh my God, I'm like unemployedBeckett. What am I gonna do?"

She stood up and started to walk back and forth in his living room. She was clearly agitated and his heart was bleeding for her. He tried to take her mind off of all the problems that were waiting for her. 'Why not make a game out of it?' he thought.

"Say, if you had to take a look at all of your options, but could only tell me in a few sentences, like on twitter, what would your options be? Think about it and tell me."

She was surprised and somewhat shocked that he tried to make a game of her dire situation, but then she thought, 'Why not?'

"Hm," she said, "let me take some time to think."

And think about her options, she did. To stay in the game, she said "Okay, grab your phone. I mean, to make it more realistic. I'll make real tweets and send them to your account. I'll use the hashtag #unemployedBeckett."

She searched for her cell which she finally found in her hand bag. He could see the wheels turning in her brain. Then, she started to type.

In the coming hour they exchanged some hilarious tweets, laughing out loud sometimes. They tweeted back and forth, trying to outdo one another.

#unemployedBeckett will use her firearm & NYPD/Govt training to become a world class laser tag champion. It will be legen (wait for it) dary

#unemployedBeckett plots to murder PI if he doesn't get out of the loft.

#unemployedBeckett in a fit of insanity dyes her hair red and joins an acting troop. Castle gets committed for having a nervous breakdown

#unemployedBeckett writes letters to crime shows telling them they are doing it wrong

Castle comes home from Black Pawn and #unemployedBeckett has beaten his top video game score & is trash talking with Patel

#unemployedBeckett offers herself selflessly to help #Castle with his research to make steamy scenes for future Heat books even more steamy

#unemployedBeckett enrolls in Colombia and registers for the same classes as Alexis. Alexis transfers.

#unemployedBeckett and WriteRCastle break out the Laser Tag set. Hospitalization ensues.

#unemployedBeckett tries to write a novel. Castle begs Gates for her job back so he doesn't have to tell her it sucks

#unemployedBeckett figures out how to commit the perfect murder...Pi never does find his way home... ;D

#unemployedBeckett becomes Bridezilla and plans the wedding all by herself. She also decides that Pi should be #Castle's Best Man

#unemployedBeckett thinks back to her time at Vice and starts to work the corner

#unemployedBeckett volunteers to do the grocery shopping. She goes out for milk and comes home with a puppy.

#unemployedBeckett is watching crime shows all day, solving fictional murders in the 1st 5 mins, while complaining about procedural mistakes

#unemployedBeckett decides she missed her calling as a hipster and takes up competitive hoola hooping

#unemployedBeckett starts writing fanfic and then shows Castle reviews that say her stuff is better than the original

#unemployedBeckett will go stir-crazy...but shell also have time to be with Rick...;)

If nothing else, the tweets seemed to have helped her see the light at the end of the tunnel again.

Finally she looked up and said, "Thanks, Rick. I think that was exactly what I needed."

"You're welcome. Ready to set your mind at ease for now and go to bed?"

"I think so. Tomorrow we can think about my options – together." She looked at him with new hope in her eyes. Castle took her by the hand and together they walked to his bedroom.

Tomorrow would not only mean the start of a new day but also the start of a new life.

The End