A/N. I had this idea of Castle looking after Kate in her father's cabin. Some how that morphed into this.

No Copyright Infringement Intended


"I'd like to request some time off sir," Kate announced to Captain Gates after closing up her latest case.

The Captain raised her eyebrows. This was the first time that the Detective had asked for any personal time and she'd been back for over ten months. Beckett hadn't asked for short days or time for doctor's appointments and in fact was quite the workaholic. She had been watching.

"How long do you need?" Gate's asks her sternly.

"Umm, I haven't really thought that far ahead Sir," Kate tells her embarrassingly.

Gates could tell that the Detective wasn't quite herself, and decided straight away that whatever issues were going on it was best that they be solved. "I'll give you the week, and then you can call in if you need more time Detective," Gates tells her off handedly.

"Thank you, Sir," Kate replies quietly.

"Detective?" Gates calls as Kate is reaching for the door handle. "I hope you work some things out," she tells her sincerely turning her head to look out the window of the office at Castle who is helping to pack up the murder board.

"Me too," Kate replies looking out the window at Castle too.


"Heading home?" Castle asks.

Kate, surprised by the comment looks up from her desk where she is collecting her bag and jacket, "Something like that," she forces a smile.

Castle can see from her posture that she's had enough of his attitude for one day and decides to lay off, "Ride carefully".

"Oh, I'm leaving the bike here for a bit," Kate tells him matter of fact.

"It's Thursday. You always ride the bike on Thursday," Castle replies, confused.

Feeling that she needs to explain Kate answers, "I'm taking a bit of time and Lanie offered to drive me, so I didn't need the bike".

"Time? Drive you?" Castle asks, feeling out of the loop.

"Yeah, things have been feeling off lately and I think I'm stressed and I just... I really need some quiet time, you know. My life really needs that right now, some time to think" she throws back at him.

"I guess I'm just a little surprised you'd make this decision so out of the blue," Castle tells her.

"Well I was encouraged by Lanie, but I knew she was right and I haven't been sure about anything else lately and it's starting to effect my work, the Captain agrees," she replies sadly.

Castle frowns, "You never said anything".

"I wasn't sure it mattered, I guess I'll see you," Kate looks over at him one last time and see's the concern but puts it down to his being unprepared for his not knowing anything.

Before she could get too far her phone rings, "Beckett," she answers half heartedly.

Castle, wanting to know exactly what was going on couldn't help but overhear the conversation.

"Oh, that's fine Lanie, don't worry about it, I kind of wouldn't mind the drive out there anyway, you know, get my mind off things," Kate talks into the phone.

Kate hangs up and turns around running straight into him, "ooufff".

"Sorry," he apologises whilst righting them. Her pulse quickens as she disentangles herself.

"That's fine Castle, guess I spoke to soon. I will be riding tonight after all," she tells him distractedly walking back to her desk and retrieving her helmet.

"So, where are you off to?" Castle asks her.

Kate turns to him looking him straight in the eye seeing a little of the old Castle for a moment. "Guess I'm off to find the same place you seem to have found the last couple of weeks," Kate tells him staring straight through him.

Taken aback by the betrayal in Kate's eyes Castle can only watch as she makes her way over to the elevators, may be he'd gone too far and may be he'd been wrong?