Author's Note: Here's the first chapter of The Lost Daughter let me know if you like it.

Disclaimer: I am sad to say I don't own Castle, just the plot line and the OC.

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"Nikki!" a deep male's voice called from a room in the huge apartment building in New York.

The dark brunette shoved the book she was reading under her pillow. It was a book her father did not want her reading. It was Heat Wave by Richard Castle and she had just gotten her hands on it the day before and was already half way done.

"NIKKI!" he called again.

"What father?" she replied.

"Come in here!"

"Alright I'm coming." She got up and went out to the living room. In which she saw her father with one of his many women hanging off his arm. She was totally wasted and he was getting there.

"Get out of the house now," he said.

She knew what they were going to do so she just nodded and headed to the door slipping out into the warm New York sun. She looked around deciding where to go when she saw a man running down the sidewalk with a gun. Nikki looked down the opposite way he was running and saw a crowd gathering. She made her way over there.

On the sidewalk was a man with a bullet in his chest and one in his head. He was an African-American about maybe thirty-five. He had on a pair of jeans and a dark red T-shirt. His hair was short.

"Everybody take five steps back," a voice said from behind the crowd. "It's the police."

They all did and Nikki looked behind her. There were a couple women; one had black shoulder length hair. The one behind her had red brown shoulder length hair. They moved forward to the victim and Nikki saw someone she never thought she would see; Richard Castle.

Nikki didn't know why he was here but she wasn't going to waste time she walked over to him. He was looking at the victim.

"Castle?" she asked a little hesitantly.

He looked at her then frowned, "What do you want kid?"

Nikki cringed by the tone of his voice, "Umm…I-I am a big fan a-and—"

"Castle come here for a second," one of the women called.

He looked over and nodded. "Another day kid."

Nikki was now downhearted, how could she be so naïve to think that Richard Castle, the Richard Castle, would pay her any attention. She walked away from the scene and went to the library.

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Kate Beckett looked at the file of Benny Fiddler. He was her new case. He was African-American at the age of thirty-five. It said all his family had died most of sickness or so it said. Kate decided to do some more research on it. Castle was at home for once and Kate was at the precinct alone.

She wanted coffee and she could go make a single cup with the new coffee maker Castle had bought but she was afraid Castle would come up behind her and say something smug like, 'I knew you couldn't turn away good coffee'. So she decided to go without.

"You know you can go home now Beckett," Captain Roy Montgomery said, leaning against the door to her office.

She smiled, "I know Captain but…"

"But nothing. Go home," He looked at her sternly. "That's an order."

"Alright," she subdued. She grabbed her coat and purse and walked out the doors. The night air was still warm from the nice day they had and she looked at her watch it was only nine.

Why did he kick me out so early? was her only thought. She was surprised to see a young girl with dark brown hair sitting on a condo's steps. She was reading a book and Kate knew even from this far away what book it was by the color of the cover. It was Castle's book and by the looks of it, it was Heat Wave.

Kate not having anything else to do walked over to the girl. "I hope you aren't gonna be reading here all night now," she said.

The girl looked up surprised and Kate saw a little fear spark in her eyes. "O-only if m-my dad continues what he's b-been d-doing."

"And may I inquire what that is?"

"He has a girl with him." Her voice was shaky.

"That's all I need to know," Kate said. "What's your na—"

"I HATE YOU!" a woman's voice said, from inside the condo.

"THEN GET OUT!" followed a man's voice.

A woman came running out and a man's figure in the shadow of the door. "Nikki get in here."

The girl stood up hiding the book behind her back. Beckett understood immediately that the book was off limits for the girl. She walked up behind her and grabbed the book.

She whispered quickly, "Here let me take the book and I will give it back next time I see you."

Nikki let go of the book and ran up the steps. Kate looked at the figure in the door.

"What do you want?" he asked.

"Nothing," she shook her head and made her way home.

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"I thought I told you not to talk to cops!" Nikki's father, Ian, roared, hitting her open palmed across the cheek.

"I didn't talk to her she talked to me," she defended and instantly wished she hadn't.

Ian advanced. "I guess you need to be taught a lesson," he growled. He grabbed the girls arm and began beating her.

He stopped finally an hour later and stumbled to bed. Nikki sat where she was for a few minutes before standing up slowly and making her way to the bathroom to look in the mirror. Her cheek was already bruising badly as was the rest of her body. She would have to figure out what to tell everyone at school tomorrow.

She slowly got her pajamas on and crawled into bed and fell asleep.

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Please let me know what you think.