Kate Beckett entered the office, running a hand through her hair. Today was her birthday, not that anyone at the office was supposed to care. She just wished she had a man to share it with. Sighing, she lay back in her chair, proceeding to relax, but it was impossible once she heard the voice of Richard Castle.

"None of you should be having fun without me!" he called as he entered the office. Castle, one of the last people she wanted to see right now, came up to her. "How's Kate Beckett today?" he asked, cocking his head to one side.

Beckett just groaned and leaned her head back on her chair, closing her eyes. She sensed Castle was still there; feeling the oddly secure burn of his pupils on her. "Go away, Castle" He could see she just wanted to be left, so he walked away reluctantly.

"Everyone ready to solve some crime and kick some convict ass today?" Richard said to no one in particular, showing off some karate moves in the hall between the offices. Kate, finding him oddly amusing, watched him quietly, leaning her elbow on her desk and her chin in her hand.

"You do know that no one was listening to you, right?" she said after he was sitting down and rolling his chair up and down the aisle. He stopped abruptly at her office and sat next to her, a slight smirk to his flawless features.

"You must have been listening, if you're talking to me" he raised his eyebrows lightly, clearly a little bemused but all over cheerful.

"The whole neighbourhood can hear you, so they no one has a point but to hear you. They can choose to listen, though. I chose to, because there is nothing else to do. No crimes to solve, and nothing to do"

Castle smiled at her. "Its good that you chose to, because you are going to be bored for the next few hours until you can go. I guess you are stuck with a truly delectable guy you cant touch"

"You're so full of it, Castle" Kate pushed his chair away, and he went rolling up and down the aisle again until Beckett got annoyed. She stuck her foot out, and Richard went crashing off the chair and onto the ground. "Stop rolling around in this chair, or I will break it"

Castle looked up at her from the ground, and then jumped up. "Yes mam" he said smartly, and went to sit at his desk.

Kate closed her eyes and took a nap in her chair, and in a few hours, she woke up with a blanket over her. She tilted her head up from the soft headrest of her chair and noticed no one was there. Except for Castle, she noted when she saw his hair over the wall of his office.

"Castle, where did everyone go?" Kate asked, lying her head back down on her chair. Castles head popped up from where his hair was, and he had his usual smirk on his face. "Home. Its seven o'clock. I stayed here so you wouldn't get all freaked out when everyone was gone" he showed a hint of his teeth as he walked over to her and sat down on her desk.

"Uh….thanks. You actually do have a little bit of sweetness in you" Beckett said, smiling softly. He seemed to get lost in her eyes in a moment before he spoke. "Speaking of sweetness, we both better get home" he went to pack up his things, and Kate did the same. He came over to her and sat on her desk again as she was sitting in her chair, and handed her a little box wrapped in pink with a blue bow on top of it.

"Happy Birthday" Castle said, placing it in her hand. Beckett was surprised, and opened it almost too quickly. Inside was a pair of gold earrings she just adored.

"Castle, how did you-" When she looked up to talk to him, he was gone. Kate was definitely in a happier mood than this morning, and walked happily out of the office. Of all people, why did Richard Castle remember her birthday, let alone get her a present?