A/N: Here is the start of the new story folks. There was a small time jump of 3 months in this story. So I hope you enjoy this story as much as you have enjoyed the other ones. So as Always, please read and enjoy and feel free to leave reviews. Thank you.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Castle series or the characters. This story is based solely on the entertainment of the readers.

Castle: To get ahead in life

Prologue

Jackson Preparatory Preschool

Manhattan, New York

The town car pulled up and the driver opened the door and a heavily pregnant women, and man got out and started towards the door of the school. A pregnant women got out of the car followed by her husband. She sighed as he told the driver they wouldn't be that long and to wait. "Why did you tell him that? You know that this meeting is important."

Her husband rolled his eyes as they approached the door. "It doesn't make sense to me why we are spending ten thousand dollars a year on a school that we are going to use only for a few years."

"Because our child will need every advantage to get ahead of everyone else's child." The wife answered as they stopped outside the door. "Especially that slut Janice Manson."

"Oh honey let it go." The husband pleaded as he pressed the button on the security door. "Just because she got on her child on the waiting list for the Briars school doesn't mean her and Harold's child will be better than our child."

The wife looked at her husband. "The only reason they got their child on the list is that she had Harold sleep with the head of the board of trustees."

"That is only a rumor. It was never proven." The husband stated. He peered into the door. "What is taking Clarissa so long?"

"Maybe she isn't here yet?" The wife asked.

"No her car is here." The husband said pointing to the parking lot. He grabbed the handle and to his surprised it open. "It's not supposed to do that right?"

The wife shook her head as the husband opened the door and walked in cautiously. "Clarissa?"

The husband walked down the hallway and turned towards the reception area when he gasped. "Oh my god."

The wife hearing her husband rushed in. "What is….."

The wife screamed at the sight.

Kate and Rick's Loft

SoHo, New York

Kate laid out her black dress and top on the bed and reached into the closet for her shoes before shutting the door. She looked at herself in the mirror. She wasn't subconscious about her body, and she was proud of the stretch marks from her pregnancy but working off the baby weight was still going on. She chuckled as she got dressed. "It doesn't help that Rick is a gourmet cook."

"Who's a good eater of their morning breakfast?" The voice of her husband carried into the bedroom. The sounds of her husband and sometimes as she referred to him as her nine year old kid on a sugar rush talking to their son filled her ears. She smiled at the thought as she put on her heels before walking out of the bedroom.

Castle was at the island feeding Rick Junior or RJ as Alexis and Sarah Grace had taken to call him. Kate smiled as she walked over. She and Castle had been right, this child would have a want for nothing. He has already been to more baseball games than any child his age. Their friends and family were trying to get dibs on babysitting whenever Kate and Castle would go out on date nights, plus he had a godmother who would make anybody disappear who would mess with her godchild. Kate bent over and kissed their son on the cheek. "How was he on the bottle?"

"Not too bad." Castle answered as he bounced around on his feet feeding baby Castle. He put the kid over his shoulder and began to pat him on the back to burp him. "You ready to go back?"

Kate nodded. She had taken 12 weeks of maternity leave and she was ready to go back but she was also sad about it. Since giving birth to their son, she has hardly spent more than a night away from him. She teared up a little bit. "Just not ready for it you know. I mean what if something goes wrong and he needs me?"

Castle chuckled as he handed Rick Jr. to her and picked up their cellphones. "Kate you are a captain, and a police officer. Trust me, I can get ahold of you six different ways, and you be back here faster than two perps fleeing a crime scene. So relax, everything will be fine. Look how well I did with Alexis by myself most of the time. She turned out okay."

Kate chuckled. "I think she raised you babe."

Castle smirked as Kate's cellphone went off. She handed baby castle back to Daddy and answered it. "Captain Beckett."

Castle walked to the playpen near the couch and set Rick Jr into it as Kate hung up the phone. "What's up?"

"Body at Jackson Preparatory Preschool." Kate answered as she walked to the table near the door and grabbed her purse, badge, and took the gun from the lockbox in the closet.

"That is the premier preschool for the city's powerful and wealthy." Castle answered as he came over towards the door. "Who is the victim?"

"The head of admissions." Kate answered as she opened the loft door. She saw the look on his face. "Come by the precinct and we'll fill you in."

Though why on maternity leave, they had taken baby RJ to the precinct for visits, Castle only rarely asked about some of the cases the team had been working on. He shook his head. "Naw fill me in when you get home. Probably some robber who she walked in on."

Kate looked at her husband and then placed her hand on his forehead. She then smirked at him. "Not running a fever. Sure you are feeling ok?"

"Ha ha. Have a good day dear." Rick answered. They kissed and he closed the door as Kate left as baby RJ stared at him through the play pen sides. "Well buddy what should we do today? Do you want to help daddy write?"

Baby RJ smiled as Castle came over. "Yeah, come on you can also help Daddy clean up the kitchen too."

Jackson Preparatory Preschool

Manhattan, New York

Kate pulled up to a stop outside the crime scene. A moment later she ducked under the crime scene tape and saw her team standing nearby. "Morning everyone what do we got?"

Lanie looked up and smiled. "Girl I heard you were back but I thought you head to the precinct?"

"Morning Captain." Russell, Esposito and Ryan all said in unison.

"Morning, and I have to head to 1PP after this for all morning briefing to get caught up on changes in the last three months." Kate answered Lanie's question. Though she got a briefing from her temporary replacement the Friday before, Kate still had to get the full run down from her superiors. "Plus Chief Miller asked me to come on down."

"Figures. This Preschool is the premier preschool for the city's wealthy and powerful." Esposito said as he looked at Kate. He saw the look. "What? Everyone knows that."

Kate shook her head and turned to Lanie. "So who is the victim?"

"Clarissa Donaldson head of admissions here for the school." Russell answered as Kate came over and looked at the body. "A couple coming by for a interview found the body."

"Witnesses? Kate asked as she knelt down.

"Surveillance cameras may have caught something, and uniforms are canvassing the area for any potential witnesses." Ryan replied as he looked at Kate going over the body. "So far no one has come forward.

Kate nodded. "Lanie what was the cause of death?"

"Our poor girl was stabbed multiple times in the chest and stomach area." Lanie answered as she knelt down by the body and pointed out the wounds. "Won't know what type of weapon yet until I get her on the table."

Kate nodded. "Time of death?"

"Between 9 and midnight last night based on liver temperature." Lanie answered. She then picked up the victims hand. "There are some defensive wounds on her, and maybe some foreign substance under her finger nails. Again I'll know more when I get her on my table."

"Alright Lanie thank you." Kate said getting up and turning to her team. "How many doors are there to this place?"

"Four, but the main door is the one where you need to be buzzed into." Russell answered. She took out her notebook. "Every other door needs a badge to get in and out of."

"Alright, let's get in touch with the head of the school and get a list of employees with badges." Kate stated as she took off her gloves. "Anything missing from here?"

"Not sure, employees are going to check but the victim's purse and cell phone are missing from her possession. Employees say she never leaves without them" Russell answered. She put her notebook away. "The head of the school is going to meet us at the precinct."

"Alright expand the canvass to include the purse and phone." Kate answered as she looked around as her team nodded. "What was she doing here so late to begin with?"

"Several of the employees that came in stated it wasn't uncommon for her to stay late." Ryan answered as he looked at Kate. He pulled out his notebook. "Apparently she had a late meeting and was going to leave shortly afterwards."

Kate nodded as she understood. "Contact the victim's family and have them meet you at the precinct."

The team nodded as Kate started towards the door. Russell turned to Ryan and Esposito. "Let's swing by the victim's apartment and see if anyone is there before we try calling."

Ryan and Esposito nodded as all three of them started towards the door.

2nd Avenue and East 71st Street

Manhattan, New York

As the team got of the elevator and started towards the victim's apartment as Ryan and Esposito were discussing sports. Esposito patted Ryan on the shoulder. "I'm telling you man, I think they can do it."

"No way Javi. The Jets don't have a chance when Brady comes back. The Giants have a better shot at making the playoffs." Ryan countered.

"Not with the Fitz has been playing the first couple games." Esposito countered back towards Ryan's point.

"Both of you are wrong. The Packers have way more of a shot than either team." Russell said with a smile on her face.

"Didn't know you are a NFL fan Russell?" Esposito asked in shock.

"Maria is, and it grew on me. She likes the Packers because her…" Russell started to say but saw the door to the victim's apartment opened. She pulled her gun and took up a position on one side as Esposito and Ryan covered her. She nodded and Ryan pushed the door opened and team went in. As they approached the living room a form came from the hallway to their left. "Stop right there NYPD."

The person started to run back up the hallway, but Russell quickly caught up and tackled the person to the ground. She found out it was a man. "Stop your breaking my arm."

"You're under arrest for breaking and entering, theft and murder." Russell said as she finished cuffing the man.

"Murder?" The man said in shock. He looked at the team. "I didn't kill Clarissa Donaldson. I was searching for evidence to sue her."

"Sue her for what?" Ryan asked.

"She said she get my son into the school if I slept with her and give her forty thousand dollars." The man replied. He looked at all three of them. "She is using her position to extort money and sex for favors."

The team looked at each other. Ryan had a smile form on his face. "Since Castle isn't here, I'll say it."

"Please don't bro." Esposito said as he helped Russell get the man to his feet.

Ryan patted Esposito on his shoulder. "This just became his favorite case."

Russell rolled her eyes as they escorted the man towards the front door of the victim's apartment.

Additional Note: So this completes the first part of this story. The next chapter will be light on Rick Castle, but he will make appearances. Then he will become more involved in the story after that. Hope you enjoyed the first installment. Thank you.