A/N: Wrote this a few years ago when I was in school and procrastinating on my econ homework. 12 chapters incredibly loosely based on the 12 basic principles of economics (as outlined in my econ book). Not connected, spanning all seasons. Every episode aired is fair game, but I will note when each chapter takes place.

This one is sometime in mid-season 4

"Resources are scarce – there is not enough of the resources available to satisfy all the various ways a society wants to use them."

Kate Beckett wanted to scream. She wanted to kick at her chair, pull her hair, and let out a scream from the depths of her being. She couldn't specifically pinpoint the source of her frustration, but she knew it started at the papers in front of her, wound its way into the interrogation room housing a suspect, and currently ended at the chair next to her desk. Letting out a sigh, she snuck a glance at said chair, glaring at its oblivious occupant. Deciding that wasn't helping her at all, the frustrated detective got up from her desk and skulked to the break room, empty coffee mug in hand.

It was only halfway through her day and she felt like she was being pulled in every direction. Espo and Ryan were currently taking a stab at their suspect, and if they couldn't get anything from him then their case was stalled. There was pressure from the mayor's office to close this one quickly, as five people had already died and panic was starting to settle in the city. Lanie and Esposito were still giving each other the cold shoulder, in that weird stage where they didn't want to be with each other, but they were certainly jealous of anyone giving the other attention. What it all meant to Kate was that Lanie now had more time to harass the brunette cop about her man situation, which Kate was not ready to discuss with her best friend. Mixing in the cream and sugar to her lukewarm coffee, she looked out the break room window at her guy situation. All of Castle's focus was centered on the phone he gripped tightly with both hands, flinging birds at pigs or somesuch. She wasn't sure he even knew she had stepped away.

Kate had seen Dr. Burke earlier in the week, and he had asked the question Kate had grown to loathe over the months visiting the doctor: "Have you told him yet?" It was the same question Lanie asked her every night they got together for dinner, drinks, or just a movie and a couch. Both had different reasons for asking – Burke testing her improvement from the last session, and Lanie wanting them to "just fuck already". If she were honest with herself, she hated not being ready for him. At this moment in time, however, it was just another person pulling for her attention and frankly she was sick of it. In between sips of her crappy coffee, Kate came to the conclusion that she needed time away from it all. She didn't want to leave the relative safety of the break room to the open area where she was fair game for the vultures to attack. She was but one person and she was growing tired of everyone else.

Dumping out the last of what could barely be deemed as coffee, Kate steeled herself and exited the small room. She headed towards her desk with a single determination – gather her stuff and disappear from the precinct for an hour. Putting on her jacket, she nudged her partners leg. He shook his head as he looked up, confusion briefly crossing his face before he remembered where he was.

"Paperwork done already?" he questioned, beginning to stand and join her. She pushed her hand down on his shoulder, trying to seat him back down.

"No, but I need to leave for a bit, clear my head. Just me," she clarified, seeing the retort starting on Castle's lips. "Let Espo and Ryan know I'll be back in an hour. There's a lot going on in my head right now, and if we're ever going to close this case, I need a break." Grabbing her purse, she started to turn towards the exit, Castle's warm hand on hers stopping her.

"Are you sure?" he questioned, Kate seeing the underlying questions and emotions on his clean face – are you ok, do you need me, why are you still so closed off? Biting on her bottom lip, she nodded, slowly extracting her hand from his, hoping that he could see in her eyes that yes, I'll be ok, I just need me for a moment, so maybe I can be you later. He sighed, nodding his head in return and letting her go, and Kate turned from him, trying to hold herself tall but failing as everything around her just weighed her down. Stepping into the elevator, she leaned against the back wall, sighing as the doors closed in front of her, Castle slumping in his chair looking like a lost little boy. One hour, just one hour and I'll be fine again, and we can laugh and joke and capture a serial killer and be us again, but without all the perks of an us.

An hour later, Kate re-entered the precinct with two coffees in hand and a bounce in her step. Rick almost tipped his chair over in his rush to stand up and greet his partner, who just quirked an eyebrow at his actions.

"It's been a really slow hour. I almost started writing," he moaned, which turned into a gasp of surprise as Kate pushed a cup into his hand.

"You always buy for me, so I'm returning the favour. And…apologizing for how I left," mumbled Kate, fumbling over unfamiliar words that were hard but dear god I just need to open up, relax. "I'm just a little stressed out and I'm feeling a little stretched thin. But I'm good now," she amended, noting Castle's worry etching across his brow. Smiling, she hooked her arm through Castle's, leading them off towards interrogation. If Castle noted the small bounce in her step, he didn't mention it, just returned her smile with the one that made her knees go weak and tipped his cup towards hers in a silent toast.

"C'mon, Castle. Let's go catch bad guys."