When Kate Beckett woke up, it was to the sound of screaming.

It took her a second to realise it was her own screams she could hear.

She closed her mouth but she could still feel the fear coursing through her body and it seemed like it would never stop. She looked down to her hands, trembling and shaking on top of her sweat covered bed sheets and desperately tried to get them to stop. It was the only composure she could command over herself, to bring her mind back in to reality, where his face didn't haunt her vision.

So, like every other morning for the past four days, she got up and kept going. She had to.

The precinct smelt like usual, a musty but familiar scent. The people rushed by, no more than a blur to Beckett. She was only focused on getting to her desk and keeping her head high enough to pass as normal. She felt herself becoming distant and the walk to her desk seemed longer than usual.

From Esposito's view on top of his desk, he could sense something different. The way she sat down and walked in from the elevator into the precinct didn't settle right. Beckett was like his little sister and he wanted to know if there was anything wrong.

"Bro, you reckon something's up with Beckett?"

Ryan swiveled in his chair and glanced over at her, where she was setting up her computer. He frowned and looked back at Espo.

"She looks weird maybe it's because Castles not here yet?"

"No it's more than that… It's like something wrong."

"Well we'll figure it out sometime soon."

Esposito still wasn't convinced and looked back down at the pile of paper work on his desk. It had been a slow week, no cases to speak of. They had one earlier on but it was easy to solve for them. A sad kind of easy really, it was an all too reoccurring story that happened all the time. A simple husband got jealous of his ex-wife's new husband, and it didn't end well for the new guy.

Beckett hadn't gotten really wound up at all but it was the next day she came in that she looked a little hammered. She had put on a good show but there was something off. Something that didn't quite sit right and he hadn't noticed it until she snapped at Castle.

She had stormed off but she seemed to have sorted it with him after a dinner out. Esposito decided that he would save it for later and started on his work.

"Shut up." Beckett glared at Castle.

"My charm too much for you, Detective?" Castle grinned when a hint of smile showed on his partners face.

It had been a long day of absolutely nothing and when Castle showed up it seemed to make a day of paperwork flash by. Not that she would ever tell him that.

Beckett tucked a piece of her behind her ear and turned her face back towards her desk.

"Don't you have something you would rather be doing? Or feel free to help with the paperwork!"

Castle looked at Beckett, "But Detective, watching you is all part of my brilliant plan."

"I've yet to see that brilliance." Beckett muttered under her breath.

Castle was about to answer back when the familiar ring of Beckett's phone started. She fished around under piles of paper until she found it. It was flashing, the words 'Private' coming up on the screen.

"Tell me it's a murder please, Beckett!" Castle looked really desperate. As much as he enjoyed just watching his muse, she was starting to get a little snappy at him and he hoped this would change her attitude.

In fact, Castle was getting really concerned, He had picked up that something was not quite right a while ago, and Beckett's act wasn't fooling him. He wanted to know what was going on but he knew that if he tried to push it wouldn't end well. She would just bring up the walls he was trying to bring down.

Beckett went to answer it, rolling her eyes at Castle. "Really Castle, now you're hoping fo-"

"Miss me baby? You didn't answer my last call. I was beginning to wonder if you did that on purpose. I almost got mad. You know what happens when I get mad, don't you Katie?"

Beckett turned grey and pale. Her eyes got bigger and her hands shook the tiniest bit. She seemed dazed and scared.

"Yes." She whispered.

Hi guys, this is my first story so if you could comment what you think? I would love to hear your opinion :)

-Liv