A/N: So, I know two amazing authors are currently doing this story, probably way better than I could, but I figured I'd post to share my version. Sandiane Carter and ChezChuckles wrote stories that are both called Vice and I would highly recommend reading those- their versions are way better than this one. I wrote this months ago but held onto it because I thought it was incomplete. If I end it in a different place however, it's pretty much done.

Please forgive my uncleverness with the title; it was the only thing I could think of, until I saw those other stories, and I already feel like a copycat so I wasn't going to steal their story title too!

This is so demeaning, Kate Beckett griped silently for probably the millionth time since squeezing herself into this getup. She had to fight the urge to cross her arms and cover just a little more skin, but that was un-sexy and at the moment, she was supposed to be the embodiment of sex appeal. Besides, what did it say about her that she had had to look no further than her own closet for this dress? Could it actually be considered a dress? It more closely resembled a stretchy red Band-Aid and it covered about as much.

As she pondered these things, a beat up old blue pick-up truck pulled up to the curb she currently occupied and the driver leaned over to roll down the window.

With a sigh, she resigned herself to the act and leaned into the dark cab. Affecting a sexy, smoky look, she purred, "Hey, baby. What can I do you for?" Hiding a cringe, Beckett wondered, Did I really just say that?

The sallow man who was in dire need of a bath and a shave was eyeballing the cleavage that became more prominent when Kate leaned it against the arms she folded on the window sill. "How would you like to spend the night with a real man, Sexy?" Greasy asked and Kate wanted to puke.

A real man wouldn't have to pay for it, Kate retorted, but was smart enough to keep the observation to herself- something about honey and catching flies. Dirty, greasy, repulsive flies... Kate just barely managed a flirty smile, and said in her bedroom voice, "I don't think you could afford to keep me all night." She raised one hand to her face, and put her littlest finger to the corner of her bottom lip. Kate added, "But if you'd like to have a little taste, I'm sure we could work something out." Then she slipped the tip of her finger between her teeth and smiled around it.

Oh, the look he gave her made her skin crawl! And not in the good way. "Hop in, sweet cheeks, and I'll take you somewhere nice and quiet."

Kate smiled at if that idea actually appealed to her, but she looked away in regret. "Cops sometimes watch this corner," she explained and wanted to laugh at the irony of that observation. Did the idiot really not know that she was basically outing herself? Well, he really seemed to be buying it, so Kate suggested, "There's a secluded parking lot behind this building here. If you want to drive around, I'll meet you back there and then you can rock my world."

"Will do, Sexy," he said. They briefly discussed the price and specifics of what Greasy wanted to do to her, and then he was shifting his truck into drive. "See you soon."

Now that Greasy couldn't see her, Kate smiled in devious satisfaction as she stepped away from the car. But other than moving back from the curb, she had no intention of going anywhere else once the sleaze drove away. The boys from Vice would make sure Greasy found a warm bed in which to spend the night. He would probably even have some company if Kate could just lure a few more flies into her honey trap. She just had to wait again for the next john to come along.

With a sigh, Kate moved toward a low wall nearby and leaned against it. She was uncomfortable, bored, lonely and honestly, a little disgusted by humanity at the moment. At least there was one thing she could do about her situation; shifting carefully, Kate managed to relieve some of the pressure from her ridiculously high red stilettos. Bending only slightly- this dress was extremely short, you realize- Kate reached out to hike up her fishnets and was just a little more comfortable

Usually, Kate loved her job. Not only was it the vehicle through which she would find closure to her mother's murder- even if it did take many years- it gave her something to push her, to challenge her and give her a distraction from the constant grief. But today, she thought she just might hate her job.

Being female in a male driven profession was hard enough on its own, but then add in her looks and Kate often found herself in situations most other cops were lucky enough to avoid. Like being girl-bait for prospective johns. Or getting hit on by every frigging male cop (and some female ones too) at the precinct and then being assigned grunt work when advances were summarily turned down. Not that Kate was the only female cop- attractive or otherwise.

Of the women who might have done this job, two were too butch to attract a man, one was still in training and didn't yet have the necessary skills to go undercover and the last one- arguably as pretty as Kate- was pregnant and her baby bump was now too noticeable to put her in hooker clothes. Any other attractive female cops in the precinct were too high up the totem pole to be a legitimate consideration. Hopefully, once Kate did her time in the rank and file, she would be one of those lucky women, promoted above such humiliating assignations.

The loud clomping of some worn out wedge sandals was suddenly approaching Kate, pulling her out of her musings. They finally landed much too close to the cranky almost-detective and when Kate glanced up, she met the angry gaze of an intimidating brunette Amazon. Though not quite as tall as Kate, even in high heels, the woman was half again as wide with the crazy eyes of a person high on some illicit chemical.

"This is my corner, bitch. So get lost," the woman all but growled. Kate rolled her eyes in annoyance and boredom which just served to enrage the woman further. "I said, beat it!" she yelled and then reached up to shove Kate's shoulder.

Doesn't this woman know better than to shove a cop? Kate wondered, as her own hand flashed out, caught the other woman's wrist and wrenched it painfully behind her back. If she had not been so distracted by the bitchy Amazon, Kate might have been put off by how convincing her attire must have been in order for the woman to mistake her for an another prostitute, trying to take over her corner.

The woman screamed in rage and pain and when she struggled, Kate wrenched her wrist harder. Pressing close to the woman's back, Kate informed her in a dangerous voice, "I'm a cop. I don't want your corner. But if you don't get lost, I'll arrest you for assaulting an officer- oh, and prostitution, since I'm assuming that's why you're here, yes?"

Kate released the woman's arm with a little push, sending her stumbling forward.

"You're not a cop," the woman argued, turning to face Kate as she rubbed at her painful arm. She eyed the outfit that Kate wore so well and doubted any cop would be caught on the streets lookin' like that.

Slipping two fingers into the low neckline of her strapless dress, Kate fished her badge out of the cup of her bra, flashed only half of it and quickly put it away again before anyone else could see it. "You haven't done anything yet- that I've seen- so you've got twenty seconds to get your ass out of here before I change my mind about arresting you for assault," Kate hissed in a muted voice.

That little flash of badge was enough to convince the now-terrified woman and Kate rolled her eyes again as she hurried away at a noisy trot.

This is not what I wanted to be doing tonight, Kate griped silently for at least the thousandth time. She had planned to spend the night watching sappy romantic comedies- or maybe some horror, slasher, zombie movies with no trace of romance in sight- while eating ice cream and moping about Will, who had left just the day before for Boston. Had she made the right decision to let Will move on without her?

Well, it was too late for that regret to change her mind; Will was already gone and they had agreed that there was no use in prolonging the torment by trying and eventually, inevitably failing to have a long distance relationship. They had also agreed that it was probably best not to call each other again...

Suddenly Kate gasped, shivering with the first flash of excitement that she had felt in days. She had the new Richard Castle novel, just waiting for her beside her tub! Maybe tonight, once she finally got home, she would wash the street and the silk Band-Aid out of her skin in a hot, soapy bath and treat herself to some wine while she read the latest Derrick Storm.

With that happy thought, Kate pushed away from the wall and wandered back to the curb, hoping to appear attractive and ready to exchange sexual favors for cash. My job sucks! Kate groaned internally. But, in just a few more hours, she reminded herself, she would be free to lose herself in the world of Derrick Storm, a hot bubble bath and a good- for a cop's salary- bottle of wine. Plus, in the not so immediate future, she would be promoted to detective and finally be above such demeaning assignments.

The heavy steps of a big man in nice shoes slowly approached and Kate sighed, prepared to put on the act, before turning to face him. Her smile froze in place when she recognized the man wandering aimlessly in her direction.

Kate had never met him before... Well, there was that one book signing she had gone to, but she had been too flustered to say anything other than mumble her name when he asked. She recognized him mostly from the dust jackets of his many books, all of which she owned.

Richard Freaking Castle was headed right toward her!