Castle is sitting in the seat at the end of Beckett's desk as she starts her day off in the break room with a cup of coffee. Ryan sits at his desk. He looks at his watch, as his partner is notably absent. He pulls the phone out of his pocket, and dials his partner's number. Castle, within earshot listens into the phone call.

"Hey, where are you at?"

"I am on my way, I just had an errand to run."

"At seven thirty in the morning?"

"Hold on a minute," Javier covers the phone with his hand. He says something to the party next to him. After a minute he returns to the line, "I'll be there in ten."

"Whoa! Don't hang up."

"Dude I'm driving."

"Did someone just call you..."

Javier hangs up the phone before Ryan can finish. Ryan looks at his phone in disbelief, and then looks to Castle.

"Unbelievable."

"Your partner hung up on you?" Castle arches his brow.

"That too."

Castle rises from his seat. He moves towards Ryan's desk. "Where is he?"

"He said that he was running an errand."

"At seven thirty in the morning?"

"That was exactly the same response that I had."

"Where do you think he is?"

"Dropping off his kid," Ryan responds, not missing a beat.

"His kid? Ryan what are you talking about? 'Sito doesn't have a kid," Castle tries to reason with him.

"You know, up until about two minutes ago I would have agreed with you."

"What did he say to you?"

Ryan shakes his head, "It isn't what he said to me, it is what I heard someone else say. After he told me to hold on it sounded like he covered up the phone with his hand, but I could still hear him. He told someone that he loved them, and to have a good day."

"So? It could have been Lanie."

"No, it couldn't have," Ryan argues.

"How do you know?"

"Because whoever it was called him dad."

"Maybe you heard wrong. Maybe it was Papi, and not dad. That could mean something very different."

"No, it was definitely a kid calling him dad."

"Ryan you can't really think that he has a kid that we don't know about, do you?"

"I do, now."

"How old?"

"Older. The voice didn't sound like a little kid. It wasn't a baby voice."

"Are you sure?"

"No, but I am going to find out," Ryan vows.

"Do you need help?"

"Only if we keep it on the down low. I don't want him to find out what we're doing."

"Absolutely," Castle nods in agreement.

"And you can't tell Beckett," he adds.

"Why not?"

"First of all, she won't believe it. Second of all, she'll tip him off."

"Okay."

"How do you feel about stake-out's, Castle?"

"I love stake-outs," he smiles.

Beckett returns to the squad room with a cup of coffee, "What do you look so excited about?" she throws her fiancé a questioning look.

"Ryan and I are going to go for cheeseburgers later," Rick lies.

"You do like cheeseburgers."

It's ten minutes before Esposito arrives. He exits the elevator, and heads towards the squad room. His teammates head away from their desks towards the elevator.

"Where is the fire?" he questions.

Ryan shakes his head in frustration, "Dude, if you weren't late you would know."

Ryan, and Beckett slip past Esposito into the elevator. Esposito spins around, and hops back onto the elevator, finding a spot next to Castle.

"Apparently my partner is giving me the cold shoulder," he says loud enough so everyone can hear him, "Castle, you want to fill me in?"

"Triple homicide," Castle answers, briefly.


By the time Javier gets home it is dark. He enters his apartment, and closes the door, bolting it behind him. He flips on the light, and illuminates the living room. He heads for the kitchen table, and sorts through the mail.

"Princesa estas aqui?"

A door off the living room opens, "I'm just working on my homework," a female voice answers him.

"I won't bother you then," he takes a seat on the couch.

A girl exits the bedroom. She stops behind the couch, and looks at him. She's waves of long dark hair that rest on her shoulders. She has bright eyes, and olive skin. She is wearing a pair of khaki pants, and a navy blue polo with an emblem on it. She is in her early teens, and wears a bracelet on her right wrist.

"It's okay, I needed a break."

He turns, and looks at her. He holds up the remote, and mutes the TV.

"Did you eat, mija? Are you hungry?"

"I didn't eat," she admits.

"Do you want me to make you something?"

"I ordered pizza," she admits.

"Sydney, what did I tell you about ordering food when I'm not home?"

"I waited until you called and said that you were on your way, before I ordered."

He furrows his brow, "Syd, what are you doing here? I thought that you were going to stay with your mom tonight."

"I was."

"What happened?"

"It just didn't work out," she admits.

"She forgot?"

Sydney nods, "Yeah. It's okay."

"No, it's not okay. Look, if you want to go stay with her, I can call and straighten all of this out."

"Dad, it's okay."

"Did you talk to her about your plans for this weekend?"

"She was busy," Sydney answers.

"Don't make excuses for her," he warns, "she is an adult."

"I'm not."

"Did you even talk to her, today?" He wonders.

"She sent me a text message earlier."

"So she didn't even call, and talk to you?"

"Dad, it's okay," she insists, moving towards the window. He watches his daughter as she looks out the window.

"You know, if you want we can play Madden, I know that makes you feel better. I might even let you win," he tries to lift her spirits.

"First of all, I am too old for Madden. Second of all, you haven't let me win in three years."

"Please," he begs her.