DING! Swish…..THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!

Kate slipped the photograph into the folder just before it slid off the couch. She reached out to catch it, but papers flew everywhere. Did we just have an earthquake or something?

THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!

Whatever it was, it was coming closer. Okay, this is weird….maybe we just arrested a drummer. Or an elephant. She bent over and collected the scattered papers in her arms, then placed them on the side table. Or, she imagined Castle piping up, maybe it's the tell-tale heart! A wry smile played on her lips. Writers.

THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!

She stuck her head out from the lounge to see if anyone else had heard it, too. Esposito was passing by and she caught his arm.

"Did you hear that or was it just me?" they both asked in unison, staring at each other quizzically. He continued on and she followed him into the common area.

THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!...Ryan was leaning against a wall, trying to keep coffee from sloshing out of his cup and onto the floor. She looked past him.

And couldn't believe what she was seeing.

Castle was jumping up and down on the floor, over and over again. "Kate"- THUMP! –"Kate!" -THUMP!-guess what I am! I finally figured out the perfect costume."- THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! Ryan drank his coffee down fast and tossed the empty cup in the garbage can. A cardboard box of donuts sat on the nearby desk.

Kate threw her hands up in the air. "What are you doing? Besides, Halloween's been over for two weeks."

"Just guess!" –THUMP! "It's for next year…."-THUMP!

"Tigger?" Ryan offered, one arm crossed and the other pointing ahead. They looked at him. "What? I have a kid."

"Nope." THUMP!

Esposito grinned. "I dunno, but whoever you are, you're on drugs…."

"C'mon! Let Beckett guess! I want her to guess." THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! "Give up?" THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!

Kate facepalmed. "Yes, good grief, yes. Just tell us. And stop. That would be nice."

"I'm a bouncy Castle, of course! –THUMP!- " He stopped jumping. "Isn't it great?...Donut?"

Kate sighed. "Castle, you can't use your name as a costume."

"And why not?" He held up 3 fingers. "One, it's unique. Two, it's easy. Three, it's cheap. All good reasons." He lowered his hand. "Though it's tiring, too. Whew."

"Not to mention headache-inducing." Kate rubbed her forehead, then walked over to the desk "Ugh. How many of those donuts did you eat before you got here?"

"Three. Why?" She noticed a smudge of chocolate frosting on the corner of his mouth.

"No reason." The elevator dinged again. They all looked up. A sopping wet Gates sloshed off the car and into the common area, leaving a trail of water in her wake. She looked fuming mad. You could cut the "teed off" with a knife, Kate thought. She shared a look with Ryan and Espo. Don't say a word, it said. Their eyes agreed silently.

Castle, however, was completely nonplussed. He paced right up to her as if she was walking on air. "Don't tell me….let me guess…..wet….dripping….ooh! Floodgates!" He turned around. "See, Kate? She's doing it….you are trying out your….costume….for…next year…um...right?"

Her lips twisted. She stabbed the air in front of his chest with her finger. "No, Mr. Castle, I am not trying out a costume. I am arriving three and a half hours late for work because my car stalled, in the pouring rain, and when I got out to look at the engine I locked my car keys and my phone in the car. I walked two miles to a gas station to use a pay phone, only to find out that it wasn't working. I walked another two miles back to the car to make sure it was still there, and that's when I realized that my keys were in my jacket pocket all the time. I spent an hour waiting for the tow truck to come and I haven't even eaten breakfast yet!" She was breathing heavily now. "Don't –say- one-word." She gave him a stare that could cut diamonds.

"I'm not- I mean, I won't- I promise!...What's a word?" Castle sputtered. But she was already stalking away, stopping to grab 2 donuts from the box before slamming the door behind her with a loud BANG!

Whew. I'm surprised she hasn't steamed dry yet! Kate saw Castle shrink before her eyes. His mouth hung open; he looked absolutely frozen. Ryan and Epso had already gone off to "hide" behind some paperwork or a computer screen or something.

Got to snap him out of it…. She walked over to Castle and put her hand on his shoulder. "Whoa, you okay?"

"Yeah…yeah, I…I'm good." Whatever sugar high he'd been on, the captain had cured him. "Great. Fine."

"You know," she grinned, wrapping her arms around his neck and whispering in his ear, "I would've guessed 'Watergate's." She lay her head on his shoulder.

And knew he was smiling, too.