Hi guys! So, we're back, and I know most of you are hoping for the sequel to A Winter Wonderland, but unfortunately this isn't it. It is the prequel though, so I hope you dont mind!

It's set maybe a year after S3 begins...

A big THANKS to my lovely beta, Tycho77, for her amazing help!

Disclaimer: does not own Castle.

"Well, it seems to me that the best relationships – the ones that last – are frequently the ones that are rooted in friendship. You know, one day you just look at the person and you see something more than you did the night before. Like a switch has been flicked somewhere. And the person who was just a friend…is suddenly the only person you can ever imagine yourself with."

- Dana Scully

Chapter 1

Detective Kate Beckett sat silently, green eyes glued to the three white boards standing in front of her. Each one held two pictures of two young girls, aged between 6 and 8, and lines of scrawled handwriting. You could always tell when Esposito wrote the board up, he had the worst penmanship, which never ceased to infuriate Castle.

Twisting her neck, and hearing a resounding pop, Beckett picked up her coffee cup, disappointed to find it empty. Castle had left hours ago and she had been too engrossed in the case to bother making herself another. The 12th precinct was dark; it was just past 2am, the only light emanating from a table lamp in the large room that had been set up especially for this case.

Standing and stretching, Beckett paced between the boards, chewing her thumbnail. She was so close to finding him….she could feel it in her gut. Their killer, Arnie Bidstrup, knew it as well, upping the game by kidnapping three more young girls over the past 24 hours. And that's all it was to him, some sick, twisted game.

Beckett had refused to let Castle view the crime scene that had been the beginning of the case, just over three days ago. Six little bodies, badly beaten and raped, found by an innocent jogger. Beckett had seen some pretty awful crime scenes during her time with the NYPD….but this….nothing would ever compare and not anything Castle could say would change her mind about letting him see. Even Lanie, the one with the strongest stomach, couldn't hold back her dry heaving. Since then, their killer had taunted Beckett and her team ruthlessly, running them into the ground with false leads, but he was becoming careless and Beckett knew it was only a matter of time before he slipped up. Only problem was, there were three missing girls and she was out of god damn time.

Jumping slightly as her cell vibrated loudly against the wooden desk, she reluctantly drew her attention away from the murder boards.

Go home.

Beckett rolled her eyes at Castle's text. Sometimes he knew her just a little too well for her liking.

I am home.

She lied, knowing he'd annoy her otherwise.

You're lying, Detective. Go. Home.

Damn him. She sighed, unable to suppress a tired yawn. She hadn't been home since they caught this case, instead changing into spare clothes kept in her locker and sleeping on the lumpy sofa in the break room. The Captain had threatened to take her off the case if she didn't sleep in her own bed tonight….and as much as she had planned to disobey him, she realized her not-so-young body wasn't running at full strength and wouldn't until she rested properly.

With one more glance at the boards, she pocketed her cell, switched off the lamp and left the room. Grabbing her purse from her desk, she made her way out of the precinct, so familiar with the floor plan she didn't need to turn on any lights, and out into the warm June night. She was tired, and her body had been running from coffee alone for days, so when she was hit across the back of the head, hard, she really didn't stand a chance.

XXXXXXX

Castle bolted upright when his cell chirped loudly, indicating a call. Fumbling, he managed to lean across the naked body in his bed and grab his phone, at the same time noticing the alarm clock flashing 6.24 a.m.

"Beckett?"

There was silence on the other end, and he pulled the phone away from his ear to check the caller ID. It was Esposito. Odd, since Beckett was the only person who ever called him between 10pm and 7am. Putting the phone back to his ear, he greeted the other Detective.

"Sorry. Esposito, what's up?"

Once again there was nothing but silence and Castle felt the beginnings of fear seep into his body. Keeping his voice calm, he spoke again, this time his tone demanding an answer.

"Javier."

"It's Beckett."

Nothing could have gotten him out of bed and down to the precinct faster.

XXXXXXX

Richard Castle dashed into the precinct, barely dressed properly, hair a mess, gasping for air.

"I want to know what the hell is going on, right this minute, damn you, move, all of you, MOVE!" He panted, fighting through the crowd of people standing in the room that had been allocated to the team for this case. Captain Montgomery was standing by the three boards, Ryan and Esposito flanking either side. There was a collective silence as Castle finally made his way to them, eyes pleading.

"Where's Kate?"

It was Captain Montgomery who spoke first, his voice frighteningly grave.

"She never made it home last night. Her purse, cell and a few other belongings were found just down the street. And a note."

Eyes moving to the pile sitting atop one of the tables, his body quickly followed. He recognized Beckett's purse, her cell, a button he knew was from her favourite black leather jacket, a broken necklace….oh.

He knew he shouldn't be touching any of this as it was evidence, but he couldn't have cared less. Gently, he pulled the thin chain into his palm, the sparkling antique ring plopping beside it. Her Mom's ring. Closing his fist tightly around the item, he turned back to the team.

"Show me the note."

Ryan looked to his Captain for permission, before handing the sheathed note to Castle. His eyes quickly scanned the messy, smudged writing, his stomach falling further with each word. God as his witness, he was going to kill this son of a bitch if there was even one mark on Beckett when they found her.

XXXXXXX

When Beckett's eyes slowly opened, she wished she'd stayed unconscious. She had no idea where she was, but thankfully the only light was dim, and not too painful on her throbbing head. Taking a few deep breaths, she tried hard to remember how she had come to be here….but her last memory was of leaving the precinct, and then nothing.

Gently swiveling her head, she tried to take in her surroundings. It was when her nose came in to contact with her arm that she was startled to realize her hands were tied roughly above her head, and she had no feeling whatsoever in her arms. Taking a deep breath, she tried to pull on the rope holding her, but with no sensation in her arms she had no idea if it had helped loosen the knots. When she glanced up and saw a trickle of blood running down her arm she realized she had better be still, the tugging was chaffing at her wrists, and it may not be painful now, but sure as hell it would be later.

Taking another look around the dank…..warehouse? Yes, she was definitely in a warehouse. And from the sounds, most likely near a wharf or pier or somewhere close to water. It still didn't narrow down her location, and the cop within scolded herself for being so pathetically useless and allowing herself to get caught in such a bad situation.

Her eyes caught a small table and chair standing close by, and she gulped audibly, noticing the assorted knives spread out across the top. And just beyond that, she could see something bright and gold. She squinted, her blurry eyes finally making out what it was. Her gut churned as bile raced it's way up her throat. The last thing she saw before she blacked out was the body of another little girl, curly golden hair fanned out around her unmoving, bloodied body.

TBC

So, it's not very long, I know, and I won't be posting chapters every day, but I hope you enjoyed and plan to stick with me for this new journey!