This happened instead of the other fics I'm meant to be writing, sorry.

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle or the characters.

"Dad, you have to stop moping."

"I'm not moping." Okay, so maybe he was moping but he wasn't going to admit that to his daughter. He'd thought he'd had a chance with Beckett, he really did, but then earlier today he'd heard her on the phone with someone, planning a date. That had been enough for him to make a quick excuse to leave and ever since then he's been at home moping. Of course his daughter noticed and but he refused to tell her what was wrong.

"Yes, you are."

"Am not."

"Really, you're going to argue with me on this one?"

"Yes." Alexis almost wanted to laugh at the childish look on her father's face but then she remembered that her father was upset so decided against it.

"Can you do me a favour then?"

He let out a deep breath, he'd do anything for his daughter, "Of course sweetie, what is it?"

"Go out tonight." Anything except that.

"What? Alexis, I really don't feel like being around anyone, I just want to be alone."

"You need cheering up, and I know the best way to do that." She was planning something, she just wasn't going to tell him that. Well it wasn't even her plan anyway so she certainly wasn't going to tell him.

"Movies and ice cream with my favourite daughter?" he asked, knowing that that wasn't what she seemed to have in mind but hoping anyway.

"No. Ryan and Esposito. They'll be here soon so go put on something nice."

"What did you do?" He really didn't feel like going out tonight even if it was with the boys.

"Nothing," which was technically true because this wasn't her plan. She just hoped this plan was going to work, it already hasn't started out as planned but with some minor adjustments (and persuasion from Alexis), hopefully everything would work out fine.

"I really don't-" Alexis interrupted him before he could finish.

"Dad, now," and she was using her no-nonsense voice so Castle knew not to argue. He reluctantly went to his room to do as she'd requested, knowing he'd only find out what was going on if he followed along with whatever she seemed to be planning.

XXX

"You guys aren't going to tell me what's going on, are you?"

"No," replied both Ryan and Esposito at the same time. Something was going on, and Castle still couldn't figure out what it was. They were being too secretive. They'd come by the loft about half an hour after his conversation with Alexis. When he'd asked them then, they'd said it was to cheer him up after Alexis called and while that made sense, now they weren't telling him where they were going.

"Come on guys, you've got to give me something," replied Castle, his writer's mind coming up with all different places they could be going.

When they just shook their heads, he knew he was going to get nothing out of them.

"Fine," he pouted, he'd find out soon enough anyway.

He was slightly disappointed when not long later, they pulled up in front of The Old Haunt.

"Really? You were keeping this a secret from me? Taking me to my own bar?" He was sort of enjoying trying to come up with ideas for what was going on. Now that it seemed they really were just taking him out for a drink to cheer him up, he felt himself slipping back into the sadness and hurt that came with thoughts of Beckett and the date she was probably on right now.

A surge of jealously rushed through Castle. He always thought that he'd at least have a chance to fight for her, to tell her how he felt before she broke his heart, he didn't think he'd overhear her with another man and just give up. But if Beckett didn't want him, there was nothing he could do about it.

With that depressing thought, he followed the boys into his bar. He gave a half-hearted wave to the barman as they entered before they went and took a seat near the back in one of the more secluded booths.

As soon as they were seated however, the boys stood again which got them a confused look from Castle.

"I..uhhh..need the bathroom," said Ryan, looking over at Esposito to help him out, maybe they should've come up with a better excuse to leave than that.

"Me too." Esposito sent Ryan an apologetic look.

"We'll be right back," Ryan said and before Castle could reply, they turned and left.

"Ok, so much for cheering me up," Castle mumbled to their retreating figures. He pulled out his phone, not really knowing what he was going to do with it. He settled on playing a game while waiting for them to come back. He had the urge to call Beckett but he didn't think he could handle it if he called and she told him she was busy, knowing that busy meant with another man.

He'd been playing his game for a while when he realised the boys hadn't returned so he looked up and glanced around the bar. And it was at exactly the wrong moment. There she was, the woman of his dreams, here at his bar. She was talking to the barman, ordering drinks and he felt sick when he realised that she'd brought her date here, of all places, why did she have to bring him to his bar?

He was getting up, he was leaving, he wasn't going to sit around and watch her be happy with someone that wasn't him. But then she caught his eye, and she was smiling? That wasn't right, was it? Why would she be smiling? Shouldn't she look embarrassed, or at least shocked to see him here when she was on a date with someone else?

He stood anyway, headed for the door, he couldn't be here right now. He didn't even make it half way before Beckett intercepted him, two drinks in her hands.

"Castle," said Beckett, smiling and offering him one of the drinks.

"I'm sorry, I've got to go," answered Castle, pushing past Beckett, trying to ignore the hurt that flashed across her face.

"Castle, wait," called Beckett, thoroughly confused by his actions but he didn't listen, just left the bar as quickly as he could.

He couldn't be there, couldn't be with her knowing she was with someone. He'd done it before and he wouldn't, he couldn't, do it again. He knew now that he couldn't keep following her, not until he'd gotten over her. He wanted her to be happy, he really did, but if that meant she was happy with someone else, he couldn't watch.

He'd need some time, some time to get over her and move on. Maybe he'd take a break, go to The Hamptons for a few months. He knew he couldn't keep shadowing her, not when he felt like this. Not when every time he looked at her, he wanted to pull her close, run his hand over her cheek, tangle his hand in her hair and kiss her.

Beckett stood in shock as she watched him leave, this was certainly not how she expected this night to go. She looked down at the drinks in her hand, walking back over to the bar to put them down, no longer feeling like drinking them. Maybe she was wrong, maybe he didn't feel about her the way she thought, the way his smiles and looks told her he did.

She quickly left the bar, hoping he'd still be there but knowing he'd be gone. Maybe she was just too late, maybe he'd moved on. But why was he still following her? And why did he leave so quickly, he should've at least had the decency to tell her that he didn't feel the same.

Her heart broke a little at that thought and she quickly hailed a cab, wanting to get back to her apartment before the tears started. It was her fault anyway, she'd waited too long. At that thought her heart broke a little more, knowing that she could've had everything she'd ever wanted, be with the man she loved, if only she hadn't been too scared to take the leap earlier.

XXX

She cried herself to sleep that night, thinking about how differently she'd imagined tonight ending. She'd wished she was in his arms, surrounded by the warmth and comfort that was Richard Castle. But instead she's alone in her cold bed, arms wrapped tightly around herself and wishing the night had ended differently.

XXX

Castle lay in bed that night, not being able to sleep, thinking only of Beckett. His daughter was nowhere to be seen when he'd arrived home which he was thankful for, he didn't want her to see his tears.

Tomorrow he'd call Beckett and tell her he was going to be taking a break to write and he wouldn't be at the precinct any time soon. He'd leave out the part about not wanting to see her with another man. Maybe once his heart had healed a bit, he'd return, but he knew that that was unlikely, he'd never get over someone like Beckett and seeing her would only bring all his feeling for her rushing back. It was best to keep his distance and maybe one day, they could be friends again but he needed to heal first.

He fell asleep in the early hours of the morning with Beckett's smiling face in his mind but now, instead of smiling at him, she was smiling at someone else.

If only he'd known her date had been with him and not someone else, that she'd been planning this for a while and with the help of the boys and Alexis, she was going to tell him how she felt. Maybe if she'd known that he'd overhear her on the phone, maybe the entire evening would've turned out differently.

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