Disclaimer: As much as I wish I owned Castle... I do not.

Days of Summer

PROLOGUE

"Javi, I had to invite her. She needs to get away from the city."

"She's gonna be a bummer on our vacation babe."

"She's my best friend. It will be fine. Plus, it's my family's cabin, my choice. Kate needs me right now."

Javier Esposito picked up his girlfriends best friend's bag and put it into the back of the car. "What the hell does she have in here? Rocks?"

"Books Espo!" Kate's head popped out of the back seat window. "And I can hear you. Trust me; I won't get in the way of your Hampton's summer love fest. I just need to get out of the city." She put her large sunglasses back over her eyes and slipped back into the back seat.

Lanie slapped her boyfriend on the shoulder. "Will you be nice? It's only been four months since her mother died." She whispered. "She's been a total train wreck since. She flunked out this last semester. She was supposed to start law school this fall. She needs this."

Javier leaned in and kissed his girlfriend. "I'm sorry. I'll behave. Let's hit the road."

When the two of them got into the front seat Kate pulled her glasses down to rest on her nose. "I heard that too Lanie." She said before putting in her ear buds and turning on her iPod.

"This is going to be one long ass summer." Javier mumbled, earning another smack from his girl friend.

CASTLECASTLECASTLE

"Richard Castle, you know that I need the first 150 pages of your next book no later than three weeks from now right?"

"Yes Gina, I know. And that is why I am packing up and heading to my place in the Hamptons for the summer. I need to get out of the city. Find some inspiration."

"Is that your way of telling me that you haven't even started? That you have no idea what you are going to write about?"

"Uhh..."

"Richard, if you do not finish these pages by the deadline you are going to have to return your one million dollar advance and I have seen all of the crap you have already bought yourself"

Richard Castle sighed. "Don't worry Gina, I will be done in time. I always am."

"I believe that when I have 150 pages in my hands." And with that his publisher hung up.

"Dad, I could hear Gina yelling." Castle looked across the room to find his seven-year-old daughter Alexis sitting on the couch. "She sounded mad."

"Yea I know. You're a very perceptive little girl. You all ready to go to the airport?"

"Yep." She got up from the couch and grabbed her pink carry-on bag.

"Alright. So, grandma is going to go with you to LA to meet your mom and then only god knows what she's going to do but she will be back to get you in a month ok?"

"I know dad."

"And you call if you need anything ok?"

"I know dad."

Castle smiled. "And I'm going to miss you like crazy ok?"

Alexis smiled back. "I know dad."

END PROLOGUE