With my first multi-chapter Castle Fic being well recieved, i decided to go back and look at some of my other plot ideas that had lain in my head unused for ages. This one has a basis in a real life incident here in the UK involving a famous footballer. It's set about two days after 'The Limey' so the first few chapters will have Angst as there are the obvious things to visit at the start of this. For the purposes of this story I have created a New York newspaper, as I have never been to New York (yet) I don't know if the name I created belongs to a real newspaper or not... I hope it's the latter.

I have a rough plan as to where this is going, but most of this isn't written yetsame update plan for this is the same as 'After the Hunt' with weekly updates. Hope you all enjoy the ride, it may be a bit bumpy.

Disclaimer - I have no connection to Castle, bar being a fan. The people who own Castle are not people I am with.


Today was a crap day, and it was still only nine in the morning.

That was the thought running through Detective Kate Beckett's mind as she stood silently in the elevator as it brought her up through the floors of the 12th precinct. Castle was pulling further and further away from here by the day, and she had no idea how to resolve whatever issue he suddenly had with her, or even what the issue was.

It didn't help that she was still not fully recovered after betraying her promises after her fathers issues by drinking herself stupid with Hunt before he flew back to England and she was being subjected to furtive glances wherever she went this morning, mixed in with various degrees of disgust and pity.

The lift arrived at the bullpen and Kate sighed as she stepped into the hustle and bustle...

Which ceased the moment she was spotted.

'DETECTIVE BECKETT!' Kate winced as her captain stalked across the room, a look of fury gracing her usually irritated face. Stopping before her, blocking Kate's further access into the room, Gates fumed and held out her hand, 'Gun and badge Beckett, you are suspended for a week.'

It took a moment for Kate's mind to fully register what she'd just been told, and a beat longer for her to react.

'What?' Kate glanced around the bullpen in shock,noticing everyone staring, 'what did I do?'

'Next time you decide to give an exclusive interview to one of New Yorks newspapers,' Gates spat, 'consult with the damned PR department first, it might stop you from disgracing not only yourself, but the entire precinct. now get out before I have you escorted out.'

With that, Gates spun on her heel and stalked back into her office, her door slammed with such force that Kate swore she felt the floor vibrate beneath her.

'What interview?' Kate stood rooted to the spot as her flabbergasted mind flailed about, trying to work out what in the hell she was supposed to have done.

'Becks,' Javier Esposito carefully approached, a folded newspaper in his hand, 'the New York weekly has run a full spread front page interview with you where you revealed some rather personal things about yourself and Castle, about how he truly means to you. Then you told them you've lied to him for about ten months now.'

'WHAT?' Kate flinched as Esposito held out the paper. Her vision started to blur as she read the full page headline, 'Nikki Heat, the true story behind the story,' her mind registering Javier's voice as he called out her name before shouting for help.

Then the lights went out.