This little AU takes place during Season Two, specifically "When the Bough Breaks." What would've happened to Castle and Beckett's relationship if he walked away to write the spy series?


She watches him go. She's immobile, standing in the hotel lobby as he strolls out, phone attached to his ear as he listens to Paula's blather. She should leave, too, has no real reason to stay other than to avoid another half-awkward goodbye on the sidewalk. She doesn't trust herself today, not her body or her voice. She wants him to stay, but more than that-

She wants him to want to stay.

And she's terrified that she might actually say something to that effect when confronted with those piercing blue eyes-

She's not thinking clearly today, all heart and no brain.

The twinge of emptiness that he's left with her is almost startling. She half-stumbles back into the precinct, so much air around her without him there, pushing her buttons, making her laugh, pouring her coffee.

She lasts ten minutes before she drags his chair away, all too much a reminder of the choice he made-to put Nikki Heat to rest and start anew with a shiny British spy. She maneuvers it into a dusty corner of the break room, but that's not good enough either.

Ryan and Esposito catch her with it on her way to the supply closet.

"Going somewhere with Castle's chair, Beckett?" Ryan asks, blue eyes all too knowing for her level of comfort.

"It's in the way," she huffs, blowing her bangs out of her face.

Ryan crosses his arms. "Of what, exactly?"

"It-just-I don't have to explain myself to you two." She rolls her eyes and pushes past them, knocking into Esposito's shoulder. Hmph. Serves 'em right.

It looks out of place in the tiny, dimly-lit room, but what does she expect, really?

Three days later, she's certain her mind is playing tricks on her as his voice filters in from the elevator, enthusiastically greeting Ryan and Esposito on their way out to question a witness.

But seconds later, there he is-

Castle.

"Hey." She suppresses a shiver at the sound of his voice, the way it travels down her spine to her toes. She lifts her eyes from her desk, finds his bright, smiling gaze.

"Hey." But it's breathy and girly and-so wrong. She shakes her head, composing herself. "What are you doing here?"

"Free espresso," he says with a grin. She can't tell if he's joking or not.

"Well, help yourself," she says lamely.

His smile falters and goddamit, this is what she'd been hoping to avoid all along.

"So how's the writing coming?" she blurts out.

"Great. Excellent. Couldn't be better," he boasts.

"Good."

"Good." He stalks away towards the break room then and she can't help but admire the way he looks in jeans today, the perfect curve of his-

Ah, shit.

She's way too exhausted for this mental back and forth. She reaches for her coffee mug and lifts it to her lips before she realizes that it's empty.

"Here." He thrusts a fresh, steaming mug in front of her face and she nearly sighs with relief at the sight of it.

"Thanks," she says gratefully, indulging in a long sip.

He's fumbling at the edge of her desk, looking for-

"You got rid of my chair already?" he asks and she can tell he's going for joking, mustering up a weak laugh, but it falls flat.

She's hurt him.

"It-I-kept tripping over it," she lies. It's lame, so very lame, but what else is she supposed to say? It reminded me too much of you, Castle.

"Oh."

"Did you really come all this way for coffee?" Her mind is dizzy, a little all over the place, but she doesn't know what to do with this now. This whateverbetween them.

Yeah, she really needs to go to bed early tonight.

He shrugs. "Thought I'd drop by and say hello to the guys."

"Oh. Right." The dejection in her tone is loud and clear in her ears and she wonders if she's ever been good at hiding how she's feeling.

He sighs and she wonders if he's as exasperated as she is by everything. "I missed you," he admits softly.

….what?

"Okay."

"Okay? That's all you have to say?"

She groans. "What do you want me to say, Castle? It hasn't been the same without you here, okay?" It's nowhere near the same thing as what he's said, but she can't-

She doesn't know how to do that. Put her ego aside and tell him that she doesn't remember how she worked without him. Doesn't know how she can ever go back to the way it was before he came along.

She can't.

She knows him well enough to know that he won't push, won't call her out on her bullshit even if he sees right through her.

And she's not sure that he does.

"Kate." Her first name on his lips is enough to startle her back into attention. "Do you wanna get dinner with me sometime?" His tone is soft, gentle even, any trace of annoyance gone.

Huh.

"Dinner?" She swallows. "You mean like a-"

"Just dinner, Kate. A meal between friends."

Friends.

"Okay, Castle."


I've had this in my head for a while now. Right now, I'm not really sure how long it'll be or how far I'll take it. Just something I wanted to play around with for a bit. I'm not certain how this'll be received either because of how far we've progressed in the show.

So I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Liv