A/N: This will be a series of one-shots inspired by missed conversations between Castle and Beckett that might have changed everything. Will be updated on Mondays. Any requests for missed conversations can be sent to me on twitter or tumblr. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Castle or the characters used in this story.

Happy Castle Monday! So excited for an all new episode tonight! This will also carry on the newest tradition of Castle Fanfic Monday.


It Might Have Been

"Of all sad words of tongue or pen,

The saddest are these, 'It might have been'."

-John Greenleaf Whittier


Midnight Call

A missed conversation for 1x09 "Lost Little Girl"


"What do you want me to do?"

"I need you to go home."

"Okay, but if you need me, call. Even if it's just to talk."

Kate slams her balled fist into the door she's just shut, one final blow of the anger she's feeling before she turns her back and slumps against it.

It's too much. It's all too much.

The case. A missing child that reminds her too much of another case that she worked. Will Sorenson. A man who chose to move across the country six months into their relationship. And Castle. The thorn in her side who has been a light in her darkness on more than one occasion.

She can't handle it all. She can't handle losing another kidnapped child to the hands of a heartless kidnapper.

A previous conversation plays through her mind, an offer that she had brushed off at the time, but now seems like the answer to her drowning thoughts.

He told her to call, even if it was just to talk.

She pushes herself away from the door, sheds her coat and shoes and leaves them lying where they fall even as she pads through her apartment and drops heavily onto the couch. Too drained to pick up her things, too distracted to care.


Her hands tremble when she dials his number, and she's not sure if it's because he asked her to call or because she's actually doing it.

She doesn't even realize what time it is until his groggy voice registers on the other end of the line.

"Beckett?" he questions, waiting for a reply that she's failed to give.

"Uh sorry—I'm sorry, Castle. I didn't realize how late it was. I'll just talk to you later."

She starts to pull the phone away, prepares to end the call when she hears his voice, his request for her to stay on the line. So she lifts the phone back to her ear, takes a deep breath even as she mentally berates herself for calling him.

"Is everything okay?" he asks, a tentative, cautious tone to his voice and she hates that he feels the need to be careful with her. She's only known him for a few months, but being careful with each other isn't something they do.

"You said I could call…even if it was just to talk. And this is completely selfish of me given the way that I talked to you earlier."

"Beckett, if I didn't mean it I wouldn't have said it. What's going on?"

She sighs, memories flashing painfully through her mind even as she tries to suppress them.

"I didn't tell you the entire truth earlier."

"What do you mean?" he asks and she can hear him shifting in his bed, imagines that he's propping himself against the headboard in preparation for her story.

She fights an eye roll even though he can't see her, because this isn't a story she wants to repeat. Living it once was quite enough, but it's all too much and she needs someone to hear her out, even if that someone isn't who she would have thought she'd be calling at midnight.

"When I told you that we got the guy from that case I worked with Will…"

"You didn't get him?"

"Um no, we got him. But I left out the part where it was already too late for the child."

"Oh, Kate," he whispers, and his use of her first name sends a shiver that she's completely not expecting through her body.

"It hurt, you know? To put in all of that work and not be able to return a missing child. It did something to me that I wasn't expecting. And this case…" She trails off, unable to continue her thoughts, the idea of voicing them aloud completely overwhelming her.

"I can't imagine, but it wasn't your fault. I'm positive that you did everything you could just like you're doing for this case."

"But what if it's not enough? What if I'm missing something and because of that…"

An unwelcome sob rips its way up her throat, clogging and choking her, cutting off more words that she might have been willing to say.

"You're always enough, Kate. In everything you do, you're always enough." His voice is quiet, the honesty of is words barely audible as if he's afraid that setting them free will spook her.

Kate closes her eyes, forces the emotions to hold off so that she can take a deep breath and let his words soak through her.

"I'm sorry that I sent you away today. The truth is, Will makes me crazy. He swoops back in and acts like he didn't chose a job over our relationship."

"For the record, he's an idiot. Any man who would choose anything over having you is an idiot."

She sucks in a breath, replaying his words in her head as if repeating them will change the clarity of them.

"Castle…"

"I know, Kate. I'm just the annoying, plucky sidekick. It's okay. I just want you to know that I mean every word I've said tonight. You'll solve this case just like you always do and whether you want me there beside you or at home out of your hair, you'll still be extraordinary to me."

Her heart pounds violently against her chest, and the words she wants to say won't come. So she finds the ones she can give him, closes her eyes even as they fall from her mouth, because they aren't enough for everything he's given her tonight.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Castle. And thank you."

"Always."

She can't see it, but little as though her words may be, a hopeful smile stretches across Castle's face even as he bids her goodnight.


He's actually not surprised when he finds her lip locked with Will the next morning. They did date for six months after all, and it's clear that she has some unresolved feelings for the man.

But what he missed before his arrival was Kate's hesitation before the kiss, her hand on Will's chest to stop him from pressing his body against hers. And Castle's brief moment of disappointment even though he has no claim on her also causes him to miss Kate's relief when his interruption gives her the chance to slip away from Will's embrace.

She waits until things are rolling inside the house, Will's attention clearly focused on the case before she grabs Castle's arm, pulls him outside so that they can have some privacy.

"Castle, what you saw earlier…"

"It's okay, Beckett," he holds up his hand, cutting her off. "You don't have to explain anything to me."

"Actually I do," she clarifies, stepping closer to him even as his eyes widen in surprise.

"You're more than just a plucky sidekick. You're my partner. And having you by my side these last few months has done more for me then I've been willing to admit. Will isn't the man I want kissing me, Rick."

And before Castle can even register what she's saying, her lips are sliding over his, tongue parting and exploring so that she can pour a proper thank you and a promise into the hot cavern of his mouth.


Would love to hear your thoughts! xo