AN: This is the first of a 13 chapter fic. It's AU, even though some scenes are the same. I don't any of these characters and I don't own the show. I just came up with the AU idea and typed it up. I am recovering from the stomach flu, so I hope my editing skills don't show that. Don't be alarmed by the character list, this is a Caskett fic. This story is rated M, but not all the chapters will have M related content. I hope you all enjoy!

He saw her punching the punching bag like no one he had ever seen before, especially a female. This might be harder than he thought. He walked over to the bag and offered to hold it for her. She accepted and he got to view her closer. She had great form, had a great body, and whoever trained her definitely did their job. He was knocked out of his thoughts when the sound of a cell phone rang.

"Beckett." She talked for a bit before she hung up the phone. She looked at him and gave him a soft smile. "Thanks."

He watches her walk away before he picks up the phone and dials a number.

"Did you find her?"

"I did. She's good."

"You have to make sure you're better than her. Do you job and make sure she doesn't do hers. Got it Demming?"

"Yes, sir." He hung up the phone and headed towards the locker room.

He wasn't expecting to meet her again so soon, but he had a feeling that this was part of his bosses doing...either that or it was some really good luck on his part. He was called to help with a homicide. She seemed happy to have him there, but her partner not so much. He was warned about the writer that shadowed her and he did not seem pleased that he was helping with the case. If only he knew what he was really doing there. He wasn't sure if they were dating, but he had a feeling that he would find out. If not, at least he knew that Castle was someone that he could use against her if he needed to.

Esposito though was welcoming, not forgetting about the times that they had worked together. That was before he had taken this offer to keep an eye on Kate Beckett and make sure she didn't look into her mother murder. It was going to be hard not to fall for her though. She was an attractive woman and if she kept looking at him that way, he wouldn't be able to help himself...even if it was just for a night.

He discussed the case with her and to his delight, she told Castle to sit at her desk while they went to interrogate a possible suspect. He watches her interrogate them and she's good, really good. He hopes that she can't see through him, hopes that that writer can't see through him. Even though he's just a writer, there's something more there. He had just met them today, but he could tell that Kate would have kicked him out the first day if he wasn't useful...either that or they were sleeping together. He didn't get that impression though. If they were sleeping together, it was a few one night stands and nothing serious. Her rule, not his. That was sexy to him.

Even though he knew he shouldn't, he was going to pursue something with her. He would be able to keep an eye on her when she wasn't at work, which would give him and Bracken an advantage. He wasn't sure though if the writer and her were together or not. He asked him if they were a couple and he told him no, which he smiled at. He then said he was going to ask her out and the writer seemed fine with it...well not really, but he told him that he was fine with it.

He didn't do anything that night, but he was planning on making his move soon. He got there early, made her some coffee (something that he had seen that she liked), and she gave him a smile when she saw him.

Besides an interrogation, he lays low for the day. He doesn't want to seem like he's clinging to her or watching her every move. He doesn't want her to catch on. He gets a call though from her and that makes him smile. He's not sure if it's because his plan is working or if it's because this a sign that she likes him. She wants to spare with him and the thought of that alone arouses him. He tames himself though and says that he'll meet her down at the gym.

He changes out of his work clothes and into a t-shirt and pants before waiting for her on the mat. As they spare, he notices something about her. Not that she's really good at this, but she's interrogating him . She's suspecting him of being involved in this robbery homicide...at least he's hoping that's the case and not that she's suspecting him of keeping her away from her mother's murder. So, he confronts her and gives her his alibi, which satisfies her. He's glad that this was all it was, but could imagine how it would be when she figures out he's hired to spy on her.

When they head upstairs, he notices the way the writer looks at him, like he wished he was the dirty cop. If only he knew what he was really up to. Even though he was pretty sure that he could take him, he was hoping that he wouldn't find out why he was getting close to Beckett.

They solve the case and the writer actually ends up being helpful. He can see why Beckett keeps him around...well sometimes he can see. Other times, he doesn't understand. When the case is over he meets her in the break room and asks her out to dinner. She accepts and he thinks he has this in the bag.

…...Until a few weeks later where she dumps him for what he can only assume is Castle. He thought things were going perfectly. He made sure that she was occupied so she wasn't looking into her mother's murder, made sure that they had fun, and hell he was even having a good time. But she dumped him and he was screwed.

He exited the precinct and called up Bracken. When he heard the voice on the other end, he spoke. "She dumped me for the writer."

There was a sigh from the other line. "Is she investigating?"

"It doesn't seem like it, but that can change. Do I try to win her back?"

"No, I'll send someone else in. Just keep an eye out in the meantime. Lay low, but see if she checks anything out of the archives. Do your job and report anything you see as a red flag to me."

"Yes sir." With that, he hung up and wanted to punch a wall. He didn't though. He passed a blonde woman walking into the precinct as he walked down the stairs. He normally would have taken a cab, but he was going to walk home to work off this anger.

When Demming got to his apartment, he saw that the senator was waiting outside his building. This worried him, since he knew what he was capable of. Demming walked over to him though and shook his hand.

"I found someone. He should be pulling up right about...now." With that a man on a motorcycle pulled up to the curb. He took off his helmet as he turned off his bike. "Tom this is Josh. Josh is going to be the one keeping his eye on Kate Beckett on the outside. Tom, tell Josh everything you know about Kate. I already filled him in that she rides a motorcycle and gave him this. I want to make sure that he sticks this time. Josh is going to be everything Kate Beckett wants in a man."

"What about the writer?"

"I got it covered. He's getting back together with his publisher. I set her up on a blind date that never showed...but the writer did. It looked like they were going to try and give things another shot from what I hear."

The plan was set, now all they had to do was put it into action.

She was at the bar, throwing back shots, when he walked over to her. "Rough day?"

She looked at him. He was kind of cute, but she wasn't sure if that was the liquor talking. "I guess you can say that. I broke up with my boyfriend."

"Ah, well that's definitely a reason to drink."

"Oh that's not the worst part. I broke up with my boyfriend in order to get together with this guy that I thought maybe we might be something more and just as I'm about to tell him how I feel, his ex-wife comes in and they're giving things another shot."

He waves the bartender over to two more shots. "This one is on me," Josh said before handing her one of the shots. They clinked their glasses together before they took their shots. "Wow, that's strong."

She laughed. "Did you expect it to be water?"

He laughed as well. "No, but I wasn't expecting that." She smiled. "I'm Josh."

"Kate."

"Nice to meet you, Kate. So when you're not here at the bar, what do you do?"

"I'm a homicide detective. How about you?"

"Heart surgeon." He could tell that she was impressed with that and that was good.

"Save any lives today?"

"A few, but I don't like to brag." She gave him a soft smile. "How would you like to get out of here?" She gave him a look that said she did not do random hookups. "Not like that. I mean go get something to eat that isn't peanuts and nachos."

"You have something against nachos?"

"No, but after a long day I was hoping for something more like a pizza or pasta and I would like some company."

She thought about it for a moment. "Ok." She got up from the bar stool and walked out of the bar with him.