CHAPTER ONE: the waiting game

A/N: I am still yet to see the finale of season 2's Castle. By the time I post this, I would have seen it. I hope. Lol. But I couldn't wait to write this… and I think you FF readers will appreciate it to, since I can imagine something EXACTLY LIKE THIS happening when the series returns for a mind-blowing no. 3. The writers will mess with our heads and tease us and make us angry and curse and swear promising we won't watch another episode EVER, but of course we always do, in some lame attempt to console ourselves and hope the writer's give us that lil ray of hope we were looking for.

So… here is my NEW summer series. Have fun with it… :)

Kate Beckett had been counting down the days until summer ended, and her all-too immature, side-kick and mystery writer, Rick Castle, was home again. Not that she would have dared to vocalize her thoughts, but she'd even missed his immaturity over the summer. Yes, she thought with a laugh, she was losing it.

Four days remained, as she looked across at the calendar on her desk, for the umpteenth time that day. The hours were dragging on, and she felt like the waiting game would never end.

Over the summer, Kate had wrestled with her feelings. Anger, betrayal, frustration, bitterness and depression had seen her through her darkest hours. All of them had visited her at some point in July and August, sharing their emotions with her, making her feel things she never had before. But she had also had time to think… a lot of time to think.

She had concluded, with the help of her best friend, Lanie Parish, that it was a simple misunderstanding. Once Castle knew what he had missed out on, he would be dropping to his knees and begging for mercy and forgiveness, for his insane choices, and Kate could hardly wait.

She smiled at the thought. It would be fun watching him plead in some desperate attempt to get back into her good books, and she certainly wasn't going to let him off the hook easily. No, she thought with that signature smile, she was going to have some fun with this. He'd have to buy her more than a Pony to make up for this mistake.

"Beckett?" a voice called shattering her daydream.

She looked up.

"What's up, Ryan?"

"I finished those case files you wanted me to look at… I could take one or two off your hands if you want?" he offered.

Kate eyed him skeptically. "What's the price?"

"No price," he shrugged. "I just know how hard you've been working here this summer, and since you've hardly spent a night at home the last three months, I figure it was time Esposito and I pulled our weight, that's all…"

"I don't believe you," she stated matter-of-factly.

Ryan shuffled his feet. "Yeah, okay, listen… I know it's been tough for you around here and all, but-"

"Spit out Ryan, I don't have all day, as you can see I have paperwork and- what?"

"Esposito and I have tickets to the Ranger game…"

Kate laughed shaking her head with amusement. "Go…" she ordered.

"Really?" his face filled with excitement.

"Yes," she rolled her eyes.

Despite her smile, and short laugh, it was still missing something… her eyes didn't sparkle the same, and hadn't since summer began. Castle had certainly brought out the best in her, and it had not gone unnoticed since his summer departure. No, ma'am.

"We owe you one, Beckett," he nodded looking pleased. He took a few case files from her desk and wondered back to his own quarter in the precinct, leaving the rest of the files for Beckett to sort through.

At least she hadn't been without distraction. Not that it had helped much.

Richard Castle's mind was unfocussed as he stared out to the sea, his laptop on his knees and the page of his new novel, blank.

He hadn't been able to put anything down on paper in weeks. It was frustrating. This was worse than writer's block, this was something entirely foreign. No woman had ever made him feel this creatively limp.

"Rick…" Gina's voice said from behind.

He looked up from the blank screen just in time to feel Gina's lips brush his cheek. He forced a smile.

"What was that for?" he asked.

"Just because," she shrugged.

"Because?"

"Do I need a reason," she settled herself on the beach chair beside him, and made herself comfortable. He glanced at her to appreciate the bikini she had spent hundreds of dollars on… or maybe it was just the body that was attached to it. Yes, that sounded more like it.

Castle's mind fleeted back to the woman in his memory. It had been almost three months since he'd seen her. A lot can happen in three months, he had concluded. For all he knew, she'd already married Demming and was planning the date to pop out the kiddies. He groaned bitterly, at the thought, he could just imagine how perfect her children would be, if they inherited her smile… her eyes… that cute that expression she did when he was teasing her.

"You okay?" Gina asked watching the sour expression cloud his face.

"Yeah," he muttered. "Peachy freaking keen…"

"What?"

"I'm fine, Gina…" he turned to her and smiled. "You want to get take out tonight?"

"Sure," she nodded.

Castle looked back out at the water. Maybe that was why had made his own decision where Gina was concerned. Afraid of losing face or falling behind on the scale of Manhattan's finest. Whatever the reason, he hoped to God it was the right one, because going to the Hamptons certainly didn't feel like the wonderful vacation he was hoping for.

In his mind, he was going over the possibilities of sharing his decision with her… what was he going to say when he returned home? Would she even care?

Don't forget to press that lil review button and let me know what you think… :)