Initial Steps.

Hi all. My first fan fic. Please read and review. Thanks!

2 a.m. Argyle Lane – Thursday

Bright lights illuminated a dark alley off a busy street. A team of dark clothed men and women stood hunched over a dismembered body. Flash lights beamed from left to right as chatter slowly build to construct a story.

"Ok boys and girls, can we just all take a step back so that I can breathe?" Lanie said as she felt her way through a hardly recognisable body. "I know this must be a field day for all of you, but it is 2 a.m., and I need my sleep."

Detective Beckett, Castle, Esposito and Ryan all took a giant leap backwards and resumed writing in their notebooks. Beckett noted. Victim extremely unrecognisable. Face and limbs have been badly beaten, upper torso ripped open and heart removed. Beckett furrowed her brow and slowly seeped into a trance of deep thought. Castle slowly crept up behind Beckett and startled her.

Wow… we live among some sick people in this world, wouldn't you say Detective?

"Castle, you scared me. How many times do I have to tell you not to interrupt me?"

"But you're not speaking…"

"My train of thought." She tapped his head with the case file and headed over to Lanie.

"Gun shot to the head, two stabs to the back, no doubt damaging the kidneys. Who ever did this, wanted to make sure the guy's dead," Lanie stared intently at Beckett, "Girl, are you wearing eyeliner? Who puts eye..." Lanie paused, beaming at Beckett. "I told you I see it, I see what's goin' for you girl, congrats."

"Absolutely no idea on what you're talking about, can we focus on the case please?"

"Alright but when I see you in the light of day, there better be an explanation."

Beckett pursed her lips into a slight smile.

"I'll have to examine this further back at the labs, there's too much to go through, but if you can get me the other limb?" Lanie points at the victim, "that'll be nice."

"Ok, listen up! I want all teams covering one mile of this site in search of the right leg of this victim. Let's do a once over and then bring in the dogs early tomorrow morning, as soon as light hits. Now let's pack it up". All members of the team began to seal and pack up the crime scene. Castle spotted a bothered Beckett and walked over.

"Want to grab some dinner before we head our separate ways?"

"Dinner, at 2 a.m.? I'm not your late night entertainment Castle, go home and get some sleep. I have to work tomorrow and so do you, go home." She patted him on the shoulder and began to walk away. Disappointment loomed on Castle's face as he dragged himself to his car and headed for home.

8 a.m. 12th Precinct – Thursday

Castle arrived at the precinct extra early. He brought with him the ritual morning pastries for Beckett and placed the morning coffee that he made on her desk. Just as he began to go through the files on her desk, Beckett entered.

"Castle! You have ten seconds to get your nose out of my files before I pull out my gun."

Castle glanced at her with a slight smile and continued to read whilst sipping coffee, "I love it when you talk dirty to me."

Beckett quickly broke her glance and walked towards Capt Montgomery's office. These childish banters between her and Castle have been going on from the first day they met and since had become routine to her, but something has always annoyed her at the back of her mind. She couldn't decide where to fit Castle in her life. Their cat and mouse games are fun but how long could this continue? She disliked the grey area that they've somehow subconsciously stepped into, but found herself unwilling to move in either direction. She didn't want to be a 'couple'. They couldn't be. She was his muse and he will always feel that way, until she succumbs to his games, then she'd be tossed aside when he felt bored. She was merely a conquest. Beckett bit her bottom lip thinking about the alternative. Could they then be just friends? Like her relationship with Ryan and Esposito? Could she live with that? The ringing of a phone disrupted her thought; she shook her head and picked up the phone. Lanie asked her to visit the labs for some important information.

3 p.m. Lanie's laboratory – Thursday

Outside the lab, Beckett remembered the conversation she had with Lanie early in the morning. She moved her face inches from Castles.

"Castle, I need you to stay in the car, can you please do that for me?"

"But it's not even a crime scene and I want to see the gruesome stuff… please…" he said with a childish grin and his best puppy face.

"… no, I really need you to stay here, you can play with my police radio, here, and… look through the files. Promise me you'll stay here and I'll have lunch with you tomorrow."

"Deal!" Castle said curling his lips. Beckett entered the lab where Lanie stood by the body examining an x-ray.

"Hey girl, check this out. Vic not only has all those horrendous wounds, but also had his hip replacement joint removed, you can see the flesh torn from here, and here."

"My guys couldn't find his right leg. We've moved to another area of suspicion but it now seems that we can't rely solely on this to move the investigation forward."

"That's ok, I got the guy's dentures and what's left of his own teeth checked out. Our vic is Martin O'lyon. Yep, the oil tycoon. Sleeps with money and makes Hugh Hefner look like a Sunday school teacher." Beckett examines the evidence in deep thought.

"So… about last night? Explanation demanded, and no lies girl or I'll smack you so hard you'll forget who Castle is." Beckett let's out a sigh, she couldn't believe she was about to discuss this with Lanie. Lanie was her best friend, but she couldn't even put things clearly herself, how was she suppose to explain last night?

"I was wearing eyeliner" she confessed.

"Tell me something I don't know. Was it on you when you went to sleep? Or did you put it on for a certain charming writer before you left for the scene?" Beckett bit her upper lip, squinted her eyes and looked away.

"The latter… oh, what am I doing? It's been gnawing at me for ages. I mean the coffee, the calls now and then, and the looks he gives me. Why is he so sweet to me all the time? Why is he making so much effort for a few months of fun?" There was a sound near the door of metal utensils dropping to the ground.

"Who's so sweet and fun?"

"Castle! I told you to stay in the car!"

"I was never good at promises, sorry" he said smirking.

On the drive back, both were quiet, the only sound heard was the broken up transmission through the police radio.

"I said I was sorry. Something's bugging you, what is it?"

"Very good Sherlock, like I said before, I told you to stay in the car and you didn't." Castle knew that she was not telling the truth. He never stayed in the car when told but it has never got to Beckett this much. Something is amiss.