Muggy, hot, and constricting. Detective Beckett sat at her desk barely able to breathe in the middle of the bullpen filing and filling out paperwork from her just closed case. They caught the guy, Castle saw it coming a mile away – the butler did it. She hated when he was right. However, the most pressing problem was the fact that the air conditioning didn't seem to be working anymore. With Castle gone, there was nothing to distract her from the heat.

Castle had gone a couple blocks down the street to take Alexis to dinner. Beckett was just glad Alexis didn't hate her, she encouraged Castle to go when he asked if she was okay with him leaving.

"I'm a big girl, Castle. Go. Tell her I say 'hi.'" She had told him. The big smile he had had reassured her. He ran out of the precinct like a kid on summer vacation. She loved that he was so dedicated to his daughter. She had smiled then.

It was dark out now but it didn't help the fact that New York seemed to be having a hot streak, even if it was getting late in the season. It was October for crying out loud. The heat poured in nevertheless undaunted by weather expectations.

Sweat dripped between her breasts, she hated that too. It was the worst feeling. At least it was when she didn't want to be sweating. A flash of her last night with Castle a couple days ago came unbidden to her memory, she shivered, her smile returned. Consequently, her white button down was going to suffer because the precinct couldn't keep their air conditioning working. Great, thank you New York City.

She got up intending to look through the community fridge for a bottle of water and maybe a quick stand in front of the cool air but as she left her chair suddenly the power in the whole precinct shut off. She was throne into darkness.

Fantastic. It wasn't turning out to be a good night. The few other uniforms that were still there were scrabbling to find the circuit breaker. Of course, the circuit breaker was in the basement. They will be trying to fix the problem for a while if they can't figure that out. She went back to her desk. Clearly, the fridge won't be working.

"What's the status on the backup generator, Hughes?" She yelled from her seat.

"Not sure why it hasn't kicked on yet. We're calling maintenance now." The male voice seemed exasperated. He walked into an office on the other side of the precinct and slammed the door.

Beckett was not in the mood for conversation or for paperwork, but it had to be done. Half an hour passed before she heard familiar confident footsteps strolling around the corner. The elevator wasn't working but the stairs were. Castle found a way to get to her...as he always did. She cleared her throat trying to erase the clenching in her stomach.

"Why are you still here if you can barely see?" He returned to his seat next to her desk.

"Sun doesn't set on justice, Castle. The paperwork still needs to be done."

He gaped. "I should write that down," he looked around frantically for writing implements. "Cliché and yet poetic. I think you're on your way to being a writer, Detective."

"Fat chance. I think I'll stick to the quiet life."

"You call this the quiet life?" He smirked, gesturing to the now empty bullpen where all the murderers, muggers, and thieves passed through on an hourly basis.

She didn't answer. She didn't have to. They both knew getting justice for others was what drove her, made her strong, it gave her a purpose.

"You're the only one here." Castle remarked finishing up his note on a scrap of paper he had found under her mound of paper. He looked up at her from beneath his eyebrows. Teasing, always teasing.

She placed her pen on top of the stack of files resolutely and looked up at him. She leaned in seductively. "And what are you going to do about it, Rick?" Her voice dropped low to drip with implication. Only he could hear her.

He leaned forward. The chair creaked with the shift in his body weight. "I can always take you into the supply closet, Detective. But you should be focusing on your paperwork. You'd never leave your post for silly ol' me." His voice was husky. The heat in the room was overwhelming. Suddenly, Kate Becket no longer cared.

"Is that a challenge?"

"What do you think?"

She looked around for any coworkers and slowly closed the gap between them bringing her lips to his ear. The hair around her face brushed against his cheek. He didn't move.

"Don't sell yourself short, Castle. I can always cuff you and have my way with you on my desk." She whispered. He swallowed envisioning the beautiful woman in front of him straddling him…like she did a few nights ago.

She pushed away from her desk, accentuating every movement. When she stood, she unbuttoned the top of her shirt. It was hot after all. All Castle did was stare. His mouth was slightly agape, god she was craving to bite that bottom lip. She turned heading to the stairs. When the door clicked surrendering to her entry, Castle rose and followed her. He looked around casually; it was still an empty precinct.

The door closed behind him and she was no longer in front of him. He looked to his right as her movement caught his eye. She gripped the back of his neck possessively pulling his lips to hers. His hands were around her before he could think. He held her to him like it was the last thing he was going to do. Her fingers ran through his hair pulling him closer. Her hips drew towards his without a second thought. She had to have him then and there. With the lights off around the precinct, no one would be wandering the halls…or the evidence room. He was kissing her neck when she whispered to him.

"Follow me,"

She grabbed his hand, entwining her fingers in his. He didn't hesitate. As he always did, he turned following her lead as she began to descend the stairs to the basement. He would follow her anywhere.