Chapter 2

Days went by and castle never brought it up again but she knew he was thinking about it , every once in a while she would see him out of the corner of her eye, looking her over searching for something that might me amiss. It was different from the way he had looked at her so many other times.. A bit of worry etched into is handsome face , she had an idea that would make them both feel a little better .

"Hey Castle , I have to stop by the house and grab something do you want to ride with me and then get some lunch ?" she asked without looking up from her paperwork

" a chance to see where you live and lunch no way am I going to pass that up" he smiled .

Kate pulled the car in front of a house . And looked over at Rick

"stay in the car I will only be a second " "okay?"

"yeah but I really want to …""Rick" Kate said cutting him off .. " if you were to set foot inside his house and he found out , he would kill me ".. "stay here !"

All he could do was nod stunned bye the seriousness in her voice ..

And she got out of the car , then returned a few moments later ..

"you ready for lunch?"

Kate and Rick sat in their usual booth at their favorite restaurant next to the 12th. They had only spoken a few words since they arrived and ordered their food ..

Kate took a drink of her soda , toyed with her napkin , never meeting Rick's eyes ..

"what did you have to get back at your place, I didn't see you with anything when you came out ."

Kate took a deep breath and let it out slowly .. "Castle , what I am about to say never leaves this table , you got it ?, don't even mention it to me, unless I bring it up first . Okay?"

"Kate..? "

"promise me !"she barked between clinched teeth

""Yeah ,yeah , you.., I promise " he stuttered

She reached in her bag and pulled out a envelope … and handed it to him

"A greeting card?, Kate, what ?"

"Castle is a Key " she whispered its to my place , uh Josh's place , do not tell anyone you have it .. "she said the intense look in her eyes keeping all his joking at bay .

"I feel better knowing you have it" ..she smiled

Their were so many questions he wanted to ask so much he wanted to say but he knew this was not the time or place .

Weeks went by and everything seemed to be fine with her but he still watched and waited …

They had just closed a case and Castle wanted them to come to the Old Haunt to have a celebratory drink ..

"Are you coming too Beckett?" Castle asked with a hopeful look

"No sorry Castle , Josh leaves for Africa tomorrow , he is going to be gone for 3 months I promised him I would be home early"

"Well , promise you will let me buy you a drink after work tomorrow."

"Okay Castle drinks at the Old Haunt tomorrow night " she smiled

" Well I will see you tomorrow then " he said putting on his best smile

"Good night Castle ,, good night guys" she called to her other partners as she turned and walked to the elevator ..

"Come on guys lets go have a drink" Castle said as he bumped fists with his friends ..

The next morning when Rick arrived at the 12th Kate was nowhere to be found .. It was after 11 am where was she ….

"Captain ? Where is Beckett?" Castle asked

"Josh called this morning, asked if she could use some of her vacation time to go with him to Africa for 2 weeks " " I just assumed she told you" the captain said watching Rick's reaction

Rick just shook his head .. She must of forgot to call me in all the excitement .." Rick shrugged his shoulders and left

Rick entered his apartment and went straight to his office , he opened his laptop and began searching through flight schedules and found the only flight leaving for Africa Kate would never leave without letting him know, something wasn't right he was going to find out what it was .

After calling the air port Rick learned two things , Kate was not on that flight , and Josh was.. The thing he didn't know was, where was Kate ?

Rick picked up his cell and hit speed dial 3 it rang a few times and went to voice mail . So he called again , then again , and on the 4th time she answered .

"Kate?"

"Castle " her voice sounded weak

"Kate are you okay , ?

"Rick" she whispered , "I need you to come help me .. Let your self in with the key I gave you", she took in a ragged breath , it should open the bedroom door too ."

"bedroom door . Kate what he hell is going on ?"

"I can't over the phone Rick just come get me, please? She pleaded

" yeah Kate I will be there soon just hang tight "he assured her

"and Rick I am sorry for what you are about to see ." she croaked as the phone went dead ..

Rick took a deep breath , retrieved his keys from his room and was out the door , he decided to drive SUV thinking it would be more practical . He pulled up in front of Josh's house and got out . Trying to mentally prepare himself for what beyond that door ..

He unlocked the door and steppe into the dark room , feeling on the wall until he found a light switch the light illuminated the room .

The room was a complete disaster , chairs turned over , paper scattering the floor , broken glass , a little blood here and there ..

"what the fuck happened" Rick whispered to him self

"Kate ?" He called as he came to a door with a deadbolt on the outside ..

"I'm in here Rick unlock the door and come in " she called

So Rick un locked the door and entered the room

"Kate?" he said as his eyes took in the destruction and contents of the room

Books were thrown all over the place a mini-fridge sat in the corner of the room a TV hung on the wall , then his eyes rested on the bed she had the blankets pulled up to her head and he went and sat on the bed next to her ,

"Kate are you okay" ..

"Castle there is a red duffle bag in the floor, I nee you to put me some clothes in it , I don't care what, just so I have some clothes , look through the dresser and get me my NYPD sweats , and as much as I hate saying this please don't forget to get me some under wear and a few bra's "

Castle hurried around the room doing as Kate had asked him to do .

"Okay lets get you out of here .."

"first look under the bed and get my book its Storm Fall ,

"okay got it, where is your badge and your gun ?"

" I don't know "

You don't know .. Really ?" he said shocked

She pulled the blanket off her face to look at him this time,

"Oh my god Kate what did he do to you !" his voice almost a sob.