*Um, so yeah, I'm finally getting this story rolling. I seriously apologize for it taking me so long to continue. So, without further ado…

September 2011

(Kate)

Sometimes, Kate's life really sucked.

She was bleeding from a series of gashes on her shoulder, the scars on her chest and side burned like hell from the night's acrobatics, she was soaking wet due to an oversensitive sprinkler system, and, to top it all off, the Raven had made off with the Fist of Glory.

So, yeah, not the best night of her life.

She pressed her palm to the sensor that would activate her secret entrance to the city morgue, and slipped inside before the night watchman could spot her. (It wasn't that he'd give her a hard time, but the kid was new and a bit of a fan-boy, and the novelty of fame had worn off years ago).

Lanie was already waiting for Kate in her private recovery room. She didn't say a word about her friend's injuries, just shook her head and helped Kate out of her bodysuit and onto the exam table.

"Stitches again," Lanie muttered, applying antiseptic to the gashes. "I swear to God, Kate, Bird Boy had better hope he never meets me in a dark alley."

Kate snorted and tried to ignore the needle going in and out of her arm. The only bad thing about having a superhuman metabolism and a resting internal temperature of 200o F was that normal painkillers had absolutely no effect on her. All she could do was breathe through the pain and wait for her dose of the serum that would ease her pain and super-speed the healing process.

The serum was a new invention, only a few years old. The scientists that had perfected the formula were off living on a private island in the Caribbean somewhere, thanks to the multi-million dollar deal they'd made with the city. It was a powerful medicine, unfortunately too dangerous for regular humans, but some additive made it non-addictive. It had cut her recovery time in half after getting shot, and the longest Kate had ever been incapacitated since the serum became available was twelve days, and then she'd been near death.

The effects of the serum were immediate for minor injuries, and it was only minutes after administering the injection that Lanie was helping Kate into her street clothes. Kate could see that there was something on her friend's mind, but she waited until Kate was zipping up her boots to speak.

"Girl, you need a vacation."

She snorted again, but Lanie pressed on. "I'm serious, Kate. When's the last time you took time off from either of your jobs that wasn't forced medical leave?"

Kate sighed. In a way, Lanie was right. It had been over two years since she'd last been on a date, even longer since her last real vacation. There was just one little problem. "You know why I can't take time off, Lanie. Besides, I'd probably be so worried about leaving the city unprotected that I wouldn't be able to relax anyway."

Lanie nodded and pulled her into a hug. "Just think about it, okay?" she said. "You can't protect the city if you're dead."

She knew that Lanie was right, but she also knew that she couldn't leave her city at the mercy of the Raven and the Brotherhood. "Once I've clipped the Raven's wings, we can go anywhere you want," she promised. "But until he's in custody, I can't leave New York."

(Castle)

He was still on Cloud 9 two mornings after his acquisition of the Fist of Glory. It had really almost been too easy. Naturally, Phoenix had tried to intervene, but she'd been off her game for the past few months, and it was getting easier and easier for him to gain the upper hand (or, in this case, fist).

He examined the burn that spiraled up his forearm from wrist to elbow, noting with chagrin that it was only just starting to heal. As deeply as he loathed Phoenix, he had to give her weapons guy credit where it was due. The fire whips were a nice touch. She could inflict serious damage, while avoiding close combat, which seemed to be her favored style as of late. The only design flaw that he could see was that they were pretty handy at setting off sprinkler systems and allowing her quarry to escape.

One of Castle's phones started to buzz incessantly, and he groaned when he realized it was the one he'd been given when he became the Raven (his "bird call" as some jokingly called it). Cross was summoning the Brotherhood to a mandatory meeting.

Not for the first time, he wondered if it was all worth it. Three years in, and he was still nothing more than his father's pickpocket, and no closer to avenging his daughter's death. Deep down, he would still rather be writing than stealing from the rich to make Anderson Cross richer. But there was only one way out of the Brotherhood, and he doubted that Cross would make an exception, even for his own flesh and blood.

Castle sighed. He'd have to reschedule his meetings with Black Pawn, but if he hurried, he could still make a stop at his favorite coffee shop. There was something he'd been wanting to do for a few weeks, and he was feeling especially lucky today.

As he walked to the coffee shop, he stopped at a newspaper stand to check the tabloids. Their covers were all still splashed with headlines about the stolen Fist of Glory. He almost laughed out loud at one claiming that Phoenix was secretly a member of the Brotherhood. As if.

His day got even better when he entered the coffee shop and saw that Kate wasn't there yet. He missed her. God, did he miss her. And he was willing to put aside his anger at being shut out for three months just to see her again.

When he reached the counter to place his order, he flashed the barista a charming smile. "I was wondering if you could do me a favor."

(Kate)

Kate prided herself on her ability to predict the moves of others. As a crime-fighter by day and night, it was essential that she be able to anticipate any surprises that might come her way.

This was something she'd never seen coming.

"What do you mean, it's already taken care of?" she asked.

The girl behind the counter at the coffee shop shrugged. "That guy over there said he wanted to pay for your coffee today," she said, gesturing towards the back corner of the shop. "So, it's taken care of. If it were me," she continued, leaning in closer, "I wouldn't question it."

While Kate waited for her coffee, she scanned the back of the shop. Her jaw dropped a little when she realized there was only guy sitting in the back corner. A guy that she definitely recognized.

When the barista called her order, Kate stopped her. "That's the guy that bought my coffee?" she asked, nodding at him.

The girl grinned. "Like I said, I wouldn't question it."

She made her way to the back table where Castle was sitting, a shy smile on her face. "You didn't have to do this, you know," she told him.

"I know," he said, smiling reassuringly. "But I miss you, Kate, and I figured this would be the best place to find you." He shrugged. "And what better way to say I'm sorry than with a latte?"

She had to stop herself from saying you could have just called me. "I'm the one that should be apologizing, Castle, not you."

He shrugged again. "I wasn't very understanding when you came to me last month. I regret a lot of what I said that day," he admitted. "And, like I said, I've missed you."

She took a breath, decided to ask the question that had been going through her mind since she'd seen him. "Does this mean you're coming back to the precinct?"

Castle grinned, and it was amazing how something so small could lift her spirits. "I can't today," he said. "But if you'll have me, I'll be there tomorrow, coffee in hand."

Kate grinned back at him. "Sounds perfect," she said. "I'd still like to make things up to you, though."

"What do you have in mind?" he asked, excitement sparkling in his eyes.

She took the plunge before she could talk herself out of it. "How about dinner at my place on Saturday?" she offered. "I'll cook."

If he'd been excited before, he was ecstatic now. "How could I possibly pass that up?"

Dr. Burke would be proud of her, she thought. Hell, she was proud of herself. "Until tomorrow, then?"

"Until tomorrow."

*So, you'll notice that I decided to change things up from what I'd originally written. To me, this just seemed to fit better than what I had originally planned, and I definitely think it raises the stakes that much higher. I also kind of love the dichotomy of Castle fighting crime with Beckett during the day, and then being her arch-nemesis during the night.