Richard Castle. It all started with Richard Castle. He challenged Kate Beckett, made her want more, made her see there was more to her life then solving her mother's murder. She would always pursue it, her mother's case. She just finally saw that there was more for her then carrying the badge of solving Johanna Beckett's murder.

So, a year after Richard Castle entered her life Kate Beckett took a day off from work and went to Columbia University. She wasn't sure when and how the idea worked its way into her head, but it did. Law School; a way to not only honor her mother, speak for the victims but also see a case through to the end, and have a hand in it.

Armed with all the information she would need, Kate weighed her options. Could she balance her very demanding job with first studying for the LSTAT, then applying to go to Columbia Law School? More importantly finding the time to take the required classes.

After a lengthy pros and cons session Kate Beckett made her decision. She would see it through, take the test apply and see what happened. She was shocked, thrilled and terrified when she passed the LSTAT exam with flying colors and equally shocked when she was accepted into Columbia Law.

For over three years, Kate Beckett lived in two worlds, that of a lead detective at the 12th precinct of the New York Police Department and as a law student at Columbia University. No one knew of her extra-curricular activities, she kept it to herself.

Kate Beckett had just finished her final year of law school a week before she was shot by the sniper at Captain Roy Montgomery's funeral. She found out she had graduated while she was recuperating at her father's cabin and spent the last two months of her leave studying for the bar exam.

A few weeks ago, Kate finally took the bar exam. Today, she found out she passed.

Kate was still reeling from the news of passing the bar exam she at first didn't hear the knock at the door. After the knock grew louder, Kate absently walked to the door and looked through the peep hole. She bit her lip and placed her hand on the door knob. It was Castle.

Swinging the door open, she merely stepped back as Castle had a habit of just walking in these days without being invited in. True to form after she opened the door he strolled in.

Throwing her one of his self-professed devilish smiles, Castle placed his hands in his blue pea-coat and twirled around to face her. "After the day we had, I just came by to check on you," Castle said.

He walked further into her apartment. Though his excuse was valid, Kate knew the real reason he was here. Richard Castle just wanted to see her. His visits had become more and more frequent the last few months. It was like they were standing on the precipice of a cliff, both waiting for the other to take a leap toward a relationship with the other; so far neither one had yelled chicken.

"I'm fine," Kate said as she shut the door. "Would you like some wine?" Kate turned toward the kitchen. Castle followed her.

She was going to the fridge to pull out a bottle of wine when she heard the rustle of paper. Kate whirled around to see Richard Castle holding the letter she had just read.

Castle held up the letter and waved it back and forth. "What's this, Kate?" He cocked his head and confusion crossed his face. "Does this mean what I think it means?"