3. Case to Solve

"Hey look whose back from the sunshine state," Ryan said with a smile as Beckett walked into the precinct.

"And where's your better half," asked Esposito. "Didn't your boy go with you?"

Before Beckett could get in a word Ryan smiled again, "The two of you alone up there, must have been one hell of a vacation."

"We were there to solve a murder," said Beckett.

Ryan and Espo looked at each other and then back at Beckett, "So it's we now?"

"Are you guys done bustin' my chops?"

They shook their heads, "Not even close," said Esposito.

"Detective Beckett," Montgomery said coming out into the bullpen, "My office, now."

"Saved by the boss," Ryan said as he and Esposito went back to their desks.

Beckett didn't say a word as she made her way inside Montgomery's office.

"Close the door," he said to her which she did.

Montgomery looked at Beckett for a moment and then smiled, "Hell of a job, detective."

"Sir, you're not upset?"

"I stopped being upset after I knew you weren't coming home. Had it not been for you, Royce's case may have gone unsolved."

"Well I was just doing my job, sir."

"You went beyond the job, detective. I don't know anyone who would have done that. I'm proud of you, Beckett."

"Um, thank you, sir."

"Just do me a favor, try not to let it become a habit. You're still NYPD, not some world saving vigilante."

"It won't become a habit sir."

"Good, there's just one other thing: Castle."

"What about him, sir?"

"He wasn't a distraction out there was he?"

Beckett quickly thought to their shared night but kept a straight face.

"No more than he usually is sir," she replied. "He helped me end this. I don't think I could have done it without him."

"Is that a hint of acceptance I'm hearing from you, Kate?"

Beckett shrugged, "I'll admit he has his moments but sir if you feed his ego and tell him, I'll deny it."

"You're secret is safe with me, not a word."

There was knock on the door and Montgomery motioned for Ryan to enter.

"Sorry to interrupt," said Ryan, "Beckett we've got a fresh one."

The loud noises in the kitchen were enough to startle anyone. Normally Castle hated smoothies but this wasn't just any smoothie.

"You're back," Alexis said as she came downstairs.

"I am," Castle replied.

"How was LA? How's the movie coming?"

"There's some casting problems but I think it will get sorted out."

Castle placed a cup and filled it with his smoothie, placing it in front of Alexis.

She took a sip and then spit it out. "Ugh, dad what is that?"

"It's a s'more-smoothie. It's got chocolate, the sauce and pieces, graham crackers, marshmallows and vanilla ice cream." He took a sip and was surprisingly pleased. "It's good."

"It's disgusting."

"So," Martha said coming into the kitchen, "Detective Beckett didn't mind having you along in LA?"

"How did you know I was with Beckett?" Castle asked.

"Please Richard, her former boss gets murdered, she jumps on a plane to go solve it and you just happen to catch the same flight out?" Castle opened his mouth but was stopped, "And don't tell me you were going out there to check on the movie. You can FaceTime or e-mail or whatever other techie stuff there is." Castle opened his mouth again but was stopped a second time, "And don't tell me it was a coincidence. I've come to find that when it comes to you and Katherine, there is no such thing."

Before Castle could make a comment on his mother's words, his cell rang so he answered.

"Tell me you called to whisk me away somewhere," he told Beckett.

"That's your job," Beckett replied with a smile.

"You're right, it is. So what do you say to dinner on Friday night?"

Martha and Alexis shot Castle a look. He looked at them, lost in his conversation with Beckett that he'd forgotten he wasn't alone.

"I'm inviting you to a crime scene and you're seriously asking me out right now?"

"Yes, yes I am."

Beckett was glad she was still in her car during the conversation. "Well I did just break up with Josh this morning."

"So we have the green light then?"

"We do."

"Then what's your answer?"

"Yes Castle, a date on Friday night sounds perfect."

"Excellent, now where's the body?"

"I'll text you the address."

Castle hung up and then smiled. It faded when he saw his mother and daughter starring at him.

"Dad, what happened in LA?"

"Thanks," Beckett said when Castle handed her a coffee when he arrived on scene. She took a sip but it tasted off so she was content to just holding it. "So what did you tell them?"

"What do you think? I said nothing. When I asked you out I completely forgot they were there."

"Is your inner teenager coming out, Castle?"

"I'd be happy to pull something else out instead."

Beckett moved her tongue inside the right side of her cheek and smiled. "Maybe later," she said to him.

"What's going on later," Ryan asked as he came over to see a rare smile on Beckett's face.

"Nothing," said Beckett.

"Something," Castle replied at the same time.

"Okay," Ryan said as he walked the partners over to their latest victim. He and Espo were used to the two saying things at the same time but it didn't make it any less weird.

"Hey Lanie," said Beckett, "What have we got?"

"Welcome back," Lanie said as she was crouched over a body, "How was LA?"

"You know, the usual, chasing down the bad guys."

"You sure that's all you did?"

Beckett ignored Lanie's prying, "She looks young, what can you tell me about our vic?"

"Sara Henderson, age seventeen. A couple of guys found her here on the soccer field. I'd say she's been dead at least since one A.M. There's a gunshot to her chest and multiple stab wounds to her abdomen."

"Personal killing," said Beckett.

"It's too early to tell. I'll have more once I get her on my table but I wouldn't rule it out."

"Thanks Lanie."

Kate Beckett had always hated this part of the job, the part where she had to deliver the band news to the family members.

At the precinct Mrs. Laura Henderson could no longer bare to look at the photo which had been taken while her daughter lay on Lanie's slab in the morgue.

"You said she was found on a soccer field at school," said Samson Henderson, Sara's father.

"That's right," replied Beckett. "Do you have any idea what she was doing there around midnight?"

Laura shook her head, "No none. She's usually in bed by eleven. We thought she was home. "

"What about friends, boyfriends?"

"She had a group of girls she hung out with," said Laura, "but no boyfriends."

"We're going to need a list."

"We know a few," said Samson, "but they're mostly girls on the soccer team. Sara played goalie. Detective, you deal with this on a routine basis I would imagine: tell me how could someone have done this to our daughter?"

Beckett folded her hands and looked directly at the parents. "I've asked myself that question over a dozen times and the best answer I have is that some people will do anything for their own agenda, even if it means hurting others in the process.

Beckett's cell rang. "Excuse me," she said to the parents.

She excused herself from the room leaving Castle behind with the distraught parents. "Don't worry, Detective Beckett is one of the best. We'll find out who did this."

"Castle," Beckett said as she came into the room.

Castle could see that Beckett wanted to talk away from the Henderson's so he too excused himself, closing the door as he left the room.

"What's up?"

"That was Lanie, she said she found something but she wouldn't tell me what it was over the phone. She only wants me there, something about her findings of a personal nature."

"Okay, is there anything you need me to do?"

"Yeah, get a list of the friends and contacts from the parents. Then coordinate with the boys and go talk to them."

"You got it."

Castle and Beckett both took a step forward toward each other and then stopped having realized what they were about to do.

"I'm gonna go," said Beckett.

"Yeah, I'll see you later," Castle said as he made his way back to the parents.