Hey everybody

and thanks for the nice reviews and story alerts, follows etc. filling up my mailbox. Keep them coming. ;-)
I enjoy and everyone of them.

Thanks to my lovely beta's even though they say I am cruel. No idea what they mean ...

And there was action demanded so I hope I will deliver a bit of that with this one.

XOXOX

"What is he doing here?" Castle asked when he walked into the bullpen next to her two days later.

"I have no idea," she said, her tone flat as her pace quickened to get to where Detective Ranston was standing with the very Detective Ethan Slaughter, and Captain Gates.

"Ah Detective Beckett," Captain Gates turned to her, professionalism written all over her face, ignoring Castle completely who was hurrying up behind her, "We were waiting for you."

"What's going on?" Beckett asked throwing her coffee into the nearest trash bin, glancing from the two Detectives to her Captain.

"Detectives Ranston and Slaughter have requested your help with an ongoing investigation," Gates cut straight to the point.

"What kind of help are we talking about exactly?" Beckett frowned ignoring the two men for now.

Captain Gates shook her head, "Not the whole team., just you. I need Ryan and Esposito here."

"But Sir," Beckett tried to protest, glancing at Slaughter who was grinning like the nastiest asshole she had ever seen.

"They will fill you in," Gates ending any further discussion and turned to walk away before she stopped, pinning Castle with a deadly look, "Oh, and Mr. Castle, a word." It wasn't a question.

Castle looked from Beckett to Gates and back, clearly not willing to leave his partner alone in the current company. "Now?" he asked the whine all too obvious in his voice.

"Now." Gates answered and that was it. He followed her into her office.

XOXOX

"This is insane!" Castle called out when they met in the break room 45 minutes later.

"She says I have to sit this one out," and Kate immediately knew it was not his hurt pride putting the flare of anger in his eyes. He didn't trust Slaughter and he was scared, mainly for her.

"What?" She asked, stopping dead in her tracks. This was news to her.

"She said I have to sit out on this one. I can follow Ryan and Esposito if something comes up, but she forbids," he took a deep breath, "actually forbids me to come anywhere near your investigation with Slaughter and Ranston," he growled.

"Why?" She still couldn't wrap her mind around the fact that she not only had orders to help the most reckless Detective at the NYPD but on top of it she had to do it without her partner and her team. Without any back-up at all. She was on her own.

"I don't know," he let his hand run through his hair, "She talked about being in the way of something that could turn out to be a major investigation and not wanting another precinct's Captain to have to deal with me." He stopped his pacing to lock eyes with her. "Kate, I am not going to let you work with this asshole without back-up. Don't you dare make me."

Beckett sighed. She didn't want to do this without him either. "I'll talk to her."

He started to follow her, but she stopped him with her hand on his chest, "Alone. I will talk to her alone. You'll wait here." He looked so troubled and she wished she could just lean in and kiss the worry from his face, ease it away at least, but she couldn't, not here, so instead she grabbed his hand, relieved when he squeezed hers in return and saw the understanding in his eyes.

"Okay I'll wait."

He did but watched the animated discussion between Beckett and Gates, hidden from behind he blinds of the break room and what he saw did not give him any hope.

XOXOX

"She says no," Beckett shrugged apologetically when she walked back into the break room.

"What?" He stared at her, "What?" His hands ran over his face in desperation and he started for the door.

"Castle, no!" She pulled him back.

"I will talk to her," he said, trying to lose her grip on his arm.

"You will do no such thing." She snapped, giving his arm another tug that sent him tumbling back into the room.

"Kate? I …," she silenced him with one look.

"I know." She let her hand ran up his arm, trying to calm him down. "I know. I don't like it either, but if you walk in there right now and get into a shouting match with Gates this probably won't be the only case we won't work together. You know we have to be careful. What if she finds out about us."

"I don't care if she throws me out and right now I couldn't care less if she finds out about us either. One day she has to know anyway," he almost shouted. "I won't let you do this on your own. It's either me or Esposito and Ryan, but you're not going to work with this bastard alone."

"Castle," she hissed, anger rising in her chest because he refused to see the greater picture. "You might not care, but I do. This is my job, my career. And neither do I want her to throw you out nor do I want to lose my job and she won't let Esposito and Ryan work this case, she has been very clear about this. So I will have to do this one on my own. I did handle myself before you came along and I am sure I am more than capable to do it again." She didn't mean to sound so harsh, but she was upset as well and the last thing she needed was Castle on a suicide mission.

"Well that's good to know," he said, his voice cold.

Beckett sighed, "I think it's best for you go home," she said a bit gentler, trying to soften the blow.

"Clearly it is," he mumbled and walked out, not looking back once.

"Shit," she sighed, letting out a deep breath, while watching him leave. She wanted to follow him but Slaughter moved into her vision, an evil smirk plastered all over his face.

"I see you sent your puppy home," he grinned, watching Castle stepping into the elevator.

She shot him one of her death glares, "Shut up, Slaughter. Let's get to work because the sooner I am rid of you, the better," she stated and walked past him.

"That's what you say, but not what you mean …," he smirked as he followed her and Beckett could swear he was about to add something but caught himself before they walked past Captain Gates office from where she was watching them.

XOXOX

When Beckett finally opened the door to her apartment later that night she was exhausted. She had studied case files all day, had gotten a quick 101 on gangs and still had the feeling they had gotten nowhere. She had learned though why she had been chosen to join the investigation. The Gang-Unit was considering there was more to the murders than just two rival gangs trying to kill each other. She had been at two of the crime scenes and she was good. That's why they had asked for her to work the possible non-gang angle of this case. Castle's gut had been right after all, or so it seemed.

Sighing she shut her front door behind her and leant against it, while scanning her living room until she found his broad figure alone in the dark, fast asleep on her couch. She couldn't help the small smile that escaped her lips. They were getting good at this, coming to each other after a fight and talking things through, not dwelling on it on their own for days, waiting on who would give in first.

She shed her coat on her way towards him and crouched down next to his head, regarding him for a moment before she let her fingers dance over his face and into his hair.

He stirred, blinking against the dim light in her living room until his eyes focused on her.

"Hey," he mumbled and tried to get up, but Kate pushed him back down with her hand on his shoulder.

"Stay," she whispered and let her fingers play with his hair, "I am sorry," she sighed, before lifting her head to look at him. "I didn't mean for it to come out like this. I just don't want Gates to kick you out for good. Not because of this, not because of Slaughter."

Castle sighed, moving a bit closer to the edge of her couch, as always drawn to her, "I just don't want that asshole near you."

"I know," Kate whispered, placing a tender kiss on his lips, "I know."

"I swear Kate, if he hurts you or gets you hurt in any way I will …," Kate silenced him with a finger on his lips and because she did not have the words, she showed him, crawling on top of him, before she claimed his mouth in a passionate kiss.

She could feel the tension leave his body, felt him melting into her, grabbing for the hem of her shirt she pulled it over her head, wanting to feel his hands on her skin.

He loved her spontaneity but tonight he did not just want to have passionate make-up sex on the couch. Not after a day like this. He wanted to take his time.

"Kate, Kate," he gently pushed her away, "Slow down. We have all night."

She backed off a bit, allowing him to sit up, "Sorry, I just …," She let out a huff of air, bothering her lip between her teeth.

"You just what?" Castle asked gently, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear, his thumbs caressing the soft skin under her eyes.

"I really didn't mean it like that. Sure I can do the job without you but I don't want to. I want you there with me. And I know one day we'll have to," she sighed again, "No one day we will tell her and we will deal with it, but not because of Slaughter." She looked so worried he almost had to laugh, despite her words warming his heart.

"I know," he assured her instead. "I overreacted, I was pissed and I guess for five minutes I just wanted to believe you don't need or want me there with you."

"And after those five minutes?" She asked, a small smile playing around her lips.

"I came right here," he grinned and she just had to kiss the goofy smile off his face and let him carry her to her bedroom.

XOXOX

Beckett heard her own heart pounding, a strange off-beat rhythm to the echo of her footfalls in the dark alley. Her target was fast, climbing over a fence a good 350 feet in front of her and she actually cursed her choice of footwear. High heels were not exactly climbing gear. Nevertheless she jumped on the trashcan leaning against the fence and hoisted herself over onto the other side. Landing hard, she flinched, pain shooting through her knees. Her weapon drawn and aimed Beckett crouched down giving herself a second to assess the situation before she resumed her chase and followed the dark figure who just disappeared around the next corner.

She knew something like this would happen; knew it the second Slaughter had told her his plan to go into this bar filled with gang members without back-up. Slaughter had brushed objections away and before she could do anything had walked into the bar, giving her no other choice but to follow him.

And now she was chasing down the guy who had drawn the first gun alone in a less than shady neighborhood and with the bad feeling that she couldn't count on Slaughter.

She rounded the corner her suspect had just disappeared behind and stepped into a dark and empty backstreet. She approached slowly, all senses on alert, listening for the smallest sound. The street was too long for her suspect to have been able to finish it without her seeing it, so he was probably hiding. It was dangerous to continue on her own, but her pride forbid her to just turn around and walk back to the bar, to see what damage Slaughter had done in the meantime unless he didn't get himself killed. And it probably wasn't safer either.

So Beckett moved forward. Step by step, inch by inch. Listening, watching but when she heard the movement it was already too late. She landed hard on the asphalt her head making a nasty sound when it hit the ground. She felt her gun flying out of her hand, but before she could try to locate it a fist hit her in the face. Grunting in pain and abandoning her gun, she shoved at the massive body half covering hers, trying to give herself some room to start her own attack. She actually managed to get enough space between herself and her attacker, to misdirect his second blow which hit the concrete beside her head instead. Using her attackers discomfort to her own advantage, she struggled backwards away from him and got her feet under her to push up from the street.

The kick hit her in the stomach, sending her stumbling back but not falling and she only took a millisecond to assess and move away quickly enough to make her attacker miss yet again, sending him tumbling past her, which gave her the opportunity to kick him in the back of his knee. He fell, but rolled over quick enough to avoid Beckett to come down on his back. Instead he swirled around, kicked her legs out from under her and sent her down next to him. In a moment he set on top of her pinning her down.

"Watcha gonna do now, Lady Cop?" He smirked, his knee pressed down on her chest, making it hard to breathe, "All alone? Should have stayed away, this ain't a place for a lady. Too bad, you're a beauty."

Beckett grunted in pain, her lungs on fire struggling for air and there was no way of getting a grip on the guy. He was good and he was heavy. She tried to speak, but no sound would pass her lips and she could only curse Slaughter in silence for getting her into this in the first place.

She felt the cold steel of a gun pressed to her skull and automatically closed her eyes.

"Look at me bitch!" The suspect barked and hit the bottom of the gun across her face. She felt her lip split and winced but opened her eyes to stare back at him. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of crying. She wouldn't.

"Good Girl," he smirked. "Adios."

And then a lone shot rang though the night.