Richard Castle was happy. Not to say he woke up unhappy every day but he seldom was the day he would wake up after getting less than five hours sleep. He looked at his clock and felt excited. He knew why he was excited but didn't really want to admit it. They'd only been "working" or rather her following him for about a week now and things already felt frustrating and irritating and well, new. He didn't necessarily like the change. Catching killers was hard enough but the change up in what to expect clearly was affecting him

He rolled onto his back and let his arms flop out to his sides and set his mind adrift.

His eyes gazed at flecks and spots on the ceiling, resisting the urge to count them. He tried one time before the Nanny case had started and got to 122 before he forced a pillow over his face to lose which spot he was counting then removed it as he breathed to slow his racing mind.

Since that case that brought him to her he felt new. The kind of new you have when you make out with the ministers daughter. Full of excitement and danger with a splash of guilt. She was hot but if fraternized with his jobwould be up for grabs and he'd be directing traffic.

Since he'd gotten chewed out by the Captain regarding his trists he began to consider his options:

1 Be a dick and get her to leave.

2 One night stand. The good ol' one room/one night party treatment

3 Keep her around but at a distance

If he opted for #1 it would be the safest. She was making a mess of procedural matters, arrogant and playing cop like a child who interrupts a game of cowboys and Indians by pretending to be an alien.

Like that 13 year old in your neighborhood who won't shut up. No – no like a nine year old on a sugar rush. He could scare her off like a fenced in pit bull does to the passing children.

#2, while most tempting, was not going to happen. He sleazed his way from bedroom to bedroom in the past and it left him with baggage and rocky relationships. Ultimately he would lose face at the precinct if not his job and if was hard enough to do the job when everyone suspects you're to jump anything with a vagina. Every time he dismissed a female suspect he got a second look and he had committed himself to earning the trust of his constituents.

#3 seemed the most likely outcome but how to keep from being #2 was the over whelming issue.

"Number one it is then." He said. He rolled out of bed. 5:45 am. Time for work.

AT THE PRECINT

The ride on the elevator up to the bullpen was always like the eye of a hurricane. Calm, cheesy music, bad carpet smell and the sinking feeling one gets when being lifted or lowered. Okay not like a hurricane at all but he enjoyed the calm.

He had his game face on and was ready. He had a plan and was going to execute. Like his high school football days. Read the linebacker and the block. Counter left hand off was his favorite. Take ball from QB and start right, cut back left, split the tackle and guard. Run through the seam. Then it was just that linebacker he'd been sizing up all pregame.

Lower the shoulders and knock his ass on the ground.

The elevator opened and he stepped through. Cross the goaline, spike ball, talk trash.

He slide out ohis phone to call her and wake her up. Then he turned the corner and there she was. Put together with a nice silky red shirt and slacks, hair done just like in her bio pic for her book and removing her sunglasses with two cups of coffee from the shop around the corner.

His plan now effectively stalled like he was coming out of the backfield on a wheel route for a pass and she had her covered man to man.

He approached and was irritated. Who does she think she is?

"Husband did it." Were her first words. Her hands sliding behind her head cradling the weight.

"Oh okay. Guess we can just call it a day. Forget evidence and motive. Just lock the guy up." Rick had been taken off guard.

"He was the only one even around. He was home while wife was away so we should be talking to him."

"Nice! Millions of people in the city and you just latch on to the nearest thing with a pulse." His phrasing hit home. She leaned forward arms now lax and at her side. She reached out and took a cup of coffee.

"Saw the video from the security camera. No one was in the elevator going down or later going up. The killer didn't carry her so that means –"

"-he took the stairs." He finished.

A nice catch on her part. Interception !

"We should go back today and –"

"What are you doing here?" He interrupted.

"I didn't sleep at all last night, Rick."

She smiled. She wasn't going away without a fight.

"I was writing all night long."

"Oh really?" He wanted to strangle-kiss her. His jaw clenched.

"All that writing? Sure it's any good? Might lose all creativity for later." Message sent.

"Best writing I've done and could do it again." Message received.

"You couldn't write another night if your life depended on it."

"I'm a best selling author. What makes you think I couldn't fill a book in one night?" She snapped back.

"You couldn't write me in one night." His pride was making him aggressive.

"A one dimensional prick?" She glanced down then back up. "I'm sure I have already."

He didn't notice how close he had gotten to her. They were inches apart and saw his jaws waggle as if he was going to shout or suddenly kiss her.

Squirm you son of a bitch. Her only thought.

He hated her. It was official. He wanted to show her how much by taking her into the break room and tearing that stupid looking red silk button up shirt off and –

"I found some more tape from security and –"

It was Ryan. He paused at the two staring each other down.

"I'll just leave this here and I'll come back later."

"Stay!" Rick growled.

He looked at Ryan.

"Were you giving her access to evidence during an ongoing investigation?"

"She was here and I was here so we figured we'd get to work."

"And why are you here?"

"It's my shift. Castle, are you feeling alright?"

Richard took the tape and the second cup of coffee.

"Next time say something so I'm not walking into a trap." Then he marched past her and right to a room in the corner of the bullpen.

"What trap?" Ryan asked.

"No excuses!" Was heard from the room.

Kate finally had a chance to catch her breath. Doing so quickly so no one would notice her rise in body temperature.

"What'd you say to him?" Ryan's voice was as accusatory as it was inquiring. She stomped off after Rick.

(*&(*&

Entering the room it was dark. She was expecting it partly because the reduction in glare would make seeing details on the surveillance more –

SLAM!

"Get out." It was Rick.

She didn't see him and he closed the door behind her. Odd since he just told her to leave.

She turned and there he was with a case file in hand and coffee in the other.

"You make jokes about the victims of horrendous murders –" he put the occupants of his hands down. "-screw with evidence like it's play thing –" Approaching her deliberately she could tell he was angry. He needed to intimidate her. Scare her off his territory. "-walk around and play cop for one week and you think you know what it's like to be one?"

"I-" She was trying to help this whole time. She knew the job was hard and tried to break it up with a little levity.

"That's just the thing isn't it? It's always about you."

Low blow. A little too low.

"Me? You push everyone around like you have the biggest dick at the pee trough."

"I got good reason too."

"Yeah? Tell me! I had to practically steal what I do know about you-"

"You know nothing about me!"

"Richard Edgar Castle. High school all-state, valedictorian, full ride to Harvard. Yet you went to criminal justice at Syracuse. MBA in eighteen months and went to the academy. Good enough picture yet?"

"Not even close."

"I did leave out the Marines as a courtesy, Rick."

"You have no idea what I'm capable of Beckett."

"Such a loose cannon too aren't you?"

"I got a pair of handcuffs that says you'll shut your damn mouth right now."

She stepped to him, closing the gap they were now practically touching noses.

"What happened Castle? What happened that took you from bookworm all-pro to a ruthless hunter of criminals?"

"Don't go there, Beckett."

"You go all Batman when you mommy died?"

Too far. Waaay too far.

He stopped the bulldog act. His anger faded. He swallowed.

"You don't want to know."

He had miscalculated his opponent. Misread the defense. He backed away and sat down. Put the tape in the player and started watching.

She was still keyed up and she wanted to push more. Fighting her better judgment she wanted to get him talking again. But she had snapped him like once tense rubber band and now it was released, soft and flexible again. She was afraid to push again. Maybe he'd get violent.

She sighed, realizing what she just said.

"Rick, I'm sorry."

Silence.

She'd seen enough. Maybe her days were through playing cop. She headed towards the door.

"My father was murdered."

Her hand was on the doorknob when he said it.

"They never caught the guy."

The tape played and he was fixated on it.

She didn't know what to say but she wasn't leaving now.

"Have –" she didn't know why she even started talking but "- you ever looked into it?"

"Everyday for the first six years I was here." He hit fast forward to get to the window of time the murder happened.

"I'm sorry." Her voice lowered.

"Quit saying that. You got what you wanted."

He stopped the tape.

"You were right. The killer must have take the stairs."

It was a hollow victory.

"Now what do you do?" She waited for a scolding remark.

"Now we go talk to the neighbors."

Here it is folks. I got more coming but it might take awhile since I don't know how far to take this. I am telling you all to go buy my book. The Chronicles of Valdez on amazon dot com. Put some money down and leave a review on the website. Yes I will be writing more and no this is not blackmail (hehehe). I just appreciate you guys so much. This has been a very welcome break from the insanity of my 2nd book. Also follow me on twitter arsimckhoi or friend me on facebook Arsi Mckhoi. Thank you so much for reading the after story stuff. Please leave a review of what you think of this universe btw.