(I seem to have a kind of rough plot now. It happened, much like shit does.
This story is going somewhere and I will keep hacking until it's done.
And don't worry, there will be a consummation devoutly wished.)

Kate.

Last night had been sweet. Josh was tender in proportion to his hour of departure. Poor Esposito had to sit outside and was ignored for long, passionate, hours at a time. She blushed like a marsh-rose every time she popped-out to bring him vitals.
To his everlasting credit, he made not one knowing remark or gesture. He was the perfect gentleman, even though he must have been thinking about his own cuddly Lanie throughout.

In the morning, Josh parted from her with what seemed like real reluctance. Of course it was real, she reflected, he actually had two feet in the room. What the hell is wrong with me?
"See you early today? So I can say ciao before the flight?"
"Yeah — I don't see much happening today. Unless a—"
"Body drops. Yeah." He grimaced. Even a surgeon didn't enjoy their black cop-humour.
Kate shrugged. He felt a tingle run down his back. She was just about the most perfect woman he had ever met.
"See you then, baby." And he was off.
Outside she heard Josh apologizing to Esposito for rousing him.
"Should'a been awake man, sorry."

She glanced around his apartment. It was still a strange place to her, even after recovering from the chest-wound and all the, one-way, love that had transpired there.
It was still a fiction, a kind of rumour, that people could actually feel for other people. To Kate, Josh's love was a thing on Temptation Lane. It was a flurry of words and a meeting of bodies now and then. An up-beat on the beat.
How could anyone seriously endanger themselves by — opening?
She had been open, back when her mom and dad joined her decorating the tree, when they joked and shared meals at night. What was the worth of such inroads into the soul? All it brought was immense pain. She almost shuddered as the thoughts conjured all her old fears.
"Screw this. To work." Work was Kate and she was all about the job.

Castle.

Last night had been bliss tinged only with a faint spectre of sadness. Sandy had been surprisingly playful and he blushed to think of how they had abused the little restaurant's benevolence. He would be paying for that soon. Still, it had been worth it. He suggested to the proprietor that he could use the slogan "Castle's playground" on his marketing now. It had not really gone over well.
He had dropped-her off in the wee hours of the morning and returned for a nap before it was time to face the day. I should be bushed, but I feel like a kid this morning. He could not stop smiling. It made shaving a beast.

"Morning dad." Alexis greeted him from the kitchen.
"Hey baby-shoes, what's on your plate for this fine day?"
She blushed, "Nice date dad?"
He did a little dance, and gyrated his eyebrows, "So-so." He said, in total opposition to his entire being. Alexis made her "Eww" face, but she was happy. He could see it.
"I guess my exams will be over soon. I am looking forward to the break."
"I can well imagine. Well, I have to imagine." He said as he sidled-up to her, "I was never at any of my exams."
"Oh dad, be serious." He fluffed her hair. "You are the best thing in my world, you know that right?" She smiled sheepishly.
"Oh yeah! Okay. The world is made anew and all the stars are shining." He capered to the cupboards to fish for breakfast.

"You going into the precinct again today?" She asked, off-handedly.
"Yup. It's the close of the fake fake faking of the fake portrait. Hey, that rhymes."
"Well, don't go getting shot or anything, okay?"
"Never fear, it's all benches and boards for me these days. I have not been out on a scene since — Monday, was it?"
"How-come?" She asked, looking down into her bowl as if the rice-pops needed watching.
He didn't want to stress his best thing in the world, so he made light, "Kate asked me to watch the new Captain. Suspicious old beast that one."
"C'mon dad!"
"No, it's true. We think she's in league with Sauron."
She waved her spoon. "Poke her in the eye!"
"That's the spirit. All we need is a ring." Holding his hands to his chin, Sherlock-fashion he asked the air, "Would a handcuff do?"
"One ring and she's done." Said Alexis, "Bang boom!"
He almost reacted, but held it.
"Something like that pumpkin." He poured his milk. "Listen, don't you worry. Kate is keeping me away from bad things. She's the one in danger. Rysposito are following her, all bandaged in bullet-vests. I know what's good for me! I go north when they head south."
"Oh— I didn't know things were that bad." Her mouth made a lovely oval of pink.
"Close it or catch flies." Martha's voice came from the stairs. "Good morning my illustrious family."
Alexis smiled and looked at her, "Morning Gram. Did your coat-of-many-critters nibble your toes last night?"
"I'll have you know they're all as fake as a preacher's poverty, my darling. They don't bite because they never did."

His cell rang. "Castle!"
"Rick, I got that Trust set up like you wanted."
"Thank you Gina. And some cash-flow for them in the present?"
"Yes, all ready and cleared with the IRS."
"I knew there was a reason I married you. They will be so happy. At least I hope they will."
"Proud people Rick, don't go stomping in there playing the Knight."
"What do you suggest?"
"I rigged-it so that it could be anonymous, with a kind of light coating of something Police-like. I think a simple letter to Evelyn with instructions to meet a financial advisor will get them going."
"Don't let them know who is behind it?"
"No, because Roy was it. You would not have done this for just anyone Rick."
"True. Thanks again Gina."
"And on the other matter.."
"Oh, yes."
"I can't get a million in cash. I can get a million in gold bloody bars. Go figure. Best I can do is 100k per week."
"It will do splendidly."
"What's going on Rick?"
"Ask no questions, hear no lies."
"Gotcha. Watch your back. Hell, watch your hands, they write the books that write my alimony cheques."
"You're all heart Gina."
"And don't you forget it." She rang-off.

"Tell no lies, dad?"
"Hm? Oh nothing darling, just yanking Gina's fine chain."
"Listen my favourite ladies, I have a busy day. Can I get permission to depart the Presence?"
Martha did a Queen's wave and chucked her head, "You may leave."
Castle bobbed-into his office. He had some writing to do before he braved the precinct.

The precinct.

Kate and Esposito were in first.
"Ryan must have had a busy night with the Jenny-nator." He smirked.
"Shush, let him be. You both deserve a raise and a year off duty."
Esposito fairly glowed from this rare praise.
"Well, let's see what the cat dragged-in. Check the results of those fingerprint ids."

It took a few hours, but they finally had a trail on one of the suspects in the van. Ryan had floated-in after nine. To much friendly ribbing, of course.
It was shaping-up to be a normal cop day, Kate was overjoyed that it was so normal. Not Castle-normal, because he had not showed-up, but cop-normal. They took to the road, to go collect a bad guy.

"She's in interrogation right now. Our suspect is a charming specimen of the species. Actually, can I opt-out of the species? With creeps like that, I want to belong to the sharks." This was delivered by Ryan to Castle as he arrived in the elevenses.
"Morning to you too detective." Castle smiled. "It seems you've been busy."
"We do what we do, you know," Ryan rolled his hand in the air, "all the time."
"Can I watch?"
"Sure, you know the way."
Behind the glass he beheld the suspect. Why describe a wreck of a man? Suffice to say, he thought, "Urgh."
"I see what you mean, makes me want to join the lawyers too."
Ryan made a confused face. Castle did a fin-thing with his hand and sang the Jaws theme.
"Ah. Too right."
Kate was bearing down. Castle almost felt sorry for the thug. He knew she was steel sheathed in tungsten, wrapped in voodooinium and all set in the aspect of Khan. It wasn't long before the big angry criminal was bleating like a school child.

"He gave us all his fellow thugs." She had a wide grin on her face as she related the story back in the pen. Even Captain Gates was listening-in.
Castle went over to her. "Fierce isn't she?" He looked at her admiringly.
"She is that Castle. One of the best."
"Oh yeah. Roy made sure of that."
"When you gonna come see me Castle?"
"Oh, didn't know you cared Captain."
Her set mouth stopped his levity. "Oops, chalk me up. One demerit."
Gates hmmed and left. Is "hmmed" even a word, Castle wondered?

"Why you so cheerful today bro?"

"Yeah, the humour, the aspect, the ..." Ryan ran out of words.
"The poise?" Suggested Castle.
"Yeah, that." Ryan scowled.
"Had a da-a-a-a-ate last night." Sang Castle. Even Kate glanced round.
"Oops! Sorry." He waved an imaginary audience of millions to silence.
"Must have been something." Esposito marvelled.
"Oh yeah. An arty something." Eyebrows up.
"She who Walks?"
"She who Walks in heels on carpets of sensational Sand." Castle was on a roll.
"Hate to interrupt your perv-session boys, but we do have work to do." Kate had spun in her chair and was laser-beaming them.
"Hey, she did the Exorcist!" Castle exclaimed. "Watch out for the vomit!" He flew below the line of the desk leaving the other two staring perplexedly between him and Kate.

She had been hoping to lighten the mood. Was feeling bad about shutting Castle down quite so hard yesterday and this crazy behaviour was welcome. The thought of Sandy doing lascivious things to Castle made her queasy, but she had almost given-up trying to track her own internal state.
Maybe I am a mystery to myself too. Even Castle said he would never figure me out. The memory of that almost-night in L.A. suffused her. What might have been? She shook it off.

"Castle? If you are quite finished peering-up my slacks from under the desk would you mind wiping the board. A new body might drop."
He bounced-up, "You are so right. Oh gods of Antiquity, hear me! I beseech thee. Murder someone for our pleasure—"
"Dude." Said Esposito. "Taste."
Castle grinned again, mumbled apology and attacked the board.
"That woman must be something." Said Ryan to Esposito.

Castle finished cleaning the murder-board and packed away the various shreds of evidence. He was thinking about how he could look-into Judge Markaway without causing ripples. He had nothing hard, only that twinge of suspicion that had struck last week at their poker game.
Perhaps it was overdue to bring Gates into the thing. She was already running the mystery-Sheik to ground.

Before he could decide, the Captain came over to them.
"Good work on the gallery case people. I don't know how, but with Castle in the mix this thing actually worked out."
"Thanks Sir." Said Kate, not even her disdain for the Captain could break the good mood. Thanks sounded all round.
"And it all turned on a webcam from that "establishment", we should pass a hat and raise fifty bucks for Castle so he can go celebrate — online."
"Is that innuendo I detect Captain?" Asked Castle with the slightest hint of a leer.
"Not at all, hard work deserves a hard reward. Or is that what they tell the girls online?"
The team burst-out laughing. Kate went as red as a tomato. Castle thought it particularly fetching.
The Captain strolled off a ways and beckoned him.

"Yes Captain?" He was in her office, the door was shut.
"I was asked by Esposito to look-into someone."
"Our Shady Sheik. What did you find?"
Gates sighed. She was between a rock and a pile of boulders with a castle on top. She had extended trust to this man on the word of a dead partner. She had just witnessed his role in the team and his uncanny powers of sleuthing. She also had no reason to like him because of the way he had abused power to be here at all.
"Look Castle, I don't like you much, give me time. Why do you want this information?"
"Captain, it's about— no, I can't tell you yet."
She stared. Hard.
"Tit for tat, Castle."
"It's not a game Captain. Lives depend on discretion. I hope you were quiet about looking-into this Sheik?"
"I was as quiet as I know how to be." She said sternly. Castle hoped it was enough.
"Captain, I need to know—"
She relented; raised a scrap of paper, clutched tightly by her thumb. Castle gingerly took one end, but could not pull it free.
"Uh, Captain." One last penetrating stare and she suddenly let-go. He staggered backward a step, she smiled a small victory. He quickly glanced at it.

"Not much was known. I got his company from the interview with Miss Walker. There was a chain of them before I got to the top. After that I used an old friend in Interpol to dig."
She indicated the paper, "That's his name in Dubai, a moniker of some kind. We don't know who he really is. There is a light pencil line from him to New York and some distressing rumour about military fiefdoms."
He was impressed by her summation. He looked at the name on the paper.
"Al-teneen?"
"Nearest we can translate, it means Dragon."
Castle caught himself and diverted his double-take into a controlled vibration that travelled down his legs.
"I can see that struck a nerve. Curiouser and curiouser." She said.
"Thank you Captain. And, soon. I promise."
"Promises apply when people try Castle. Vamoos!"

The day wore-on with nothing else exciting happening. Not long after lunch he excused himself to go write. Even Kate asked how the book was doing and he could tell her that it was rolling out of him because that was the truth. She seemed pleased.
The rest of his day, and deep into the night was spent doing just that, fueled by long thoughts of long legs and long sighs.

Kate.

Although the day had been long and mostly boring, the fun they'd had that morning was contagious and she carried that mood away. Ryan was shadowing her and she waved at him in the rear-view a few times. She could see his mock-serious Irish face processing each time before waving back. He was a real gem, but so easy!

Her mood dissipated as she approached the building. A deja-vu of strangeness replaced it. Was she really going back to Josh to send him away for a week?
Rationally she knew this was a far-cry from four months in some swamp on the other side of the world. Emotionally she was being abandoned, again.

She was early, for a miracle, and changed before waiting on the couch. The way she sat on his furniture reflected her conflicted state — she perched. Who perches on a couch, for crying out loud? Suddenly she wished for her old comfortable loft and the stupid joy of banging-out a tune on her guitar. "Move that ass, uh uh." She started grooving side to side. The front door opened.
Josh caught her act for half a bar. He was smiling quizzically.
"You movin' that ass?" She blushed and stopped dead, like a teenager caught with their hands down their pants.
He laughed and finished entering. "Sounds like you had a good day."

She wanted to say, yes and bang an exclamation mark onto the end. She wanted to leap up and enact Castle's mad Exorcist parody. She wanted to explain how potent she had felt as she reduced a monster of a man to a whimpering boy. What came out was foreign to her wants.
"Yeah. You?" She blinked in surprise at the banality.
"Great. I had a good day. Saved some lives, sent some bills." He moved-off to change.
"Oh joy." She muttered. She had a clear flash of wondering what the Castles were up to at this moment. It involved laser-tag and ridiculous movie quotes.
It may also involve tall blondes and very little clothing. Great, now my mood is officially ruined.

Josh came back out. He had put on his 'duds' as he called them, a kind of tracksuit affair that did him no favours. He sat down next to her and reached for a hug. It sort of happened, but Kate would not swear to it.
"You interested in a little farewell recreation?" He actually asked, in as many words.
Cold water and Elephant porn might have been more of a turn on. She felt herself go rigid and tried to shake it off. She didn't want to upset him before a long journey.
"Or not." He said, sensing her mood.
"Sorry babe," she said through a thin smile, "dunno what got into me."
"Not the first time." He said, removing his arm.
Blink. Flare. Stop the press! Contain it Kate.
"I was in a situation with an unpleasant man in the interrogation room today." Now she was just making it up, whole cloth. She would put Armani out of business at this rate. "I am feeling jumpy."
"Not as jumpy as before I arrived." He blurted, realizing he may have crossed the line. He quickly jumped-up. "Look, you're right, I gotta get packed anyway."
He gave her a placating smile, touched her shoulder and rewound to the bedroom. She heard him snap his suitcase open and a moment later the shower sounded.

"Great Kate. Just great." She chastised herself. "Way to ship."