A/N - I know there isn't much Casketty goodness in this story, but here's a bit of break in the story for the romantics. Hopefully everyone enjoys the subtleness of this.

Chapter 10 – I Found It In You (Lee Ann Womack)

Beckett slammed the door of her car in front of Montgomery's house and ran up to the door, flashing her badge to the young uniform at the door and pointed behind her as Castle worked to get out of the vehicle. He saw Ryan walk out and meet Beckett at the front of the house.

"How are Evelyn and the kids?" Beckett questioned as she followed Ryan into the house. Castle watched as her stride picked up as she went into the living room of the house and sat down next to Evelyn. "Evelyn?"

Evelyn Montgomery held her two girls on either side of her as she recounted the story to the officer that was on the scene with the burglary unit. Beckett held her hand as the woman went through what she thought was missing. "He took some files that Roy had kept around, just commendations, dockets, and things. And his laptop that was really mine since the office started using laptops." The woman stopped and then looked over her shoulder at Castle who now entered the room. Pointing in his direction, she then looked back at Beckett. "And there's a picture of you and Castle and Roy missing."

Beckett looked visibly shaken as she glanced in Castle's direction. He lightly shook his head to refocus on the investigation. Castle moved to Montgomery's office to see the mess that was left. "Did you find anything?" he asked Ryan.

"No, they think they might have a chance on the glass from the front door, but it looks like he slipped out clean again." Castle walked around the trashed office and kept rubbing his head with a frustrated look on his face. "What?"

Castle picked up the chair and stood it on end. He glared at the bookshelves that were still neatly stacked and the full mini entertainment center that was on the shelf. Walking up next to Esposito, he pulled him aside. "This isn't his MO. Our guy is an assassin, not a thief."

"Yeah Castle, but he's getting closer and looking for clues." He paused and then questioned Castle. "What exactly do you have hiding in that loft of yours?" Beckett returned from the living room and motioned for Esposito to drop the line of questioning with the rest of the force about. "You guys need to split before Gates gets wind we called. We'll say you were here for moral support."

Beckett nodded and pulled on Castle's good arm. They made their way back to her vehicle and started off before she took a calming breath. "Castle."

"I know what you're going to say and I completely understand why, but we can't be jumping to conclusions. Did you see that room?" He leaned against the window of the car as Beckett drove back into town and back toward his place. She listened in silence as he called both his mother and daughter to reassure him that he was fine but to stay in the clear for a bit longer.

She pulled in front of his building and steeled her features. "Castle, you have repeatedly told me not to go looking for trouble and have pushed to protect me and now I'm begging you to return the favor. Please."

A smug grin came across his face as he tried to not to make a joke. "Kate, are you asking me to spend the night with you?" he asked in the sultriest voice he could manage as he leaned toward her in a seductive move.

"For your protection maybe," she choked out as seriously as she could, pulling away from his stare and gripping the wheel until her knuckles were white. A smile crept across his face as he could see her losing her edge.

He opened the car door and smiled at her with his floppish grin. "I will call you when I'm on my way over. Movie marathon night," he added gleefully. He saw the fear in her eyes and held out his good hand to her through the open window. "Don't worry," he tried to calm her, but he saw her immediately look at the arm that was still in a sling.

Castle packed up a bag quickly and made sure to lock all the materials back in the safe. They had to take a night off. Closing the door to his place, he checked the bolts on the locks before heading out. He stopped at the front desk and told the doorman that no one, even his family, should be going up to the residence. Feeling sure things were secure, he caught a cab.

Across town, Beckett stared at the living room. She could do up the couch for herself, she thought. Things were awkward without having the time to explore it. She thought back to his hand on her shoulder and shivered. She hadn't expected his touch to heat her up the way it did. She was relieved that the boys didn't catch on to her feeling. She jumped slightly at the knock on the door. Opening the door, Castle had one bag in hand and a smile on his face.

"I decided we are definitely not working tonight." He sauntered into her living room and breathed in. Turning, Beckett noticed the quizzical look.

"I cooked. It's only pasta, but it's better than us starving," she smiled as Castle dropped his bag out of the way. She turned to the dishes in the kitchen, keeping her head down. He walked up next to her and put his one good hand on the counter.

"So what do you want me to do?" Beckett stopped suddenly mixing the pasta and sauce and swallowed at the low timber in his voice and his hand barely touching hers. After clearing her throat, she pointed behind her at the dishes and proceeded to continue stirring. Castle turned to look at her, noticing that she put her hair between him and her face. He smirked as he carefully picked up the dishes that were ready to be put out.

The two fell into comfortable conversation about Alexis and Jim. Beckett found that bringing up Alexis had become a good way to divert the conversation from herself. Castle seemed to know as much but let her do it anyway. He sat and listened to her talk while still trying to spin theory in his head. He still doubted Tisdale's story, whichever one might be true.

"I'll clear, go put a movie in. Try for something I don't have to think about," Beckett remarked as she picked up dishes from the table. She rinsed the plates while watching Castle peruse her collection. Closing the cabinet, he turned on the television and proceeded to open up her Netflix. "Nothing?"

He turned around as he messed with the remote. "You have nothing funny. Seriously Beckett you need to update your DVD library, laugh occasionally." She threw her head back in faked laughter and Castle pressed his lips together as he watched her. He turned and picked a movie off his list. "I'm going to remedy that problem someday."

"Sure you are," she shook her head as she handed Castle a glass of wine. She propped a pillow under his arm. She saw him wince as he turned it to the side after releasing the sling. "Hurts?"

"Only when I have to move it, which the doctor wants me to do more of." He pulled his arm gently from the sling and stopped as Kate reached across his body and pulled the bottom of the sling out from under his arm. She put the sling on the side table and glanced back as Castle eased into the couch. "Thank you."

Beckett sat back into the couch, sipped her wine and got comfortable for the first time in weeks. She felt Castle move and saw his arm go around the back of her couch but not necessarily around her. She only let her eyes wander over to his face and saw a smile as he laughed at one of the lines in the movie. Suddenly she felt hot and terrified. She sat and saw the scenes of the movie go by, but couldn't concentrate. Her mind flashed back to the words he had said while in the hospital, the woman he loved.

She had protected her heart from this exact feeling for so long, trying to ignore the constant nagging feeling she had when Castle would enter a room or smile at her. One step at a time she had continued to convince herself. She glanced over again in Castle's direction feeling the couch wiggle under his laughter.

"Tell me you don't think that funny," he chuckled and then looked over at her while pointing at the television. He stopped and gazed at her. "What?"

She lowered her head again and Castle leaned forward to see her face from behind her hair. He watched her pick at her fingernails like she did when she got nervous. He lifted his hand and tucked her hair back. She whipped her face around to meet his eyes and he quickly put his hand down. "I was just thinking about all our unfinished conversations," she whispered as she lowered her eyes and then glanced back at him.

Castle immediately reached for the remote and paused the movie, turning back to Beckett. Adjusting to his side slightly to face her, he waited. "Kate," he started after another few painfully silent minutes. He immediately stopped when she put up her hand.

She stared at the floor and continued to pick at her nails. "I've had this wall that your obviously see through since you called me on it and we talked a little at the hospital, but never got to delve into where that was going." She paused and saw his sincerely serious expression. She waited for an interruption and pulled a nail off in nervousness. Castle put his hand on top of hers.

"The night in LA. I came back to the living room but you were going in your room." Beckett let out a held in breath and felt Castle's grip on her hand increase, but still just enough. She turned to face him with slight fear, fear of where this admission would go.

Her breathing became more staccato as she felt his hand move from hers to where he had tucked her hair behind her ear. She closed her eyes for a brief moment, trying desperately to not show her loss of control. She felt his warm breath on her face and then felt his lips slowly brush hers.

Her hand moved to the side of his face as he deepened the kiss, pressing for entrance. Losing another breath in a gasp as his hand snaked to the back of her neck, she felt the warmth of his mouth fully open over hers, tasting her completely. She shook and gripped against one side of his collar while her other hand pulled him closer. A moan left her insides as she eased deeper into the kiss.

Castle's mind raced as his tongue traced circles on her teeth, tasting all of her. It wasn't like the other time; it wasn't hurried. He felt a soft moan come from her, almost a hum as her hand released its grip on his collar and ran down the front of his shirt lightly. Turning toward her, he winced and pulled from her. Both panting slightly, he gazed at her and saw terror on her face. "No, I twisted my arm wrong."

Beckett put her hand over her mouth almost embarrassingly. "Sorry, that was my fault." The two sat and stared a few more moments at the floor.

"I guess we don't need to talk about it anymore," Castle gazed at her as she looked up at him. She shifted closer to him and took his face in her hands, pressing her lips more assuredly to his, easily opening to him. He felt her shift on the couch. Pulling again out of the kiss, they worked his arm painfully over to the side. She saw him wince and he shook his head. "No worries," he suggested as she moved on top of his lap.

Castle ran his hand down her face before pulling her harder down to him as Kate ran her hands down his chest slowly. Feeling Castle shift on the couch under him, she moaned slightly. He pulled her down to him, crushing his lips to hers. His hand moved down her neck, shoulder, and side, finding the end of her shirt. He felt her stiffen as his hand met her bare back. He stopped and gripped her side as the kiss deepened.

He groaned as he felt Kate's nails rake against his chest as he moved out of the kiss and kissed his way down her v-neck shirt, stopping at the seam before looking up. Both were breathing heavily, gasping for the last bit of oxygen in the room. He could feel her quiver on him. Retracing his hand down her face, he genuinely smiled. "Kate?"

She opened her mouth and couldn't make words. She could just smile. She felt like a stupid teenager that just made out with the jock under the bleachers. She couldn't stop smiling. She grabbed at her chest trying to stop but started giggling. "I'm sorry Rick," she laughed.

Castle leaned back and stared up at her, joining in her laughter. "You ok?"

"I'm sorry I'm laughing. It's just like a huge weight, or one of them, is gone." She took Castle's hand in hers and kissed the top of it. She gazed down at him as he stared at her. "What?"

Castle nodded and continued to stare with a silly grin on his face. "This is just so not how I pictured this happening." Kate glared at him as he motioned her wait. "I didn't think page 105 either, so wipe that look of your face. I just meant that I pictured this differently."

Kate leaned over and kissed him softer this time, running her hand down his cheek and then smiling. "Me too." She slipped off his lap and started around the couch. Castle turned gingerly. She nodded in the direction of the bedroom. "Come on."

Castle stared at her in disbelief. "You sure? I can sleep here on the couch," he said unconvincingly.

"Rick," she nodded playfully. "I'm tired. I'm going to sleep. But, I made up part of the bed for you and your arm." Kate held her hand out for him. Taking her hand, he walked with her and stopped in front of the door. Pulling her into him, Castle kissed her again before kicking the bedroom door closed.