Ten:

Richard Castle woke to the sound of the hotel's courtesy call. He mumbled a thank you into the phone as he tried to remember just how much he had drank the night before. Judging from the fact that he was still fully dressed and his head felt like it was being torn into two, it must have been a lot. Pushing himself up from the bed, he staggered into the bathroom to take care of business and search for aspirin – lots of aspirin. Twisting the cap off of the complimentary water bottle sitting on his sink, he searched through his toiletry bag for the pain relievers. After taking a handful and downing the entire contents of the water bottle, he turned on the shower and tried to ready himself for another day at the studio.

Castle's day was spent in boring meetings with the writers, the director and producer while fighting his hangover. Many of his suggestions were accepted readily, while it others turned into arguments regarding the cost to produce a scene versus its value to the story. That was the advantage of being a writer. He could create a complex world with words. In movies, it requires money, or a boat-load of special effects. Castle looked to compromise where possible seeking other methods to convey the story for less cost.

Rick worked his way through the legal pad full of notes and came to the page where he had written his drunken apology letter. He tried to school his features in front of the others as he read his heart-felt ramblings. In spite of everything that she did to him, it was obvious that she would forever hold a place in his heart. The question now was how big of a spot would she hold. He struggled trying to feign some interest in whatever topic was being discussed by the people in the room. Barry was stressing to everyone present how he had committed them to a Christmas release of the movie and he'd honer that regardless of whom he had to replace. Everyone nodded their heads in agreement as the meeting adjourned for week. Watson admonished the writers to have a completed screenplay on his desk by Monday morning. He was flying to Hong Kong for a film festival.

Rick followed the writers back to the office that they shared at the studio. The group agreed to divide the script into equal parts and try to incorporate the changes agreed to in the meeting. They would forward it to Rick and he would give his approval before they submitted it to Watson. Writing was a solitary act for Castle and he was having a hard time accepting his work being parted out for repair like a used car. Rather than sit around here and listen as the writers argued amongst themselves, Rick told them to email him the changes as they made them so that he could provide them feedback as quickly as possible. They all agreed that this was a good idea and he provided them with his email address and phone number.

Deciding to take advantage of his time on the West Coast, Rick would drive up to San Francisco and take in the sights. He hadn't been there in quite a while and liked the area. Northern California was so different from the south. The eight hour plus drive along the Pacific Coast Highway would give him a chance to clear his mind. Castle returned to his hotel for the evening and ate in his room as he reviewed the proposed changes to the script. He briefly spoke to Alexis who finally arrived in Costa Rica. Still feeling the effects from his previous night's drinking, he drank nothing but water and found that he was tired by 10:00 pm.

X-X-X

Kate began her last full day in New York just like any other. Up at 6:00 am, she put on her sweats and headed out for a morning run. It was a beautiful late spring day and you could tell that it would be hot later on. The slight breeze seemed to invigorate her as she ran the path on the trail near her apartment. Satisfied with her effort, Kate returned to her apartment, put on a pot of coffee and took a quick shower.

Returning to the kitchen, she poured herself a large cup of coffee and sat down at the counter as she scanned her list for items remaining. She smiled as she saw that nearly everything was checked off, knowing that she did it all on her own. Kate couldn't help but feel disappointed that everyone she knew seemed to think that she was making a huge mistake taking the job.

As she sipped her coffee, she remembered her dreams from the night before. Once again the dream of her and Castle getting married was the most vivid. She was standing on the deck of his house in the Hamptons at sunset, wearing a white pant-suit instead of a wedding dress. Her father stood there along with Martha, Alexis and the minister. She couldn't shake the feeling of pure bliss as she looked into his eyes and exchanged her vows. Just as she is about to kiss him, Rick disappears along with everyone else. She is left standing alone.

Kate sat there trying to rationalize what the dream meant. Was it simply her subconscious wishing for something more? Rick didn't want to marry her. Did he? She had to laugh as she realizes that legally, she is still married to Rogan O'Leary. Kate knows that she has to resolve this issue as quickly and discretely as possible. Glancing at her watch, she decides to swallow her pride and talk to the one person that may help her.

Kevin answers on the third ring. "Hello Beckett. I didn't think that I'd hear from you until tonight. Or are you calling to say you can't make it?" His voice was flat, emotionless.

Kate knew that it would be awkward talking to him. Over the last five years Ryan and Esposito have become her surrogate brothers. Javi the older one and Kevin the younger with her in the middle. "No, Kevin, I promise that I'll be there.. I hate to bother you, but I need a favor and you're probably the only person that would talk to me."

Kate waited for what felt like minutes, but was really just a few seconds before Ryan replied. "What do you want?"

"I need you to run a name down for me. Rogan O'Leary. White, thirty five years old, about six foot tall with brown hair and eyes. Last know address was upstate New York." Kate waited as Kevin wrote down the details.

"I'll see what I can find out.. Why are you looking for this guy?"

"I'd rather not say. It's personal." Kate replies. She could tell from Ryan's silence that she had further eroded whatever was left of their friendship by not coming clean.

She waited as her former team mate scanned the result of his query on his computer. "I found him. I tried the BMV database and it said that his license had been revoked two years ago. I checked the criminal database and oh boy, this guy's a real piece of work. Over twenty arrests, mostly misdemeanors, ten convictions for everything from check kiting to assault and battery.. His address is 532 Wabash Street, Albany. His last place of employment is listed as Rosie's Tavern, also at the same address."

Kate scribbled down the address on her legal pad and thanked Ryan for his help. Ryan ended the call without saying anything else knowing that once again Kate was keeping secrets. She had to laugh at the irony of it all. She had spent her entire adult life working to enforce the law while her 'husband' has been trying to break it.

Beckett stared at the phone for at least ten minutes trying to rehearse the conversation that was about to take place. Taking another drink of her coffee, she dialed the number and waited.

"Hello Katie." Jim greeted his daughter as he answered in what could be considered a cheery tone of voice. Considering how their last conversation ended, he was honestly surprised that she called. "So how are things going in your preparations? How can I help?" Jim Beckett didn't like what Kate was doing and he had voiced his opinion. But his duty as a father meant that he would support her decision.

Kate paused for a few seconds once again trying to figure out how to approach this issue. "Dad, I need a favor.."

"Sure thing Katie. What do you need?"

Deciding to tell the whole story in one instance rather than drag it out in a series of questions and answers, she plowed ahead. "Back during Thanksgiving break when I was at Stanford, I ran off to Vegas for the weekend with a boy I was dating. We were goofing around and he suggested that we get married as a joke.. I found out a couple of days ago when they did a background check, that the marriage was real.. I wanted to know if you could help me put together the paperwork and file for a dissolution?"

Jim Beckett sat there in stunned silence as he tried to decipher everything his daughter had just told him. He could still see the look of disappointment on Johanna's face after Kate had called to tell them she wouldn't be flying home for Thanksgiving, saying that she needed to study. He couldn't believe that Kate would have been that naïve to think that the marriage wasn't real. That marriage was some type of joke. All he could do was sigh and blink away a tear that formed in the corner of his eye. "I'll help Katie. Send me all of the information that you have on your 'husband' and your marriage. I assume that you don't have a copy of your marriage license?"

"No, I don't" She replied with a whisper. The way her father had said 'husband' with such disgust hurt more than any lecture ever could.

"No problem. I'll get the information from Bureau of Public Records in Nevada. Do you have an address where I can send the documents to?"

"I have a recent address, but I'm not sure if it's still valid."

"We'll keep our fingers crossed. I can put the documents together in a couple of days. Your husband will have fourteen days to respond by either signing the agreement of contesting the dissolution. If we are unable to deliver the document, you'll have to appear before a judge and petition for a dissolution due to abandonment. This should be easy. I assume that you have had no contact since you left Stanford."

Kate nodded and then realized she was on the phone. "I haven't seen or spoken to him since we returned from Vegas."

"Good. Send me all of the information that you have and I'll start working on it as soon as I can.. Is there anything else?"

"No dad, that's it. Thank you for helping me. I'm sorry if I've embarrassed you."

"Kate, you haven't embarrassed me. Johanna told you long ago when you were going through your 'rebel' phase that the mistakes you make in your youth will follow you your entire life. All we can do now is to minimize the impact." Jim Beckett debated if he should tell her about Rick asking him for his permission to marry her. How Castle respected him enough to seek his approval. How he respected the sanctity of marriage despite two failed attempts. No, this wasn't the time. He wasn't sure if there ever would be a right time. 'Maybe he proposed to her and she declined it? It would be just like Katie to not mention it.' Jim thought.

She listened to her father as she recalled her mother saying those things to her days before she left New York to start school in California. Kate could see the look of disappointment on her mother's face hearing how she had taken something as sacred as marriage and turning it into a drunken joke. Thinking of nothing else to say, she thanked her father again and ended the call.

Kate walked back through the sea of boxes that lined the walls of her apartment checking to make sure that they were properly identified for either long or short term storage. As her apartment in DC was smaller than this one, she would be unable to move everything into it. The movers had a storage facility not far from her new apartment where these things would be kept.

Beckett was supposed to meet the Captain at the 12th a little before five. Kate assumed that whatever send-off they were giving her would be in the break room. She wondered if Lanie and her team would be there. Would Castle be there? Kate took a cab to the 12th and noticed how quiet the place was for a Friday afternoon. Exiting the elevator, she strolled through the bullpen and saw there was no one there. She looked into the break room and saw a couple of patrol officers sitting at a table drinking a cup of coffee. She turned to look into the Captain's office and saw her sitting at her desk reading a report.

Kate smiled and walked to her office, knocking on the door frame as it was already open. Gates peered over her reading glasses and gestured for her to come in. "Come in Ms Beckett. I'll be with you in a minute."

Beckett sat down and watched as the captain scribbled something on the report she had been reading. Gates smiled and commented. "I'm so glad that you could make it. Just give me a minute and I'll be ready to go."

"Go? Where are we going? It thought we were having something here?" Kate inquires.

Gates grinned. "Come now, Ms Beckett, this is a momentous occasion. You're leaving to go after the brass ring. We can do better than that. Mr Castle agreed to let us 'borrow' the Old Haunt for the celebration. Everyone's going to be there that can get off from work."

'Shit!' Kate thought at the mention of Rick's bar. 'Would Castle be there?' Seeing the troubled look on Beckett's face, the captain assures her that Castle was unable to be there due to business. Kate wasn't sure if she is relieved or disappointed hearing this.

They rode together in Gate's cruiser making minimal small talk. The captain asked about her efforts to get ready for her big move and if she had found a new place to live, safe subjects. Gates pulled up in front of the bar and placed her Police ID card on the dash to prevent a ticket or tow. As they entered the Old Haunt, Kate was nearly overwhelmed with apprehension of what was to come. She released a breath that she didn't realize she was holding as she looked around the bar and saw it filled with cops. Some were still in uniform having just arrived from work. The piano player was playing a song from the 40's as a small crowd stood close by to listen.

She glanced over to what had become Rick's private booth and saw that it was empty. There was a placard on the table saying 'Reserved for Special Agent Beckett'. Kate smiled seeing that and the banner draped from wall to wall saying 'Congratulations'. Beckett and the captain worked their way through the room shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries. She looked around the room and finally spotted Lanie, Ryan and Esposito sitting at a table in a corner near the bar together. From what she could see, they appeared to be in some sort of heated debate and as usual Ryan appeared to be the peacemaker. Kate was pretty sure that whatever they were arguing about she had something to do with it.

Beckett spun around as someone tapped on her shoulder. Tom Deming smiled as he extended his hand. "Congratulations Kate. I hear that you're moving on to the big time."

Kate shook his hand and smiled. "Thank you Tom."

"So where's your writer-boy? I thought for sure he'd be here. Especially seeing as this is his place?" Deming knew what had happened. He still had many contacts in Homicide. He couldn't help but feel some smug sense of satisfaction knowing that she had kicked castle to the curb the same way she did him.

Whatever good feelings that she may have had vanished at the mention of Castle. "He's out of town on business." Was all she could offer as a response.

"Gee, that's too bad." Tom replied with his best fake sincerity. "Well, congratulations and good luck in your new job Kate." He offers a grin and walks away from her satisfied with his effort. Deming walked over to a booth that had a few fellow detectives from Robbery laughing and telling jokes as the consumed the free alcohol provided by his former nemesis. Tom had to laugh at the thought of Richard Castle and him trying to win the affection of the same woman and both failing. He understood the reason why he had pursued her, but couldn't understand why Rick kept coming back again and again only to be rebuffed.

X-X-X

It was a little over three years ago when Tom received the phone call 'suggesting' that he take an interest in a certain Homicide detective. His orders were clear – Get 'close' to the detective and find out everything that she knew about her mother's murder and make the writer that she had partnered with leave. Tom saw this as a chance to enhance his own career if he played it right. Getting rid of Richard Castle would leave an opening on her team and he would be ready and able to jump right in.

He palled-up with Esposito to get information about her habits and schedule, conveniently running into her as she worked out in the gym. Using all of his charms, he was able to worm his way onto a case with her team. With Espo vouching for him, Tom was able to get closer to her and the others. It would have taken a blind man not to see that the writer was there for more than simply working a case. For some reason, Beckett either chose to ignore it, or simply didn't like the writer. Her continued snide remarks to the writer led him to believe that it was the latter.

Deming decided to make his move after taking Castle aside and asking him if it was ok if he pursued Kate. Castle giving him the green light to pursue Beckett was just what he wanted and he went all out after that. Deming took advantage of every opportunity he could to remind her that Castle was not a cop and didn't belong on her team. He started showing up whenever he could offering his own 'theories' on cases that they were working on. Cases that he had no business being part of. Tom made sure to ridicule any ideas that Castle may offer and noticed that Kate did little to defend the writer. Seizing the opportunity, Tom put the full-court press on Kate, taking her out on dates and to bed.

Deming soon found that it was easier to get into Beckett's bed than into her mind. Information of her mother's case was nearly impossible to get. Tom decided that it was better to play things slow and wait to gain her trust. Meanwhile, he still had to get rid of the writer. Tom started orchestrating situations where he and Kate would be 'caught' making out like a couple of love-struck teenagers. He couldn't contain his glee seeing the pained look on Castle's face when he saw the two of them together making out.

Things all came to a head nearly three years ago to the day. Tom decided that taking Beckett away for a long romantic weekend would be exactly what he needed to drive a final wedge between her and Castle. It may also gain her trust to tell him about her mother's case this his 'benefactor' was so concerned about. He waited until Castle walked into the break room to get a cup of coffee before he made his move. Tom watched as Castle returned with two coffees in hand as he started kissing Beckett and telling her about their getaway for the long weekend. The look of utter devastation on Castle's face was priceless. Tom found it hard to keep a straight face as he walked away.

It was later that evening after dinner when Kate let it slip that Castle was going to take the summer off to get caught back up on his writing. Trying his best to act sympathetic, he assured her that Rick would be back once he fulfilled his obligations to his publisher. Tom had seen the look of defeat on Castle's face. He knew that he was done. Deming decided that this was the perfect opportunity to 'comfort' his girlfriend and also gain her trust. He offered to stay with her for the evening, but Kate declined saying that she wasn't in the mood.

Tom played the role of understanding boyfriend perfectly, telling her that he understood and would see her tomorrow at work. He was nearly skipping as he walked from her building and to his cruiser. Knowing that there would soon be an opening on Beckett's team. Tom would submit his request for transfer to captain Montgomery just as soon as Castle was gone. Esposito would vouch for him.

As the night was still early, Tom called one of his 'regulars' and told her to meet him at one of the bars frequented by cops. She was a 'badge bunny' and would be thrilled for a little attention from the detective. She always was.

Tom walked into the Homicide bullpen and saw Kate's overnight bag sitting beside her desk. They were leaving for their long weekend getaway as soon as their shifts were over. He heard from one of the uniformed cops that there was some sort of send-off for the writer that worked with Beckett's team. He couldn't believe how perfect everything was coming together. He glanced into the break room and saw an agitated Esposito talking to Kate about something. Whatever it he was talking to her about was upsetting her. Deciding now was not the time to get involved, he made his way back to his own floor and decided to surprise her later.

What Tom didn't know at the time was his unwitting ally in this whole endeavor was undoing all of his efforts. Deming never knew why Kate suddenly changed her mind about going away with him and breaking up. At first he felt bad because he failed in his mission until he heard that Castle had left anyway arm in arm with his ex-wife. He'd make the call and let his benefactor know that the writer was gone. The money he would receive in exchange would salve his bruised ego.