Captain Gates watches them walk in together Monday morning. In fact, it looks like everybody watches them walk in together. She sees a few detectives and officers exchange cash.

She cocks an eyebrow, wondering if all of that means what she thinks it means.

There's one way to find out.

"Castle, Beckett. In the gym."

Beckett does a spit-take. "Wha?" She doesn't even try to wipe up the coffee she just sprayed.

"In cashing in my rain check Mr. Castle offered. I want to see how he's progressing with his fighting skills."

Esposito interrups, and Kate's thankful. Until she comprehends his words. "Sir? Can we watch? It would... uh... help me to know what he needs to work on with me not being in the ring with him." He smiles and rocks on his feet like he does when he's just managed to tell a bald-faced lie and made it sound semi-believable.

Eyes from around the room that were wide now snap to Esposito then back to Gates.

"Sure. Fifteen minutes, you two."

"But, Captain... I really don't... um... have clothes for sparring." It's the only thing Castle can think of to stall.

"Room full of men here, Castle. Surely someone's got a clean shirt and some shorts you can borrow."

"Or just shorts," mumbles Karpowski, not meaning for anyone to actually hear her.

Kate shoots her a shocked look.

Castle follows the Captain. "I'm really not okay with hitting a woman, not even one as tough as her," he whispers.

"Is that so? And what if a female suspect attacks you? Or jeopardizes someone else's safety? If you're going to freeze up because of that, then you can get out of here now. And not come back."

"But that's different. That's not-"

"Not her? Is the problem really that it's Beckett? Not just a random female?"

He shrugs. He doesn't know what the "right" answer is to that question.

"Fourteen minutes." She shuts her office door in his face.

He looks across to Beckett, who is still standing in the same spot, with the same "Oh, crap" look as he has on his face.

Ryan walks by and pats Castle on the back. "No worries, man. You've sparred with her before, right?" He (and everyone who heard him) chuckles and walks off.

Rick walks over to Kate and softly says, "What are we going to do?"

"We.. are going to... um... we can do this." She sets her jaw and takes a deep breath. "We can do this. I wanted a rematch anyway. Don't hold back this time."

She turns to head to the stairs then stops short with a thought. "Castle - with the fighting. Don't hold back with the fighting. For God's sake, please hold everything else back."

I promised a chapter a day, and I don't have time for more today. But I hope this is a good teaser for tomorrow!

Please review! They're addictive like that "Bolivia" story I linked to two days ago. What? You didn't read it? Imma hafta smack you! Go read it!

http:/www. fictionpress. com/s/2956720/1/Bolivia (Remove the spaces before and after fictionpress. Leave reviews, but don't mention I sent you there!)

It's about two young women taking a trek through the Bolivian Andes on a mission (the mission hasn't been revealed yet), and have lots of fun and get in plenty of trouble along the way. They're a bit of a young, hot, female, badass Odd Couple.