It was the weekend and the team was still looking into who their suspect could be. They still hadn't found this Karen. But it was Saturday, the night of the Book launch party.

Just like last year, the book launch party was crowded with people. The red carpet seemed to be longer than ever as Beckett strutted her way down in her high heels. There were a few men glancing her way and doing some double takes, but she didn't take notice. She wondered if Castle would even realize her presence with all of the chaos and then she looked down at herself at what she was wearing- he had too. After getting past a crowd of people a bunch of flashes came from many newspapers, magazines, and photographers. They were all yelling for her attention as she tried to force a slight smile, and tried to avoid them.

"Nikki Heat! Over here! Nikki!" they were yelling. Beckett was dying to yell, 'it's not Nikki Heat, its Kate Beckett!'But she just kept walking. Beckett looked around for Castle, but didn't see him anywhere.

She saw all of the books stacked, neatly, on a few tables. Also big posters, like the ones she's seen all over the city, were framed and displayed. A woman, naked, lying across it- on a tan cover with the words Naked Heat printed underneath in big bold letters. She rolled her eyes, and blushed a little. It wasn't her body on the cover, but it mine as well have.

"Yo, Beckett!" A voice yelled from the bar. It was Esposito, and he was raising his arm to get her attention. Kate was so thankful to see him, Ryan, and also Lanie. She made her way over through the crowd of people.

"Girl, look at you." Lanie said impressed, as she looked down at Beckett's black strapless Herve Leger bandaged dress. It was fitted tight, but not too tight. It showed off the curves of her body perfectly, and went down just above her knees. She also had on a few silver bangle bracelets on her left arm, A silver ring on her right index finger, her silver designer high heels made her taller, and showed off her legs- not that the dress didn't help either. She had her hair down and wavy. It was long and her bangs were almost no longer bangs, since they had grown longer over the summer. She was, in Martha's words- 'simply stunning.'

"Nice dress Beckett." Ryan complimented. Him, Esposito, and even Lanie were looking her up and down.

"Yeah boss, you look…" Esposito went to say.

"Rick Castle! Castle! Over here!" the photographers started yelling. Beckett whipped her head around to see Castle, looking rather handsome in his black suit and white button-up shirt. His face was smiling for the cameras and he had Alexis on his arm. Beckett smiled slightly and felt her heart skip a beat, but then forgot her friends were right there, so she quick put on another face and turned back to them.

"So where's the captain?" Beckett asked, trying to change the subject of 'Castle' before it came up.

"Whoa girl slow down you just got here; there will be time for drinking." Lanie replied, smiling.

"I meant Montgomery…not Morgan Lanie." Beckett rolled her eyes and smiled.

"He's at a meeting tonight, with other squad captains." Esposito replied to Beckett. Beckett nodded. Then more shouts came from behind her, she turned again and saw what she least expected and most dreaded- Gina on Castle's arm. Beckett could barely breathe. God where are all these feelings coming from? She yelled in her head.

"Need a drink?" Lanie asked, as she waved the bartender over. Lanie could always tell when her friend was troubled.

"Make it two." Beckett said, as she sighed and turned around. Beckett watched as Esposito flirted with a woman who looked like a reporter. She shook her head. Ryan was on his cell phone, with Jenny, Beckett guessed.

"Here drink this." Lanie ordered. Beckett sipped, but Lanie lifted Beckett's hand higher so that she would down it. Beckett put the glass down hard on the bar, and squinted her eyes.

"Oh God! What the hell was that?" Beckett asked, as she tried to forget the strong taste that burned her mouth.

"And now another." Lanie forced the second shot on her friend. Beckett downed the drink again, made the same face and then asked for a water from the bartender.

"Lanie I have work tomorrow," Beckett continued, "or any time a body drops."

"The body ain't going no-where. But Castle is if you don't open your mouth and let out what you've been keeping in for so long." Lanie snapped back. Beckett had nothing to say, and if she did then she would've been interrupted by the person who came up behind her.

"Detective Beckett?" a woman's voice asked. Beckett turned around to face Castle's ex-wife, Gina.

"A…hello. Gina, right?" Beckett asked, even though she knew her name. Beckett felt a bit uncomfortable, and Lanie only added to it when she decided to leave them alone.

"Hey girl, I'm gonna head over to that eye-candy… I'll be back." Lanie said, as she let go of Beckett's arm.

"Lanie!" Beckett yelled in a whisper of plea. But Lanie got lost in the crowd, and Beckett turned back to Gina who was smiling. Beckett smiled, awkwardly.

"I must say, I wouldn't be able to figure you for a cop in that Detective." Gina said, as she looked Beckett up and down with a glance. Beckett liked that Gina could see Beckett like this- she hoped it made her nervous.

"A girl's gotta let her hair down every now and then, even a cop." Beckett replied with a smile. 'God that's something Castle would say,' Beckett thought. Gina raised her champagne glass and sipped it.

Gina looked over behind Beckett's shoulder and nodded her head towards Castle across the room.

"I don't know how you can put up with him every day." Gina exclaimed. Beckett turned around and looked at Castle. He was interviewing with a writer from Cosmo. It wouldn't be too long until the writer would be over for Beckett, she wasn't looking forward to it.

"Well seeing as how you two were married…" Beckett went, but Gina cut her off.

"Ugh, such a long time ago. And he's gotten more like a little boy ever since we divorced." Gina laughed.

"Well…I manage." Beckett smiled, as she looked over at Castle. Gina looked at the detective and sensed something.

"I'm surprised this book even got finished. Let me tell you, it wasn't easy getting him to focus on those last few chapters - but I managed." Gina said as she winked. Beckett felt her heart sink for what seemed like the twentieth time that week.

"Yeah, well, Castle can be boyish. But he's a great partner, and very helpful…in many ways." Beckett replied with a smirk in her eyes and smile. If Gina was going to play dirty, then so was she. She couldn't believe she just said that, but she was glad she did. Lanie must've gave her the remedy she needed.

"Will you excuse me?"Gina said, as she set down her now empty glass. Beckett smiled and nodded. Gina disappeared quicker than Lanie did, through the crowd.

"Okay, what was that about?" Lanie asked, as she came up behind Beckett.

"Just a friendly chat." Beckett said, innocently with a smile.

"Mmm hmm…" Lanie hummed with a smirk.