Only one chapter to go after this :)

Disclaimer: No ownerage (yes that's so totally a word) of Castle for me .


Esposito pulled the car into the parking garage, and Castle just about jumped out of the car and ran into the building. He just wanted to get back into the precinct to get information from the taxi company. After not finding anything all day, he felt like he was finally getting closer to finding Kate and holding her in his arms once again.

Esposito and Ryan exchanged glances at the way he ran inside, knowing that Castle would most likely be stopped at the elevator and would have to wait for it. They were right, they reached the elevator just as the doors were opening, and Castle stepped in trying to catch his breath. He may have been following Beckett for more than four years and he was sure he was more fit than he was before but running still left him out of breath.

As the doors opened from the elevator the three boys stepped out together. Taking a few steps towards their desk, Castle held his arms out holding back Ryan and Esposito, who had a second of confusion until they noticed why he had stopped them.

There in front of them, walking out of the break room was Detective Kate Beckett.

They stood there silently, each of them with their eyes wide and not sure whether to believe what they were seeing in front of them.

Beckett walked from the break room, over to her desk and pulled out her spare gun from her draw. She saw the boys and as much as she really wanted to run straight to Castle, she thought she could have a little bit of fun with them so she acted like she had been there all day. She placed the gun in the back of her jeans and started making her way to the elevator.

"Have we really been on a wild goose chase all day or am I going crazy?" Castle whispered as Kate continued walking directly at them.

Kate's eyes met Castles, but there was seriousness in her walk that kept his feet glued to the floor. As she stepped closer, she began to grin. Castle knew that grin, it was that cheeky grin that said she was up to something.

"Come on boys," Kate said as she walked past them. "We have a kidnapper to catch." She pushed the button the elevator and the doors opened immediately.

Castle looked from Esposito then Ryan, then back at Esposito, who just shrugged. They turned back to the elevator to follow Beckett and noticed her waiting, with her finger on the door open button giving them an impatient stare.

Quickly stepping in, she let the doors close and they made their way down stairs.

Castle was staring at her all the way down. He really just wanted to reach out and pull her into his arms, but Kate looked like she was on a mission. He tried with everything he had just to keep his hands to himself.

Kate could feel his eyes on her. She really wanted to reach out to him, but she was having too much fun watching him squirm confused and unsure. She knew how difficult it must have been for him to not touch her so she turned to him smiling.

"Castle, stop staring," she said in a fun, joking way, and gave him a smile which immediately relaxed him.

Before Castle could respond, the doors were opening and the boys led the four of them out, Kate purposely brushed past him, bumping his shoulder with her own before getting into the car.

Kate thought about taking the keys and driving, she was the only one who knew where they were going but she liked the idea of being able to sit in the back with Castle, so she didn't even bother bringing it up.

Esposito took the drivers seat again, while Castle and Beckett climbed in the back seat. Kate started to explain to the boys what had happened that day, where the abandoned building was and how she had managed to escape. As she spoke she felt Castle's hand come over and rest on her own. It was so nice just to be able to feel his touch again. She turned her hand in his and closed her fingers in over his hand, letting him know with just a simple touch that she was okay, and she was still with him.

The trip was just long enough for Kate to explain how she got out of the cuffs and to the precinct all by herself. Once they arrived at the building all four got out of the car. Ryan and Esposito lead the through the garage door and Kate pointed to where the door to the basement was. With their flashlights and guns raised they checked the door to find it unlocked.

Esposito walked swiftly down the stair first calling out to whoever was in the room to freeze.

Ryan, Beckett and Castle were only seconds behind him, but when they reached the bottom of the stairs they found no one in the room. Castle had seen the dinner that had been dropped on the floor and pointed it out to the detectives.

"She's been back, and must have taken off as soon as she knew Kate had escaped, knowing we'd be here."

He looked at Kate and mouthed sorry to her, the looked back down at the floor a little depressed that the woman had gotten away.

"Don't worry Castle," Kate said. "We have her face, her fingerprints, and I'm sure we'll find a lot more down here we can use. She'll turn up again and we'll catch her then." She then turned to the boys, "Are you two good to organize a team to come down and search this place?"

"Yeah, you guys go home. It's been a long day." Esposito said.

"Come on Castle," Beckett said taking his hand in hers. "Take me home with you," she said smiling at him.

They both left the building and took a cab back to Castle's loft.


Just one more small chapter to go.