Authors note: Hi everyone. Sorry about the small delay in getting this out. We had moved and were late getting internet connected plus the unpacking we had to do. So I apologize for getting this update out there. So here it is and I hope everyone enjoys the latest update. And as always please read and review. Thank you.

Chapter 10

March 23rd, 2003

East Side, New York

Kate Beckett descended the familiar steps of a place she goes to before or after work yet she hadn't been there in a couple weeks. She pulled open the heavy door and walked in heading right towards a door in the back of the large open space. She waved to a couple people she knew as she continued to head towards the door, when a familiar voice called out to her.

"Hey Kate." The male voice called from a desk near the wall. He came out and shook her hand. "Haven't seen you the past couple weeks. Where you been?"

"Busy with work." Kate told him truthfully as she could as she shifted on her feet. She took a deep breath before continuing. "Plus I've been glued to the TV hoping for news on a friend of mine who is in Iraq right now."

The man nodded as he picked up a clipboard from the desk. "I understand. I have a cousin who is with the army over there right now. So my family is also glued to the TV also."

Kate nodded her understand. "Well tell them I'll be hoping the best for them."

"Thanks I will." The man replied flipping a page over and checking the paperwork behind the page behind it. "Jerry is in tonight. I'll tell him to expect you."

"Thanks Sarge." Kate answered Tommy "Sarge" Patricks, who owned the police only gym where cops and retired cops can go to work-out and keep their skills fresh. Kate made her way to the locker room and quickly changed. She appeared several minutes later in sweatpants and tank top proceeding to the heavy-bag and mat in one corner of the gym. She walked over and shook a bald man's muscular hand. "Hey Jerry."

"Beckett. Been a few weeks." Jerry answered. Jerry used to be one of the best patrol officers in the city until 9/11 and injuries he sustained cut his career short. He overcame the doctor's diagnosis to the point where he now taught private self defense and worked at the gym. "You ready?"

Kate nodded. "Yep. Need to burn off some major stress today."

"I heard about your writer. I figured that is why you are here." Jerry answered. He smiled and nodded to the heavy bag. "Start on the bag before we go into grappling and scenarios."

Kate nodded and proceeded to hit the heavy bag. She worked with for a long fifteen minutes working up quite a sweat before being pulled off by Jerry to work on self defense, grappling and perp scenarios for the next forty five minutes. She then hit the heavy bag for another thirty minutes. After which she showered and headed towards the exit of the gym, to which she passed by the desk which had a TV on turned to the news. On the screen was the national news.

"And with nightfall falling on the city of An Nasiriyah, fighting has come to end, but it was a day of heavy combat for the Marines. Our Fox News Reporter Alan Sherman has the story."

"The days started out as a simple mission for the Marines. Secure two bridges to allow their fellow Marines to use. Yet the saying that the plan never survives the first shot of combat proves true in this day."

"The mission started out like any other mission. Secure two bridges for a regiment of Marines from the 1st Marine Division to use. But for these Marines from Camp Lejune, the mission would go awry from the moment it started. First they encountered enemy resistance on the way to the bridges, then ran into two vehicles from army convoy that was ambushed. Then the Marines went to rescue those soldiers still alive from the ambush before pushing on to their objectives. Only when they did so, they began to encounter heavy resistance that was not expected…."

Kate's eyes began to well up with tears and she made a quick exit out of the gym and onto the street startling some cops who were coming into and also in the gym. Once on the street Kate looked around and found a neon light indicating a bar. A moment later she walked in and straight to the bar. Her presence was noticed by quite few of the men present in the bar but she ignored them. As she settled at the bar, the bartender, a young woman came over. "What can I get you detective?"

Kate wondered how she knew then she remembered she had her badge on her. She pulled out her wallet from her purse and laid a twenty on the bar. "Bourbon straight up on the rocks and leave the bottle."

Twenty minutes later Kate was feeling the bourbon from the four glasses she had drank. She decided to call it quits after she finished her fifth, up until she noticed a brown hair man in a suit saddle up next to her at the bar. "Hey there honey. What are you drinking, because I'll buy you your next one?"

Kate shook her head. "No thanks not interested because I'm heading home after this one."

"Come on sweetheart." The man in suit said to her as he laid his ID on the bar. "I make it worth your while hooking up with the best detective in the city."

Kate rolled her eyes. "I said no thank you. I have a man fighting in the Mideast right now that I am waiting for to get home."

"You must be bad in bed then." The man in the suit replied with a smirk on his face. He leaned in close to Kate. "Because if it was me I shoot myself in the foot just to stay home to teach you a few things."

If Kate would have been sober, she would have plunked her badge on the bar, or toss a drink in the guy's face, or both. Yet the bourbon clouded her judgment, and with the events of the day and all the stress including seeing the new report about an hour ago clouded her judgment. So she did the one thing that she would never have done if Castle had been around. She punched the guy square in the jaw and then jumped up and clocked him again as he tried to fight back.

That is when the altercation led to a bigger fight. The suits friend jumped in to help him and despite the drunken state Kate was in, she, with a couple good samaritans, held her own until four uniform cops came running into the bar. The lead officer had his gun out. "Everybody on the ground NOW!"

Everyone in the bar fight complied with the officers orders, and as one came over and began to pat Kate down, she felt her problems of her day would about to get remarkably worse.

March 24, 2003

An Nasiriyah, Iraq

The sound of talking outside tank stirred Castle from the slumber that he found himself in. He checked his watch. It was a little after 0245 Zulu or Greenwich Mean Time. Reveille had to have been sounded, but no one woke Castle up. Castle stretched as best as he could in the cramp confines of the tank. He didn't even remember climbing down inside the tank earlier in the morning, but that didn't matter now. It was time to start the day; another day of combat in the city, and not sure of what laid in store for them, especially after the ferocity of the battle yesterday. So he climbed out of the tank and reached for his pack. Finding a razor a moment later he began shaving as Donahue finished rinsing off his face. He looked up. "Good morning sir."

"Morning." Castle answered as he ran his razor over his face. He looked about as the Marines of the Company began their morning routine. "What's the word?"

Donahue climbed up onto the tank and put his shaving kit back in his pack. "Not too much sir. Its been pretty quiet most of the early….."

"Panzer 6, this is Timberwolf 6 over." The radio blared to life as Colonel Grabowski's voice filled the handset near the hatch.

Castle groaned as he set his razor down. All he wanted was a few minutes to get himself together. "Timberwolf 6 this is Panzer 6. Send your traffic over."

Colonel Grabowski looked as a group of six vehicles started to get going. "Roger be advised that Timberwolf 5 and a group of six vehicles is heading towards your position break. They are heading to gather our log train and bring them back to our pos break. Be prepared to support them if necessary over?"

Castle took the binoculars that were near the bridge and did a quick scan. "Roger solid copy over."

"Roger. Timberwolf 6 out." Colonel Grabowski signed off.

Castle groaned and turned to Donahue. "Major Tuggle and six vehicles are coming this way. Get us up and running and tell Jenkins the same if we need to support him."

Donahue nodded and jumped down off the tank and ran across the road as Sanchez who had finished his morning routine and went to the latrine came back up to the tank. Castle filled him in what is going on as Donahue came back across the road and walked up to Patterson who was sleeping near his hatch. He woke him up and informed him what was going on. Patterson nodded and jumped down into his position turning the tank over. The tank roared to life as the small convoy of battalion vehicles approach the bridge. The tankers waved to their comrades as they drove by and on to the bridge. Castle watched them as they roared towards regiment and out of sight.

Castle breathed a sigh of relief as no reports of contact and no gunfire. He reached for the intercom. "Let her run a few minutes Patterson before we shut it down."

Patterson came up at once. "Aye sir."

Castle turned and signaled Jenkins to let his tank run. He saw the reply as Castle turned back to take care of his morning routine, wondering what his family was doing at that moment back home. Yet the sound of incoming mortars broke him out of his reverie. "INCOMING!"

The shouts caused Marines to dive for cover and their weapons, but the rounds fell short in front of Castle's tanks. But before Castle could get on the radio to ask if anyone spotted the mortar tubes, the sounds of counter-battery fire echoed from the south, and the sound of artillery whistling down in front of them and the explosions told them that the artillery battalion had picked the mortar fire and returned fire.

Castle scanned the area for a couple minutes before getting on the radio. "All Panzer elements this is Panzer 6, get me a complete personnel report. Panzer 6 out."

After Castle sent the transmission, he took a quick stock of his crew and was relieved that no one was wounded. He took a quick breath as the reports came in. The company came through with no one wounded, to which he reported it to battalion. He checked his watch and decided, his Marines needed to take care of themselves before the enemy really got going. He clicked on the radio. "All Panzer elements, this is Panzer 6, if no enemy contact persists for the next hour, conduct personnel hygiene and weapons maintenance. I say again, if no enemy contact persists for the next hour, conduct personnel hygiene and weapons maintenance. Panzer 6 out."

Castle climbed out of the hatch to watch as his company and the rest of battalion search for threats hoping that it was just some lone actor, and his company could continue with their morning routine without anymore interference.

28th Precinct

Manhattan, New York

Kate groaned as she sat on the cot inside the holding cell for precinct to which she was taken. Despite the witness statements, she knew what she had done. She tossed the drink and threw the first punch on that pig of a detective whom she learned was from the neighboring precinct but owned the bar which she stopped at. Kate sighed knowing that she was probably going to be suspended indefinitely and probably face a disciplinary board for her actions despite the responding officers knowing she was a detective because they saw her ID. She didn't even resist them when they searched her and removed her gun and personnel effects. That was about three hours ago when that happen, and she had a chance to sober up. She hung her head as other prisoners talked around her.

A clang from the door and the sounds of familiar footsteps approached the cell where she was situated. Captain Montgomery appeared at the door. "Beckett."

"Sir I…" Kate started to say.

"Not a word Beckett." Montgomery told her. He saw her nod and so Montgomery turned to the officer standing nearby. "Let's go."

Beckett nodded and followed her boss out of the cell and towards the door leading out of holding. An officer was standing nearby holding a bag that contained her personnel possessions and a separate bag holding her badge, and gun. Several minutes later they were outside and in Captain Montgomery's vehicle.

He pulled away from the precinct before he spoke. "I can't say how disappointed I am in you Kate."

Kate hung her head. "Sir I cant say…."

"You are not to speak." Montgomery told her as they pulled up to a light. They waited for it to change green. "You assaulted three detectives, started a bar fight, and caused several hundred dollars in damage. I have cause to fire you right now, but turns out you are lucky."

Kate looked up in surprise. "Sir?"

"Captain Walker, and Patterson are two classmates of mine, so we worked out a little drug deal." Montgomery replied as he looked at her. He moved the car forward when the light turned green. "Witness statements said Detective Norris hit on you and didn't take the hint, but you still didn't have to hit him."

"Yeah I did." Kate replied. She was already in the dog house so she went for broke. "The man was a pig."

"What did I tell you about speaking?" Montgomery answered sternly and pinned her with a look. He waited until she looked out the window. "I could have turned down the deal, let you face departmental charges and you losing your job, but my friends have that much respect for me and your closure rate and they respect Castle."

Kate turned and looked at Montgomery questionably. Montgomery saw this and nodded. "Oh yeah, they know about Castle helping us out, and they are jealous. So that is why we worked out the little deal. Norris is screaming bloody murder, but he faces charges of harassment and conduct unbecoming a police officer. So he had no choice but to accept this deal and so do you."

Kate took a deep breath. "Am I allowed to ask?"

"You are now, and here is what we worked out." Montgomery answered as he pulled to a stop outside Beckett's apartment complex. "It's an unofficial suspension disguised as a vacation on the condition if either one of you steps foot in either of your precincts or the bar again for the next week, either of you will be suspended pending departmental hearings. Norris owns the bar, but his partner on the job also runs the bar with him so he can handle it. This is non-negotiable, do I make myself clear?"

Kate nodded. "Crystal sir."

"Good and Beckett…." Montgomery said giving her a hard look. He took a deep breath. "If you call the boys to check on them, it violates the agreement, so take this time and spend it with family or Alexis and Martha. I know they need a friendly face, especially now."

Kate looked at the Captain and nodded for a moment before opening the door and getting out of the car. She took a breath before walking into her building to begin her "suspension".

An Nasiriyah, Iraq

Castle watched as his company finished their breakfast and morning routines as the rest of the battalion did the same. Castle roughly felt a little bit better since the enemy fire they had taken seemed to be alone actor. Other than the enemy fire and the convoy, the morning had been quiet, but Castle and his company kept their readiness to support the convoy if called upon. Once the small convoy from the battalion made it through without enemy territory without any problems, Castle took the opportunity to clean up and take a field bath. After letting his XO know where he was going, he grabbed his hygiene gear along with his weapon's, he walked about a hundred meters from the tanks and behind a clump of trees. Once there, he stripped his chemical warfare jacket along with his shirt off and soaked his body with water from his canteen. He then lathered up and scrubbed his upper body before rinsing off with water from his canteen. Then he repeated the process for his lower body. Once he completed he quickly dried off, got dressed and walked back to his tank. From the time he left to the time he arrived back, he was gone about twenty minutes.

"Feeling better sir?" Patterson asked from in front of the tank. He was cleaning his personnel weapon.

Castle nodded. "Yes I am thank you Patterson. Anything happen while I was gone?"

Patterson shook his head. "All quiet around her sir. Maybe the Iraqi's….

Yet before Patterson could finish his sentence, a burst of machine gun fire from their front, sent the company scrambling into their tanks, and for those without armor, for their weapons. Castle climbed in and connected to everything. "All Panzer elements this is Panzer 6, has anyone spotted that enemy fire?"

"Panzer 6, Diablo 6." Captain Cantos replied to Castle's inquiry. He spotted the fire through his commander's scope. He lased the target. "Target is a building 500 meters distance. Request permission to engage?"

Castle reacted at once. "Roger Diablo 6 permission granted. Take that target out."

Captain Cantos didn't even reply as he swung his turret in the target's direction. He then directed his two wingmen to do the same. Once they were locked on, the platoon began firing. Castle watched as they poured the first rounds into the target to take out the enemy gunner. Then the sound that became very familiar yesterday to everyone of the mortars, artillery and machine gun fire started up again. Yet unlike yesterday, there was clean communications, and Castle could hear the forward observers and forward air controllers calling in support for the battalion.

"Nightmare this is Timberwolves. Fire Mission. Enemy troops in a trench line. Coordinates are 579809. DPICM (Dual Purpose Improved Conventional Munition) and HE (high explosive) in effect over.

"Gunrunner this is Green Machine, request immediate air support. Enemy mortars in the tree line. Coordinates are 579806. My position is 579796. Marker is green smoke."

Castle groaned and turned back to his part of the battle. He shook his head. "Looks like its going to be another long day;"

That thought was echoed by another shot from one of his tanks brought that thought to the forefront.

Kate Beckett's Apartment

Kate brewed coffee as she placed the icepack on her cheek. She had showered once she walked into the apartment and winced at her image in the mirror. She had a black eye, a huge puffy bruise on her cheek, scrapes on her knuckles and torso. If Castle had seen her, he would have probably offered to ice her bruises. She winced at the chuckled that escaped from her lips. Getting drunk probably wasn't the best idea she could have come up to do.

"Damn you Castle." Kate said angrily to herself as she poured herself a cup of coffee. "If you were here, it could be like it was and not this."

Kate shook her head and moved towards the couch when a knock came from the door. She sighed and set her coffee down and moved towards the door. She was surprised when she opened it to find her best friend on the other side. "Lanie. What are you doing here?"

"Coming to see how you are doing Freeda Foremen." Lanie answered with a smirk as she came in with a bottle of wine and whiskey. "Do you want any one of these?"

Kate shook her head. "No thanks. I'll just take my coffee."

Lanie nodded and set the bottles down on the counter and went to the coffee pot. "So how was life in the big house?"

Kate groaned. "Let me guess. Esposito?"

"You know it." Lanie replied chuckling as she came over with her own mug of coffee. She sat down on the couch. She then turned serious. "What were you thinking Kate? You know what kind of favors and deals…."

"I know. I know." Kate responded quickly cutting off her friend. She sipped her coffee wishing it was the whiskey or wine instead. "You don't have to remind me. Montgomery already laid into me pretty good about my actions."

Lanie gave her friend the eye. "So why did you do it Kate? You could have gotten drunk at home, or called up Josh and Demming to burn off that…."

"I don't know Lanie, damn it, I don't fucking know!" Kate countered quickly. She got up and paced around the living room. "It crossed my mind to call Josh or Tom but I couldn't do it, and the bar just seemed like the best place to go at the time."

"Why?" Lanie asked already knowing the answer

"Because of god damn fucking Castle and the latest news report." Kate replied walking to the kitchen. She poured herself a healthy shot of whiskey before continuing, forgetting about the hangover she had. She walked back over to the couch. "If he had just stayed here, everything would just be like it was and instead….."

"You mean normal like you stringing along Castle while in a relationship with Josh." Lanie said cutting off her friend. She ignored the look Kate gave her. "Girl I understand your frustration but no offense you brought it onto yourself last year when you Demming to goad Castle, then waited too long, and yes I know he did the same to you with Gina, but you two are equally responsible. And now you getting into a bar fight, especially with cops…."

"I know Lanie." Kate said exasperated as she placed her cup onto coffee table. She blew out a sigh. "What if Castle finds out and looks at me differently after this. What if I lose him after this."

Lanie shook her head. "Girl, if you think Castle will look at you differently because of this, then you really don't know him then. That man will go through the gates of hell and back for you, and I know you know that, but until you get your head out of your ass and admit it to him, then you'll continue to hurt each other."

Kate sat there looking at her best friend, knowing that again Lanie spoke the truth. Yet Kate wondered if she could it like Lanie said.

An Nasiriyah

Castle walked back towards his tank. For most of the day the battalion had been dealing with distance attacks from the Iraqi's who were using machine gun and mortars to try to build on the success they almost achieved yesterday with Charlie Company but with the battalion all in one place and now clear communications, air and artillery kept the enemy at bay. Yet the battalion had been low on ammunition so the Marines conserved most of their rounds until they absolutely needed to use them. Then early in the afternoon, the battalion XO returned to the battalion with the battalion's log train and the last of Castle's tanks which brought the company back up to its full complement. Along with the battalion's logistics train, Castle had his logistics train included as well. Now refueled and resupplied, the battalion felt confident in its positions.

Also at the meeting, the battalion learned the rest of the regiments depositions within the area. 2-8 had broken down its positions and began to attack Iraqi positions near them which included the abandoned Taliqi Hospital which had a large supply of gas masks, and abandoned weapons and munitions. They had also encountered some stiff resistance as they pushed into the city and its surrounding areas. To the west, LAR and Recon company continued to stand guard over the western bridge, even beating back a enemy force that had retreated from the city. To the south, 3-2 was moving north to reinforce 2-8 and secure the route for RCT-1 who was preparing to make its run through Ambush Alley.

So as far as the regiment and battalion was concerned the majority of the fight shifted south, but battalion was still concerned about its area. So Colonel Grabowski decided to take on the enemy since they had been taking fire all day along. So he Charlie Company to take the 23rd Division's headquarters as Alpha Company pushed into the city with a platoon of tanks to secure the T-Intersection to prepare for the passage of 1st Marine Regiment. So as Castle walked up to his tank he saw his crew eating their chow.

Donahue spotted him first. "Evening sir. What is the good word?"

"The word is standby to support Alpha Company and the passage of LAR and the First Marine Regiment." Castle answered as he walked up to the tank. He had ordered Captain Albright and 1st Sgt. Williamson to brief the rest of the company as he did the same. It had taken twenty minutes longer, but Castle decided to do it this way to get the word out. "Also we're shifting section 3 out to support Charlie Company before the sunsets."

The tank crew nodded and began to pack up their trash. Patterson climbed onto the tank deck and passed down the box of MRE's for Castle to go through. Castle shifted through the case and picked out tuna noodles. He nodded his thanks. "Make sure we turn the engine over and have it ready in case they need us and do a ammo check."

The crew nodded and moved to carry out the orders as Castle began to eat. Twenty minutes later Castle climbed into his position and conducted his own check on his area. Finding it adequate he brought up his display as his radio came alive. "All Timberwolve elements this is Timberwolf 6. Be advised LAR is enroute. Estimate time at our pos(position) is 2-0 mikes. I say again be advised estimate time of LAR arrival is 2-0 mikes. Timberwolf 6 out."

Castle sighed and picked up the microphone. "All Panzer elements this is Panzer 6. LAR is enroute to our position. ETA is 2-0 Mikes. Turn over engines and begin scan. Panzer 6 out."

Once Castle set the handset down, the tanks of the company began to turn over to prepare for any action they may be called upon to take part of. Castle settled in to wait as did the rest of the company. As LAR approached the bridge, 3rd Battalion 1st Marines moved in behind LAR to set a picket line to secure the route. One of the company's from the battalion moved into the wrecked Amtrac from Charlie Company to check it out. During their search, they found a body of a Marine killed in the first day fighting, but were told to leave it. The task force wanted to have the job of recovering all the bodies of their deceased Marines, so the 1st Marines left the bodies alone. At about 1800 LAR crest the bridge and drove down by Castle's tanks. Castle stood up and waved to the lead member of the convoy as they passed his tank.

"Maybe we'll be done with this damn city within the next day or two." Castle said to himself as he watched the light armor vehicles pass his position. He couldn't have been more wrong.

Additional note: I know, you guys were expecting something else. I hit everyone with a military maneuver known as a feint. Fake you one way and hit you another. Lol. I know I'm mean. In the next update, 1st Marines are slow in moving through the city, Kate comes back from her "vacation", Castle and his company are involved in the rescue of Jessica Lynch, Kate talks to her dad during her "vacation", and the Marines of Task Force Tarawa leave Nasiriyah.