Title: To Love & Live In L.A.

Summary: Kate Beckett has suffered another tragic loss and can't stand to stay in New York, where the memories are unavoidable. Can new places and new faces help her rise from the ashes of her painful past? AU.

Disclaimer: I don't own most of the characters I write about. If you recognize a name, odds are it isn't mine. But seeing as this is a fanfic website, you probably knew that already.

Thanks again to Sunshiny-Kate, the best beta a writer could ask for!

"Come in."

Beckett opened the door and entered Gates' office. She didn't wait for Gates to say anything else before she shut the door behind her and sat down in the chair she'd occupied on every other visit.

"Thank you for seeing me, Chief."

"Of course, Beckett. I'm always here for my employees." Gates shut a file she'd been reading and sat back in her chair. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

Beckett took a deep breath to steel her nerves. She could do this. What's the worst that could happen? Okay, she could be out of a job. She could always get another. She let out the breath slowly and sat up straighter.

"I know you have rules, Chief, but I'd like to respectfully ask you to reconsider your policy on relationships between the PSOs and clients."

"Excuse me?" Gates huffed out.

"I just, well, I just don't see a reason for such a rule."

"Allow me to explain two things to you, Beckett. First of all, I am Aegis. I created it and it is my house. I will let not let allow anyone to jeopardize it. That leads directly into thing number two. I don't need a reason for a rule. If I say it, it happens. But since you feel it is so unfair, I can offer you a reason for the rule." Gates leaned forward, placing her hands together on the desk. "Let's use you as an example. Richard Castle pays me to have you look after his daughter. When she's in school you often spend a large part of the day with him, correct?"

"Well, yes, along with Ryan and Esposito."

"So, if he pays me to have you around, then I pay you for that work, and then you sleep with him, what situation do we all find ourselves in?" She paused, but Beckett didn't attempt to reply. "To put it bluntly, I would be your pimp, and he would be your John."

"Chief, I think that's quite a jump." Beckett sat forward as she felt a surge of anger and adrenaline course through her veins. "That's a rather extreme analogy."

"That's your opinion." Gates shrugged. "But I have to think of how things would look to an outside observer."

Beckett fell silent and slumped back in her chair. She hadn't expected Gates to give in without a lot of convincing, but this was far from how she'd thought the meeting would go. She looked back up at Gates, and the anger welling inside her suddenly faded into uncaring indifference. There was only one way out of this. She smiled, stood up, and reached into both front pockets of her jeans. Stepping up to Gates' desk, she pulled her hands out and laid her badge down. She removed the company car key from her keyring and laid it next to the badge.

"Mrs. Gates, I hereby render my resignation, effective immediately. "

"There's no need for dramatics, Beckett."

"I'm not being dramatic. I'm leaving to pursue other interests."

"If that's your choice, so be it." Gates stood up and crossed her arms. "But let me remind you of one thing before you go. When you started here, you signed a non-compete agreement."

"I remember." Becket replied simply.

"That contract keeps you from working as a private security officer in Los Angeles for five full years."

"Don't worry. I read it before I signed it."

"It's nothing personal, Beckett. I have to protect my clients from being shopped by another security firm."

"I understand." Beckett smiled and reached out her right hand and Gates shook it briefly. "I hope you don't take my resigning personally either."

"You're a good employee." Gates said as she crossed her arms again. "But I don't take much personally. Stop by Nancy's desk on your way out. She'll have some things for you to sign."

"Okay. Thank you."

With that, Beckett turned and left the office. She made it halfway down the hall before it fully hit her that she'd just quit her job on a whim for a relationship that didn't exist. To make matters worse, Castle and Alexis were on vacation in the Hamptons. They'd left the same day Alexis had gotten out of school for Christmas break and weren't coming back until after the first of the year. She'd have to wait until they got back to do anything. She shook her head and started walking again. This was the right thing to do. Probably.

"Dad. There is no way pyx is a word." Alexis raised her eyebrows. "I'm not even quite sure how to say it."

"My dear daughter. I do not use false words. A pyx is a box or vessel in which coins or consecrated Eucharist are kept."

"And how do you know that?"

"I'm smarter than I look." He grinned.

"Thank goodness." She replied with an equally mischievous grin.

Castle's jaw dropped open as he placed one hand on his chest and the other palm side up on his forehead.

"You've wounded me, my only offspring." He sighed. "You must pay a penance."

"What is my punishment, my overly dramatic father?"

He put his hands down and looked at her, his eyes squinted, his mouth firm.

"You must help me make hot chocolate and popcorn."

"You sure know how to keep a kid in line." Alexis said as she stood up.

"That's me." Castle replied as he arose beside her. "Laying down the law, one sweetened beverage at a time."

They both laughed and started for the kitchen. Alexis paused and turned back to the living room.

"Do you want some hot chocolate too, Grams?"

Martha looked up from the book she was reading and smiled at her granddaughter.

"That'd be lovely, dear, thank you."

Alexis nodded and trotted to the kitchen to help Castle. The kettle full of water was soon heating up on the stove, and their old air popper was set up on the counter. Alexis grabbed the kernals from a cabinet while Castle got some bowls and cups down. Their late night snack preparations were interrupted by the loud tones of the doorbell. All three members of the family looked at the front door in confusion, then back and forth at each other.

"I'll get it, Kiddo." Martha announced as she set her book down and stood up. "You and Alexis keep on doing what you're doing."

"Thank you, Mother." He said distractedly, his mind already focused back on pouring kernels into the popper.

Martha reached the door and opened it grandly without hesitation.

"May I help you?" She asked the visitor.

"Um, I'm looking for Richard Castle's house." The stranger on the front steps answered. "Am I at the wrong place?"

"Depends on who's asking."

"Oh, I'm sorry. My name is Kate. Kate Beckett."

Martha smiled widely and stepped aside.

"In that case, Kate Kate Beckett, you are most definitely in the right place. Please do come in."

Beckett couldn't help but smile at the joke about her name as she remembered how Castle had said the same thing when they'd first met.

"Thank you." She said to Martha as she crossed the threshold.

Martha shut the door and turned to Beckett.

"It's so nice to meet you, Katherine. May I call you Katherine?" She waited for Beckett to nod her reply and continued. "Richard has told me so much about you. He failed, however, to tell me you were coming tonight."

"He didn't know." Beckett blushed at her admission.

"I see." Martha winked, knocking Beckett's blush up to a whole new shade of red.

"Who is it, Mother?" Castle called from the kitchen.

Martha gestured for Beckett to set down the overnight bag she was carrying and after she did so, gently grabbed her by the elbow and led her into the kitchen. Castle looked up as they entered and his eyes filled with shock, then changed to a happy sparkle.

"Kate?" He asked as if in disbelief.

Thst made Alexis step out of the pantry, where she'd been looking for marshmallows.

"Kate!" She exclaimed joyously.

"Happy New Year's eve." Beckett said, following the words with a bite to her lower lip. Then she shrugged. "Surprise?"