A/N: I personally am very understanding of how Kate deals with her problems because I do the same thing. Thats what I've tried to work with here. You think I got it right? Incomprehensible bullshit? Lemme know in your review.
Xxx
When Kate arrived home, it was dark outside. That time when desperation and frustration clung to the edges of the sprawling shadows on the streets. The same darkness that made her job a necessity but also hazardous to her well being. It had been ages since she had started waging this personal war against injustice, against the evil dark forces that wreck havoc in innocent hearts. She knew the fight was long and hard. Whether she was with the NYPD or the FBI. Would she truly be making a difference if she took the job she had been offered? Would she really benefit the victims, the families of the victims by being on the "national" stage? How was her personal mantra going to be impacted by this? Her mind was whirring on in circles, even more so after her meeting with Dr Burke.

'The burden of choice', she thought. With the week she'd had she needed some serious 'unburdening'. And there was no better person for that than her fiancé who was waiting for her with arms open. If only she would get over herself and run into them.

Xxxxxxx

Castle had always been proud of his immense capacity for research. Once he set his mind on something, it was assured that results would follow. His investigations this evening lived up to his name. Kate Beckett was a unique woman but her methods had been adopted from practised and perfected behaviour patterns.

Surveys conducted by the American Psychological Association showed that 75% women chose not to discuss their problems. In conflict stricken areas in the Middle East, some women had literally run away from their family for days altogether. He read stories about them, their families. He saw the lure of having a safe place for dealing with a crisis. No one to judge. No one to consider you feeble. And Kate Beckett was certainly not one to expose her weak side so easily. No. She was a fighter, a tigress; and if she needed time to lick her wounds, he could giver her that. Unless the wound was infected. Then he would intervene. His resolve was strengthened. He made peace with his choice. He went over his game plan once more. She had thanked him for giving her space while she dealt with her PTSD. His mind rehearsed the same moves.

'No pushing. No prodding. Let her come to you. Watch over her. Show up. Be there. She'll come to you eventually. You love her. She loves you. Its bound to work.'

Xxxx

When no one answered the door, Kate let herself in. She was surprised by how it felt so natural for her to open the door to her house, their house, their home, their sanctuary. She found Castle in his chair in the office, leaning over the table, asleep. His head rested on the keyboard, his mouth only partially open. A random loop of alphabets ran across the screen. She decided against jerking him awake and instead made herself a cup of tea.

When he came to, he saw her browsing through some of the books on his elaborate bookshelves. He watched her as she skimmed through a few pages of a book, pondered a bit, then put it back, then grabbed another. She went on and on with her little ritual until she finally caught his gaze.

"Rook and Nikki taking a trip to the Middle East?"

"Maybe. I was checking out my options. "

He rubbed his eyes as she sank down into the comfy armchair that he had splurged on for her to read beside him as he wrote.

"Whatcha reading?", he asked as he tried to read the title on the cover of the dilapidated little book she had picked.

"Animal Farm by George Orwell."

"Aah. Going classic are we?"

"Sort of," she murmured in passing. "Dr Burke suggested I should decompress before doing the assignment he's given me."

"What? You have to do homework?"

"It helps. Keeps the mind sharp, he says."

"If Dr Burke said so," Castle said with a boyish scowl and Kate couldn't help but giggle a little.

"What about you? Writing much?" She said raising her eyebrows towards the random stream of letters running into googols visible on his screen.

"I did write today, in fact. I just have a few finishing touches left to put on and the book is all done. Gina should be out of my hair for a long time then."

"I love it when you go all possessed writer on me."

"You like that?"

"Mm hmm. Real shame though. I was kinda hoping you would coach me on the procrastination part."

"Someone hates their homework," he teased. "Have no worries. Procrastination is my first love."

"All set then."

"You know I could help you with your homework."
Instantly, his mind reprimanded. 'Castle, you fool. No pushing, remember? Now shut your blabbermouth.'

"Actually, I'd like that."

And then, he gaped. Wide enough that she could see his tonsils. He could have pictured her shutting him down for that, mocking him, teasing him, poking him, even spanking him for that. But this...this was undiscovered territory. And Castle had dug his flag right in the centre of it. It was an eventful day indeed. He searched around a bit for words and finally found them.

"After you've told me about the case of course. Don't you want me to crack it wide open like I always do?", he redeemed himself, by blabbering on, flashing his best smile.

"I don't know if I should be worried or amused by your hubris."

"Suit yourself."

"Ok. So I went to meet the aunt. Nice, old respectable woman. Well established catering business. She said Lindy only came the first month and disappeared before her first pay. Other than that she knew nothing of importance. She gave me the number of Lindy's waitress friend. She'll be coming in tomorrow. Maybe she'll tell us why she quit her job."

"Maybe she hated the job and just couldn't bring herself to tell her roommate who set her up. Oooo I know. Maybe she was being hit on by an elderly patron. Succumbing to shame and social pressures, she quit as any self-worthy woman would."

"You're high on the paedophile theories aren't you?"

"A little, I'll admit. Anyways. Tomorrow I'll be back in business. And we need to crack this Roger rabbit. He can run but slow and steady wins the case."
Then she smirked. And their hungry tummies beckoned them to the kitchen.

Xxxxxx

They lazed on the couch, the crackling of the warm fire the only sound besides their voices. She was the first to break the chasm of silence.

"Come on Castle. I can't put it off any longer."

"Uhhm...hmm so what's this homework of yours about?"

"Well he said that I'm usually one thats used to making firm decisions. And this may be the diciest decision I've made in a long time. And it could have gone either way."

"So?"

"Sooo...I've to write down five pros and cons of takin the job."

"Ok. So what do you want me to do?"

"Stop me. If i lose my cool. Or my rationality."

"I've never known you to do that."

"I've never known me to be this troubled by dreams. Im pretty sure a majority of our assumptions are wrong in this case."

"Ok then. Where do we begin?"

"Right back at the start."
Xxxxxxxx

a/n:I'll continue onwards in the next chapter. Promise. Please review.