A collection of unrelated one-shots exploring various 'what if' scenarios. #18: What if… Castle didn't come clean about Johanna Beckett's murder at the end of 1x10?

It's new and tentative, this thing between them – sharing beds and lives and progressively larger pieces of their hearts. A different take on the events of 3x22 through 4x01. One-shot.

Kate Beckett wakes in a world where nothing is as she knows it to be. A season 4, AU story. NOW COMPLETE.

'She tortures herself on the walk through the airport, wonders how he's spending his Thanksgiving this year.' AU set post 5x24, 'Watershed'. Two shot for Thanksgiving.

"It's him," her colleague answers and it's the solemn tone of his voice, the grave quality of words that she's heard in only the most dire of circumstances, that confirms it for her before he has to say another word. "It's Castle. They found him. Alive." AU. An entry for the Castle Ficathon 2017.

"Detective Castle, this is Katherine Beckett, famous mystery novelist with 26 bestsellers to date, perhaps 27 soon if this all works out. And your shadow for the foreseeable future." AU.

'Life hasn't exactly been going well for him throughout the last three years, but he hadn't expected dying lost, alone, and in the middle of New York's worst blizzard in decades, to be his fate.' An AU twist on season 8 that picks up from the end of 8x07, 'The Last Seduction'. Two shot.

'Loving her wasn't going away quietly. Loving her might break him.' Takes place after 4x21 Headhunters. Co-authored by jstar1382, chezchuckles and griever11.

'It's been over a year since he last saw her and after all this time, of all places, he's literally bumped into her in the middle of Paris.' A post 3x24, Knockout, AU.

'It's a plush elephant, sinfully soft and grey, long floppy ears and velvety feet, soulful black eyes and a curved, downy trunk. And she doesn't even have to guess to know it was him. That Castle sent her this.' Set immediately after the summer that followed Beckett's shooting in 3x24, 'Knockout'.

'Kate casts her gaze to the evening sky, momentarily ponders how she ended up here with a supposedly unlucky cat and a ludicrous writer both accompanying her home on Halloween night.' A Castle Halloween Bash 2016 entry. Set in season 3.

Inspired by the prompt: 'Castle is looking for Beckett and the boys tell him she's in the gym, but he finds her crying in the shower.' Set post 4x09, Kill Shot.

It'd been one of the more bizarre phone calls she'd ever received... AU post-ep for episode 4x20, 'The Limey.'

Set during 4x01: Rise. Castle strode past the diner's long bank of windows as quickly as his legs would take him. A bead of sweat trickled down the middle of his back despite the cool of the evening. He was desperate to get inside. Kate's father had called him not a half hour ago and he couldn't get there fast enough.

'The blood has consumed the white of her shirt, drenched the fabric of her jacket, left her skin dull and papery, but he fell in love with a fighter, a warrior of a woman, and she can't give up now. He won't let her.' Takes an AU turn immediately after the shootout in the kitchen in 8x22, 'Crossfire'.

This can't be the end; this just cannot be it. AU for episode 3x17, 'Countdown.'

'It's probably later than what is appropriate for him to be showing up on her doorstep, the city-lit darkness of nightfall pressing in against her windows, the lingering taste of her mouth still on his tongue, and his hand still alive with a pain that laces through his knuckles.' An AU post-ep for 3x13, Knockdown.

A collection of filled prompts.

'All they went through, all they fought for, shines so brightly in moments like these. And as Castle so often likes to remind her, she would never change their story either, not a single chapter. Not when every page spent with him means more to her than words could ever describe.' Post-ep for 8x22, 'Crossfire'.

That's what the great love stories are about, beating the odds. Set immediately before the time jump. 8x22

'They're all in pairings, cut into halves, and if this is a study into separation anxiety, then it's definitely working. Even though Castle technically isn't her other half.' An AU version of 8x12, 'The Blame Game', set in season 3.

"This wasn't her typical scene, but she swallowed down the hesitation and painted on a smile. After all, he did all of this for her, to honor her mom." - Season 3 AU based around the time of the Johanna Beckett Scholarship Benefit. *2015 Winter Castle Ficathon*

'"She's nearly dead, Castle. Maddox beat her to a pulp and I know you're off the team, but she needs you." He may be angry with her, brokenhearted and wounded over her, but like hell is he going to stay away from the woman he loves when she's on the brink of death. Again.' AU to 4x23, Always.

"If Tyson wants to play, he can play with her. Alexis will come out of this intact if it's the last thing Kate Beckett does." Season 4 AU. TW for violence, assault, recovery, and mature themes.

'She normally works the New Year's Eve shift; she's used to spending this moment in solitude. She had just hoped this year would be different.' Set mid season 4.

Post-ep for 8x02, XX. Castle doesn't allow Beckett to walk out, not without a fight.

Castle and Beckett go undercover at a gated community, to investigate a string of mysterious deaths. Set Christmastime of season four, after Cuffed.

"If you would have just stopped, if you would have just let it go…" Roy shakes his head, lips pursing with shame or disappointment, perhaps both. "We wouldn't be here if you would have just stood down." An alternative turn of events in 3x24, Knockout.

'Kate jerks up from her seat, ready to do damage, to make Vulcan Simmons pay, but before she can even dig her hands into his shirt and fling him against the wall, Castle already has him by the neck.' A twist on 3x13, Knockdown.

'Castle plops down to the sand once she's gone, opens his notebook on his bent knees and uncaps his pen. He came here for inspiration, and he may have just found it.' Based on a gif set by katigron on tumblr.

'Just another job, that's all Richard Castle would ever be. Maybe if she repeated it enough, she would actually believe it.' Based on a gifset by veraflynns on tumblr.

'He finds Kate Beckett standing in the middle of her small kitchen, an umbrella opened over her head, her entire body soaked in the water that's breaching her ceiling and coming down hard on her and everything she owns.' Inspired by a prompt from castlefanficprompts. Two shot. AU.

tumblr prompt: They slept together after Ryan's wedding but never talked about it. Kate finds out she is pregnant but doesn't know how to tell him, especially after the events of 47 seconds (and Limey).

Kate marries Josh but says Castle's name at the wedding. Based on the Friends Episodes 4x23 and 4x24 'The One With Ross's Wedding' and prompted from the Castle Fanfics prompt blog on Tumblr.

"The lovers, the dreamers, and me." -Rainbow Connection. A Castle 6 Year Anniversary story, a little celebration for the fans.

An AU version of sorts for the events of Resurrection (7x14) and Reckoning (7x15), set in season 4.

'This isn't an adventure, it isn't fun. It's a nightmare. They're being hunted like foxes and there is no other option, no way to fight, to win. They can only run.' An AU twist on 6x22, Veritas. For Nadia.

What if New York City was subject to another terrorist attack and Beckett became one of the first responders? Set Season 4, one week after 4x07 Cops and Robbers.

'"There's no one else I'd rather be snowed in with," he teases, his lips grazing the chilled shell of her ear, curling into a grin when a shudder that he doubts is from the cold clambers down her spine, but the words couldn't be more true.' Castle and Beckett weather the storm together. Set early season 4.

She has a baby. She brought a baby back from Haiti. Can you even do that? Season 3 AU.

Her eyes search his at the door. Pupils rapid, darting back and forth, manic with something he's seen flares of before but hasn't dared put a name to. Post Cops and Robbers.

A drunken Kate Beckett is not what he had expected for Christmas, but he's not complaining. A season 2 AU holiday oneshot.

"The other offer is amazing. I'd be stupid not to take it. But walking away from Nikki – from you – would be even more stupid." Episode insert for 2x05.

A single chance meeting can change everything. AU. Cover art by ournorthstars.

"Stick around for next year, Beckett. You can be Pocahontas," he teases, nudging her with his elbow. "Not even in your dreams, Castle." An AU Thanksgiving oneshot set post 2x18 (Boom!)

"I love you, Kate," he murmurs softly, the words he's kept swallowed down for almost an entire year finally slipping from his lips. "And I promise if I make it out of this alive, I'll tell you when neither of us are on the brink of death, okay?" An AU version of 7x08, Kill Switch.

A chance encounter leaves Kate questioning the decisions of her past and the road that she's currently walking with Castle. Will making a different choice lead to a new them? Or will the ghosts that haunt them both prove too much to overcome? A rewrite of 47 seconds.

Missing scenes from the series as a whole. For Alexis.

Her heart was still in jagged pieces after the summer. The sequel to 'still our hands match'. Takes place throughout season 3. AU. Cover art by ournorthstars.

"Kate," the use of her first name has the detective's eyes popping open, another shuddering breath released from its hold in her throat, "I don't want to wait anymore," he whispers, delighted at the soft curl of her smile, the light blush that paints a pink glow against her skin. [47 seconds AU. Castle asks Beckett on a date after talking to Martha.]

"I know I'm who you think of when the moon is up and the night is late and that will always be enough." One shot.

A series of unrelated ficlets written for the cuddles and hugs meme. Number 20: Pre-Wedding Hug.

post-ep for Veritas, 6x22 "...on the haunting flares we turned our backs And towards our distant rest began to trudge." 'Dulce Et Decorum Est', Wilfred Owen

He hears the thud first, sees the blood before he sees her. A great thick smear of it staining the wall and his heart plummets, Castle's shallow gasp barely making a sound as he stumbles forward. Set in and around Veritas. M for occasional language.

post-ep/fill-in for 6x17 'In The Belly Of the Beast'. Kate makes her way back to him.

They're silly and she likes it, likes how easy it feels as they drift hand in hand towards his bed and Castle starts in again about what she has planned for him, what idle tricks her fingers will pull in the night and what secrets she'll whisper in his ears. Post Epi for Room 147.

It should have brought them closer together, not torn them apart – she understands this now. What she doesn't know is whether any way back for them still remains. Future fic - Complete. **Winner of 'Favorite M rated Fanfic Multi-chp' in the 2013 Castle Fanfic Writers Guild Awards**

"Nobody can see me. I know that. Because nobody at the wedding can see the dead." Castle and Beckett's wedding from Johanna Beckett's POV.

Castle wakes up in a hospital bed, and the last thing he remembers is telling Kate he loves her as he hangs over her lifeless body at Montgomery's funeral. But Kate is sitting at his bedside, unharmed. This story is about how Castle learns to deal with his memory loss as he struggles to get all he has forgotten back. AU.

Post-47 Seconds. 'Kate stands several feet away from Castle's spot at the far end of the bar, hands jammed into her pants pockets, fists curled up tight with her short nails digging half-moons into her palms while the writer studiously tries to ignore her. "You're angry." "You think?" His voice is harsh, dripping sarcasm.

Today, she is glowing. Glowing. He can see her smile through the thin veil covering her face, walking toward him, ready to be his wife.

She lets her hand rest over one of the patches of off-white silk, almost feels warmth seep from the fabric, smells the scent that seems to have irrevocably permeated the fibers. Hears the familiar tinkle of laughter that's been missing from her life for so long.

SPOILERS: Post-ep for 6x11 'Under Fire'. 'They trudge through the front door, feet heavy, hair, clothes, everything reeking of smoke. They have sooty smudges on their faces and a pair of matching grins that are already threatening to fade to nothing – soppy, tired, over emotional. "Hey, come here," growls Castle, catching her sleeve and tugging her back towards him'. COMPLETE

It wasn't planned, wasn't a date, but when he'd shown up looking striking in his suit and with his arm empty, she'd gravitated to him like she always did, her whole body orienting toward him as if he was her shining beacon in a dark, starless night. Follows episode 4x11, "Till Death Do Us Part." -COMPLETE-

They stumble through her door, her lips frantic on his, her fingers gripped tightly around the back of his neck, cold against his skin. Post-ep for 5x24 'Watershed', doubling as an episode insert for 6x01, 'Valkyrie.'

"Here, there is a sky full of stars she can actually see. There's the sound of the waves crashing, the smell of fall and salt air and fireplaces burning. There's a chill in the breeze off the ocean and the feel of sand underneath her feet." A collection of oneshots set in the Hamptons.

The tux. The gold dress. An event, an announcement and a limo ride... NO spoilers for season 6.

"I thought you said you weren't going to dance," he says, bending his head close to hers. "I thought you wanted to touch," she says. A series of one-shots, each chronicling a different first for Castle and Beckett as a couple.

The last time Castle regained consciousness, he was just grateful to be alive. Now, that other world dances technicolor at the edges of his dark reality.

A bridge for episode 3x24 'Knockout' between the hangar scene and the funeral. 'You're sitting on the hood of your car outside the aircraft hangar when she finally appears, grief and the darkness painting her face with an ash-grey wash. "Castle? What are you still doing here?" she asks. "Waiting for you." COMPLETE

A co-authored story by seilleanmor and chezchuckles. An argument between them causes Castle to give Beckett the silent treatment. References to Target/Hunt, Lives of Others, Squab, and Still. Watershed has not happened.

You Only Live Twice. The continuing adventures of Spy Castle and Beckett.

She's dizzy. So dizzy that the world seems to tilt on its axis.

He wanted to be there. Wants to be there, so badly. Follows The Vigil in the Sweetheart series. In progress.

She can't stop thinking about it... Episode reaction to 5x17, 'Scared to Death.'

She's shaking, her legs wobbly, fingers clamped around the doorknob as if it's the only thing keeping her upright. Her stomach tightens, with fear, with want, with everything she's so carefully held in check for months, years... What if for 3x22, 'To Love and Die in L.A.'. Happy Birthday, Joy! Winner of "The 12th" Fan Awards 2013 for best M-rated fanfic (under 10,000 words).

an AU from Cartographical's list: What if Richard Castle was a spy? with special thanks to mjsofter for the cover art

From the video by yamakiluv. Castle is given an ultimatum: the file for Beckett's life. AU Future.

Oh, she really hopes these aren't more grocery lists of all the ingredients Castle needs for his odd culinary creations. One shot. Complete.

So here she is, front splayed against the dirty parquet floor and hand pushed against the elevator doors, trying in vain to reach him or, at the very least, to become as close as she can possibly get. The future. Think, Kate. Think.

She can't believe their moment is going to happen here, in a hospital room, when she can't even reach out to stop him. Slight Spoilers for 4x21.

A 'Dash Away' sequel.

co-authored by Sandiane Carter and chezchuckles. Beckett and Castle are assigned to work a case undercover.

He really has to wonder how it is that they end up in these situations. It's like they're magnets for near-death. Complete. Sequel: More Than Them.

Watching too much Setup/Countdown produces fic like this. Castle and Beckett encounter something that just might act as a wrecking ball.

A writer, a detective, and her cat ring in the new year. A sequel to "Fluff." Yes, you should probably read that first. COMPLETE.

Post-ep for the Wedding. SPOILERS. co-authored by Sandiane Carter and chezchuckles. Multi-chapter.

Castle tries to convince Beckett of the magic of the season. A chapter posted every day. COMPLETE

No Light, No Light continuation. A Dash Away prequel. The morning after that terrible case. COMPLETE

A Ghost on the Canvas sequel by Sandiane Carter and chezchuckles. Beth Beckett is coming back to New York City. COMPLETE

When Kate Beckett went to get her book signed by Richard Castle, she never imagined that she'd end up meeting his daughter, much less offering to babysit for the afternoon. AU.

A Dash Away Prequel. Chapters 95-99 should catch you up . Based upon geekygreek's idea of pinky fingers and the overwhelming call for backstory. Content warning for violence: This is what made her see him clearly.

"She had told him that wall was there, and he had promised that they would figure it out and that it wouldn't always be there; she had never said she wouldn't help him break it down". Kate finds a way to give back. Lots o'fluff.

Post-finale. Castle tries to put the pieces back together.

"Tell me one thing, does the song make sense?" Castle, Beckett, a charity benefit. Minor spoilers for middle of Season 3. T now, but will be M later.

Just one touch. That's all it takes. Post 3.06 - 3XK.