Once Lost But Now Found

Chapter 13 –Rookie Year

The time was flying by, it was going on her third month as a rookie, on probation, and she and Edwards had now established a routine after they got over the initial inertia of starting a new assignment. They both had watched and learned and everyday seemed like a new experience. Edwards had taken to being the first one in, just tens of minutes ahead of Kate. That allowed him to start the coffee, and by the time Kate arrived, the morning coffee was pretty much done.

Then they would start filling the coffee cups that were to be on each detective's desk before they arrived. The detective were pretty consistent on their times of arrival, so Edwards and Beckett knew just when to place the coffees on their desks. Kate normally took care of Montgomery and Reece, Edwards took care of Shaw and Hunt. But after their coffee tasks were done, Brent always had two cups for them. It had become their morning ritual that Edwards handed her a cup and they then did the murder broad update sheets. When all the detectives had arrived and grabbed their cups of coffee, they began the morning updates to the murder board with both of them participating and making sure all the updates they had listed were placed on the board. Sometimes when questioned on their updates, more information for the board was derived as the detectives got answers from them on their updates.

Brent and her had grown close as work partners, but Edwards wanted it to be more than just work partners and each day he attempted to show Kate how he cared for her. Often on busy days when they worked thru lunch breaks, Brent always did a call in for a delivery or pickup. Sometimes it was pizza delivered to the station, other times he went to Remy's for pick up of their lunch.

The detectives always managed to catch lunch on the go, so as uniforms, they often were on their own for lunch. When the detectives were present for lunch, they were tasked to pickup the orders. On times when they worked late into the night, Brent made sure they got dinner. Again if the detectives also were there, they were once again tasked to pick up orders if there was no home deliveries offered for them.

On those occasions Kate called to let Castle know they were working late. Rick would then often order a dinner that was delivered for both of them. Castle's thoughtfulness in this matter served to remind Edwards that Kate had another man also looking out for her well being. Edwards had developed somewhat of a jealousy for Castle, but always kept it hidden. He respected what Kate and Castle had with their unconventional union despite the fact he knew that Rick had declared to her that she could date other men. Both on agreement were free to date others, and Edwards would push the boundaries of that, despite knowing that Castle was not dating other women.

Brent would wonder if Rick was attempting to show to Kate that she was the only women currently in his life? Did Rick want to send Kate a message on how he intended to be exclusive with her despite their open arrangement that she could see other men. Brent could not help but think that Castle was playing it smart, despite declaring Kate was free to date others. Brent saw the wisdom in letting Kate make her own decisions without undue influence on her. Edwards however was determined to push Rick's declaration to the fullest extent. Since being with Beckett, he had asked several times for a dinner date or movie date outside of the normal work hours. Kate had said no to all his attempts to date. So Edwards would keep pushing his intentions while at work with Kate, but always being cautious of the fraternization issue.

It was NYPD practice that once partners were known to be romantically involved, one of them was transferred out to another precinct. The logic to this practice was that partners involved romantically might be distracted in doing their job properly, because of their involvement. Brent had researched the NYPD regulations in this action. It was not an explicit regulation in writing that police partners who became romantically involved were assigned another partner. In his research Edwards discovered this was more of a established practice NYPD wide rather than a published policy. That continued practice became a well established and now accepted as 'regulation' . Although it was not in any manual or printed regulation. Brent at one time thought he might challenge this practice, if Kate and him did ever become a couple, and were discovered. But going against a practice that had become an accepted pseudo-regulation would severely hinder his promotion potential. So Brent consciously had the fraternization issue at the back of his mind.

On those times when it was slow in homicide, they often augmented the regular uniform patrols. Brent would be partnered with a senior patrol officer, Frank Curtis and Kate was partnered with Patrol Officer Neal Evens, a happily married man, much to Brent's relief. However, it was Brent's partner Frank, a single guy rumored to be a 'ladies man' who expressed interest in Kate. There had been times Edwards had to stop himself from punching Curtis in the face for some of the questions he asked about Kate. One of most annoying comments he made about her was that 'she is a fine piece of ass who needs to be rode hard'. It was so chauvinistic and sexist, that Brent wonder how such a man could have become a police officer. Curtis was worse then Demming in this matter and that was saying a lot about him.

Then one day for a patrol augment, Kate and Brent were paired. It seems after months as rookies, they were judge with sufficient time on patrol to not require a senior partner. Still Patrol work could at times be so boring as to make Kate and Brent attempt to make the best of it. They would engage in small talk on topics of mutual interest just to pass the time. It was on one of these patrols that Brent brought up a topic they had yet to discuss and had avoided up till then.

"Kate, do you trust me?"

"That's a odd question, of course I do. You're my partner. I got your back, you have mine."

"No, that's not what I mean, do you trust on a personal level. I know we ended badly when I cheated on you way back when, but I have been trying to show you I am not that person anymore. Despite that, you still refuse to go on a date with me."

"Oh", responds Kate, surprised by the clarification of his question, "we're friends Brent, but I still do not trust you with my heart."

"Do you still hurt from our breakup? It was years ago."

"You cheated on me Brent, and with by best friend. I was devastated. Maddy and I did not speak to each other for some time afterward."

There it was, the reason for her keeping him at a distance. Still Brent had to know more and asks her out right, "Do I have a chance with you Kate?"

"I don't know, but I do want you as a friend."

"Will I ever get out of the friends zone?"

"Brent, you say you have changed, well so have I. You were my first, but since then, I have been in other intimate relationships and know what I want from a man. I was so naive and inexperienced back then when we were a couple. I have grown since then and see things in a different manner."

"Kate, I too have changed. You also were my first. I too have been in intimate relationships since, some that ended badly. I came to realize that I drove you away when I should have given you reasons to stay."

"Brent, let's just keep it friendly for now and continue to be good partners on the job. Agree?"

"Anything for you Kate, I care too much for you. I want you as a friend, even if that is all I can be for you."

"Brent, I consider you a good friend, and for now, that is where I want it."

"I'm here for you Kate, partners?"

"Partners," Kate says giving Brent a high five.

Advice From Detective Hunt

When Kate got to know Det. Hunt a little better, she confided in him on her mother's murder and that it had been the motivating force that made her want to strive to be a homicide detective.

"I know that feeling of compulsion to seek justice for someone close to you. My childhood friend who was like a brother to me was murdered and it was ruled a mugging gone bad. He and I had grown up together. I met him in London when his dad had business with my father. He would often stay with us when he was in London. Then when we moved to NYC, we went to the same school and were classmates. I vowed to solve his case, I just knew deep inside it had not been a mugging."

"My mothers case was ruled the same way."

"My first suggestion to you is that you learn well what it takes to be an exceptional homicide detective. I will teach you as much as I can and you have others on Alpha you can learn from, including the best homicide I know, LT Montgomery. He schooled me, but what you must know is that cold cases are solved on down times. Which means it will take time and you must be patient.

Secondly, the other thing to consider is that your mother's cold case should not detract from any current case. You can not become so obsessed with it that it affects your other active cases. I was fortunate to have Montgomery as my mentor and C.O. By the time you earn your gold shield, he may well be Captain of the 12th and he will be an ally. Just remember cold cases are done part time on a 'not to interfere' basis with your current caseload. Lastly, if you keep in mind that your mother's case will always take back seat, you will have Montgomery's support in the matter. He understands having gone thru it with me. If Montgomery becomes Captain as is expected, he will be a strong supporter for you,"

"Thanks Detective Hunt, I appreciate the advice".

"Sure Kate, as long as I am with Alpha, you have someone you can ask about this. Someone who can be your sounding board. But keep in mind, you have the help of all of Alpha. By the time you get your gold shield, Jordan may well be lead detective, and she also can help. Strive hard to become the best homicide you can be and it will see you thru. You have it in you to do just that."

Kate was encouraged by her talk with Hunt. She knew that she want to be a detective as quickly as she could. Everyday she strove to learn and show that she was worthy to be a homicide detective.

As a homicide uniform, Kate had access to case files. On occasions she was asked to get old case files for history that related to a current case. She often would go to her mother's file and review it, before going back to homicide with the old files that had been requested. She had found many items that were not totally looked into. From the notes left by the now retired detectives on the case, it appeared they had come to conclusions not fully supported by the evidence gathered. She was still a uniform and not a detective, but even she had seen the holes in the investigations. She took notes that she recorded in a notebook.

She was getting a head start on her mother's cold case. The day would come when she would be a homicide detective. When that time came, she would officially take the case on as a cold case on her list of cold cases to be assigned to her. When that day came, Hunt had told her to officially request the case from the head detective, who in all likelihood would be Jordan Shaw. Kate appreciated all the help she had been given and strived every day to learn as much as she could on homicide investigations. With time, Kate Beckett would give her mother justice, and closure for her and her dad.