Beckett grins. "Friday, Castle. You can take me out next Friday." She leans in, wants, again, to kiss him, but restrains herself. Too many eager eyes in the precinct, all pretending they're not watching her. "Thanks for the coffee. And my necklace."


The next week goes slowly, and quickly, all at once. Rick finds himself racing through pages and chapters of his new novel, all the while holding Gina off on the next chapter of the last Derrick Storm. Conversations with Gina have progressed back to a more normal, less angst ridden status quo, and for that he's grateful. He may not want to date her, but they had been friends, had enough of a connection for him to ask her out in the first place, and he enjoys their conversations when the romantic and physical twist is removed.

His agent has him booked in for a few signing this week, too. It's easier to oblige the publicity side of things when the words are flowing, and he attends each event, uncomplaining. Paula asks him repeatedly if he's okay- she's become so used to him dragging his feet about publicity, and she tells him that his acquiescence is unnerving. He just shrugs, and turns on the charm for the women waiting in line. It won't be long until he gets the Nikki book off the ground, and the change of pace is doing him wonders.

Kate's been teasing him as he's texted her when he's had a break each time, but he doesn't care. He messages her every hour or so when he's behind the table, pen in hand, sweet nothings that mean more than any dedication he writes in any book. The only book signing that meant anything is his phone number in Kate's well thumbed copy of Flowers for her grave. As long as Kate is replying to his texts, he'll happily play the role of the roguish writer as his day job.

He's managed a few quick lunch dates with Kate, and she's stayed over twice, but he feels like he's barely seen her, like he can't get enough of her. She's come over late, and left before dawn each time. Kate's promised him she's still good for their Friday night date, and he's booked a table at one of his favourite restaurants. She's assured him that she has Saturday off work too, so he's hopeful they'll all get to spend Saturday together, Alexis too. It will be nice to see her for more than an hour at a time, and he's hopeful he'll be able to make good on his pancake promise.


Kate misses Rick, but the week's been busy. His texts have made her laugh, and she's been sorely tempted to turn up at one of his book signings- only fair, she figures, since he's turned up at her workplace uninvited. But it's been flat out, barely time to duck out for a decent coffee, and Castle hasn't had time to bring her one either.

She's been pulled back onto homicide, and even if it means never know what happened in the bar that day, she doesn't care. Working with Jones and MacKenzie makes it worthwhile, and she knows the Captain has his eye on her too. She's been allowed into interrogations, and she senses her time as a uniform is coming to a close. Even on some of the nights she's been able to finish up and head over to Rick's at a reasonable time, she's restrained herself, forcing herself to go back to her own place. It's new, she reminds herself, and she needs to do this too. She's a cop. Right now, that has to come first.

On Thursday night, she accepts an invitation from Lanie. Just one drink, she promises herself. As she's leaving the precinct at eight, she sees Hunter packing up to leave too, and invites her on a whim. Kate has to admit to herself that having girlfriends feels good. The nights that she's been at home alone have been a lot calmer, this month, than they had been, and she knows that's mostly because of Rick. She just doesn't have quite the same drive to pull the box out from under her bed, pour through her mother's file. Somewhere, deep inside, she recognises that this is healthier. The rabbit hole is less suffocating, less all encompassing. She hasn't had a nightmare in more than a fortnight.

The bar Lanie takes them to is decked out in reds and blacks, exposed brick juxtaposed with plush couches. It's crowded, and the three women find themselves a corner with a tall table, perch themselves on silver bar stools.

"So, spill," Lanie directs Kate, as soon as they're settled with their vodka martinis. "Have you seen him again since I saw you last?"

Veronica laughs. "Oh, you don't know?"

"Oh," Lanie's leaning in, curiosity lacing her voice. "You do?"

"Guys!" Kate's laughing too. "Sitting right here."

"Shush." Veronica waves Kate down as she addresses Lanie. "You know he happened to be in the bar we were undercover in, last week, when it got shot up?"

"No way!" Lanie's eyes are wide as she stares at Kate.

"He-" Kate starts.

"Shush." This time Lanie cuts her off. "Veronica, tell me more."

Kate groans and sips her martini as Veronica recounts the meeting in the bar.

"He's chivalrous," she nods at Beckett with a raised eyebrow, as she gets to the part where Castle had intervened.

"Very stupid, more like," mutters Beckett, but she's lying, can't fault that she likes that about him, that he seems to have such an ingrained sense of right and wrong.

"One thing I can't work out, though- Beckett, he looks familiar." Veronica's shaking her head. "Should I know who he is?"

Kate squeezes her eyes shut, tries to think on her feet. "He's-" She shakes her head. "No reason for you to know him, no. Actually, Lanie- I've been meaning to ask- what happened with Javier. Have you seen him lately?"

Lanie sighs. "Nice side step, honey. Now you've got me really curious about this man of yours. But, in answer to your question, no, I haven't seen Javier lately." She looks disappointed, but not quite heartbroken, Kate thinks.

"Javier Esposito, from the fifty-fourth?" asks Veronica.

"Mm-hmm." Lanie confirms.

"There's weird shit going down at the fifty-fourth," Veronica clarifies. "I wouldn't worry about it though."

Lanie agrees. "He'll call. Sooner or later."

Kate sits back. She's off the hook for the moment, she thinks, knowing that if it comes out, if Rick actually bases a character on her, they'll all know. Everyone. In the whole precinct. Possibly the whole of the NYPD, because Veronica's as bad as Lanie, and between them they seem to know everyone in the entire force.

A few drinks later, and she's not so sure how it's happened. Lanie's kept their drinks topped up, and somehow it's all- or mostly- come spilling out.

"Richard freaking Castle?"

"That was my reaction exactly!" she assures Lanie, laughing along with Veronica. She looks at her watch. "Guys, I've got to call it a night."

"Yeah, get home to your honey." Veronica grins knowingly.

Kate shakes her head. "Home. I am going home. Alone. To my bath." She winks. "And maybe a good book."


Rick doesn't need an alarm on Friday. Neither does he need Alexis to come bouncing into his room like she so often does- he's awake at the crack of dawn. He reminds himself that it's a ridiculous. A date with Kate isn't going to change anything, he tells himself. He's missed her this week, but when he's seen her, she's been centred, and smiling, and January might not be quite over, but it's the second last day of the month, and he's thinks her demons have been banished, for the time being. He hopes so.

He thinks she's quite different to the woman he'd imagined, the night he'd met her. She's driven, and passionate, and fragile and strong. She's private, guarded, she's never spoken to him about her father again. Then, sometimes, she's so open and she'll share a story about her Mom as though doesn't hurt her to speak the words. Making love is just that, and he can't even remember if it's ever been like that with anyone else. And he can't begin to pretend that he's not in love with her.

Rick walks Alexis to school, practically skipping beside his daughter. He leaves her at the gate with a promise to collect her in the afternoon and spend some time with her before Katrina comes over to baby-sit. It figures that the night he really wants to take his mother up on her offer to look after Alexis whenever he needs, he can't collect because Martha's out of town. From the school he takes a cab. He could buy flowers anywhere but he knows a place, knows a guy. He's actually got Kate's address now, and he likes the poetry of showing up with a selection of flowers he picked out himself.


Beckett's Friday is going well. She'd made it home by eleven, in bed by twelve. This morning she'd managed a run- cutting corners by running into work and showering when she arrived instead of running in the park. Maybe she'll get out of work by four, and have the chance to relax before her date tonight. She hasn't admitted as much to Castle, but she's actually really looking forward to it. Going round to his place has been great, but it's been a long time since someone's gone to the effort to take her out- or since she's let them. A real date is long overdue, and the fact that she actually already knows she likes the guy is just a bonus.

She's been out in the field with MacKenzie this morning, leaving the precinct almost as soon as she arrived- and is she ever craving a coffee- a body has dropped and they're some of the first on the scene. Evidently Lanie and Veronica didn't have the foresight to leave the bar until long after Kate was gone, and Lanie's paying the price this morning. The unfortunate victim has been in the Hudson for the last couple of days, and identifying the guy will be a bitch, Lanie tells her, none of her usual professional demeanor apparent.

That the M.E. looks a little green, swaying over the dead body, is an irony Kate won't forget, since Lanie's usually got an iron stomach no matter the shape of the corpse. MacKenzie, for his part, flirts with the medical examiner, but if Lanie notices, she says nothing. It's yet another thing Kate will file away if (when) she needs leverage.

Beckett and MacKenzie make it back to the precinct, and Kate offers to do a coffee run for the detective- a thinly veiled guise of getting herself some good quality caffeine and avoiding the break room machine. MacKenzie grunts at her in tacit agreement, and Jones calls out an order as she exits. By the time she gets back, they have set up the murder board, and Kate leans against the desk, looking at the board with the two men. The three toss around theories for a bit, but they can't do much until they get a little more from Lanie, or Perlmutter. If Kate's prediction is correct, Lanie will beg off the case and nurse her hangover elsewhere.

When Beckett's cell rings, she looks first at the caller ID. Unknown number. Huh. "Beckett."

Castle's voice on the other end has none of its usual warmth. "Kate- it's me. Rick." He sounds out of breath.

"Rick. What's up?" Kate keeps her voice casual, but worry is creeping into the pit of her stomach.

"Kate, I'm so sorry- I need to cancel our date-"

"What?" She's shaking her head at the phone in confusion.

"Sorry." His breath is coming fast, in short bursts. "I- I said that wrong. I- I'm at the hospital. Car accident."

Kate grabs at the desk as her vision goes momentarily black. Shit. She doesn't know if she verbalises the curse or not, but she's aware of Jones turning to her, grabbing her arm, keeping her upright as her legs threaten to collapse beneath her.


Thank you all for the reviews, follows and favourites! Especially to BlueOrchid96 for the quick catch up and review of every chapter! x