A/N: Thanks for the great reviews!! I had this written already, so I decided to post it instead of making you guys wait. Read and review please and thanks!


Kate was the first one to the precinct in the morning. This wasn't really unusual. She liked getting an early start on cases, looking for clues and pieces that maybe they had missed. It was peaceful in the morning, and that was especially good when something was bothering her.

Like now. All night long she had thought about Castle and Melissa. Together. She hated that thought. She knew that she needed to get a grip; after all, it wasn't her business who he decided to date. Even if he chose stupid blonde bimbos.

Beckett couldn't deny the fact that she was jealous. She wanted to be the one who Castle had great memories with, and she wanted to be the one to call him Rick. But no. The only memories they would ever have together would be case-related, and the only thing she would ever call him would be Castle, especially after last night.

Kate was still pissed.

He had been about to kiss her. She had really thought that they could've had something together. And then he goes and admits that he only tried to kiss her because it was the heat of the moment? That was just cruel, and heartbreaking. Kate didn't think that she could forgive him for something like that. But the best thing for today would be to not mention it.

There was no need to fill Ryan and Esposito in on the details of the night. God knows that once they found out, the whole precinct would know. Those two gossiped like old women.

Kate was pulled out of her thoughts when she caught sight of her desk. Well not her desk, but what was at her desk.

Slumped in her chair was none other than Richard Castle, fast asleep. Kate just stared, her mouth slightly open in surprise.

Beckett considered just turning around and leaving, she really did. But she decided that she would have to face him some time today and it was better sooner than later. So she grabbed a handful of pens and pencils off of a nearby desk and started chucking them at him.

"Castle!"

Castle jumped, his eyes opening wide. "Wha—Beckett! Why are you in my room!?"

Kate threw another pen at him and it hit him in the forehead. "I'm not in your room, idiot. You're at the precinct."

Castle rubbed his forehead with one hand and shielded himself with his other arm, just in case Kate felt the need to throw anymore pens. "You didn't have to throw writing utensils at me." He grumbled.

"Castle, why are you here?" She demanded, placing her hands on her hips.

"I work here." He said, trying not to grin. "I would've thought you knew that by now."

Beckett narrowed her eyes at him. "I mean why are you here so early?"

"I could ask you the same question." He countered.

"Whatever, Castle. I don't care anymore."

Beckett turned and walked towards the break room to get some coffee. She wasn't even surprised when Castle followed her.

"Look, Beckett, I'm sorry about last night. I still don't know what I did but I don't want you to hate me." He smiled at her, "I mean more than usual."

"How about you just go away." She suggested with her back turned towards him.

"You know what I think?" Castle said. He moved closer to her, so that he was right behind her. He lowered his voice. "I think you're jealous."

"What!?" Beckett exclaimed, turning around. She wasn't expecting him to be so close. She tried to back up but hit the counter. Castle closed the little space between them.

"You're jealous." He was staring into her eyes, and she couldn't find the will to look away. "But that's not why you got so angry. No…something happened. Was it something Melissa said?" His voice lowered to a whisper, and he leaned even closer. "Tell me, Kate. Please."

"I…," Kate didn't know what to say. Her thoughts were going haywire. She couldn't focus on anything other than how close he was, and how inviting his lips looked.

He wasn't doing this to her again. No!

Kate placed her hands on his chest and pushed him back forcefully. "Personal space, Castle." She hated the way her voice sounded breathless.

"Sorry." He said. The way his eyes sparkled made Kate positive that he was lying.

Beckett couldn't stand it anymore. She decided to forget about the coffee and stormed back out of the break room and towards her desk.

This time Castle had the sense not to follow. Instead he sat down in a chair and sighed. He would find out what happened if it killed him…and with Beckett, it just might.


"Yo, Castle!"

Castle jumped. "Hm? Wha—I'm awake!"

Esposito raised an eyebrow as he took in the sight of Castle sitting in a chair in the break room, arm propped on the table and chin resting on his upturned palm. He had clearly just been asleep.

"You know if Beckett finds you asleep in here then she'll probably hurt you."

Castle shrugged. "I'm used to it." He yawned and then spoke again. "Speaking of Beckett, have you talked to her today?" He really wanted to know if her mood had improved any since earlier this morning.

Esposito's eye twitched slightly, and Castle caught notice of the motion. "Look man, I don't know what happened between you two but it would be better—and safer—for all of us if you just shut up and listened to her for once, okay?"

Well, so much for her mood improving.

Castle stood up and stretched. "That's like asking a dog not to chase a cat."

"In this case it's more like asking a Chihuahua not to chase a lion."

Castle grinned. "We'll see."

Esposito shook his head. "Whatever, man. It's your life."

"Indeed it is."

"Esposito!" Beckett's voice cut through the air. "Get in here now! We have a case!"

Castle's smile widened. "Ooh a case!" He rubbed his hands together and nearly ran out of the room, with Esposito walking behind him.

Kate looked up from her computer when she saw Castle and Esposito approaching and stood up.

"Let's go."

Castle followed Beckett out of the precinct and climbed in the passenger side of her car. Beckett put the key in the ignition and pulled out into the traffic.

Castle thought about what Esposito had said, about how it would be better to just listen to Kate. Well…it would be very out of character for him, and not very fun, but Castle decided that he would give it a try. After all, he hated having Kate mad at him…especially when he didn't even know why.

"So where are we heading?"

"New hotel." Beckett answered. She didn't bother to take her eyes off the road.

"Who died?" Castle asked.

"A young woman, around twenty years old. Strangled with her own necklace."

"Ouch." Castle muttered. "Hey…I thought you only liked the freaky cases. What's so freaky about this one?"

"There isn't anything freaky about it. Not all of the cases we get are freaky, Castle. People get murdered in the same old ways all the time." Beckett's voice was acidic and more than a little annoyed.

"Hm. I guess not every case has a copycat killer, a nanny in a washing machine, or frozen bodies." Castle mused. "That's no fun. If you're going to murder someone, at least do it in an interesting way, am I right?"

"No, you're not." Beckett snapped.

Castle decided not to reply. There was no need to make her even angrier with him by arguing. He would just let this go.

Soon the two of them arrived at the crime scene. They road the elevator up to the fifth floor and Castle followed Beckett into the second apartment. Lying on the ground with eyes still open was a woman with dark brown hair. She had marks on her neck from where she was strangled, and the necklace was lying off to the side.

Castle couldn't help but think that she resembled Kate. He glanced between the two, and was surprised by how alike they looked. Both were brunettes, both had green eyes, and both had the same general body shape.

"Why are you staring at me, Castle?"

"She looks like you."

Beckett's eyebrows rose and she looked at the dead woman. "You're comparing me to a dead woman?" First he tries to kiss her just because, and now he thought she looked like someone who was dead? That was great. Just great.

"I didn't mean—,"

"It doesn't matter." Beckett cut him off.

She kneeled down beside the medical examiner. Lanie looked up and Beckett motioned to the body. "Do we know who she is?"

"Rachel Anthony, twenty-two years old."

"Cause of death was strangulation?"

"I can't say for certain yet, but it looks that way." Lanie said, pushing back a few lochs of Rachel's hair so that they could all see the marks on her neck.

"Time of de—,"

"What's in her hand?" Castle spoke, cutting Kate off. She threw a glare at him but he just shrugged it off.

Lanie glanced up at him, and then followed his gaze to Rachel's left hand. It was clenched into a fist. Carefully, Lanie opened her fingers and a crinkled up piece of paper fell out. Castle was the first one to grab the paper. He opened it and flattened it out, then read what it said.

His face paled.

"Well, what is it?" Beckett asked, standing up. Castle's eyes flickered from the paper to her and then back again. "Castle? What does it say?"

Castle wordlessly held the paper out towards her and she took it, giving him a confused look all the while. Her eyes scanned across it and a jolt of fear seemed to run through her body. She read it again two times, just to make sure that what she was reading was actually what it said.

"Beckett?" Lanie, who had been watching the exchange silently, spoke up. "What is it?"

Kate swallowed and began to read. "Detective Kate Beckett, you're next."


A/N: Please review! :D