Lanie stared at Kate with wide eyes. "You're kidding, right?"

Kate shook her head and looked up at the medical examiner. She knew that the fear she saw in Lanie's eyes was mirrored in her own.

"Beckett we have to do something." It was Castle who spoke. Kate turned to him.

"Yeah, like what?"

"Well…I don't know." He admitted. "But you can't just go on walking around out on the street when there's some psycho trying to kill you."

"I'll be fine. I'm a big girl, okay? I can take care of myself." Kate turned her back to Castle and focused once more on the body. "What we need to do is focus on solving this girl's murder."

"But—,"

"Castle."

"But Beckett—,"

"Castle!"

Castle sighed. Fine. If she wanted to act like this was no big deal, then fine. He would let her…for now.

It was only a little while more that they were at the crime scene. They had gotten enough information about the victim to go on, and were heading back to the precinct to talk to Esposito and Ryan.

They were about to leave the hotel when a familiar voice stopped them.

"Ricky?"

Oh no. Not her. Kate turned around to see exactly who she was dreading. Melissa stood there holding a huge shopping bag and wearing a skirt that could barely even be considered a skirt, because it was so short, and a shirt that was way too tight and way to low cut. Castle looked just as shocked to see her as Kate, if not more.

"Melissa? What are you doing here?" He asked.

Melissa dropped the shopping bag and ran towards him. "Oh Rick! There was a murder, and I'm staying in this hotel! I'm so scared. What if the killer comes for me next? I don't know what I'll do." She hid her face in his chest and wrapped her arms around him. Castle's hands fluttered awkwardly at her back. He was unsure if he wanted to hug her back or push her away. "Would you…would you stay with me tonight?" Melissa begged.

Beckett had to work hard not to gag. She crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her foot impatiently. Castle glanced at her.

"Uh, listen, Mel, I really have to go. You know, murder investigation and all…," He trailed off.

Melissa pulled away from him far enough to see up into his eyes and pouted. "But Ricky, aren't I more important?"

Kate snorted and Melissa glared at her. Kate tried to pass it off as a cough.

"I…," Castle mumbled. "I have to go. I'm sorry." He pushed her back gently and she stared at him in disbelief. Then she narrowed her eyes and glanced at Kate.

"Well…fine." Melissa placed one hand on her hip. "But I'll be waiting, Ricky."

She smiled and made to move towards Castle, obviously trying to kiss him, but he ducked away from her to quickly.

Beckett turned and walked out the door, Castle on her heels. Melissa watched them leave with arms crossed and a scowl on her face.

Castle climbed in the passenger seat and Beckett in the driver's, and soon they were once again driving down the road. Castle leaned back in his seat and sighed. He thought about Melissa briefly, but then his mind focused back to the more important matter – the note threatening Beckett.

Castle glanced over at the detective. He watched her discreetly for a few seconds before looking out the windshield. He didn't know what he would do if Beckett ever got hurt. Ever since the case with the ritualistic killings and the show-down in that woman's apartment, he's been more and more worried. At first all of this was just a game to him. He never paid any attention to the fact that Beckett may actually get killed. It was when she told him that he saved her life that he was overwhelmed with a need to protect her. He didn't want her to get hurt, physically or emotionally. She was the princess and he was her knight in shining armor.

But this wasn't a fairytale, and this wasn't one of his books. What was happening was real.

"Have any ideas who it is?"

Beckett was caught off guard by Castle's question. Her eyes flickered towards him and then back to the road. "What?"

"The person who left the note and murdered the girl. Any ideas?"

"I know as much as you do as of now. We're not going to find out anymore until we talk to Rachel's family."

"We?" Castle said. He didn't know why he was surprised. After all, did he really expect that Beckett would just sit around and let someone else solve the case for her, even if she was being targeted? "You can't go talking to families and people who may have possibly murdered this girl if they're after you too!"

"It's my job, Castle." Beckett said quietly.

She focused her gaze on the road, keeping herself calm and professional and acting like this wasn't anything out of the ordinary. But inside she was terrified. She had solved too many cases to count, but never before had she been a target for the killer. Kate was afraid to go to her apartment tonight, afraid of who could possibly be waiting there for her. But she would never tell anyone that, especially Castle. She was the strong, confident detective, and there was no way she was going to let her façade crack now.

"It's not your job to be killed, Beckett." Castle said, matching Beckett's quiet tone. "It's your job to solve cases."

"And that's what I'm going to do!" She exclaimed. "I'm going to find Rachel's murderer so that the sick idiot can be put in jail and her family can have some closure. This girl was a daughter, a friend, and maybe a sister. You have no idea the torment that a person goes through if they don't know who killed their loved one. I can guarantee that her family and friends will spend weeks and months and maybe even years thinking about what they could have done to prevent this, how they could have gone with her somewhere or convinced her not to go." Kate took a deep breath. "You have no idea what it's like, Castle."

Castle watched her, and felt the urge to reach out and touch her shoulder and tell her that it would be okay. It was clear that Beckett was upset by this, and Castle didn't blame her. Who wouldn't be upset if they just found out that some killer was after them? He knew that he would be.

Castle sighed, and spoke in a quiet voice. "I know. I understand. I know about your mother, about what you went through, but Kate…you could end up dead. Why don't you just let some other detective handle this?"

"Because it's my case, and I'm going to solve it, whether it kills me or not." Kate growled. Her hands clenched on the steering wheel. "And why do you care anyway, Castle? Why do you give a damn if I die or not? You'll have Melissa. You two can form a nice happy little family." Kate slammed the brakes on and pulled up to the curb. "Don't let me ruin it for you."

The next second Beckett was out of the car and disappeared into the precinct. Castle sat in the car, dazed and completely confused. Wow. Okay, so she was angry about Melissa. Incredibly angry.

Castle leaned his head back against the seat and shut his eyes. Things had been so easy a day ago before everything had happened. Now there was a murder that Beckett was determined to solve, a flighty ex-girlfriend determined to seduce him, and a killer who just happened to be targeting the woman Castle had fallen in love with. Things couldn't possibly get any worse.

Right?


A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed! They inspire me to write faster. Please review :)