A/N: It's been a busy week so I wasn't sure if I was going to post this yet, but since today is the 2 month-iversy of my having weight loss surgery, I figure why the hell not. It's a kind of big day for me. In reference to some questions, the city of Hawthorne is not based on any particular city, although I am using my experiences from having lived in a small town in Minnesota, so what state it is in is ambiguous for a reason.

Kate wasn't set to start her new job until Wednesday, so she had all of Tuesday to work on unpacking her life. By mid-afternoon Kate needed a break. On a whim, she decided to walk the few blocks to the library to get a feel for her new work environment. One thing Kate was discovering, was a big similarity between small towns and huge cities like New York in that everything was within walking distance and cars were barely necessary. The public transportation was lacking in Hawthorne with only a minibus available upon request which was most used by residents who could not walk or drive places, but it was a system that worked for the town. After nine o'clock at night nearly every business was closed and from the main road, Hawthorne looked deserted. Only one convenience store remained open for twenty-four hours and in the middle of the night was frequented by insomniacs and people getting off the night shift at the nearby hospital or the factories just outside of the city limits.

As Kate got closer to the library, a bubble of excitement grew in her gut. Nobody knew her here nor would they recognize her as the new head librarian, so being able to be "undercover" in her place of employment felt a little thrilling. Stepping into the library, Kate was struck by how outdated the décor was and how little natural light was provided. It wasn't a very welcoming atmosphere and she hoped with the new building that would be addressed. Passing the circulation desk, she quietly walked the rows of shelves, her hands crossed over her chest as she examined every book. She stopped in front of the shelf holding fiction written by authors whose last names started with P. Almost the entire unit was stuffed full of books from James Patterson.

"Is someone a Patterson fanatic?" Kate mumbled to herself, pulling one of his older Alex Cross books from its home. To say she cracked open the book would be a lie, because really the book crumbled open. The spine was not only broken, it appeared to have been taped together several times over. Kate was sure the book was more tape than actual words. "What kind of literary freak show did I walk into?" Kate's mouth hung agape.

She'd seen enough and reached to place the book back on the shelf, but changed her mind, tucking the book under her arm and marching to the circulation desk. A lone library assistant sat in front of the computer, engrossed in whatever he was working on.

Kate dropped the Patterson book on the desk, startling the zoned-out employee back to life.

"Can I…I…I help you, ma'am?" the man stuttered.

"I need to speak with the head librarian please." Kate stated.

"Just a second, I'll page him." The man fumbled with the phone and made a mostly-coherent overhead announcement.

A few minutes later a man dressed in a plum, pin-striped button-up shirt and dark denim jeans strolled up to the desk with a gleam of arrogance in his eyes. Any other day, Kate Beckett would have found this man attractive, but after viewing the state of his library Kate could only look at him with disgust.

"Hey, Kev, what did you need?" the man asked his employee.

Kevin pointed to Kate, "she wanted to talk to you."

The librarian flashed a smile that likely dazzled every new female to the town and likely some of the men. "I'm Rick Castle." He held his hand out in greeting.

"Hello, Mr. Castle. I was hoping to speak with you about some things in this library I find concerning."

Rick's smile faltered. "Certainly, Miss…"

"Kate. My name is Kate."

"What were some of your concerns, Kate?"

Kate held out the James Patterson book she pulled earlier in front of her. "I'm curious why this book is still on the shelf for one."

Rick pursed his lips, then smirked. "Not a fan of Patterson? He does write a book like every month, so I can imagine the quality of his work isn't that great. I'll tell him next time I see him."

"No, Mr. Castle. I am sure the content of this book is just fine, it is the physical state of the book that is the problem. Why is it on the shelf when it is being held together by duct tape and wishful thinking?" Kate flipped the book open. "Look at this book. The spine is broken in multiple places, pages are falling out, and that looks like blood." Kate pointed to a mysterious stain on page 143. "This book should not be on the shelf, not only to keep this library more organized, but also for the health of your patrons."

Rick sighed, rubbing his hand against the back of his head.

"I'm sorry if my 'book hoarding' has upset you." Rick forcefully chuckled, throwing her a tight smile.

Kate's hackles raised, sensing Mr. Castle's attempt at levity was passive-aggressive at best. "I have to ask, what do you do with books like this? Do you toss them? Recycle them?"

Rick's eyes widened in horror like Kate had just pulled a gun on his mother. "Excuse me? Throw out books? That's sacrilegious in the world of libraries."

Kate furrowed her brow while her scowled mouth, like her thoughts, attempted to decide if he was being serious. "I assure you Mr. Castle, most of the library community does not share your ridiculous belief that every book deserves a place on a shelf."

If Kate had shot Rick's mother right there in the library, he would have looked less offended than he did by her comment.

A raging heat rose in his belly and he met Kate's eyes in defiance. "I am a librarian," he growled, "a cultivator of knowledge, not a blasphemous heathen against history. If my belief that every book does deserve a place on a shelf is so wrong, feel free to mention it at the next town council meeting. I'm sure my friend the mayor will be more than willing to side with me."

The smug smirk Kate threw back at him before leaving the library without another word, left Rick slightly confused.

"Can you believe that woman?" Rick commented to Kevin.

The assistant's weak and worried grimace went unnoticed by the librarian who watched as the woman left the premises.

A/N again: And yes, the James Patterson section of the library I work at is basically two book shelves (and we weed the collection like mad).

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