Two years later,

His wife had wanted him to stop by a book store and pick up a copy of the Nikki Heat diaries, Jim Vaughn had just wanted to go home and watch a Yankees game. His wife won the argument and Jim Vaughn found himself in a bookstore near the precinct.

And at the end of a very very long que of people.

A passing shop attendant caught his eye " Excuse me, miss, what's going on here?"

A curious glance from the attendant caught the badge on his belt " Well officer, we've got Nikki Heat in the store, signing books. Last time she was here people waited for three hours." \

the attendant went off to do her thing as Vaughn figured that his wife would be impressed if he got the book signed as a surprise. Just before she went out of his eyesight Vaughn caught her starting to chuckle.

Remarkably the queue he was in was suddenly starting to move ahead a little faster, within minutes, Jim Vaughn found himself within audible range of the table where 'Nikki' was signing. As one of the women still up front thanked her, Vaughn for a brief moment thought he recognized the voice.

He dismissed it nearly instantly, it couldn't be her.

Not five minutes after that, Jim Vaughn found out how wrong he was. It was her!

At the table signing books, sat none other then Kate Beckett, or was it Kate Castle now? Vaughn didn't really bother reading the tabloids, but did recall that he fired Beckett not that very long ago.

" Ms Beckett."

" Captain Vaughn."

" We seem to remember each other quite well, miss Beckett." Vaughn tried to smile but didn't succeed. Kate didn't respond either.

" It's not easy to forget the man that made you give up a calling."

" Oh is that what is was? A calling? The 12th is a real precinct now that you and the prima donna's have gone." He sneered. Off to the side, behind one of the stands, Richard Castle was silently eyeing his wife.

" What do you want Vaughn?" Kate turned to ice.

" I was hoping you'd sign this for my wife."

Kate didn't smile but did pick up a pen and wrote a few choice words on the front of one of the books. She handed it to him with a rather fake smile and ignored him further as he left.

" You okay?" Castle had closed the distance to his wife.

Kate exhaled deeply as she felt her husband's physical presence nearby. Then she gave him her sternest look, that look, that she would save for perps that got caught during their freaky cases

"Was it something I said?"

" That was the guy that got me fired from the department." Castle looked up to see if Vaughn was still around but didn't spot him.

"So it wasn't something I said." she rewarded him with the eye roll he liked so much. " It's just that, seeing him here, I feel a little uneasy about it."

Castle said nothing at first. But as he read his wife her eyes, he pulled her close and hugged her.

" I'm proud of you."

" Don't be, I considered shooting him. But that would be messy, and I'd really like to be home for some peace and quiet after this."

Their brief hug got interupted by Esposito, now bodyguard of the Castles. After getting shot and thus unfortunately being the cause for Beckett's 'forced' resignation, he healed with more then a little help from a certain ME that threatened to smack him if he didn't do his exercises and take his pain meds on time. Later the NYPD's physical board determined that the detective had to take a medical pension due to the fact that some of his injuries would never heal.

Feeling he needed additional security in both his and his now wife her life, Castle made him a job offer 5 minutes later. It worked out surprisingly well, even Mrs R, who still spend time at the loft, felt better.

Half a year into his new job, Esposito proposed to Lanie, who gladly accepted as it kept her close to Kate and her 'writer boy'.

" Do you guys need a moment, again?" This came from Ryan, still with the NYPD, who was now standing behind them as well.

" And does that include me as well?" Came the voice of Roy Montgomery. Kate smiled a joyous smile as all her friends had all assembled in the bookstore. " Since this was your final stop, I figured a small get together would be nice." Esposito explained as he hugged his longtime partner Ryan.

" You're forgiven." Kate answered while hugging first Lanie then Ryan. When it was her former boss's turn, she found him missing.

While Kate was busy welcoming her friends, Castle and Montgomery had exchanged a few brief glances. Glances which caused them both to have a little private talk away from the gathering. And it was a private talk Montgomery didn't want Kate to find out about.

After a " Glad to see that you're both doing okay. " Roy Montgomery left. He had work to do.

The following morning both Kate and Rick slept in late and had turned their phones off before going to bed.

Both regretted that action about halfway through their breakfast. The volume of messages was quite staggering. Within 5 minutes however all that slipped to the wayside. Both of them had a message from Montgomery, asking them to meet him at the 12th precinct for lunch.

There were quite a number of people there, busy working as usual Castle and Beckett noticed as they came in through the ever familiar elevator. There were a lot of old faces there but even more new ones.

Castle had a sudden inclination to check the break room and see if the espresso machine was still there. It took him a mere 5 seconds to see that yes, it was all indeed still there.

Kate gave her hubby a quick stare as he entered the office where Montgomery was waiting fashionably late. Roy Montgomery and Police commissioner Edwards did the same. " You're late."

The two men got the same sheepish grin Beckett got when Castle had pulled a stupid stunt which he still did with decreasing regularity " Sorry." Castle then took a seat next to his wife.

" I'll be frank." Edwards began " The NYPD lost a good detective in you, Mrs Castle." the commissioner's remarks caused more then a few frowns with both of the Castles. What was this all about? " And sometimes the NYPD makes mistakes, especially with your dismissal. We'd like to make amends for that."

Castle couldn't believe his ears but butted in anyway " Amends, how?"

The commissioner smiled " Reinstatement along with a promotion to Lieutenant." Roy Montgomery had to smile. The Castles tended to surprise people. Now he had surprised them. It felt good.

" But that ain't all we have in mind." Castle, still obsessed with his little black book wherein he was jotting stuff down at an unseen rate didn't notice that remark until Kate slapped him on the knee " Pay attention, this one's about you." She pulled the little black book away from him.

" In the reports that have passed my desk on the actions of Detective Beckett you get more then an occasional mention, Mr Castle."

" It's all about the story, that's how this works. Or rather, I work." Castle sheepishly admitted as he noticed his wife glaring at him again.

" Yes well, the only thing that matters is that you get results along with Detective Beckett. And I were to break up that winning combination I'd be really dumb. Therefore, I'm doing the exact opposite. Mr Castle, I'm offering you a position with the NYPD." the Commissioner coughed briefly " However your results Mr Castle, much more will be asked of you. The basic premise is that you will be asked to set an example, especially since you will be under the command of your wife."

Castle watched his wife cast a predatory glare in his direction and shuddered and it also seemed as if Kate was shuddering too. This was not good. The shudders kept going.

" what would my position be then?" It seemed the polite thing to ask to the commissioner.

" Remember what I said about being under your wife her command?" Castle nodded " Since you're still a well known and respected author, Mr Castle, we shouldn't upset the literary world too much by offering you a fulltime position and rank much like your wife would have. Therefore we won't do that."

The commissioner shuffled a few papers across the desk and took one apart. " Tell me Mr Castle , what do you know about the Auxiliary force of the NYPD?"

" Nothing much. They're the officers who guard some of the PD parking lots and stuff like that." he answered

" A vitally important task, but since we'd waste your talents there, we won't go as far as that." Edwards now handed him the file that contained his offer.

Castle, finished it in under a minute.

" Are you sure that's such a good idea?" Kate yanked the file from him as he answered the commissioner. " Hey!"

Kate Beckett or now Kate Castle wasn't as quick a read as her husband, but she still got through the same document nearly as quick.

The death glare returned again, startling Castle.

" I can't pick this one for you, but know this, if you get hurt I'm going to shoot you."

Roy Montgomery smiled. That was the dynamic duo he knew. " I need to spring something else on you two." Two frowns were exchanged " I'm heading back to the 12th."

" What gives?" This came from Kate

" I relieved Captain Vaughn of his command today. Quite frankly being a deputy chief sucks." All of them frowned at Montgomery's comments " Sorry Chief, but I'd rather have a precinct. The day to day results look a little better from the captain's desk then the Chief's desk."

Edwards nodded " Sad to see you go, Roy. But, the 12th should be good in your hands."

" Thank you sir. Especially with these two there."

Both Castles eyed each other. Where they really ready for this after all that happened...

fin