Disclaimer: I do not own anything.

I know i'm taking this story really, really slow, but promise I do know where I want it to go and how I want it to finish. Just a lil' trust in here.

Castle sighed behind the detective, making her shiver. She shot him an annoyed glare and looked back to her computer, trying to ignore the goose bumps in her skin. Financials. Right. She snorted and pushed her chair back a few inches, biting her lower lip.

Beckett - Nothing.

Castle - Nothing? - He raised his eyebrows in disbelief.

Beckett shook her head, raising her right hand to brush her hair back. The doormans financials were clean. The video from the lobby was useless, the guy sneaking out of the building was on a long black coat, and the camera didnt show his face a single time. He clearly knew where they were located.

Castle - Know what? - He asked checking his watch.- It's late. Lets get something to eat.

She gaped, met his wonderful blue eyes and let her weight drop on the back of her chair. She didnt say anything though. She wasnt sure whether she should accept or not. She wasnt even sure whether she wanted to accept or not. No, that wasnt true. She wanted to accept. But, should she?

Castle - C'mon - He repeated, handing her her red coat.- I'm not having a no for an answer.

She couldnt help but smile. The caress he showed really touched her, warmed her in a way she had no longer thought possible. But there he was, staring at her in that way of his, with his left arm extended towards her to give her her jacket, his own gabardine hanging in his right. Just waiting for her.

Beckett - Fine. - She stood up and grabbed her coat from him, raising an eyebrow at his shocked expression.- What?

Castle - Dunno.- He grinned and started walking beside her.- You didnt argue.

The detective tucked a lock of hair behind her ear before deciding for an answer. No way she was going to admit aloud she actually wanted to have lunch with him. She realized she was starting to enjoy more and more her time with him since the shooting, just the two of them alone, and that scared the hell out of her. Kind of.

Beckett - I'm hungry. - She said finally.- And I take it you're paying? - She half teased as she reached to push the elevator button.

The writer smiled. They entered the elevator together to stand side by side on a corner, and when the metal door closed in front of them both, Castle took a deep breath. He hadnt noticed how close they where to each other until then, that brief moment in the lift in which they were completely alone. He was sure he could touch her fingers if he only swayed a little, pretending to rock his feet on the marble floor. And there it was too, that awkward silence surrounding them, as if suddenly the air had become thick.

They were too close, their arms brushing slightly even if there was plenty of space in the empty cabin. Beckett knew he had noticed, and she could feel him extremely still, as if the contact was burning him. It was burning her, too. He didnt move, so she didnt either. It was oddly comfortable being like that, just standing with each other and feeling the warm of his body next to hers.

She peered out of the corner of her eyes, just to make sure he was still there. Her green eyes locked on his blues, and the intensity of his gaze caught her breath in her throat. Her chest just seemed to forget how to keep working. Her hand moved of its own accord, brushing his fingers slightly. She jerked, stepping back and finding herself cornered against the elevators steel wall.

Beckett - Sorry.- She muttered realizing how stupid all that was. They were just going down on a lift. Simple as that.

Thanks God, the elevator reached the lobby and the doors slammed open. The detective walked out in a rush, pushing Castle aside as she passed him. Her heels echoed in the lobby, making her aware of the emptyness of the place. The writer looked at her from the cabin, his face touched with confussion and concern. But then she stopped, and looked back to him, raised her eyebrow waiting for his move. And he shook away his recluctance, beaming at the sight of her as he paced quickly to catch her path.

Beckett bit her lower lip, headed to the stations door once again. She took a deep breath, mentally ordering her heart to slow down, her hands to remain steady. He was at her side in less than a heartbeat. Doubts flickered at the back of his dreamy blue eyes, and she could see he was trying to hide it from her. It somehow hurt seeing him worried about her, that perfect smile of his not mirroring the one in his eyes.

Beckett - I'm fine. - She released her lip and smiled, answering the unspoken question dancing like a shadow in his handsome face.

She could swear she heard him sigh in relief. He obviously didnt completely believe her, but her smile was enough to ease his concern. She let her smile grow wider, hooked her arm around his elbow and dragged him toward the street.

Remy's was almost empty. They took their regular spot in the further corner, sitting across each other and checking the menu as they waited for the waiter to go by. The detective tried to clear her mind, focusing on the bunch of burgers and sandwiches listed on the plastified sheet, but the elevators cabin wouldnt get out of her thoughts. Plus, the benches were too close and their knees were almost touching beneath the table.

Memories whirled around her, and she could still feel that tickly feeling where their hands had touched. She kind of hated him for what he made her feel. And odd enough, she loved the way he could make her day brigther just with a tiny smile. She bit her lower lip and held back the urge to shake her head at that statement. She was not ready for that. But then, back on the lift, it had been her who had touched him. Slightly, not even a caress. And she did it by accident, right?

A shiver ran through her spine, making her awfully aware of her own lack of control when he was around. She had touched him. She didnt want to, obviously, but she did. Or did she actually want to touch him? Unconsciously. Just to reassure herself, to know he was there with her, always. Because that was their promise, wasnt it?. Always. They'll always be there for each other, no matter what. And after all what had happened the days before, she needed to be sure that hadn't change.

A light brush on her arm brought her back to reality. The waitress was standing at the edge of the table, waiting for their orders. Well, her order. He had already asked for his food. And for her coffee too, as she could see when she looked up to the tiny notepad. She was feeling too messy to eat anything consistent, so she ordered a salad instead of her usual burger and fries.

Castle - You look distracted.- He dropped when the girl dissapeared into the kitchen.

Beckett - Just thinking about the case. - She lied. She couldnt tell him she had been wondering about their closeness since they got out of the precinct. It was just not the way she was.

He muttered a not too convinced response, and the light always present in the back of his eyes faded just a little. But she noticed, how couldnt she? She noticed and beamed, trying to ease the tension between them both.

Castle - And? Did you find something new?- He tilted his head as he asked curiously, his anguish buried somewhere inside him.

Beckett - No...Nothing so far.- She tucked a lock of chesnut wavy hair behind her ear.- You know, I was hoping something would show up at the vics place or at the crime scene...But we have nothing.

Castle - You said you were expecting Cristine roommate and the doorman we met at the building.- He played with a french frie before putting it into his mouth.

Beckett - Yeah, the guys will call me if they get there before we finish lunch. - She took a mouthfull of lettuce and swallowed.- What really bothers me is we didnt find anything on the scene, no finger prints, the bodies are clean, we have to had miss something!

Castle sighed, took a bite of his burger and scratched his chin. He chewed slowly, trying to think of something to come up with, anything that could help them get a new sight of the case. At that moment, even one of his crazy theories would have been useful. The ringtones of both their phones saved him of another unlucky comment. He overchecked his mothers text and pushed the phone back on his pocket.

Beckett - Beckett.- She snapped at her phone, sighing so loudly she was sure the echo responded.- What do you mean with dead?- Her eyes widened with surprise, went up to meet Castles' gaze and signaled him to grab a pen.- Kay, address? Fine, we'll be there ASAP

She hung up as she finished writing down the address Esposito had given her, handed him back the pen and sighed heavily again. Castle just stared at her, half worried, half curious. And trying to focus his mind on the news she had just heard of instead of the look her eyes were giving him. Because she seemed disappointed. Like the body dropping was a huge inconvinience.

He almost beamed, but he knew better. He finished his burger on a bite, didnt bother to end it nicely. The detective raised an eyebrow and shook her head at his childish attempt to empty his dish, but said nothing. He was not going to push his luck.

Castle - So, Who died now?

Beckett - The doorman back at your friends building. That's why he didnt come over the precinct it may seem, Esposito said the ME put his TOD between 7:00 and 9:00 this morning. They're downtown, if traffic's clear we can make it in 30 minutes.- She tilted her head coyly as she explained everything her partner had said through the phone, as if apologizing for it.

Castle swallowed the last piece of bread he was still chewing and couldnt help a cocky smile turning is lips up. She had been acting different those days. Not like he was complaining about it, he liked it. She was somehow warmer, she smiled more, her grassy green eyes sparkled when she looked at him. Even when she thought he couldnt see her, that he wouldnt notice.

Castle - Why dont you...finish your salad while I pay and we leave for the new murder scene once you're done?- He asked gently, standing beside the table and pulling out his wallet. When she nodded, his smile grew wider.- I'll be right back.

Hey I know its been so long since last update, but between the clases, exams, work and everithing it has been kinda difficult to put all this together. I'll try not to be that long with the next one though.