Chapter 6

The jackhammers were gone but had been replaced by wind. It blew the grit from the previous morning's activities against the windows of the loft with a scratching sound like gremlins trying to find their way in.

Castle stirred restlessly as he dreamed of a child at the door. He wanted to open it, but the floor had turned to a mass of waist high brambles that tore at his legs. He strained painfully but futilely to push his way through it. As he tossed fitfully, blankets were thrown to the floor.

Beckett felt the cold on her body and the movement beside her. "Castle," she called, but he didn't rouse. She sat up, putting her hands on his shoulders. "Castle!" The motion of his body slowly stilled and his lashes lifted.

"Bad dream?" Beckett asked.

Castle ran a hand down his leg where the phantom sting lingered. "Yeah, I haven't had a dream where I could feel it like that since you were shot."

"You had nightmares after I was shot?"

"Kate, when I told I loved you then, I meant it and you pretty much died in my arms. Of course I had nightmares."

Beckett snuggled into his side. "I'm here, I'm fine and so are you," she told him.

Castle pulled her closer, kissing her hair, as she ran her fingertips through the light sprinkling of hair on his chest. Castle drew in a sharp breath. "Beckett..."

"Shhh," she whispered. "just relax."

"I'm not relaxed," Castle told her.

Beckett looked down and smiled. "Yes, I see. We'll have to see what we can do about that." Beckett began at his hairline, kissing across his face, moving to his eyes, the corners of his mouth and finally his lips. Beckett dragged her mouth down his body to where her fingertips had been.

Castle arched "Kate!" Arms around her, Castle rolled Beckett underneath him, covering her searching mouth with his own. They came together, mouths searching, moving faster and harder until there was no where else to taste, no where else to go and the urgency was gone in a surge of sensation.

With Castle's arm around her, Beckett rested her head on his shoulder. "Relaxed now Castle?"

Castle stroked her cheek. "You have no idea."

Beckett and Castle finally arrived at the 12th, coffee cups in hand. Ryan told them that he had heard from the fraud division. Ross Murtry was making noises about a deal for Dave Morgan. They were going to have a meeting about it that afternoon and invited Beckett's group in homicide to sit in, since he had been their collar. Beckett called Vera Mortisse to see if she was available to meet that morning.

"Ms. Mortisse," Beckett said. "We need to find out as much as we can about your sister. We understand that she was to be married in three months and that her friends were helping to plan the wedding. Do you know who her friends were?"

"Her best friend is Monica Mayfair. She's been coordinating everything and she has everyone's contact information."

"Do you have her number?" Beckett asked.

"I can give you her number and her address," Vera responded. Vera brought the information up on her phone and let Beckett copy it."

"Ms. Mortisse," Castle asked, "is there anything else we should know about your sister? Any detail could be important."

Vera gave a sigh that was half sob. "She was pregnant. That's why she and Roger were getting married so soon."

"Thank you very much for your time," Beckett told Vera handing her a card. "Please call if you think of anything, day or night."

As they headed back to the 12th, Castle suggested that they stop at Remy's and pick up burgers and shakes for themselves, Ryan and Esposito, who were very happy to get them. They gathered around a table in the break room to eat and wait until it was time to meet with fraud division. "What do you think Murtry is going to offer?" Ryan asked.

"I don't know," Beckett answered, "we'll find out."

Murtry sat across the table from fraud detective Murray Abrams, Beckett and ADA Toni Gonzalez. Ryan, Esposito , and Castle occupied a row of chairs behind their colleagues.

"Counselor, What is your client offering?" Toni asked.

Murtry passed a picture across the table,"Her."

"That's the woman who received the money at Awake Institute," Beckett said.

"Exactly, Murtry said, "you get her and recover the money, and my client gets one year, suspended."

Castle started to get out of his chair. Ryan and Esposito each put a hand on each of his arms, pushing him back. "Chill bro," Esposito whispered.

Toni looked at Abrams who nodded immediately and Beckett who nodded hesitantly.

"Mr. Murtry, when we have this woman in custody, and if we recover the money, your client will have a deal," Toni told him.

Castle left the room and walked angrily ahead of Beckett who rushed to catch up. "Castle, she called. "Castle!"

Castle turned to face her. "Castle, we'll get the money back for the kids. That's what matters. If we don't get it, Morgan won't get a deal."

"It's not fair, Beckett," Castle protested. "That scumbag shouldn't walk."

"I know Castle, but you've been around here long enough to know that things often aren't fair. We do the best we can."

"I know," Castle told her. "You're right. I just hate this."

Beckett took his hand. "Me too."

"Beckett, do you want to go to the movies tonight?" Castle asked

Beckett gave him a quizzical look. "What brought this on?"

"'2001' is playing at the Angelica. I want to see something that's even harder to understand than this is."

Beckett laughed. "OK Castle, we can do that."

Castle offered his arm as they walked out.

Castle and Beckett returned to the loft. "Feeling better Castle?" Beckett asked.

"Mostly,"Castle answered. "I forgot about the space baby, or whatever that was."

"That was the promise of the future, Castle. That's a good thing."

Castle held Beckett to him, his chin resting on her head. "You're a good thing." Castle took a deep breath. "Mmm, your hair smells like popcorn. I'm getting hungry all over again."

Beckett stepped away, taking his hand. "I think I can do something about that, Castle."