Chapter 3

Title: Leap of Faith

Characters: Rick Castle & Kate Beckett (couple); also features Alexis, Martha, Ryan, Esposito, Capt. Montgomery, and Jim Beckett. May feature others from episode 2.13 Sucker Punch as well.

Authors: Lisa M. (castlefanlisa) and Sarah M.
Rated: K+ or the equivalent of PG/PG 13

Disclaimer: We don't own any of the characters, we just borrowed them. They belong to ABC and their respective owners.

Note: This story is a romance and may have some alternate reality elements. Please leave constructive feedback. Thanks!

"Lanie….watch it."

"Okay….I'll watch it. You go watch him. I have a feeling he's getting himself into trouble."

Kate looks over to where Castle had wandered off to and starts walking towards him.

"Castle…you okay?"

He nods slightly. "Yeah…just can't stop thinking about her and how much she looked like Alexis. But I haven't found anything else."

She walks over to him and wraps her arms around his waist. "It's okay. Alexis is safe. Come on. Let's go get coffee and breakfast. You did promise me coffee."

He kisses the top of her head lightly. "Okay. Let's go get coffee and something to eat. Then we'll go see if we can figure out who she is."

Kate nods and rubs his back. "Ricky…"

He smiles at her. "Yeah Katie?"

She kisses him softly. "Better?"

He nods. "Much."

**

They find a bagel shop and sit down for a bit to enjoy their coffee and bagels.

"Mmm this is nice. Just taking a few minutes to relax. I always feel like I'm in such a hurry."

"I totally understand. I don't envy you your fast-paced life."

She munches on her bagel and bites her lip. "I just had an idea."

"You willing to share with the class or are you going to make me guess?"

"This time I'll share. There's a shelter for homeless teens not far from my apartment. Maybe someone knows our Jane Doe."

"That's a brilliant idea."

"See, I knew you'd love it."

"Let's hit the road and go get us some facts, shall we?"

"I give you a tidbit and you turn into a twelve year old."

"I told you he wouldn't totally disappear, remember?"

"Yes, I remember…quite vividly."

"Come on Katie…let's go. Did you happen to take a picture of her or do we need Lanie to picture mail one to us?"

"I took a picture."

He stands up and holds his hand out for her.

She puts her hand in his and stands up.

He gently tugs her close to him and wraps his arm around her waist.

She lets her arm snake around his waist and leans her head against his side.

"You fit just perfectly right there."

"I do?"

Rick nods. "Yeah. You do."

She smiles and holds on a little tighter. "I'm sure we fit together in more ways than one too."

"Yeah we do."

They finally arrive at the homeless shelter for teens and separate.

Rick opens the door for her and smiles. "After you."

"There are still a few gentlemen left in the city, and I found one of them."

"And lucky for both of us you did."

"I really don't want your ego getting in the way just now."

"Sorry."

"No, you're not. We'll deal with it later."

**

They took turns questioning various staff, but only came up with minimal information. It was something at least.

They met up after about thirty minutes and decided to head back to the precinct.

**

Kate was sitting in her chair tossing M & M's from one hand to the other. It was only serving to distract Castle. He finally told her to stop when he couldn't take it anymore.

She tossed one into his open mouth. "Is that better, Writer Monkey?"

"I think you like torturing me. First it was 'Kitten' and now you've resorted to your ex-boyfriend's nickname for me. I don't know how much grief I have to take."

"Someone's in a bad mood. Did you wake up on the wrong side of the…"? In walked Chip and Dale so she had to cut her question short.

"Hey, guys, have you got some evidence for us?"

"We've got a little more info than we did to start out with." Kate passes the notes she had taken over to them.

Ryan looks the notes over. "Okay. We'll get going on this. Any one ID her?"

Kate shakes her head. "They didn't recognize her. But we need to get word out to the media and see if anyone knows her. This one has Castle freaked out. Look at her a little closer. Who does she look like?"

Esposito looks at Ryan and then to Castle. "Alexis."

Castle nods. "But I know it's not her. She was at the apartment with us this morning when we got the call."

Ryan smiles. "You owe me later."

Kate glares at them. "You bet on us?"

Esposito looks at her and then at the notes. "We're going to start tracking these down. See ya."

**

A few minutes later, Kate walked over to the murder board and kept looking at the picture of the young victim. "You were someone and you meant something to somebody. I'm not going to let your death mean nothing. You won't have died alone…I promise."

Castle walked up behind her. "Hey, you're good. It used to freak my out when you would talk to the victims' pictures."

"It helps me think."

"I know. We'll find out who she was…I promise."

She smiled at him. "You're the best."

"You're the best too." He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her close to him.

Kate leans back and sighs lightly. "I wonder if Lanie has gotten anything. This girl was someone's daughter."

"Yes she was. We'll figure out who she is. I know you won't rest until you find out. And trust me, I'm going to be right with you. You know…Turner and Hooch."

"Yeah. I know. I'm glad you're here with me. I don't know how I would've gotten through this without you."

"You would've gotten through it just like you did before I got here. But I'm glad I'm here for you too. How about tonight you come over and eat with us? Maybe we can bounce ideas off Alexis. See if she's got any ideas of places we can start to figure out who that girl is if Lanie can't."

"You have the best ideas sometimes…I'd love that."

"Okay great." He kisses her cheek lightly.

"Let's get out of here. I feel claustrophobic all of a sudden." She sighed.

"No problem."

**

Before long, they were at his apartment just relaxing. Kate was sitting in his lap on the loveseat and he was massaging her back.

"You're tense. Why didn't you say something earlier?"

"It's not that bad, really."

"Yeah, right." He laughed.

"I'm just good at covering." She smiled.

"You're not very successful, Katie. I've got you figured out."

"And you, Rick, are being overly confident."

"Not me."

She shifted her body so she was facing him. Then she proceeded to kiss him. That quickly shut him up and she was in no hurry to break the moment.

He was the one who had to, simply for the sake of needing oxygen.

"I swear you have more Nikki Heat in you than I realized. You are a firecracker, you know that?"

"Yes, I am," she whispered.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." He smiles and runs his fingers through her hair.

Kate smiles and lays her head on his chest. "You're a good pillow."

"Alexis used to think so too when she was a baby. When she didn't feel good or had a bad dream, we'd curl up on the couch just like this and she'd drift off in no time."

About that time, Alexis walks in. "Aw don't you two look cute."

Rick smiles. "You did this too…but when you were a baby. Can we ask you about the case?"

Alexis nods and walks over to the couch. "Okay, what do you two lovebirds need?"

Kate carefully moves off of him and stands up so he can sit up.

Rick slowly sits up and pulls Kate back down on the loveseat with him and holds her close. "She had a ring on a necklace around her neck. But there wasn't an inscription. We don't know if Lanie has got an identification on her yet or not, but where would you start trying to figure out who she is?"

Alexis looks at them as she thinks. "Maybe the subway stations? Or some of the other shelters."

"If not there, then you may have to release her picture to the news stations and see if anyone recognizes her."

Kate nods and smiles. "Thanks Alexis. We'll let you know if we come up with anything else we need to ask you."

Alexis goes over and hugs both of them. "Okay. I'll be up in my room doing homework. You two be good."

Once she had gone upstairs, Rick kissed Kate. He didn't know how it was possible that he couldn't get enough of her. Not only that, but they fit perfectly together.

"I don't want to do something we're both going to regret tomorrow…"

"I know what you're thinking. I was thinking the same thing…but I wanted to talk to you first. I made you a promise and I intend to keep it."

"I don't doubt your promises or intentions, Rick. You've not given me reason to ever since we've…"

"Grown closer as friends?"

She smiled. "Exactly. We can finish each other's sentences, and I swear sometimes we know the other person better than we do ourselves. You've seen me at my most vulnerable, weakest moments…and you've never shied away…not once. Why is that? How did I get this lucky?"

"I've asked myself the same thing for the past six months or more, Kate. I honestly don't have an answer for you."

Kate kisses his cheek lightly. "If you tell anyone this… I'm glad you picked me to base Nikki Heat off of."

He smiles and runs his fingers through her hair. "If it hadn't been for that first case, then I would probably be in a tiny one bedroom apartment with probably very little money left."

"Really?"

He nods. "Really. They were going to sue me and would've taken most of my money."

"I'm glad things happened. Well not glad that those people are dead, oh you know what I mean…right?"

"Yeah. I do."

She snuggles in and lays there listening to his heartbeat. She slowly falls asleep.