A/N: To Jo, Katherine, and CB- you three are the best support a girl could ask for, and this chapter wouldn't exist if not for you :-)

Also, to you, the readers: I was overwhelmed by the response to the last chapter. From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU!

His heart was pounding as he leaned back in his seat, watching as she turned back to her desk, color painting her cheeks as she took a delicate sip of her tea.

So beautiful.

And maybe, just maybe, no matter how naked and exposed it left him, the fact that she had read his letters now was a good thing?

She turned to her computer, stealing a glance at him out of the corner of her eye as if to reassure herself he was still there. Her mouth was pressed into a line, but the corners betrayed her, lifting up into one of her secret smiles.

He was here, with her.

They were going to talk.

She had apologized, her words spilling out reminiscent of another day over a year ago when she had shown up at his door soaking wet and apologizing.

Across the bullpen, Esposito hung up the phone. "Yo, boss," he called out as he stood up to join them. "Finally got hold of the receptionist, Lauren Steinbern. She's coming in now."

"Great! Did anything else pop from the witness statements?" she asked. He smiled as he watched her dive back into the case, his heart tugging at how even after all this time, she still burned with the same passion for her job, even if sometimes she did tend to use it as a diversion she could hide behind.

"Castle, I need you to wait out here," Beckett said quietly, stopping him with a hand on his arm.

He felt the burn of her touch through the fabric of his shirt. It was all he could do to drag his eyes away from her hand up to her face. Her cheeks flushed and her eyes darkened. She yanked her hand away.

He sighed.

"I know her, Beckett. Maybe I could help...?" he began, but she shook her head.

"That's why I don't want you in there. I think, for this case, it's better if she speaks to someone she doesn't know. If I get a different read on her once I'm in there, I'll let you know," she said gently, looking up at him from beneath her eyelashes.

He nodded, his throat dry. She offered him a shy smile, and headed into interrogation.

Lauren Steinbern was an immaculately dressed twenty-something with beautiful, long, red hair that fell in waves over her shoulders, and a simpering smile that suggested she was used to her looks opening doors for her. Her face fell momentarily as Kate entered the room alone, and the Detective had the feeling she had made the right call in keeping the men outside.

Kate wasn't the type to let a pretty face get their own way.

Frankly, and without conceit, she knew her own face was attractive enough to have learned all the tricks. Not that she used them too often outside of occasionally assisting the acquisition of information for their cases should a suspect or witness be more open to a pretty smile – she had the brains and the drive to make it without relying on her looks.

Lauren Steinbern was apparently used to combining the two more often than not.

"Ms. Steinbern, I'm Detective Beckett. Thank you so much for coming in today," Kate spoke in an aloof, polite tone.

"After yesterday, I'm happy to help," the redhead replied with something akin to sincerity.

"Could you describe your relationship with Ms. Hartwell?" Kate asked, narrowing her eyes slightly as Lauren tensed up.

"We weren't friends, if that's what you're asking," Lauren replied in an offhand manner.

"According to her roommate, that's an understatement," Kate pushed.

Fire burned behind Lauren's eyes. "Okay, so I hated the bitch. What's your point?"

Kate leaned forward, her voice deathly calm. "My point is that she was shot dead yesterday, directly in front of your reception desk, and so far, you're the only person who has admitted any animosity towards her."

Lauren gasped in what appeared to be feigned shock, all but batting her eyes, "You don't think I had anything to do with that, do you?"

"Right now, I'd say you're looking pretty good for it," Kate replied, unmoved.

"Look, I saw her when she came out of her meeting. She was ahead of the others. We had a brief... encounter. Exchanged insults, the usual. But I didn't kill her!" Her voice rang with truth for possibly the first time throughout this interview.

"Why didn't you like each other?" Kate pressed.

"A guy. One of the authors at work. He's getting more and more popular, and he and his wife were having trouble. I was his listening ear, his confidant. He was going to leave his wife for me. Only, when he left his wife, he dumped me and took up with Amanda. I don't take too well to being replaced like that," she finished on a pretty pout.

"And you expect me to believe, after admitting you had motive, and after admitting you were the last person to see her alive, you didn't kill her?" Kate pushed.

Lauren sat up indignantly. "I didn't kill her! And I wasn't the last person to see her alive! Geoff came out of his damn meeting and I left for the back office. I couldn't stand to watch them sucking face in front of me."

"Who's Geoff?" Kate asked, puzzled.

Lauren rolled her eyes. "Geoff Adams? The author? He's the one the bitch stole from me. She gets the last laugh now, I guess – my last memory of her is her locking lips with my ex!"

Kate sighed, leaning back in her chair. "Would you be willing to write all this down for me, as your official statement?"

Lauren shrugged. "Sure."

"Great," Kate said as she began collecting her things, when all of a sudden, Lauren bolted upright in her chair.

"Hey, are you the Detective that Mr. Castle was following around for the Nikki Heat series? No wonder he dumped Ms. Cowell. She's such an ice queen. Isn't Mr. Castle basically the hottest thing you've ever seen? Especially since he got back from book tour. If I ever had the chance, I'd bang him like a dru–"

"Thank you, Ms. Steinbern. I'll send an officer in to take your statement. We really appreciate your time," Kate said, gathering her things as quickly as she could and practically running out of the room.

Castle was already out in the corridor, waiting.

Of course he had heard every word of that.

"She's not my type, Kate. I swear. I'd never – – " he babbled, but she cut him off.

"It's okay, Castle. I just..." she sighed, suddenly finding the floor incredibly interesting. "I just didn't need to hear about how other women find you attractive. Okay?"

She could feel his eyes on her, and had never felt so aware of her every flaw. Especially considering...

"Kate," he whispered softly, but he was interrupted by a soft cough behind them as Esposito cleared his throat.

"So I ran down Geoff Adam's address. Want us to bring him in?"

"That'd be great. Thanks, Espo," she replied, watching him walk away before she turned back to her... to Castle. "Later, Castle. I promise," she whispered. Some of the hopefulness dimmed from his eyes, replaced by a steely determination. He nodded tightly, striding back towards the bullpen.

She watched him walk away, her heart constricting. All she wanted to do was throw herself in his arms – it was all she'd wanted ever since... well, since before this whole mess started, months ago.

She couldn't, though.

Not until she had explained.

Given the content of his letters, and how wrong she had been about him, she needed to wait until he knew, and then...

Then she had to wait for him to forgive her.

If he could.

Then, and only then, if he could find it in his heart to do that, in spite of her actions, there was a possibility things would be okay.

Castle had an awfully forgiving heart.

She had never hurt him like she was going to, though.

This rivaled even the months after she was shot, leaving him without calling once.

This rivaled lying about remembering her shooting.

Actually, this was worse – because she had done the same thing again, knowing this time just how much it would hurt him.

And those letters this morning explained clearly that her reasons, whatever they had been, were faulty.

She followed him out to the bullpen with a heavy heart, knowing that this time, Richard Castle might not forgive her.

"I remember Geoff Adams," he said suddenly, finishing his burger and stuffing the box back into the take out bag. He had popped out for food some time around 2pm, knowing that if he didn't, Beckett would forget to eat. Doubtless the boys would pick up something for themselves on their way, and he and Beckett had been carefully keeping their conversation to the case as they waited for the boys to bring the other author in for questioning. "We've met at a few Black Pawn events. He's nice enough, I guess. Middle aged. He came with his wife, but I can remember thinking he had a bit of a wandering eye, even then. I don't know how he managed to ensnare both Lauren and Amanda – both of those girls are barely half his age."

He grinned as she frowned, looking up at him from the files she was reading over. "It says here he's thirty six. Lauren was only ten years younger than him," she argued, "Although Amanda was a little younger."

"Well, he seems older," he grumbled. "He's pompous, ingratiating, and balding."

She leaned back in her chair, a spark in her eye that boded no good. He sat up a little straighter, enthralled as always by her passion and drive.

It really was hopeless trying to get over her. Not when that same look had landed them in bed together more times than he could count.

"Baldness is meant to be a sign of virility, isn't it?" she asked tauntingly, before sinking completely into her bedroom voice. "Some women find it attractive."

He gaped at her, his skin flushing, sure he was meant to be offended but so completely under her spell that he couldn't even remember what they were talking about.

She laughed then, the delightful, magical sound spilling around him like music, and he couldn't help but smile in response.

Surely her apology and desire to talk meant there was hope on the horizon?

The elevator dinged, and Ryan and Esposito stepped off with Geoff Adams.

Geoff was short and stocky, with sandy blonde hair that was showing definite signs of thinning out around the edges.

Maybe he'd been a little harsh about him. His profession meant a lot of schmoozing, which, once upon a time, he had genuinely enjoyed. The last few years following Beckett and the boys at the precinct, though, had forced him to grow up a lot – but the experiences also brought him the most real and deep friendships he had possibly ever had. He didn't need to impress Ryan, Esposito, or Beckett with his wealth or fame. If anything, on occasion it got in the way, although it had been useful from time to time.

He had only met Geoff at a few events, but had never really warmed to him. He shrugged away the thought that Geoff was too much like himself in his pre-Beckett years – a self-centered, shallow, jackass out to have a good time. The thing that had made Castle shy away from any closer friendship with the man was the way he had treated the women around him – specifically the way he had all but ignored his now-former wife. Castle just couldn't understand how a little charm and charisma could make the younger women Geoff flirted with blind to the fact that he was chatting them up under his wife's nose. The whole thing had reeked of a lack of class, and to Castle, surrounded by mother and daughter, both of whom he would hate to see treated that way, it was unforgivable.

Of course, it could also be the younger man's somewhat cloying, over-enthusiastic insistence that they were buddies.

"Ricky! Buddy!" Geoff's greeting was easily three times louder than it needed to be, practically bringing the entire bullpen to a standstill to witness the spectacle before them. Geoff bounded forward and smacked Castle on the back heartily, smiling like a used car salesman.

Castle tried not to cringe as he turned to greet the shorter man, but his shoulders remained up around his ears. "Hey, Geoff, how's it going?" he asked, trying his darnedest to keep things polite.

Geoff seemed to sober up at the question, though, and it was the first time Castle had ever detected any humanity in the younger man. "I keep trying to pretend, to push through, but when I think about what happened to Amanda..." Geoff's voice trailed off, true grief etched into his words. He shrugged then, his mask firmly back in place.

Esposito motioned for Geoff to carry on to interrogation with him, and Castle turned back to Beckett with a grimace.

"See what I mean?" Castle seated himself back in his chair.

Kate leaned back in her chair, smirking. "Oh, Ricky, buddy, he's not that bad. In fact, he's kinda cute," she teased.

He scowled. "Are you seriously telling me women find that more attractive than me?" Not that it mattered, not really. All he cared about was how attractive Kate found him, any other woman be damned.

Her smile faltered, and she seemed to scramble for her poker face. "Don't worry, Castle. You'll still find plenty of women more than willing to spend time in your bed." Her tone was a travesty of her usual light banter, although clearly that's what she was shooting for. Before he could formulate a response, though, she was standing, file in hand.

"Come on, Castle. Let's go see what your buddy knows about Amanda's murder."

"Hello, Mr. Adams. My name is Detective Beckett, and I believe you know Mr. Castle," Kate said smoothly as they entered the interrogation room.

Geoff leaned back in his chair, his jaw practically on the table, his eyes sweeping over her form a little too appreciatively, before turning to greet Castle.

"Ricky! Buddy, you've been holding out on me! I knew you were shadowing a fox, but now I can see why Nikki has so much heat."

She sent Castle quick, quelling look. His shoulders were hunched, and while Geoff seemed to think Castle didn't have a problem with his comments, Kate knew her partn– former partner was having a hard time keeping both his comments and his fists to himself.

A scene from a year ago played itself in her mind's eye:

"I didn't think you had that side to you."

"When it comes to the people I love, I do."

Different situation, but she had reason to believe from his letters that he loved her still, although his comment moments before they came in here about other women finding him attractive had shaken her faith more deeply than she had expected.

She squared her shoulders, though, and focused on the task before her, compartmentalizing expertly.

"Mr. Adams, as you're probably aware, we've asked you to come in today to talk to you regarding Amanda Hartwell's murder," she said as she and Castle seated themselves.

Geoff looked genuinely grief stricken, his bravado falling away.

"Yes, I expected that."

"Why?" she kept her tone neutral, in the hopes that he would open up.

He did.

"We were having an affair. I was one of the last people to see her alive." His whole demeanor was defeated.

"So why did no witnesses see you at the crime scene after the shooting?" she asked.

He sighed.

"I was in a meeting. You can check, if you like. My editor's office opens right onto the lobby. I heard her arguing with Lauren, my ex – I left Lauren for Amanda, and Lauren can get mean when she's crossed – so I excused myself from the meeting to settle things down. Lauren left for the back office when she saw me, and I made sure Amanda was okay, and went back to my meeting. Less than a minute later, the gun went off, and, well, we all dove for cover. You can ask my editor," he added pleadingly. His tale seemed to corroborate Lauren's, at least, and she had a sinking feeling that his editor would confirm his story, which left them back at square one.

Castle leaned forward in his chair. "Do you mind me asking what you and Amanda spoke about?"

She flashed him the barest smile. Castle had such a great knack for disarming people, and his choice of words reminded Geoff that Castle wasn't a cop, and was therefore his buddy – useful for getting more information out of a grieving witness.

Geoff thought for a moment. "After Lauren left, I asked if Amanda if she was okay. She said she was, but just a little shaken up. She asked if we could get a coffee when I was done with my meeting – Gina usually let her take a break around then. Amanda then told me that she wanted to talk to me, but she didn't say what about. I said yes, we could do that, then I kissed her and went back to my meeting," his voice broke. "It was the last time I saw her alive."

"Mr. Adams, I know this is hard, but can you think of anyone who might have wanted to hurt Amanda?" Kate asked gently.

He shook his head. "If it were Lauren, I could give you dozens of names, starting with my ex-wife. They met within a week of my divorce, and it wasn't pretty. Lauren's hot, I'll grant you that- the sex was amazing- but she's a bitch through and through."

"Is there any way your ex-wife could have gotten wind of your relationship with Amanda?" Castle asked.

"I don't see how she could – and if she had, I don't see how she could have done anything about it," Geoff replied.

Kate exchanged a glance with Castle. "What makes you say that?" she asked.

Geoff lowered his eyes, finally showing some shame for how he had treated his former wife. "As soon as the divorce went through, she moved to Florida, to be near her mother. She has no family here – she'd been nagging me to move to Miami for years, but my whole life is in New York."

"We'll need her details just in case," Kate said gently. "Is there anyone else you can think of?"

Geoff shook his head. "No. Amanda was- God, she was an angel. Cheating on her boyfriend with me was the only thing she'd ever done wrong. She felt bad about it – we both did – but there was just so much magic between us. Have you ever felt that with anyone? Been so in love you'd have done anything for them? That's how it was with us – for me, anyway. I still don't know what she saw in me, but she was my redemption."

She did her best to look anywhere but at her partner beside her, the other author's word so reminiscent of everything she couldn't say here at the precinct in the middle of a case. Instead, she took down his ex-wife's and his editor's details so she could confirm his alibi, and gave him pen and paper for his statement, handing him over to Esposito's capable hands.

Castle spent what was left of the afternoon watching her make phone calls, confirming alibis and making sure that their witnesses were, indeed telling the truth. It was beginning to get late by the time she hung up the phone, and she picked up the whiteboard marker, bending down to scribble notes in the bottom corner.

He stood and moved to lean back against the desk, watching her work, deliberately keeping his body language open, knowing instinctively that she was nearly ready to verbally process. She sighed as she straightened up, and he echoed her – he had been quietly enjoying the view.

"I don't get it, Castle. Lauren was in the reception area, but left when Amanda was still alive. Geoff was in the reception area, but, like we expected, his editor confirmed he was back in the office. You said there was no one in there when you and Gina arrived. None of this makes sense!" she took her old place next to him, perched side by side staring at the murder board.

"You're right, it doesn't," he agreed, doing his best to ignore the heat of her thigh pressed against his as they contemplated together. If she noticed just how closely they were sitting, she was doing a good job of hiding it.

She turned to him suddenly. "Do you have any theories?" she asked, her huge, beautiful eyes beseeching him. It was all he could do to formulate a coherent sentence, let alone come up with a theory that explained everything.

"I've got nothing. N-nothing good, anyway," he replied, stuttering as his eyes swept over her face. She smirked, non-verbally calling him out on his stammer.

"At this point, I'm just about ready to consider something less than good. We're talking about a thirty second window here. Less than that, maybe. How could our killer have just disappeared?" She frowned, that cute little crease appearing between her eyebrows.

A thought occurred to him. "Oooh! The killer was wearing a cloak of invisibility!" he exclaimed. "That's how they were able to dodge us! Then they just needed to ride the elevator down, use the lobby restroom to remove it, stash in a bag or briefcase, and exit out into the street – and no one would be any wiser..." he trailed off as he caught her expression out of the corner of his eye.

She was frowning at him.

The corners of her mouth were twitching, though, and she wasn't threatening to pull her weapon yet, so those were positive signs reminiscent of the way she had always reacted to his outlandish theories when he had wanted to press her buttons. And oh, how he wanted to press her buttons...

He swallowed, not wanting to push his luck, but her eyes were dancing – another positive sign – as if she couldn't decide whether to roll them or kiss him. Or both.

His eyes involuntarily strayed down to her mouth at the thought, lingering there, his memory reminding him of the taste of her lips, their texture as she slanted them across his, the needy little mewl she swore she never made that sent lightning to his groin every single time.

Her breath seemed to catch, and it could have been his imagination, but it really seemed like she was leaning in toward him.

"Invisibility cloak, bro? Really?" Esposito's voice came from uncomfortably close behind them, shattering the spell of the moment.

Kate merely raised an eyebrow at him, without skipping a beat. "I agree. Got a better theory?"

Maybe that moment had been entirely in his head, but he didn't think so – her skin was flushed and her eyes sparkling as she peeked at him out of her peripheral.

The three of them threw theories around a little longer, but nothing popped.

Finally, Kate sighed.

"We might have to call it," she said heavily, hating the thought.

"I wouldn't do that just yet," Ryan's voice carried across the bullpen as he dashed out to them. "I think I found something."

She followed Ryan eagerly into the little media conference room, all too aware of Castle following close behind. Once her team was situated and the door shut to drown out the babble of the bullpen – Karpowski's voice could carry, and there were days it was reminiscent of nails on a chalkboard – she nodded for Ryan to show them his findings.

Ryan was all but vibrating with excitement.

"So the security company finally sent the tapes through, and... well, you've gotta see this," he said, and pressed play.

The video had been painstakingly cued up to exactly the right spot, and as it started, there was only a few seconds of an otherwise empty reception area and Lauren working diligently at the desk in the background before Amanda came onscreen.

Just as Lauren had stated, the pair exchanged some obviously cutting remarks, the argument quickly escalating. Then Geoff entered, and after a brief argument – there may not be any audio feed, but they didn't need the witness statements in front of them to read the body language – Lauren stalked away as Geoff took Amanda into his arms. The pair of them talked briefly, kissed, and Geoff went back into his meeting on the other side of reception.

Amanda turned to carry on with her tasks when something in the direction of the camera caught her attention. She turned to face whatever it was – it was out of view – dropping her things and holding her hands out in supplication, begging.

Next moment, the bullet hit her and she fell to the floor.

Only seconds passed before Castle and Gina arrived in the frame, and that was where Ryan hit pause. They knew the rest.

Castle turned away, his face ashen.

"You did what you could, bro," Esposito whispered to him, as always supporting his fellow soldiers.

Kate frowned at the screen. "That's it? That's all it shows?" Disappointment made her gut drop.

Castle turned around. "That camera has a reverse angle, too, to show the elevator. Anything on that?"

Ryan shook his head. "Nothing. No movement until the first responders arrived."

She resisted the urge to slump in a chair, but only barely.

"So you're telling me we have nothing," she asked wearily.

Ryan gave her one of his most encouraging looks. "What I'm telling you is that we caught the murder on tape, even if we didn't get a direct view of the killer."

Castle straightened up at that. "Ryan's right. We now know everything that was there. What we need to look for is anything that's not. Replay the tape again?" he asked.

Ryan took it back and then hit play again. Castle waited until the moment Amanda tried to engage with her shooter, right before the trigger was pulled. "There! Stop there!"

Ryan froze the image, and the three Detectives crowded around, trying to see what Castle saw.

"I don't see anything," Espo muttered, scanning the screen.

"Think about where the elevators are in relation to the cameras," Castle prompted.

"A little to the left side of the screen?" Ryan asked, crinkling his nose as he strained to remember.

Something tugged in Kate's brain. "She's turned too far to the right of the screen to be facing the elevator!" She exclaimed suddenly. "So all we need to do is go back to the scene and figure out what's in that corner."

Castle was leaning back against the table behind them, his most smug expression on his face. Dammit, he already knew. "Or you could just ask the person who has spent far too many hours stuck in boring meetings in that place, plotting fast getaways," he said proudly.

She turned to him, the boys ranging themselves on either side, ready to pummel him if he stretched the moment out too long. "Well?" she asked, her voice dangerously low, knowing it was the only way to get him to cut to the chase. "What's in that corner, Castle?"

He swallowed, his eyes darkening, but he managed to gather whatever control of his voice he had left to croak out, "The stairwell. The only thing in that corner is the door to the stairwell. Which means..."

She picked up on his train of thought immediately. "...The killer wasn't in Black Pawn at all!"

"You ready to go, Castle?" her voice was hesitant, breaking into his thoughts. He glanced up at her, standing behind her chair, fingers plucking nervously at the light jacket thrown over the back of it. He had drifted into a daydream as the three cops worked steadily around him, putting in requests for search warrants and generally preparing their plan of attack for the next day.

"Go...?" he asked, glancing around the rapidly emptying bullpen. Ryan and Esposito called out their farewells, heading for the elevators, and only scant night crew were on, in the far corner of the room, chatting quietly over case files.

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I was thinking we could order on the way and pick up some Thai from that place just down the block from me? And talk?"

She was shifting from one foot to the other, not making eye contact.

Nervous Kate was quite possibly the most adorable thing he'd ever seen.

He sprang up from his chair, whipping her jacket out from beneath her fingers, and holding it up for her to slip her arms into. She dipped her head forward, concealing her face with her curls, finished gathering her things, and led him to the elevator.

The ride down was filled with nervous tension. It was as if they had never been on the cusp of a romantic relationship. At least, that's what he hoped it was. Visions rose before him of Beckett telling him she was seeing someone, but he batted the thought away.

She said she wanted to talk.

She had invited him back to her home for a meal.

She surely wouldn't risk that if there was a new man in the picture.

Surely.

Once he was safely ensconced in the passenger seat of her cruiser, he pulled out his phone and thumbed through his contacts until he found the number of the Thai place she had suggested. He placed their usual order, raising his eyebrows at her in confirmation, and following her nods and whispered directions, then settled back in silence, watching the city flash by.

She found a parking space midway between her building and the Thai place, so they walked back together to pick it up before heading upstairs to her apartment.

It was so strange being back here again.

Very little had changed at first glance, although upon further observation, he noticed a few small things- his books were no longer in pride of place on her shelves, and a couple of knicknacks and framed photos dating from their time together were conspicuously absent.

The idea of her purposely erasing him from her life made his heart sink. Although, truthfully, what had he expected?

Squaring his shoulders, he carried their dinner to the kitchen and set it on the counter, moving about the area naturally.

He still felt at home here, in her space.

The thought gave him hope, miniscule and obscure as it was.

He shrugged off his coat, handing it to Kate when she held her hand out for it, focusing more on dinner than his... than Kate in this moment. It was too reminiscent of other nights spent just like this, nights where dinner was discarded in favor of feasting on her, preferably up against the nearest available surface.

He did finally glance up at her when she slid onto a bar stool on the opposite side of the counter, jacket and skyscraper heels removed, hair pulled up into a messy bun, relaxed yet stunning as ever.

He turned to pull some glasses down.

"Wine?" he asked, grabbing two glasses before she could respond.

She cleared her throat. "I'd love one, but no, thank you," she murmured.

He paused, confused by the convoluted answer from a woman who was normally so clear in her directions.

"So... you do want wine, or you don't?" he asked, confused.

She laughed, a tight, nervous sound.

"Oh, I want it, all right. I can't have any, though."

That got his attention. He turned more fully toward her, leaning against the counter. "Kate...?"

Her lower lip was caught between her teeth, her eyes downcast, and she took a deep breath before she spoke, raising her eyes bravely to meet his.

"Castle, I'm pregnant."

Thoughts?