It was four minutes past two in the morning when she arrived back in New York after visiting her family, and also sharing a bed with her favorite author. Pushing the gear up into park, she ran a hand through her hair before exhaling. She enjoyed her time off, she won't deny that. But she was also kind of happy to be back in her city, and back to her job.

After locking her vehicle, she made her way into her building. Not having the energy to want to take the stairs, she stepped into the lift, pressing the number 4. She stood idly on the empty elevator, staring down at the ground with her eyelids closed in rest. When the lift stopped, and the doors chimed to alert the people inside at the desired stop, Beckett walked out and down the hall to her apartment.

She fumbled with the keys and cursed under her breath when they tumbled from her hands and onto the floor. Reaching down, she retrieved them again and successfully unlocked her door, stepping inside and shutting the door behind her. She didn't have the time, nor energy to take a shower now. Instead, she just changed into sleep wear and curled into her comforter and prayed for at least a few hours of shut eye before work.

Instead of a phone call, the thing that awoke her that morning was her seven am alarm. She made a slight moan of protest before snatching the ringing device from the nightstand beside her. Once she turned off the alarm, she tossed the phone into the middle of her bed and ventured towards her bathroom to take a shower.

An hour later, she arrived at the precinct, stepping off the elevator and into the bullpen. She hadn't received a call about a body, so it just meant the day would be filled with paperwork, until they got a call about a body.

She tucked her purse into her bottom drawer of her desk, before heading in the direction of the break room to get some much needed coffee; even if it wasn't the best she could have. When she returned to her desk mug in hand, she took a long sip before setting the cup away and before lifting her pen and starting to fill out the reports.

A few hours later, the elevator dinged once again, but it paid no attention to the detective's intensely working on their reports, and the others working on their given murders. She heard the footsteps, before she heard the voice. At this point, she wish she had been more observent.

"Ah, Detective."

No. It couldn't be. Her head jerked up from her reports and she stared into her blackness of her computer screen. She could see the man a few feet away, making his way over towards her in the reflection. She slowly turned her head behind her and confirmed her thoughts. Richard Castle was standing next to her desk, and he was holding a cup holder with two coffees and a bag that seemed to have goodies in it.

"What.. What are you doing here?"

"That's a nice greeting, Detective Beckett." Her face scrunched up when he said her last name. She didn't remember telling him what her last name was. She blinked and he had apparently decided to make himself home, sitting in the small chair beside her desk, and offering one of the coffee's toward her.

Even though she didn't really know why he was here, bearing goods. She wanted that coffee. She took the coffee handed to her, ignoring the fact their fingers brushed again as she took a sip, biting her tongue to keep from making any noise to how good it tasted. It was the exact kind she took. Two pump sugar free vanilla latte. So, he can remember things. Great.

After setting down the Styrofoam, she narrowed her eyes at him. She was going to get answers she wanted now.

"Again, what are you doing here?" She got a sloppy shrug from him.

"I'm back in town, and I was desperate to find you, for many different reasons. I didn't know your last name, only that your name is Kate, and that you are a Detective. I remembered that your plate on your car was from NY, so I started there. I asked a favor from a good friend of mine about any Detective's named Kate in this city and look. Here you are." He shrugged again, as if thinking that would be the end of her questioning. Sadly, wrong.

"Okay. So you obviously stalked me, what do you want?"

"Detective Beckett, stalk is a harsh word. I just wanted to find you again, maybe talk about that offer I gave." She had to think for a minute, because she didn't remember what that offer was. When it came back to her, she shook her head.

"I'm not going to let you follow me around, even for writing releases. You're a civilian, and personally I don't need someone tagging along behind me." Before the author could make another remark, the boys were on the other side of her desk.

"So, Beckett. Who's the fellow you got here?"

"Is that Richard Castle?!"

Three pairs of eyes laid on the Irish detective, that was holding a book tight to his chest that he must have been reading at his desk as his eyes searched the man beside Beckett's desk. A small smile formed on Kate's lips, at the fanboy her friend was being. Like herself, Kevin Ryan was somewhat of a fan of Castle's books. Whether he was nearly as a fan as Kate, that was left to be debated.

"Yes, Ryan. This is Richard Castle." The younger male stretched out his hand to the writer who shook his hand in return.

"So, what's an author like you doing in the precinct? Don't you have books to write, parties to go to, women to have on each of your arms." taunted the Latino Detective, who had his arms crossed over his chest and questioning the writer in front of him.

Beckett was appreciative of the boys and their big brother attitude around her. Being an only child, it felt good to have someone not only have your back in the work force, but to be protective over you in general.

"He's interested in following me for 'research' for his books." She explained, rolling her eyes playfully as Ryan seemed thoroughly interested in what the writer was proposing.

"If Beckett doesn't want to, you can shadow me."

"Ryan!" She looked at her fellow friend with huge eyes, before hearing the author beside her laugh at the exchange. Before Castle could speak a word, his name was called. She glanced up and saw her boss beckoning him into his office.

"Well, I must bid you all goodbye, for the moment. The other person I am here to see is available now." he retreated towards Captain Montgomery's office, with a smug look on his face. Once the man she had slept beside weeks ago was out of ear shot, she shook her head and rolled her eyes.

"What does he think he's doing."

"I think he's interested in you, Beckett." She turned towards Esposito who was only smirking and sent him a glare.

"You're wrong, now quit." She mumbled under her breath and quickly returned to her paperwork which caused the boys to go back to their desks.

About a half an hour passed before she was called into Montgomery's office, Castle still in there. After shutting the door, she didn't give a look in the author's direction, giving her boss her full attention.

"You wanted me, sir?"

At that moment, he explained that Richard Castle was going to be a consultant with her team, for his research for his new set of books that he would be basing on her. Of course, Beckett was against this idea. She worked better with just her two boys, she didn't want someone, that had the advatange of sleeping next to her weeks ago, and use that as a way to get under her skin.

Sure, she like the author, she loved his books. His books helped her move on from her mother's murder so it wasn't the one thing consuming her life. She should be thanking him, but this. Shadowing her wasn't going to be good in her book.

No matter how much she tried to appose the situation, her boss reminded her that the Mayor, who was good friends with both Montgomery, and Castle had already signed off it, and she didn't really have much of a choice. She huffed under her breath and sent daggers through her eyes towards the man who was visibly gloating in the corner.

"Do we have a case?" She asked, knowing that if they hadn't, he could at least do some paperwork. After her superior called on the negative, that there was no case for them, Castle cleared his throat.

"Well if there is no case, I can take my leave. I don't do paperwork." He winked in the irritated detective's direction before thanking the captain again, and making certain he was going to be at the poker game next weekend before making his way out of the precinct.

As Beckett informed the boys of their new tag along member, Ryan was obviously ecstatic, where Esposito didn't seem to have a problem with it, but she could tell the hispanic male was going to be watching him. She sat back at her desk, pen returning to her her hand as she sighed. Her life, was now going to be just a little bit harder. What she wasn't aware of, was it would also be more fun as well.

fin.