A/N: Okay, apparently Ol' Gramps rates somewhere down below 'getting the oil changed' and 'catching up with my friends' so I wallowed a bit and this is the result. Emily and Mandy are cooking and I'm booooored.

Happy Black Friday Eve, frantic shoppers

OM

Loft

That night as Kate got ready for bed, Rick ran a finger down her back and she shivered. "So soft now." He lifted her hair from her back and nibbled at the back of her neck as she watched in the dresser mirror.

"Like what you see?" Rick looked at her over her shoulder while his hand slide under her nightshirt and across her stomach and up towards her breast.

"It's like watching a movie with feedback. Yeah, I really like what I see. Take me to bed, lover, and I'll whisper dirty limericks in your ear." She giggled because once Castle had recited the entire 'There was a maid from Nantucket' limerick to her, complete with gestures and touches and…

"You don't know a single dirty limerick, Kate. You said so." He called her on her white lie.

"There once was a man named Kent, whose 'appendage' was gnarled and bent – " He started tickling her and she broke away and ran into the bedroom and whacked him with a pillow.

"This means war, Beckett!"

She diffused the situation by whipping her nightshirt over her head and softly saying, "I surrender'.

Christmas Eve

It was quiet in the loft. The evening had gone very well and Kate had obviously enjoyed herself and even tried to one-up her dad on tales of her mom. She looked over at Rick who was finishing up some snacks and mouthed 'Thank you' and he just smiled.

At 9, Martha announced her intentions of going over to 'my man's' apartment for a gift exchange and that 'she'd be home with the sun', meaning she was going to be spending the night with Chet.

Alexis was on the phone with one of her friends, Beckett had gone upstairs for some unknown reason and Jim Beckett and Rick were alone in the kitchen.

"Rick, I hope you didn't mind us monopolizing your evening with tales of Johanna. Kate handled the photos of her in her younger days pretty well, don't you think?"

Castle had seen the fine sheen of moisture glaze her eyes several times and each time he'd managed to catch her eye and offer her a small smile of encouragement.

"Better than I'd hoped and much better than I'd feared. This was a real trial for her and she handled herself well."

"Your Alexis helped more than you know. She kept asking Kate detailed questions about what she and her mother cooked and baked and even asked her to show her how to make those special cookies…Alexis doesn't really remember her mother, does she?"

"No, not really. I – I keep forgetting that Meredith's alive and living with someone else this week. Other than promptly cashing the alimony check each month, she has no contact with her daughter."

"That must be rough on her – Meredith, I mean." He leaned back when he saw Rick's face get cold and his eyes cobalt blue. For just a second –

"She poured a pot of boiling water on my daughter because she was high on pills and trying to memorize lines and Alexis was making noise. I don't care how she feels. She doesn't deserve to breathe the same air as Alexis."

"God, I'm so sorry, Rick. I – I didn't know. Katie never said anything." He was truly appalled that someone would harm their own child.

"You're the only one who knows, Jim, and I'd appreciate it if you'd forget it. I let my mouth run away with me. Not even my mother knows the truth and certainly not Alexis."

"She's a lovely girl, Rick, and you've done a great job raising her." He wanted to take back what he'd said but now could only offer platitudes, no matter how true.

"She raised me into the man I am today. I look at her and wonder how Meredith and I created such a wonder. Maybe she was switched out with another baby and they got the poor kid who inherited my genes."

It was meant to be funny and Jim laughed and the matter was smoothed over. Rick went upstairs to check on Kate while Jim tidied up the photo albums.

"Kate?" He knocked on his bedroom door and waited for her response. He figured she'd reached her maximum dosage of 'remember when' and had escaped to the bedroom for some quiet time.

"Come in. I was just freshening up a bit. I'll be down in a few minutes." She was in the master bathroom.

Rick walked to the open door. Kate was sitting on the commode lid with her face in her hands. He knelt down and pulled her hands away from her face and saw what he expected – tears.

"C'mon, Kate, don't cry. I know it's hard at Christmas and that you miss her but – "

"No, it's not that. It's just that – I feel happy, Rick, and I'm afraid to lose it. I know that sounds crazy but you and Martha and my dad seem like family and I just wish my mom could have met all of you. I guess I'm crying because I miss her but mostly because she missed this. Crazy, huh?"

He dried her cheeks with a hand towel and pulled her up onto her feet and into a hug. "I think you better make sure your dad knows you're not up here because you're upset with him bringing so much of your family history to our home tonight."

Rick felt comfortable for the first time with his selection of a gift for Kate for Christmas. Even before the engagement he'd decided on having a portrait done of Johanna Beckett from a photo he'd been given by Jim for just that purpose. He'd broached the subject and Jim had been all in favor of it. His mother had also given him her approval.

"She should have her things around her when she moves in, Richard. This will be her home, not a way stop. I think it's an excellent idea."

"Yeah, I should go down and say goodnight. It was a wonderful evening and everyone was so happy."

"Wait until tomorrow morning, sweetheart, then you'll see 'happy'. Toys, and stocking stuffers and I can't wait."

"You're like a big kid, Rick. Don't ever change." It was a small kiss that threatened to get out of hand and they both drew back and smiled.

"Let's go down and say our goodnights. Your dad had a good time, Kate. Thanks for letting him share your mom with us."

Christmas evening

Rick was sitting in his study with his feet propped up on his desk watching the lights of the city twinkle in the softly falling snow. It had begun to snow and Rick had insisted that Jim spend the night again rather than brave the LIE and back roads to his home out on the Island. He and Kate were sitting in the living room talking and laughing.

It had been a good day all the way around.

The Castles had given Jim a watch for Christmas. Rick knew that Kate wore her dad's watch but not why. He'd asked Kate about their present and she'd agreed but was scandalized with the watch he'd selected and they'd argued until he finally closed the deal with 'I don't go on the cheap for family, Katherine Beckett'.

The portrait of Johanna Beckett hung in a conspicuous place on the living room wall where Rick had hung it early Christmas morning before anyone else had awakened. When Kate saw it, she turned to him with a shocked look on her face.

"I wanted her here, Kate, with us. I hope I didn't overstep my bounds but – " She stopped him with a kiss and murmured 'best Christmas ever, Rick'.

Breakfast had been loud and raucous as big family events tended to be with everyone talking about everyone's gifts. Rick had been surprised and touched by Kate's gift of a first edition anthology of Poe's short stories. He loved old books and Poe was his favorite 19th century author. Kate wore her earrings and engagement ring and he caught her looking at it from time to time with that small smile he loved.

The rest of the day had flown by. Alexis was on her way with friends to Bennington for a few days of skiing and his mother had made her manners and slipped away to Chet's. God only knew when she'd be seen again. And he was sitting in his study, nursing a Scotch and thinking about the past, present and future.

"Hey, what are you doing out here all alone, honey?" Two arms slipped around his shoulder and warm lips whispered against his ear.

"Just thinking and letting my mind wander, that's all, Kate. Nothing serious. It was a nice day, wasn't it?"

"Best day ever."

12th Precinct

It was Kate's first day back and both Esposito and Ryan noticed the immediate change in their leader. She was happy and smiling and they'd never seen her so relaxed and open. Esposito sent a text to Lanie telling her that her friend must have had a 'helluva nice leave' knowing it would pique her curiosity.

Kate was in the break room washing out her coffee mug when Lanie walked in and poured herself a cup of Castle's coffee and waited and waited and waited…

"Well, tell me everything! You look radiant and – are those new earrings?" She caught the two diamond pendant earrings that Kate decided to wear 'just once' to work since they were dressier than work called for.

Kate reached up and touched the earrings with her left hand, letting it dwell there for a second as she treated herself to the memory of how she came to get them.

"BECKETT! Is that an engagement ring? Oh, girl, you got to tell me everything and right now!" Lanie grabbed Kate's hand and oohed and aw'ed as tradition demanded and then dropped it and made 'Gimmee the 4-1-1' gestures all the while grinning like an idiot.

"Well, Rick and I had this horrible argument and I was moving out and when I went to our room…" She spent the next 15 minutes filling her friend in on just what 'went down' over her leave. She was smiling so much that her face started to hurt but she'd already figured out that the pain was just from an almost lifetime of disuse.

Esposito interrupted her story just when it got to the 'good parts' with 'Boss, we got a body'. She promised to fill Lanie in over lunch.

Central Park West
New York City

Kate parked her car and walked carefully down the curving sandstone steps to the crime scene. It had snowed again and the steps were not shoveled. A young uniformed officer held the yellow police crime scene tape up for her and she gave him a dazzling smile by way of thanks.

"What do we have, Kevin?"

"Irina Zhukov, the supermodel. Some crazy joggers found her body over there." He held a tree branch out of her way as the pair threaded their way down to the snow-covered jogging path.

The body was on a piece of plastic sheeting and clothed in a nightgown and staged as if she were sleeping, her hands folded over each other and resting on her abdomen. Her legs were together and she was wearing bedroom slippers with pink pom-poms gracing the toe of each slipper. There was a light dusting of snow over the body.

It looked like an advertisement for sleepwear but she doubted that anyone would notice what the model was wearing because her throat had been cut and each of her cheeks had been deeply scored with long slices running from the eyes to the chin.

Kate shivered in revulsion and asked Ryan how he knew the victim's name and he blushed but mumbled 'Victoria's Secret Catalogue – it was Jenny's and I was in the bathroom with nothing to read and – '

"I understand, Kevin." She chuckled to herself. "There's no blood at all so she was murdered elsewhere. It looks like the killer took the time to wash off all the blood and he must have dressed her in the nightgown post-mortem since it's a pristine white."

"Or she, Beckett. It might have been another model. I understand it's a cutthroat business…" his voice trailing off as he realized just what he'd said.

"I'd expect Castle to say something like that." Her tone was more wistful than condemning.

"So how're things going with Castle? He alright after all that's happened?" She held up her left hand and wiggled her fingers. "More than alright, Kevin."

Kate grimaced when she heard the ME assigned to the case announce his arrival. He took in the scene and gestured to one of his assistants for a sheet and a thermometer.

One thing she did like about Perlmutter was his respect for the dead body. He knew he'd have to remove the garment or make a slice in it to access the liver and he was almost anal about making sure the dignity of the deceased was not further compromised.

"Detective Beckett, as I'm sure you've already surmised, the victim was killed elsewhere. Given the temperature and the rigidity of the skin I'd guesstimate time of death between 12 and 18 hours ago. This weather and the site make accuracy questionable. I'll know more after examining the remains in the lab."

Esposito walked up and gave them his interview notes. The joggers were members of an extreme sports club and this weather had been ideal for their exercises. Esposito muttered, 'They're fucking nuts', but under his breath.

"You two see what you can find out on our victim. Get the ME to take prints and run them through the system. Despite Ryan's ID, I want confirmation. Once that's confirmed, we'll do the next of kin notification and move on from there."

She called Rick as she was walking back to her car. The wind was picking up and she pulled her coat tighter against the chill.

"Hey, Rick, I'm not going to be coming home tonight. Lanie wants a girls' night for 'information purposes' and I've got a case so I'll just spend the night at my place."

"You be careful and feel free to drop by if you wrap things up. Tell the good doctor I said 'hi' and don't drink on an empty stomach. I'll bet you haven't eaten yet, have you? You skipped breakfast and I was going to make pancakes."

"I got ambushed on my way to work by some horny devil and I had to satisfy his lusts before I could get dressed and I was running late. I'll miss you and your nice big warm bed but I have to work and then Lanie wants to hear all about how you seduced me and made me wear your ring. Love ya', Bye."

She laughed out loud. If someone had recorded her conversation with Castle and played it for her 6 months ago she'd have died of embarrassment but today, in this time frame, she couldn't imagine saying anything different.

She'd changed from 'Alley Kate' into 'Rick's Kate' and she wouldn't have it any other way.

12th Precinct

Ryan's identification had been right. Their victim was 21-year old Irina Zhukov, an internationally famous model who had been doing a photo shoot for a fashion magazine. Her only contact was her agent at the modeling agency and she was going over to inform her of the death of her client and interview her.

Loft

Castle was on a conference call with the producers of HeatWave going over casting lists. He was fine with everyone except the actress selected for the starring role of Nikki Heat, Kate's alter-ego. For one thing, she was blonde and for another, had acted in horror and science fiction independent films, most of which he'd never even heard of. While she was a knock-out, she wasn't his image of Nikki Heat or Kate Beckett for that matter.

"No. Absolutely not. Natalie Rhodes is not Nikki Heat. Find someone else. It's my call per the film rights agreement and I'm calling 'bullshit' on Ms. Rhodes."

There was an exchange of 'harsh words' and the flunky who called himself the 'casting director' finally hung up after cussing Rick out for being narrow minded and unfamiliar with the movie industry. Rick had hastened the end of the conversation by explaining just who his mother was and how he'd been around a movie lot a lot longer than some snot-nosed brat had been peeing on two legs.

Vibrant Modeling Agency

Kate felt edgy while she waited in the lobby of the Agency while Tanya Griffith finished up an interview. She felt uncomfortable around 'beautiful people' and kept her hair covering the right side of her face out of habit.

A receptionist escorted Kate back through a warren of cubicles and offices to Griffith's office. The woman was, of course, a former model and still retained her looks even though she was well past 50.

Kate explained the purpose of her visit and offered her condolences to Griffith. The woman had tears in her eyes and Kate noted the tremors in her hands and felt an instant of remorse for her earlier thoughts about beautiful people being shallow and empty. The agent was obviously shaken and upset.

"Who would want to kill Irina? She was a darling girl with a horrid past but a bright future. She just finished a series of photo shoots that would have catapulted her into the ranks of the great ones."

Kate thought the older woman was a wee bit over the top but tabled it. She was after information not attitudes.

By the end of the interview, Kate had a list of all the shoots Zhukov had done in the past month as well as other models' agent phone numbers. They were lucky. Most of the models were from Vibrant.

Loft

For once the time difference between New York and L.A. worked in his favor. He didn't need to get up at 4am for a conference call at 8am L.A. time.

"Ricky, this is Joel in L.A. I've got our creative team here and we want to download a couple of videos of Natalie's more memorable roles and hope you reconsider. Natalie Rhodes is a hot commodity right now and it would mean mega-bucks at the box office."

"Fine. Email me the FTP and I'll look at them right now. If you guys can stay loose for a couple more hours, I think we might be able to resolve it."

12th Precinct

Kate was reviewing her notes and trying to organize her murder board and was waiting for Ryan and Esposito to return from the victim's apartment. Bored, she called Castle, hoping he could add his unique perspective to a case. Actually, she wanted to talk to him about anything and everything.

"Hello, my love, I'm bored." Beckett was twirling her hair and almost whispering into the phone. Her approach to the conversation was unusual since she was at work.

"I'm aggravated. Kate, the woman they want to play you, I mean Nikki, is totally unsuited for the role. Her only claim to fame is a set of boobs that would have Billy-Bob baying at the moon. I mean, seriously, Kate…"

"She has nicer, er, 'boobs' than I do, Rick? Do mine…" She suddenly felt insecure. She'd never given her body another thought but was wondering if Rick felt she was…skinny.

"Kate, your breasts are perfect. Your neck is sheer elegance and your thighs are toned and so smooth. You have a delightful navel and your buttocks are just perfect for me to hold and enjoy. No, this woman is not Nikki Heat. If I were casting her, I'd go for a model like, like Veronica Hamel, although she's old now and never could hold a candle to your beauty, but she's the type, not some…reject from a Hooter's commercial."

Kate was moved by his description of her body and she felt a sudden warmth downthere and wondered if maybe Lanie would take a rain check. On impulse, she Googled 'Veronica Hamel' and was pleased with his selection of who he'd like for Nikki Heat. She was more than pleased since the woman was very beautiful.

"And Kate? I don't want anyone thinking that my wife, the model for Nikki Heat, is a slut. That's the bottom line. Natalie Rhodes is a slut actress."

She could feel the pressure of tears building up. '…my wife…' There it was. 'My wife'. She felt suddenly trapped and couldn't breathe. She had things to do before she got married and…and…

"Kate, still there?" He heard the sudden intake of breath on her end and waited. Maybe he'd laid it on too thick about Rhodes but someday maybe their kids would watch the movie and he didn't want them to think their mom was like Natalie Rhodes, because she wasn't.

"Yeah, Rick. I gotta go. I love you, Rick. Never doubt that for one second and I think it's sweet that you're so protective – but I'm not Nikki Heat, so don't worry about those Hollywoodpeckers. I'll see you tomorrow night for sure unless you'd like to grab lunch if I'm not tied up?"

"It's a date." He stopped when he said that. They'd never dated, not really. He'd have to change that. The wheels started turning…

12th Precinct

"Yo, Beckett, her apartment's clean as a whistle, just clothes all over the place. Girl eats like a bird though. No food in the refrigerator, just diet stuff. Ryan did the neighbor thing and no one remembers anything unusual except for all the nights she came home drunk and loud."

"Well, run her phone records and her financials. There's got to be something we're missing."

Kate's Apartment

She hadn't been here in days and it smelled disused and musty. It was small, tiny, when compared to the loft and it was empty. She'd gotten used to having people around her and she felt a pang of loneliness. Kate walked into her bedroom and looked at the bed and almost called Lanie to cancel but she was too late. She was already on her way.

She changed into yoga pants and a hoodie and rinsed out the wine glasses and opened a bottle and let it breathe. She was hungry and decided to wait to see if Lanie wanted anything.

She almost called Castle. Almost. Their last conversation had been all about her and she'd forgotten to ask him for any insights he might have on the Zhukov murder.

Lanie arrived and took in Kate's appearance and her slovenly dress and wonder about it out loud. "Girl, what's with the nasty clothes and since when do you drink alone, Kate? Is something wrong?"

When she started to explain, Lanie interrupted, went to the phone and ordered pizza and then told her 'start at the very beginning and don't leave out so much as a moan'.

"So, I'm moving in and that's where we are." Kate ate another slice of pizza and drank some wine.

"What about your apartment?"

"I'm keeping it. I need a place to crash and sometimes going back to the loft with the hours I keep is just too damned inconvenient. I don't want to wake Alexis or Martha."

"What about Rick?"

"Oh, I'd wake him up. A girl's got priorities." They both laughed about her comment.

"That's a flimsy excuse. I think you're afraid to commit and you need someplace to fall back to. That's a cop out, Kate."

"Lanie, I can't commit, I can't marry him until I find justice for my mom. You know that's been my obsession for years."

"Kate, Rick should be your obsession, not a 'when I get some things done' kind of thing. Let him help. There's no reason you two can't…"

"Lanie, she was my mother. It's my problem, not his. Besides, I need to keep this part of my life separate." It was a BS excuse but she was a girl who believed in preparing for any contingency – up to and including her relationship with Castle cratering and leaving her homeless.

"Girl, this is a real bad decision. It's gonna come bite you in your ass, I'm warning you, Kate. You're going to regret keeping this a secret. You're not supposed to have secrets from one another."