A/N: You guys are fantastic reviewers. You rock! And no, I'm not secretly one writer of the show (lol) but best compliment ever! I'm just glad I'm faithful to the characters and that you guys like this.
Story-wise : I read somewhere that Jenny was in fashion. So she's a fashion designer here. Enough with my babbling, on with the torture.

It's saturday night and the regular crowd did shuffle in. The Old Haunt is packed. Among the college graduates, workers and aspiring writers, four cops, a medical examiner, a fashion designer and a writer are enjoying drinks on the house, in a corner booth.

"Your own daughter kicked you out of your apartment?" Jenny asks, hesitating between laughter and pity.

"She did. Apparently, I've been hovering," Castle explains using air quotes. "But she's sick. She used to love when we'd sit on the couch watching cartoons, eating mac&cheese," he whines.

"How old is she?" Donovan inquires.

"17," The gang answer all together, amused. The rookie makes an "O" with his mouth but knows better than to comment. Castle was very good to him this past week, he isn't going to kick a man already down. But Castle senses no support around the table. "My little girl is sick and you're mocking me! You should all me ashamed of yourselves," Castle declares, as he takes a sip of his beer.

"I'm sorry to bring you back to reality, Castle. But 17? So not a little girl anymore," Lanie starts. "I remember when I was 17. Man! The fun I had. There was that time..."

Castle yelps and covers his ears.

"Lanie, I would love to hear more about your scandalous life. But please, no stories about what you did at my daughter's age. It's conflicting my man's side with my dad's one."

"Oh, like that supermodel who used to babysit Alexis!" Esposito recalls, looking at Ryan for confirmation.

"Man, that was harsh," Ryan agrees.

"Wait. Supermodel what?" Donovan perks up.

"We had a case during fashion week. This girl gave Castle her phone number because they met before. Castle thought at a party. Turned out, she used to babysit Alexis," Ryan explains as Castle groaned. Donovan turns to him.

"That's too bad... Do you still have her number?" Castle narrows his eyes at him before fishing out his phone. He holds it up and take a picture of the kid. Seeing eyebrows shoot up, he clarifies.

"I'm sending her your picture first." Donovan grins and feeds the birds with Ryan and Esposito, then Castle and Jenny. He moves to do the same with Beckett and Lanie who just stare him down.

"Fine." The young detective gets up. "Next round on me, as a thank you for this past week. It's been fun." One look at Beckett. "Most times."

All stare at her. Beckett smiles at him.

"Come on, I'll help you carry the glasses," she offers to make amends for her harsh behavior. They head to the bar. Once they are out of earshot, Lanie pounces on Castle like a prey.

"What was up with Beckett this week? What did you do?"

The writer looks like a deer caught in headlights.

"Nothing!" He needs to pull this off. Beckett will kill him if he spills. But he so wants to. His mind is thriving to tell them to leave Beckett and him alone for a few minutes. Maybe one hour. More. But, really, only a few minutes of alone time in an appropriate place would be enough for now.

"Man, she's been awful. Snapping at everyone. You must have done something," Esposito concurs.

"I've done nothing!" Castle bites back the 'and that's the problem'. Lanie hums softly with disapprobation. Castle feel the need to escape.

"I need to pee," he announces, getting up and leaving the table.

"What was that about?" Jenny asks. Lanie grins at her and starts to dish. Esposito and Ryan look at each other.

"Darts?"

"Darts!"

Castle comes out of the bathroom, drying his hands on his jeans. He runs into someone and his hands fly to steady the person in front of him, leaning on the wall of the narrow corridor.

"Sorry!" He mumbles.

"You should watch where you go, Castle." The tone is playful and he loves that voice. He smiles and puts his flirt on.

"You're the one who should, Beckett. Is something distracting you?" His hands are still on her upper arms and he stokes up and down slowly. He pulls her a little closer. She steps forward willingly. She clutches the front of his dress shirt with one hand. They are not alone in the corridor, people are passing by on their way to the bathroom, pushing them a little. But they don't know them and the customers don't give them a second glance. And maybe, just maybe, the time has come.

"Hey!" He talks because they've been silent way to long. She chuckles nervously. She's unsure because there are in his bar, in the corridor outside the bathroom. And the guys, Lanie and Jenny are not far away. He doesn't care that much. He swallows hard and leans in, eyeing her carefully. But suddenly, he drops his hands to his sides.

"Beckett, you should really look where you're going!" he exclaims and she's taken aback. She drops her own hand from his shirt, hurt. He's now looking over her shoulder, walking around her at the same time. She turns around. Lanie. The ME is standing a few feet away, watching them like a hawk. The woman is quite predatory, Castle thinks. He moves past the doctor, plastering an innocent smile on his face. He's letting Beckett deal with her mind-reading, cock-blocker friend.

"So," he hears behind him. "You two looked quite cozy there." He winces but feels relieved. He's not the one about to be grilled, for once.

TBC...

A/N : Don't hate me (well, you can a little). Next one will be the last chapter. And yes, after five chapters of build-up, I feel the pressure. Wrote myself into that one, didn't I?

Reviews are my new drug of choice. Be an enabler, please! (Mistakes are embarrassing, feel free to point them out anyway).