Chapter 3

Castle had called the next day, but Kate hadn't answered. Thinking about how things were going well between them so far, he assumed it was because she might have been busy with a new case. He considered calling the boys instead, but thought better of it. If he was to call them, it should be to talk to them; not to spy on her, however tempting the idea might be. He owed them and their friendship that. Besides, he could pass of calling Kate almost on a daily bases as an infatuation that everyone seemed to believe it was anyway; but he'd rather not have them saying the same about him persistently pestering Ryan and Esposito. Bro codes existed for a reason.

That being said, it had been three days since they'd last spoken. It was starting to worry him. He knew that she wasn't seeing Demming, but who's to say that meant she wasn't seeing someone else? He couldn't just assume that just because she hadn't told him one way or the other. Knowing her need for privacy, the possibility had to be taken under consideration. He would try to be happy for her, however bruised and battered his heart may feel as a result. That's what you do for the people you…care about.

Another possibility – one that scared him far, far more – was that she couldn't call him. That somehow, she might have been injured in the line of duty. With that thought in mind he decided, bro code or not, he would call Esposito or Ryan if he didn't hear from her soon. Heck, he'd even call Lanie if it came down to that.

At this point, he acknowledged that he might be going a little stir crazy. He tried instead to focus on writing again - that or related activities. Those kept him entertained as well. After all, it had been just three days. He could go without hearing from her for three days. But Beckett is a woman of her word. Someone who takes everything she says seriously. If she didn't mean it, she wouldn't say it – however sleepy she may have been at the time. And so his state of mind went through a spectrum of anxiety, calm, depression, belief (in her), hope, dread, and back again. That one woman could make him go through this much without even being his significant other (yet, his mind supplied) left him with yet another emotion – awe.

He pondered this and many other things as he indulged in what he realized to be vigorous exercise – that is until he heard his phone ring loudly from the kitchen, and then he was rushing in that direction as fast as he possibly could; just knowing it was her. It had to be her. It was.

"Hey, Castle," came a tired voice.

His heart clenched from the mix of feelings – on the one hand, he felt the immense need stirring in him to just engulf her in his arms, and on the other, he was plain elated to know that she was okay.

"Hey," he replied, gulping a few breaths.

"Uh. Is this a bad time? I can call again later." He hated that she sounded so uncertain, on top of her exhaustion. Whatever she was worried about when it came to him, he wanted to assure her that it was unnecessary.

"No!" he shouted into the phone. "No. Now is a good time. It's a great time. You might in fact have such impeccable timing, that you may have saved me from cardiac arrest!"

He was rewarded by a tired chuckle, and oh, did he think it was the most heavenly sound right about now. "Really, Castle? What were you up to?"

He hummed, still out of breath and wiped the sweat from his face as he hopped over to the counter where his scissors were kept. "Just let me catch my breath, Beckett, before you go around stealing it again," he paused, hearing the hitch in her breathing before going on relentlessly, "Till then, how 'bout telling me what you've been up to these last couple of days?"

She hummed. It sounded like she was weighing her options, before she exhaled audibly and set to tell him about her day. "We caught a difficult one. Just closed it today, actually."

"Tell me about it?"

She took another deep breath. He felt bad about making her relive it when she was obviously taking it hard. But he couldn't possibly know how to help without knowing what for, and more importantly, there may have been a chance that just talking about it could help. He decided to push.

"A man was found murdered in his home, surrounded by empty liquor bottles. He'd been an alcoholic for three years, ever since he lost his wife to a hit and run case that was let off on some technicality. His whole family took it hard," her voice trembled.

"Oh, Kate," he said softly, closing his eyes.

As if she couldn't stop, as if she needed to portray strength, she forged ahead. "We found the killer. His son seemed determined to believe that the hit and run accused went free because his drunk father messed up the testimony."

"He didn't hit the bottle until after that happened though…"

"Yeah. But the son wasn't listening to reason, Castle. He was so consumed by rage."

"He needed someone to pay."

"Yeah," she repeated.

"Kate, it's not the same."

"He fell down the rabbit hole, Castle. I know what that's like."

"It's not the same," he repeated. He'd repeat it as many times as needed.

"Isn't it?"

"No," he said confidently, resolutely. "You, Kate…you brought your father out of the bottle. Habits are hard enough to break, bad habits even harder, and bad habits that have a dark reason behind them – the hardest. You did that, Kate. The life you saved. Every day you wake up and do a difficult job, not only to the best of your ability, but you're most certainly one of the best because of that very reason – you give it your all; serving justice to others though it's eluded you. And it's not fair, Kate, but you do it anyway. You might have fallen down the rabbit hole, but you recognized that, and not only did you get yourself out of it, but you made sure to take care of those you loved. For all those reasons, and so many more, you are an amazing person."

He heard the sob that she tried to hide. "Castle," she said shakily, but he was having none of it.

"No, I'm not done. I'll never be done. It would take more than a series of books to show the world just a fraction of the amazing person you are," he said, and then added softly, "You are the most extraordinary person I know, and it is an honor to shadow you."

Softly, and evenly, she whispered, "Thank you, Rick."

"Always," he replied.

He heard another deep breath, one that sounded strong, like she was bracing herself, mentally and physically with the power of his words guiding her. Sounding more even than she had so far, she said, "Tell me about your day now?"

"Ah, well, before you called, I was doing research."

She chuckled. "Really, Castle? Again with the research?"

"Hey! That's what I'm out here for, aren't I? It's all legitimate research for my book. That I'm basing off of you, but here I am, doing all the hard work."

This time she snorted, and he almost puffed his chest with pride. "Uh huh. What was it this time?"

"Well…" Castle said, sounding faintly embarrassed, "I wouldn't want to spoil you," he mumbled.

"Tell me, or I will hurt you."

"You're all the way in New York city," he said with a laugh.

Silence.

"Kate?"

More silence.

"Beckett?"

And some more silence.

"For the love of all things holy! How do you do that? I can almost feel your eyebrow having gone up. Did you physically turn towards the Hamptons? Because I can feel your glare being directed at me." He shuddered. He wasn't even kidding.

"Are you gonna tell me?"

"Fine," he huffed. "I was seeing how much time it would take to reach from one end of my house to the other."

"O-kay. How long have you been going at it?" she asked, sounding curious.

"Eh," he shrugged though she couldn't see it, "Just under an hour."

"Wow, Castle, you should really start exercising more if that's got you so out of breath. Really, if you expect to keep up with me," she said and when she heard the growl he couldn't seem to contain, she was glad that he couldn't see the blush that crept up all over her face. "At work. I meant, at work," she added weakly.

"I'm sure you did," he said in a husky voice, before clearing his throat, and then in a low voice, he muttered something so quickly that she wasn't able to catch it.

"Say that again, Castle, and this time slowly, and in a pitch meant for human ears."

"I said," he huffed, "That I was hopping, because my ankles are bound by zip ties."

The resulting laughter lit his every cell on fire, and he couldn't hold his petulant pout – not that she could see it anyway.

"God, Castle," she said, gasping for air. He chastised himself for immediately imagining different scenarios where she would say that in a similar tone, but for far different reasons. "You're crazy."

"Hmph. Well, I wouldn't be having such a tough time if there was someone around to help me with the research, you know."

"Uh huh. So not only do you expect me to do my real job, but now you want me to do yours as well?"

"I'm just saying, Beckett, that you could help fulfill your musely duties –"

"That's not even a word."

"And who knows? You might even have fun – "

"I seriously doubt it."

"- we could even take turns tying each other up."

That got her to shut up good, he thought with a smug grin. He forgot sometimes that she was a mystery, but not too often, because like now, she often reminded him.

"Hmm. Maybe next time, Castle."

She laughed when she heard him gulp loudly in response.

"God, you're easy. I'm going to let you go now."

"Nooooooo," he whined. "You can't just – and then you – but – Why, you evil tease, why?"

That got her to laugh again, and he felt like he was made of win tonight.

"Seriously, Castle. My place is a mess, there's no food in the house – "

"You've got a takeout shrine in that fridge of yours, Beckett."

"I'm running out of clean clothes, not to mention I would love to have a nice, long bath right now."

He enunciated, "Evil. Tease."

Gifting him with yet another chuckle, she added softly, "I really better go; get things in order while I'm still able to stay awake."

"Kay. Have a good night, Kate."

"You ensured it. Thank you, Castle," she said in a voice that made his heart melt.

"Anything for you, Beckett. Even the truth, especially the truth."

"I know."

"Good night," he repeated.

"You too."

"You ensured it."

A/N: Thank you all again for your responses. I appreciate it all, even the ones I can't reply to. Your encouragement means a lot to me. Hope you've enjoyed this one as well. Until next time.