It is completely my fault that this chapter took so long, guys. I apologize from the bottom of my heart. I had exams and then family stuff and then half of the people at work were sick so I was working over-time and it was just generally messy. But it's up and you can all breathe easy. And review. Please.

Speaking of which, I posted a new chapter of Glass Slipper last night so that's available for you now. Also, I just posted the beginning of my summer alphabet drabble series but this time we're using characters from the show Once Upon A Time so if you like that show you should check it out on my page.

Well I guess that's all. For my fellow Canadians, happy Canada Day, for my American readers, happy almost Independence Day. For my international readers, hi!

And as always, you can follow me on twitter at vatrask

Enjoy 3

They stood side-by-side frozen in place by sheer confusion as the world bustled around them. They were perfectly matched in form, hand casually at their sides, head tilted slightly to the left as though a better angle would help make better sense of things. It didn't; at all. They were still left standing there, having returned to the address written on their victim's hand only to find this…whatever this was.

A tree, on the edge of a playground wrapped in police tap that they didn't place there with two bullets that were being pulled out as they stood there, side-by-side frozen in place by sheer confusion. What the hell was this all about? The recognized the park as one they had come to for a case long ago involving a nanny, a dryer, and the things women will do for love. But it had nothing to do with bullets in trees and they had no idea what it could have to do with their Jane Doe keeping Lanie company.

With her head still tilted slightly to the left, she called out to Esposito who was already approaching her with his ever informative report. "Hey Espo, what d'you got?"

"Well Beckett," She offered him her aligned head for attention "there were two bullets in a tree surrounded by crime scene tap." And her head was tilted again; more in annoyance this time but he kept going, revealing the time evidence baggies he had in his two hands. "Unis just got here so they'll start canvassing and CSU will be by shortly to process this…." He looked back and blinked wildly "whatever this is. Are you sure this has to do with our case?"

She nodded "this address was on the Vic's hand and this is way too freaky to be unrelated. What's that?" She indicated the bags.

"Ah yes," he held them up in true Vanna White fashion "Thing One and Thing Two were extracted from the tree with words carved in the sides of them. 'Target' and 'Range'. We just got started with canvassing but so far no one is reporting the sound of gunshots any time in the last few hours. Judging by the ridiculous amount of scratch marks on the tree I'd say that someone carved a whole in the tree and just placed them in."

"I don't get it." Castle was still head-tilted and standing as he watched uniformed officers place crime-scene tape around the crime-scene tape just for good measure.

"Someone planted the bullets in a tree in order to throw us off whatever trail they've got, how hard is that to figure out?" Esposito shrugged at the distant voice of the writer who was normally so loud and excited and loud.

"I mean I don't get the significance of bullets in a tree. What kind of a message are they trying to send?"

"They could environmentalists." Ryan offered, suddenly appearing beside his partner.

"No," Beckett held her finger to her lips in thought, reminded instantly of Natalie Rhodes and quickly dropped her hand "both of the clues that we've been led to on this case have had to do with cases that Castle and I worked together. That can't be a coincidence."

"I still don't get it."

Esposito looked between them but finally shrugged at seeing them lost in thought. "Well while you two are trying to 'get it' Ryan and I will head back to the station and see if these two friends give us any information."

"Great," Beckett nodded "Castle and I'll canvass the playground; see if any moms or babysitters saw anything. Have unis cover the rest of the park." The two pairs parted ways and Castle and Beckett made their way down the path heading straight for the playground where the sound of children's laughter could be heard down the street. But it was fun, joyous laughter and not the kind that would keep neighbours up at night. It was a good kind of background noise for a sunny day and not one that was filled with bullet-riddled trees and murder mysteries that seemed vaguely too close to home for the dynamic duo. But it was still a pleasant sort of sound' one that caused Castle to suddenly pause in his tracks. "What, Castle?"

"I remember why this park was so familiar to me."

"Yeah, I know this was when we worked the nanny case."

"No, that's not it." He slowly turned towards her with an uneasily bright light in his eyes "this is where you first told me that you were a 'one and done' kind of girl; not one to jump into marriage."

She paled and then blushed and then did something in the middle, her eyes wide and awe-struck with just a little bit of embarrassed confusion. "You remember that? That was…like three years ago."

"Beckett" he shook his head "I'm a writer – specifically your writer" no way was she going to deal with the notion of 'her writer' right now so she let it pass "it's my job to notice you and I remember everything that you say."

"You just don't listen to what I say." she smirked, much more at ease with their usual banter.

"I listen when appropriate." She scoffed so he changed the subject, wanting to catch her with a smile "So, any new candidates?"

"Candidates for what?" There she was, smiling, oblivious to his charms.

"Your 'one and done' idea." And there was the smile running down the street screaming 'I'm not ready for that question, I'm not ready for that question.' It was almost amusing.

Until her eyes suddenly lit up again with childhood excitement and his fun was over because they had to focus on the case now. "Shooting range."

"Wh-what?" Talk about bringing out the big guns to shoot him down.

"The two bullets said 'target' and 'range' I bet they're talking about a shooting range."

"Okay, I'm following you; but which shooting range? There have to be dozens not counting the unlicensed and specialty places; which one are we supposed to go to?"

"Well if it is all about us then I suppose we should check out the one at the 12th first." Before he could say anything she grabbed his hand to tug him in the right direction and then suddenly began practically sprinting to her car without waiting for Castle, knowing that he would be behind her anyways.

"What about canvassing the playground?" He called, already well behind her; she was fast when she was determined.

"I'll call and have one of the unis do it."

He shook his head as he finally slid into the car as she turned the ignition "those guys take a lot of crap from you."

"I figure you guys have a lot in common." She said off-handedly as they pulled out onto the road.

"Yeah but I like it." He mumbled just loud enough that she had to bite her lip to halt the conversation before it went any further. That was a conversation for another day.

Right now they had a crazy killer to catch.