Thank you to everyone who have sent reviews to the first chapter, and to everyone who have made it a favourite story or put it on author alert. It is the inspiration that I need. Here is the next installment. Enjoy.

Chapter 2

..."Once upon a time, in a land far, far away there lived a fair maiden. This maiden was such a sight to behold. As beautiful as the sunrise on a brand new day, eyes as verdant as a spring meadow, with the voice of a nightingale and a smile that could bring warmth to even the coldest, darkest night..."

Castle paused to smile at the sleeping Kate. Having a mother who was an actress had allowed him to pick up a few tricks of the trade which had come in handy with all the book readings he had done over the years. Now that he was seated before his most important audience he did not want to be found wanting. Summoning the most melodious voice in his vocal armoury Castle resumed his story.

"...This fair maiden's name was Katherine of Beckett but to some she was known as Kate, and to others as Beckett. Kate was not only beautiful she was smart, feisty and determined. While many of her contemporaries chose the life of a wife and mother, or go into vocations that were more befitting a young woman, Kate chose a career that was vastly different. She chose a career that surprised many of her friends.

You see, after finishing her schooling Kate chose to take up the sword to help and protect the people of this land called New York from evil doers who would bring misery and hardship. She joined the constabulary and became an officer of the law.

For the first few years she wore the uniform of an ordinary constable, patrolling the streets making sure the law was obeyed and bringing to justice those who would violate the law.

She was good at her job. She had to be as this career path she had chosen was a world dominated by men, who looked upon a woman amongst their ranks as a nuisance, a distraction, someone who shouldn't be there. Few women chose a career as a law enforcement officer.

It was not long before her comrades came to accept her as one of their own. They saw how dedicated she was at her job, they saw how good she was when dealing with victims and their families, they saw how good she was when questioning suspects and extracting confessions from the guilty, they saw the fire of justice that burned in her green eyes.

I am sure you may wonder why such a beautiful woman would choose such a path to follow? Especially when she had so many options from which to chose from. Well there is no mystery to that.

You see when Kate was young a tragedy was visited upon her family. One night evil doers cruelly took the life of her mother in the most heinous way. Kate and her father were devastated by this tragedy and what made it all the worse the perpetrator was never caught. Kate's father unable to reconcile the loss of the love of his life sought comfort in wine and lost himself for a while.

Kate felt her mother's loss just as deeply. Once she had been a happy and care free young woman who looked at the world with all the possibilities that it beheld. Once she was quick to laughter and the sound of her laughter was like music to all who heard it. After the loss of her beloved mother a change came over Kate. The laughter was gone from her voice, the light in her eyes was dimmed. A great sadness enveloped her. There was a deep emptiness in her heart. Yet slowly and surely around that emptiness she built a wall and faced the world as best she could.

Yet despite the emptiness and sadness, there was a fire that burned within Kate. Eventually she resolved that she would try to make sure that others would not suffer the way that she or her father had suffered. She resolved that she would bring evil doers and law breakers to justice. The other reason Kate joined the constabulary was in the hope that one day she would get the chance to investigate her mother's murder and with some good fortune perhaps find the evil doer who had taken her life and bring them to justice.

That is why the fair Kate joined the constabulary.

However it was not long before Kate's work came to the attention of the Sheriff. Sir Roy of Montgomery had spent most of his life as a law enforcement officer, some thirty years in all. He had risen up the ranks until he was appointed Sheriff. He had started out as a patrol man and because of hard work and dedication he had become an investigator until he was eventually appointed Sheriff.

Having reached the exulted position of the chief law enforcement officer of the land Sir Roy could have taken it easy, he could have let his subordinates do all the hard work and just bask in the glory of their successes. However, Sir Roy was not that kind of man, he worked harder than ever. He wanted to make the constabulary that he was head of to be the best. And he always kept an eye out for those of his constables who showed promise, real promise.

Of those select and chosen few he would take them under his wing and teach them how to be better law enforcement officers. How to be better investigators. He became their mentor and father figure. For you see as much as preventing crime was very important, just as important and perhaps even more important was solving crimes that had been committed.

One night Sir Roy ventured down to the archives in search of a document he needed for a presentation he was to make on the morrow. And there in the glow of a lamp he found Kate seated at a table reading a file she had removed from a nearby shelf.

At first Sir Roy was surprised and then angered to discover a mere patrol officer in the bowels of the archives reading a file she was not authorised to read. A patrol officer was not allowed down there without permission. He had a distinct feeling this young woman had not received such permission.

Sir Roy put on his most stern looking face, the kind of look that could send a quake of fear into the most hardened of constables or criminals.

"What are you doing down here?" He challenged.

Kate looked up from the file she was reading, startled. Her eyes widened with alarm upon seeing the Sheriff standing there and not looking well pleased. Recovering from her initial alarm Kate fixed him with a steady gaze.

"I'm reading a file sir." She said calmly, showing none of the trepidation she felt at seeing the Sheriff.

"You know you are not supposed to be down here."

"Yes sir."

"Then pray tell what file are you reading that you should not be?"

Kate could have spun the man a story that she had come down here as a dare by the comrades in her patrol, the usual tomfoolery comrades engage in with the newest member of the team. She could have told him any number of things as way of explanation for him finding her down here.

"I'm reading my mother's case file." Kate informed him, choosing to tell the truth.

"Your mother's?" Said Sir Roy unable to hide the surprise in his voice.

"Yes sir."

Sir Roy slowly approached the table and saw the young woman a little more clearly. An icy cold chill travelled up his spine as he regarded the young woman seated at the desk. It as if he was seeing a ghost.

"All the same you should not be here." Sir Roy told her, recovering from his shock.

"There are some things in this case that do not seem to add up, sir." Kate announced.

In the next few minutes that passed Sir Roy listened to the young woman before him as she eagerly explained the discrepancies she had discovered in reading her mother's case file. Sir Roy knew the case, he had read the file on many occasions and new all of the discrepancies that were in there. What surprised Sir Roy the most was the fact she had found them so quickly. He could have shown the file to one of his more experienced investigators and they would have been hard pressed to come up with one or two discrepancies let alone a whole list, like this young woman had done.

This one is very sharp, Sir Roy thought to himself as he regarded her. He saw the glint of determination in those green eyes. In that moment he knew exactly what he had to do.

"What is your name?" He asked.

"Kate of Beckett."

"Well Beckett, how is it that I find you down here? How did you get in?"

"I finished my patrol and the sergeant in charge let me in, sir."

Sir Roy nodded his head slowly. He continued to regard the young woman seated at the table. He saw the look of resolve in her face and knew well enough that if he were to order her leave and not return without express permission she would disobey that order. She would find a way to sneak back.

"I suggest you put the file back from whence it came and depart from here." he said finally.

Kate wanted to refuse, she wanted to argue with the sheriff but his tone of voice told her that he would brook no argument. Reluctantly she closed the file, her fingers lightly brushing the picture of her mother attached to the cover and returned it to the shelf where she had found it. Turning to face the Sheriff she found him wearing a small smile on his face.

"On the morrow Kate of Beckett I will see you in my office." Sir Roy ordered.

The fair Kate left the archives. She wanted to run as fast as her legs could carry her but she forced herself to walk. She did not want to let the Sheriff see that he had frightened her. No, she would leave in a dignified manner she told herself. However an ever deepening feeling of trepidation dogged her as she left. She had been caught by the Sheriff himself in a place where she should not have been. She was in trouble and on the morrow she would find out how deep a trouble that was to be.

However what the fair Kate did not know as she departed with the growing fear that her career in the constabulary was all but over, was that she had not landed in trouble at all. Sir Roy had found his next protégée..."

Castle suddenly stopped when he heard a muffled cough. His eyes went to Kate thinking it had been her who had made the noise. Looking at her he saw that she had not made any sound. Sensing a presence in the room he turned around. He was surprised to find Rebecca and two other nurses hovering by the door.

"Sorry Mr Castle, we didn't mean to disturb you." Rebecca casting a quick glare at the nurse who had coughed. "But it's not often we get a famous author...and we heard you telling a story...and we...I hope you don't mind..?"

"There's not much on TV at this time of the night." Said the second nurse. "And you're our favourite author."

Castle smiled at the nurses. He did not mind audiences. In fact he liked having an audience, no he loved having an audience to perform for.

"What about your patients?" He inquired.

"Don't worry, Mr Castle." Rebecca said. "We'll check on them from time to time, like we do every night."

"Which means we'll pop in an and out." Said the second nurse. "If that's okay?"

Castle nodded his head granting them permission to stay and added a smile. He could do no less after the fantastic job they had done so far looking after Kate.

Castle turned back to look at Kate, the smile never leaving his face. His thumb continued to stroke the back of her hand. He was not certain but he thought he saw the corners of Kate's lips were curved ever so slightly upwards in what looked like the begging of a smile. Maybe it was his mind playing tricks on him or maybe it was wishful thinking, he thought to himself. His smile deepened as he determined he would do all he could to put a smile back on her face.

"Now where was I?" Castle said as he returned to the story he was weaving. "Ah yes..."

It goes without saying that I would love to hear what you think about this chapter.

Con