Author's note : It wasn't planned. But it seems this story is developing into a multi chapter one.

It was mid-april and spring was just making an appearance. Beckett and Castle were driving down the interstate 87 back to New York. They had interviewed a relative of their victim who lived upstate. The ride was long and tedious. Especially since the interview had been a total bust. The relative, also a suspect had a solid alibi.

"Maybe he has a twin – or a clone ?" Castle offered.

"Castle, let it rest. The man was at a ball game. A police against firefighters ball game ! They even have pictures." The author just grunted.

"What I am saying is..." He was interrupted by Beckett's phone.

"Beckett... Hum hum... Good. Go pick him up and keep me apprised... No. Start the interrogation, we're still pretty far away and we're starting to hit traffic... Hey, Ryan ? Good job !" She hang up and glanced at her partner who was staring expectantly at her.

"Ryan and Esposito found our guy on a video from the store across the street. The business partner. He was leaving the building, soaking wet and looking distraught. They're picking him up now."

"Aw, man ! The business partner ? I wanted it to be the firefighter, drowning - ironic- his cousin in his bath, in a jealous rage over an old high school flame, pun intended."

Beckett rolled her eyes, a smile playing on her lips. Her partner had a way to come up with the strangest theories. "Well, sorry Castle. Looks like it was just plain greed and business gone wrong. But we'll know for sure after the boys interrogate him."

Castle sulked : "It's boring. And now, we can't even do the fun part. We're stuck in this hell of a highway in rush hour traffic."

"My battery's dead", Castle stated with horror as the screen of his phone went black. "No, no, no !"

Beckett refrained to do any comment. She had been driving in relative peace thanks to his addiction to Angry birds. Now, she was bracing herself for the whining, the pestering, the questioning. They were still a good hour away. Ryan had called not ten minutes ago with the good news that the partner had confessed. She and Castle had nothing to work on and she wondered if this will end up with her partner dead also.

"So", he started. "Did you watch it ?"

"Watch what ?" She shouldn't be engaging him, she knew that. But it wasn't easy with only them two in the car.

"Heat wave."

"I was at the premiere", she eluded.

"I'm speaking about the scene we missed. I know the studio gave you a DVD." He pushed, annoyed.

She remained silent. His stare blew a hole in her head, or so she thought.

"I didn't...", she finally confessed.

"I didn't either."

She threw him a sceptic look. "You're telling me that you didn't rewatch and rewatch the first movie made based on one of your books ?"

"Too painful. They made all this changes." She rolled her eyes. "Why didn't you watch it ?", he asked. She shrugged.

"I don't know." Why hadn't she ? If she was a bit honest with herself, "I guess it's one thing to read it. But watching it, seeing her-me and him-Rook"

"Him-me" he corrected.

"It's a little weird."

The silence fell. A comfortable one for Beckett until Castle decided to break it.

"Why is it weird ?"

"Castle...", she warned.

"What ? Can't we talk about it ?"

"Talk about what exactly ?" Her voice was getting louder, more defensive.

"The fact that we both can't watch a stupid movie scene because it reminds us of... us... Or what could be us." He was going for it. She couldn't believe it. She decided to play dumb and deny.

"I don't know what you're talking about." But her fingers were gripping the wheel more forcefully than necessary, her knuckles turning white.

"Come on, Kate. Don't tell me you ducked out of the theatre just because it was 'weird' !"

"Josh was sitting right there ! You were sitting right there !" She was nearly shouting now.

"Exactly", he shouted back. "You didn't want to be reminded of..." He stopped and gulped.

"Of what ?", she dared him.

"We kissed", he said. He wasn't yelling anymore. His voice was steady, his jaw clenched, determination in his eyes. They were entering New York and traffic wasn't getting any better. She cursed every other driver at that moment.

"That was over a year ago", she replied with calm.

"Exactly !You keep missing my point."

"What is your point ?" As soon as the words escaped her mouth, she knew she had made a mistake.

He looked at her, his eyes full of sorrow now.

"Do I have to wait until you're shot and dying in my arms again ?" His voice was soft.

A car horn, behind them made her jump. The light was green. She drove in silence. He didn't push it. She pulled in front of his building. Looking right ahead, she waited for him to get out of the car. She racked her brain for something to say. She wished he would just say 'until tomorrow'. He stepped out without a word.

"Next time, take you're power cable for your phone !", she whispered.

"Yeah", was all he said before closing the passenger's door. Her head collided with the wheel.