Author's note : Warning, This story is jumping ahead a few years and taking a dramatic turn.

Beckett walked in the darkened loft. It was late and she was careful not to make too much noise. She was halfway to the top of the stairs when she heard Castle call her name from behind.

"Kate", he had pronounced it sternly. There were no pleading nor question in his voice. She turned around. She could barely make his face but his figure stood out on the threshold of his office. His right hand was holding a glass. Whisky, she guessed.

"You can sleep in our bed. I need to finish the book", he said, keeping the same cool tone. His face betrayed no emotion. She nodded and adverted his eyes as she walked past him on her way to the bedroom. She wanted to say something, but even 'goodnight' seemed pity. So she remained silent and went straight to bed. She could here the clicking of the keyboard. But the noise didn't bring her the comfort it used to.

Her mind was railing. They've been dating for more than two years now. All had been wonderful for so long. She had moved in the loft last year. They had been talking about the future, holidays abroad, marriage, children... But in the past few weeks, something broke. She tried to remember when it had started to fall apart. The triple killer case was when they had this big fight, but maybe it had been in the works even before then. That particular fight just never ended. Oh, they had fought before, about usual things, from his flirting with fans to her inability to just tell him when she needed space and yelling instead. But that one had been different.

The triple killer had returned. Putting all the precinct on edge. Putting her on edge. He was going after Castle and making sure they knew that. Except the author seemed to have the utmost confidence in their capability to protect him. And it was making him reckless. In less than two days, he had shook off his security detail twice - "Just went for takeaways, jeez !" ; follow the detectives in the building they thought the triple killer was in - "You didn't really mean for me to stay in the car" ; nearly been shot by a swat team member when he appeared at a scene where he wasn't supposed to be - "I was following a lead". And finally, he had went to face the 3XK by himself, taking her service weapon. He had come out alive only because Ryan had shot the killer in the knee just in time. Thinking about it again was making Beckett want to scream. She had shouted then, a lot, angered by his laid back attitude about the whole thing. He had then blamed her on her "controlling tendencies" - his words. She had snapped. Told him he was banned from the precinct until he could see that it was not some game and apologize to her and the guys. That night, he had pouted. He had refused to apologize, saying he was the one that broke the case and found the 3XK. It was true but not her point. He just didn't see it.

That had been the beginning. Then Meredith had arrived in town, for a play. She and Castle would go to dinner sometimes. Beckett was invited but always declined as she spent more and more nights out with Lanie or her old friend Maddie.

A week after their big fight, Castle had come home drunk after a poker night at Patterson's. He had stumbled in their room, collapsed on the bed, smelling of booze and smoke. Her day at the precinct had been horrible, so she hadn't been in the mood to deal with a drunk boyfriend. Especially since she was already mad at him. She had let him sleep in a heap in their bed and had moved in Martha's old bedroom. She had been sleeping there since then. Two weeks, she thought, as she snuggled in the duvet. It's been two weeks since she had slept in their bed.

Beckett was having a quick breakfast before going to work when she saw the door of the loft fly open. Alexis stormed inside.

"Alexis, you scared me !", she exclaimed cheerfully at seeing the girl but a little confused. "What are you doing here ?", she added as they hugged.

"Hey Kate ! Is Dad here ?" The young woman seemed in a turmoil, worrying Beckett.

"Still asleep. Are you okay ?"

"I'm fine. Are you okay ?", Alexis responded.

"Yeah... Listen I need to go to work. Call me if you need anything."

"Okay." Alexis' stare was making her uncomfortable.

That night, she came back to find the two Castles arguing in his office. They hadn't heard her come in. She stayed by the door, one hand on the handle.

"Dad ! You can't do that ! It's worse then Derrick Storm. Tell me what's going on !"

"Nothing's going on, Pumpkin. It's just a book."

"It's not and we know it. She'll know. Everybody will. You can't do that !"

Beckett didn't understand but felt terrible for eavesdropping. She opened the door again and closed it noisily. The conversation in the office stopped. She went in, acting as if she had just come in.

"Hey !", Castle spoke first. "Alexis and I are on our way to dinner. Father daughter time. Catching up. You don't mind, do you ?"

Alexis gave him a disapproving look. Beckett just smiled.

"Not at all."

Passing her, Castle gave her a kiss on the cheek. It was the first time in weeks he had kissed her like that, just because he could. But seeing the emptiness in his eyes, she was pretty sure it was for Alexis' benefit. His gaze lacked the usual twinkle. She tried to remember when he had stopped trying to reach out to her.

The book party for Castle's latest Nikki Heat installment was a success, like the book would surely be. Critics were already raving about "(H)eating up". Nikki was facing a cannibal in New York City and they were calling it the new "Silence of the Lambs" but more "modern, exciting and fun". They especially liked the cliffhanger. Nikki had resigned from the police at the end. Beckett had been a little sad when she read it. She didn't see Nikki as a quitter. She hoped it was just a trick to arouse interest in the next book.

Dressed in a black Vera Wang dress, she mingled in the middle of Castle's friends. She was used to those kind of events by now, and she didn't mind it that much anymore. But tonight, she was finding it difficult to see him sign pretty girls forearms and shoulders – he had given up signing chests as her request two years ago.

"Hello Kate ! You look lovely, as usual." She looked away from Castle and met Gina's eyes. The two women smiled at each other. They had learned to appreciate each other, as weird as it seemed. And frankly, Beckett would take Gina over Meredith anytime. At least the publisher knew she was done with her author on a romantic and a physical level.

"Hi Gina. You look wonderful too. How much longer now ?", she asked motioning to the blond's bulging belly.

"Two more months. I'm going crazy but it's nothing compare to Luke's freak out", she said with a nod to her husband, a few feet away. The handsome lawyer waved and mouthed 'You're okay ?' The two women laughed. "So, Kate, did you like (H)eating up ?"

"Rick's outdone himself."

"He really has. I'm so glad he changed the ending tough. Like killing Derrick Storm hasn't been hard enough to deal with. I'm not sure the fans would have forgiven him for killing Nikki too."

This other end was news to Beckett and she tried really hard to put on her poker face. Gina didn't seem to notice the detective's internal break down. Gina then excused herself to speak to a critic and Beckett made a bee line for the bathroom to compose herself.

Later, in the car that brought them back to the loft, Beckett decided to speak out

"So, did you enjoy all those body parts signing ?" It was a low blow and she knew it.

"Not particularly. But it was a good night. People seem to like the book." Castle was staying calm. She was looking for a fight, like she had been for the past few weeks. Except he had decided he wouldn't give her the pleasure. She wasn't getting a rise out of him.

"I wonder if they would have like the other ending, though", she said next.

His head span towards her.

"Who told you ?"

"Does it matter ? Maybe you should have kept this ending. Or make you fans choose. Oh, that would have been good. There could have been an internet poll. 'Are you bored with Nikki Heat?'"

Maybe she would get him angry after all. He shook his head and, catching her gaze, motioned to the driver.

"Not here", he simply told her.

The door of the loft slammed shut and the screaming match started.

"So Rick, when were you going to tell me you killed Nikki ? Or were you just going to let me read it."

"I haven't killed Nikki. And even if I did, it was for creative reasons only ! You have no right to..."

"No right ?", Beckett roared. "You based her on me. You kill her and you expect..."

"I didn't kill her !", he yelled back.

"But you did ! Oh my god ! That's why Alexis was here ? She read it ?" Beckett flopped down on the couch, taking her head in her hands and breathing hard.

"What happened to us ?", she asked softly.

She heard and felt him sit down on the table on front of her. He didn't speak, though. With one finger, he lifted her chin. She looked at him and suddenly it became clear to her.

"We can't go on like this", she stated.

He swallowed hard but hold her gaze : "What are you saying ?"

And cliffhanger !

Next post in four months...

…

Oh ! I'm just kidding !

The next chapter will be actually two, posted at the same time. That's because I don't want to be hunted down and killed. The two pick up just after that last line, taking different roads.

EDIT. I'm adding up a note even if I hate long notes. But I think it needs saying. I jumped ahead two years because I was trying to find an ending for this story (yes it's the end, because I'm going away on vacation, as simple as that). That's what came up. Believe me when I say that I was a bit upset writing it. That's why there are two ending (coming shortly). And I couldn't come up with more tidbits from the time in between.

As for the characters, maybe it's just me but I think, in this chapter, they are true to themselves. Beckett yells when she's not bottling up her emotions, Castle is being childish, tries to act normal until he's hurt and retreats (end of season 2 ?). The only difference is that they are in a relationship now. So the consequences are bigger. ;-) But I get this story is sold being Caskett so I added a warning above.
Well, enough self analyzing. The "ends" will be up in a few hours.