Not mine, just playing
Thank you for reading

Kate moved her leg around the bed, she was searching for the writer. She loved waking up with him, either he would pepper her with kisses or lightly caress her arms, legs, tummy wherever he could reach, until she was fully awake. She was a little disappointed that he wasn't draped over her as per usual. She inhaled deeply capturing the scent that was so him, Mmm-So-nice. She needed her morning fix, coffee wasn't the only thing she craved the first thing in the morning. She reached out, continuing her search with her arm, just as her alarm buzzed.

Using her elbows, she lifted up, and stretched to reach the annoying sound silencing it in seconds. (A loud screeching was not an ideal way to begin your day.) She flipped on the lamp.

The realization hit her instantly, she was alone, and she was wearing his shirt. Dammit! The pillows receive the blunt of the blow as she plopped back on the bed. Two days! And her life was changed forever. Ahhh… she was going to kill him, or better yet …she had plans.

Kate head lay on her pillow, she should have known. The first time she met him he integrated himself in her life. Overnight he'd barged into her world for "research", and then before she knew it, he was her partner, she relied on him to have her back, as she did his. Most days she forgot he wasn't a cop. The days that he didn't come in, she missed him. She was lighter when he was around. Javi and Ryan commented she was grumpy without her 'writer' around. Truth be told they missed him too. The four of them were a team. They held the best closure rate in the district. Castle received liberties other civilians would never dream of. The brass loved the positive P.R. It was a running joke, everybody loved Fire Fighters, no one wanted a cop around, until they needed one.

As a rookie, she was the one selected to represent the district on Career Day at the schools. She knew they used her to soften the image of a Police Officer. It never failed, each time she ask the kids if they had any questions. One kid would raise their hand, her 'Johnnie' asking why you took my Daddy, Momma, Grandpa, Cousin Etc. to jail. It was always worse if she stood next to a Fire Fighter, the kids ran to them. She'd even resorted to bringing gum. The kids snatched the treat and ran to the Fire Fighter. She gave up. When she made detective, she politely declined to represent the district. Let another rookie have all the fun.

The Irony of having someone 'shadow' her now was not lost on the detective.

Disgusted with the way her morning started out, Kate huffed and threw back the covers planting her feet on the floor. She stood up and began to unbutton his shirt, needing to get his scent away from her as soon as possible. She tossed 'him' back on the bed. She went to take a shower.

The water pressure was not as strong as Patterson's Villa; it was going to have to do. Kate lifted the button, the shower sputtered and then spit out its weak spray. "Really, that's all you've got?" The single shower head receives the classic Beckett eye roll. She pads over to relieve her bladder and then grabbing her toothbrush and dabs a generous amount of paste on the soft bristles. She steps into the shower and yanks the curtain closed.

"Geese, the water was chilly, she turned the arrow toward hot. That's better, she began to brush her teeth, tilting her head back she closed her eyes as the water cascaded over her face, removing the foamy toothpaste residue. She turned and opened her mouth to allow water to wash away the remaining paste. She gargle the water and then spit it out and rinsed her brush, hanging it on the shower caddie. She poured a generous amount of shampoo onto her hand, and worked it into a nice lather. Kate's eyes were closed, her mind drifted back to showering with him. His large hand caressing as he gently washed her…. Shit! This was so not going to work. She opened her eyes and scrubbed her head, if she rubbed harder maybe she could get his images out of her brain. Beckett took over and she quickly finished her shower.

She wrung the excess water from her hair, then quickly drying herself, then tucking the end of the towel she grabbed the blow-dryer, as she was drying she remembered his hand clasping hers, she passed the dryer to him and he…..Good grief! He would love the fact she couldn't get him out of her head. Well she hoped he was suffering the same fate. Where everything he did reminded him of her. She was pissed off, Kate began breathing exercises to calm down. She watched as the steam cleared from the bathroom mirror, his message appeared. She wasn't mad any more, she just felt lonely. Get your ass moving, or you will be late. "Fine" she said aloud. She walked into the bedroom.

She dressed, and then walked over to the dresser. The last thing she did every morning. She placed the chain that held her Mothers ring around her neck, and then tucked it in her shirt. Then she fastened her Dads watch on her left wrist. When the ritual was complete, she left for work.

The elevator door opened to the precinct. She looked around with fresh eyes. She felt different. It was like seeing things anew. It was a strange sensation. After being there for a while she slowly acclimated and soon she was back in the groove again.

She checked the night-shifts reports, to see what happened over the week-end. Drive-by, robbery, B & E's typical week-end. She was pleasantly surprised no body drops. She would pull a cold case and her and the boys could work on it, until they were called to a fresh crime scene.

Kate went in the break room, she needed coffee, she took a sip and grimaced. Castle was right this stuff was awful. It would have to do until hers arrived. Wow he really does spoil me. She took another sip; the face she made wasn't as bad this time. She and the fancy coffee machine were at war. When Rick noticed the burns on her hand from the steam, he banned her from using it. She was daydreaming about him applying the burn gel, how he held her hand so tenderly. She heard the boys come in and snapped back to the present.

"'Yo boss" Javi walked over and poured himself a cup of standard police issue. He held the pot and waited for Ryan to hold his cup out. Ryan wrinkled his nose and waved off the sludge. Javi shrugged and topped off his cup and returned the pot to the warmer. If they think this stuff is bad, they wouldn't be able to drink the stuff he did in the military.

Ryan went over to beast. Kate watched in awe as he skillfully finessed the thing out of a cup of decent coffee. She has an appreciation and newly founded respect for all barista's "Beckett?"

Kate nodded, as she dumped the remainder of the sludge and handed over her blue mug.

The boys watched as she cradled the cup and took a sip. She closed her eyes, much better.

"I'm going to pull a cold case from storage; we can go over it until….

"Someone is 'offed." Javi drank his coffee. He didn't want anyone to be harmed. First responders dealt with the horror of people destroying one another or themselves. They used "Black humor" to help cope with the stress. Some images your mind couldn't accept. Humor was a way to deflect. Filing away the horror until a sound, a smell or something else triggers your brain and then you're right back reliving the event in living color. Time did not heal all wounds. The Veterans' flashed back twenty plus years.

Kate followed the guys into the bull pen. They were clearing their desk preparing to work the cold case.

She left to retrieve a cold case from storage. Kate returned with the box, the boys gathered around. They pulled out the sheet refreshing them.

Javi read: The Victim was twenty-seven. Blonde hair, green eyes she was out at a bar on 12th street call Gotham Bar and Grill. She was celebrating with friends just graduating medical school.

"I know that place, it's not a typical bar, more upper crust Yuppie types," Ryan added

Javi continued "Cause of death strangulation."

They all looked up each wondering if it fit Jerry Tyson's MO

Kate searched for the ME report. "Guy's it says here there were traces of a nylon fibers found. No sign of sexual assault."

Ryan searched thru the box. He held up a bag containing the nylon fibers they could see green and white. He almost whispered 3XK; he'd never forget sitting in the motel protecting Tyson, until Castle questioned him, having been caught in a lie. He morphed into a psycho in an instant. He knocked out Ryan and tied Castle to a chair. "The son-of-a-bitch still has my gun that he stole from me."

"How did we miss this one?" Kate shook her head

"It looks like we were leaning toward the ex-boyfriend at the time his alibi was weak. We didn't have enough on the boyfriend, so he was let go." Javi handed Kate the report.

"It looks like Tyson's M.O. Alright. I want Lanie to look at this."

Javi volunteered to take the report and photos to the ME. Perlmutter performed the autopsy. Lanie could read through his report Perlmutter wrote extensive notes, you needed a degree in forensic Pathology to understand most of it. She would be able to determine if it matched 3XK profile.

Javi stood waiting for the elevator, the doors opened he stepped in as Kate's coffee was arriving. Javi punched the button to the basement.

Kate accepted her coffee; she reached for her purse for a tip. "No…It's already taken care of thank you." The guy turned and headed for the elevator.

Javi held the files to his chest as he went in to see his girl, "Hey 'Chica," he walked over and sat on her stool. Lanie came over and stood between his legs. They kissed.

"What 'cha doing down here? It's not a booty call, 'cause I know for a fact; you've already had that this morning."

"Beckett sent me. She wants you to look at this case, see if it rings any bells."

Lanie kissed him and then took the folder out of his hands. She sashay over to her desk.

Javi watched her, "You swing 'dat anymore and I'm gonna step up to bat."

"Seriously that's all you got?" Lanie shook her head and smirked, "Strike one Lover Boy."

Espo smirked. He watched her as she sifted through the data.

Kate decided to call her Dad; she wanted to reschedule their dinner date.

"Hello"

"Hi, Dad it's me."

Jim smiled "Katie, so how was San Antonio? Did you go and tour the Alamo?"

Here we go thought Kate "Not exactly, but I did go out-of-town, I'll tell you all about it how about dinner tonight?"

"I'd like that." Jim could tell his daughter had something on her mind. She was so much like her Mother. Joanna would always want to have dinner out, when she wanted to talk about something important. Neutral ground he supposed.

"Great, I'll make the reservations 7:00 okay?"

"Perfect."

"Um, okay I'll see you tonight."

"Bye, Katie."

"Bye, Dad." She hung up the phone and punched the number to their favorite restaurant. She made the reservation. Kate covered her smile with her hand. She had so many things to tell him.

Her phone on her desk rang. "Beckett."

"You need to bring Ryan and get down here pronto."

"Okay, we are on our way." Kate cradled the phone and looked up she was searching for Ryan, he was coming out of the break room.

"Ryan, Lanie has something for us." Kate rolled her chair back and grabbed her jacket. The temperature was kept cool in the morgue. That's the way Lanie preferred to work. "Let's go,"

Ryan kept watching Kate, until she called him out.

"Spit it out Ryan"

"I-I just noticed you seem happier. I mean I'm glad that you are, it's just you…

He received the arched eyebrow from Beckett.

He knew he'd better spit it out. Twelve years going to Catholic School taught him that. He loosened his collar and then he confessed, "When Castle's gone you are usually,...not."

Kate already prepared herself for this question, "He is my partner, so of course I miss him, it's just like you're a little sad when Javi takes off a few days, and you ride alone. Castle has been out a couple of weeks."

Ryan listened and although he agreed with what she said, he still felt like there was more to it. He decided to drop it for now. He was going to talk to Javi about it.

Lanie took one look at Kate, "Girl you stick around after this, you and me, "She pointed to herself and Kate "We need to talk."

Lanie was all business when she explained what she'd found. She held up the photo of the victim. What do you see?

Espo spoke up "A line around her neck."

"Exactly, Strangulation from a ligature follows a predictable pattern of horizontal circumscription about the neck. In a suicidal hanging the suspension point cause the ligature furrow to rise toward one ear. I am interested in what you don't see. I am not seeing any superficially incised curvilinear abrasions.

"Could you repeat that in English?" Javi suggested.

"Fine, our girl didn't fight back, she didn't try to grab the cord around her neck. No fingernail marks. So I checked the report she had traces of the date rape drug in her system.

"So the guy spiked her drink, and grabbed her when she was heading home. She was found in the alley behind the bar." Kate was spinning theory. She waited a moment for Castle to continue with the theory. She cleared her throat. She realized he wasn't here at the moment.

Lanie continued. The other thing I found interesting. Her hyoid bone was fractured, that actually only happens in about a third of strangulation cases. This guy is strong. It take an enormous about of pressure to fracture the hyoid, especially with that thin of a rope. If he'd used a belt for example it wouldn't require as much force. The killer left the ligature around the neck. He wanted us to know the cause of death was strangulation. It is possible to strangle someone and not leave a mark, and another thing there wasn't any sign of sexual activity. I pulled the file on 3XK's last victim. The same type of nylon cord was used and the same drug was in the victim.

I've sent samples of the rope to the FBI for analysis, they have the equipment to it, to determine if it came from the same spool or purchased in the same area. They can also examine the ends to determine of the same tool was used to cut it.

My best guess, you are looking at another victim of 3XK. This fits his profile.

"Thanks Lanie," Kate turned to leave.

Lanie grabbed her arm, "Not so fast girlfriend we need to talk." She motioned for the boys to leave.

Javi and Ryan kept quiet and headed to the elevator.

When Lanie heard the doors close she lit into Kate. "What the hell do you think you're doing Kate? Castle is gone a couple of weeks and you decided to have sex with some Tom, Dick or Harry? Please don't tell me you hooked up with Demming again."

Kate should have known Lanie would notice the change in her. Kate was at a loss, she was scrambling for something to say. They'd decided to tell the team all at once. She didn't want to break her word.

"Oh, Honey, I know you miss him, but this is not the right thing to do. It's not fair to him, or you. Hell it's not fair to Demming, but it better not be him."

"….no…no it's not Demming, I was with someone, but this could be the real deal. I'm serious about him."

Lanie was dumfounded. "Girl I think you are in a serious denial. I think you are distracting yourself with Mr. Right now, because you won't face the real thing. Kate, this will crush Castle he won't stick around this time. That boy can't take seeing you with another man. Hell I don't blame him."

"I know." Kate said quietly

"I've known you a long time Kate, and I've never seen you act this way. You need to fix this before Castle comes back, I love you, but I care what happens to him too. He's a good man he doesn't deserve this.

Kate nodded, "I will, I promise."

Lanie walked over to Kate and gave her a hug.

Kate's phone rang. "I've got to take this." She ran out of the morgue.

"Hey" she said breathless Mr. Right now was calling.

"Hey, I woke up to an empty bed this morning. The pillow I was holding smelled of you, but the kisses tasted of cotton."

Kate laughed, "Yea, I know the feeling I wore you shirt to bed. I woke up and thought you were there, only to discover an empty bed."

"How are you my love?" His voice was warm and tender.

"I just had my ass handed to me by Lanie."

"What happened?"

"Well she figured out I was with someone over the week-end, and she championed your cause, she thought it was someone else, that I was hiding in a nowhere relationship, and it would drive you away. She was really angry."

"I'm grateful she defended me, but are you okay? That couldn't have been easy."

"I'm fine. She didn't say anything that wasn't true; she is going to be so shocked when we tell them. Oh I rescheduled my dinner date with my Dad tonight at 7:00.

"I spoke to Alexis this morning before school, she was happy for us. She said "good maybe you will stop pinning over her" she also added she'd known for a while that you were different, she also told me she knew you had feelings for me too, that you weren't ready until now. She's a bright kid."

Kate was relieved hearing Alexis was okay with the status change in their relationship. She was worried how Alexis would take the news. She knew everyone else would be happy; they are going to say it was about time.

Rick could see Paula walking toward him. "I think I'm about to get another lecture."

Kate was about to say something and she heard Paula's voice. "If that is the person responsible for your behavior change, I'd like to personally thank them. If I'd known the break would change you like this I'd have insisted ages ago. So whoever you are thank you. Rick breaks over in five we have to meet with Black Pawn, telephone conference."

He nodded. When Paula walked away he was about to ask if she'd heard?

Kate's giggled confirming she'd heard.

"I take it you heard."

"Loud and clear"

"I miss you."

"I miss you too."

"Call me tonight, after your dinner with your Dad, that way I won't interrupt your conversation. I love you, until tonight Kate."

"Okay, I'll call you after, I love you too." Kate smiled and hung up.

Rick disconnected and headed to the conference call with Black Pawn. Kate headed back to the bull pen.

She was going over their conversation. Happy that Alexis was on-board. It made things a lot easier. They were going to be a family soon.