A/N: Enjoy!

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Doctor Simmons Office

"Well, it has been awhile….. Detective Beckett. Do what do I owe the honor?"

Doctor Simmons was a thin man seemingly made up of sharp angles. His salt and pepper hair was cut straight across his brow. His sideburns neatly trimmed just below the top of the ear. His navy blue suit was freshly pressed and sharply creased. He looked at Kate in a pleasant but quizzical manner.

"I guess I wanted to touch base with you. It has been awhile since we last talked."

"If I recall correctly, it was just after you father decided to move out of the city and upstate."

Kate shifted uncomfortably. "Yes, I guess that was the last time."

"So haw have things been going? Anything new you are dealing with?" Kate could almost feel the smug knowledge simmering in the doctors head,

"Yes, I have been dealing with Richard Castle."

"Dealing with? Is he a problem? I was led to believe that he was using you as inspiration for a new character for his bestselling novels. That he was assisting you in your case work."

"Did he tell you that?" Kate accused

"No, actually, it was Captain Montgomery. Do you have a problem with Rick using me as a therapist? I was under the impression that you basically demanded that he come and talk to me."

"Yes, I recommended that he talk you. He is in pain and needs help."

"He was under the impression that it was an ultimatum, but no matter. Why did you come by? To check up on him?" the Doctor asked sardonically.

"Yes, no, I don't know." Kate confessed.

"You realize there is a lot I can't tell you about, doctor/patient confidentiality, you know."

"I understand, I just want to know if he is doing better and…"

"And?" the doctor supplied

"I am having problems dealing with him, with our relationship."

"I can understand, you are a person who likes order and definition. He on the other hand is mercurial and Chaos personified, yet you are drawn to each other. Seeming the proverbial 'opposites attract'."

"Exactly, there is no way we will ever survive; we'll end up killing each other."

"I did not say that? That is your assumption, not mine; actually I think you are very compatible."

"What… Excuse me?"

"Think of the two of you as to objects in space. Each one exerting gravitational forces on the other, you are both keeping the other in orbit."

"I was doing just fine before him."

"Really, you were a workaholic, you hardly ever dated. When you did date it was usually another law enforcement officer. Besides your father you did not have any strong emotional attachments. Now you have someone who you see everyday who cares about you. He has a daughter that you have befriended and you don't spend every waking hour at the precinct. I don't know about you but the latter sounds a lot more healthy that the former."

"I don't need a man to define me. I am quite capable of living on my own."

"I never said that you couldn't. I am just saying that everybody needs human contact. Most people want to be loved by someone else. Tell me when you and Rick are togehter outside of work, how do you feel?" the doctor probed.

"Relaxed, for the most part, happy. But sometimes he just drives me crazy."

Doctor Simmons chuckled "I would be surprised if he didn't, I'm not saying that you need a man and I'm not saying this is going to end happily ever after. I'm just saying that you need to take some chances in your life."

"Alright" Beckett surrendered. "I know you can't go into specifics, but how is he doing?"

"Ah, yes the real reason that you are here." Doctor Simmons intoned. "Besides a pretty bad case of agoraphobia he is doing pretty well. I mean he has issues, but who doesn't. I find his recurring nightmare particularly enlightening."

"Where Alexis and I die. Yeah that was surprising." Kate agreed

"He told you about that?" the doctor sounded surprised

"I told him about my dreams after my mother died. So it was sort of tit for tat." Kate explained.

"Isn't it amazing that such a boisterous mask hides someone with such a low self esteem."

"Excuse me?"

"He uses his Bad Boy persona to hide his insecurities." The doctor continued. "He shows the world this Bad Boy/Playboy visage, this devil may care attitude. We see someone who is larger than life, but inside he is dealing with major issues of self worth. He truly believes that you and Alexis are more worthy of living than he is."

"Doctor, I'm not arguing with you, but Castle has an ego that has trouble fitting into his apartment. I find it hard to believe that he has self worth issues."

"Because that is what he wants you to see. Strip away that mask and there is a man who has a hard time justifying his right to life."

"But he is a bestselling Author. Millions of people buy his books, to read what he has to say. He creates characters that are more real to his fans than the people they meet on the street."

"Ah, but to him they are just words on a page. Well that's not precisely true. The characters he writes mean a great deal to him but he doesn't really see their worth to others. It is hard for him to justify all the money he makes by just writing down his 'let's pretend'."

"Well you're the Doctor, I'll take your word for it. Is he going to be alright?"

"Yes, eventually, he should make a full recovery. I have had appointments with him every day this week. It's not going to be a miracle cure but he is making progress. At some point I think it might be very productive to have the both of you in some sessions. Maybe help you both work through some of your issues that you both have with the relationship."

"I don't kn….."

"I am not talking about couple's therapy. Just help the two of you work past the more difficult situations that are bound to come up. It might help keep the waters tranquil." Doctor Simmons interjected. "Now, I probably have said too much to you already. He had me sign a draconian non-disclosure clause. He seems quite protective of his privacy."

"Thank you for your help Doctor." Kate smiled somewhat sadly, "Since he was shot he hasn't been at the precinct to do 'research' and I miss that. He has always been someone who I could talk the cases through. He has become my sounding board and I want that back."

"Have you talked about cases with him at his home?"

"Not much, we have been sort of feeling our relationship out, seeing how we fit together." Kate confessed.

"Well I suggest that you try talking about cases, some at least. The more interested he is in the outside world the more he is going to want to leave his apartment. Oh, and about the Party, I would appreciate it if you would stick close to him. I have proscribed some anti-anxiety medication for him to take if the party gets too overwhelming. If you are around him you can remind him to take it."

"Sure."

The Doctor smiled and opened his appointment book"….So same time next week?"

The 12th Precinct

Lanie and Kate

Kate walked into autopsy as Lanie was putting away a body. The Medical Examiner had already taken off her scrubs and was dressed for a night out.

"Hey girlfriend, wanna' go out for some fun?" Lanie asked.

"Not tonight I have some dinner plans and some shopping to do?"

"Who is the lucky guy? Anyone I know? Maybe tall, and writes bestsellers for a living?"

"No, Alexis is going to help me shop for a dress for Castle's Ball, we're getting a bite to eat before spending my month's salary."

"Well you do want to look good. Think of all the handsome princes who will be there, ready to sweep you off your feet, besides a knock out dress might turn Writer Boy's head around."

"Yeah, about that…. I have some… you know, news."

"Well lay it on me girl, but don't take too long, I still need time to get my groove on, so to speak."

"Lanie, you are not making this any easier." Beckett lamented.

"Well, stop beating around the bush."

"You know that Castle and I had a little heart to heart while he was in the hospital, right?"

"Yeah, yeah, you cornered him while he was down." Lanie joked.

"Thanks a lot. Well anyway we sort of can to an understanding…."

"And? "The ME supplied.

"And, we have been having breakfast together, for a while now." Kate explained

"In bed?.... You mean breakfast in bed?"

"No, just at his apartment." Kate amended.

"And want do Martha and Alexis think about all this."Lanie queried.

"Well, they haven't kicked me out, I think Alexis is really happy. I couldn't tell you what Martha really thinks. I mean, we like each other but…"

"She doesn't know if you are good enough for her son." Lanie supplied.

"I guess that is as good an explanation as any. I think she is worried that I might break his heart, or something."

"And Castle? What does he think about all this?"

"You know Castle, sometimes the twelve year old, sometimes the adult. It's a crap shoot. Although he has been dealing with a lot of stress caused by the shooting, so he has been more subdued than usual." Kate explained.

"And the sixty-four thousand dollar question, what does the formidable Kate Beckett think?" Lanie asked.

"Tough call, I mean it has been great getting to know Alexis and Martha more. Surprisingly Rick is a very good cook, so the food has been good. I am just scared; I don't want to get hurt again, not like I got hurt with Will. I couldn't take that again."

"Beckett, Castle is not Will; he isn't going to leave you to go to a better job."

"Hey, Nikki could start to bore him. He could stumble across some hot District Attorney who will to 'put out' to get her own series of books."

"I think you are selling yourself short. He wrote twenty Derek Storm novels before he stumbled onto Nikki. Hell, after twenty Nikki Heat books I'll bet you will be 'putting out' too."The ME quipped.

"Lanie!"

A/N: As always I am humbled but the gracious readers response to my meager words/ Thank you all!!!