A/N: Sorry this is a day late. I wanted to make sure my beta had a chance to look over this chapter, especially, before it went up. Once again, thank you annem57 for all your work, putting up with my tense changes and all. Also, a thank you to wolfergirl for the suggestion that led to the main action in this chapter; your request really made this chapter happen.

One quick last shout out, this chapter is dedicated to a friend, "LJ," who's birthday is today. I don't know if you'll ever read this, and I know our friendship has been distant these many months, but I do care for you still. Happy birthday, and I hope you can reflect on our friendship with fondness.

Chapter 12

"So Beckett, you wanna tell us who that was?"

Javier Esposito and Kevin Ryan were both looking at Kate expectantly. She knew having Alex stop by the precinct was maybe not the brightest of ideas where her nosy co-workers were concerned, but was it too much to expect them not to tease her about her … boyfriend? Can she call him that?

"None of your concern, Espo!" When Kate noticed Ryan snickering in the background, she added, "Nor yours, Ryan. Get back to work!"

"Oh, come on Beckett, tell us!" Esposito implored.

"Yeah! Is he gunna be our new daddy?" Ryan jumped in.

"Dude, too far."

"What?!"

"Seriously though, Beckett, who is the guy? Do we, uh, need to have the 'talk' with him?" Esposito implied, complete with air quotes.

It wasn't often that she brought her personal life to work, or allowed it to make itself known to her co-workers, so she was touched by the sentiment. She was touched by the loyalty and consideration of her boys. Not that they didn't believe she could take any man on if she needed to, but that they had her back without her even needing to ask.

"Don't worry, guys, I'm sure I can handle him," Kate replied, a bit softer than she might. "Where are we on the case?"

"Well, considering that you only gave us our new instructions a moment ago, not very far," responded Ryan. "I'm still looking into Black Pawn, but I think with our new theory and some pressure, I can probably break them. Just give me a little bit of time, and I'm sure I can get them to give us the name of their illustrious author."

"Thanks Ryan. Esposito? Where you at?"

"Just doing what you asked, boss. Not sure what else we'll find on Alison though."

"Look into her family. Does she have any siblings? Double check her financials. Come on, Espo, you know the drill."

Esposito grumbled off his response but he still dutifully followed her orders. Kate sat at her desk a moment longer before deciding she needed to get up and do something, or speak to someone, to release the new adrenaline she built from their new theory. Sure it meant more work and a bit of mundane rechecking of facts, but she was finally connecting with the case now. So she called off to her boys that she was going down to visit Lanie, the ME assisting with their case, and update her about their refocus to Alison.

Kate was already halfway to the elevator when she finished her announcement; their non-committal responses were only heard after the elevator doors closed. It's been too long since she's gone to see the ME, though in reality, it hasn't even be a full week since they last saw each other at the crime scene of their latest body. But oh, the things that happened in just this one week alone. There was more than the case that Kate needed to update her ME best friend on.

When Kate entered the morgue, as always, everything was deathly silent. How Lanie could stand to work in such a place, Kate had yet to understand. Don't get her wrong, she loved the occasional peace and quiet now and again but the majority of the time, she wanted loud—precinct loud and chaotic. She liked the hustle and bustle, the thrill of cracking a case; she liked feeling productive. Not that medical examiners weren't productive, but the lethargic and still atmosphere here definitely slowed her down a notch and asked her to be more careful and detailed in her respect for the place.

"Hey, girl! Whatcha doing down here?" Lanie Parish exclaimed the minute she heard her double doors open to the detective she always delighted in seeing.

"Oh, I just wanted to talk to you about that case we're working on."

"You mean the case you just closed?"

"Yep, the very one," Kate beamed.

The amused look on the ME's face told her she didn't mind the interruption at all. Instead, the African American medical examiner seemed to welcome it as she set down her scalpel and turned away from the cadaver on her table to give her full attention to Kate.

"Okay, so what's up?"

Kate knew it wasn't just the case the ME was asking about. The last time the two of them had a proper 'girl talk' was, well, probably two weeks ago when Lanie came over to rant to her about the latest guy she was with and how he was giving her grief for her job. As if that was something Lanie or Kate could change. In fact, this was probably what brought the two together in the first place—solidarity as women in a male-dominated world with outsiders who can't or won't understand why they actually like their professions.

"Nothing much. But that case you're speaking of? It's back open."

"How so, if I may ask?"

"Oh, my boyfriend stopped by and pointed out some flaws in our logic so we decided to reopen—or rather, not yet close—our case."

Kate figured nonchalance was the best way to broach the subject and she was right. Lanie's shocked expression was definitely worth the feigned normality at the subject. She still wasn't sure if it was appropriate for her to as yet call Alex her boyfriend, but that was much easier to say than "the-man-she's-dating-but-really-have-only-had-one -date-with-yet-she's-already-met-his-mother-and-da ughter-but-they-have-yet-to-define-things." Yeah, definitely a mouthful.

"What?! Since when? How did this happen? Wait, WHO?!"

"Whoa, slow down Lanie," Kate chuckled as she took in her overly excited friend. "One at a time."

At that, her friend made sure to take a calming breath before beginning her barrage of questions. "Okay, first off. How did this start and where did you meet him?

"Well, remember how this case started? That initial rush when we made the connection of the Tisdale body to Fisk's and realized they were a recreation of Richard Castle's novels?"

"Of course. How could I forget? Those crime scenes were downright weird; they could only have come out of murder mystery novels."

"Seriously, given the amount of scenes we've both been to, it's amazing anything could still shock us."

"You're preaching to the choir, honey."

"Right, right. Anyways, that next morning after we discovered the Tisdale body, and we couldn't get in touch with the man behind Richard Castle, I decided to go to the NYU library."

"Oh, I remember that place. You go there when you stress over a case right? How long has it been since you've been back?"

"Apparently long enough because I totally didn't recognize some of the new professors they've hired."

Kate let that sink in a bit before the realization dawned on her friend's face.

"No. Really? He's a university professor?!" At Kate's nod, Lanie continued, "Oh my god—a man of knowledge," she sighed. "What subject does he teach?"

"English Literature to undergraduates and graduate students."

"Hotttt. Wait. Is HE hot?"

"Need you ask?" Kate had to laugh at her friend's priorities in what she chooses to ask. "Ahaha, no yeah, he's definitely good looking. I might even say, ruggedly handsome? And he's pretty young too, for a professor. Not at all your stuffy, bookish type."

"Oh Kate, he sounds perfect for you. How exactly did you two meet again? So at the NYU Library … ?"

"Yeah, we ran into each other, literally. He was coming out, as I was heading in, and he caught me in this amazing dip before I fell."

"That sounds dreamy."

"It was."

There was no calling Kate back now, as she stared off with that faraway look in her eye, reminiscing about her initial meeting with Alex. Telling the story to Lanie now made their relationship seem somehow more real. Even though they hadn't defined it with each other, she's pretty sure he can feel it too—that blatant attraction and pull when they're around each other. In sharing with Lanie this new part of her, there is no going back. There are people now who would ask if anything progressed or not; more people besides herself to hold her accountable.

"Kate, what's his name?"

It took Kate a moment to realize her friend was addressing her but when she was finally aware that someone needed her attention, the buzzing of her phone drew her focus away to the inanimate object she pulled out of her jacket pocket. Giving Lanie a quick apologetic look, she promptly proceeded to answer her call.

"Beckett," she greeted, not bothering to look at the caller ID. For most of her contacts, that acknowledgement is sufficient enough to get them to their point and if she didn't know her caller, they're always quicker to introduce themselves afterwards.

"Hey, Boss," reciprocated the voice that sounded like Ryan. "I got in touch with Black Pawn and told them this time we have a warrant for information on 'Richard Castle.' Told them the situation's changed and we have further evidence that may implicate their author so we need to know his name."

"Alright, give it to me. And his address. Let's go bring this guy in for a long overdue questioning."

"His name is Alexander Rodgers. He lives in Manhattan at … "

The rest of Ryan's statement was lost on Kate as the name rung in her ears, reiterating itself as it bounced along each bend and curve. Kate must have said something to end the phone call with Ryan because she doesn't even remember when or how the phone ended up back in her jacket pocket.

"Kate, honey, are you okay?"

Kate looked, unseeingly at Lanie, who stood before her, eyes full of concern and curiosity. Curiosity at what? Oh right, they were just talking about the man she's been seeing. And his name. Oh god, his name. He's … Richard Castle is …

"His name is Alex Rodgers."