Here is your next installment. I know many of you wanted a different outcome for the season 2 closer, but in order to make the rest of my story work (when I deviate from the show's plot), it had to happen.

I realize I am just recapping, but with some added style, flair and insight. :)

Enjoy!

This time, don't need another perfect line

Don't care if critics never jump in line

I'm gonna give all my secrets away

Rick Castle felt awful. Not only for getting in the way yet again, but because he was realizing that the woman sitting across from him, boring holes in him with her eyes, was more angry than she was letting on. The problem was, he couldn't exactly figure out why. After Beckett had found him at the crime scene, she roughly hauled him back to the precinct, ice forming in her usually warm eyes. Yes, she liked to play rough, but that ice was a blaring indicator that she wasn't messing around, and no one got in Kate Beckett's way when she was seriously pissed off.

Except him. There was a part of him that was brave enough to withstand her fury, because she was too precious to lose. He knew he had made some sort of mistake, but no one would answer him when he asked "What did I do?"

When he had left for the summer, she had made some really nice comments, and even told him that working with him was really fun. He remembered the way that he eyes shone, and her body was relaxed as if a huge burden had been lifted from her shoulders; a burden bigger than unsolved cases. He remembered that she had been particularly playful, grabbing a beer and flirting more heavily and with more sincerity than she ever had.

What changed?

It was as if the whole precinct was upset with him. Even easy-going Montgomery looked at him with a fiercely disappointed look in his eyes. After questioning that seemed to go deeper than just the case, and Beckett's return from talking to the Captain, she told him he was free to go. He followed her step, hoping everything would fall into place, equilibrium would return, and they could get working again. He was sorely mistaken.

"Castle, go home," she had nearly screamed at him. Her voice had an edge to it that was sharper than a razor blade.

"Go back to your Hamptons, your ex-wife, your book parties. Okay? I have work to do." She turned briskly, and if she hadn't, Castle would have been able to see the pain finally allow itself to creep into her eyes.

"What did I do?" He called after her, sighing heavily. Turning, he saw Ryan and Esposito, hoping to be able to talk to them. They gave him a fleeting glance and went on their way.

Even the guys are mad at me, he thought.

Beckett stared longingly at Castle's vacant chair next to her desk. She angrily blinked back the tears that had formed in her eyes. She wasn't supposed to miss him. She was supposed to be glad that she was rid of him, and it shouldn't have been so hard to push him out of her life again. But the thought of him not being there all the time, especially when she now knew he wanted to be, shook her inside and out.

Esposito rolled over to her in his desk chair, knowing exactly what she was thinking. It pained him to see his boss this way. He would never say it, because it was too mushy for both of them, but both he and Ryan loved Beckett like a sister. They had watched her and Castle dance around each other for so long, and it made them both ache for her in sympathy. And while they had come to count Castle as one of their partners too, Beckett came first.

Ryan wheeled over too, missing his mark and flying past Beckett and Espo. Before he could get too far, Esposito reached out and caught his arm, shaking his head at the always amusing antics of his partner.

As Ryan got his bearings and rambled on about the case, Beckett realized she was barely listening. She rattled off a few routine orders to get financials and phone records, and then got lost in her thoughts again, announcing she was going to go check in with Lanie about the body. That was a lie; she needed her best friend to listen while she got all of her frustrations out.

As soon as she left, Esposito put his plan into action.

"Ryan!" he barked.

Castle had gone home, only to find out that his daughter was in a similar situation with a boy from her summer program. When he found himself arguing with his daughter and defending the boy, it all clicked.

Even though he had 'why' figured out, he still was unsure what to do about it. He just wanted to blurt everything out, so unlike his normal writer's flair. He wanted to just ramble like an idiot until she understood why he had left. She must have felt so betrayed, so certain that her feelings had gotten the best of her and she had forgotten her initial evaluation of him and his playboy ways. He wanted to prove that she really was wrong about him.

His doorbell rang, cutting his thoughts short. Ryan and Esposito stood on the other side, and grabbed his arm as soon as he opened the door.

"C'mon man. You're comin' with us," Ryan said as they both grinned impishly.

Next two chaps are written- and my eye is feeling much better, just a little bleary, that's all- so I should be posting more regularly, now. :D

Please review! I think chapter 3 only got two reviews. It made me sad inside. :(

I need to know what you think! :D