Wow! You all really loved that scene at Remy's! My goodness! And I am so happy you did because that is one of three scenes that compelled me to create this story. Needless to say, I'm psyched! This chapter isn't as good, but I hope you like it anyway.

Enough about me…who hates cliff hangers?

Chapter 19 – Stuck in the Rain

Chasing a suspect through a torrential downpour, especially when said suspect clearly knows the system of urbania back alleys far better than she does, is not Kate's idea of a good time. When they returned to the precinct after lunch, Kate sent the boys to the gym they learned about, while she and Castle headed to the one that showed up in his financials. They were asking the front desk clerk of the dingy gym if he'd seen the man in the photo, when Castle caught sight of their suspect coming out of the locker room—which unfortunately opened out onto a back-entry landing.

Beckett immediately set out across the padded gym floor, incredibly irritated when her heels sank lower on her first few strides. She quickly adjusted to run more on the balls of her feet. She reached the back entrance aware that Castle was right with her. She paused only briefly before stepping out into the alleyway. She didn't think their suspect had a weapon, but she knew better than to risk it. She looked down the alley to find his retreating backside, and took off after him yelling, "NYPD. Stop." She also called out his name, just in case he had somehow deluded himself into thinking they didn't know who he was. The only affect her words had on their suspect were to cause him to look over his shoulder and run faster.

As she ran after him, she called out their location and suspect's description on her comm radio. Luckily, their suspect had taken up body building, not long distance running. Kate was quickly gaining ground on the man who was clearly not too light on his feet. She knew Castle was behind her, but she was faster and couldn't wait for him.

Their suspect rounded a corner, to what Kate assumed was another alley, and she slowed slightly, fully anticipating he'd try to make some move, maybe try to escape into the building. So, she wasn't at all surprised when he lurched at her from behind a large pile of trash. He'd been hidden from her view behind a bed mattress propped along the wall as she walked by. What she was surprised by was the sheer force with which he knocked into her body as he grabbed her from behind.

With a few defensive moves including one well-placed mule kick running from his upper thigh to his knee, causing him to buckle slightly, Beckett broke free of his grip. She pivoted, intending to land her right knee into his spleen, but ended up parrying a punch that would have cold-cocked her had she not been prepared. Instead, the force of his punch and her block caused her own fists to slam into her face, cracking her lip and instantly bloodying up her nose. She squirreled back, needing to regain her footing, when suddenly the man in front of her was toppled over.

Castle. He waylaid Li with such force he threw them each into the side of the brick building. Castle, somehow, landed on top and was up first. He landed two blows to Li's head, which was already badly scraped from hitting the brick wall. With his next two, he yelled "You don't" and "hit women."

Beckett's immediate thoughts of protecting Castle took a temporary hiatus, her concern now was for their suspect who was quickly becoming a victim of Castle's rage. She moved, quickly shoving Castle away from Li. In moments, she had handcuffs on their suspect and was telling him, "Blake Li, you are under arrest for the murder of Mailin Chen." She voiced his Miranda rights, and pushed him down to lie prone on his chest, but more comfortably than his previous position—half propped on the brick wall—had been. She told him in no uncertain terms to "Stay."

She approached Castle, pushing him into a doorway.

"What the hell were you thinking, Castle?"

"WHAT? That little wanker just clocked you and you want me to stand by and watch? Sorry, Detective, but even without daddy around, I know you don't hit a woman and you don't stand by and watch."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out the napkin he'd brainstormed on earlier.

"Castle, when we are out here, I am a not a woman. I am an officer of the law. Highly trained, I might add, in self-defense and take down. Neither of which you are versed in." He pressed the napkin to Kate's lip.

"So, what, I'm just supposed to buy ring-side tickets? Bring pop-corn?" He was wiping blood away from Kate's upper lip.

"No. But maybe you could think a little about how your actions reflect on me. And on the department." Kate reached up to hold the napkin in place.

"What? How does this reflect poorly on you?"

"Think about it Castle. What happens when this gets out? I can handle myself, and I don't need anyone thinking otherwise."

"No one thinks that, Beckett. Everyone knows you can kick any of their asses, definitely my ass. We're partners, I'm supposed to have your back."

"It's not just that, Castle. You cannot use excessive force. You're not even supposed to be apprehending suspects."

"Technically, I didn't. Can't even."

"Still, you're supposed to be shadowing me. Me, Castle. Using excessive force is against our code of ethics. And think about when I document what happened in the case file, Castle. The minute Li's lawyer finds out you—a civilian—assaulted his client, you're going to have a lawsuit on your hands, and our case is going to be in jeopardy."

"Beckett, this is all worked out on paper. And even if I were a passerby who stepped in, no one could blame me."

"I just don't think we need to be poking holes at this partnership. This wasn't Lockwood, Castle. It didn't call for that kind of reaction."

"I just saw him hit you. Saw red, and then…saw more red. I was afraid he broke your beautiful nose."

"Noses aren't beautiful, Castle."

"Yours is." Castle put an arm over Kate's shoulders and leaned in, until his forehead was propped on hers. "If I say I'm sorry, will you forgive me?"

"No need, Castle."

Kate walked out of the interrogation room, and tossed the case file onto her desk. She had her confession. Castle had his story. They moved to the murder board, ready to put what little they'd accumulated back in the file. They paused a moment at Mailin Chen's photo. The reason Li gave for killing her was deplorable: "She was gonna leave me." How could he not realize that leaving him was an entirely rational move? After all, he was willing to kill her!

It was 5:30 when Kate finally clicked off her monitor. She stretched, aware that her 14-hour day was catching up with her. Castle put his phone away and turned to look at her, fully appreciating her stretch, but not leering.

"Long day, huh?"

"Yeah. But it's not often we get the call and get our guy in the same day. I'm glad her family didn't have to wait."

At this, Kate subconsciously reached for her necklace. Then she patted her hand flat across her chest. The suddenly she was standing, her hands patting her chest, gripping her breasts, and then flattening across her stomach. In another moment, her hand dove into her button down.

"Whoa! Beckett, not that I don't appreciate the show, but…"

Kate was untucking her shirt, cramming her hands in the waistband of her pants.

"Kate?"

She was on her hands and knees, looking around her chair, under her desk.

"Kate? What is it? What's wrong?"

She raced to the interrogation room, Castle close behind. She checked the floor. Then slowly she stood, realization dawning, tears streaming down her face.

"My mother's ring, Castle. It's gone. When Li grabbed me. It's gone." She barely choked out the words, and she was hunched over. The loss was physically painful to her. She knew now, exactly when the chain had scraped across her neck.

"It's okay, Beckett." He was hugging her now. "We'll go. We'll go now. Maybe we can find it." Castle led her out of the room. Thankfully, the bullpen was empty; Kate didn't have to worry about Ryan and Esposito—or anyone else—seeing her emotional struggle. She headed straight for the elevator.

Castle stopped at Beckett's desk. He grabbed her purse and her still wet coat. He hoped it wasn't still raining, but his hopes were dashed when they stepped off the elevator. It was a steady sprinkle. He guided Kate to his car, glad he'd driven. As Castle drove, Kate hoped against hope that her mother's ring was still there.

They parked and walked along the same path they'd walked with the officers who arrived to help escort Li to the precinct. In the alley, where Li had grabbed her, they both searched, Castle on his hands and knees. Kate looked along the wall and in the doorway she'd shoved Castle into. Castle, looked through the trash strewn along the wall on the other side.

"Kate, I don't see it here. Anywhere," he said, slicking his wet hair back. "Maybe we should check back from where we came." He knew it was far less likely they'd find anything there. There was a lot more foot traffic near where they parked.

Kate nodded reluctantly. The walked slowly through the rain, heads down, eyes down, appealing to the gods that something shiny would glint and catch their eyes and be exactly the thing they hoped to find most. Castle was still walking, getting close to the building where he knew they loaded Li into the back of the Officer Baumann's cruiser. Realizing Beckett was no longer beside him, he turned back to find Kate sliding down a lamppost.

He went to her, wanting to comfort her, but also not wanting to touch her. Her shoulders heaved with her sobs and he knew, more than anything, she did not want him to see her like this. She didn't want him to see her tears, her weakness.

"It's hopeless, Castle." She never raised her head, never looked at him.

"Nothing's ever hopeless, Kate." He reached out, putting one hand on her shoulder and the other on the hands that were holding her knees to her chest. "Let's just get you home. You're soaking wet for the second time today." He pulled Kate to her feet, but didn't let go of her hands.

He was disappointed when she shook her hands free, but then she took a step forward and reached her arms up to wrap around his neck. She hugged him tightly.

"Thank you, Castle, for bringing me here, helping me look."

Castle felt her cheek move near his ear as she spoke into her arms, and thought, he'd really had no choice. He just pressed his hand to her back, feeling her body jerk occasionally as she strove for control over her body-racking anguish. Castle felt a bit guilty for savoring a moment that was for her a grim spectacle.

I appreciate all your feedback and try to respond! Also, since I've had a few comments and messages wondering about me, I finally posted a profile if you want to check it out.

The one that amused me most? From starophie, who asked if I'm British. Why'd it amuse me so much? Because I had just changed "little wanker" in this chapter to "Elephant arms." After that, I just had to change it back to "little wanker." (o: