Author's Note: I'm back! I'd like to thank phnxgrl, TORONTOSUN, and southerngirl1 for their reviews. southerngirl1: Sorry, no book tour chapters here. Kate does join Rick on the tour, but I've skipped that. This set of chapters covers the time after Kate has returned to New York. TORONTOSUN: Kate was the only one who could talk to Esposito the way he needed. Her past of losing those she loved, and learning to survive and thrive despite it all, is how she'd know what advice he'd need to get through the loss of his friend and former partner. Thank you for noticing and I'm sure Kate would survive without Rick in the precinct for a few weeks. phnxgrl: No leads left on that case, but they did make some progress on understanding the nature of The Gentleman's organization. This chapter is about three weeks after the last one ended. Enjoy!

Chapter 39

Kate unlocked the door of the loft and walked inside, ready for the day to be over. She'd been doing paperwork all day. The number of cases they'd had in the last few weeks had meant a backlog of paperwork. At least all but the Shadow Fox cases were closed. That made things a little easier to fill out.

She quickly moved through the apartment and checked that no one was lurking, waiting to kill her. The apartment was clear, so Kate put her gun away in her nightstand with her badge. She looked around the loft. Rick was coming home tomorrow morning and Kate wanted the loft to be clean for him. Looking around, she saw it already was. She'd been cleaning around the apartment all week after returning from traveling with him.

Kate fixed herself a dinner of leftovers, waiting for Rick's nightly call. While she cooked, she looked at the picture of Alexis and Rick together that was sitting on the counter. Alexis had checked in with her a couple days ago to let her know how school was going. Kate loved it when Alexis called. The redhead had accepted her into the family completely despite the fact that her father and the detective hadn't married quite yet. The date was set though, and Kate was ready. Her own father might not be around now, but he was with her, just as her mother was.

Kate pulled her necklace from beneath her collar. Three rings on a simple chain. Rick might be a millionaire and the most important man in her life, but this necklace was the most valuable thing she owned. It was a reminder of those she'd lost, a way to keep them with her wherever she went, and a symbol of what was to come.

Her phone rang and she fished it out of her pocket to check the caller ID. "Hey, you. I was beginning to think you'd fallen asleep without calling me."

Her fiancé's soothing voice eased her mind. "No such luck, I'm afraid. I've decided to change my travel plans. Got tired of airplanes; I'm taking the overnight train back instead of waiting for a flight tomorrow morning. That way I'll be back in town by 6:30 in the morning, not just after one like the flight."

"That means I might see you before I go to work tomorrow." Kate's heart leapt at the possibility.

"That's the plan. So, what are you having tonight?"

"Leftovers. I'm too mentally exhausted to try cooking anything."

"Paperwork?"

"Yeah. The pileup of cases led to a backlog of fives and other reports. If nothing new comes in, I should finish my stack tomorrow."

"I've missed you." Rick's voice had taken on a longing quality to it.

"I've missed you too."

An announcement on Rick's end interrupted him as he spoke again. "I've been… Oh, that's the check-in for my train. I'm going to get settled in and try to get some sleep. The time changes have me beat. Do you want me to call when I get in tomorrow morning, or is that too early?"

"Call me. I'll be getting up then anyway. What were you about to say?"

"Nothing important. I mean, it's important to me, but it won't change the course of history if I didn't ask right now."

"Rick…" Kate drew out his name, letting him know he couldn't brush her off that easily.

"Okay. I've been wanting to ask if you'd be free this weekend so I could take you up to the Hamptons. As in, you, me, a few bottles of wine, the house all to ourselves... I just want to spend some time with you where work doesn't get in the way."

Kate paused to think. "This weekend might be too hard to swing, but next weekend might work. I'd like to spend time with you. Alone. No distractions."

"Good." Another announcement came over the PA system. "I gotta go. I love you."

Kate smiled. "I love you too. Talk to you later."

He ended the call and Kate returned to her dinner. She took it into Rick's office, turned on the TV, and tuned into a show on ABC just as it was starting. It was a forensic dramedy about a medical examiner who couldn't die, no matter how many times he'd been killed, and his sexy detective partner. Kate loved the show. The banter between the M.E. and the detective reminded Kate of her and Rick in the early years.

The show had ended and she'd finished washing her dinner dishes when Rick called again. "So… my train is being delayed a little."

"Why? What happened?"

"Well, I guess there was a technical issue at a station up the track a bit. No accidents, nothing like that. They're just delaying the trains till it clears up."

Kate sighed. "So, when will you be arriving now?"

"I don't know. At this point I may miss my transfer in DC, so it's looking like seven or eight in the morning if they delay that train too, maybe later."

"Well, call me when you arrive. I'm going to bed now. I'm beat."

Rick yawned. "Me too. I'm on board, so there's no going back now. I'll talk to you in the morning. I love you."

"I love you too. Goodnight."

"Until tomorrow."

The phone ringing broke into her slumber. Beckett fumbled for the phone in the dark and looked at the time. 4:58am. Her alarm wasn't going to go off for another couple minutes. She groaned and answered the call.

"Beckett."

"We've got a body." Esposito was on the other end. "Garbage worker found him while he was moving a dumpster. I've already called Ryan."

"Okay, I'm on my way."

Beckett parked at the mouth of the alley; Ryan and Esposito were already there. The trash truck and two garbage men were there as well, talking to the other two detectives. Beckett took her moment to honor the victim and then got out. Ryan waved at her and continued with his interview. Beckett pulled on a pair of gloves as she ducked under the tape and went to meet with Lanie.

The body was on a tarp next to the trash compacter and in front of the dumpster. The dumpster itself was at an angle, consistent with the story that the garbage man had been moving the dumpster when he found the body. Lanie was crouched over the body making notes on her clipboard. Beckett paused to turn a circle and see the entire alley. It was lined with doors from the various businesses on each side and a few dumpsters lined the alley, providing convenient trash disposal. Satisfied with her initial assessment of the scene, she went over to Lanie.

"Good morning, Doctor."

"Morning to you too, Detective. When does your other half get in?"

Beckett shrugged. "I don't know. He decided to take the train home instead of flying and there were some delays last night. What do you have for me?"

"Victim is white, mid to late fifties to early sixties. From the smell and clothes, I'd say homeless, but that's just a guess."

Beckett wasn't seeing blood on the victim. "Cause of death?"

"I have no idea." Lanie stood up. "There are no external indicators of trauma or drug overdose. He may have died of natural causes."

"Where was he initially found?"

"Over there." Lanie pointed to an area where boxes were piled up.

Beckett took a closer look. "Yeah, this could be a makeshift shelter. What's your take on this?"

"If I had to guess, this is not a homicide."

"Me too. Okay, thanks, Lanie."

"Mm-hm."

Ryan came over. "So the garbage men ID'd the victim as Lenny, no last name. He lives here. Has for at least four years."

"Okay, talk to the shop owners around here. See if anyone didn't want him there. In the meantime, I'm going back to the precinct. See if I can dig up anything on Homeless Lenny."

Beckett texted Castle to let him know she wouldn't be at the loft when he got in and returned to the board. Lenny didn't have any next of kin that she could find, and he barely had what could be called a record. There were a whole list of charges on his sheet, but most of the charges were only enough to give him overnight or weekend stays in prison, and all were in the coldest months of the year. Essentially, Lenny only got arrested for a hot shower, warm cell, and a few square meals. He hadn't been a threat to anyone.

A text came in from Castle. "Just got your message. I'm about an hour away. Call you when I get in. I love you."

Beckett checked the time on her watch. If he was still an hour out, then his train would get in between eight and nine. The delay must have been longer than he'd anticipated. The elevator behind her dinged and the boys stepped out. Beckett finished writing up what she'd found as they came over to her.

"So we found out that Lenny was actually well liked by the shop owners around his makeshift home." Esposito took the marker Beckett offered him and started to write.

Ryan took over talking. "One, the owner of the sandwich shop, said they gave Lenny food for taking the trash from the backdoor to the dumpster and the leftover bread at the end of the day was his no matter what. Another would give him clothes or blankets for sweeping the store after hours."

"That owner also said that a cop working that beat would 'arrest' Lenny when the temperature dropped below ten degrees. Lenny wouldn't accept that kind of help above that temp." Esposito capped the marker and set it in the tray.

"It sounds like they all cared for him." Beckett pointed to her notes. "I found a lot of low-level offences. Figured it had to be something like that. No next of kin that I could find. I don't know who we should notify. From his record, I can tell you that his last name is Williams. Lenard 'Lenny' Williams. He's only forty-seven. Lanie guessed late fifties, early sixties."

"Guess the years were hard on him." Ryan opened his notebook. "From the canvas, he's lived at or near that block for ten years."

Beckett's phone chimed with an incoming text. "Lanie's done with the autopsy."

Beckett pushed the door to the morgue open and almost ran into another detective on their way out. Apologies were quickly exchanged and both parties continued on their way. Perlmutter was covering up a body and waved a hello to her. Lanie came out of her office with a folder and saw Beckett near the door.

"Come on in. Mr. Williams is waiting for you."

"What did you find?"

"Not what you'd think." Lanie opened up the folder. "Mr. Williams died from untreated cancers. I noticed several tumors when I performed the autopsy. A biopsy confirmed my suspicions."

"Multiple?"

"Well, if you don't treat one cancer, it will spread and create more tumors. It'll take several tests to determine which one started it, but I don't think that'll be necessary."

Beckett paused. "So, you're saying he was definitely not murdered."

"Correct. He died of natural causes."

"Okay. I'll take this upstairs and wrap it up."

Lanie handed Beckett the autopsy results. "This should help with that."

Beckett glanced over the folder. "It's kind of nice to not need to pursue a case. We don't get those very often."

"No, we don't. After the past few weeks, an easy one to pack up is a welcome change."

"I just wish we could find his next of kin so we can notify someone." Beckett glanced back down at the folder in her hands. "Okay. Thanks, Lanie."

Beckett returned to the bullpen. Ryan and Esposito were on their phones, for what she had no idea. She waved her hand to get their attention. They both nodded and started to wrap up their respective calls.

Ryan hung up first. "We're trying to see if maybe a pastor in the area around the crime scene knew Lenny enough to know his next of kin."

Esposito hung up. "So far, I'm striking out. What'd my wife have to say?"

"We don't have a case. Lenny wasn't murdered. Cancer did that. So it's not a crime scene or a homicide. If you want to keep looking for his family, you're welcome to, but that's as far as the investigation goes."

Esposito started dialing the next number on his list. "Copy that."

Beckett glanced into Gates's office and noticed the captain was on the phone. Beckett needed to talk to Gates now that the case was no longer a case. She watched the captain as discreetly as she could, but it wasn't long before the detective noticed something strange. The captain kept glancing in her direction, a strange look in her eyes.

"Hey, Ryan?"

"Yeah."

Beckett turned her back on Gates, and then gestured in Gates's direction. "What's going on with Gates?"

Ryan peeked around Beckett. "I don't know. She's been in there a while."

Gates hung up her phone and then gestured that Beckett should come in. "I guess I'll find out." She took the autopsy report Lanie had given her into the captain's office. "Sir, Lenny Williams' death was ruled natural causes. Ryan and Esposito are just trying to find his next of kin so we can notify them."

"Detective Beckett, please sit down."

Beckett sat, dread filling her mind. "Sir? What's going on?"

Gates closed the blinds on the bullpen side. "I just got a call from dispatch. They received a call from Penn Station reporting the abduction of a man matching Mr. Castle's description."

Beckett took a deep, stuttering breath. Not again. "They're sure it's him?"

"Not yet. I'm having them send the security footage directly to Tory. We should know soon." As soon as Gates finished her sentence, Beckett stood and went straight to the video room, ignoring the calls from Ryan and Esposito. Gates couldn't be right. Castle couldn't have been taken.

Tory looked over at her. "The video file just came in."

She opened it up. The footage on the screen was of the main entrance to Penn Station. The timestamp said 6am, so Tory sped forward to a few minutes before the 911 call came in. As they watched, Castle walked out of the station. A few moments later, a van pulled up beside him and he was shoved into it.

Beckett sank into a chair, a horrified sob escaping her lips. So it was true after all. Castle had just been taken.

A/N: Who took Castle and why? Leave a comment below with your guesses! Stay tuned!

PS: This entire "episode" was written well before the season 6 finale, so I didn't get my inspiration from that.