"My chance" he suddenly announced after having stopped in front of a door slightly larger than the others, breaking the awkward silence that had settled on their walk to the gym ever since the last question. She blinked for a second having forgotten what he was referring to, her brain replaying the shoot over and over again on repeat. Finally having broken the chain she nodded for him to proceed.

"Shorts or Capris?"

"Huh?" she looked at him dumbstruck having expected questions of a much different level.

"Well if I am to show you the gym, you'd obviously like to try some of the equipment out and I doubt you'd be comfortable in that" He nodded to her button down shirts and work pants.

She rolled her eyes in response "need you ask?"

He shook his head and then silently slid a panel out of the wall right next to the door before turning around to give her a once over trying to decide what size she'd need. He decided on a small and pulled out a black mesh tank top with the organization's symbol over the left breast paired with black dry-fit capris and handed them to her. "Why don't you go ahead and change, the door in front of us is a changing room, you'll find a connected door labeled 'Private Gym' It'll ask you for a key, tag in 42678. I'll meet you there"

She raised a brow at the familiar passcode before tossing the mesh tank back in his face "I have the top covered she winked and undid two of her shirt's buttons, revealing an almost revealing sports bra. A wave of nostalgia hit her reminding her of their time from the underage days when they were trying to score entry into a bar, or a couple of beers. She knew it was stupid of her but she almost wished he would still take in that deep breath and stare pointedly into her eyes so as to make a point that he wasn't staring at her breasts. But of course he didn't he just nodded with a suit yourself. Her cell beeped and she pulled it out, luckily catching him giving her a once over from the corner of her eye. She suddenly felt like she was as red as a cherry and her knees were just as good as jello, phone forgotten she was pretty sure she was frozen in place. Was she really dying this hard for him to notice her the way he did? For him to make her feel like she was the only person on this planet according to him? For him to…. ugh! you're doing it again you fool! I know you're bubbling and blushing you idiot, I can feel it, but just hide that red for a second and stop biting your lip like that just because he's looking at you, go in that god damn changing room already and get to it! If you my dear body, actually co-operate you might even be awarded with a sight of Rick at gym.

That was all the mental motivation necessary. Needless to say within seconds she was past the door paying no attention to the enormity of it, or the fact that it was partially occupied due to how flustered she felt by the way Rick had looked at her. Shut up Kate, you're with Will remember? Shit when was the last time Will's attention had you weak at the knees? Most probably never. HE'S DATING A CIA OPERATIVE! NOT SINGLE! REMEMBER? Plus there is that matter of shooting him down and far away ten years ago….

Occupying the changing room was a slightly amused but straight faced asian woman studying the woman who had suddenly intruded her changing ritual. She didn't remember seeing the face before so this woman definitely wasn't SHIELD. If there's anything Akira Rice took pride in besides her martial arts, it was her memory. She never forgot. Ever. She continued studying the woman even as the woman in question visibly took notice of her surroundings, when she finally noticed Rice, Akira was pretty sure she just went red again, though the reasons could be debatable.

"I'm so sorry Ricky never said anything about this place being occupied-" she began to gush but Akira shook her head.

"I'm guessing you're referring to Commander Rodgers, and don't worry about it, I'm just not used to see anyone here since the select few who prefer this gym over the other are mostly in no need of a changing room"

Beckett nodded, suddenly understanding she wasn't exactly intruding, now out of her little fluster moment, she could finally look at the place, locate herself a changing stall and change into the provided capri pants accordingly, she came out of the stall in a sports bra and the shield capri pants to find the asian woman still standing there letting absolutely nothing show on her face. Damn she's like the female asian version of Rick 2.0…. 2.0? v2? Rick v2? ugh…. Beckett you're loosing it.

Upon seeing the clothes Beckett held, Akira slipped out a panel much like the ones outside the door and stepped aside to allow Beckett to put aside all personal belongings. Once she was done, Beckett nodded a thanks and then moved to the door labeled gym as instructed by Rick but to her utmost surprise she found her way blocked by the asian woman.

"Are you new here? Because I do not remember seeing you, and I never forget" The asian woman asked her with her voice allowing Beckett to deduce nearly nothing.

"Oh I apologize for my manners, the last 12 hours or so have been a little… unsettling and nerve wrecking. Detective Kate Beckett" She realized they were probably not even on the american continent anymore, so she quickly added "NYPD".

"Akira Rice, and I'm surprised you're alive after standing Collins on a date and then arresting Serena"

"Excuse me?"

"What? I may be off on a lot of missions but I've heard a lot about you from them, between Collins realizing you're the only woman ever to stand him up, at least ever since puberty got him for the better, and Serena's place being ransacked unwarranted, not to forget the three hours she spent in lock up…. There was a lot to hear wether you're in Tibet, Cape Town, Bulgaria, Bahrain or Antarti-"

She was interrupted by a knock on the gym door. "Beckett are you ok?" Came a muffled voice from the other side. Akira raised an eyebrow because before that she thought of Beckett as one of the ladies Collins had brought on and had probably gone missing, now the story didn't make sense. She stepped aside as if in a silent 'you may pass' sort of manner and watched as Kate typed in the passcode and past the door.

Her eyes roamed over the double storied gym that seemed to house everything. The ground level floor as she would like to think of it had it all right from cardio machines, to general equipment to professional equipment and all the way to equipment specific to certain martial second floor as she would like to think of it, was accessible by stairs. It seemed to house something that suspiciously looked like a fighting ring along with some sparring mats. While the walls were still dark grey, unlike the other rooms/halls they were in the form of metal tiles covered in horizontal and vertical arrangements of metal bars that seemed to jut out at different depths.

Though her eyes looked all over the floors, she couldn't place Richard Castle. Then she did spot him and her mouth hung open. The man in question was hanging shirtless in a pair of sweats, upside down and seemed to be doing his own version of touching his toes. Shit… those shoulders look even broader without a shirt to hide them… They look so firm…. mind out of the gutter Kate! Sorenson remember?! But he looks so delicious! Well you threw him out, second chances only exist in books and movies, remember?!

He had obviously noticed her staring at him and so he now seemed to stare back. "Well what do you think?" He asked in perfect ease even as he performed his upside-down twists. His arms were folded inside causing his already bulging biceps and triceps to bulge out even further causing every vein to look defined under the skin, his hands locked in a ball and hinge position over his ripped pecks. Of course being shirtless also showed off all his battle scars and Kate was having serious issues with holding herself from rushing across the room and kissing them scars away.

"Huh?" She asked dumbstruck having completely forgotten her surroundings along with all the other agents who seemed to be training around her.

"What do you think of this place Kate?" He repeated the question as he pulled himself up one last time, gripping the pipe on which he was holding himself against the ankles, he then shook his ankles out causing him to be now hanging straight but with his back to Kate who could see all the muscles move over his back as he pulled himself a couple times before jumping down. Oh that lovely ass…. he's doing this on purpose isn't he… fucking asshole.

"Um it's lovely" she tried. He raised his brow, for once oblivious to the attention as he turned around and raised a brow at her, causing her to turn red under his eyes and bite her lip the way she always did. If only she knew what it did to him. He groaned inwardly, having mastered the art too long ago and kept his face straight. "I've heard of this place being considered a genius and what not but never lovely" he replied finally.

"Well It seems to house everything"

"Mhm, come here" he directed as he started walking up the stairs to the open planned second floor of the gym. She followed without a question and was shocked to watch agents of all ethnicities practicing different human weapon moves against dummy robots. "I'd ask if you'd humor me with a spar" Rick nods at her and then adds "However we just ate and I doubt you'd be fine specially with your sore ankle" She raised a brow, questioning how he knew but then shook her head, of course this machine of a man probably noticed her slight limp.

"That sounds more like a challenge, but you're right, it wouldn't be smart to spar right now" Suddenly she saw something move from the corner of her eye and found the asian agent from the changing room fly by at Rick, but apparently he was expecting it, because he grabbed her by the calf which was flexed so as to get him with her knee, and her upper arm and flung her behind his back the way he'd throw a jacket of something. "Really Aki?" he guffawed as he helped her up who seemed not in the least bit affected from crashing on hard concrete. Instead she dusted her capris and grinned at him. "Well Cap' you seemed to be giving your guest here your undivided attention. I thought I could get away with it"

"Never forget your surroundings you taught me that" He replied honestly then turned back to face Kate. "Kate meet Agent Akira Rice of SHIELD, or as you might have previously known her, Akira Rice the owner of a multinational security provision company, or as you should know her, my youngest sister" "ugh yeah, yes we met earlier in the changing room, thus the delay, I don't usually take that long you know" she couldn't lie, she wasn't a fan, this woman had confronted her head on and now was- as far as she knew- breaking her tour time.

"'Course I know, remember when you did that gig for Modern Fashion and had me running around with dresses for you before your interview? Never seen someone change faster" Kate blushed at his memory skills. And he continued, "And all that for what? You got the job, walked down the runway, got offered a cover op and then you ran, like always" The last bit was muttered more under his breath than said aloud but Kate had heard it, and she couldn't help but look down at her feet. Rick who was either oblivious to her inner guilt, or who was trying to get her up again continued "And after the zillion dresses you had me running up and down you decided on the very first dress you'd worn"

She took a second but then smirked "Well it was fun seeing you run up and down with them all"

"Uh-huh you almost convinced me to put one on for you"

"Yeah, unluckily they didn't fit you"

Akira who was listening intently on the entire conversation raised a brow and interjected. "One second, you're telling me Richard Edgar Alexander Rodgers Castle went dress shopping and also attempted to put on a dress?"

Ooh Ricky, revenge is still on the plate she smirked inwardly. "Of course, why do you sound so shocked Agent Rice? He's such a… what's the word… Kitten"

"Hey!"

Caught in the moment she stuck her tongue out and ran for it, of course, this wasn't the same Rick who couldn't keep up with her, this was the Rick who could grab her in a minute and tackle her to the ground without even being slightly affected.

Akira watched the entire show with the ghost of a smile on her face, for her to show any emotion at all is a miracle but today she can't hold herself back. "So I'm guessing you two have known each other longer than Serena or Collins knew her"

"Um since high school actually" Rick commented as he got up and gave Kate a hand, who in her stubbornness decided to ignore it and pull herself up instead. "Akira let me formally introduce you to Alexis's godmother, Katherine Houghton Beckett" Kate bit her lip as she smiled while trying to pick on any signs of disbelief or shock as the others had shown but if she did feel shocked, she didn't show it.

"Alexis reminds me, how's tai chi going with the two of you?" Rick asked

"Oh she's marvelous, you might want to pay a visit to Nick at the sick bay"

"Huh?"

"She might have accidentally broken his bone"