A/N: Quick update this time :) I finally made it to season 2! (Why does that feel like an accomplishment?) Here's the opening scene for 2x01, I hope you like it. It's not as angsty as my recent ones, mostly just annoyed Beckett. Please review :)

"What's so special about world-famous mystery novelist Richard Castle? He's rich, he's handsome, and he's basing his next bestseller on you." Kate finally peeled her eyes away from Castle's back to the woman in front of her. How exactly had she gotten herself roped into this one? Oh, that's right, the damn mayor, well, she wouldn't be calling him Bob again anytime soon, that was for damn sure, not that she really enjoyed calling him Bob before. "So tell me Detective Beckett, what's it like being the inspiration for thrill master Richard Castle's new character Nikki Heat?" God she hated that name. But somehow she kept the careful smile she'd plastered on her face when she met this woman from slipping as she stared at the mini-microphone being shoved in her face.

"On behalf of the NYPD, it has been a pleasure to offer Mr. Castle insight into the profession." There, perfectly prepared statement delivered perfectly.

"Given all of his bestsellers, it's obvious Mr. Castle has tremendous insight into the criminal mind. I'm told in many occasions his participation was essential to solving your toughest cases."

"Really?" Seriously? Somebody actually told her that? "You were told that? By who?" She was pretty sure she already knew that answer.

"By Castle." Of course.

Kate spied Montgomery and leapt at the chance to, if nothing else, stall this interview. Castle had some gall, saying he was essential to anything that didn't involve his daughter.

"Could you excuse me for a moment?" The smile on her face claimed she was calm, maybe even enjoying herself, but underneath her skin crawled, her blood boiled. He just couldn't leave her alone could he? She stood up and stalked over to her captain.

"Sir, could I talk to you in private for a moment please?" It wasn't a question.

"Beckett, I have a couple-"

"Now." She turned into the man's office, giving him little choice but to follow. Once he was across the threshold she shut the door, taking care not to slam it like she wanted to and wishing it weren't made of glass.

"We made a deal, Beckett." He said as he went to stand behind his desk. His back was to her, but she knew he was smiling, could hear it in his voice. He was enjoying this far too much.

"The deal is off."

"What's the problem?" Seriously? He had to ask? Couldn't he just look out his window?

"Not only does he have the bachelor party cop twins out there using him as a stripper pole while I make nicey-nice with the press, but do you know what he said?" She sounded like a disgruntled teenager, but she didn't care.

"No." Montgomery was barely suppressing laughter, which only served to further piss her off.

"He said he has been instrumental in helping us solve crimes."

"Well, hasn't he?" Not exactly the cry of outrage Kate was looking for. Was he on Castle's side?

"That's not the point." She didn't really know what was anymore, but it definitely wasn't that.

"Do you know how hard it is for NYPD to get good press? I mean in a magazine that people actually read?" She did, that fact had been forced on her to get her so she would do the interview in the first place. But again, that wasn't the point. Process of elimination, she'd find it eventually. "This article is very important to the mayor." Ugh, Bob again. "Therefore we are going to cooperate. Do I make myself clear?"

"Okay, fine." It's not like she had a choice in the matter.

She walked into the break room as the Carmen Electra look-a-like left, Ryan and Esposito watching her go.

"We should have photoshoots here more often." Men, Kate thought, so predictable. She purposely walked passed the espresso machine to the pot and poured herself a cup.

"Hey Beckett, how come you don't wear a uniform like that?" Esposito asked just to push her buttons. She didn't let him.

"Because I don't wanna get paid in singles." The boys chuckled and she just ignored them.

"Hey." And Castle makes his inevitable appearance. Kate had been expecting him to confront her at some point, so she'd come prepared. There was an awkward moment of complete silence before Ryan threw her under the bus.

"Oh hey, uh, don't we have that thing." She glared at him while he smiled at his partner, clearly enjoying this as much as Montgomery.

"No." Esposito replied, looking back at Castle. She wasn't sure which was worse, Ryan wanting to desert her, or Esposito wanting to watch.

"Yeah, you know that thing with the guy." Kate barely suppressed raising an eyebrow. She'd let them get away with it, for now.

"Oh, yeah." Esposito finally caught on and they excused themselves.

"I just wanted you to know I had nothing to do with this." She rounded on Castle, doing her best to give him a disinterested, neutral look, but she couldn't prevent her eyebrows from showing her skepticism.

"You don't have to explain yourself." Her tone was so casual she would've believed it too if she weren't inside her own head.

"Really?" The way he perked up in disbelief was comical, but she didn't feel like laughing.

"Really. See," she inhaled for dramatic effect. "I don't care anymore. Now if you'll excuse me I have an interview to get back to." She walked past him, glad it was over, but happy with how she'd handled it.

"What did I do that was so wrong?" He asked, stepping into stride behind her. Only he would be so audacious as to ask that question. He knew exactly what he did. Kate's carefully pleasant demeanor crumbled.

"The one thing I asked you not to do."

"Okay so you asked me not to look into your mother's murder, but look what I found." He acted like that fixed everything. Why did men always have to try to fix things?

"It doesn't matter what you found I put that all behind me a long time ago." She smiled at the journalist still sitting at her desk as she walked up to it, effectively ending her conversation with Castle. "We can get back to the interview now."

"Gonna have to reschedule." Esposito stated as he and Ryan walked up. "Just caught a body." Perfect. Now she could escape both Castle and writer-girl.

"I'm so sorry to step out on you Amy," but the grin on Kate's face begged to differ.

"Oh, are you kidding it's perfect." What now? She froze halfway through pulling on her jacket. "A chance to see Castle in action. Our readers will love it."

"Well we wouldn't want to disappoint your readers, now would we Detective Beckett?" Oh, if not for insubordination…

Montgomery gave her the look that closely resembled her own death glare and Castle, damn him, looked surprised, smug, and terrified all at the same time.