Late Night
Sleep wasn't an option for Beckett that night. The hours had flown by with the help of countless cups of coffee. Not that all - nighters weren't second nature to Beckett. She had her fair share of all – nighters over the years between cases, the kids and the countless endeavors in the bedroom with Castle.
Beckett spent most of the time pacing trying to figure out what she was going to do. She had already left the 12th for another job that didn't end well and she didn't want that to happen again. This was like her marriage; her one and done.
"Do you have any idea how many people have sat across that table and confessed their sins to me? What makes you think that you're any different? Any smarter? You've only been in this room for one hour. But this room … this room has been my life. My home. And I will not let you sit there and lie to me in my own home. This is a partial print found at the crime scene in the victim's blood. It's a match to yours, Martin. Am I still wasting my time?"
After all the pacing and the back and forth; Beckett finally came to a decision in the early morning hours just before she had fallen asleep on the couch.
By the time Castle had woke up the following morning; he realized that the bed was empty beside him.
When he got up and wandered into the living room he found Beckett still sleeping on the couch.
Castle pulled the blanket up to its original resting place on Beckett. He would let her sleep a while longer.
Eventually Beckett woke up on her own; of course the aroma of coffee emanating from the kitchen.
"You never came to bed last night." Castle pointed out.
"I know. Is there any of that for me?"
"Yup."
Castle poured Beckett a cup.
"So what kept you up all night?"
"The captain job."
"Oh."
"I think I've decided on what I'm going to do. But I'm not completely sure. I don't want it to end up like the last one."
Castle knew instantly what Beckett referred to.
"Hey."
"Hey, I thought our flight was at 8 in the morning."
"It is. They know it was you that tipped off the press."
"A part of me really admires you for the choice that you made, maybe because I'd like to think there was a time that I would have done it. But the people we answer to don't feel that way."
"Rachel, I … I."
"Kate, you're one of the best agents I've ever worked with."
"But I'm here to tell you, you're fired."
"Yeah; so what did you decide?"
"You'll know soon enough; babe."
With that Beckett set her coffee down and darted off to the bedroom. Once she was dressed; Beckett was out the door in a heartbeat.