Hej there!

Just three short things before we get started:

1. This is set somewhere in the first half of the fifth season, just so you have an idea of the general circumstances.

2. The usual disclaimer... I don't own anything but the idea for the plot, I don't make any money, etc...

3. I really tried to get the surroundings right but I can't guarantee I succeeded. There was no plan of the precinct on the internet, so if something's not exactly fitting, I apologize. You can call it artistic licence if you like ;-)

Two freshly bought cups of coffee in hand, Castle walked straight from the elevator up to Beckett's desk at the other end of the room, as he always did. And like every day he greeted in the general direction of Ryan and Esposito. Being focused on the woman in front of him, it took him a few seconds to realize what he had just seen. He stopped dead in his tracks and walked a few steps backwards until the area in question was within his line of sight once again.

"Morning, Esposito!" The greeted man lifted his head and nodded in acknowledgement.

"Morning, Castle."

"Where'd you leave your better half?" As Castle normally was the last one to arrive and Ryan and Esposito rarely ever were to be seen separated during working hours, one of them being missing was quite an unusual sight.

"Beats me", the detective answered. "Probably overslept. Or", he winked at Castle, "he and Jenny overslept again."

Castle grinned at the suggestive comment. "Well, let's hope she'll ever release him from his duty as a loving husband and soon-to-be-father again. Preferably long enough for him to join law enforcement once more."

Their teasing about Ryan being henpecked by his wife had become a running gag throughout the last weeks, no matter if the object of their amusement was within earshot or not.

Esposito laughed and returned to his work while Castle moved on towards Beckett, passing a couple of other officers on his way.

She sat at her desk, folders strewn all over it, and typed something on her computer. Castle tried to read some of the documents upside down while he sat on the chair that had become his over the course of the past four years.

"What are you doing?", he asked her.

"Catching up on some paperwork. Wanna help me?" She flashed him a teasing grin, knowing full well he hated nothing more than boring bureaucracy.

"Urgh!" In response to her almost offending question he threw himself into the backrest of his chair to get as far away as possible from the dull work threatening him. Unfortunately, he still had his hot coffee in hand which, due to the basic laws of physics, splashed out of its cup and all over Castle's former beige shirt. "Ouch, damn it!"

Beckett laughed at his curse. "Well, now your look finally resembles the toddler you are inside!"

"Not funny!", he growled but a smile tucked at the corners of his mouth.

Right when he was looking for something to at least dry the stains, footsteps neared from behind and he felt the ominous presence of Captain Gates looming over him. Castle lifted his shoulders until they almost touched his ears, mimicking a kitten carried away by its mother after it had done something it shouldn't have.

"Have I done something wrong?" he asked half playful, half serious, peeping up at Gates. The captain walking up to him rarely ever meant anything good. And when it did it was because Beckett was next to him and she wanted to talk to her instead of him.

"Don't assume everything always has to bee about you, Castle", the stern woman chided. "Detective Beckett, may I have a word with you?"

Castle saw Beckett nodding at her superior but not moving to stand. "Of course, sir."

"In my office, if you please."

Beckett got up and, casting Castle a quizzical glance, followed Gates.

He kept his eyes on the two women, too curious not to wonder what was up that he was excluded from. He saw Gates handing Beckett an envelope and waiting for her to read the papers inside. Castle absentmindedly pulled at the wet front of his shirt, not really caring what he looked like at the moment. He was shortly worried the letter contained bad news regarding Beckett personally but soon dismissed the thought again. Kate seemed to get more confused by the second but apparently was neither agitated nor devastated. It took him a moment to decipher her body language but finally he was sure what her posture expressed. Incredulity.

When she handed the letter back and Gates said something, Castle could see Beckett shake her head and shrug before motioning in the vague direction of the desks of Ryan and Esposito. Was this about them? Ryan's absence maybe? Perhaps Gates had gotten wind of why the young detective was so absentminded lately and wanted Beckett to talk to him about it. But surely she could have said that in front of Castle or asked Esposito who was after all Ryan's partner.

Before Castle could dwell anymore on the matter, Beckett nodded towards Gates and left the captain's office. When she passed Esposito's desk, she motioned for him to follow and a few seconds later they joined Castle who was still sitting next to Beckett's table. By now, he was positively dying to know what all this was about.

"What's the matter?" Esposito asked the still confused looking Beckett before Castle could even open his mouth.

"I'm not entirely sure", she replied while sitting down behind her desk. "Gates just showed me a letter. It came only minutes ago and she wanted to ask me about it first."

"Who was it from?", Castle interrupted her.

"Ryan." She looked at Esposito. "It was his resignation."

"His what?" Esposito, who had positioned himself on top of the desk, right at the corner between the other two, jumped to his feet.

"His resignation", Beckett repeated. The Latino shook his head vigorously.

"No, he wouldn't do that. He wouldn't!"

"It was signed by him. I'm sorry, Espo!" Castle could hear the compassion in her voice that washed through him, too, at the other man's sight. Esposito looked angry, sad and forlorn at the same time.

"But he didn't say anything. And why should he quit? No, I don't believe it!" he exclaimed and suddenly turned away from them, heading for Gates' office.

"Espo!" Beckett called after him but he ignored her.

"Poor him", Beckett said, looking after him as he knocked impatiently and after a moment entered the slightly separated room.

Castle followed her gaze, his mind already swirling with theories she would definitely dismiss as various degrees from improbable to downright crazy.

"Well, he's right, Ryan hasn't had any reason to quit. And if, then why should he do so without telling us beforehand?" Castle said but didn't get an answer.

Behind the huge window in the wall, Esposito seemed to be pleading with Gates now and after a few seconds she handed him the envelope. He tore the letter out of it, quickly scanned the pages and then suddenly handed the papers back to her. He stormed out of the room, a grim expression on his face, and walked over to his desk, almost stomping his feet.

Castle and Beckett looked at each other shortly and then simultaneously got up. They reached their comrade when he lifted the telephone to his ear.

"Oh come on, man. Take the damn call!", he muttered angrily.

He ignored the other twos slightly shocked faces when he forcefully put the receiver down half a minute later.

"Espo, calm down", Beckett tried to soothe him while Castle couldn't do anything more than stand by and watch the man ring his hands in frustration.

"I can't believe he did that!" Practically repeating his words from earlier, Esposito looked at Castle.

"Why did he quit? And why didn't he tell me about it?" Castle knew he wasn't asked because he was expected to have answers but because the younger man needed someone to vent off on. Not to be able to do anything but shrug helplessly didn't feel good anyway.

"Friends talk to each other! And I thought he was my friend. I was his groomsman, damn it! He should have talked to me! And now he doesn't even answer his phone." His voice had gotten louder with every word and the people around them started throwing curious looks their way.

"Espo. Espo!" Beckett's voice was somewhat of a loud whisper. "Calm down", she ordered again. "We'll figure out why he did it, okay?"

At her words, Esposito looked like someone had pulled a stopper and let the air out of him. He sank onto his chair.

"I just don't understand it. Why would he do that? And without mentioning anything? When he left yesterday, he said 'see you tomorrow' without so much as looking guilty!"

All the power seemed to have been drained from the young detective. He miserably sat in his office chair, staring at his desk.

Castle who still hadn't said anything clapped a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"We'll find out why he did it, promise." All he got in return was an indistinctive grunt.

"Come, Castle", Beckett said in a low voice and lightly pulled at his sleeve. They walked back to her desk, leaving a stricken looking Esposito behind.

When they reached their respective chairs and sat down, Castle turned once again and looked over his shoulder at the lonely man who still hadn't moved.

"I don't understand why Ryan would do something like this", he practically repeated what had been said already for like ten times in the past quarter of an hour. "And I feel bad for Espo, he must feel so betrayed. Remember how he reacted when Ryan talked to Gates about this whole Bracken affair? He would barely talk to him for days because he was so angry. And as soon as his trust is restored, his best friend just vanishes without a word of explanation. No wonder he's frustrated!" He watched as Esposito finally pulled himself together and apparently tried to start working again. His slumped shoulders were visible, even over the distance, and clearly indicated his devastated state of mind.

Castle shook his head and turned back to Kate who was absentmindedly looking towards Ryan's desk.

"It's not like him", she stated all of a sudden.

"It's not like Esposito to react badly to Ryan disappearing?" Castle sent her an incredulous look.

"No", now it was her turn to shake her head and pull herself out of her musings. "I mean Ryan. It's not like him to just leave without saying something. Anything." She looked at Castle. "There has to be an explanation."

"Now, there I agree", he said and finally let his imagination run riot while Beckett looked unseeingly at the folders in front of her.

"What do we have?" she asked rhetorically. "Ryan quits over night without telling anyone about it by sending a letter with his resignation. The next day, he doesn't answer his phone."

"Maybe he has had an affair and finally decided to elope with her", Castle piped in. "Or him...", he added thoughtfully.

Beckett looked at him in annoyance. "Ryan? Elope with another woman? Did you sleep through all of his wedding? If someone loves his wife, it's him. He could never do anything to hurt or leave her, let alone cheat on her."

"Okay, you're right", Castle conceded. "So what if he eloped with Jenny?"

"Whereto and why should he? Especially without leaving any kind of message. You know Ryan, he's not cruel."

"Hm", Castle kept thinking. "He was abducted!", he claimed after a few silent seconds.

"Castle", Beckett seemed to slowly lose her patience. "If he was, then why would there be his resignation? And why should anyone want to abduct him in the first place?"

"I don't know that, yet, but I'll get there!"

"Uch", she exclaimed, turning on her chair towards her computer and throwing her hands in the air in exasperation.

"You've got a better idea?" he asked.

"No. But if I come up with one, it'll at least be logical."

"Who cares about logical as long as it's true?"

"But it isn't!"

"How can you know that?"

"The laws of probability, Castle", she said, facing him once more. "Did Ryan ever show even a single sign of keeping secrets?"

Castle let his head drop. "No."

"Precisely. And only something we don't know about him could be a reason to abduct him. Or blackmail him, for that matter", she added quickly when Castle opened his mouth.

"How did you know that was what I was going to say next?" he asked fascinated.

"Because those are always the stories you come up with first." Castle looked at her, a hurt expression on his face, but she kept talking anyway. "I'm astounded you haven't suggested some huge government deception or aliens involved yet."

"A government deception, that's it!" Castle exclaimed, his previous offended feelings forgotten and ignoring her irritated tone.

"God, no!" Beckett buried her head in her hands at his obscure ideas.

"No, listen to me", he said excitedly. "Remember this scientist with the theory of there being a possible linchpin for everything to happen? What was his name?", he stopped for a second before he remembered. "Blakely! Yes, that's it. Professor Blakely. Whatever. So, maybe Ryan is the key to some large scale operation and now they got him to set the wheels in motion."

"Castle, you can't be serious!" Beckett said into his explanation, but he ignored her, the gears in his head turning.

"No, that doesn't sound right", he mused.

"Exactly, Castle, it's nonsense." He ignored her again.

"It's Jenny!" he said triumphantly after a moment of silence. "No, wait", he held up a finger when she opened her mouth to protest. "What if she is the illegitimate daughter of some high-class diplomat? Maybe someone found out about her, abducted her and now tried to use her as leverage to cause the Third World War. And they took Ryan, too, so he couldn't try to save her and interfere with their plans." He looked proud at his conclusion.

Beckett sighed. "You forgot about the resignation again", she said but if she had meant to make him see the faults in his explanation, she had failed.

"No, I didn't! They forged the letter and sent it here so we wouldn't look into their disappearances either."

"It was definitely his signature, I saw it", she tried to dissuade him from his idea once more.

"Then they forced him to sign it."

"Castle!" Beckett had finally enough. He looked at her, surprised by her suddenly harsh tone.

"Hm?"

"It's enough. I suggest we try to get behind this the old-fashioned way. By looking at the facts instead of making wild assumptions", she clarified at his uncomprehending expression.

"Boring", he commented but stopped making suggestions anyway. She just shook her head but didn't comment any further.

Looking down on her desk once again she suddenly noticed her coffee, still standing untouched near the edge of it. She took it and nipped on it but immediately put it back down with a flinch and a disgusted noise. "Cold!"

Castle looked down his front at his stained shirt, remembering he had some left, too.

"I'll get us some new", he said, got up and took the two cups with him to the small kitchen-like room with the espresso machine in it he had sponsored the precinct years ago.

While he threw away the cold cups and prepared two new ones, he could see Beckett motioning for Esposito to come over after calling out for him. In a sudden mood of amicability Castle prepared a third cup. The younger detective looked as if he needed it.

When he had finished putting milk froth on top of the steaming liquid, he noticed he only had two hands. Not wanting to walk twice, he somehow managed to carry two of the cups in one hand by slitting his fingers through the handles and supporting it with his knuckles. It took him a few meters to realise just how bad of an idea that had been.

The cups were burning hot and he felt like his fingers were about to catch fire any second now. Not having a choice but to continue his way, Castle hurried towards Beckett and Esposito. The latter was now once again positioned on the corner of her desk. The coffee splashed a little but he managed to keep everything in.

When he reached the table, Castle was tempted to just let go off the cups but succeeded to set them down carefully. As soon as he got rid of them, he rapidly withdrew his hands, shaking them violently through the air.

"Damn it!" he exclaimed. "Hot!" He continued cursing while Beckett and Esposito smiled lightly at his clumsiness.

"Better show some compassion, you ungrateful cop", Castle said only half accusingly to the Latino upon seeing his unfeeling smirk. "I put myself in harm's way just so you could savour the taste of this delicious Latte." With that, Castle carefully pushed one of the mugs towards Esposito and let himself fall into his chair.

"I'll forever be in your debt", the younger man playfully stated before resuming his almost grave demeanour once again.

Beckett, who had wordlessly watched the whole scene, cleared her throat. "Okay, I think we should go over the facts again. From the beginning", she said. When the others nodded, she continued. "Ryan has not shown for work today but sent his resignation by letter, the signature seems to be legit. But he has not shown any indications that he was planning to leave, right?"

Both Castle and Esposito shook their head.

"And in addition, we have no idea why he should do so at all." Her voice trailed off. "As far as we know, there's no reason for him to disappear like this. Least of all without telling us." She looked at Esposito questioningly. "Or have you remembered something?"

The younger detective shook his head. "No, can't think of a single thing."

"So we've got no lead there", Beckett concluded. Castle knew her facial expression to be one of deep contemplation. She always had it when a case came to a dead end but she refused to accept that.

"Have you tried calling him again?" Castle asked Esposito who in response looked at him like he had lost his mind.

"Six times, both on his mobile and the landline."

"And Jenny, did you call her, too?" The incredulous look on Esposito's face became even more pronounced.

"Of course! She didn't answer either. I must have left them a total of thirty messages on their voice mails, email accounts, mobiles and with Jenny's co-workers. By the way, they told me she quit. Over night, by letter and without mentioning anything to anybody beforehand. Sound familiar?"

Castle felt his curiosity spike to an until now unreached maximum. If all this wouldn't concern Ryan, he was sure he would thoroughly enjoy the mystery this case provided.

"Am I the only one wanting to visit the Ryans and ask what all this is about?", he asked.

A/N: Thanks for reading, hope you liked it! Would be really appreciated if you'd tell me about whether or not in a review :-)

Just a few more or less important things before you leave:

- I'm not a native speaker, so if you find mistakes, please tell me about them, otherwise I won't get better, which'd be a pity!

- This story is already completely plotted, so I can guarantee you'll get to know all of it. Even if I should ever stop writing, which I don't hope, I'll promise to upload the summary.

- This is going to get the tiniest bit AU, just so you're warned. Not majorly like character deaths or something, only in a certain, smaller way. You'll see. I won't say too much, that'd give away everything :-) If anyone can already guess, I'd be thrilled to hear your thoughts!

See you next chapter!