Their quick dive into the world of copious fatty entrees had only lasted an hour.

Despite a few strong drinks and excellent service, it had been obvious to Castle that Beckett's mind was anywhere but the hole-in-the-wall bar he'd chosen for the midnight get-together.

Each open-ended question he'd posed was answered in half-sentences or distracted nods, as she worked through her order of spicy wings with the precision of a Japanese gardener pruning a bonsai tree.

He'd both admired and questioned that ability for many long moments before clearing his throat again.

"I feel like we should go on vacation after this case is over with…"

Throwing the bait out there to see if she'd grab it made his heart beat faster, his palms growing sweatier by the second. A vacation with the woman who was quickly becoming the most important part of his life; a brilliant and infuriatingly stubborn detective who had accomplished something neither one of his ex-wives had ever done…reach a part of his heart and soul he didn't even know was there.

At first she didn't say anything, just continued to pry little pieces of meat off her wings, then wiping the grease from the corners of her mouth.

Eventually Beckett looked up, a sympathetic smile on her face.

"Us and the boys? And who is going to run the department? And where would we go?"

"Well…", Castle began, not having expected her to include Ryan and Esposito in that line of thought, the sheer mental image enough to slow his fervently beating heart, "There's other detectives that can handle the case load, aren't there? We could…I don't know…we could go to the Hamptons for a few days. Or Florida? Anyplace beside here actually."

Looking over at the chicken wings he'd barely touched, she shrugged dismissively.

"Just because this is another bad case doesn't mean we all need to go on vacation. It just is what it is. We are cops. This is what we do, Castle. Honestly, with the way things have been going lately, I can't imagine being away from the precinct for any given period of time. The department needs me."

"Even if it's just for a few days? A long weekend perhaps?", he tried, narrowly choking on the words.

"It's just…neither one of us has time for that. And The Hamptons? The boys couldn't afford that. I don't know if I could. It's just…it's not on my radar right now. I am sorry…I am just tired and I need to lock this killer away before somebody else dies."

With his hands folded tightly in his lap, he pursed his lips and watched her push her plate aside.

"What if you…if you run yourself ragged? Everybody needs a reprieve eventually."

"Not me.", she answered boastfully, "I just need to do my job. And when I catch this killer, then I will work on catching the next one and the one after that. It's what I am damn good at and I will pursue that passion no matter the price."