Prompt: Beckett loses her Mom's ring during a struggle with a suspect. Bonus points if her father's watch is broken in the struggle as well. Author's choice as to if the ring is found.

A/N- I've set this in late season 3, post LA, but before the finale. Also, Josh and Beckett broke up, so he's out of the picture.

This isn't the sort of thing I normally write, but I wanted something fluffy, and this is what came to me. What I noticed was that even my fluff pieces have a side of angst. Anyways, I hope you like it.

Disclaimer: Castle is owned by ABC and AWM, not MAW.

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She couldn't believe she had lost the ring. She couldn't believe that the watch was broken. After all these years, after everything she had been through, the two most important objects in her life had just been taken from her.

She and Castle had looked in that alley for hours, trying to find her mom's ring, but it just wasn't there. She could feel the panic rising in her chest, so after their fruitless search, she excused herself and made her way back to her apartment. Castle had offered to escort her, knowing at least a little of what she was going through, but she had declined. She just needed some space.

She managed to get into her apartment and into her bathroom before the inevitable breakdown started.

Later that night, after she had gotten herself more together, she was lying in bed, looking at a picture of her mom. Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of her phone buzzing from her nightstand. Sighing and putting the picture aside, she answered her phone.

"Beckett."

"Kate it's me."

"What do you need Castle?"

"Nothing. I talked to a jeweler friend of mine this evening and he says he can fix your father's watch."

Hope flared in her chest. "Really," she whispered.

"Yeah. He said it shouldn't be a problem at all. So if you want, I'll pick it up in the morning and take it to him."

"Yeah, that'd be amazing, Castle, thank you. How much-"

Castle cut her off, "No charge Beckett."

"Castle, I don't need you to pay for this."

"I'm not. The guys owes me a favor, so he's doing it for free."

She sighed, not knowing whether or not to believe him. Choosing to ignore it for now she said, "Thanks for helping me look today, and sorry for running off on you like that."

"It's okay, Kate, and you're welcome. I'll always be there for you, you know that."

She smiled. She couldn't deny the growing feelings she had towards her partner. She knew they were there, of course, after last summer, but now they were stronger than ever. I really love him, she thought. She just didn't know what to do about it.

"Thanks, Castle."

"What time are you going to be going into work?" he asked.

"Around 8 I think."

"I'll stop by around 7:30 then to pick up the watch. I'll be out most of the day tomorrow."

"Why?"

"After I drop of the watch, I have to sit through hell for at least four hours."

"Black Pawn meetings?"

"Yup. Should be exciting," he said sarcastically.

"Are they going to renew your Nikki Heat contract?"

"Do you want them to?"

"Are you going to leave if they don't?"

"Of course not. Partners remember?"

She smiled. "Partners."

"Alright, if I'm going to be up on time, I should let you go. Until tomorrow, Detective."

"Night, Castle," she said, ending the call.

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The next morning, Kate sat at her desk thoroughly distracted. She couldn't get any of the paperwork done that she needed to. Her thoughts kept coming back to the ring and her empty wrist. She knew that the watch would come back, but this was the first time in nearly a decade that it hadn't been on her wrist while she worked. It made her feel naked and vulnerable.

Eventually she regained her focus and made it through her paperwork. With a small break for lunch and a few conversations with her partners (minus Castle) the day past relatively quickly.

Back at her apartment that night, she called Castle.

"Castle," he answered.

"Hey, it's me. Did you talk to your jeweler friend?"

"Yup. He said it wouldn't be a problem. He has it now."

"Did he say how long it would take?"

"No, he said he'd call me when it was done."

She sighed, not wanting to go through any more days without it on her wrist. "Okay."

"How was today? Pick up a case?"

"No, just paperwork."

"Sorry I missed it," he said. She could hear the smirk that was for sure gracing his face.

"Well maybe paperwork days would be more exciting if you'd actually do your share."

"Yeah, right. Let me ask you this, then, if I did help, would they actually let me?"

She thought about that for a second. "Probably not. It has to be in my handwriting and it definitely has to be my signature."

"Well there you go."

She smiled and said, "Don't ruin my complaining with your logic."

He laughed. "I knew that would be thrown back in my face some day. Thanks."

"Yeah. Alright, I'm going to knock off for the night. See you tomorrow?"

"Yeah. I'll be a little later than normal, but I'll be there."

"Why will you be late? I need my coffee, Castle."

"Patience is a virtue, Detective. And I have an errand to run, that's why I'll be late."

"Fine. See you tomorrow."

"Until tomorrow, detective."

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She didn't see Castle until almost noon the next day. She wondered what errand he'd had to run that could have taken him that long. She didn't even notice him arriving until a coffee cup appeared in front of her face while she attempted to fill out another form. She looked up and smiled.

"Thanks Castle. Get your business done this morning?"

"Yup. Can I talk to you, Kate?"

She frowned slightly. "Sure Castle, what's up?"

"Not here. Maybe the observation room, so we won't be interrupted?"

Worried a little she nodded and stood up, making her way to the observation room.

Turning on her heels, she faced Castle and said, "Alright, Castle, what's going on?"

"Nothing bad, I promise. I actually have something for you, and figured the privacy would be better." She hadn't noticed the box he had been carrying until that moment. He opened it up and pulled out a gift bag and handed it to her.

Curiosity got the better of her, and she dug into the bag and pulled out the object. She smiled, tears forming in her eyes. "My father's watch. Thank you, Rick. So much."

He nodded, "You're welcome."

Wiping away her tears, she placed the watch on her wrist, feeling a little more whole than she had the previous two days. Taking a deep breath she noticed that Castle was still holding the small box. Noticing where her attention had gone, he said, "I…uh…have another something for you." He pulled out another gift bag and handed it across to her.

"Castle what is this?"

"It's not a gift, Kate. I promise I didn't go buy you anything. I know you don't like people to spend money on you."

Frowning a little, she put her hand in the bag, finding a rectangular jeweler box. "Rick?" She asked questioningly, pulling the box out of the bag.

"Just open it, Kate."

Doing as she was told, she gasped when she saw what was inside. Her mom's ring.

"How?" she asked, through sobs and tears.

"I spent yesterday looking for it. I found it under a dumpster, and had my jeweler friend fix the chain and put it in a box when I picked up your watch."

Running her fingers over the ring, she tried to get her breathing under control. Feeling completely overwhelmed, she pulled the necklace out of the box and went to put it around her neck. Castle stepped behind her and said, "Here, let me."

He took the chain and fastened it around her neck, and then pulled her hair away from underneath it. She turned around when he had finished and threw her arms around him, tears still flowing down her cheeks. He put his arms around her waist and held her tight.

"Thank you so much, Rick. I…How can I ever repay you?"

"You don't owe me anything, Kate. We're square." She leaned back enough to look into his eyes. In that moment, she knew what she had to do. She loved this silly, sweet, kind, caring man, and it was time for her to stop hiding that from him. Making her move before she lost her courage, she pressed her lips to his.

He stood there in shock for a moment before he started to kiss her back. Seeking to deepen the kiss, she ran her tongue across his lower lip, asking for permission. Opening his mouth, their tongues collided in a sensual battle for dominance, which would be won by neither.

Finally having to pull back for air, she leaned her forehead against his, catching her breath.

"Wow," he breathed.

"Yeah, that was so much better than the first time."

He chuckled, bringing a hand up to wipe away a tear. "Not that I'm complaining, but what was that for?"

"I'm in love with you Richard Castle. And I'm sick of pushing you away. What you did, what you've done for me over the last three years, it's just…I can't describe how you make me feel. It's alright if you don't feel the same, but after what you just did for me, I couldn't hold it in anymore."

"Don't feel the same? You're kidding right? Kate, I love you too. Have for a while now." She grinned, leaning in for chaste kiss.

"I want to dive into it with you, Castle. I'm ready."

He smiled. "I'd like that a lot, Kate. So can I buy you dinner tonight?"

"That sounds great. Nowhere fancy tonight, Rick."

"Okay. No La Cirque, got it. Don't worry, I've got a plan."

"Don't you always," she said, finally pulling away.

He smiled, but said nothing.

She sighed, running her fingers over the ring and chain around her neck. "Really, Rick, thank you."

"You are welcome, Kate. I know what those mean to you, and I couldn't help but try to get them back to you."

"I really don't deserve you, you know that?"

"Nonsense. We deserve each other."

She smiled, took his hand and said, "Come on, Writer boy, let's get my paperwork done so I can change for our date."

"Writer MAN, Kate, Writer MAN."

"Guess we'll just have to see about that, won't we," she said with a saucy smirk, letting go of his hand and making her way back to her desk. For the first time since that day in the alley, she was whole, but she had to admit that it wasn't just that she had her mom's ring back. She had finally found love, and she swore that she'd never go without it again.

Fin.

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a/n – I would be extremely grateful if you'd leave a review!