Hey guys,

thanks a lot for all your reviews- I'm awfully sorry for not posting sooner. Somehow, I really had a bit of a writersblock. Must be pretty annoying for people like Castle ;)

Anyway- I think there will be one more chapter- if you persuade me enough maybe even a two.

However- read, review and, of course, enjoy!

Kate woke up to her furiously ringing mobile phone. She was curled up on her coach and her neck was aching like hell from the uncomfortable sitting position she had fallen asleep in.

Still groggily she glanced at her phone. It was Ryan.

"Beckett" she answered the phone, still not fully there.

"Ryan here, we got a case"

While she got up, stumbling into her bedroom he filled her in on the details and she told him she'd be there in a few minutes.

Kate almost forgot about the letter until she went looking for her boots and went past the table. She sighted. Yes, she didn't know what to do and she was pretty scared but it still brought a smile to her face.

She had to deal with the letter later, though. Plus she still hadn't told Lanie about it. And after calling her friend last night she was pretty sure she'd get quite a story from Lanie herself…

Stumbling out of her apartment, making her way to her car her thoughts lingered with the letter. She really had to call Castle. Or at least send him a text. Yes, she'd been hurt but that letter was just… cute. And it reminded her distinctly of that case they'd been working on with Will a few months earlier.

She'd had a feeling that Castle had been jealous and she remembered how serious his face had been when he told her he'd be there, even if she just wanted to talk.

She was pretty sure, he thought of that conversation as well.

When she finally arrived at the crime scene she had a cup of steaming hot coffee in her hand and was slowly waking up.

By the time she approached Lanie and her two fellow detectives she had noticed that Esposito was standing a bit closer to her that necessary and that Lanie was leaning in to him suspiciously when talking. Looking at her friends' hands, Kate noticed that their pink fingers were intertwined.

Kate sighted. Good to know life could be so easy.

"Morning" she said unenthusiastic, getting an equally unenthusiastic "Morning" back from Ryan and on overly cheerful one from the new couple.

Lanie motioned to her to come over and let her to the body, which was already covered by a plastic bag.

"Why didn't you wait for me before you put the bag over it?" Kate asked, ignoring the questioning glance Lanie was shooting her as soon as they left the boys.

"Erm… This is pretty bad. Like, really, really bad" Lanie warned before lifting the cover.

Kate gasped at the sight. It wasn't just a dead body. It was, in fact, barely recognizable. Someone seemed to have expressed their aggression and hatred by slamming an axe into the body over and over again until it looked more like raw mince. Blood was everywhere and bones where sticking out from the body. All in all an utterly disgusting mess.

Kate felt a little sick when looking at the body closely, trying to identify the face. She couldn't really blame Lanie for not waiting with covering the body.

After a well… not that close look on the remains (body just sounded so wrong), Lanie put the cover back and got out a notebook. Kate raised an eyebrow at her, Lanie and notebook was a not so common occurrence.

"Okay", Lanie said, looking at her curiously. "Spill the beans"

"Excuse me?" Kate said, deciding to play dumb- she'd rather not have the boys near the inevitable conversation.

"Girl, you called me in the middle of the night about a letter with sand, while I was…well, never mind" Lanie answered.

Kate raised an eyebrow at Lanie, trying to hide a smirk.

"Fine. He sent a key with a note saying he'd be always there if I needed someone to talk to…"

Lanie smiled. "That's so… "

"Yeah."

"Did you contact him?"

"No, no… I fell asleep after I called you. Which reminds me…Had a nice night?" the smirk was back on her face.

"Well, what can I say...?" Lanie trailed off, sharing Kate's smirk.

"Oh, come on Lanie. I don't want all the details, but some would be nice" Kate scowled good-natured.

"I can't complain"

Lanie flashed her a grin and made her ways back to the boys. Kate shook her head and followed close by.

Throughout the whole day Kate couldn't forget about the letter that was waiting for her to come home and obviously, she couldn't help thinking about him.

Being honest with herself she had missed him. Well, she had missed him the second he stepped into the elevator a couple of weeks ago but today had been tough.

She found herself longing for an inappropriate comment at the crime scene, knowing Castle would have made a joke about the fairly disgusting body that would have brightened the mood.

By the end of the day she was literally desperate for his company and Lanie didn't even need a word from her before telling her to "go home and call writerboy already".

Kate was sitting on her coach again, the key in one hand, her phone in the other, his words ringing in her ears.

I'll always be there for you

She really needed him. His voice, his laugh, his inappropriate comments, his loyalty, his questions, their bickering. Everything. She even missed his eyes.

She sighted, when the pictures of the awful crime scene began flashing in front of her eyes again. This wasn't fair. The one time she needed Castle more than anything else he was out of reach.

Well, technically out of reach. Not really. He was there... waiting for her.

Meanwhile in the Hamptons, Rick was pacing his bedroom restlessly. She still hadn't tried to get in touch. A part of him was telling him not to worry, probably she was totally wrapped up in work but another part of him just wanted to hide beneath his duvet and cry. Once he had admitted it to himself, it went all pretty fast: Richard Castle, six page playboy and most eligible bachelor no 9, was getting deeper and deeper to being heartbroken.

He clenched his jaw and fell onto his bed. He really had to try and go to sleep. Maybe she'd call tomorrow. After the case.

He had never been so anxious for a call, he was sure of it.

sorry if the last part is a bit ... bad. I really needed to post it- hope you forgive me ;)