Set during season 4. Continues a few months after the season opener.

Kate had been watching him from her desk for the past ten minutes. Castle was standing by the elevator talking to her. Stephanie Davenport was a local District Attorney who had come in at the request of Captain Gates to brief them on their most recent case. Stephanie had charmed the boys in two minutes flat, and Kate too if she was really honest. She was smart, sophisticated, leggy and blonde.

'She's totally Castle's type,' Kate thought.

Kate continued to watch as Castle laughed lightly at whatever she was saying and Stephanie would reach out and slowly rub up and down his arm every few minutes.

'Typical sign of flirting,' she sighed outwardly.

Kate had been so deep in thought watching them she didn't noticed Esposito slide over to her side while still sitting in his chair.

'Hey Beckett, you finished with that file?' he said watching her face then followed her gaze.

'Eh… yea, here,' she handed it to him after finally looking away from the couple. Once she handed it over she quickly took another look at them, trying to be discrete then finally rested at her computer.

'What is WRONG with me?' she thought. She wasn't normally the jealous kind. This isn't the first woman who had flirted with Castle and she certainly never let it get to her before. 'Why was this woman any different?' She pondered.

'They've been talking for a while huh?' Esposito interrupted her thoughts.

'Eh… I think so, why?' she replied acting distracted and started chewing on her pen.

'I was just wondering.' He replied smirking, knowing that this would annoy her a little bit more.

'Hey Ryan' he called over to his friend, 'twenty says he comes back with a date?'

'I'll take that.' He called back.

'Guys stop!' Kate said suddenly, throwing down the pen.

They both looked at her in shock. They were surprised at her sudden outburst as it usually took a lot more teasing than this to rattle her cage.

'Sorry,' she said quietly, 'headache' she smiled apologetically over to them.

'Got a headache, huh?' Esposito said, still sitting by her side. Ryan watched in amusement. 'This has nothing to do with the lovely lady chatting with Castle right now?'

Kate looked up at him surprised by this forwardness. 'No… not at all.'

'It's just the way you were watching them, I'd say you were a little jealous Beckett….'

'What! I wasn't watching, don't be stupid Esposito. Castle can do what he pleases; it has no effect on me.'

'Yea, okay.' Ryan chirped in laughing.

Kate sighed. She really wasn't in the mood for this today. 'Why don't you boys get back to your gossiping, I am going to see Lanie,' she replied. If anyone could help her unscramble her brain, Lanie could. Kate stood up and began to put her coat on but she stopped suddenly as she realised something. There was something blocking her route to her best friend. The two people she had been watching by the elevator were still standing there in deep conversation. Could she bring herself to walk past and perhaps hear something that she didn't want to hear?

'Eh… Beckett?' Ryan said as both men where still watching her.

'Yea,' she said distractedly again while staring into space.

'I thought you were leaving?'

'I am… in a minute.'

'You're not afraid to walk past them are you?' Esposito grinned.

Kate said nothing but sat down in her seat again. 'Oh crap.'

'Well… I don't want to interrupt them. It might ruin his chances!' she replied sarcastically.

The guys laughed, all of them sneaking glances at the elevator. Finally they all noticed the pair had started to say their goodbyes and tried to act as normal as possible at their desks, pretending to work. Castle came over and sat in his usual seat while getting out his phone. Beckett continued to work. 'I need to get out of here ASAP,' she decided in her head.

'So Castle,' Esposito called over. 'Nice conversation with the pretty DA?'

'Yes it was Esposito,' he replied grinning.

Castle was about to continue talking when Kate suddenly got up off her seat. She couldn't take anymore. She was convinced that the smug look on his face meant he had asked her out. 'I'm going to see Lanie, I'll be back in soon' she said looking at Castle.

'Oh, you don't want me to come?'

'No… it's not about case. I'll be back,' she replied, walking off.

'What was that about?' he asked Ryan and Esposito.

'I think she was a bit green Castle.' Ryan said laughing.

'She's sick?'

'No he means with envy dude.' Esposito said, laughing with Ryan.

Castle was baffled.

Entering the morgue Kate could see her best friend sitting at her desk. Like everyone else in the building she seemed to be deep in paper work.

'Hey Lanie' Kate said going to sit at the desk.

'Hey girl. I wasn't expecting you.' Lanie said looking up from her work.

'I just thought I would drop by for a chat.'

'Oh really,' Lanie said sceptically. 'Chat about anything in particular?'

Kate smiled. She knew Lanie could read her like a book. 'I just needed a breather. Things were getting a bit tense. Well, I was getting a bit tense.'

'Does this have anything to do with the hot DA that I hear is gracing your presence?'

Kate laughed, 'how do you know these things?'

'Sixth sense,' she replied while shrugging. 'Plus every male I have passed in the last hour has mentioned something about a 'new DA with a smoking body,' she laughed, 'their words, not mine!'

'Well you got it in one.' Kate sighed. 'I think Castle asked her out on a date.'

Lanie immediately raised her eyebrows in shock that this had come from Kate's mouth. She knew better than to push her about her feelings so decided to take a hesitant approach.

'And this bothers you?' Lanie said slowly.

'Yes.'

'Why?' she grinned knowingly.

'Come on Lanie, you know why. Don't make me spell it out, it's hard enough to admit to myself,' Kate sighed.

'I may need to here you say it girl. Just so I can be sure,' she laughed.

Kate laughed. I may as well jump right in now. She thought.

'Okay, fine! I'm Jealous! I admit it. I'm pathetic.' Kate finished sadly.

'Oh Kate… you're not pathetic. A bit slow maybe,' she smiled, 'but not pathetic.'

Kate grimaced. 'Not helping!'

'Sorry. I'm just shocked that you're willing to be so honest. You're not exactly an open book here Kate.'

'I know. I'm trying Lanie. I really am.'

'I know you are sweetie.'

Kate sighed. 'What am I going to do? What if he's asked her out? I mean how could he do this?'

'How could he do what Kate? Ask another woman out? He is single, he is allowed. I don't mean to sound harsh but maybe if you had been a bit more honest before this then he wouldn't be out there chatting up other women.'

'I know Lanie, but I wasn't ready. Then it never seemed like the right time, plus it's not as if he has been so open in the past!'

'And are you ready now?'

'I think…. Yes I am.'

'Well that's something.' Lanie smiled sympathetically.

'Actually… there's something else.' Kate said hesitantly. Lanie looked at her questioningly. 'Something I couldn't tell anyone. Something I lied to Castle about.'

'What is it? That you're in love with him?'

'Well…. no that's not what I was talking about. It's about the shooting. Lanie I lied about remembering.'

'You remember being shot?'

'Yes. I remember Castle. He tackled me and then I hit the ground. Then….'

'Then what do you remember?'

'Then he said 'stay with me,' he kept saying it over and over and then…' Kate looked down to her feet and sighed. 'He said he loved me.'

Lanie sat with her mouth open wide in shock.

'Wow. I did not see that coming!'

'I know.'

'So you've just kept this to yourself?'

'Yip… pretty much.'

'Oh Kate'

'I just couldn't face it. I was so afraid,' she sighed. 'I still am so afraid. I don't want to loose him.'

'Well I am glad you told me sweetie. I am here to help you know.' Lanie smiled at her.

'I know. Thanks Lanie,' she smiled back.

'So… what are we going to do about Castle and this DA?'

Kate shuddered. 'Kill her? And then him?' she said sarcastically.

'Now who's not being unhelpful?'

'Sorry.' Kate said sheepishly. 'I just didn't expect him to keep dating that's all.'

'Well you said you only thought he asked her out. Maybe you were wrong?'

'No, you should have seen his face and the way she was all over him.'

'Oh you don't think he invited her to poker tonight?'

'Oh my God, Lanie he wouldn't… would he?' Kate groaned. 'Of course he did.'

'I think it's a definite possibility. Let me text Espo and see if he knows. Don't worry I'll be subtle.' She grabbed her phone and quickly typed out a message. Kate groaned again and put her head in her hands. Thirty seconds later Lanie felt her phone vibrate in her hands and quickly read the message.

'Well... it looks like our intuition was spot on.'

'Wonderful. I take it its too late to back out?' Kate said sarcastically lifting her head out of her hands.

Lanie laughed, 'probably. Don't worry. I'll be there for support.'

Kate sighed and then smiled at her friend. She knew she was going to be in for a tough night. Frustration consumed her as she thought back to those moments when Castle declared his love for her. It was in the heat of the moment she determined. Kate immediately tried to put herself in a different mindset. She told herself that she didn't love Castle, that she didn't need him and that she could get through tonight.

Coming up: Poker night, meeting the new DA and Martha/Kate bonding.

Thanks :)