Castle 1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

It was bound to happen. You couldn't spend your days dealing drugs and whoring yourself to anyone who offered you 5 dollars; then not end up dead in your own bed. It was bound to happen.

Cole Phillips fell back into the cushions of the beat up piece of shit sofa she had been sleeping on since her mother had moved them to New York City a little over 7 years ago. The entire apartment was the size of her friend Lucy's bedroom and she felt mildly embarrassed as she watched all of the different police and crime scene people traipse over the place.

The tiny apartment felt even smaller as people snapped pictures of her mother's dead and beaten body, trying with all of their might to ignore the skinny pre-teen sitting on the sofa. When someone did approach her it was to offer lame condolences or smile at her with pity, like she needed anymore of that.

Cole looked at her watch, it was a man's watch one of those big chunky knock off Rolex watches. She had found it at the train station the day before her 6th birthday and begged her mother to have it fixed for her. Alas she walked herself home that day to find her mother with the bedroom door shut and a hot pink sticky note telling her that there hadn't been enough money for birthday gifts that year.

Cole found the watch tossed into the bathroom garbage and with the help of her computers teacher had it in working order before the end of the week. She hadn't taken it off since; it was a testament to what she could do on her own.

1:17 am, in less than 5 hours she had to be at the bakery shop downstairs, get in as many hours of work as she could before she had to make an appearance at school. She let her mind wander to big Tom the bakery owner that had his small shop at the bottom of their building. She wondered if he could hear the commotion going on in her little apartment. Probably not, he would have been up to check on her inviting her to spend the night on his couch and then trying to get her into his bed.

She felt the bile in her throat rise and was about to duck out of the apartment, she had her last month's wages tucked into her sock and could've easily found a cheap little motel room to crash in until the police or social services inevitably caught up with her. Her plan was put to a stop when she heard his name muttered.

Richard Castle, the Richard Castle.

Cole's dark eyes darted over to the make shift book shelf at the end of the sofa where she had half a dozen mystery novels written by the author that was standing in her doorway, and then back up to the man himself.

He was trailing behind what had to be the lead investigator for the case and he looked like a love-struck puppy dog. His eyes were trained on the detective and he was smiling even as she rolled her big eyes at him.

She watched as the tall beautiful brunette disappeared into her mother's bedroom and heard her ask the pretty medical examiner for cause of death. The writer himself did a very writer-like thing; he scanned the room taking in the despair their victim lived in. She knew he was trying to build a story for their victim, give her a background. Cole let out a small laugh at the thought of her mother as a victim and then laughed wholeheartedly at the knowledge that her mother had finally managed to get Richard Castle into her bedroom.

Everyone in the room stopped what they were doing and Cole fell back into the sofa, plastering the same look of boredom back onto her face. She watched the detective and the writer pop their heads around the corner to see where the laughter had come from. They shared a silent look and then began to approach her.

The detective pushed aside a pile of old gossip magazines and sat down opposite her on the coffee table, while Richard Castle made himself comfortable on the arm of the sofa.

"My name is Detective Kate Beckett, and this is Richard Castle." Cole looked up at the detective and then over at the writer but her mouth remained closed.

"I'm sorry for your loss..." she let the sentence hang, waiting for Cole to introduce herself.

"Thanks, as you can see I'm devastated." Cole played with the hem of her t-shirt noticing once again a silent conversation pass between the two adults; she wondered how quickly that would get old.

"How old are you sweetheart?" Richard Castle asked and she was surprised at how genuine he sounded. Most of the time when men called her sweetheart it had this leering perverted pitch to it, like they were imagining her naked. She found the pet name far too innocent to be anything other than genuine as it came from the Author's lips.

"I turned eleven last month." Both of their eyes widened and Cole couldn't help the smile. She was tiny always had been but people were always thinking she was older than she actually was. It probably had something to do with the black around her eyes and the fact that she had practically been raising herself since her grandpa had died.

"What's your name?" The detective asked. Her voice purposefully softer than it normally would have been.

"Cole,"

"Cole?" the writer repeated.

"My mom has a thing for men, as you can see." Cole nodded to the bedroom and both adults made the obvious choice to ignore the comment.

"We'll need to ask you a few questions Cole, is that ok?" The writer asked and Cole felt her shoulders shrug before she had even made up her mind up to answer. Cole looked up at the two adults and sighed she was pretty sure she wasn't going to be getting any shut eye before work. She looked back in the direction of her mother's bedroom and for the millionth time in her incredibly short life felt nothing but hatred for the dead woman on the bed.

A/N – Just a warning this won't be very case oriented other than what needs to be said to move the story along. I'm just not good enough at planning out murders and stringing them along. Sorry!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

It was Castle who noticed her first. When Esposito had first told her the address of the murder she'd been surprised they'd even been called. They were not in her district. Apparently there had been a slew of murders in the area and the active Detectives were overwhelmed. So when they'd walked into the tiny apartment - that really didn't qualify for much more than a glorified closet, she'd been overwhelmed with the state of the place and she'd missed the young girl on the sofa.

"Beckett," Castle's voice had been quiet, meant only for her and she just barely caught the nod of his head in the direction of the back wall. Beckett's eyes widened in surprise as she took in the young girl whom she was guessing was quite a bit younger than she looked. If she found it odd that the girl wasn't crying she didn't allude to it.

Kate heard Lanie speaking to Ryan and slipped into the bedroom to check on the murder victim; her mind not quite able to leave the young girl on the sofa.

"What have we got Lanie?" Kate heard Castle gasp as he entered the room. There was blood everywhere. The bed and the walls were drenched in it; the woman was on her back, head flung over the end of the bed and her body was an absolute mess.

"Are those…" Kate peered more closely at the naked body.

"They are…" Lanie nodded

"Someone lashed her to death, what is this the middle ages?" Castle's voice was lower than normal and Kate was pretty sure it had to do with the teenager in the living room.

"Wasn't cause of death though, she died from strangulation and from the looks of the markings a good number of them were done post mortem."

"So someone beat her with a whip until she couldn't defend herself, and then strangled her, and then continued beating her. She must have incurred some serious wrath," Castle added.

Beckett was about to ask another question when they all heard a laugh escape the front room.

"She's laughing?" Ryan's left eyebrow rose in such a typical fashion, despite where they were and the seriousness of the situation, Beckett had to force down a grin, "Everyone grieves differently Ryan." Beckett and Castle poked their heads out the bedroom door and then made an unspoken decision to speak with the girl right away.

They approached her cautiously, she was a kid and laughter or not she had just lost her mother.

"My name is Detective Kate Beckett, and this is Richard Castle." Kate introduced herself and then Castle. They watched the young girl size the both of them up.

"I'm sorry for your loss..." Kate let the sentence hang, waiting for the girl to introduce herself.

"Thanks, as you can see I'm devastated." Kate watched her playing with the hem of her t-shirt and looked at Castle. There was something about the young girl that just didn't sit right with Kate. Something was off.

"How old are you sweetheart?" Castle asked, Kate was always surprised at how genuine he could be.

"I turned eleven last month." Castle had to sit back at the physical blow that came attached to the girl's age. His mind instantly went to Alexis at eleven; she had still been such an innocent little thing at eleven, not that she wasn't anymore but...eleven.

"What's your name?" Beckett took the lead knowing Castle was working through his own fears at the moment.

"Cole,"

"Cole?" Castle had to repeat it; it wasn't the type of name a young girl would normally hold; though normal didn't really fit into any of this.

"My mom has a thing for men, as you can see." Cole nodded to the bedroom, both adults made the conscious decision to ignore the comment.

"We'll need to ask you a few questions Cole, is that ok?" Kate watched her shrug and continued on.

"What time did you get home tonight?"

"Quarter to twelve," Beckett attempted to hide the shock from this answer.

"That's pretty late for an eleven year old, would you mind telling us what you were doing, who you were with?" Cole rolled her eyes and then opened her mouth.

"I work at the bakery downstairs, the creep that runs the place pays me under the table because I'm only eleven. Because I'm only eleven he pays me 3 dollars less than minimum wage. So to make what anyone else can make in a regular 8 hour shift, I have to work twice as many hours. I get up at 4 o'clock every morning and I make pastries and breads; then right as people start coming in for breakfast I go to school. When I'm done school I go back to the bakery and begin on the dinner rush. Then once everyone is gone I clean-up and then lock-up. It's my passcode that set the alarm last night, feel free to double check it." It wasn't self pity he heard in her voice, it was just the way it was in her life. It made Castle desperate to wrap the little girl up in his arms and carry her away from it all. She was a child and she was working harder than he ever had in his entire life. He looked at Kate and could tell that the girl's words had hit her hard as well.

"Was your mom here when you got home?"Kate cleared her throat as she continued, attempting to hide the uncharacteristic hitch.

"Yeah she was dead on the bed," Cole was tired and it was starting to show.

"You found your mother?" Kate couldn't hide the sadness in her voice. Her mind wandered back to her mother's case and she remembered the moment they had told her her own mother was dead. It was obvious that Cole hadn't had the same relationship with her mother that Beckett had, but the knowledge that Cole had had to witness the state of her mother's body was just another hit to her heart.

"She wasn't really much of a mother, but yeah I found her. I didn't touch her or anything, just called the police and then waited. Oh and I wrote out a list of her dealers and pimps – the ones I know any way, it's on the counter in the kitchen. Do you know how long this is all going to last because I would really like to get a few hours of sleep before I have to be at the bakery in," She looked down at her watch for the third time in the past 20 minutes, "4 and a half hours. You guys aren't going to call child services are you, because I can take care of myself."

Beckett wasn't sure what had prevailed her to do it, but the second the child had claimed she could take care of herself Beckett had vowed she would never have to.

"Not tonight," Kate stood up, "Grab your things Cole you can crash at my place tonight we'll deal with everything else tomorrow." Kate ignored the look she knew Castle was giving her. She slipped back into the bedroom to tell Lanie she was calling it a night, not missing the look Cole gave Castle silently questioning the seriousness of the detective.

CBCB

The ride back to Beckett's apartment was silent and awkward. When they stopped at Castle's apartment to let him out, Cole spoke the first words she'd spoken since they had left her mother's crime scene.

"What, you two aren't married?" Castle and Beckett looked at each other and each of them shared a smile. The commonly asked question had ceased to really bother either of them.

"Uh, no" Beckett looked back at her, Castle remained half in half out of the vehicle

"I guess that explains all the unresolved tension and the fact that you stare at each other every time the other one looks away. People who've jumped in the sac together generally lose the spark." Her words were matter of fact and held such indifference that it nearly broke his heart. A romantic through and through he couldn't stand the thought that someone so young had already become so cynical towards love.

"I'll see you tomorrow morning, Cole. Kate," the use of her first name startled her and she found her gaze lingering on the spot that he'd been in, that was until Cole cleared her throat rather loudly.

When they finally reached Kate's apartment she grabbed the small backpack that Cole had packed and they made their way up. Cole whistled her approval as they entered the apartment and Kate didn't miss the way she took in every aspect of the main room.

"Come on, you can have the spare bedroom. There is a little bathroom at the back just a toilet, sink and shower but its cozy. I'll grab some shampoo and clean towels." They walked into the bedroom that her dad used on his visits in the city. There wasn't much to it, but she knew the double bed, and the massive amounts of pillows that her dad enjoyed would be comfortable.

"The only time I've ever slept in a bed was at my friend Kari's birthday party last year." Cole didn't know what it was that had compelled her to reveal this tiny tidbit but she had none the less. She noticed the way the detective took in the information without showing how she felt about it. She was instantly grateful, if not a little curious as to how she had become so good at hiding her emotions.

"Are you hungry?" Kate asked

At the same time as Cole replied with a sturdy no, her stomach growled. Kate chose to ignore it. Once again Cole was finding herself grateful to the detective.

"The Kitchen is in the main room where we came in and you're welcome to anything. My room is just down the hall from yours. We have to be at the precinct by 8 at the latest tomorrow morning."

"I have to be at the Bakery by 4; then I have school." Kate had known this moment would come and she sighed before answering.

"You won't be working at the Bakery anymore, and I need you at the precinct tomorrow. If you feel up to school you can go back after tomorrow. "

"What," Cole's voice escalated, "You can't do that, I need that job. Who else is going to hire an eleven year old."

"No one, because eleven year olds shouldn't be working," Kate was surprised at how much conviction was in her voice.

"Who the hell do you think you are? You're not my mother."

"No, no I'm not your mother. Your mother was brutally killed tonight and as much as you may have hated her that doesn't change the fact that she was your mother." Kate had managed to keep her voice calm and she could see that Cole was trying desperately not to let the tears fall. To help the girl save face, she took that moment to slip out of the bedroom, then down the hall to her own. Once she had shut the door she picked up the phone and dialled his number.

CBCB

Castle shook his head and as he climbed out of the elevator. His mind was replaying the last couple of hours and he kept jumping from memories of Alexis at eleven to Cole sitting on that sofa, acting three times her age.

Like all of the nights when he came back from a particularly grizzly case, Castle made his way up the stairs in the loft, and into his baby's room. She was fast asleep by now, so Castle took a seat in the old rocking chair beside her bed and just watched. He knew Alexis would call him creepy, but it was days like this when the only person that could make him believe there was still goodness in the world was his innocent daughter.

It wasn't long after finally peeling himself away from Alexis that he felt the buzz of his phone. He pulled it out of his back pocket to see Beckett's name flash across the screen. Despite the evening they had just had, he smiled.

"Beckett?" He answered quietly

"I don't know what the hell I'm doing Castle! I took a KID home from a crime scene today, what the hell am I doing?" Rick let another smile grace his lips. Not because of Kate's obvious panic, but because in that moment of panic, she had called him.

"Kate," He spoke her name quietly but not even that could dissuade her

"I mean she was only here for 10 minutes before we were arguing. I can't take care of a kid, especially not a traumatized one. I'm too traumatized myself!"

"Kate," he tried again to no avail

"I mean did you see how she was living? Did you see her mother? Castle she wrote out a list of her mother's pimps and dealers. What eleven year old has to do that," Kate's voice cracked and Castle could hear her fall onto her bed in defeat. Castle remained silent waiting to be sure Kate was finished.

"Castle? You still there?"

"I am. Just making sure you can fully hear me when I say this. Are you listening," She nodded into the phone and by some unexplainable connection Castle heard it.

"You are remarkable Kate Beckett, and you did the right thing tonight. Go to bed, get a couple hours of sleep and I will see you at the precinct in the morning." The overwhelming urge to add I love you, was not missed by Rick but he kept his mouth shut.

"Thank you Rick," Her voice was quiet, but it was steady. Kate was struck the most intense feeling of loss as she whispered her good night to Rick and disconnected the call.

A/N – Thanks for reading and for the awesome reviews. I know this isn't a typical casket-y fic so I appreciate all of them.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

She wanted to be mad. She wanted to be pissed right off. Instead she felt giddy, excited. She had just had a shower in a clean bathroom with heated floors. She had put on a clean t-shirt that she hadn't had to wash herself and climbed into a bed. A real bed with soft blue sheets and pillows twice the size of her own body, and a big duvet cover that smelt like sunshine.

Her feet kicked out in front of her and her hands clenched into fists. She had to bite the insides of her cheeks to keep in the scream as she let her body spasm with excitement.

An instant of guilt past through her, her mother was dead after all. Then she caught another whiff of sunshine and the excitement was back.

It only took her just a moment to fall asleep. Once she had calmed herself enough to regain her regular breathing patterns, she was out.

She woke up 4 hours later more rested than she had ever been in her entire short life. Listening quietly to the sounds of the apartment, she wondered if Detective Beckett was awake. When she heard nothing, Cole dug her tiny body deeper into the covers and pillows and sighed. The minute she had enough money she was going to buy herself a bed just like this one. Cole stretched her legs out as far as they could go. Then after soaking up one more delicious moment of being in a bed, she ripped the covers back and jumped into the shower. Who knew when she was going to get another one of those? She sighed as she saw the beloved black dye wash out of her hair. So much of it had disappeared the previous night; the rest was pretty much gone now.

When she was done, she packed up her things into her knapsack, made the bed, and then slipped out of the room as quietly as possible. She heard the shower turn on in the Detective's bedroom and her eyes immediately found the door. She could use this moment, she could bolt. She'd be out of the state before anyone could find her. She didn't know what it was that made her stay but she tossed her bag on the floor and finally listened to her angry stomach.

When Kate walked into the kitchen she saw Cole seated on one of the bar stools. The girl had pulled her hair into a messy knot at the nape of her neck. One leg was tucked under the other, which happened to be swinging carelessly as she downed a bowl of cereal. Kate wasn't sure what it was but something about watching the girl there made her heart twitch in her chest.

"Good Morning," Kate pulled up a stool and poured herself her own bowl. She couldn't remember the last time she had eaten cereal for breakfast. Most mornings breakfast had been whatever she could grab on the way out. Cereal had mostly been kept in her apartment for those nights when she got home too late to have something real to eat.

Cole barely raised an eyebrow at the detective. So Kate continued, "Sleep ok?" Still there was no answer. Finally Cole set her bowl on the counter and looked over at Kate.

"Look I really appreciate the bed, I mean really. That was a nice thing you did, taking in the homeless kid and all. Thing is, we aren't family, we aren't even friends. So I am going to school and then I am going to go my own way. Thanks for everything, but I can take care of myself." Cole grabbed her bag and made her way to the door.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you?" Kate didn't even bother turning to look at her; just kept eating her cereal. When she didn't hear the door open but instead heard the huff of impatience she smiled.

"I'd just hate for you to show up at school today. Then you know be pulled out again when social services decides to pick you up." Kate finished her breakfast and then brought both bowls to the sink. She grabbed her purse, slipped her gun into its place and then opened the door.

"Besides I still need to question you. I can drop you off at school after lunch if you still want to go so badly." Kate watched several emotions pass across Cole's features, then she saw the girl relent.

When Castle walked in that morning he couldn't help smiling. Detective Kate Beckett was frazzled. Over the past couple of years one of the many thing he had noticed about the detective, was that regardless of what was going on on the inside, on the outside she always appeared put together.

This morning that was not the case; no this morning she was hunched over her paperwork, her long curls half-hazardly tossed into a ponytail with several strands falling out the sides. Instead of the crisp shirt and jacket that she frequently wore she had slipped into comfortable jeans and a brown t-shirt under her leather bomber jacket. Castle couldn't help thinking that unruly and distraught Becket was a pretty damn sexy Beckett.

"You realize you stare at her a lot right?" Castle shocked on his coffee, then turned towards the eleven year old and smiled. Cole was leaning against the doorframe of the break room. Her arms were crossed and her hair was piled on top of her head, for some reason he couldn't shake the thought that Beckett probably would have looked something like this girl as a kid.

"I do realize that, but let's just keep it between us for now. I brought you a coffee?" He pulled the small coffee loaded with milk from the tray. He wasn't stupid he'd known the girl would never have accepted a hot chocolate.

"Thanks," she straightened up, more surprised by the offer than she was letting on.

"Any news on your mom's case," They made their way to Beckett's desk, and Castle watched her shrug her tiny shoulders.

"Good morning Detective," Castle pulled Kate's regular from the tray and placed it in front of her. He paused to watch her inhale the scent before pulling his own from the tray and claiming his chair.

"Castle," she nodded her thanks. Her voice held an unfamiliar formality and he was able to confirm that she was definitely frazzled.

They spent the rest of the morning working through the case. Beckett had passed over the out of office work to Ryan and Esposito in favour of not having to leave Cole behind at the precinct on her own. So they filled out the murder board and did research. By the time lunch rolled around, they were no further along in the case and Castle was dying to leave he precinct.

They went for burgers, Castle could tell that Cole was worried about the bill from the moment they had entered the diner. He quickly made a joke about paying for the meal and Beckett was so out of it she made no comment at all.

When Cole slipped away to use the restroom he leaned across the booth and clasped Beckett's hands in his own.

"What's your plan Beckett?" he nodded in the direction that Cole had gone.

"I don't have one," Kate sighed, "I just know she can't end up in foster care."

"Kate," his voice was like a warning siren and she knew what was coming.

"Just don't Castle, don't say it. I don't have a plan right now; I'm not saying this is forever but for right now, for right now, it is what it is." Kate pulled herself away from the table as Cole approached.

"Ready to go," Kate asked and Cole nodded, neither of them mentioning school. Castle let his eyes follow them out the diner before he was able to physically follow them.

They returned to the precinct just as Ryan and Esposito were adding a suspect to the murder board. Kate's eyes instantly shot to Cole and then up to Castle. They were both thinking the same thing. Should they try and conceal the information from the girl? Could it possibly affect her any more than any of the other crap she had already witnessed?

She made the decision for them when she bolted to the murder board and ripped the picture down. "What the hell are you doing with Dom's picture up there? He did not kill my mother," She was giving Ryan the death glare, and by the looks of it Ryan was a little frightened.

"Do you know this kid?" Esposito stepped between them and Ryan took the opportunity to back away. Cole zipped her mouth shut, and turned to walk away from the Detective when Kate blocked her path.

"Cole, he could have killed your mother,"

"He didn't," Cole hollered

"Are you positive about that?" Kate say the girls expression waiver and exhaled.

"Cole,"

"Would you stop saying my name like that," Cole snapped. Without looking Kate knew that there was a shocked expression on her face.

"You don't know me. You haven't even been in my life for one single day. Dominic St. James has been there for me since I was 5 years old. He didn't kill my mother, and if he did then he had a reason to do it." Cole pushed past Kate and stormed into the break room. The door slammed loudly behind her and it was Castle who broke the silence.

"So that's what it's like to have a normal teenager," no one laughed.

"Care to fill in the rest of the class?" Kate looked to Ryan and Esposito.

"Lanie found semen inside the vic. Belongs to that kid Cole is so in love with," Kate fell back onto her desk. Her hands running through her hair, "Shit," she muttered before glancing back at the door that Cole had just disappeared through.

A/N – Just to clear a few things up, josh is long gone in this fic...knockout hasn't happened.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N - Thanks so much for all the followers of this fic...its been kicking around in my head for awhile and I think I am stuck with it! Thanks again for everyone who has put this story on their favourites list or story Alert!

Kate rolled over in bed, her hand knocking over the offensive alarm clock. "Crap," she muttered as it hit the floor and turned off. The following week had been painful; in every possible way. Cole had somehow reluctantly agreed to continue staying with Kate, so long as no one called child services on her. Though there was barely more than a handful of words ever spoken between the two of them.

The case had come to almost a complete stop as well. They had never been able to locate Cole's friend Dominic, and Kate couldn't help wondering if her new roommate didn't have one of her tiny little hands in that.

"Cole! You up?" Kate hollered down the hall. Her only response was the sound of the bedroom door slamming shut.

"Guess that's a yes," Kate thought back to the previous day. Cole had shown up at the precinct after school as she had taken to doing every day. Instead of saying hello, or even acknowledging Kate's presence, she had just disappeared into the break room. Only minutes later, Kate had looked up from her paperwork to ask Castle a question and noticed that he was missing. When she had gone searching for her writer; her writer - she wasn't quite sure when he had become her writer, probably around the time she had succumbed to being considered his muse.

She'd found him seated on the old sofa in the break room beside Cole. They were talking about something quietly and Cole had the biggest grin Kate had ever seen on the girl. Kate had frozen in the doorway, making sure to keep herself unseen by the two of them. For a moment she felt sad that nothing she had been able to do over the past week had made the girl smile. Then she realized how selfish that was and shook the feelings away.

Castle had felt Kate's presence the moment she'd appeared in the doorway. For the first couple minutes he ignored it as best he could. No one could fully ignore Kate Beckett.

"I'll be back kiddo," he had ruffled her hair and then peeled himself off the couch. He whisked himself out the door, grabbing Kate and pulling her along with him.

His hands found purchase on her hips as he moved them out of the doorway and into the small hall way on the opposite side. He was in a good mood. Alexis had decided to stay in town for her full final year of school. Kate had been calling him Rick more and more; and it seemed he had cracked the code to a gleeful Cole Phillips. Yes, he was in a good mood.

"What has gotten into you?" Kate had to fight the smile that was itching to light her face.

"I'm having a good day Detective; a very good day." She had smiled back at him then and for the first time since he'd pulled her into the hall they took notice of just how close they were standing. Castle cleared his throat and took a step back. Kate couldn't seem to drop the smile. Deciding it might be fun to toy with him a little bit, she grabbed the lapels of his jacket and efficiently stepped back into his space.

"It's nice to see you like this," she smiled again then took her time as she leaned in and planted a kiss on the corner of his lips. Her body was flush against his and for a second she forgot she was playing with him and felt quite tempted to maybe steel a real kiss. Just as quickly as the urge appeared her fear of change made a play of dominance and she stepped back.

The complete sense of loss that came with stepping away from Richard Castle had left her speechless. Lying in bed that morning she could still feel the remnants of walking away from him. She couldn't help wondering when she had become so attached to the man.

Her phone went off on the bedside table and she scrambled to answer it, "Beckett," she huffed into the receiver.

"You're girl's boy is sitting in interrogation as we speak," Esposito's voice filled the line.

"Wow, I have been awake for less than a minute and already I'm having the best day ever," Kate exclaimed with false excitement.

"I'll be in as soon as...actually do you think you and Ryan could handle this?"

"What?" Esposito sputtered the word not fully believing what he was hearing.

"If I bring Cole into the precinct while he's there it's only going to be a big scene. Besides we shouldn't let him know that she is even with us." There was a pause on the other line, as if Esposito was determining whether Kate had lost her mind.

"Sure," he finally responded and the line disconnected.

Kate tossed her phone beside her on the bed and then pulled herself from the covers. She showered quickly and got dressed. Not even 10 seconds after having left her room, Cole was blocking her path.

"So am I like, moving in?" Kate was shocked into silence. She hadn't figured out the answer to that question yet herself.

"I," but she couldn't answer her because she really didn't know.

"That's what I thought; maybe you should call social services today. I may as well get used to my new living arrangements." Cole didn't even give Kate a second to reply before she grabbed her bag.

"I'll take the train to school, unless you have an issue with that?" Cole paused at the front door but Kate's voice still hadn't returned to her.

CBCB

She should have known that the Detective wasn't planning on keeping her around. Cole slammed her locker shut and began the trek to her first class. Realistically Kate didn't know her, she had done a nice thing for lost kid but there were no ties there. No obligations. It had been stupid for Cole to get comfortable at the Detective's apartment, even more stupid to hope that the arrangement might become permanent.

She looked down at her watch and sighed. Life had dealt her her hand and it was time she started playing it. Alone.

Cole took one look at the classroom filled with people who had never really cared about her. Sure Kari had been an ok friend, but instead of calling to see how she was after her mother's murder, all of her friends had been warned by their parents to stay away. Fear ruled the world; Cole understood that, she'd witnessed it in her mother every day of her life. Parents were scared, scared that if their children spent time with Cole they were in direct line of danger.

Even Dom, the one person she had been able to trust had disappeared on her. She'd sent him a text as soon as she had been able to wrap her mind around the idea of him as a suspect in her mother's murder. He hadn't even responded, but she knew that he'd received it because none of the detective's had been able to find him.

She walked back to her locker as quickly as possible. She needed to be out of the school before all of the students had made it to their classes or someone would notice her.

Minutes later she was across the street staring back at the middle school she was thrilled to be done with. Her mother was dead, her friends wanted nothing to do with her, and Dom had disappeared. New York City held nothing for her anymore. What would be the point in staying?

She wondered vaguely if Detective Beckett might miss her, it bothered her to know that she would miss the detective. Especially considering she they didn't even really know each other.

Five minutes later she had a plan, and she was putting it into motion.

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The kid was big which she found surprising. Sure she had seen his picture but knowing that he was a friend of Cole, for some reason she'd thought he would be smaller.

"Did he say anything?" Kate asked as she shrugged out of her jacket. After Cole's disappearance she had managed to pull herself together enough to make a quick breakfast and head out the door. Part of her had been hoping she would now be able to make it in time to interrogate the little brat, but she walked in a moment too late.

"He did actually. Turns out the kid really does care about Cole." Ryan began, "Thing was he also cared about her mother," Esposito finished.

"What did you find out," Kate asked, settling into her desk.

"Turns out he met Cole when she was 5 just like he said. He was 12 at the time but she reminded him of his younger sister who had died from Cancer. He says he kind of inherited her, decided to look after her." Esposito was flipping through his notes as Ryan told the story.

"Cole's mom started flirting with him just after he turned fifteen. At first he thought it was a joke but she was apparently pretty persuasive and he was 15. It didn't take him long to give in to her. They've been having an affair for the last three years."

"Cole obviously had no idea," Kate answered.

"Kid says that they were together that night but her pimp showed up started breaking things and freaking out. Since the bakery Cole worked at was just down stairs he was freaked Cole would hear something and come up, so he beat it."

"What a knight in shining armour," Kate sighed.

"KATE," Castle came running up to them his phone in his hand.

"Have you seen Cole?" He was out of breath and if fear hadn't been consuming her since he had spoken those words, she would have commented on how cute he was.

"She stormed out of the apartment this morning, said she was going to school. Why,"

"Her school called, she never showed up." Kate was instantly putting her jacket back on.

"She's going to run. We need to get a uniform at every bus and train station this side of town." She could feel panic, rising within her. How long had Cole had on her own. How far could she have gotten? Her mind was racing with possibilities so much that she couldn't get her body to move. Suddenly she knew the answer to the question Cole had asked that morning so clearly that she couldn't believe she had been stumped by it.

Her eyes met Castles, "We have to find her," Kate was ready to move, ready to get out there but she was stopped by the sound of her full name.

"Ms Katherine Beckett," all four of them turned towards a young woman in a business suit.

"Tina Mooney, Child services," Just great, thought Kate. This was really shaping up to be one hell of a day.

"Check with Dominic, Castle would you go back to my place. Just in case," Kate delegated, the two detectives and the writer jumped into motion. Castle fixed Kate with a look that said play it cool before taking off.

"Am I right in assuming that you currently have a Cole Phillips in your care? You notified Child services last week?" Kate inhaled a sharp breath, desperately attempting to control her emotions. Then she motioned to Castle's chair and sat down with the woman.

"This is just a standard follow up meeting, you're not a registered foster parent and since the original call there has been no other information. Are you planning on continuing the current arrangement with Miss Phillips?"

A/N – thanks for reading, I'd love to hear what people think... :)


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Ryan found her. She was sitting at a bus station, a ticket to Jersey tucked in her small hands. "Crap," she muttered when she saw the familiar detective.

"Hey there Cole, making a break for it," He flashed her a big grin that she found absolutely no humour in. Ryan grabbed her bag and she shrugged back at him. There really wasn't any point in continuing her escape. At this point they would just call child services on her.

"Let's get you home, Beckett has been freaking out," Something inside Cole cracked when she heard the words Detective Ryan had muttered. Home was a big one. She hadn't thought of anywhere as 'home' since she had left her grand fathers, and back then she had been too young to really understand the term anyways. The knowledge that her taking off had caused Detective Beckett to worry, hit her equally as hard. People only worried about people they cared about, she didn't remember the last time someone had worried about where she had gone.

"I've got her Beckett; we're on our way to your place." Cole quickened her steps, desperately wanting to hear Detective Beckett's response. She couldn't quite catch it through his phone but she saw him smile and watched him shut it.

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"Thank God," Kate sighed and collapsed into the couch; her head instantly falling into her hands. Castle was beside her in a heartbeat. His hand instinctively reached out to grab a hold of hers and she entwined her fingers in his. She had never imagined she could feel such worry over someone she knew so little of. The moment Castle had said Cole was gone, Kate had felt the loss right down to her core and she couldn't help wondering when the connection to the young girl had slipped in.

Earlier that morning Tina, the social worker had begun to go over what would happen to Cole, should Kate decide to release her to the city. Just the thought of not knowing were Cole would end up, the possibility that she could end up in a house with 6 other kids, all of them struggling with their own issues and adults who had spread themselves just a little too thin. It made her shutter, and she signed the papers without a second thought.

Almost immediately after that she called Esposito, desperate to know if anyone had seen her. Nothing, so she'd called Castle and just the sound of his voice over the phone had been soothing. Eventually she had ended up back at home, with Castle, waiting.

"What have you got there?" He had asked as she'd walked through the front door and tossed the stack of foster care paperwork on the kitchen counter.

Her eye lifted and met his with such an intense bashfulness that it made him physically stumble backwards.

"So, I guess you've got a plan." When his feet were able to move again, he walked over to her and looked down at her familiar signature on the bottom of page after page.

"I wouldn't really call it a plan, more of a necessity. If they can't find her Rick," her voice caught in her throat and he didn't think twice as he pulled her into his arms. She was so tired of being cautious around him, of guarding herself. She didn't want to think about the consequences of falling into him completely. She just wanted to fall, because if she was going to torture herself and examine things, no matter which way she looked at it, she knew, without a doubt, that he would catch her.

"I don't know how it happened. I mean she doesn't even talk to me, how can I feel like this?" She let herself burrow deeper into him, her head resting over his heart.

"Kid's have a way of getting to us, especially kids who've been hurt. It's a very honourable thing you're doing Kate, but it's going to be hard. Being a parent doesn't mean just having her like you," His hands were flat against her back, holding her against him. As delicious as it was to be so close to each other, both of them were so consumed with thoughts of the missing pre-teen that little else was thought about.

Kate chuckled into his chest, "That's rich coming from you," Without looking up from her place beside him she knew he was smiling. "Not my fault that I've got a kid that doesn't ever need to be disciplined." His arms tightened around her shoulders and she sighed into him. She knew he was right, if they ever managed to find Cole, and if this thing was going to work between her and Cole, she was going to have to become a parent; a real parent.

Rick's hand slid from the back of her to cup her chin. He tilted her face up and all of a sudden neither of them could think about anything other than how close they were to each other. "Kate," his voice was soft and unsure, both hands cupping the sides of her face. Her mind flew back to that undercover kiss and she felt a kind of desperation she'd never felt before to have his lips on hers.

"Kate," He sighed again and her breath hitched in her throat as he moved in. He was only a breath away from touching her lips when her phone rang, before he could even register that she was gone he could hear her answering the phone.

"Beckett," He looked up and watched as she paced the carpet in front of the sofa. His hands went through his hair in frustration and unbelieving. He'd been so close to kissing her, to having her lips between his. His mind broke and a snippet of Kate's conversation snuck in. Someone had found Cole.

"Thank you Ryan, we'll see you soon," The line disconnected and she fell onto the sofa a soft thank god slipping past her lips.

She wasn't exactly sure how it happened, but somehow their fingers had intertwined. When she was finally able to look him in the eyes she knew that there was no hiding or avoiding this. Things had been changing between them for awhile, this just confirmed it.

She turned to face him and without letting a single thought cloud her judgement, she leaned in and covered his lips with hers. He didn't startle or freeze up, and he didn't push the kiss into something more than it was. Instead he let his free hand cup her face and hold her to him.

The kiss was above all else tender, and he could feel everything she was feeling as she kept herself pressed up against him. It wasn't until he felt the warm tears hitting his thumb that he pulled back from her. The moment his lips left hers she crumbled into him; her head tucking into the crook of his neck as she cried softly into his shirt.

If someone had stopped to ask her why she was crying, she wouldn't have been able to give them one specific reason. It was a culmination of events, and feelings long overdue.

"You know," she whispered into his neck. "I could really fall in love with you," his breath caught in his chest at her quiet words; and it took all of his will power to remain silent and let her get it out. She let a small laugh escape and then added, "Hell, I'm pretty sure I'm already in love with you."

"Why do I feel like there is a but hiding somewhere around the corner?" He asked, despair filling him.

"You were right before, if I am going to make this work with Cole. I have to focus on Cole," Her words were quiet, fearful. "I don't expect you to wait any longer than..." her words were cut short when he stood from her abruptly. He paced for a second his hands pushing his hari off his face but almost as quickly as he stood he dropped to his knees in front of her. His hands burned a path up and down her thighs as he spoke.

"I would wait forever, and you know that." He looked into her eyes again and she knew he meant it. When had Richard Castle become the only person she could truly lean on, and trust? She didn't know but she was immensely relieved about it.

"Cole is the priority right now, when you're ready to have another priority," He grinned at her, letting a bit of that infamous charm escape, "I will be here," He continued to smile at her and she leaned forward to capture his lips with hers for a second time. This kiss was not soft like the previous one, but it wasn't hard either. It was filled hope of what would come, and it left both of them wishing time could speed up. Her arms wrapped tightly around his neck pulling him closer to her, and when she opened her mouth and slipped her tongue between them, he groaned and pulled himself away from her.

"If you want me to be a patient man, you can't kiss me like that," His foreheard falling against hers.

Only a moment later and Beckett's door was being pushed in by Detective Ryan. Cole had her head down as she followed him into the apartment. Castle didn't wait even a second before wrapping the girl in his big arms and lifting her off the ground as he gave her a hug, "You gave us quite a scare there Kid, better not pull something like that again." He dropped a kiss on her cheek shared a smile with Kate and then grabbed his coat.

"Think you could give me a ride home Ryan, I took a cab earlier,"

"Of course," Ryan turned his gaze from Castle to Kate and then back to Cole.

"See yeah tomorrow Cole?" He smiled at her and was the only one in the room who didn't take note of the blush that covered her young cheeks.

Alone in the apartment, Kate once again lost the ability to speak. She didn't know what it was about the kid but she was intimidating as hell; and it took a lot to intimidate Kate Beckett.

"You hungry?" Kate asked. Cole set her backpack down by the front door and they both listened as her stomach grumbled. Kate was the first one to smile and Cole followed quickly after.

"I'll call for a pizza, anything you hate on pizza?"

"Black olives," was the only reply she received but it worked; once she was done she grabbed the paper from the kitchen counter and walked back into the living room. Cole had found a place on the sofa and Kate took the seat opposite her on the coffee table. It was reminiscent of their first meeting; so much had changed since that day.

"You asked me a question this morning," Kate began, she saw Cole adjust herself on the couch, obviously uncomfortable with the discussion. "You threw me for a loop this morning Cole, and if your aim was to get an honest opinion from me, here it is. I don't know what I am doing, I have never had to take care of anyone other than myself, and for years I haven't had to rely on anyone either. So I just can't tell you what is going to happen, because I don't know."

"What I do know is that when they told me you had taken off today, it terrified me. I can't explain it because I don't really understand it but I feel this need to protect you, to keep you safe." Cole was about to interrupt but Kate stopped her, "I know that you think you don't need it. I also know that to you it might feel like pity, but it isn't. You've been through one hell of a life for someone so young but you have an opportunity to change it, right now." Kate picked up the stack of papers from the coffee table and gave them to Cole.

"I spoke with child services today, and they've given me custody of you. That means, if you want, you can stay." Cole's eyes widened in shock, her tiny fingers white with a death grip on the papers she was holding. Kate could see the struggle within the girl, to keep quiet and listen, to believe what Kate was telling her, to hope.

"I want you to stay; I want you to be happy here. Social services will _not _let you stay with me if you run away again. So if this is something you want, or even something you can live with, you can never ever pull a stunt like the one you did today." Kate could feel the tone in her voice hardening and she knew just how scary she could be when she wanted to, so she forced herself to take a deep breath.

"What do you want Cole?" Kate looked the girl right in the eyes and for a second thought she might say no. Say that she didn't want what Kate was offering, that she could make it on her own. When she finally spoke her voice was tiny, weak and hoarse, "I want to stay."

Kate let the relief flood out of her, as she visibly relaxed on the coffee table. "Good," the word slipped from her quietly and they both smiled.

Cole could not have been able to explain the way she was feeling. It was purely unexplainable, and it was divine. She had to fight to keep from crying as Kate spoke to her, she had to fight even harder to keep from launching herself at the detective with a vice like grip. It wasn't until Kate had joined her on the couch that she realized she was still clutching the papers.

"There are going to be rules, just so you know." Kate said out of the corner of her mouth, turning on the tv at the same time. Just the possibility of rules excited Cole.

"Do you even know how to make rules?" Cole attempted to keep her face straight. Inwardly she was ecstatic at the changes her life had taken, but she wasn't quite ready to let anyone else know that. As much as she liked the detective there was always the possibility that she would change her mind. In Cole's experience people frequently changed their minds.

"I'll make them as I think of them, oh and I'd like you to consider changing schools. I know that there are only a couple months left in the school year but you have a couple more years until you're in High School so why not make a fresh start." Cole could hear the hesitation in Kate's voice, new that Kate was nervous about overstepping trying to change too much.

"Honestly, there is almost nothing I'd like more than to change schools. As long as I don't have to wear a uniform," Cole shot back.

"Alexis wears a uniform and she doesn't mind it," Kate shot out, she of course had never had to wear a uniform but she didn't get what the big deal was.

"Who is Alexis?"

"Castle's daughter, you'll get to meet her and I'm sure you will like her. I don't know anyone who doesn't like Alexis," Kate's words were spoken with such fondness that for a moment Cole felt jealousy sweep through her. She pushed it away as quickly as it had come and nodded.

"Maybe I'll take a personal day tomorrow and we can go look at some schools, would that be okay with you?" Kate's voice was once again hesitant and Cole couldn't help wondering if the detective was as nervous about this situation as she was.

When Kate went to bed that night, she couldn't believe only one day had passed since Esposito's call had woken her that morning. The day had been long and emotionally draining but as she thought about Cole in the other bedroom, she couldn't help thinking that it hadn't been all bad.

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A/N – I had a couple options to make this fic a whole lot more angst-y than it already is and decided against it. Most of the intense stuff is pretty much done. From here on out its going to be about Kate and Cole figuring out how they work together, and about Kate and Rick letting what's Bound to be, be.

Thanks everyone!


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