A/N:

NaNoWriMo. This was written in November, over thirty days, and edited in December. As such, it's complete, and approximately 50,000 words. As it's all done, chapters will be posted regularly, hopefully every three days. The story has an introduction, then three parts (two chapters before we see Castle)… I've never ever written something and completed it before posting until now, so that was… interesting.

The story: We've all read (and probably written!) stories in which Caskett meet five years earlier… an interview with Stana Katic over the summer got me thinking- what if they had never met? Would Castle have met his father? Would Beckett have solved her mom's case? This isn't fluffy in the same vein as my last story was (sorry!) but it's also not overwhelmingly angsty; hopefully it achieves a decent balance between case based and romance.

Also JSYK, there will be a point at which this goes from T to M, and I'll be clear when that happens. ;)

Betas: Many, MANY thanks to Kylie, especially! Trish has also had a hand in the beta work on this monster.

Thanks for reading. Sorry about this long author's note. This will be the only essay. I hope you enjoy the story. :)

Introduction

Chapter One

"Nice work today," the Captain called across the bullpen as she walked toward him. "Especially you, Beckett."

"Thanks, Sir." Beckett shrugged. "Just doing my job."

She leaned against the door frame, setting down her cup of half-finished, now cold, coffee on the counter and accepting a beer in exchange. She twisted the top, satisfied by the hiss of sound, and lifted it toward the others with a nod before raising it to her lips. This case could have gone sideways so easily, and as she had walked the Senator out of the precinct this afternoon, his statement finally taken down, she'd felt a swell of pride at watching him before the TV cameras. She'd slipped away, unwilling to get her face on film, but not before he'd thanked her and told her he owed her one.

"No." Montgomery shook his head, looking at her from his seat at the table in the break room. "You had a hunch, and you followed it through even though the evidence didn't necessarily add up." He pointed his finger at her. "Sign of good detective work. Bracken could have died, easily." A shadow crossed over his face, but was gone before Beckett could wonder what was bothering the Captain.

She watched him take the cap off his beer too, pleased to see he was also letting off a little steam with them. "Not going straight home to Evelyn today?" she asked, and he shook his head.

"Just wanted to take a moment with my team," he said.

"Good for you, Sir." Ryan clinked his own beer against the Captain's. "I texted Jenny, let her know I'd be another half hour. She just got home from work." He glanced at his watch. "Although, I'd better get going soon."

Kate caught Esposito's eye and smirked, the Latino detective matching her grin with his own. Yeah. Well. Ryan and Jenny; a year later and it seemed like the honeymoon phase was anything but over. "You wanna head out for a quiet one, once we're done here?" Esposito asked, and Ryan nodded.

"Sure. Maybe Jenny will join us."

Kate hid another smile; Ryan would make his way home and stay there. He'd be full of apologies, reasons, and excuses tomorrow, but really, she and Esposito would be drinking at the bar without him tonight.

"Man, I wish the Old Haunt was still around," Ryan complained and Esposito made a face at him.

"Why, man? It's not like you or Jenny come out with me and Beckett anymore."

"I do-" Ryan protested. "We've just been busy."

Roy smiled, taking another swig of his drink before putting it down on the table and standing up. "I remember the days when cop bars were real cop bars," he said. "Was a time we'd go out after every case, down to the old place on Fulton, or that bar over on Delancey. Things were different in those days, I guess." He shrugged. "I'm out of here," he finished, tipping his head at each of them.

"Night, Sir," Beckett called after him, stretching and turning to the boys. It had been a long day but they'd closed their case and a celebration was long overdue. "Bar?" she asked, and Esposito nodded.

"Got a real cop bar in mind?" he teased in an imitation of Montgomery, and Beckett chuckled.

"Fresh out of genuine cop bars," she said, rolling her eyes at the idea of a dark and smoky bar propped up by a boys club. "How 'bout that new place over on Bleeker?"

"Sounds good," Ryan agreed, and ducked as Esposito threw a scrunched up piece of paper at him. Beckett smiled wryly. Maybe she spent too much time here, but these guys were her family.

Beckett leaned her head against the back of her seat in the booth she'd scored, staring vacantly across the room as she waited for Esposito to return with their beers. She was only going to stay for one drink, maybe two. Then she'd take a cab to her East Village apartment and settle into bed with a good book.

What was taking him so long? Beckett shook her head, glancing around for her friend, rapping her fingers impatiently against the table when she spotted him; he was talking to a cute girl. Of course. But, he had two beers in his hand, so she held out hope that he'd remember he was supposed to be bringing one of them her way.

She checked her phone while she waited, in case Ryan had messaged. Nothing. She grinned. No surprises there. Kate sighed at the thought. She'd never admit it to Ryan, or to Esposito, but she was a little envious, sometimes.

"Yo," Esposito greeted her, slamming the beer onto the table with gusto and pushing it toward Beckett. "It's a meat market in here. I could barely get away."

Kate rolled her eyes. "I saw," she said. "Looked like you were trying real hard, as well."

"Hey," he protested. "I can't help it if I'm irresistible."

Beckett shrugged. "Right. Of course not."

"Any word from Ryan?"

Kate shook her head. "Nope. No doubt he'll have an excuse ready for us tomorrow."

Esposito shook his head, but Beckett thought she read real concern in his eyes. He missed his friend, she knew, and she was a poor substitute. Or, in any case, she thought, as she followed Esposito's gaze across the room, a poor wingman.

"Cheers," she offered, raising her glass to meet his rather than spending any more time dwelling on Ryan and Jenny's relationship.

"Cheers," Esposito replied, raising his glass too, before taking a sip. "Tough case, huh?"

"Mmm," Kate agreed noncommittally; it had been anything but a walk in the park but they'd done their jobs and protected the senator. Now, she just wanted to enjoy a quiet drink and put the case out of her mind.

"Come on, Beckett," Esposito urged. "Something was off, wasn't it?"

She shrugged. He was right, but she didn't know what it was or how to explain it. She'd been playing with ideas all day, trying to make sense of the puzzle pieces, but nothing had added up. "Yeah," she admitted softly. "Something was off." She took another sip of her drink, making a face at Esposito. "Maybe just the politician thing?" she suggested.

"No, man," Esposito said with a slight shake of his head. "There was something weird going on. A vibe."

"A vibe?" Kate scoffed, trying to dismiss Espo's words. "Who are you? Ryan? Buying into vibes?" She shook her head.

Esposito gave her a sidelong look, and stared across the bar for a moment in reticence, before breaking his silence. "Something wasn't right, Beckett. You and I both know it. We caught the driver through sheer luck- I would have locked up that crazy guy too- but there was something else."

"Montgomery," she murmured, pressing her lips tightly together as soon as the word left her mouth.

"Huh?"

"That's what was wrong," Beckett clarified, working it through as she spoke. "There was something wrong with Montgomery. Something was up with him, the entire case." She held up her index finger, silencing Esposito before he could speak. "I don't know what. God, I really don't know what."

She winced as she thought about it; the hot and cold her mentor had run on the case, instructing her to do one thing before storming out of his office and changing his mind a moment later.

Esposito leaned back, staring across the booth at her and she chewed on her lip, considering.

"Look," she said at last. "It's done now. Our guy's down at Central Booking, and the senator, well, I don't know. I guess he's made the next step in his political career, considering how he chose to handle it."

"Yeah, but doesn't it make you wonder?"

"Wonder what?" Beckett asked. This was supposed to be a fun night out, to let off some steam, decompress, but right now she felt her blood pressure rising. Much as she liked a drink she hated finding solace in alcohol and she put the half empty glass back on the table and pushed it away.

"Wonder what he did in the first place, to make the kinds of enemies who would want to kill him."

"Everyone's got skeletons, Espo," she reminded the other detective, and he narrowed his eyes at her.

"Well let me put it to you this way, Beckett. Would you vote for Bracken, next time it's his name on a ballot paper in front of you?"