Disclaimer:The show Castle and its characters are the property of Andrew Marlowe and ABC

A/N: I apologise for the late update, but my schedule doesn't allow me much time to get back to writing but I will try to keep this story alive. A couple of you guys asked in the reviews why Kate didn't recognise the name Richard Rodgers and the simple answer is in canon she finds out Castle's real name in Season 3 Episode 2 and this story is set in the summer between Season 2 and Season 3.

Chapter 2

Holding his breadth he roved his eyes over the area, gauging his target's moving pattern.

His lips were a thin line and his jaw ticked every time he looked at the slippery bastard's beady eyes.

He tightened his grip on his weapon and struck while releasing his breadth.

WHACK!

The scoreboard lit up as Castle whooped, punching the hammer in the air after finally succeeding in striking the mole. He turned around carrying a big smile on his face, ready to share his enthusiasm only to realise his mistake. He was alone.

Sighing he looked back at his latest toy, an old Whack-a-mole arcade game that he had purchased last week while procrastinating with the help of his old friend the internet. He slipped the hammer back in its place, and switched off the game making his way to the kitchen to get something to fill his till now ignored stomach. Making himself a quick sandwich he decided to eat in his backyard so as to enjoy his lunch while admiring the ocean waves. Sitting down on the lounge chair he thought about the last 2 weeks and how good it had been for him so far except for one major flaw; he was lonely. He had thought a little quite summer retreat would do his writing good and it had since maybe for the first time in his career he was ahead of schedule. He had poured himself into writing in the initial week of his stay to stay true to his word to his daughter and also to keep his mind away from thinking about a certain brunette Detective. For a brief moment he thought about sending all his finished chapters to Gina and probably giving her a minor heart attack, but he quickly nipped the idea in the butt because knowing Gina she would only demand more owing to the fact that she might still be pissed that he had rebuffed her attempts at rekindling their personal relationship. He still thanked God for providing him much needed sanity at the last moment preventing him from inviting Gina along with him like she had hinted on their late night phone call 2 weeks ago.

He took out his phone once again to see his daughter had replied with an eye roll emoji to the photograph of his latest purchase. A small smile took over his face as his mind drifted to a familiar eye roll he had become familiar to in the past two years. Kate Beckett. He was always attracted to mysteries since he was a child and he had sensed a mystery about her when they first met, but by the end of the case he realised that she might be a mystery he would never be able to solve and he was hooked. When he had first started shadowing her many had told him it was a bad idea, even his daughter had her doubts but it was her mother who had encouraged him to go ahead after he had answered her single word question 'Why?' even though she knew the answer. His mother had seen that he was losing himself to his Castle persona and just like him she had come to a conclusion that the precinct just might be the life raft he needed. The precinct had been a new experience but somehow was still similar in many aspects. The sense of danger and the mysteries quelled long ignored hunger and getting justice for the families gave him purpose. He felt he had finally found a place that he belonged to, had finally earned his place when Beckett called him her partner. Thus it hurt when it all went down the drain when Demming showed up. Shaking his head to avoid his mind from wondering down that path he made his way inside dropping his plate in the sink as his phone started to ring.

"Castle."

"Bro, it's Espo. We need to talk."

He knew he had to make a call as soon as he heard the name leave Beckett's lips. Detective Javier Esposito had been keeping a secret. He knew who Richard Rodgers was, or in fact who he is after all you don't forget the guy who saved your life twice. He still remembered the day when his unit was pinned down during an op and if it hadn't been for Rodger's team he would have surely not made it. But that wasn't the only time he had saved him. When he had joined the army he knew he would end up hurting himself but he was prepared for that after all he was born and raised on the streets, but what he didn't count on was that war not only gives you physical scars but scars you emotionally too. He still remembered the long sleepless nights, how after keeping a brave face for his family during the day he only ended up to be haunted during the night, how every little noise or every little glint would lead him straight back to the battlefield. He was slowly dying but he was too stubborn to realise it until he met him again.

He had been waiting for his truck to get ready for over an hour now and he was getting restless. He didn't like to get out in the open, regardless of what he said to his family. He felt vulnerable, paranoid like a shot would ring out anytime now. He kept tapping his foot as he got wounded up until he couldn't take it anymore and stood up to give the manager a piece of his mind until he spotted a familiar looking man standing near the bubblegum machine with a little red haired girl. He watched as the man waved his arms around animatedly, shaking the machine so as to get a specific colour and the little girl giggled continuously at his antics. As if sensing he was being watched the man looked up straight at him and recognition immediately hit him. Esposito kept staring at Rodgers for a few moments trying to place the image of The bad ass SEAL he knew to this man who was practically dancing in a car garage. He watched as Rodgers stood up straighter and took a defensive position. Esposito started walking towards him and with his hands in clear view as not to spook him and asked,

"Lieutenant Rodgers? You might not remember me, I'm Sergeant Javier Esposito, you saved my life a couple years back."

Esposito watched as recognition dawned on him and his posture relaxed slightly as he spoke, "Of course Sergeant I remember. How are you doing?"

"I'm good. Getting back home is great. Just getting in the nix of things," Esposito recited his well versed lines, lines he had said so many times that he himself started to believe them. But one look at Rodgers confirmed that he didn't buy it.

"Pumpkin how about you go take that seat while Daddy catches up with his old friend," Rodgers spoke to his daughter. Esposito watched as the little girl nodded and then with a smile and a wave at him went at the seat he had just vacated.

"How bad are they?" The question seemed to startle him. He thought about lying, deflecting even but something cracked and he answered truthfully for once, "They are bad."

Nodding Rodgers took out a card from his wallet and handed it to him, "Call me if you wanna fight it." With that he turned and wished him a good day and left.

He had thrown the card as soon as he reached home cursing himself for his moment of weakness and decided to forget about the garage encounter but after another sleepless night he had caved and given a call and that's how he ended up here in a gun range of all places staring at a sniper rifle.

"It's just a tool," He startled and looked up to find Rodgers staring at him, "It's just a tool, nothing more. It's just a hunk of metal pieced together not a magical object that will harm you," he trailed off as he picked up the rifle and handing it to him. "I know what you're going through. You believe you are damaged goods and think that's a weakness. I say you make it a strength. It's a part of you, so use it," Rodgers finished as Esposito took hold of the sniper marking the start of a slow and long healing process.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Esposito quietly slipped out of the observation room and made a call to his friend.

"Castle."

"Bro, it's Espo. We need to talk."

Something about Esposito's voice gave a bad feeling to Castle. And he immediately feared for the worse.

"Is everything Ok? Is it Beckett?"

"No, she is fine, but the situation here is serious. We caught a case yesterday night, a sniper gunned down six people."

"Yeah, I'm looking at it right now," Castle said as he flipped through the various news channels all covering the shooting, "Have you got any leads?"

"We have a suspect in custody, but he isn't saying anything and is specifically asking for you."

Frowning Castle asked, "He would only talk to Richard Castle?"

"No, he would only talk to Richard Rodgers."

Immediately his whole body tensed, "Who is he?"

"His name is Edward Jennings, ex-marine, Do you know him?"

Rubbing at his temples Castle answered, "Yeah, I helped him get settled in normal city life a couple years back at Rob's request."

"Can you give me any details that might help me, any close relatives, friends I could talk too."

"I wish I could, but the guy was a recluse, kept to himself most of the time. That was actually one of my main goal when dealing with him. To get him to open more," Castle sighed as he heard Esposito curse, "What's your next move?"

"Well knowing Beckett and her current mood she is gonna run your name down immediately and try to find your every last life detail, but knowing you and how protective you are she would end up with nothing thus ruining her mood even more."

"Yeah," came Castle's muffled reply as his voice is drowned by the loud cold start of his Ferrari.

"Castle what are you doing?"

"I'm coming back."

A/N: Thank you guys for your amazing response and I apologise in advance for the irregular updates in the future. Merry Christmas.