A/N: I kind of didn't have time to read it over after I spent a good bit to write it in the first place. So sorry, in advance, for any butchering of the language.

SPOILER: Post-promo, Pre-episode story for Probable Cause. I very much regretted watching the promo after "Murder, He wrote", and now I need to explain the angst away, hence this story. Also, I've included spoilers from the photos and synopsis.

It was like Esposito said; his fingerprints were at the crime scene, and he was buying jewelry for her. But he wasn't, was he? He was buying jewelry for her. Kate.

The three of them – Kate, Ryan and Esposito were at his door step, along with two uniforms, and Kate couldn't look him in the eyes. Ryan had been as skeptical and reluctant about believing that Castle had anything to do with this. She thought that Esposito didn't believe it either, not really. They were all working hard, through the day and most of the night, to figure out some way, some way that it could all be explained away. At least away from Castle.

But Esposito mustered up the courage and arrested him, read him his Miranda rights, and Castle looked to her. She had to look up at him and it hurt so much, because he stood there, looking extremely helpless. All secrets have the ability to explode.

XxX

It was because of their secret that he wouldn't say anything - wouldn't give his alibi to Esposito when he asked for it. Ryan looked back as they all led him out of the loft, the guys loyally trying to hide his cuffed hands from view. "You coming, boss?" he asked her somberly.

"You guys go ahead, I'll catch up," she replied and looked away.

Ryan nodded. He looked sad. Almost as sad as her. Like he knew what was at stake. "We'll figure it out." He nodded his head toward the door, and then to her. "You'll figure it out." And then he left after them.

She had suspected when Ryan had called them while they were still at the Hamptons. As he walked out, she gave a small smile to his back. Because Ryan knows, and he's got their backs. And then the smile transforms into a frown and she's leaning against the couch, needing the support while she tries hard not to cry.

How did it get so bad, when it was just getting to be so good?

XxX

She hadn't slept. She hadn't eaten much. All she had done was stare at the evidence, try to piece everything together. Figure out whom, if not Castle was responsible for this murder, and how to prove it, and fast.

They still had procedures. Protocol. So she went in there, trying to be brave. Trying to stay strong, but she knew he'd see that inside, she was crumbling.

Esposito and Kate had to do the interrogation. After a few generic questions, a very tired, sad Beckett finally asked, "Where were you, Friday night?"

Rick looked at her, glanced away, and looked at her again. His eyes were suspiciously watery, but his voice was strong. "I think I'd like my lawyer now."

She tried to tell him – through her eyes, she tried to tell him. The slightest shake of her head, and the smallest nod from him. No, she didn't believe he did this.

XxX

Castle was standing outside his car, gun ready in his sweaty palm. The car quickly approached him, and the man sitting in the passenger seat, looking distinctly nervous, stayed seated, while the driver got out.

Castle drew his gun up and approached him.

"Woah, woah. Mr. Castle. No need to be hasty here," he said with his palms raised and a smug grin in place. Like he found the situation amusing. "We both know you're not capable of killing me."

"Do we? Might as well do the crime if I'm going to be doing the time," Castle announced.

"Ah. Yes. See, you killing her made a lot of sense. It looked like the kind of gory scene you might have written. You did send her that bracelet, whatever the reason. And you have no alibi. I'm a bit surprised about that."

"How'd you manage the fingerprints?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," he chuckled. "You must have touched something at her apartment obviously."

"You don't have to pretend. Tell me, or I'll shoot."

He laughed. "Oh, you'll shoot. That's a hoot."

He laughed more and then suddenly stopped, because Castle shifted his aim to the passenger, who had so far been listening with the window cracked down, and – bang – he fell to his side.

"What the hell? You're crazy."

"How'd you get the fingerprints?" Castle asked again, calmly, as he aimed the gun back at the man standing in front of him, covered in sweat; in terror. Good.

"We were doing what we were paid to do. Killing two birds with one stone. The girl dies, and you go to jail. Lifting your fingerprints was easy. We got a few people to pose as fans and give you their books to sign. It's easy when you know what you're doing. Just take it easy, I'm sure we can come to an understanding."

"I'm sure we can," Castle said with a dangerous smile. Just then two more cars approached them. Detectives.

"Thank God. Detectives, arrest him. He's gone crazy. He shot my partner and he was about to shoot me."

Castle lowered his gun and smiled.

Kate approached the car, he gun drawn. "You okay?"

"My back hurts from staying down like this, but I'm alive." He said gruffly as he got up and out of the car.

"What the hell? But. But you shot him!" he spat accusingly at Castle.

"I take it you're familiar with the concept of blanks?" Castle said with an eye roll.

Esposito reached into the car and pulled out a Glock, and held it up with his gloved hand. "Gee, I wonder why you'd need this thing. And I wonder if you have a permit."

"You were wearing a wire!"

Kate walked over and stood next to Castle, watching as Ryan cuffed the agitated man.

"How'd you ever guess that one, Sherlock? Who are you working for?"

"I'm not saying a word."

"Those were five words, including one contraction," Castle said happily.

"You said you were paid to do this. Who's paying you?" Beckett asked again.

"I want my lawyer."

"Fine. Guys, book him. Get him a lawyer."

"With pleasure," came Ryan's reply as he started reading out the Miranda rights.

XxX

"You can let go of the gun now, Castle,", Kate said as she took the gun from him. "You okay?"

"Yeah. Yeah. Just glad that this is over."

"Me too," Kate said, remembering the events from yesterday vividly.

He came to her later at her apartment, once the lawyer got him out of interrogation, and he was temporarily free on technicalities.

As soon as she closed the door behind him, he turned to her. "I didn't do this, Kate," he said softly.

"I know," she said, taking his hand. "I know, Castle."

He heaved a sigh, like he was holding his breath for so long, and then pulled her in for a hug and buried his nose in her hair, replacing everything with the smell of her, as she held him just as tightly. "What do we do?"

She stepped away, but didn't let go of his hand, squeezing it gently. "We solve the murder. First you need to tell me everything you couldn't say at the precinct. I mean everything, Rick."

"Of course." And so he explained it all. Friday night, he was on his way to Kate's place to surprise her, but was ambushed by a bunch of fans just outside her apartment, asking for him to sign their copies of his books. He didn't want to risk any of them following him, and leading to them being outed, and so he got into a cab and circled the block a couple of times till he was sure they left. He had just come from Jewelry store, where he'd bought her the bracelet.

"Wait, so it was for me?" Kate asked.

"Yeah," he breathed out. "Not much of a surprise anymore."

"Rick –" She shook her head. "How'd it land up with the victim?"

"Well, you remember I was guessing about your stickman. And I said it was a talisman, and we joked about no harm befalling you? Well, I sort of joked about good luck charms with a friend. And he said that he knows someone that can perform some voodoo hoodoo magic thing and actually make anything into a good luck charm. At first I thought it was ridiculous, but then he went on and on, and I thought. What the hell? I don't believe in it, but it wouldn't hurt. So he offered to take it to her. It just never made it way back to me. Or well. I guess it did."

"You stupid, stupid man. Stupid, adorable, crazy man."

Castle smiled. "Ah, but detective, I'm your stupid, adorable, crazy man."

"That you are," she said as she graced him with a shy smile of her own. But then she had a thought. "It's all really convenient, isn't it? This woman, who you sent a bracelet to is murdered. Your prints are all over her place. It's made to look like a ridiculous ritualistic killing. You're being set up. But by whom, and why?"

So they sat to figure it out, and after hours of working over it, they figured out that his friend was followed. Through some quick work by Ryan, they got the suspect following him into the vic's building. They saw Rick's friend leave, but the camera didn't catch the suspect leaving. They figured that he must have taken a back exit. There was still too much evidence against Castle, and still too little against their suspect. And so they hatched a plan.

He was putting on his seat belt as they sat in Kate's car. "You did a great job scaring his pal there into setting him up."

She smiled. "He could've just ratted him out, but that would have been a weak case, and he didn't know who's paying them. It was worth a shot."

Castle nodded. "We'll figure it out."

"We will."

"Thank you," he said softly.

"What for, Castle?"

"For believing me, and sticking with me."

"You've done it for me for years, Rick. I'll always believe you." She reached out to put her hand over his.

That's when he saw the bracelet on her hands. She must've gotten it out of evidence, once they figured out who the murderer is.

He looked out the windows to see that Ryan and Esposito had just left, leaving only the uniforms, who were busy taking the pal's statement. Then he turned back to her, and took her hand in his, turned it over and kissed her palm and closed it. "Always." It was a promise that meant everything to both of them. They had proved it over, and over again, and would do so, always.

Hurrah for cheesy endings.

Obviously, this entire thing was a fabrication. I don't even know the 'man's' name - which was irritating me as I wrote this, but meh. Hopefully I got away with it. : ) If you've reached down so far, thank you for reading! The point is, don't give up on them. ;)