A/N: Hey everyone! What a ride, huh? That finale almost killed me. I started writing this last night with the hope that the finale would fill in in some way and work with the idea Tshlw gave me. And well, it kind of did.

We don't know if Kate will say yes, we don't know if she'll take the job, so let's begin to speculate. That is the fun about summer hiatus, right?

I hope you guys enjoy. This is not beta-ed, but Tshlw made a quick proof read and checked some of my grammar. Thank you, girl! For the reading and for the amazing idea you gave me. You ROCK! 3

Chapter 1

She took it. She still can't believe she did, but she took the job. That was two weeks ago, and today is her last day working at the 12th. How strange is that?

She's spent almost half of her life in this building, and now, out of nowhere, someone offers her a position in DC and she accepts, as if all those years didn't matter at all. As if everything she's gone through between these walls means nothing to her. But it does. She's so thankful for all she has learnt here. For the great family she's built. It's not like she's going to forget all that the moment she walks out the door. It's not.

Saying goodbye is painful. Fellow detectives and uniforms approach her all day long, saying their farewells and wishing her good luck. Some of them give her presents and goodbye cards, others just a handshake or even a hug. She's overwhelmed.

Gates calls her to her office a little after lunchtime. Her face is somber and tired, but there's a smile adorning her lips.

"Detective Beckett. Please sit down." The woman commands. "I know you are busy right now packing all your things and getting ready to leave, but I wanted to say goodbye personally."

Kate smiles and nods softly. "Thank you, sir."

The captain opens a drawer, takes out a white envelope and shows it to the detective. "Now, this might sound silly, since I know you got the job already, but I wanted to give you a recommendation letter." The woman pauses and looks Kate in the eyes. "I can't say it's always been easy, detective. Or that we've managed to develop the kind of bond you had with my predecessor, but what I can say, is that it has been a pleasure working with you, even when you ignored my orders to run after that writer of yours, pursuing one of his crazy ideas. "

Kate laughs, lowering her gaze and biting her lip in something close to embarrassment. "I am sorry about that, sir. But I have to agree." She states, raising her eyes back to meet the captain's. "It's been a pleasure."

Gates smiles back at her and places the envelop on the desk, right in front of Kate. "Take it. You can use it or keep it. Whatever you do with it will be fine. I just wanted to write it."

Beckett takes the letter and stands up, thanking Gates once again. "I really appreciate it, sir. Thank you so much."

Kate is about to leave the office when she hears her name again. "Kate!" She turns around and finds Gates right beside her, her arm extended waiting for her. "Good luck."

They shake hands and Kate can't fight the tears from pooling in her eyes. They were never really close, but Gates has proven that they could always count on her, even when they broke the rules.

"Tell Mr. Castle I would have loved to say goodbye to him too. It's going to be an interesting thing to see how this precinct goes back to normal, not having him around playing pranks and spinning crazy theories. I am sure we will all miss his antics."

"Yeah…" Kate laughed, taking a look around the bullpen. She was going to miss this place so much. "But you can tell him yourself, sir. He'll be picking me up in an hour."

Gates eyes open in surprise as she starts retreating back to her desk. "Hm, giving it more thought, he doesn't need to know that…" She says, giving Kate a mischievous smile. "We don't want to feed that ego of his, do we?"

The detective chuckles and shakes her head amused. "Of course not, sir."

Her blue mug is the first thing she puts inside the brown cardboard box. It's not exactly one of the things that kept her company over all the long years working here , but it certainly is one of the most cherished.

Her elephants are important too. They were the witnesses of all her struggles, her desperation, her joy when she broke a case. The days when she missed Castle so much that just staring at his chair made her heart bleed with longing and want; and also, the days when they had to keep every look, every brush of their fingers, every dreamy breath a secret, so no one would find out they were together.

Old papers, folders and stationary come next. Some stuff ends up in the trash can, some she leaves on the table for the boys to keep since it's case related, and some, like the little yellow squares stacked inside a blue folder, she keeps close to her heart for a moment before she puts them in the box. They're Castle's silly love notes. There is a great variety in there. Some are funny, some are tender, some are sweet and loving, and some… Well, she still doesn't know how she kept those in her desk instead of in a safe under a top security pass code. Her writer has a very, very dirty mind. Not that she's complaining.

A hand leans on her shoulder when she picks up a long paperclip chain from her drawer and she turns to meet the blue eyes she knows are waiting for her.

"I can't believe you still have that in there." Castle jokes, as he circles her waist with his arms and kisses her cheek.

Kate tries to get free from his embrace, but he holds her tighter. "Castle, we're at the precinct!" She hisses. "Gates will see."

The writer laughs and nuzzles her ear, pressing a kiss to her neck. "Do I have to remind you that you no longer work here? She can't fire you, Kate. In fact," he whispers in a conspiratorial tone, "we should make out right here, right now to prove we're not afraid of her anymore."

Beckett turns in his arms and snakes hers around his neck. "When you say we, you mean you, right? 'Cause I've never been afraid of Gates."

"Sure, Kate, keep telling yourself that." Castle shoots back, a smug grin on his face.

The detective narrows her eyes in mocking offense. "I was not!"

"Uh huh. That's why you were so scared of her finding out about us."

"She could have fired me, you jackass!" She laughs, patting away one of his hands, which had gone way too far down her back. "Just try to behave yourself for one last time, will you?"

He gives her a grimace and lets go of her reluctantly. "You are no fun."

"Hm." She leans into him again, the warmth of her breathing bathing the soft skin of his neck. "That's not what you said last night." She whispers.

Leaving him trying to get his bearings back, she turns her attention back to her desk, to empty it of all the trinkets and memories she's managed to pile in there over the years.

She finds like a dozen pens she thought she had lost, a torn pantyhose she put in a drawer one day while on a rush and forgot about, a bunch of fallen buttons from both hers and Castle's coats and shirts, a couple of bags of M&Ms and some other junk.

Every single thing brings a smile to her face, because even the smallest, white shirt-button in that drawer has a memory tied to it.

"You're forgetting this." She hears Castle's voice, before he passes her the ragged form of her stick-man.

"I could never forget this guy." She mumbles distractedly as she places it carefully on the box. "I left him for last on purpose, but thank you."

Then she takes a look around her, drinking in every single detail she can of the place that has been her second home for such a long time.

The way the sun reflects on the metallic grating that separates the different areas of the bullpen. The big murder boards that stand still close to her desk, the break room where she and Castle have enjoyed so many carry out meals with the boys…

This is so much harder than she thought it would be.

Castle sneaks his arms around her waist again, and leans his head on her left shoulder, nuzzling her jaw. "Are you ok?"

Kate lets herself fall against him, resting her weight against his chest. She takes a deep, shaky breath and nods slowly, trapping her lower lip between her teeth.

"I'm fine. Just… I can't believe it's over." She sighs.

"This is not the end of the book, Kate. You're just starting a new chapter." He says, tightening his grip on her. "Believe me, I'm a writer, I know a lot about that."

She chuckles and covers his hands with hers, wondering how in the world can she be so lucky to have him in her life.

"We should get going." Castle mumbles, letting go of her and picking up the big box from the desk. "We have a dinner to prepare, and you know how whiny Esposito gets when you make him wait for his food."

They walk to the elevator slowly, shoulders brushing with every step. When the doors open and they get inside, Kate lets out a heavy sigh and lets herself fall against the wall.

"This is it."

Castle winces and looks down at her with both understanding and sympathy. "We will come back. We have to visit the family."

TBC

A/N2: My plan is to add the 'swing scene' as a flashback in an upcoming chapter. Do you guys think she said yes? ;)

Please, let me know what you think about this. Thanks for reading!