Kate Beckett stumbled sleepily into her kitchen early one morning, nearly having a heart attack when her brain registered a man standing at the stove, apparently cooking breakfast.

"Castle?" She asked, with no small amount of confusion and shock.

Castle glanced towards her. "Good morning Beckett," He smiled before turning back to the stove flipping the pancakes. "Sleep well?"

Kate was slowly drawn into the kitchen by the smell of fresh coffee. "What are you doing here?" She asked as she poured herself a cup.

Castle was silent as he made up of plate of pancakes and bacon before walking to the table. "What day is it today?"

"Monday," Kate huffed. "What are you doing here?"

Castle sighed as he placed the plate in front of her. "Just checking up on you."

Now it was Kate's turn to sigh. "Look I know I've been working a lot but you don't have to worry about me. I know what I'm doing."

"I know," Castle nodded as he stood in the doorway of the kitchen. "I've got to head back to the loft now."

"Writing?" Kate speculated as she cut up her pancakes.

"Um yeah." Castle hedged before walking out of the apartment. Kate shook her head, not looking forward to the day. Without Castle she was looking at quiet day of paper work.

Striding confidently into the bullpen, Kate greeted her team before approaching her desk. It was a relatively normal trip through the precinct albeit receiving strange looks from everyone she passed. Shrugging it off, Kate assumed that it was because Castle wasn't with her. When will they learn that she and Castle are not attached at the hip?

"Yo Beckett," Esposito called out. "What are you doing here?"

"Paperwork Esposito. Someone's got to do it," Kate smirked as she settled herself at her desk. Ryan and Esposito exchanged concerned looks before glancing at Montgomery's door. There was no need to inform him of what just happened. He was standing in the doorway to the bullpen.

"Beckett!" Captain Montgomery yelled.

"Yes sir?"

"My office. Now!" The captain ordered as he retreated to his office. Confused Kate walked towards his office trying to remember anything that would be cause for her boss to call her into his office.

"Yes sir?" Kate asked as she stepped into the room.

"Close the door," Montgomery said as he stood behind his desk. Kate complied before turning towards him once more. "Beckett do you remember the conversation we had yesterday?"

Now Kate was even more confused. "No sir."

Sighing Montgomery gestured towards the chairs in front of his desk. "Beckett, you- you have too many days banked up. The commissioner just informed me if you don't use some of them, you will lose all of them."

"All?" Kate almost choked on the word. She had roughly six months of sick, personal, and vacation days saved up. "Sir you can't do that."

"It's out of my hands Beckett," Montgomery sighed. "I'm sure the boys can handle any case you receive for the next two weeks."

Kate sat silently as she listened. This wasn't a vacation. This was more like a punishment. "Yes sir." Kate walked out and gathered her things before returning to her apartment.

Looking around her apartment, Kate was baffled. Two weeks without work after having just closed a case. She should be grateful for the time off but something wasn't right. A nagging feeling sat deep within her chest. There was something she was supposed it be doing.

"Working," She scoffed to the empty apartment. Maybe straightening up around the apartment would help clear her mind.

For an apartment she didn't spend a lot of time in, it sure took a while to clean. It was almost four in the afternoon when she finally collapsed onto her couch. Looking around the clean apartment Kate let out a sigh. Six hours of cleaning did nothing to help clear her head. There was still that nagging feeling that she couldn't get rid of. Letting out a sigh she quickly put on her shoes and ran a brush through her hair silently telling herself it was just so she looked more human.

The drive across town was quiet as she nervously bit her thumb nail. What if he was in the middle of a wonderful idea and she broke his trance? Would he be upset at her unannounced visit? There were so many thoughts swirling around her head that she couldn't concentrate. All she knew was the nag was still there.

Walking up to the loft's apartment door Kate could hear muffled voices. It almost sounded like laughter. Maybe this was a bad idea. He could be with another woman. Before Kate had a chance to turn around and run her hand was knocking on the door. She silently cursed herself as she heard the laughter stop. There was no backing down now. Slowly Castle opened the door.

"Kate!" His reaction was one of pure surprise. "What are you doing here?"

There was a muffled noise behind him followed by the sound of footsteps going upstairs. Kate felt a sinking feeling in the bottom of her stomach. "You know what forget it," She waved it off. "It was nothing." Turning she started to walk quickly back to the elevators. Maybe if she was lucky, she could get inside of them before she fully embarrassed herself by crying in front of him. As the elevator doors opened she felt someone pull her arm back.

"Kate wait." His voice was soft and full of concern. "What's wrong?"

The walls that were carefully placed around her began to tumble. "I don't know," came out on a sob as the tears threatened to spill down her cheeks. "I've had this nagging feeling all day. I went to work, and Montgomery sent me home for two weeks. I tried to look at it as a vacation but there's something that I'm missing and I just- I don't know what."

Castle tentatively stepped closer to her and pulled her into a hug. It wasn't anything more then a friend trying to console another friend. What surprised him was how Kate hung onto him as if he were a life preserver and she were drowning in an ocean. Little did he know that Kate felt as if she were drowning.

"I just want to know where I'm supposed to be," She whispered in a barely audible breath.

Taking a deep breath, Castle stepped away. "Come with me." He held out his hand. Kate slipped her hand in his and wiped her eyes as he lead them back to the loft. Kate could only think about the girl that had sneaked upstairs earlier. What would she think when she comes down and sees Kate there? Opening the door to the loft, Castle lead Kate inside before dropping her hand and gesturing towards the couch. He walked to one side making sure she had plenty of space before sitting down.

"Can you tell me about the nagging feeling?" Castle asked gently.

Kate took a deep breath and looked down at her hands. "I'm not sure how to explain it. I know that there's something I should be doing but it's like I can't access my brain to tell me what it is. It's as if I'm blocked."

Castle nodded his head. "Did you try doing anything?"

"Cleaning," Kate shrugged. "Usually when I'm cleaning my body goes into autopilot and I can just think freely but it didn't help."

Footsteps on the stairs interrupted Castle's response as a small child came into the living room. "Hungry," She announced looking at Castle. Castle let out a sigh shooting Beckett an apologetic look.

"You're hungry sweetie?" The small girl nodded. If Beckett had to guess, the girl looked to be about two years old. The girl seemed to feel Kate's stare and turned to look at her. "Ok I'll make you something real quick," Castle broke the silence. "Remember our game angel." With that he stood and went to the kitchen. It was a risk leaving the small girl with Kate but he had to make her dinner and needed both his hands to do so. Besides no harm could come from a simple staring contest.

"What's your name?" Kate asked breaking the silence. There was something familiar about this child.

"Emma," The girl responded as she leaned against the edge of the couch. Kate studied Emma's appearance. She was dressed in jeans with a nice pink shirt. Her light brown hair was freshly braided into pigtails giving Kate a clear view of Emma's striking blue eyes.

"How old are you Emma?" Kate asked gently as she moved closer to the edge of the couch fascinated with her. Emma looked towards the kitchen and saw Castle's nod of approval.

"Two." Kate nodded noticing the bond between Castle and Emma. Her mind began to wander and it wasn't long before Castle came to the living room with a bowl of pasta.

"Here you go Emma," He said handing it to her. "I cut them really little for you. You can eat in your room tonight but just this once. I have to finish talking with Kate."

Emma nodded and took the bowl before heading upstairs. Kate watched as she left. "She's cute. Is she a neighbor's kid?"

Castle shook his head. "No she uh mine." He figured direct would save him the most punishment in the end.

His? That would mean. "So is she the result of a one night stand with one of your bimbos?" Kate rolled her eyes disguised that she even considered coming here to figure out what was wrong with her. Standing she started for the door.

"No she's not." Castle's voice had her stopping in her tracks. "Her mother was in an accident. The doctors don't know how long until she'll be better but they are hopeful that one day she'll recover."

Kate felt like the wind had gotten knocked out of her. Mother? "It sounds like the two of you are pretty close." It came out in a biting tone but Kate didn't care.

"We've been happily married now for five years." Castle shared looking more and more depressed with each new piece of information that was revealed.

Kate's stomach began to churn. Five years meant that he was married before he even started shadowing her. Suddenly a crash was heard from upstairs followed by Emma's cry. Kate's stomach suddenly became hard as steel as the blood in her veins froze. Before Castle could react she was half way up the stairs.

Castle followed closely behind her watching her every move. Kate swiftly navigated down the hallway and turned into Emma's room to see her sitting on her bed holding her head. Kate seemed to be on autopilot as she walked over to Emma and picked her up gently soothing her.

"Rick I thought I told you not to put her bed here. She could hit her head," Kate said breaking the silence of the room.

"I know. I just thought-wait what did you just say?" Castle's head snapped in her direction. Kate had a look of horror on her face as she stared back at Castle.

"Castle, what's going on?" Kate's voice held a panicked tone.

Holding up one finger on each hand, Castle signaled wait one minute as he ran from the room. A few minutes later he came running into the room to see Kate sitting on the edge of Emma's bed while Emma played on the floor. Castle sat down next to her and angled his body so he could look at Kate. She mirrored his position and waited for him to continue.

"Do you know what this is?" Castle asked opening his hand to reveal a ring that had diamonds embedded on half of one side.

Kate stared at it puzzled by his question before her eyes widened. "I've seen that before."

Castle's excitement was noticeable as he jumped up and ran from the room shouting "One minute" as he went. Kate shook her head and watched Emma play. She didn't seem to have a concussion or anything. Just whacked her head hard enough to startle her. It was then that Kate noticed that Emma was humming something. It almost sounded like a song. One that she knew.

"One sweet angel sleeping in my arms. You are the promise I knew God would keep. You are the gift that makes my world complete," Kate began to softly sing. Emma's humming got quieter as she turned to look at Kate with sparkling eyes.

"And you'll never know how much I love you,But I'll keep on telling you my whole life I believe in miracles, and you're the reason why,So dream on while I sing you my angel's lullaby."

Rick stood in the door and watched in awe. Kate finished the song with tears in her eyes as she looked at Rick.

"Mine," She stated as she stood up. Rick looked at her confused as she walked over. Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears. "All of this is mine." Rick slowly nodded his head as tears sprang to his eyes as well before he enveloped her in a passionate kiss the photo in his hands forgotten as it floated to the ground.

Emma tugged on Kate's pant leg and handed her the picture. "Daddy dropped." Kate smiled taking the picture as Rick picked Emma up. Together they stared are their wedding picture as Rick slipped Kate's wedding band back onto her finger.

A/N: Ok so if you haven't guessed by now, Kate had amnesia. This whole idea started with the first two lines being from hallow777's story One A Day. I quickly messaged her and asked if it was ok if I stole the lines. She said yes and I never imagined that it would create something this long. I was going to make this a multi-chapter story but now I'm not sure. Let me know what you think =)