Hitchhiking (A Castle FanFic)

Back To Work

Beckett's POV

Johanna is three months old, my maternity leave is over, meaning I have to go back to work again.

Don't get me wrong, I love my work and I love the 12th, but I have been around Johanna 24/7 and today is the first day I'm leaving her.

"Hey Beckett, care for a smorlette?" Castle said.

"It's okay, thanks. Can I have a pancake though?"

"Pancakes are an edible way of saying 'Thank you so much for last night'" Holly said dramatically.

I playfully slapped her, "The boys have taught you a thing or two huh?"

"It was on season 2!" Holly protested.

"Okay then, one stack of pancakes coming up," Castle said.

"Ugh! Now I am thinking of the baby weight I have to lose!" I moaned.

"Beckett you don't look like you just had Johanna," Alexis said.

"Yeah, you look so skinny!"

"I still have five pounds to lose girls, I think I need to hit the gym someday."

"You still look amazing," Castle said as he handed me my breakfast.

After breakfast I drove to the precinct, it feels weird not having Castle beside me, and I'm worrying about Johanna.

When I stopped at a red light I sent Castle a text.

How's my baby girl holding up?

Soon my phone dinged with a message.

Still sound asleep :) she looks adorable when she's asleep.

The red light turned green and I drove the rest of my way to the precinct.

I kept texting Castle on my way up, I didn't even notice I am already in the bullpen.

Applause erupted from everywhere, I smiled and thanked a couple of people on my way to my desk.

"Hey guys."

"Hey Beckett," the boys said.

"I'm so glad to be back! Wait... do I have to requalify for my gun again?" I asked.

Before the boys could answer Gates stuck her head out of her office.

"Beckett? A word?"

I nodded and went into her office.

"Yes sir."

"First, welcome back, here's your badge," Gates said as she slid the badge across her desk.

"Sir what about my gun?"

"I'm sorry Detective, you have to requalify, it's not my call, trust me."

"Yes sir," I said as I went down to the training room reluctantly.

----------------------------------------

I came back up with my score sheet and went into Gates's office.

I gave her the sheet, she nodded and gave me my gun back.

I can't wait to go on field! I haven't been on field for seven months and I'm dying from lack of adventure.

"Beckett, we have a fresh one!" Ryan said.

"Great!" I said as I grabbed my coat and car keys and headed to the elevator.

----------------------------------------

Holly's POV

I have no idea how Beckett is holding up for the first time she'd ever left Johanna's side, but I know things have cooled down when I started dating Dylan.

Gloria has steered clear, as usual. And when she heard Dylan and I started dating, she was pissed but she's afraid of Beckett, so she stayed away.

We sometimes hang out in groups of friends, so life's always good.

Sometimes I find myself missing Johanna, I never had this issue when my own sister in LA, Hallie was born, I hated her. But Johanna was different, I love her like my real little sister. Maybe because when Hallie was born I was not even five, and I'm fourteen now, and because Johanna is the Caskett baby everyone wanted to see.

Dylan and I have been on a couple of dates, but nothing too serious.

I just hope I can survive the boredom of school and go home, where everything is always better.

----------------------------------------

Beckett's POV

It was an easy case, we had the killer behind bars by the end of the day. It felt so good running after the suspect, then slapping the cuffs on him, finally interrogating him. I missed my old self, not that I regret Johanna, it's just I like running in my heels again.

"Beckett, how did you lose the baby weight that fast?" Ryan asked.

"Why?"

"Jenny takes a long time losing just a bit of that weight, and I have daddy weight too you know?"

"Well I ran on the treadmill Castle put in the loft everyday, then I snuck in here and wrestled Esposito, having sneaking Johanna in so I can keep an eye on her."

"You wrestled Javi and you didn't ask me to join?"

"I thought you didn't wanna wrestle! You hate wrestling!" I said.

"Well I enjoy seeing you kicking Javi's ass," Ryan shrugged.

"Hey!" Esposito protested.

"Well Esposito you have to admit, I did kick your ass most of the time."

"But did you go on a diet?"

"Nope, you know I exercise a lot, I don't have a problem with eating."

"I'll get Jenny to run," Ryan said.

"Okay, case closed, I have to go home to check on Johanna, I haven't seen her in eight hours. See ya," I said as I left the bullpen.

I drove home and entered the loft, Castle was making dinner while Holly and Alexis were entertaining Johanna on her play mat.

"Beckett!"

"Kate!"

"Hey guys," I said as I took of my coat and dumped it on the couch.

"How was work?"

"Awesome, we had a case, I loved doing everything, chasing down the suspect and interrogating him."

Johanna squealed on the play mat, I smiled and picked her up.

"Hey Jo, did you miss Mommy?" I said in my baby voice.

"I'm sure she did," Castle said from the kitchen.

Johanna squealed again.

"Castle! Did you get any writing done?" I asked.

"Not today, why?"

"Gina called today, she said if you don't give her the manuscript in the next two weeks, she's prepared to come down here and murder you herself," I said.

Gina did call today, and we joked around about Castle for a bit like what I did with Meredith.

"Well if I get murdered you can just arrest Gina, she already admitted to killing me," Castle joked.

"Did I miss any firsts?" I asked, changing the subject.

All three of them shook their heads.

"Good, I won't want to miss any of her firsts."

I don't know if I wanted I go back to work the next day, I loved work but I loved Johanna, I should get Castle to bring her in someday.