Castle's partner

Necklace

I fall asleep almost as my head hits the pillow, and have no nightmares.

I don't hear my alarm, and when I finally do wake up it's nine.

Like a zombie I start my morning routine, changing and putting on my necklace....

Where is it?

I search frantically for it, turning my room upside down.

I knock everything off my desk creating a loud crash.

Moments later Ryan comes running in.

"What happened? Are you ok?"

"I can't find my necklace!"

"Relax ok we'll find it."

"No you don't understand!"

I keep looking, my hands fumbling over every object.

Upon seeing my desperation, he grabs my wrists and takes me in his arms.

It takes all of my willpower to not burst into tears, but I feel them brimming.

I pull away from him.

"Ok what does it look like?"

"It's a nickel. On a chain."

"That's it?"

"Yes!"

"Ok. Samantha I don't think it's here, and I don't know if we will find it. It could be anywhere."

"I need it! I will find it!"

He gives me a look of bewilderment.

"What's so important about it anyways?"

I bite the inside of my cheek.

"It doesn't matter. I want it back though."

He sighs. "Alright. I'll call Castle and ask him to look at his place, but we have to go to the precinct."

I nod.

When we get to the precinct, I continue to poke around but cannot find it.

I'm under Beckett's desk on my hands and knees when they call my attention.

"Samantha!" Calls Beckett.

I bang my head against the underside of her desk.

"Ow."

I stand up rubbing the back of my head.

"What?"

"We found a body. Let's go."

"Let me get my jacket."

"It's summer."

"And..."

"You didn't bring one."

"Fine. Then I need water."

I walk briskly into the break room and glance around.

I peer out the window, and a black car is parked directly below it.

I vaguely make out two men sitting inside.

"Damn it Beckett!"

She walks in at that very moment.

"What'd I do?"

I drag her to the window and point to the car.

"Protective detail? Really? I don't need it! I'm fine!"

"How do you know that's protective detail? And if it was, how do you know it's for you?"

"I saw the same car parked across from Ryan's back at the apartment. They followed us. And unless Tyson is making himself really obvious, I don't think it's him!"

She crosses her arms.

"Fine. It is."

"Why?"

"I'm worried about you. I can't let anything happen to you."

"Beckett nothing's going to happen to me."

"I let them take you. And Ryan. I can't let them take you again. What if they do what they did last time? I can't watch you in that pain again. None of us can."

I scoff. "Beckett it's not your fault. There was nothing you could've done to stop it in the first place."

"I could have stopped it the first time. I knew there was something off about you. Something you weren't telling us. I couldn't figure it out. I should have been able to."

I shake my head. "That was me being untrusting. It had nothing to do with you not being able to figure it out."

She peers at me, like she's searching for the truth.

"What if I can't take care of you? What if I screw that up too?"

I open my mouth, but close it again. I struggle to find the right words.

"You have taken care of me Beckett. Without you I would still be living on the streets. Actually, I'd be dead. Beckett I believe you can do anything."

"Really?"

I nod.

The corners of her mouth turn upward into a smile.

"Let's go."

The scene is really close to here, a few blocks.

Lanie is already there.

"Hey. We've got a fresh one. Based on lividity and body temp I say he died about an hour ago."

"Ok. What's the COD?"

"Not sure yet. I have to get him back to the lab."

I raise my hand ever so slightly.

"May I?"

Lanie squints at me.

"Ok let's see what you've got."

I smile and clear my throat.

"Wait! Ten bucks says she's right." Says Ryan to Espo.

"Yeah right, cuz she's going to know from getting here thirty seconds ago." Says Espo. "You're on."

They shake hands.

"You're betting on me? Really?"

They shrug.

"Ooo-kaay. As I was saying, he was poisoned. There's a needle mark in the crook of his arm, but he's not a druggie. And I've never seen a first timer overdose, so it wasn't drugs. The wound on the back of his head hurt, but it wasn't lethal. He fought back, whoever killed him was stronger and bigger. There are defensive wounds on his forearm and skin particles under his fingernails.  When the poison hit his system he fell and hit his head, thus the blunt force trauma. The needle was inserted at a twenty degree angle from the top of his arm, meaning his attacker was at least six feet tall. The poison is fast acting, because he didn't have time to even call for help or go to a hospital. That's also why the defensive wounds happened not long before his death."

I cross my arms over my chest and smirk.

"Damn. Yeah I lost, here you go Ryan."

Espo pulls a ten from his wallet and hands it to him.

"I think we just witnessed magic," whispers Ryan as he takes the money from Espo.