A/N: A short introductory to the story. Some background information: Beckett and Castle has been married for six years and have a daughter, Joanna (Four) and a son, Raymond (Two).

Divorce probably don't work that way but please ignore real life procedures for the fic haha!

This story is inspired by a cheesy chinese divorce ad. Enjoy!

…..

Prologue

December 19 2020

Kate Beckett often wonders how their marriage would end up like this-unnervingly silent. They barely talked. Their days are filled with fussing over their children and trying to avoid unnecessary conversation with each other. She leaves for the precinct in the morning, he takes care of the children and writes. She comes home at night, he has dinner set up and they eat in silence. They take their turns telling their children bedtime stories, take their turns tucking them in and kissing them goodnight and retreat to their room. They sleep on the same bed yet it feels as though they are oceans apart.

Silence. That is their marriage.

She assumes that the ending of her marriage is caused by assumptions.

He assumes that she will die on them and she assumes that he understands her work, her duty.

He assumes she will be free without him and she assumes he will be happier without her.

He assumes that has stopped loving him and she assumes he has stopped loving her.

The assumptions have led to the cold silence that settled between them, building a wall none of them could break. As the days stretched into months and soon a year, the wall thickens and builds upon itself, and all they could do was watch as they drift further and further apart, until no words are left between them. She wishes she could pinpoint the exact moment their relationship started to slow down. It will be easier than, to know where she had gone wrong, where they had gone wrong.

Is this the end?

All these years? All these memories? All the time they went through together?

Their always. Is this how it goes down in flames?

Kate Beckett stares at the divorce paper in front of her. It looks vulgar, glaring back at her with disdain.

She can't… She can't let their marriage collapse like this. Not this way.

There has to be a form of closure. Every book needs an ending and so does their marriage. It needs a proper closure, not some whimper and definitely not this cold, harsh silence.

"Can I… Can I ask for something?" she whispered, finally finding her voice.

He is silent.

"Yes," he answers after a long while.

"I will sign the papers but…" She takes in a deep breath. "From tomorrow until Christmas, could you… hug me at least once a day?" she shrinks into her chair, feeling smaller than ever.

The silence fills the air once more.

"Yes."

She smiles a little, a small lift to her downturned lips.