A/N - My take on what may happen in 3x06.

Richie woke up to a searing pain that not only enflamed his body but seemed to have fused into his very soul. It ripped him apart from the inside as he lay writhing on the floor, screaming out in agony, begging for relief.

No one answered his desperate pleas for help.

Eventually the sharp, piercing hurt shifted to a throbbing ache.

As the minutes trickled down, he grew restless and started surveying the surroundings. The room was straight out of a horror movie set, perfect replica of a loony bin. Hell, maybe it really was that. Kate's face – no, not Kate – Amaru's image flashed through his brain. Her touch had unleashed that horrible, devastating pain within him and all he could think about were her last words to him. "I hope you burn in hell." He shook his head, pushing the thought away, stood up and walked to the door. It was shut tight, and no amount of vampire strength he exerted made it budge.

He started banging on the walls, checking for structural weaknesses within them - anything that would help him get out. Nothing. "Anyone here?" No answer.

He was practically jumping out of his skin, getting more desperate by the second, when the door unlocked from the other side. Amaru walked in with a purposeful gait, wearing the body and face of the woman who haunted his dreams, and stopped a few feet away. As she stared him down, he noted the fleeting show of disdain and curiosity on her face. "Like what you see?" he taunted.

Her eyebrows furrowed together in surprise. "You dare to speak to me in that tone?"

His lips twisted into a cruel sneer. "I dare hell of a lot more. Just come closer."

It was her turn to give him a mocking smile. She may have looked exactly like Kate but she didn't sound like his girl at all. "That's not entirely true, is it? You had your chance to shoot me, but you didn't."

"Momentary lapse of judgement."

"You love her."

"You're full of shit."

"You humans are so strange." She drew towards him. "Full of passion and unique fixations."

"I'm a culebra," he reminded her, closing the distance between them.

"An unfortunate fact."

She may have been the Queen of hell but he was still taller than her, and he used his height to intimidate her. Unfortunately, she didn't seem to react or cower. Instead, peering up at him intently, her fingers ran through his hair, caressing gently down his face.

His heart ached at the familiar touch.

She held him spellbound; he was powerless to look away, to fight. Her lips closed over his, soft and tender, bringing back memories of that fateful night when he'd kissed Kate for the first time. Except this wasn't Kate. This was a goddamn imposter. His hands clutched her hair from behind, intending to pull her away but her fingers dug into his neck, refusing to ease her grip. A quick, fluid gesture landed him in charge, and he trapped her between his body and against the wall. Gripping her hands, he forced himself to look at her, to see her. She wasn't Kate, his Kate. She was a fucking pale imitation of the woman he-

"Richie?"

Her eyes brimmed with fear, and her voice - it was Kate's voice.

He steeled himself. This was probably a ploy on Amaru's part to trick him, but he couldn't stop himself from reaching out to Kate when he noticed the vulnerability in her gaze. "It's really you, isn't it?" Easing his grip, he took a step back.

"She's getting stronger," Kate whispered. "I can't stop her, Richie."

"I can." Trepidation and guilt coursed through him as he reached for her hand. He set the motion in events that led to them being here, and yet he was still desperate for her touch. "I'll do whatever it takes to set you free."

She squeezed his fingers, and he could feel her fear, her love, even hope - everything that made Kate who she was.

"She's not immortal. She can still be killed."

Anger surged through him as he realized immediately what she meant. "No."

"It might be the only way."

"No," he repeated. "It's not. It can't be."

"What if it is?"

He met her gaze directly. "Do you trust me?" It pained him to see her hesitate, not that he could blame her. "I won't let you get hurt again."

The amulet around her neck came alive, shining brightly. "If the only way to protect Scott and everyone else is to get rid of me, then... do it. Please."

He tried to pull away, put some distance between them but she caught his arm, her teary gaze pleading with him. "Don't ask this of me, Kate. I can't."

"You're the only one who's strong enough. You're my only hope."

"I can't," he insisted, shaking his head. His body shook violently as she took his hands and wrapped it around her neck. "Please don't do this, Kate. Please."

"Tell Scott I love him." Tears streamed down her face. "And tell Seth that... he was a great partner."

"Fuck you!" Richie raged.

"Tell Ranger Gonzales I'm sorry for what I did. And Richie, I..." She tucked her finger under his chin. "Try to be happy."

"That's all you have to say to me?"

"I wish... things could have been different with us."

He kissed her with all the pent-up emotions that were buried deep down, urgent and desperate, and she returned the gesture, clinging to him.

He felt it the instant Amaru took over, like the life had drained out of Kate's body and in her place was something dark and ugly.

Before he could change his mind, he snapped her neck.

Richie woke up covered in sweat. His body wasn't alive anymore yet he was breathless, his heart racing a mile a minute. It took him a second to realise his hands were confined behind him, he was tied up with heavy metal, probably Xibalban.

Amaru sauntered in front of him, smiling down at him with wicked glee. "Sweet dreams?"