Hey guys :)

So this is my first try at a Castle fanfic, it's an intense moment, so I'm not too sure how it worked out. Tell me what you think.

Disclaimer for the song: Make it right by Jonas Brothers


Make it right

Stay with me, Kate.

I love you, Kate.

Even if he had whispered his words, it sure had felt like he was shouting them right into her ear. Words, that should usually make a woman all excited and joyful, in this particular case almost giddy, since happened to be Richard Castle, who had said them, but honestly, they were making her just utterly nervous, almost nauseous.

How the hell was she ever going to live up his expectations in the department of relationships?

He had been completely right when he had accused her of hiding behind her mother's case and boyfriends she honestly didn't give a damn about.

She knew that even if he had come back to work, he hadn't complete forgiven her and she accepted that, since she deserved it.

Seriously, she wouldn't have blamed him if he never spoke with her again.

Because she had lied – right into his face.

You say you'll know when you really find the one
But it's hard to tell with the damage that's been done
But I'd like to say that it's your fault
But I know better
Cuz' I'm a fool to think you'll wait around forever

It started to rain a little harder outside and she unconsciously stroked over her scar, like she always did when it began to hurt.

She thought back to her little confession on the swings. Did he understand her implication? That she wasn't going to start anything with him until her mother's case was solved? She liked to think so, but on the other hand, who was she kidding? He wasn't going to sit and wait around forever. Maybe they were never going to solve the case.

No, she shook her head, she shouldn't think like that. They would solve it eventually. And that was the most important thing. Everything had to happen in their right order.

And there were so many things that weren't right. Things, she really had to correct.

For once, Lanie. She knew that her friend was really mad at her and she wasn't like Castle, who would stay away. If she was honest, she was wondering, why her friend wasn't already here, making her life a living hell.

Like on clue, there was a sharp knock on her door, the kind of knock only a really pissed friend would make.

Sighing, Kate stood up and braced herself for her upcoming fight with the ME.

Wordlessly, she opened the door and stood aside to let her friend in and at least, shut the door before the screaming would begin.

Lanie surprised her by not even starting to shout. She sat down on the couch, putting the scotch she had brought on the table and looked at her friend expectantly.

"I can't, I'm still taking painkillers."

"I don't give a damn. Obviously I need to get you drunk to talk honestly with me – or at all as it seems."

Rubbing her temples, Kate headed over to her kitchen and took to shot glasses out and moved back to sit next to her friend.

"Alright", she said sighing, "you want to scream at me first or am I allowed to apologize instantly, so when can skip the screaming part?"

Lanie, pouring them both a shot, shrugged. "I'm not going to shout at you nor is it necessarily for you to apologize, because the damage is done anyways."

They both drank and silence fell over them.

Kate felt guilty again and a part of her regretted the fact that she had pretty much ignored her best friend for three months as well, but she had her reasons.

"I knew you would make talk to him and I just couldn't," she said quietly.

"I don't know if you realized that by now, but, Kate, it's not just you who got really hurt here."

"I know you're mad, Lanie, but-"

"But nothing," the ME interrupted heatedly, "I'm mad, alright, we got that covered and I'm so going to kick your ass about that, but that's not why I came here tonight."

Partly nervous, partly confused, Kate looked at her. "Why then?"

"Because it's not right what you did and you need to realize that. You hurt him, Kate, and to top that, you hurt him intentionally."

Indignantly, Kate started to speak up. "I did not-"

"Of course you did!", for the first time that night, Lanie's voice got louder.
"You did and you know that. You heard him and you remembered what he said and because you were terrified, you selfishly lied into his face. And that's not okay, alright? You can make him mad, make him jealous, make him absolutely furious, but hurting him intentionally – that's not okay. But that's what you did and I want to ask you what you plan on doing about that."

Kate felt her stomach drop. Knowing those things herself was one thing. This way nobody knew about it, it was her secret. But hearing somebody rubbing it right into her face, saying that it was literally her fault and making her face the truth so clearly, was hard and emotionally disturbing and she really didn't need that right now.

"We talked about it, okay?", she said defensively, "I told him I couldn't start a relationship until my mother's case was solved."

"Oh great," Lanie answered sarcastically, "and what do you think is going to happen until then? Castle, staying by your side and waiting until the day finally comes? What if you're never going to solve this? What if her killer is a really big fish and you're never gonna get your closure? Or worse, what if they decide to hurt Castle instead of you, because obviously, shooting you, attempting to kill you, didn't teach you anything? Seriously, Kate, I really thought you cared more about him and yourself than that."

That's when Kate finally started to cry.

I didn't know how good you were for me,
Now it's clear,
I'm seeing all that we could be.
And I know that it's my fault
But I'm gonna treat you better,
Cause if I had one wish,
You'd be with me forever

It had taken her a while to calm down, but when she finally did, Lanie gave her second glass of scotch.

"I can't just walk away, Lanie. I can't. This case, my mother's case, has formed my whole life. I can't just…throw that away. I don't know who I am without it." Maybe because she sounded so lost, Lanie finally showed a sign of her softer side and took Kate's hand.

"Nobody expects you to throw it away and act like nothing ever happened. But you can't let this case rule your life. It has been going on for way too long already.

Castle is exactly right for you. He loves you, hell, he would've taken the bullet for you if he had been fast enough, and you love him back.

All he wants is to be with you and to take a step back, let somebody else take the lead in this case. And give it time.

And I think, after all he's been through with you, he deserves that, don't you think?"

Sniffing, Kate rubbed self-consciously over her scar again. "Do you think he still…I mean, I hurt him so bad, didn't I?"

"I think it's safe to say he's in for the long haul. He's not giving up, just because you hurt him. But he might if he got the impression you didn't care about him at all."

Maybe I Could have loved you
Maybe I could have shown
That I still do care about you
More than you could know
Don't say it's too late to try
To make it right

"So maybe…you should be, you know, a little more forthcoming when he's taking his baby steps towards you." At that, the ME smiled slightly.

Kate nodded carefully, and then she threw herself into her friend's arms.

"I'm sorry I didn't talk to you. I'm sorry for being such a poor friend, Lanie."

Lanie smiled and stroked her friend's back. "It's okay, girl. I'm just glad you're alright and safely back. And this thing about Castle-"

"I'm working on it, I promise. Really soon, I'm gonna try everything to make him as happy as he deserves to be."

"Yeah, it's gonna be alright. You're gonna make it right."