A/N This story was inspired by a sad event that happened this week. The story was also inspired by a lyric from the song True colours by Cyndi Lauper. You don't have to listen or know the song to enjoy the story. This is based before the events of the season finale always. So on with the story...

I see your true colours shinning through and that's why I love you.

This case had hit them all hard, especially Beckett. A young girl (Sasha) had lost her mother to a mindless thug who had killed her just for her purse. He had shot her in the chest and left her to bleed out in the street, all for a couple of dollars. The girl who was 7 would never talk to, be hugged by or simply smiled at by her mother again. A selfish and reckless decision by one man had changed that girl's life for ever. The dad wasn't in the picture anymore and the grandparent's weren't able to care for her due to age and frailty. The mother had been a only child so the little girl had no one to care for her and she had to enter the care system. Her whole life uprooted and shook around in just one day. The hardest part of the case wasn't catching the shooter, he didn't exactly make it that hard, he still had the gun on him at his arrest. No the hardest part was being the ones who had to tell the little girl, that her mother had gone to heaven to be with the other angels.

Beckett had wanted to do it alone but I wouldn't let her. I needed to be there to support her as well as Sasha. We introduced ourselves and directed her towards the side of the of the prescient. We sat her down in the break room on the couch, Beckett sat next to her and I pulled up a chair in front. Sasha although nervous for having being bought into a police station was relatively calm for a girl her age. I watched as Beckett took a deep breath and turned to face the girl. She started with a simple question.

"Sasha do you know why you are here with Mr Castle and Myself?"

The girl's eyes lit up as she answered.

"Yes because mummy forgot to pick me up from school so she got the police too and she will be here to get me in a bit. She has to work long hours to have enough money to look after us both."

This was going to be harder than I had ever imagined, it was devastating enough telling adults the horrendous news. Let alone a 7 year old who though her mother was coming to get her at any moment. I exchanged a quick locking of eyes with Beckett. I could see the emotion behind her green orbs was building fast.

"Sasha I'm afraid I have some sad news for you, Do you know what sad news is?"

"It is something I don't think I'm going to like."

This made me nearly chuckle, I give her, her due for her age she was pretty smart and witty.

"That is right I'm sorry to say."

The smile on the girl's face dropped and tears began to found in the corners of her eyes.

"Mummy isn't coming to get me is she?"

The tears escaped and rolled down her rosy cheeks then on her shirt. Beckett moves closer and rests her hand over one of Sasha's one.

"No I'm sorry sweetie your mummy has gone to be with the angels in heaven."

Sasha begins to sob and the noise breaks my heart into a million pieces. I have to fight back the tears and it appears so does Beckett as Sasha turns and buries her head into the crevice of her shoulder. Her arms instinctively come up and wrap around the small frame that is now clingy to her. Sasha's body is shaking with every sob, her breathing is becoming shallow. I can't just sit her and watch this. I stand up from the chair and sit in the small space that Sasha has left. I place my left hand on Beckett knee in a show of support and I place my right hand gently on Sasha's back and create small circles with my thumb to comfort her. I am lost at what to say to make it better, I'm a writer I should have some amazing sentences but I am blank. I have never had to deal with a child losing a parent before.

"I know that it seems hard now but it gets better Sasha I promise. She will always be there with you, in your heart and in your mind. You will learn to put the sad times behind you, and you will think about all the good times you had together."

Beckett is able to relate to this girl she may have been older when she lost her mother, but the sense of loss is no different. A tear escapes and she quickly brushes it away like it never happened. I go to ask if she is okay but in just one look she tells me to leave it. So I do over the years I have learnt when I can push for answers and when I can't. This is one of the times where it is better left unsaid than said at all.

"You promise?"

A muffled soft voice speaks out again Beckett's shirt. Sasha lifts her head slightly and looks up at Beckett with her tear filled eyes.

"Yes I promise sweetie and if you ever need to talk to someone you can talk to me okay. I'll give you my number and anytime of day whether it be light outside or dark you can ring me okay."

Sasha nods her head and places it back on Beckett's shoulder. We go on to explain what will happen to her now and that she is going to stay with a nice family. She seems to take in whether she wants to understand it is something completely different. A few minutes later after the crying dies down we hear her breathing even out and on checking find her to be asleep. We sit in silence trying not to wake her up and not knowing what to say. We exchange eye contact and that is enough. My hand is still resting on Beckett's knee, I gently caress it with my thumb.

Fifteen minutes pass without any words being said, I release my hold and stand up to make us both a cup of coffee. I look back and see that Beckett is still holding that little girl like the world is about to end. Just as I pour in the milk to both our mugs there is a soft knock at the break room door. Knowing Beckett is unable to stand up I turn to open it. On the other side I find Ryan standing with a lady who looks to be in her mid 40's with wavy brown hair, wearing a smart suit with a handbag hanging from her shoulder.

"Castle this is Mrs Andrews, she is the social worker who has come to take Sasha to her foster family."

With that Ryan turns and leaves most probably heading back to his desk to finish his paperwork on the case. I step forward and present my right hand to the lady in front of me.

" Nice to meet you Mrs Andrews as Ryan said I am Mr castle and this is my partner Detective Beckett. Please come in."

Beckett says hello and tries to wake up Sasha who is still out for the count the day's events having worn her out. Slowly she begins to stir, her eyes fluttering open.

" Sasha this nice lady is here to take to you to that family that we were talking about earlier, do you remember?"

She lifts her head and nods. She pushes her self up from Beckett and stands up. Mrs Andrews bends down to her level and introduces herself before putting her hand out for Sasha to hold. Sasha turns and pulls me into a quick hug before doing the same to Beckett. Beckett gives her one of her business cards and reminds her that she can call whenever. Sasha takes the hand of the social worker and just before they go out the door I hear her say…..

" Thank you Detective Beckett and Mr Castle."

I say my goodbye, I am shocked at the resilience of children. They seem able to cope with any turn of events. I close the door and turn back to face Beckett. She is sitting with her head in her hands and I can hear her sniffling. I close all of the blinds knowing Kate doesn't want anyone to see her cry, I should probably leave to but I can't will myself to go. Instead I stand her waiting for Kate to kick me out.

" She is just 7 castle, she has to grow up through some of the most important parts of her life without her mother. Going to big school, her first period, her first crush, her first boyfriend. I had my mother for all of those, they are a major part of a girl life. It was hard losing my mother at 19 not 7 why is life so cruel."

I sit down on the couch next to her and place my hand on her back. She leans into me slightly as I say…

" I don't know Kate I wish I could give you all the answers, I wish I could bring your mother back and bring hers back but I can't. However much I will it to happen, it won't. Alexis mother was never around but that is her choice I can't imagine if it hadn't of been. Sasha is young, she will grieve and then she will move on and live her life. She won't ever forget her mother though just as you haven't forgotten yours. She will grow into a beautiful woman, one that her mother would have been proud of. Just as I know your mother is proud of how beautiful and strong minded you have become."

Kate now has her head leaning completely on my shoulder as tears cascade down her face. I wrap the arm that was on her back around her waist and wipe away some of the tears with my other thumb.

" Thank you Castle"

"Always."

We stay in this position for a couple of minutes before she lifts her head, takes a deep breath and wipes away the tears. I release my hold as she stands, gives me a sincere smile and head back out into the bullpen. I know that we probably won't ever talk about this moment again. That is one of our things not discussing emotions but I know that she appreciates it all the same. I decide to remake the two coffees and I head out into the bullpen to watch her do paperwork like nothing has happened. In my heart, a memory of this day when Kate let me knock down part of that wall she has inside ,will remain etched onto it forever.

A/N I hope that reading it didn't make you to sad. It made cry while writing it. Please leave a review if you can I love to read your opinions.