„ For us, there is no victory. There are only battles"

Detective Kate Beckett was never indefinite. She always knew what she want to do. She wanted to be a cop. She wanted to get that son of a bitch who killed her mother. She wanted to know every details, everything.

She solved dozens of cases, caught dozens of bad guys. Only one could get away.

„Rick Castle was there. He was there for her, on the ground, in the cemetry.

- Kate… sshhhh… please don't leave me. Kate, stay with me.

There was so much blood.

- Kate, I love you – he said.

And she closed her eyes."

Just an hour slipped away since they had arrived but for the team it was much longer time.

Castle tried to send her daughter home, but she stayed. Just like Martha. Both of them worried about Kate as much as the others did. Montgomery's death brought them closer so it was literally natural that everyone sat in the hospital's corridor.

There was silence as they waited. Esposito sat next to Lanie, he rest his arm on the woman's shoulder, fondle it over and over again. He knew how much Kate and Lanie were close to each other, so knew how hard it was for her

Ryan was walking up and down and squeezed a coffee. Since Montgomery's death they were so confused and now this. Jenny was the one who made him stronger. She was sitting now on a chair, Ryan sat next to her. They hugged each other, Jenny laid her head on his shoulder and as Castle watched them… He felt the same thing what he felt inside that storage container.

Jim Beckett was by his side. He said thank you to him for staying with Kate.

Castle's funny face disappeared, only worry left. And he felt guilty. If he moved just one second earlier, Kate wouldn't be…

He knew that it was not his fault but he thought different.

- Anyone here for Detective Beckett? – a doctor showed up, Jim immediately stood up.

- Yes, I'm her father? How is she?

- Well, she pulled through the operation but you know how dangerous this kind of injury. The next 24 hours will be critical but I think she's out of the woods.

Loud sighs could be noticed from the background.

- Can we see her?

- Yes but she needs rest. Don't make it too long.

Jim followed the doctor but turned back.

- Rick, I would like you to come.

Castle just stood there but moved a moment later and followed Jim. The doctor reached the room.

- Try to talk to her. Maybe that will help – and he left.

Jim took a deep breath when he stepped inside and saw her daughter. Smooth beeping filled in the room. Antiseptics smelled through the air. Castle went closer, the only thing what scared him was Beckett's pale face.

- I knew I'll be here once.

- What do you mean? – asked Castle.

- Here. Some hospital room where my daughter is fighting for her life.

- Kate is strong – said Castle – she'll survive this.

- You know – started the older Beckett – when she was a kid, Katie always played with the boys. She played football, played with little cars. She never got any babies for Christmas.

Castle smiled and he tried to picture Beckett as a little girl

- I think her mother's love made her the woman who she is now. A strong detective.

Jesus, I've never thought that some day she will be a cop. But after her mother died. everything changed.

Jim Beckett sighed.

- You're a dad. You know how protecting are we.

- Yes. I worry about Alexis every second.

- But you'll have to let her go. And for a dad, this is the hardest thing.

- I know and I'm scared.

Jim turned to Kate and sat down.

- Katie – his voice was shaking but he continued – my little daughter. It's Daddy. You have to be strong, honey. Somehow I took your mother's death but I can't lose you.

Katie, I need you to fight.

Few days earlier they were all together. They were all happy. Montgomery celebrated his 30th wedding anniversary. Lanie and Esposito finally revealed their relationship as a couple. Ryan and Jenny settled their wedding day. Beckett was about to spend the weekend with Josh, Castle would be with her daughter and Martha. But it was ruined in one hell of a second.

- I just can't believe this – sighed Lanie. Esposito and Ryan were with her, they were in the hospital's waiting room.

- She's a fighter. Gonna make it – said Ryan immediately.

- How can you be so sure?

- Because I know her. So as you, Lanie.

- I just… I can't lose her. We can't. We already lost Montgomery.

- Lanie, she's gonna make it – Esposito hugged her.

- What are we gonna do?

- We have to find the guy who did this – said Esposito.

- Absolutely – nodded Ryan – we can't waste any time or he'll escape.

- Where do you wanna start?

- In the cemetry. Maybe he left some prints or something.

- You want to leave? – asked Lanie in disbelief.

- We can't do anything here but we can catch the guy who shot her.

- I can't leave.

- No problem, just inform us if anything changes.

- Sure And guys just be careful, okay. If anything happens to you – Lanie started to cry.

- It's okay. You won't lose us – said Javier – let's go.

The scene of the shooting was railed off with a yellow tape. When the detectives have arrived memories came back about the shooting.

„ – Captain Montgomery once said to me that for us there is no victory. There are only battles. And in the end the best you can hope for is to find a place to make your stand. And if you're very lucky, you find someone willing to stand with you…

The team listened Beckett's eulogy with sadness in their heart. They all knew that the Captain's death will change everything.

They were all there when the shot rang…"

- Hey, Ryan. Are you okay? – asked Esposito when he saw his partners face.

- Yeah – Ryan went closer and saw the blood's trace on the ground. He took a deep breath.

- You sure, bro?

- Yeah, just… Man, this case. I mean we have already caught so many bastards but this. What if we are mess up.

- We won't, Ryan.

- I don't know…

- Come one, Kevin. What do you want? Give up? Let him walk away? – Javier was getting upset. He needed someone. Someone who understands him.

Ryan just stood there for a moment, knew that Esposito was right.

- Give up? Never.

- Now that's the Kevin Ryan I'm looking for. So, let's get him. We have to do that for Montgomery. For Beckett.

Ryan nodded.

- I thought a lot about this case

- So am I.

- But one thing still bugs me. The guy shot Kate and no one else. Why just her? He could easily kill all of us with a bomb or something else.

- She was the primary target. Whoever shot her, definitely has some connetcion to Johanna Beckett's murder.

- Montgomery was the only one who knew who killed Beckett's mother. He said to Kate that she died because of the events on that night 19 years ago. They killed an FBI agent. Pulgatti was put into jail but seven years later Johanna Beckett wanted to reexamine his case. So they killed her.

- Yes. Montgomery also said something about the guy who figured out what happened and wanted money to keep it secret. And this guy hired Dick Coonan to kill Johanna Beckett.

- And he also hired Lockwood to take Raglan and McCallister out. Montgomery was the last living person who knew what happened. Lockwood knew that Kate's investigation can lead us to his boss. So he wanted her dead.

- But Montgomery killed him before he could do anything. Lockwood is dead and our mystery bastard know that Beckett will keep digging until she find something. So when we are least except it, he strikes. Castle said that the shooter was there – Ryan followed Javier.

- It's a pretty long distance. This guy is a pro.

- He is. But so we are.