I've decided to try something a little different. This chapter will be from Rick's POV. I hope you don't find errors in my tenses, I've gone back over it several times, and think I caught them all. I hope you enjoy the story.

Chapter 1- Sharing
Castle's POV

The case has just wrapped up and Kate is in one of her quiet reflective moods, one of my favorite moods of hers. These are the times when she lets me in, little by little.

"Hey, why don't we grab lunch at Remy's, my treat?"

"Sure, Castle." She puts on her coat and wraps a scarf around her neck. It will be a short walk but December in New York is cold, and today is no exception.

I can't help but notice the silence that has fallen over us as we walk. So often we can walk in a comfortable silence, but today it just seems tense. I see how she has been chewing her lip a lot today, something she reserves for when her nerves are at their worst. I just don't get the feeling that this is from the case. It was a fairly cut and dry case, well as cut and dry as a murder case can be. I've got to do something to break this silence.

"What a case! I knew the husband did it all along."

"Yeah, suuurrree you did Castle! I seem to recall a certain writer stating that he was absolutely certain that it had been the creepy neighbor."

"Can you really blame me for that? That guy was super creepy!"

"Touché," she replies, lightly bumping into me. For so long, she has avoided any physical contact, but lately she seems to casually touch me off and on throughout the day. Not that I'm complaining, any touch from her is more than welcome.

It sure is busy at Remy's today. That's not too surprising; it is one of the best places in this area to grab a burger. I just hope we can find a decent seat.

After ordering our burgers, Kate rushes ahead toward the dining area, she must see a spot.

"This ok?"

"Yeah, glad you spotted it; this place is a mad house today." We both sit and start to eat and she seems nervous. I have no idea why she would be nervous. We've eaten here more times than I can count. Maybe I'm just over thinking everything. "So, how are you, Kate? I mean, how are you really?"

"I'm fine Castle," she says between bites.

"MmmmHmmmm." I give her a look of disbelief; when Kate says she's fine, she's rarely fine.

"Ok, let's just say I am still working through things, but I'm in a better place than I was." I'll leave it at that for a now. As we continue to eat, I can tell that she is lost in her own world. She is such an enigma.

I continue to watch her as she eats. I know she is lost in "Kateland" because she just reached for a fry, and they are gone. Her mistake brings her back to reality.

"I've been really worried about you Kate." Since the sniper case doesn't need to be said, she knows what I'm talking about. She has been so sullen since that case. She has changed since then, she seems slightly softer around the edges. It just seems like she is holding back from me a little more than normal.

She takes a deep breath and looks at me. Oh those eyes, they tell such a story. She may be a mystery but those eyes often reveal more than she realizes. I love those eyes; I could stare into her eyes all day.

"Castle, I..." She trailed off, clearly wanting to say something but not having the right words. I know how to play this out. Sit, give her time and space, it would come. "Are you busy this afternoon?"

Ok, that was unexpected. "No, not really, just planning to be at the precinct," with you. We always let far too much go unsaid.

"I have an appointment in a few minutes, I would...I mean...if you wanted to, I was thinking you could come with me?"

"Sure, what kind of an appointment?" This was odd and new. I don't know that she has ever invited me to an 'appointment' of any kind before. She grabs her coat and stands, ready to leave, so I follow.

"With my therapist."

Oh, yes she told me that she was still doing physical therapy to regain her strength. "Ah, ok."

As we reach the building she starts to open her purse for money. I know she hates when I do this, but oh well. She will have to just get used to it. I cover her hand with my left hand as I dig out my wallet with my right. Then before she can object, I hand the driver the fare. I get a glare, but she doesn't say anything.

As we enter the office, I take notice of the plaque beside the door: Dr. Carter Burke, PsyD. This isn't a physical therapist, he's a psychologist. I follow her into the office and sit in the waiting area as she checks in. I can't believe she has asked me to come with her. I'm completely speechless. She is watching me now, those green eyes boring into me, no doubt trying to gage my reaction, but I can't react. My mind is blown with the implications of this. Maybe I should settle down. She probably just wants me to wait for her and do something after.

"Do you still want to stay?" She asks me as she sits across from me.

"If you want me to," hell yes I want to stay, is what I would like to say. Things like that only serve to drive her away.

I have got to get a handle on myself. The clock on the wall shows 1:57, so I bet she has a 2:00 appointment. I'm not so sure about this. This seems so...

"Ah, Kate, please, come in." I look up to see what I can only assume is her therapist. I remain rooted to my seat.

"Rick, are you coming?" She's standing there looking at me with curious eyes.

I guess she really does want me to come back with her. Ok, I can do this, just have to be smooth. Oh my God Kate Beckett has asked me to join her at therapy, my mind is screaming at me.

"Dr. Burke, this is Rick Castle. Castle, Dr. Burke." I shake the man's hand.

"Yes, Rick, Kate has mentioned you."

Seriously? Kate has talked about me to her therapist? Well of course she has, I mean we are partners.

Kate walks over and sits down in one of the leather chairs.

"Mr. Castle, please take that chair, I will pull this one over." He said indicating his office chair. "So, Kate, I see you have decided to bring Rick along this week."

"Yeah, I thought maybe it was time." I feel completely lost. It certainly seems as though they are both in the know. She turns to look at me, a slight smile to her face. "Castle, I know you've been wondering why I brought you here." I nod and she continues. "I started seeing Dr. Burke after my shooting, and I've been coming back since. I've really been trying to work through things. Things with my shooting, things with my mom..." she pauses. "Things with you."

"Oh." Really? I'm an idiot! I'm a writer for God's sake and the most I can come up with is 'oh'.

"Do you remember when we sat on the swings and I told you that I needed to bring the wall inside of me down?"

How can I forget that conversation? "Yes, I remember."

"That's what I've been trying to do. I am hoping you could help me with that."

"Of course."

"Rick, I had mentioned to Kate a while back that there would come a time when she ought to invite you to come. Now Kate, what made you decide that today was the right time to invite Rick?"

"I'm not sure, I guess it just felt right."

"Is there something in particular you want to tell him?"

There she goes chewing that lip again. What is eating at her?

"Ok, let's start with this." Dr. Burke must realize that she isn't going to be able to answer the question just yet and he continues. "You guys are partners?"

We both nod in agreement.

"Kate, what does that mean to you, what is a partner? What role does Rick have in your life?"

"It means that he's there for me."
"No matter what," I interject.

"He listens. He knows when to push, and when to back off. He's always got my back. Sometimes I think he knows me better than I know myself."

"And Rick? What about you?"

"It means that I have someone to walk beside. Someone to care for, someone to bring coffee to," I see her face light up with a smile. I turn to face her, and while I continue to answer Dr. Burke's question, I want her to see the truth in my eyes. "Kate is the most amazing woman I have ever met and..." Do I say it? "And I can't imagine my life without her." It's not the right time to say it yet, but she knows, she has to know, right?

"Rick, I lied." Did she just call me Rick? She never calls me Rick.

"About what?"

"I do remember, I remember the shooting. I remember every horrific detail, and I remember your words."

Dr. Burke is looking at me, as is Kate. It feels like all of the oxygen has been sucked out of the room. I feel like I have been hit with a sledge hammer. I'm staring at her with so many emotions firing inside. Anger, hurt, love, hate, they are all coursing through my veins. I need to hold it together, but it is taking every ounce of willpower not to break down.

"Why?" It's all I can manage; can she see the unshed tears in my eyes?

"I was scared; I didn't know how to handle it, so instead I avoided it. It has been eating away at me for months. I couldn't say it back, so it was easier to pretend I hadn't heard."

Just when I thought it couldn't get worse, it has. She can't say it back, she doesn't feel it back. Then why in the hell did she bring me here?

"Rick, I...I just..." Her voice trails off.

"Rick?" Dr. Burke asks.

"I don't know what to say, Kate. I watched you die Kate. I stared into your eyes and watched the life drain from them praying to God that you had heard my words. I had wanted to say them so many times, but you were Josh's. But in that moment, what I thought was your final moment, our final moment, I didn't care that you were his."

"Rick, I was never his, do you hear me, never? I know you know that. That night at my place...you were right. You were right about all of it. I do hide in my mother's case, I do hide in relationships with men I don't love, and I'm not happy, but I want to be."

"Kate," the sound of Dr. Burke's voice is startling. I had forgotten he was even there. "What will it take for you to be happy?"

"I don't know exactly. All I know is that I won't be happy without you, Rick."

Am I really hearing all of this? Is this really happening? This is turning into the most emotionally draining hour ever. "You deserve to be happy, Kate."

"Look, I may never find my mother's killer and even if I do, it's not going to resolve things. Like you said, Dr. Burke, I have to make peace with it and I am trying to do just that. I want to be more than who I am, and Rick, I want us to be more than what we are."

I stand, take her hand and pull her into me. I hug her, burying my face into her hair, tears flooding my eyes. We hold each other for what seems like an eternity, yet not nearly long enough. She pulls away.

"I guess I will see you in a week Dr. Burke." She says, clearly intent on leaving, even though our hour isn't up.

"It was nice to meet you Rick. If you would like to start coming together, I think it could help move things along." He says mainly to Kate. She nods her acknowledgement. "One last thing. May I suggest you taking some time to really work through things together? Kate maybe you could even take some time off for a couple of days. I may be overstepping my bounds, but having heard about your partnership, and having witnessed what I saw, you guys really have something, don't put off dealing with this together."

"Thank you Dr. Burke," I say as we leave the office.

I hope the POV thing worked like I wanted it to. Don't forget to review ;)