Author's Note: First and foremost I would like to give a major thanks to a friend of mine from FB. She knows who she is. This series of ideas was hers. I take no credit except for the way the story was written, the premise of it, with Castle being there for Kate during her struggling time, was all hers. I just filled in the blanks.

She did not have the time to write it and so she let me take the reigns. I can only hope that I did her ideas justice and I am so grateful that she trusted me enough to write the story.

1.) Time

The sound of a car backfire. The sound of a police siren. The high rise buildings that surrounded her and her life in the city. The turn of the slightest corner. The sound of a chair scraping along the floor. Detective Kate Beckett hated every noise. She hated the way she had now become. It was one thing to be hyper vigilant it was another when that hyper vigilance took over your life.

She had shunned herself in, distanced herself from her colleagues and best friend. Beckett felt herself a coward. Several days ago after speaking to her therapist she knew that he was right. Beckett hated herself for admitting to it, she hated him, not that any of it was really his fault. He was merely offering suggestions. Whether she took him on that was something different all together. She had tried her best to work the sniper case, had tried to put her personal feelings aside but everywhere there was chaos, fear, reminders of her own shooting.

How was she supposed to do her job when she couldn't even keep herself together? Beckett wanted more than anything to work, to get her mind off her own problems but it was hard when the case was the problem. She had never been one to cower before. She had always been tough, able to handle her situations head on and with vengeance. Not today.

Today she felt like a scared little kid as she kept one of her hands in her pocket. It was bad enough her right hand was shaking. She didn't need her left one too. She hesitated at her captain's closed door. Beckett could feel the eyes on her, Esposito's, Ryan's, even Castle's, all of whom she had not acknowledged when she had walked in. She had to do this now before it became too much. Her hand shook as she opened the door. She closed it behind her.

Gate's back was facing Beckett looking at a file but she knew the detective had entered. She had seen the woman standing outside her doorway for a few seconds.

"Beckett," said Gates, "Where are we on our suspect? He's all ready killed again so we need to find him before more bodies surface."

"About that sir," said Beckett.

Gates turned to face her.

"I want off this case," said Beckett.

Gates glanced down at Beckett's right hand which was still shaking. Beckett made a note not to notice but placed her hand in her pocket anyways. Now she was evened out with both hands in her pockets.

"Can I ask why?"

Beckett glanced away to the window that led to part of the city. "I just don't think I'm qualified to handle this case."

"Beckett you are the most qualified detective I have on this team. If anyone can find this guy it's you."

"Why because of what happened to me!" Beckett said turning to look at Gates not intending to raise her voice but doing so regardless. "Just because I got shot does not mean I know how every psycho path operates."

Gates looked at her lead detective. After a couple of seconds she simply nodded and then said, "You haven't given yourself time to deal with your shooting have you?"

Beckett looked away again and said nothing. She wasn't sure what she feared most getting angry again or crying in front of her captain.

Gates nodded again. "Ryan and Esposito can take this one. Take some time off to get your affairs in order."

"How much time," Beckett said not looking at her captain.

"As much time as you need."

It was Beckett's turn to nod. She then glanced up. "Thank you sir," she said before making her exit.

The boys went back to pretending they had work to do but Beckett knew they had been watching, wondering what was important enough that Beckett had to close the door when talking to the captain.

She was glad she hadn't brought anything into work so it wouldn't feel awkward leaving. She gave a quick nod to the guys before making her way to the elevator. The precinct was starting to feel cramped and was nearly suffocating. She had to get out.