Castle pulled open the door, the tiny bell chiming to announce his arrival. Such a happy sound, usually one that was accompanied by him teasing Kate into blushing, before they met up with her dad for their frequent lunch dates.

That hadn't been the case for a while now though.

Kate had been missing, gone, he reminded himself harshly. She wasn't missing. She had left of her own violation. She wasn't missing. She was gone. Had left him with no explanation.

Rick shook himself from his thoughts, looking around and quickly locating his father in law. Former father in law?

Jim Beckett rose from his seat, and greeted the younger man with a sad smile, as he did every time nowadays.

"How're you doing, Rick?" Jim asked quietly, as they both sat down.

"Same old, same old." He shrugged, a sad little uplift of his mouth joining the words.

Jim nodded. "I guess you haven't heard from our Katie, then?" He fished gently.

Castle scoffed. "Jim, she clearly doesn't want to be found, least by me. I've given up hope of hearing from her."

Jim sighed. "I am her father Rick, I have to defend her." He started.

"I get that." Rick promised.

"But don't take that for me agreeing with, nor forgiving her actions." Jim finished, the disapproval in his tone making some part of Castle wince for teenage Kate. "What she has done to you, to all of us, is unforgivable and I will be sure to tell her that if and when she next decides to call home."

Castle smiled sadly. "I appreciate your support in this, Jim. I know she's your baby, and I know you will defend her until you have no breath left in your body. And I would do exactly the same for Alexis."

Jim nodded sadly.

"But she's supposed to be my wife. Supposed to have put everything else behind us and committed to this, to us. And instead, she fell at the first hurdle and ran away, just like she always does."

He shook his head, clearing his throat, trying to clear the seemingly ever present lump in his throat. He found himself twisting his wedding band around and around on his finger.

"I don't think I can forgive her again, Jim." He sighed.

"Rick," Jim murmured, soft and fatherly, making the lump only worse. "I, I love my daughter. And I care about you." He murmured, not for the first time, though it still made Rick look up. "I won't pretend it doesn't break my heart to think of the two of you not working out, because I firmly believe that the two of you are the best thing that has happened to each other. Especially you for her. You make my girl happy again."

Rick looked back at the table top. "How am I supposed to believe that when she leaves every time there's a sign of trouble? How can I envision a future with her, within our marriage, if I can't guarantee she'll be a part of it?"

"I don't know." Jim sighed. "But, my point is, you have to be happy too. And if you are constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop while you're with Katie, you're never going to be."

Castle cleared his throat, but it didn't stop the crack of emotion. "I feel like I'm giving up on her."

"Rick, as much as I hate to say it, by running away, she gave up on you first." Jim murmured. "And I don't like her very much for it."

Castle huffed a tearful laugh. "Me either." His brow crumpled as he tried not to cry in front of him.

"Rick, I want the two of you to work, but I want you to both want that. You both need to be happy if that's going to work. And maybe, right now, you can't do that."

"I still love her. Won't ever stop." Castle murmured. "But, I can't do this. I can't sit by the phone waiting for her to come back."

He shook his head, before gently sliding his wedding band off his finger and setting it down on the table in front of him, a tear breaking the boundary of his eyes as he pushed it towards his former father in law. "Would you, give her the option, of what she wants to do with it."

Jim sighed but took the ring and held it safely. "I will."

"And, tell her that I never wanted it to come to this." Rick asked, trying to stop the rest of his emotional breakdown before it happened.

"I will."Jim promised again.

"Look after her Jim." Rick begged, his voice breaking.

"Always." The elder man sighed.

Rick nodded quickly, before getting up and hastily making his exit.

Maybe, just sometimes, third time isn't a charm.