Disclaimer: Last time I checked I was a college student who barely makes minimum wage...

A/N: Well, I'm not going to say much at this point other than this is a songfic to "The Scientist" by Coldplay.

Hope you enjoy,

~Rose

Prologue

"Come up to meet you, tell you I'm sorry"

"How long have we been together Kate?" he asked sternly. When she didn't answer him he scoffed and took a step back from her. "Six months Kate!" he shouted, "We've been dating for six months and yet you still don't seem to trust that I won't leave you. You know I love you right?"

Looking down at her hands she stared at a dry patch of skin between her knuckles to keep herself from looking at him. This wasn't the first time he had told her he loved her but she got more and more uncomfortable every time he said it. It wasn't that she didn't love him back—she did love him—she just wasn't in love with him.

She was only twenty-three years old and just got into vice. The last thing she wanted was to be tied down right now—especially since he was right and she did have too many trust issues. He was also wrong; he was leaving her; he was going to Boston.

"You know I have to go to Boston Kate; this job is too good to pass up." He was starting to get frustrated that he had to say this over and over again. Didn't she understand how much this job meant to him? She of all people should.

She hadn't meant to say that last part out loud. She hadn't even realized she had spoken until she had gotten a reply. "You can't deny it is true," she finally argued, "You say you aren't leaving me but that's exactly what you're doing. You're going to Boston and leaving me here in New York City."

"There is another option Kate," he said moving closer to her again and grabbing her hands with his. "Come with me."

"I can't Will, you know that. I just moved up a step into vice; if I play my cards right I could become a detective within a couple years. If I move now I'll basically have to start over again."

"Here you go again Kate, making the job more important than our relationship!" he snapped.

"Isn't that what you're doing?" she snapped right back.

Will Sorenson knew he couldn't win this battle. His mother had always told him that he would know when he had met the right girl but with Kate he had no clue. He couldn't deny how he felt about her but she was so hot and cold. He knew she had her own demons to battle but there was only so much waiting he could do.

"You know what Kate," he finally started with a sigh. Taking his head in his hands he tried to compose his thoughts before continuing. "When you deal with your issues and decide what you want, call me."

She didn't even have a chance to tell him she was sorry before he walked out of her apartment.

~O.o.O.o.O~

Will wasn't wrong when he said that Kate had issues. Between her mother's death a few years back, changing career paths, and her father's alcoholism she had enough to deal with without adding relationship problems to the mix. She probably shouldn't have even been in a relationship in the first place; not when she was still so damaged.

She had a lot of decisions to make. Should she stay in Manhattan and work towards her ultimate goal of becoming a detective or should she follow Will to Boston and start fresh in the Boston PD?

Maybe Will was right; maybe it was time to handle her issues and fight her demons. She knew exactly where she should start too: it was about time she went through the boxes of her mom's stuff that she had stored in her apartment but was always too afraid to go through. Looking at the personal items that belonged to Johanna was something Kate thought would bring back painful memories. Maybe if Kate faced those memories head to head she could move on with her life and be happy.

The apartment was too silent—only the ticking of the clock, the outside traffic, and frantic beating of Kate's heart breaking it—as she reached for the first box that was in her storage closet. Shaking hands took the flaps of the box and opened it. This one appeared to be full of files—case files for court, Kate presumed. Taking them out one by one she noticed there were two books underneath. She paid more attention to the first which was a large, leather-bound photo album. Flipping through the stiff pages smiling pictures of her parents and her younger self stared back at her. They all looked so happy back then. Back when they were a "real" family. Back before everything fell apart.

Strong as she was trying to be, stray tears spilled down her cheeks as she saw pictures of her parents looking lovingly at each other as they held baby Kate between them.

Not being able to bear looking at the joy in their eyes anymore, Kate closed the book and her eyes along with it. More tears spilled out past her eyelids and lashes as she closed them tighter.

Composing herself before her tears turned into sobs, she took a deep breath, opened her eyes, and turned back to the box.

She wasn't sure how this was going to help her overcome her past so she could have a healthy relationship with Will, but she would persevere anyways.

The last remaining item in the box was a paperback novel. The worn cover, slightly frayed pages, and creased spine were all signs that the book had been well read—knowing her mom it had probably been well loved too.

The bright cover drew her in as she flipped the book over to see the author's picture on the back cover. She was surprised at how young and good looking he was.

The synopsis revealed that it was a crime novel. Maybe the killer would get caught and the victim's family would get justice. The justice she never got for her mother.

Slowly opening the book, Kate began to read In a Hail of Bullets by Richard Castle.

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