It's been a few days since I've posted anything... and I promise I'll finish up chapter two of Concussions and Fathers right now. I hate having multiple plot bunnies in my head. Okay, I was watching an episode of CSI (the original, none of the other lame copies) and I absolutely loved (even though it was sad) the goodbye letter Sara Sidle leaved Gil Grissom. I couldn't not turn it into a Castle story. So here you go.

A BACK ALLEYWAY

8:00 AM

The moment Kate ducked under the crime scene tape she could feel something was different this time. She saw the body and moved to Lanie, asking for the details.

"Victim is Alison Marcus. She's a lawyer. TOD, eleven to one last night. COD," Lanie sighed and eyed her friend, "stabbed, 36 times as far as I can see. I'll tell you with more certainty once I get her back."

Esposito came up behind Kate and put his hand on her shoulder. "Kate, captain says if you're not alright with this case, you can go home."

"Why would I do that?" Kate asked, turning around.

"Alison has a nineteen year old daughter. She was stabbed to death in an alleyway. 36 times. You of all people should see it." Esposito cried, shocked.

"This is just a coincidence, Esposito." Kate shrugged.

"I thought you didn't believe in coincidences." He smiled and Kate raised an eyebrow.

"I'll be fine." She said, before returning to the body.

NYPD PRECINCT HOMICIDE

6:00 PM

A week went by and all their suspects had alibis, all their leads had a dead end. Kate was annoyed and grumpy because all this case had done was prove to be a carbon copy of her own mother's. Ryan again suggested they close it off as a random, but Kate just couldn't give up on it.

Karpowski walked up to her and handed Kate a sealed white envelope. "This came in the mail. It's for you." When Kate took it, her eyes furrowed as she hesitated, Karpowski turned and left.

After another moment Kate opened the letter. She only had to read it once before her breath became raw and hard and her heart raced. "Has your world shattered again yet?" She read aloud.

The team thought for a second and Ryan was the first to talk. "We've been going about this all wrong."

"The murder was never about Alison. All along it's been about Beckett's mom's murder." Esposito took over.

And then Castle, "It's been a ploy to get at Beckett through Alison's death."

"And it's worked too." Kate said under her breath.

No one saw Montgomery exit his office. No one knew that he was standing there listening. At least until he spoke. "Beckett, you're off this case. It's officially gotten too personal. And not another rogue investigation with Castle, you hear me?"

"Sir-"

"Beckett I am not going to say that again." Montgomery ordered.

"Sir no. Just like on the Dunn case I am already on the front lines. Alison was killed because of me. Molly has no mother anymore because of me. This guy wants me and you're not going to catch him unless I am on this case. Besides, I know what it is Molly's going through, I know what she's feeling. I'm not going to let another girl throw away her dreams just because the lead detective on her mother's case couldn't solve it." Kate didn't know where this was coming from, she'd never been this way and it seemed more like an impulse than anything else.

"Detective Beckett, I am your boss. I'm sick and tired of the way you talk to me. You need to learn to show me more respect. I'm suspending you, until this case is over."

"Sir-"

"You're lucky I haven't fired you. Go home." With that Montgomery turned and disappeared back inside his office, slamming the door behind him.

"Kate," Castle called, but she was already walking down the hall.

In the locker room, Kate sat. Not mad, not happy, not crying, not smiling and she sat like that for half an hour. It provided her time to think, about what had happened over the last few days. And she knew what she had to do.

As she left the room, she saw Lanie standing at Esposito's side, she'd probably already heard everything. Castle leaned quietly against her desk and Ryan was at the board erasing a few things.

Walking right past her best friend, Kate stopped in front of Castle. She looked into his eyes for a second and kissed him. He kissed her back, but felt that something had changed. The others looked on in astonishment, they didn't know that was really going on.

Pulling away from Castle, Kate turned and left the precinct.

CASTLE'S LOFT

7:00 PM

Castle slid through his front door and called for Kate. He wasn't really sure what to expect, for the last hour he'd called her numerous times without getting any answer whatsoever. In a desperate attempt at locating her, he pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed her number again.

From across the room, he could hear his special ring tone call out into the quiet atmosphere. Without hanging up, Castle followed the sound, finding the phone on the counter. He picked it up, pressing the end button on his phone at the same time.

Underneath was an envelope, much like the one Kate had received earlier, only Castle's name was scrawled across the top in her familiar handwriting. Setting both phones down next to him he picked it up and opened the seal and card.

Rick, I know I don't say it very much, but I love you. I have since I first met you at that book signing when I was twenty. No doubt you've noticed that I haven't been acting myself lately, honestly I think I'm just tired. I remember back when we were locked in that freezer together. We had a lot of time to think in there, and I realized somethings that I haven't been able to brush off. Ever since my mother died I've lived with ghosts. Not knowing how to get rid of them, I grew used to the feeling, but now I know it's time to bury them. It's not possible here and I am really sorry. No matter what I do, no matter how hard I try to lose this feeling, I can't and I know even more that I have to go. I don't know where I'm going, or for how long, but I've got to do this. I know that if I don't I'll just fall deeper into this hole than I already am and eventually self destruct, I don't want you to have to see that happen. My only request is that you be careful and safe, remember I tried so very hard to stay here with you, remember you are my one and done whether we're married or not and I could never replace you. I'm going to miss you every second of every minute of every day. The time we've spent together are the best moments I have had in my entire life. I feel at home with you, something I haven't felt since my mom died and I wouldn't trade it for anything. I will love you forever and always. Goodbye, Rick.

Castle felt as though something sharp had just stabbed his gut.

I absolutely loved this. I hope that if any of you are CSI fans, you aren't completely POed at me for using this. I couldn't help it at all. There will be another chapter!

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