(This is chapter 1 of the story. Ignore the odd name to the right.)

Castle left the hospital a defeated man.
She had rejected him in no uncertain terms. He didn't want to think, he didn't want to keep feeling this love that ate him up. This love that fueled him. Now that's irony...
Not now, he thought.
It was too esoteric to hope that all he wanted was her happiness. He wanted more; he wanted her in his arms and in his life.

The whole "family" had been through hell in the last week. They were stunned and even Kate's survival hadn't broken the strange spell cast by her shooting. That and Captain Montgomery's death. Nothing seemed real anymore.

He stumbled as he fled. Her words cutting him. The look in her eyes had almost killed him. She didn't remember his words. What he had declared, as she lay dying a week ago. All she wanted was Josh.

Things had felt good for a while. Her first reaction to him was a broad smile through the tubes and other detritus of medicine. She had squeezed his hand. He could still feel the pressure of that moment on his fingers. A day later, things changed. He could not figure out what had done it.

Alexis had visited, along with his mother. Josh had been several times. Had someone influenced her to make her, what was the word, hostile? Determined?

He was too tired, too broken to care anymore. All he wanted was to get home, pour a drink and sleep.

"Hey Kate." He smiled as he touched her hand, "How're you doing?"
She winced and moved her head slightly. Rather than answering him, she moved her fingers away. There was a haunted look in her eyes as she shifted them from his own. Her whole tone was uneasy. She's in pain, he thought, give her a break.

"Castle." One word.
"What's wrong?" He asked, holding his breath. She exhaled and moved further away.
"I have made a decision Castle."
Now she looked at him, briefly, her eyes hard. "I .. I love Josh and he has promised to stay with me. Always."

Castle felt the room begin to turn. He sat down on the bed.
"That's.." What could he say but demur? "Wonderful Detective." He felt his heart being ripped from him, he should have taken that bullet it would have hurt less.
"I am happy if you are happy."

"I know you have feelings for me, Castle, but.. it's not right. We don't fit." She pronounced his sentence in her broken hospital voice, each word a small stab.
"If you still want to shadow me for your books.. I.. would enjoy that, we make a good team, all of us together, but I don't want you in my personal life."
His mouth opened and closed and his jaws clenched.
"I understand Detective. Thank you for being clear."

She gave him one sad look before smiling a little. "Cheer-up Castle, life goes on and you should be writing again, the world depends on you."

After that came incoherent words of small-talk, and then he walked away.

The Precinct.

Captain "Iron" Gates stood in Roy's office. It was late, only a few cops still lurked in the bullpen. She saw Ryan and Esposito doing paperwork.
Roy, I always told you that you had to be firmer on your people. Look at the mess you have left for me. She took a last look at the photograph of Captain Montgomery on the desk and then she steeled herself for the changes to come.
"Esposito and Ryan, my office!" She barked.

Hearing the new Captain's military-tone the two detectives wasted no time. They had been waiting for that sense of order, that sense of continuity. It had to come, the precinct could not roll on broken wheels for much longer. Ryan glanced at his partner and winced. Esposito grinned and shrugged his shoulders.
"Welcome to the new Boss, not the same as the old Boss."

"You two have a new assignment." Gates got into it immediately. She was not the sort of person to mince-words. "From now on you stick to Beckett like stink to a skunk." She glared at them, sizing them up. Ryan was nodding and Esposito was looking a little shocked.
"I don't want her alone anywhere. One of you will camp on her couch, if you have to, figure out the shifts."
"She—" Ryan began, but Gates cut him off. "I don't care how stubborn she is, there's a killer out there and they know she's alive."
Esposito rolled his neck and nodded, "Got ya Boss, we will keep her safe."
"I am not Boss, I am Captain or Sir. This Precinct is going to snap into shape. Get it right, from now on, every time." Her hard eyes and arms folded before her spoke volumes, but it was her voice that left them in no doubt that her nickname "Iron" Gates was all steel.
"And make sure you both wear vests at all times." Came her final order as they left.

"What do you think bro?" Esposito asked.
Ryan brushed his hand over his head, "Phew! Tough new Captain. But she's right you know, Beckett is still in trouble."
"Yeah. Get your vest and let's get down to the hospital."

Gates watched them leave. She knew they had not left their partner for more than a few hours in the last six weeks, but she needed them scared. She needed them alert and sceptical and ready. They were good cops, they would hold that end. There was another thread that needed sewing-up. Castle.

The loft.

Castle was at his desk. A large glass of whiskey sat alongside his closed laptop. He wondered whether he should start smoking, there didn't seem to be a downside. Alexis was going to leave soon, Stanford was calling in the shape of Ashley. She would be all grown-up soon; too soon.
He thought about his mother, but concluded that she would start smoking too, that would be just her style. This almost made him smile.

Despite his intention not to ruminate on Kate's words, he had not been able to stop. For a few hours he had bashed-out his feelings in story-form but no clarity emerged. He knew she liked him. He knew she was aware that he liked her. Did she know he loved her? Had she heard his confession?
Damn! He took his glass and swigged deeply. I guess this must be love because it hurts so much.

The door to the loft clicked-closed and he heard the familiar sounds of entry.
"Dad?" Alexis called. "Are you home?"
"In here pumpkin." He responded, quickly opening his laptop and hiding the whiskey on the floor. He cursed the machine for taking too long to wake-up. Her face mooned-into the room, she was cautious and did not enter.
"Are you okay Dad?"

"Hello there!" He put all his might into a sudden shift in attitude. He was not going to give her any reason to worry. "I'm fine, been writing."
"That's great." She beamed at him and skipped into the office.
"What are you working on?" She came-round to stand next to him and held his arm. With his foot he pushed the glass further out of sight.
"I thought I'd start a new Heat novel, there are still a lot of ideas running around in my head."
"Oh-" She said, and then caught herself. Was that fear he heard in her voice?
"I thought you might.. that is, I thought you would.." Her face scrunched a little. "Sorry Dad, that's nice to hear. What will you call this one?"
He looked at her, a little puzzled. What would her aversion be to another Heat novel?
"What's wrong pumpkin? Are you bored of Nikki Heat already?"
"No, of course not. I just thought, with all the recent.. That you might want to try for something new. A new character. A new setting."

He put his arm around her and dragged her into a hug. "Perhaps, but I think one more book will be the charm. I was thinking of calling it Rising Heat. Whaddaya think?"
She smiled and hugged-back. "Good title Dad. Are you going to keep shadowing Beckett for research?"
Castle dropped his arm, "I might, but not like before. I have all the notes I need right here." He tapped his forehead.
She grinned, a little too widely. "I am happy about that, it's too dangerous out there with her."
"Don't worry about me, I won't be in any danger." He patted her tummy playfully. "Now, what should we eat!" His eyes sparkled and he rubbed his own with a big grin on his face.
"Oohh, pasta of course!" She giggled and scurried-off to peer into the huge fridge.

As she left he thought about what Alexis had not said. She had not asked about Kate, she had not asked why he wasn't going to be in danger any more. Interesting, he thought. Then he went to join his daughter.

The Dragon.

"Lockwood and Montgomery are dead. All the loose-ends are tied-up, but two." The tall blonde woman spoke, facing into a dark pool that shrouded a desk and concealed her employer.
"What do you want to do about the Detective and her pet?"
There was a pause, a breath and a cloud of cigar smoke bloomed into the light that edged the desk. "I will decide soon." A clink of a glass being replaced.
"Does that mean we scratch the mission?" Asked the tall woman.
"For now. Detective Beckett lives, so does Castle. I have a new game for you to play."

The hospital.

"I told Castle..." Said Kate.
"Oh Honey! At last." Lanie exclaimed, doing a little jump.
"No — I told him it was over." Her voice almost broke. She could keep herself steady for anyone else, but not Lanie.
"What?" Came her friend's reply, followed by a gasp. Lanie shook her head. "I didn't hear you right, surely. You said it was over?"

Kate was doing a lot better. In the last day they had removed most of the paraphernalia surrounding her head and she could finally sit upright. All she had to deal with was a drip, which hurt like hell and kept getting tangled in her sheets, and the constant pain in her chest.

She faced her friend, tapped the bed. Lanie sat.
"You know me, us. I can't hide this from you." She tried to be Kate, sharp, determined and practical, but this was her girl friend and things had been shared over years.
"I won't lie to you Lanie. It hurts me to send Castle away. But.. I love Josh. For sure."
Lanie just sighed, her whole demeanour collapsed.

"I don't want Castle to chase the demons of my past anymore and I don't want him in danger. I like him too much, he's a special man. I can no longer pretend that the joy-ride is harmless. He has enough material for a dozen more books. I— I told him to go write them."
Her friend only smiled a little, nodding her head.
Kate continued, "It's over, it's done. I want you to promise me something."
"What?" Asked Lanie.
"I don't want you talking to him about my personal life. If he comes fishing, then you rebuff him. I don't want you to mention that Alexis is worried about him. In fact, I don't want you speaking to him at all."
"Honey -"
"No, Lanie. You know how Castle is. He's a child most of the time. If you give him an inch, he will make an arm from supposition. I want him cut-off from anything that can fire his imagination, especially into the shooter and my mom's past."
"I understand." Said Lanie, nodding a little. "I don't like it. I think it's a mistake. I think you are running away, but I understand."
"Thank you Lanie." She smiled and gripped her friend's hand. "Now, send in the boys."

Esposito and Ryan filed-in. They were jumpy and didn't leave their backs to the open door behind them. Kate could see the vests beneath their clothing.

"Those things must be uncomfortable." She observed, indicating with her head.
"You have no idea!" Said Ryan. "Well, of course you do, but wearing them all day?"
"I sweat like a gymnast in a sauna." Said Esposito, looking tired.
"Why are you guys so wound-up?" Asked Kate.
"The new Boss. Sorry, the new Captain —"
"— Sir!" Ryan amended.
"Sir, thanks bro, is a tough-case. It feels like the precinct's a military school. I might just head back to the army for some relaxation."
"No way!" Said Kate, her mouth open in surprise. "Who is this new Overlord?"
"Victoria Gates." Replied Esposito.
"Iron Gates." Added Ryan.
"Oh shit. Not her." Finished Kate.
"You know her?" The two said at the same time; they bumped fists.
"I know of her. From the Captain— I mean— from Roy. He worked with her, they were partners."
"You shit us not!" Said Ryan. Kate grinned and shook her head, just slightly.
"She can't be all bad then." Suggested Esposito, "Has to be some reason why he could stand her."
"I don't know enough, but I do know she is old-school and tough. I suspect Castle will find himself out on his ear pretty soon. She does not take much notice of Mayors and their poker games."
"Hell yes. No way he can charm his way into that cold heart!" Joked Esposito.
"Cold, hard iron heart." Added Ryan, smiling.
"Well, you guys better tell him what he's up against."
Kate continued, "So why the vests guys?"
"Well, it's not like a sniper didn't try to whack you a few weeks ago."
"Or anything – you know – serious."
"There is that." She laughed. "So you two are my new shadows?"
This brought a smile. "Oh yes Detective! You are our muse now." Said Esposito, doing his best Castle eyebrow-roll. Ryan groaned, "Dude? Really?"
Kate laughed until her chest reminded her that it still had a hole in it.
"Ouch. Guys — I think I need a nap."
"Sure Beckett, we'll be right outside the door."
"Thanks boys." She sank down a little and closed her eyes.

Under her eyelids she felt more pain than just the physical.
Castle. Had he been her One? He had told her of his love, but how could that be? Why would a true lover wait for such a moment? It felt, rather, as if he had said goodbye.
No, he was a nice guy, but a bit light-weight. She needed strength.
Scenes from their shared past flashed by. She cut them off. And then there had been that visit from Alexis, that look in her eyes that reflected pure horror.

No. Josh was her one and done.
They had spoken and he'd promised not to leave her on his long sojourns to foreign countries. He had quit Doctors without borders and was settling into a private practice in the city. He loved her and was making extreme changes in is life and career to be with her. Always. It was her word for it.
Castle's word.
No. Her word now, for Josh.