Story takes place in season 4, spoilers for the finale

Disclaimer: I do not own Castle or the characters.

Prologue:

Their gazes locked. Steady, firm, and resolved, his bright blue met her desperate, pleading deep green. Her left hand trembled where she held onto his sport coat lapel in a death grip. Her right hand was entrapped in handcuffs that were linked to the open-windowed car door. Handcuffs that he had slipped from her pocket and in one swift motion had fastened her here, trapped her so that she couldn't follow him, stop him, save him.

"Rick, please… don't do this… You can't…"

Barely a whisper, the words died in her throat, because she knew. The moment she heard the clink of metal, felt the cool pressure around her wrist, she knew. Now, staring at his downturned face, she could see the deep pain etched into his features. It was pain for her, overwhelming regret at her having to experience this with him. Even more prominent than his emotion was determination, which was what left her this terrified and hopeless.

He shook his head softly, regret shining in his eyes, manifesting in the few tears that rolled down his cheeks.

"I'm so sorry, Kate…" he whispered, his words causing her lids to slip closed, her tear-streaked face turning towards his, bringing them infinitely closer.

"You weren't supposed to find the papers… You were never supposed to know why… and it would all be over, finally, over."

His words brought a sob to her surface, and she let her forehead fall against his, felt his hand wrap around her own, his lips softly pressing against her temple as he shifted. Then he took a step back, pulling her hand away from his shirt, putting distance between their bodies.

When she felt the contact disappear, her gaze snapped up, and she nearly collapsed when he stepped away.

Reaching into depths of strength that he was unaware of possessing, Castle turned away, and strode towards the darkened warehouse that awaited him, his strides bringing him closer to the man who just might end his life, hopefully not before he could fire his shot, his final shot.

Behind him, he could hear her sobs, and he knew the moment when she gave in and collapsed against the car door, letting her grief consume her, thankful that she had restrained herself from screaming his name.

He had felt the unbearable weightlessness of his hands when a twist of fate had ripped all control from his fingertips , had been powerless to keep the one he loved from danger, and the blood that had stained his palms on the day she was shot at the funeral was why he was here. He needed to be her Sydney Carton, and keep her atop the cliff even if it meant he would go hurtling down alone.

So this first chapter takes place towards the end of the story, and acts more like a teaser to give a sampling of where the story is headed. It will be interesting to see reader's reactions to this scene when they first read it blind in the prologue, in comparison to the muchhh longer scene that will show up later. I bet reactions will be quite different once you read the full scene in the context of the rest of the story =)

The next chapter will pick up shortly after Kate's hospital stay and the story will build up to this point, dealing with the development of the Castle/Beckett relationship after the finale. The plot deals with Beckett's mom's murder, although this is more character development oriented than case heavy.

Thanks for reading! Please review!