FLOWERS FOR A GHOST
Part 1: « Don't ever say goodbye »
It was only 6:00 P.M on a Tuesday when Katherine Beckett decided to leave the 12th Precinct. Castle immediately stood up and left Esposito on his own.
"What did you find? Where are we going?" he asked, as impatient as a child waiting for his favorite toy.
"WE are not going anywhere, Castle. I am" she replied. She put her leather jacket on her shoulder and she left, without letting him time to answer. He hated feeling like she was hiding something from him. After spending a few minutes motionless in front of the doors of the elevator, he grabbed his coat and left the police station too, without saying a word.
Part 2: « No I never meant to let you go at all »
He followed Beckett in the full and crowded streets of New York City. She was in a park, sitting on a recently painted bench, holding flowers in her hands. The wind was blowing slowly and gathered her hair in front of her eyes. She observed all the people around her: these business men on the phone, always in a rush, the mothers wandering about and looking after their children, the old ladies walking their dogs … "What are they all up to?" she wondered. A kid's soccer ball landed at her feet and got her out of her daydream. She stood up and left the park. Castle who 'd been waiting until she decided to go kept shadowing her. The more he walked and went away from downtown, the more he wondered if all of this was a good idea. She was scarcely going somewhere without him or without at least telling him where she was heading. This time, it must have been something personal. But it was too late to change his mind, and he was too eager to find out where Beckett was (unofficially) leading him.
Part3: « Who will bring me flowers when it's over? »
Katherine Beckett entered a cemetery, walked and finally stopped in front of a grave. She stared at her feet, knelt and put her bouquet down. "Happy birthday, mom" she whispered in a shaking voice.
Castle saw her. He hesitated to go through the gate: he was sure she would be mad at him. He felt guilty for following her although she had told him to leave her alone. But the vision of the young woman on her knees, crying, was unbearable to him. He couldn't help it: he entered the cemetery and got closer to her. He walked so slowly that she couldn't hear his steps on the ground.
Part 4: « Who will give me comfort when it's cold? »
He put his hand on her shoulder. She was surprised, but she didn't even blame him for following her: she needed someone to cheer her up, and she had to admit that Castle was the best at it.
"Hey" she said, still staring at Johanna Beckett's grave. Castle knelt too. Finding the right words in such a situation had never been easy. He didn't know what to say. He put his hand on her chin and turned her head to make her look at him. Tears were rolling down her cheeks. He put his thumb on her face and dried those tears.
"It's her birthday. The 19th of November. I wish I could ... you know, knock at her door, say "Heeeey surprise!" and offer her a present. But instead, I spend all the 19th of November here, at the cemetery, bringing flowers and talking to myself. I've done it for 12 years now Castle, and I can't stand it anymore. I'm sick of being alone, I ..." she said.
And, without saying a word, she let herself go in the writer's arms. He held her tight, as if he never wanted to leave her.
"Thank you, Rick" she murmured
"Always"
Finding the right words in such a situation had never been easy. But this only word, "Always" made more sense than any another one to both of them.