All mistakes are mine. Apologies for the formatting and grammar, most things really. This was written on a plane, after reading many a fic from the brilliant Castle Prompts blog.

So not mine. I have time commitment issues.

#1 - Winged

When Kate was nineteen her mother died. Every year on the anniversary she moped. In bed. With Temptation Lane. Or a depressing movie. It was pure self indulgence, but it was the one day which she completely gave in to grief. The one day, she needed to be swallowed by her grief, and come out the other end, prepared for another year without her mum.

This year, however, was different. She was being made to work. And she was pissed about it.

She asked to take the day off, which was risky in itself, should she be turned down, it wasn't like she could call in sick. With a sympathetic look and shake of his head, the Captain said no, blaming the current flu that had been running through the precinct. She'd argued, but ultimately hit a brick wall.

Now she was sitting at work, on her mothers death-anniversary, feeling sorry for herself. Her partner, Esposito, sat across from her, staring her down.

"Something's wrong?" He asks, popping candy into his mouth.

"Not particularly."

"We gotta leave soon, they've put us on monitoring the station."

"Great."

"Kate, as monosyllabic as you usually are, you seem more so today."

"Sorry," she turns to look at him.

Shaking his head, he stands and chucks her the keys for the cruiser. "Never mind, let's go?"

They leave in the car heading for the train station. Mulling not only over the fact that she wasn't at home and she wasn't in bed, she isn't particularly listening when the call comes in for an in progress robbery.

Espo answers the call, quickly and efficiently he puts the sirens on and heads for the address. He looks towards his partner but doesn't break her reverie.

On arrival he looks at her again. She looks so out of it. Sick? Maybe?

"Kate? Beckett?"

"Sorry. I'm with it." She's clearly not. "I'll take the back, you take the front?" She comments.

"Sure. Stay alert, the call said armed." Maybe they should go together.

"Mmk." Her answers make him concerned, not the Kate he normally works with, but hey, they have a job and he trusts her to run this by the book.

She moves away from Esposito, gun at the ready, moving quickly and quietly towards the back of the building.

Maybe just what she needs is some justice. Her mum didn't get any, so may as well dole some out.

The house, a brownstone, just on the outskirts of their jurustruction, appears empty- she hears Espo knock and declare themselves- she hears a crash, a shot and all of a sudden she's running, bolting after the man who crashed through the window waving his gun over his head unloading it as he goes. She ducks and takes cover before thinking again.

Ugh. Screw this. Kate bolts, and speeds up to make up the ground she lost. Not today, she thinks. She yells, twice for him to stop before tackling him into a wall.

"I asked you to stop."

She kicked his legs from underneath him and pressed his head to the floor. Espo catches up, calling her name as he reaches her.

"Kate. Kate? Kate! Stop!"

Cuffing the suspects hands behind his back, she shoots Esposito a look. "What?"

"Look!"

She looked at the suspect. Hmm, she may have ground his face into the ground more than she thought.

"Sorry!? I'm sure his face will be fine. Why do you care? Last week,"

"No, look.." Espo pointed to her shoulder, cutting her off.

She looked down, and the pain started to bloom from her shoulder. Fuck. Today of all days. Seems about right.

As Espo called for backup and a medic, she sits across from the suspect applying pressure to her own shoulder. If only she's stayed home.

Backup takes the suspect as she sits in the paramed-van with Espo.

They patched up her arm, after she'd adamantly argued against going to the hospital. Not today. They'd only agreed as she'd been winged by the bullet. Only 8 stitches in her shoulder. And she needs to buy a new shirt.

She glances at Espo, who hasn't left her side.

"Sorry." She mutters.

"Sok. You don't need to explain." He pats her good shoulder and helps her to her feet as the start to walk away from the van.

"Today's my mums death anniversary."

He nods. "Sorry."

"Not your fault."

He grabs her good hand.

"You know if you ever want to talk, I'm here?"

"Thanks Espo. Today is just the perfect end to a perfect day really. I just want to go home." She shrugs her shoulders, and then remembers she shouldn't. That hurts.

"Let's go." He grabs the keys from her. She thinks of calling him on it then reconsiders.

"I've called it through to Montgomery. He's given you the rest of the day and tomorrow if you need."

"Thanks Espo." She says despondently.

They aren't too far from her apartment when she starts to cry. Too much today. Far, far too much.

Espo looks over and then pulls over.

"You're ok Kate."

She buries her head into her hands, and shakes it vehemently.

"Sorry. This isn't how I expected my day to go. Usually I'm in bed and moping alone."

Espo doesn't immediately reply. After she's calmed down considerably, he hands her a tissue.

"You're not alone, you know. You've got me. And Ryan. Maybe the new girl. And Montgomery." She gives him a watery smile. "And you know if you ever want us to look into the case, we have your back."

"Home?" She requests. It's the only place she wants to be.

Espo continues to drive, parking outside her apartment. He helps her up the stairs. Standing at her door, she invites him in.

"Can I get you anything?" She asks, putting her keys on the hook.

"Isn't that my line?"

She smiles. "You can go."

"I'll be back tomorrow. Don't bother coming in, think of it as your day in lieu."

She heads towards her bedroom, "Thanks. Just shut the door behind you? It's dead-locked, so it'll lock."

Espo turns to leave.

"I'll be back tomorrow."

She doesn't answer and heads for bed. When there, she turns in the tv, curls up in a ball and cries for her mum.

#2 will come soonish. I'm not sure when, but I have a 24 hour plane ride coming up, so that might be motivating. Never done more than a 2 parter, so come for the ride people! (Fair warning though, it might be a long one!)