Preface: Set in AU where Captain Montgomery was actually a good guy. Also set before the events of the crazy finale. Enjoy.

It's over.

These were the words circling Kate Beckett's mind. They were the only words circling Kate Beckett's mind. They had been for the past two days.

She felt like a robot. Walking around, talking to people, moving on with her life, or so everyone thought. On the outside she was herself, but on this inside she had transformed into someone completely different. She just could not wrap her head around the idea that she had caught her mother's killer. It had been the main focus of her life for so long, always ticking away in the back of her mind, even when she wasn't fully aware. It had been what drove her to be a better cop, the best cop, one who care unconditionally because she knew how it felt to not have justice. She had no idea who she was without that. And it scared the living hell out of her.

The funny thing was that actually catching the man responsible hadn't been nearly as hard as she thought. For a man whose job was murder, he sure had one hell of a conscience. Sure, the first few times she had interrogated Hal Lockwood he had worn a vacant, empty look, but after a few months in prison, real, hardcore prison he seemed to loosen up real easily. Beckett had seen to it that he be put in a rough cellblock, with the worst offenders with some hope of it having an effect on him. It did. After only 4 months in Sing Sing it seemed that Lockwood was ready to talk.

V v V v V

-4 Days ago-

This morning started off like any other Wednesday. Kate Beckett rolled out of bed at a little past 6, having hit the snooze button only thrice. I'm getting better she thought with a tired smile, only 3 times today. It's going to be a good day. After a slightly longer than average shower, she wrapped her hair in a towel and headed to the kitchen for breakfast. After seeing nothing that appealed to her she decided a bagel on the way would do much better than anything she had so following a quick mental note to do some grocery shopping after work, she headed back to her bedroom. How much she really had lucked out with this apartment was something that crossed her mind most mornings. Sure the last place had a more rustic feel but this place was more her than any place she had ever lived. Not only was it a steal for the size of it, but it had high ceilings and a closet to die for. Kate Beckett was not one to indulge in the female stereotypes, but this closet would make Carrie from Sex & the City jealous. It was secretly the deciding factor on choosing the place. Once she had picked out what she was going to wear she went back to the bathroom and got to work on her hair. Another secret of Kate Beckett was that she loved her hair. She would never admit how much effort she put into it, but it was the one part of her body that she really took pride in. A little bit of make-up and she was out the door. Without traffic she would be at the Precinct just before 8 giving her time to get settled before everyone else arrived. Sure she didn't have to be there until 8:30, but she cherished the peace of a quiet office at the beginning of the day. It was 7:57 when she stepped from her car and clacked her way up the concrete steps of the 12th. Again, she didn't have to wear the stilettoes but it gave her an edge and told the other officers that she refused to blend in and hide her femininity. She was barely at her desk for 10 seconds when her phone rang.

"Beckett." She answered.

"Uh, yes good morning Detective Beckett, I'm Officer Sharpe from the Sing Sing Correctional Facility..."He trailed off

Beckett stifled a short laugh, "Hey Jack I know who you are, we talk almost every week."

"Oh. Ha. Right, uhm well the reason I'm calling you today is that Mr. Lockwood has requested to speak with you." He replied nervously.

The smile that had been fading from the Detective's face had completely resurfaced with full force as she replied, "Oh has he now. Hmm well maybe he has decided to be of some assistance after all. Ok, this is good news. I'll get in my car now and I should be there in just over an hour. See you soon."

Without waiting for an answer she hung up her phone and grabbed her purse and jacket. Sending a quick text to Castle telling him to sleep in, she'd see him later, Beckett threw her phone into her purse and got into the elevator. Waving at the same Officers that she had only 5 minutes prior she clacked back down the cement steps and unlocked her car. Today really just might be a good day, She thought as she got in, the seat still warm.

Just over an hour later and Beckett was pulling into her usual spot. After putting her car in park she took a moment. Not to pray, she had never really been religious, but to send a word out to the universe, her mom perhaps. After that moment had passed she got out of her car and headed in. Jack was waiting for her at the desk at the front so she didn't have to wait to be escorted through. One metal detector, one flash of ID and a quick pat-down by a husky gentleman baring a striking resemblance to Liza Minnelli later, and she was seated at her regular interview table awaiting the arrival of one Hal Lockwood. On her regular visits, she would always request that Lockwood be seated already, that way he could take in the full vision of her entrance, having the height over him was a power play that Beckett never went without. However, this little meeting was his arrangement so she thought it best to just play his game.

She was seated for only a few minutes when in walked the man of the hour. His wrists were shackled to his ankles on a long metal chain that shimmered in the early morning sunlight that was peaking through the bars of the metal window to their left. He looked terrible, and not the usual kind of terrible. Most prisoners who have been in lockup as long as he had tend to have already adjusted to life in prison, but for Lockwood the exact opposite was the truth. He played a tough game but Beckett knew the first time she talked to him that it was all just a mask. You weren't allowed to have or show signs weakness or humanity, it was bad for business. Yet something was off about him and years on the force had given Beckett a knack for picking up on small gestures. It had become kind of her thing. It was one of the reasons, she guessed, that Castle liked following her around so much. This knack, and her gut, told her that something was seriously different. For the look that Lockwood now wore on his face was that of a man who had completely lost his world. She knew that putting him on a tough cellblock would eventually work its magic and bring out the true Lockwood- the coward - but she had no idea that it would work so quickly. Beckett had prepared herself for the long haul, and it had only been a short push. She had locked her eyes on his the second he walked in and had no intention of stopping. She had powerful eyes and she knew it. His eyes however, had lost their cold edge long ago and were now hollow, and seemed to be receding into his skull with every passing minute. They were also unable to hold her gaze. Every few minutes they would dart off to somewhere random, in hope of finding the restitution that he knew deep down would never come.

Her stomach was churning and her heart was racing but her surface was calm and gave the allusion of demure grace that could wait all day if it had to. She wanted to talk, she wanted to grab him and scream but she knew that that would be a foolish mistake. This was his game, and she would wait for him.

He was seated for about 30 seconds before he began to speak, almost a whisper, but to Detective Beckett, nothing could have been crisper.

"I think we both know why I asked you to come today so we can just go ahead and skip the formalities. I want out of here. Now, and I am prepared to talk if you can make that happen."

"Well," she began, pausing for effect, "as much as I am grateful for your sudden willingness to cooperate, it does concern me a little, so here is my deal. You start talking and if I decide that the information you provide is of any use I will make a few calls and get you transferred to a lower-security penitentiary."

With this any of the calmness that he had managed to convey completely flew out the window. Cowering like the bug he was he strained against his hackles he looked up at Becket with pleading eyes and said, "NO! I mean, please, no. Not here. He has eyes everywhere. No, we have to go somewhere he can't get to."

She had flinched a few inches when he jumped but had regained her composure. She had to play this right. She knew he had the information that she needed and he actually seemed ready to give it. "Let me make a few phone calls. Stay" She ordered. She had already hit the speed dial button on her cell and was awaiting the pickup as she walked out of the interview room. After 4 rings she heard a familiar voice, "Montgomery."

"Hi Sir, Its Beckett, I'm at a meeting with Hal Lockwood, and he has decided to talk."

"That is terrific news! But if you're calling me that means you need something am I right?" He replied.

"Ha" she chuckled "You know me well. He is afraid of someone. I don't know who yet but I think if I can get him alone somewhere he will really be willing to spill."

"I'll make a few calls and see what I can do."

"Thanks." She said while hanging up the phone throwing it back into her pocket. She leaned against the door frame looking through the two-way mirror at the man who had caused her so much grief. I've got you now, she thought.

A/N: Hey! So what do you think so far? I've been working on this one for a while, and am still not sure where I'm going to go with it. I apologize now if I get any protocol wrong or anything like that, I've never been to Jail before… well except for that one drunken night in Atlantic City, but I don't think that counts. Anywhoo, reviews make my day so let me know what you liked or didn't! Will try to post as often as I can, however chronic writers block and procrastination are my closest friends.

Until tomorrow…

KB

-p.s. I want to thank allah, jesus and whatever crazy scientology god tom cruise prays to that those are my initials. How cool amirite?