"You really want to put your dad through that? And what about Josh?"

"And what about you Rick?" She questioned angrily.

He was shocked at the question. Couldn't she tell how he felt after all this time? "Of course I don't want anything to happen to you. I'm your partner I'm your friend."

"Is that what we are?"

"Alright you know what? I don't know what we are. We kiss and then we never talk about it. We nearly die frozen in each others arms, but we never talk about it. So no I got no clue what we are. I know I don't wanna see you throw your life away!" He explained walking closer to her with every word.

"Yeah well last time I checked it was my life, not your personal jungle Gym. And for the past three years I've been running around with the schools funniest kid. And it's not enough." she walked to the front door satisfied with shutting him up. That was until he started talking again.

"You know what? This isn't about your mothers case anymore. This is about you needing a place to hide. Because you've been chasing this thing so long, you're afraid to find out who you are without it."

Dhe ran her hand through her hair and looked at him annoyingly. He wasn't right. No way was he right. "You don't know me Castle. You think you do but you don't."

"I know you crawled inside your mothers murder and didn't come out. I know you hide there. The same way you hide in these nowhere relationships with men you don't love!"

he paused taking a quick breath, gathering himself. He wasn't going to back down. He was going to crack her.

"You could be happy Kate. You deserve to be happy. But you're afraid."

" You know what we are Castle? we are over! Now get out!" She demanded. Her blood was pumping her fist was tightly balled and she couldn't help the finger that wanted to pull the trigger. He needed to leave before she seriously lost it.

"No."

Wait what? Did she hear that right? He couldn't have said that.

"Excuse me?" She asked still bewildered by his response.

"No."

"Castle get the hell out!"

"No you will not kick me out because you know I'm right."

"Castle," she warned. "You don't want to do this."

"I'm doing it. Kate what's it gonna take for you to realize that your life is worth more than this? We cannot win this."

"You have two seconds to get the hell out of my apartment."

"Or what Kate? You'll shoot me? Shoot one of the only people in your life that sees what this case really does to you? No Kate I'm not leaving. As bad as I wanna fight this with you I know we can't because we can't win this."

"I don't want to talk about this."

"Well we are. You said I don't know you but we both know that's a lie. You just need to admit it to yourself. Your in this relationship putting up with all the crap! He's never here for you so can't trust him. So therefore he doesn't know the most important thing in your life. He can't be with you and not know about your mother."

She turned to face him, face red as blood. Her eyes were piercing through him only showing anger. She wasn't backing down he couldn't break her. But she could see he was standing his ground.

She walked over to him directly in his face. "Get out," she demanded again, pushing on his chest. "We are done."

"Done before we even began?" He questioned taking her hands from his chest and holding them. She tried to take them away but he gripped her wrists tighter. "I know how you feel about me. It's so obvious. So why do you keep denying it?"

"Castle stop just stop!" She tried to break away again but failed miserably.

"I know you felt what I felt that night. It was more than just a ruse."

"Castle you don't know what your talking about." She still couldn't break out of his grip.

"There's nothing I can say is there? Why are you so stubborn? You don't care about your life and you don't care...about me."

She looked away from him not being able to see that look on his face. Pure heartbreak.

"What do want me to say?" She whispered.

"The truth. You know I know it. Tell me you care. Tell me your life is worth living."

"Castle what are you saying I should do? Just give up on her? I need to know who did this."

"I know you do. But your gonna have to move on. She wouldn't want this for you. I don't want this for you."

She'd been doing a fantastic job holding back her emotions but now after seeing the concern in his eyes, the genuineness she couldn't hold back. She tried to cover her face but Castle moved her hands.

"It's okay. Kate I'm here for you. I'm always here for you. You just have to let me be."

"I don't know what I'll do."

"We'll figure it out. Together. Your not alone," he said taking hold of either side of her face.

She dug her face into Castle's chest still trying to hold back the tears that have yet to fall. She gripped his jacket tightly to hold herself up.

"How do I do this? She was my mother."

"One step at a time. I'm not saying it won't be hard. But you're strong enough to get through it." He wrapped one arm around her waist while the other gently stroked her hair. "I'm here. Always. Always Kate."

A/N: Please review. Tell me what you honestly think. Tell me how I can improve my writing and/ or my storytelling. I would appreciate it so much!