see how I'll leave with every piece of you
He is gone within the week, leaving her behind once again.
She throws herself into the job for the first month or so. She gets the occasional short email from him, but knows that he keeps in better touch with Ryan and Esposito. Alexis and Martha return shortly before school starts and she sees the both of them on a fairly regular basis. It serves as a decent distraction at first, but as the months drag on she begins to realize just how much things have changed.
Josh pretends not to see at first. He pretends that she doesn't look at him any differently than before, but he knows better. He knows because she starts to make up excuses as to why she can't stay the night or go out to dinner. She doesn't avoid him, but she doesn't make an effort to see him either.
He knows that things are changing. She is losing interest in him and he sees it. He sees it, but he can't fight it because the man he should be fighting is a world away.
It's the beginning of the end for them and Kate breaks up with him a month later.
Castle calls once or twice while he is gone.
The first call comes after six months and she is almost asleep when she hears her cellphone go off. She answers with a tired, "Beckett" and is surprised when she hears his voice on the other end.
"Hey. Did I wake you?"
She sits up quickly, fighting a small smile at just the sound of his voice. "Almost, Castle, but not quite."
"Good," she hears him chuckle and her heart skips a beat.
She misses him.
There is silence for a moment as they both try to think of something to say. She opens her mouth to speak, but he beats her too it.
"Look, I can't talk long but… you sound good, Kate," he states softly. She tries to picture the look on his face to match the words, but she can't because she has never heard this tone before. She thinks that she hears Gina calling for Castle in the background, but it sounds muffled and she can't be sure.
"Castle-"
"I'll call again, okay? Goodnight Detective."
He hangs up before she can respond and she curses at the phone before flopping back down onto the bed.
She spends the next few months waiting for another call.