A/N: This is the sequel to Wherever you Will go, this picks up right where the other one left off.

The car is parked

The bags are packed

And what kind what kind of heart doesn't look back?

All I have

All I need

He is the air I would kill to breathe

Hold my love in his hand

Still I'm searching for something

Out of breath I am left hoping someday I will breathe again

-Sara Bareillies "Breathe Again"

The cool clean crisp air of the country was long gone now as they approached the city. The trees on the side of the road grew further and further apart as they neared their destination. You could already hear the sounds of the busy city life in the background. Kate sighed, god she was really going to miss the peaceful bliss of her father's cabin.

Kate sat in the front of seat of the car, her head pressed to the glass of the window. It was cool and soothing to her right now. They were less then twenty minuets from home now and everything was hitting her all at once. She breathed out trying to calm her racing heart as they approached the city limits. She had been doing well; she had made a lot of progress at their time away from the city. But now they were back and it was time to face the reality of everything she had left behind.

"Take me to the 12th." Kate said never lifting her head.

"You don't have to go back today you still have another week. I think maybe you should take it." He suggested.

"I don't need another week. I need to do this now. I need this to be over." She said.

"Kate, you don't have anything to prove to anyone."

"Please just do it, just take me there Castle."

"Alright." He agreed.

They pulled up into the parking garage of the 12th. "Are you coming?" Kate asked.

"No, not yet. I have to go see Alexis and you need to meet your new Captain."

"Right." She said disappointed. She knew he was right, that this was something she needed to do alone. Plus after weeks away Castle really needed to see his family. Alexis and his mother had been nothing but understanding and supportive of Castle's choice to stay with her while she recovered from her near death experience.

"Hey" He reached over taking her hand in his when he saw the sad look in her eyes, "you are going to be alright".

"Thanks." She said. Castle kissed the back of her hand, "go get them tiger" he said with a smile.

Was the elevator ride always this long? Was it always this small? What if it breaks down and I get stuck in here? All these thoughts rushed through Kate's mind as she waited for the doors to open and release her to her destination of the 12th. She ran her fingers through her hair and leaned against the back wall. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest, her pulse was racing. She closed her eyes and counted to ten and she waited and waited and waited for what seemed like hours. The doors dinged and indicated she had finally made it to her stop. She did a quick survey of the crowded room before they noticed her standing there. Espo was the first who noticed her.

"Looks who is back." He called and everyone started clapping and welcoming her back.

"What are you doing here; you're not do back till next week?" Espo asked.

"I got tired of sitting still." She said.

"How is the new Captain?" She asked.

They both shrugged their shoulders. "Guess I will find out soon enough." Kate said as she pulled out her form she had stating she was fit to return to work.

Kate knocked on the door of what use to be Montgomery office. The woman looked up from her papers, "Detective Beckett you are not due back till next week what can I do for you?" She asked.

"I have been cleared to return to work." Kate says as she all but slams the paper down on the captain's desk. Gates picks the paper up glancing over it quickly.

"Well in that case welcome back. You are still going to have to recertify before you get your gun back." Gates informs her.

Ryan and Espo watched carefully as Beckett came storming out of Gates office.

"How did it go?" Ryan asked.

"I want my gun."

"You know you have to recertify standard procedures." Espo said.

Kate gave Espo her best go to hell look before she turned and walked off. "You better watch out are your going to be first on her list of things to shoot when she gets her gun back." Ryan said.

It was after one that afternoon when Castle came strolling into the 12th. The first thing he noticed when he entered was Kate was not at her desk, he scanned the room quickly looking for his partner. She was nowhere to be found.

"I see you heard Beckett's back." Espo said pointing to the two coffees he held in his hand.

"Um, yeah she told me she was coming back today. I thought I'd bring her favorite help her through her first day back."

"Uh uh." The boys said at the same time.

"Where is she?" Castle questioned.

"The firing range she has to recertify before she can have her gun back" Ryan explained.

"Thanks." Castle replied.

She stood at the table where her gun was laid out in two pieces. "Alright Kate, you can do this" She said encouraging herself. Why was this so hard? How many damn times as she put a clip in her damn gun and fired into a target? Why is it so hard now? With shaking hands she removed her gun, slid the clip in the place and lifted it to the target. Her hands were shaky, but she ignored it. She counted to three then unloaded the clip in the paper target, hitting in the center every time. She exhaled when she accomplished her mission then quickly sat down on the bench.

Castle watched her from the open glass of the outside room. She sat with her head in her hands. This was a look he knew all to well, this was a look that said she was taking on more then she could manage. Castle had really wanted Kate to take the extra time she still had, but you know how stubborn Kate was and once she had her mind made up no one was going to be able to change it. So he decided it was better for him to support her, then to try and convince her otherwise.

"Hey the boys said I would find you down here; brought you something." Castle said he handed her the coffee.

"Some things never change." She said with a smile taking the coffee from his hands.

"Same goes for you." He said as he motioned with his head to the target she had just emptied her clip in.

"Looks like I still got it." She said. She silently thanked God; he wasn't there to see her momentary freak out before she fired. She knew if he had seen that he would have done everything in his power to take her home. Hell, she is almost certain he would go to Gates himself if it came down to that.

"How are you doing?" He asked as he bumped his shoulder against hers.

"I am holding it together…I think." She admitted.

"It is going to get easier." He said.

"Yeah, I am sure you are right." Kate said. Kate reached into her pocket and pulled her phone out when she had felt it buzzing against her leg.

"We have a lead." Kate replied.

"You sure you are ready for this?"

"There is only one way to find out." Kate explained.

Kate grabbed her gun off the table and turned her attention back to Castle. "You coming?"

"Yeah." He said as he stood and followed Kate out of the room

A/N: Going to try to keep the updates coming as soon as possible if it takes a while in between forgive me we have family down from out of town for the holidays.