As Castle slowly knocked on Beckett's door not sure what she will look like on the other side. Beckett hadn't shown up for work today and everyone had been trying to call her and others to see if they knew where she was.

Castle being the man he was immediately offered to see if she was at her apartment. As the door opened slowly he was presented with a red puffy eyed Kate, it looked like she had been crying for hours and she looks up at him with sadness in her eyes, she can barely hold a glance with Castle. His voice is so soft and concerned "Kate, oh my God, are you-"
"Castle, what are you doing here?"
Her voice was sharp and had a hint of annoyance in it.
"Kate how can you even ask me that? you didn't turn up for work today, so how can you ask me what i'm doing here, you never miss work Kate everyone is worried about you, i'm worried about you"
Castle couldn't look at her when he said the last part of that sentence. Kate suddenly felt her stomach fill up with guilt, seeing Castle so vulnerable made her feel terrible.
"Castle- i'm sorry i didn't mean that i just- i just really need to you right now, please come in?"
Castle slowly walked into her apartment and then he turned to face her. There eyes met and she held his gaze and thats when he saw her eyes fill with tears and fall down her cheeks "Kate, whats wrong?-"
"I'm just sick of it you know? I just want it to be over and finished i have lost so much over this thing, it is going to destroy me"
Castle was so confused, he had no idea what she was talking about. Then it hit him, the last couple of days she was acting a lot different and she had kept mentioning her Mother and Montgomery, the case was still unsolved and had gone cold for the 13th year. The sniper had still not been caught and she was getting more jumpy because she had been thinking about it so much. She was thinking about him tackling her to the ground and saying those words that have been burnt into her brain since he said them. "Kate, i love you, i love you Kate" her focus withdrawn as he started to speak. "Kate, im so sorry, i promise you we're gonna catch the guys who did that to you, i promise you i will protect you"
"Rick-"
"I may not have a badge or a gun, but i will do everything in my power to keep you safe Kate, anything and everything"
A smile tugged at the corner of her lips until all she could do was fall into his arms, she rose her hand to rest on his chest, her ear against his chest hearing the thumping of his heart, which made her feel warm inside. His hand rose to rest on the back of her head, holding her there for comfort, as his fingers threaded through her hair.
"Castle?"
"Hmm?"
"I love you too"