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Kate rode straight to the morgue to talk to Lanie before going home to pick up her things and go to her Dad's cabin. She needed another pep talk for getting over things.

"Girl! Finally, I was wondering when you were going to get your skinny ass down here!" Lanie wasted no time with greetings.

"Hey Lanie," Kate says dejectedly.

"What's wrong? You know I'm sorry I have to stay and take on Perlmutter's cases, there was nothing I could do to get out of it," she groans.

"It's not that Lanie, I appreciated your offer but I was always fine to get out there myself, I guess I'll just miss the convincing," Kate sighs.

"Well, I couldn't get you to talk to writer boy or as you say, he won't give you any time to discuss anything. If you accept that then there is only one thing that is to be done," she tells her matter of fact.

"It hurts, Lanie," Kate moans, hugging herself.

"I know sweetie, but after all this time, maybe it's for the best. You've been miserable and Castle, well, Castle has been a complete jerk, maybe he just isn't who we thought he was," Lanie tells her grimly.

"I know Lanie, it's just, this evening when I was leaving for a second it felt like it used to, you know, like we understood each other," she wipes at her tears.

"How much time did Gates give you?" Lanie quickly changes the subject.

"Well, she started it at a week, but she acknowledged I might need more time to sort things out and told me to call," Kate sniffed.

"Well, that's certainly something," Lanie agrees.

"Yeah, I hate that it's obvious enough for Gates to go soft on me though. It's like she knows how crushed I am even if she doesn't know what's going on, I hate that," Kate frowns.

"Well, Gates never wanted Castle in her precinct in the first place, she knows how hard you fought to keep him there, it can't be a secret that things have changed and you've been miserable, she doesn't want anyone to get hurt," Lanie explains.

"I feel unprofessional Lanie, I've let things get out of control and it's effected the job and I don't want to be this person, so dejected and having Ryan and Esposito look at me like I'm fragile," Kate was a mess.

"That's why this is a good idea. Go back to your father's cabin, back to a place of reason and think about what you need to do, and decide and then do it. Get over Castle if he isn't who you thought he was, don't waste time feeling like this. Come back stronger. Whatever you decide will be for the best, I know it," Lanie hugs Kate.

"Thanks Lanie," I'll call you when I get there, but I might not be up for any more conversation after that," Kate sighs.

"That's okay girl, you just look out for number one, alright?" Lanie nods.

"I will," Kate swipes at her face again and then leaves.