AN: Hello. Just to say that the idea for this story came about because of a conversation I was having with someone about what would drive Castle to leave Beckett. I could only think of two possible options. This is one of them.

Chapter Two: Not the Ending We Wanted

The crash of rain woke him up. Climbing out of bed, he slid open the glass door and walked barefoot out onto the decked area of the partially covered balcony. He looked out at the ocean and breathed in deeply the salted scent of the rolling blue expanse. Rain splattered against the sanded wooden handrail that ran the entire length of the enclosed glass balcony and sent spray up onto his t-shirt; he took a step backwards as the cold droplets made contact with his bed-warm skin, but he didn't go back inside.

He listened as the frenzied rustle of the leaves of the Kwihi trees which bordered the house along one side blended with the low roaring of the ocean, both now almost lost to the ever-increasing clattering of rain on the roof above him. He glanced back into the dark grey of the bedroom at the alarm clock on the bedside table. It was 5:08.

It was tomorrow, and everything about her was yesterday. Yesterday she was close, across town, a phone call away. Now she was almost two thousand miles away and she didn't have his number, and he knew he'd never call her.

He pictured her signing for the brown padded envelope. She would undoubtedly notice his handwriting on the front, and he wondered if her first emotion would be curious surprise or concern. He had made sure to leave his letter (which he had marked: "KATE - PLEASE READ FIRST") on the top of the bound file of photographs, witness statements and scribbled notes, which hopefully would mean something to her. He knew the adorable crease that settled across the bridge of her nose would be in evidence as she scanned his words. The crease would turn into a frown as she read on. And then what? Would she pick up where he left off, or would she bury what they knew and try and live a life that would always be overshadowed by not knowing? He really wasn't sure. Beckett...Kate...had never been easy to read. But of one thing he was sure: she wouldn't seek him out. The few words he'd written would see to that, and he knew that no matter what, a part of her would understand that he never had a choice. It was the only way to keep his family safe.

xxx

Kate Beckett sat down on the living room sofa, drew her long legs under her and opened the heavy package, and as she pulled out the stack of documents, a white envelope slid onto her lap. She set the bundle down next to her - not really looking at what it was - and reached for the envelope. What was Castle up to now? Why hadn't he mentioned that he was sending her something?

His distinctive, flamboyant scrawl nearly stretched from one end of the paper rectangle to the other. She withdrew the folded sheet of embossed writing paper from inside and opened it. A few words in and her heart began to beat wildly in her chest. Not many seconds later, she reached the end of the note and despite wanting, no, needing to cry, she found she couldn't. This was why he hadn't shown up last night. This was why he hadn't returned her call.

Kate

I wish I could look you in the eye to tell you why I'm leaving, but I can't. I can't because there's no time.

Montgomery's contact is dead, of that I'm almost certain. I received a package from him this morning. It was waiting for me when I got home after dropping you off at your place. Enclosed is everything Roy knew and everything this unknown man knew. I can only reason that he sent this to me because he knew he was going to die, and that the truth would die with him if he didn't entrust it to someone else.

I know you said you wanted to try and move on from this. I know you meant it. But I'm sending this to you because I have hope that it might somehow keep you safe. That whatever secrets lie within, they will reveal who you are up against, and then you will know how to hide, because you have to run and hide, Kate. Promise me that you will.

They took her from me. They took Alexis, just to prove that they could. She's safe now. They kept her from me for less than a day, but you must know that we have to leave.

I know you won't follow. I know you understand that I can't risk losing her.

I swore to the man who called me to tell me that he had Alexis that I'd leave, that I wouldn't help you. I swore until I had no words left. But he didn't know about the package, and so I kept quiet. God help me, I said nothing.

Kate...I don't know what else to do, but I trust with everything I posses that you do.

And now there isn't time to tell you of all that's in my heart. But please know that if I could write us a different ending, I would. I would.

I love you.

Always,
Rick

She read the letter only one more time and then re-folded it and placed it back in the cream coloured envelope. She wanted to feel more because she knew holding back the pain was futile, but her defences kicked in, regardless. And so she didn't cry a single tear. Instead, all she felt was the cold comfort of acceptance – as if somehow she knew this was always going to be their ending.

I wonder if you agree. Would Castle leave Beckett behind if Alexis was threatened? I think he would. I also think she'd let him walk away. But that's me. Next chapter will be up at the weekend.