A/N: Again if you don't wont to get spoiled for 7x10 and a little of 7x11 don't read. Thank you to everyone that has reviewed, faved and followed. I appreciate you all. Here is the second half of Caskett's reaction.

Disclaimer : Castle comes from professionals whose responsibility is to make it and I'm not one.

Ch.2 KATE

Kate was worried now. Castle was rarely this quiet, this reserved. The very few times he had been like this in the past had always meant something had happened that would bring turmoil to their lives. That time just before they got together, when Castle learnt that she had lied about that terrible day at the cemetery, came to mind as an unpleasant example. The time after he found out about DC but then met her at their swings and proposed was a more pleasant example. All this added to Kate's confusion as they took their seats on the couch in the living room of the loft. From the vibe she was getting from him she was thinking that if it wasn't freezing outside that perhaps this talk should be taking place at their swings and not here in the warm, Christmas cheer filled loft.

She could sense that her emotions were destined for a roller-coaster ride. At the precinct she'd been experiencing satisfaction that another case was closed and that her husband had yet again been able to use his unique talents to assist with its resolution. Also she'd felt pride at having finished her contribution to the Castle Christmas poem and at seeing Castle's appreciation of her efforts. Then she'd felt carefree enough to join in on the precinct Christmas party with more enthusiasm than she'd ever done so before. The happiness of where she was in her life right then, her mother's murder resolved and married to the love of her life, had freed her like never before to celebrate the season with her co-workers. A few had been surprised, she didn't think Espo's eyebrows could go that high into his hair line, after they saw her dancing with Laine.

As she looked into Castle's eyes she could feel that roller-coaster car of her emotions teetering on that edge, just before the gut-wrenching plunge down. His eyes didn't have that mostly adorable childlike sheepishness he would have when he did something that wasn't serious but would still warrant an eye roll from her. No, what she saw in his eyes was shame and sadness at what he was going to tell her and how she would react. She watched as he took a breath and then his eyes dropped from hers. That did it. When he wouldn't look at her a cold ball of negative emotion crashed into her stomach, the roller-coaster started its decent down to join it and she knew that she was soon going to wish they never left the party.

"Kate, after I spoke to Dino at the precinct, Gates came to see me," he pauses to take another deep breath. "She told me that while Detective McBride was being transferred to central booking he was shot and killed by unknown assailants."

Kate sits up straight at that and feels her eyes go wide at the shock of the news. She opens her mouth to comment but Castle continues before she can.

"She told me that, not surprisingly, they suspect the mob is responsible. Because of the contact I had with them during the case I have become an embarrassment for the NYPD and the city. The DA has spoken to the Mayor and as of now I can no longer work with the NYPD, can no longer be your partner."

She freezes for a moment at those words, can no longer be your partner. Before she knows what she is doing she is on her feet and pacing in front of the couch. This can't be happening, she thinks, after everything they've been through this year. They'd just started to feel normal, feel like them again and now THIS!

"WHAT THE HELL CASTLE!" she shouts and she sees him cringe at her tone indicating he thinks that she blames him with her opening explosion. "HOW CAN THEY DO THIS TO US? DO THIS TO YOU?"

She keeps pacing and has her hands clenched into fists with the unconscious desire to punch something. Castle's head has shot up at her last exclamation and she could see him watching her go back and forth in front of him like he's watching a tennis match.

With less volume but a continuing blazing anger she continues, "How can they take away my partner just like that with no appeal, no investigation and without notification? Of course, because you're not a formal consultant and you used your connections to get in they can kick you out just as easily. But does nothing we've done together mean anything? All the murderers we've put away, the lives we've saved, does that mean nothing to them? Hell, you saved this city from another 9/11 and they just forget that and kick you to the curb as soon as it's embarrassing!"

"A man was killed Kate," responds Castle mournfully.

She stops in front of her husband at that and looks into his face. The sorrow she sees there tugs at her heart and cools her heat slightly. Still seething she looks into his eyes to convey the utter conviction behind her words.

"And you had nothing to do with that Rick. Even if we had found McBride without your help the mob would have still have had him killed. You even asked Dino not to do anything and insisted that he let us deal with whatever we found. It's not your fault that some crooked cop's actions caught up with him. With my…, with our family's history with criminals hiding behind the badge I'm not going to lose any sleep over someone like McBride."

Once she can see the guilt over the dirty cop's murder has lifted slightly from his face she resumes her pacing again like a tiger in a cage and lets the anger boiling insider her chest release again.

"I'm sick of this Castle. For years the department has benefited from the good publicity that you've given them. Nikki Heat isn't just your love letter to me. It has also been a pretty good advertisement for the NYPD. You've used your connections for years to find murderers and now that it doesn't look good they're not prepared to stand behind you. Huh, it's just like last year when they were so quick to accuse me of murder."

She stops in her pacing. This time she is a few steps away from him, facing away from him and coincidently facing the huge Christmas tree, lights twinkling, that is standing at the side of the living room. The happiness and love that the decoration represents makes a stark counter point to the anger she is feeling. Anger that is flaming as she struggles to think of a way out of this. What can they do? What can she do? What can anyone do?

Over her shoulder she asks tightly, "Is there nothing the mayor can do?"

Castle sighs heavily, "Bob's up for re-election soon. One of his friends revealed to have ties with the mob, working with the NYPD at his invitation and part of an investigation that resulted in the death of someone at the hands of the mob. That's all his opponents would need to tarnish him and be an albatross for his campaign. As it is they might still use it against him. So not only has my stupidity wrecked our partnership it might have cost this city its mayor."

Kate's eyes are now moving back and forth as if searching for something that isn't there. She tries to think of something or someone that could fix this. Unfortunately she burned her bridges when she was fired from the Attorney General's Task Force so there are no contacts there that would help. While she'd mentioned the case with the dirty bomb both it and the Linchpin case had both been heavily classified so neither the DHS or the CIA could even acknowledge their involvement let alone be inclined to intercede on their behalf.

What can she do? After all they've been through this year she's not prepared to just give this up. What they have together, solving murders together, means so much to her. Has become so much a part of her life she can't let it go. She folds her arms across her chest and turns on the spot to look back at her husband.

He is sitting there on the edge of the couch, hands clasped in front of him and his head bowed so that he is looking at the floor between his feet. She studies him and the waves of disquiet that are rolling off him. Can she keep going in every day without him? Without him at her side. How is she supposed to keep an eye on him if he's not her partner? She admits to herself that the reason she could so easily pick up on Alexis' overprotectiveness, after his disappearance, was that she feels it herself. Ever since getting him back, after that terrible two months, she has been just a bit afraid of what could happen to him when he is out of her sight. Him jaunting off to Montreal definitely didn't help that fear.

What will this mean for their marriage? Again their working together is so much a part of who they are and of how they came together what will they be without it? Sure, he can stay home and do his regular job and write and she can still go to work every day and solve murders. Just like every other normal couple with a member on the job. Except their relationship has been anything but normal.

Then what? Give it a few years and then when Gates moves on go for promotion and running the precinct? Still without him at her side. Get caught up in the same politics that forced him out while waiting to finish out her twenty. Does she want that? Or does she just want him? Give it all up to raise a family with him full time instead of juggling both family and job? She'd have the time to be able to throw all her energy behind being the best mom she could be. Or can she stay in a job that has betrayed her trust yet again and try for a family later liked they planned?

The logic of these thoughts lead her to an option. The same option that she exercised over two years ago. She mulls it over for a moment. She can do it and she knows he won't like it but she's doing this for him, for the both of them, so really there's no option. They would do anything for each other.

She takes her own deep breath before declaring to him, "Ok, that's it. I'm done. I'm going to resign. They can go to hell."

Castle's head shoots up at that and the next moment he is up, strides over to her and then grips her biceps in desperation as his blue eyes search out her hazel ones, "No Kate! Please don't give that up for me. Don't let my mistake ruin your career. I couldn't handle being responsible for that."

She huffs and rolls her eyes, "Some career. Where they respect all the work I've done over the years SO much. Hell, Gates didn't even have the guts to tell me herself that I've lost my partner but left it for you to tell me. I bet she was so happy that she finally was able to show you the door."

"She actually said she was really sorry and I think she was sincere. But anyway it is that career that brought me to you and has been so much a part of your life that it's not just a job but a part of who you are. And what about the victims? I know it means so much to you to be able to stand for them. Sure I've got more than enough money so that neither of us have to ever work again but I've always had my money and you giving up your work hasn't been an option before. Remember how lost you felt after DC and before the NYPD let you back. Your job is so much a part of who you are and I won't be responsible for taking that away from you. You are a strong and independent woman which are just a couple of the many things I love about you. Just like I didn't want you to give up DC when I proposed I don't want you to give up such an integral part of who you are because of me. I really appreciate that you feel you have to do this for me but the last thing I want is to cause your life even more upheaval this year," says Castle as he runs his hands soothingly up and down her arms.

"And what if this is the opportunity for us start having kids? If I'm not a cop there would be no worries about our unborn child being harmed while I'm on the job. We could concentrate together on having the perfect family I know you want," she suggests to him logically.

"Yes Kate, I do want that for us but not like this. I want it when we are both ready and not because it's convenient due to circumstances. Plus you know I was looking forward to you being a working mom while I took care of things at home," he raises his hand as she opens her mouth to say something and she knows he knows exactly what she is going to say. "I know, now that I can't be your partner that's another reason we can do this because I'll have the time to stay home but we agreed we were going to wait a while to get used to being married before trying. Especially now I think we need time to get used to this new dynamic before we bring a child into our lives," he finishes earnestly.

Kate looks at the sincerity writ on his face and thinks not for the first time, what had she done to deserve such a man? He's right, she can admit to herself that while she's sure she would be content giving up solving murders to start a family with him there's a chance that making the decision now would make it tainted. Tainted with uncertainty that they didn't do it because they wanted to and were ready but because they were trying to replace the loss of their partnership. She wants everything that a family entails with him but when the time is right. Before now, when she had thought about it, she'd thought that she could have both, family and job. She still thinks that but she honestly was prepared to give it up to devote herself solely to one the greatest lives a person can have, raising a family full time.

She unfolds her arms, loops them around his waist, pulls him into a hug and rests her head on his chest. His arms mirror hers and snake around her waist. She feels him relax into the hug and she does the same. At least him having to talk her down and concentrate on soothing her rage has allowed him to set aside some of his own sadness at their situation. She's a little satisfied that she's been able to do that small thing for him. Ok, she thinks, if me quitting is out then what options are there? She puts voice to her thought.

"So what are we going to do Rick?" she asks in resignation as her rage has become sadness at the unexpectedly distasteful future they are faced with.

"First we are going to bed and tomorrow, you'll go into the precinct as you always have and…," starts Castle before he is interrupted.

"And I tear Gates a new one for kicking you out," she growls.

He continues ignoring her interruption but with a slight smile at her fierce loyalty, "Where you go in and continue to be the best homicide detective in the city and I get to sleep in," he adds with another faint smile. She recognises it as a slight attempt at his usual coping mechanism, humour.

"I'm still going to miss you not coming in with me and nothing is going to change that," she declares vehemently.

"And I will miss going in with you but we'll manage, we'll find a way," he replies wistfully.

They loosen the hug and each with an arm around the other's waist they walk, side by side, from the living room, walk through his office and into their bedroom. Once inside they reluctantly release each other having found some small comfort in their embrace. She heads over to the dresser to get out her sleep clothes.

He closes the bedroom door and continues, "While you continue to be your usual badass self at the precinct I will start looking into an idea I have. An idea that might let me to continue to solve cases even if I'm not with the NYPD. Who knows, if it works out and I can prove my worth maybe they'll let me come back."

Kate turns her head and looks over at him as he now stands next to their bed. She studies with suspicion the look of excitement on his face that is peeking through the sadness of the loss of their partnership. She's learnt to be wary of that excitement. If nothing else this whole situation has reinforced that wariness even though she honestly doesn't blame him for what's happened.

With her eyes narrowed she asks, "What idea Castle?"

A/N : I hope I did Beckett's reaction and character justice here. I was very conscious of wanting to portray her as a independent woman where the choices of having a family while working or stoping work to do it full time were both valid choices for her. Also, that her sense of loyalty would have her go to the option of telling the NYPD to stick her job for getting rid of Castle (which I think as you can guess from this I don't think is justified).