A Lesson in Leaving

by Castlefan6

Authors Note: Gina Cowell Castle Cowell played a huge role in the lives of Caskett, but who is she, what do we know about her, was she really wicked, or just not on the same page with Rick for marriage? We'll add our take on a character that was central to our couple. TOTALLY AU. NOTE: AU not canon If you don't know the difference, then don't comment about what I left out of the story you saw on TV.

I don't own Castle, I use the characters for amusement purposes only

A/N For the purpose of this story, Rick is 23, Gina 22, Beckett 22, Kyra 21 and dates are based on current year and date (present day December 2018), it's easier to keep straight. No Alexis, No Meredith. No Martha. Rick has just purchased the loft from the Royalties from A Rose Forever, and lives alone.

Chapter 1

Gina Cowell Griffin was born into a family of prominent parents, aunts and uncles all involved with the publishing business in some manner, so it was only natural when she chose English and Journalism at Columbia University for her College degree. She had chosen the advanced program and graduated in 3 years with a double major and although not Suma Cum Laude, she had a very respectful GPA.

She took a summer off and toured Paris with her fiancé, to celebrate after putting their love life on hold for the sake of studies, well at least she had. It soon was revealed that the man she was engaged to had been a CAD, and seen all around town with multiple females, and caught in displays of very intense affection.

Heartbroken, she had been with Mike since Junior High School, there had been no one else, at least for her, she called off the engagement and sent him packing to wherever. Adding insult to injury, she even had to pay for his return flight to New York, it seemed he had been scammed by the latest flavor of the months he so readily enjoyed, and karma proved to be a bitch.

Humiliated, and heartbroken, she extended her stay in Paris for another two weeks, just to regain some stability so she could talk without crying. Her conversation with her parents went just about like she expected, her Father brushing it off as if it were a casual fling, and her Mother giving her the same speech she had heard since a little girl, "You can be a Stand By Your Man girl all you want, but if you do they're going to walk all over you. Be brave, be strong, don't let them see you cry no matter how bad it hurts", and the final line which always pissed her off more than anything, "take a good look at what you did to make him shop in another store, a woman who satisfies her man, keeps him."

It was during those additional two weeks, she met an interesting young lady in one of the coffee shops. She had been listening to music on her iPod and apparently humming and singing along to Sara Evans "A Little Bit Stronger" really getting into the lyrics, as she cried.

A Little Bit Stronger

Sara Evans

Woke up late today and I still feel the sting of the pain
But I brushed my teeth anyway
I got dressed through the mess and put a smile on my face
I got a little bit stronger

Riding in the car to work and I'm
Trying to ignore the hurt so I
Turned on the radio,
Stupid song made me think of you
I listened to it for minute
But then I changed it
I'm getting a little bit stronger,
Just a little bit stronger

And I'm done hoping
That we could work it out
I'm done with how it feels,
Spinning my wheels
Letting you drag my heart around
And, oh, I'm done thinking
You could ever change
I know my heart will never be the same
But I'm telling myself I'll be okay
Even on my weakest days
I get a little bit stronger

It doesn't happen overnight but you
Turn around and a month's gone by
And you realize you haven't cried
I'm not giving you a hour or a second or another minute longer
I'm busy getting stronger

And I'm done hoping
That we can work it out
I'm done with how it feels,
Spinning my wheels
Letting you drag my heart around
And, oh, I'm done thinking,
You could ever change
I know my heart will never be the same
But I'm telling myself I'll be okay
Even on my weakest days,
I get a little bit stronger
I get a little bit stronger

Getting along without you baby
I'm better off without you baby
How does it feel without me baby?
I'm getting stronger without you baby

And I'm done hoping we could work it out
I'm done with how it feels,
Spinning my wheels
Letting you drag my heart around
And, oh, I'm done thinking
That you could ever change
I know my heart will never be the same
But I'm telling myself I'll be okay
Even on my weakest days
I get a little bit stronger
I get a little bit stronger

And just a little bit stronger
A little bit,
A little bit,
A little bit stronger
Get a little bit stronger

Songwriters: Hillary Lindsey / Hillary Scott / Luke Laird

She was approached by a young lady slightly younger than herself, inquiring,

"Excuse me, are you OK, I heard the song through your ear buds, and it's one of my favorite break up songs as well, Anything I can do?"

"Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't know it was that loud or I was making a fool of myself, I apologize."

"Oh No, it wasn't that loud, but I love that song, could be my theme song, you see I just left a 3 year relationship and walked away to come over here for a fantastic opportunity to work with the top designers,"

"You walked away? How could you just walk away from three years, I mean it's none of my business, but I had three years with my ex, then found he was cheating, so I sent him packing. It was the right thing to do, but still hurts like hell."

"I'm sorry, oh by the way I'm Kyra, Kyra Blane" as she stuck out her hand to shake hands.

"I'm Gina Cowell Gr, just Cowell now the hell with that I'm going to make a new start, it begins today, and he didn't deserve a true love when he was out galivanting. Was that why you broke up with your Boyfriend Kyra, was he running around?"

"Oh no, Rick was faithful as the day is long, he came from humble beginnings, and wanted to be a famous author, My Mom thought he was just out for financial backing from us, but honestly he didn't have a clue about our wealth."

"Then why did you dump a guy who was faithful for three years, even knowing that your Mom didn't like him? Seems to me he would be a keeper, I'm sorry that was rude you didn't ask nor need my opinion."

"No, No that's OK, you know I'm asking myself the same question, I know I hurt him badly, and I loved him, yet Mother held the power so if I didn't go, she would have cut me off, and I would be out on my own."

"So, you let your Mother stand in your way of your love for a man who had stayed faithful to you for three years, and was so ambitious worked all kinds of part time jobs and still completed a novel? Kyra, he wasn't looking for a handout, he was looking for support, and now, God I hope he keeps writing. It would be a shame to end a dream because of a broken heart."

"I know Gina, I feel terrible, but he changed his phone number, and won't answer my letters so I guess he is done with me, really I can't blame him. I think he was going to propose that night under the stars at the Clock at Times Square, so I had to rush the breakup on him, he looked so shattered, I'll never forget that look."

"God Kyra, he was about to propose, and you rushed the I can't see you anymore on him, no wonder he was crushed."

"Well I told him, I didn't believe in marriage, I mean look at my mother and father, their secretaries arrange meetings between the two of them, if that's marriage I don't want it."

"Well, I had my whole life mapped out, I was going to work for a few years, so Mike and I had our own nest egg, then buy a house, and settle down with kids and live the dream, well that dream turned into a nightmare when my fiancé proved to be nothing more than a horny bastard with no morals. I would have given anything if he were like your boyfriend, what's his name again?"

"It's Rick, and he's my ex now, I did a great job on destroying any chance to ever even being friends with him, and what's funny, he always knew what I needed before I did and took care of me, God I miss that."

"Well, sounds like we both need a lesson in leaving the past behind, not letting it consume us with the memories, good or bad and just move ahead with our lives the best we can."

"Good advice from the chic who's crying to Sara Evans A little Bit Stronger, but I agree, we both need to move on, I mean you got cheated on, and I let my mother influence me to leave the one man who has loved me for myself, not my parents social status, God Love Sucks."

Gina and Kyra both laughed and spent the remainder of their time seeing each other at least once a day, some days their sessions went all day, other days it was for a quick lunch, but a friendship had been borne out of common hurt, one self-inflicted, the other through no fault of her, just the horny bastard she had chosen.

The time flew bye, and Kyra actually saw Gina off as she departed to face the next chapter of her life in New York, as a senior editor at Black Pawn Publishing, no one needed to know her great uncle owned the company, and Kyra to work her role as an assistant to France's top fashion designer to the stars. As close as they had become, they would trade calls for a few months till the time slipped away and they drifted apart not to see each other again for several years in the future, BUT they would share one very important item,

TBC