OMG THAT FINALE! (FANGIRL SCREAM) breathe in….. breathe out….. okay chapter three…. Here we go ~Cate

The finale was epic(: I wish my tea managed to stay in my cup…but oh well, it's a loss I can live with(; ~ Jenn


Previously in A Queen of Hearts:

Castle turned the key in the door to the loft and entered into the black nothingness of the room. Alexis was at Paige's and Mother was at a late class at her acting studio. He walked to the corner of the room and pulled a bottle of scotch from the liquor cabinet and poured himself a shot. He drank it and poured another and another. Five shots later….. or maybe it was fifteen (he had lost count at that point) a light flicked on across the room. As his drunken eyes adjusted to the light, he was faced with the annoyed and sympathetic face of his mother.

"Richard Castle," an exasperated Martha began, "What the hell are you doing?"

"Don't know what you mean," his voice came out strong and solemn, not slurred. Richard Castle was not drunk, not really. He had lost track of the shots because he simply didn't care, five or fifteen it didn't matter to him, the pain of betrayal burned through the alcohol's attempts to help him forget.

"Of course you know what I mean!" it pained Martha to see her son in such pain, "Don't torture yourself Richard, following her around only makes the pain worse."

"What I do," Castle sighed, "I'd like to think it helps, that I'm a part of something bigger, something that makes a difference. Plus I'm her partner. I have to look out for her, make sure nothing happens to her."

"Richard, you're a writer not a cop. What difference will you being there make for her safety? You can't even carry a gun."

Castle raised his head a bit so Martha could see his eyes, this time he wasn't even trying to mask the pain and suffering inside the blue irises. He hung his head low as he gave the answer his mother had been waiting for, "It hurts to stay," he breathed, "But it hurts much more to leave." Suddenly he raised his head once again with fiery determination in his eyes, "I'm her partner. If that's all I'll ever get, at least I will have that."

"It won't be enough," Martha insisted, "You need to move on."

He shook his head, "There isn't anyone else. There won't ever be anyone else. She's it."

"Oh darling," Martha closed the distance between them and put her hand on his shoulder, "If that's really how you feel, I'm so sorry." He nodded and minutes of mutual understanding silence passed between them before the scotch was put away, the lights were turned off, and they headed to their respective rooms. Neither got any sleep.

Neither Martha nor Castle was out of bed when Alexis left for the medical examiner's office the next morning, so after grabbing a glass of orange juice and a bagel she found herself walking with a purpose through the halls of the 12th precincts medical examiner floor. Her red ponytail was swinging side to side as she carried the toxicology report Detective Esposito had wanted. Her steps slowed as she neared the door to the autopsy room and she heard her father's name mentioned.

"-and Beckett," Lanie was saying, "I'm telling you Javi, something is wrong."

"I'm not saying it isn't Chica," Esposito placed his hands gently on Lanie's shoulders, "But Castle's a big boy, he can dig his way out of whatever mess he's in with Beckett."

Lanie backtracked, "What makes you so sure it's Castle's fault?"

Espo shrugged, "He's the one spending less time around the precinct. Beckett tries not to let on but it bothers her. A lot."

"That man has been following her around like a puppy dog for four years. He loves her. He must have a reason for his actions." Lanie considered Kate her best friend but she couldn't deny that the girl hadn't made the best choices in the past when it came to Castle.

"And she's in love with him! I know that, you know that, hell I think even Gates knows that, but do they know that?"

"He told her he was in love with her." Lanie's voice dropped to a whisper.

"He what?" Esposito's voice was several decibels higher that usual.

"Calm down Javi," Lanie scolded, "He told her when she was shot. Right before she blacked out, and she doesn't remember."

Alexis chose this point in time to make her entrance, "Dr. Parrish, I have the tox reports you wanted."

Lanie's head snapped up, she quickly shot Javier a look telling him to close his mouth and not to mention their conversation, "Okay thank you Alexis."

"You're welcome. But you got some of your facts wrong just now." Alexis turned to leave with a slight smirk on her face as the medical examiner and detective's mouths hung open.

Lanie tugged Alexis back by the shoulder, "Oh no way girl you are not getting away that easily. How much did you hear and what facts?"

"She doesn't love him," Alexis' answer came out as no more than a breath but grew a bit stronger as she continued, "He followed her around for years, hanging on to her every word. He watched her be with other guys, hoping one day it would be his turn. He pulled her from a sinking car in the Hudson and tried to take a bullet for her! And then she lies to him? That isn't love."

"Alexis, honey, what exactly did Kate lie about?" Lanie implored.

"She remembers," Alexis spit the word out like it was poison. Lanie saw the tears collecting in her eyes.

"Oh honey," she looked at Alexis with sympathetic eyes.

Esposito was really confused at this point, "Remembers what?" Lanie shot him a glare and promptly shooed him from the room.

Espo huffed as he shut the door behind him and almost bumped into Ryan on his way out.

"Hey man what's going on?" the Irish detective asked.

"Dude, you do not want to go in there." Espo shook his head, "I'm not entirely sure what's going on but it seems to be a girl thing and no way in hell I'm getting mixed up in that."

Lanie was tugging Alexis behind her into her office, "Alexis are you sure?"

Alexis nodded, "I wouldn't have said anything if I wasn't. I didn't understand why Dad was so upset until I heard you and Detective Esposito talking. I didn't know what he had told her."

"Ima smack that girl," Lanie was saying as her phone rang. She checked the caller ID, "speak of the devil," she muttered under her breath. "Kate," she said as she answered the phone, "You get down to the autopsy room ASAP. Don't bring writer man with you, we've got to talk."

"I'm sorry Dr. Parrish, I should have better control of my emotions at work." Alexis said as she dabbed at her red eyes.

Lanie looked down at the somewhat distraught girl, "It's alright Alexis, just take a minute to clean yourself up. Ima go meet Kate for the autopsy results. And a lecture," she added under her breath.

Beckett put her phone down. "Castle, that was Lanie, I'm meeting her down in the morgue." Beckett glanced at is face for a reaction or an attempt to follow but he just shrugged his shoulders and returned to the angry birds game he had been playing.

"Cause of death was blunt force trauma. Judging by the position of the wound, he fell backwards, hitting his head on the coffee table. The angle from which he fell was an awkward one, so not only cracking his skull open but also caused his neck to break, killing him instantly." Lanie said almost as soon as Beckett walked through the door to the morgue.

"And you couldn't have just called with this information?"

Laney gave Beckett a stern look.

Beckett was confused. "What?"

"You know exactly what." Laney already knew the answer, but she asked anyway. "Did you tell him." It was posed more as a statement than a question.

Her head hung. "No."

"Girl, you gotta step it up soon."

"But he has girlfriends now-" Beckett started.

"No. He does not have girlfriends. He has prostitutes and a stewardess. NOT a girlfriend. He's holding out for you."

"But he doesn't-"

Laney interrupted again. "Yes, he does. He loves you. He's in love with you. And you love him. But you don't do anything to try and strengthen the relationship. No, you're just letting it fall apart. Kate, if you don't say it soon, you may not have another chance again."

Beckett said nothing. She couldn't if she wanted to keep the tears in. Yes, she loved him. So much. But what if Laney was just saying old facts? He did love her at one point, right up until that stupid case that had to come, and now he's distancing himself from her. What if Castle doesn't love her anymore?

She looked at Laney and then walked out. It was too late. Tears were beginning to form.

Blinking back the tears Beckett turned on her heel and headed back up to the bull pen. She sat down at her desk and summoned up her courage. "Hey Castle?"

His head snapped up from his phone, "Yeah?"

Beckett bit down on her lower lip, "I- um we- we need to talk. Would you like to go to breakfast tomorrow morning?"

Castle contemplated the choice for a moment and decided that she couldn't tell him anything he didn't know, "Yeah sure, of course."

Beckett's entire face broke into a smile.


His phone buzzed and awoke Aaron from his sleep. He rolled over and looked at the clock. It said 4:00 am. He groggily picked up the phone and looked at the text message.

A: you know where.

He woke up a bit more and grabbed his keys. He stumbled trying to put on shorts and a sweater as he walked through the apartment door.

By the time Aaron arrived at the gym in the Bronx, it was 4:45 and she wasn't there. He approached the door thinking that if she's behind, she'll know to come inside.

He looked around the gym, and spotted a bench press. He walked over to it, and started adding weights. After he was satisfied with the number of weights on the bar, he stretched a little and rolled onto the bench.

Before he could lift the bar off its hooks, she entered through the doors saying, "You're going to need a spotter."

He jumped up off the bench and tried to neaten his tousled black hair. As she approached, he gave her a lopsided grin.

"No. That's not going to work this time," she scolded, arms crossed.

"C'mon, how can you be mad at me for smiling? If anyone's going to be mad, it should be me for getting woken up at this ungodly hour," he tried smiling again.

She smiled back. "But you aren't. Besides, I have what you want." She pointed to the bag she just put down.

His dark eyes sparkled. "Before you get it, can you spot me?"

She rolled her eyes. "Fine."

He rolled back down onto the bench and started lifting. While he did, they started a conversation.

"So what's new at Barker?" Aaron asked her, his voice echoing through the vacant room.

"Nothing, really. Well, actually, some kid died around Sunday night," she answered, watching him lift and lower the bar rhythmically.

"Really? What's his name?"

"Craig. Davis." There was a pause between the first and last name.

"Oh, no. Was he one of your conquests?" he teased.

"You mean the list that your name happens to be on?" she teased back.

He was panting a little now. "Shut up. Did they say how he died?"

"I heard it was blunt force trauma. There was also this other thing. The killer apparently went back to the scene and placed a white rose in his hand and stabbed him in the heart with a knife."

"This person really did that? Especially after the kid was dead?" Aaron was breathing heavily and sweat gleamed on his face. "You're getting a little tired. Let me go get the money." She walked over to the bag and brought it over. He watched as she opened the bag. When it opened, he caught a flash of white and green. It was a white rose.

"What is that?" Aaron said warily.

The girl followed his gaze to the rose.

"Oh, that? It's a prop for the Barker play. I use the same bag to carry props."

"But that rose is real."

She walked back over. "Just forget about it. Are you done lifting?"

"I think so. Can you lift it?"

"Yeah, don't worry." She picked it up from his hands. She struggled a little, but managed to hold the bar.

He paused. "You're not in the play; you hate drama and want nothing to do with it."

He looked confused, but slowly it clicked. The guy at Barker. The rose. Her ex-boyfriend. Aaron's her ex too. He looked up at her in fear. "Drew."

Her face staying neutral, her dark brown eyes piercing his. She smiled a little, raising the bar a little higher. "Bye, babe." And dropped the weights, snapping his neck.

She went to where she dropped the bag. She opened the bag that contained the money. There was no money, she didn't plan on bringing any sort of payment. Instead, a knife accompanied the white rose. Drew walked back over to the corpse. She closed her hands over the knife and pierced his heart, all the way to the hilt. She then brought the rose to his hand, and made a tight fist with his fingers, making sure it was secure. After the scene was clean of her prints, Drew left the gym. Only minutes later, a woman walked by, and failing to notice the murderess, opened the door to the gym for an early workout.

Ooohhh cliffie sorta… ~Cate and Jenn