A/N: Sorry this took so long to get out. I got distracted by school and then my dad ended up in the hospital, so I haven't been doing very well at keeping up on this.
Kate stood by her desk, looking around, waiting for the next person to show up. She didn't have to wait long for someone to appear. She turned at the sound of heels on the tile floor of the precinct. In all her glory, Martha walked from the elevator toward Kate.
"Martha? What are you doing here?"
"I'm here to discuss your present situation, Katherine."
"You're my spirit of the present? Why were you chosen?"
"You'll see." Martha said cryptically. "Shall we go?" She offered her elbow to the detective and the two of them walked toward the elevator and boarded. Martha pushed a button on the control panel and the lift went up.
"How is this elevator going up? The precinct is the top floor." Kate asked confounded.
"Just a little magic that comes with this situation."
The elevator stopped a few seconds later and the doors opened to a well-designed hallway. Kate had been here once before, it was Castle's building. Martha dragged Kate to Castle's door.
"Are you ready?" Martha asked, looking up at Kate expectantly.
"Do I have a choice?"
"Let's go." Martha said as they stepped through the door like Kate and Jake had done at the dorm.
Inside the loft, Castle and Alexis sat at the kitchen counter. Castle was nursing a cup of coffee and Alexis, a glass of water. They were talking, but Kate couldn't hear them. Martha, still holding onto Kate's arm, brought her closer to the father and daughter.
"I feel like we could be something great." Castle said when Kate and Martha were within ear reach. "I just have this feeling, something I've never felt before with anyone else before. It's like everything is right in the world when I am with her."
"Why don't you tell her that, Dad?" Alexis asked.
"I don't think she is ready to hear it. Something is holding her back, something I am not sure of. It's like she is afraid of putting herself out there, afraid to be vulnerable."
"Who are they talking about?" Kate asked.
"You, darling." Martha stated.
"Castle's talking about me? I had no idea he had these feelings. Well, I suspected, but I thought he was just trying to make me one of his conquests, someone disposable to him."
"I am certain we are meant for something amazing, like rock-the-world, earth shattering kind of something." Castle continued.
"You should tell her. What have you got to lose?" Alexis asked.
"I can't, if I tell her how I feel, she'll probably kick me to the curb and refuse to work with me anymore. I can't risk losing her altogether."
Kate watched as Castle admitted having feelings for her. She was uncertain what this new revelation meant or how this played a part in her journey toward true love that she was apparently on at the moment.
"Does this mean what I think it means?" Kate asked Martha.
"Take it at face value for now. You still have one more visit to go through and everything will become clearer after that." Martha said, slowly leading Kate back to the front door.
"Who is going to visit me next?"
"It's a surprise, but you'll find out soon enough. Now dear, we must be going. We don't want to be late for your next appointment."
Martha took Kate back through the door, down the hallway and into the elevator where they headed down again. Martha let go of Kate's arm as Kate stepped off the elevator. She turned back toward Martha to say something, but she was gone.
