So both this chapter and the next one are based on 2x01. Then it's going to break off, so stay with me, I've got a good feeling about where this is going.

Thank you for the reviews! Neither Castle, nor Train's music are mine.

Enjoy!

This Ain't Goodbye

You and I were friends from outer space.

Afraid to let go.

The only two who understood this place.

And as far as we know

We were way before our time,

as bold as we were blind.

Just another perfect mistake, another bridge to take

on the way to letting go.

She had warned him. But unfortunately it had been too late. Dr. Death, as his mother so lovingly put it, had already found something - something important. He had known he had to tell her, and he knew what would happen when he did.

Rick remembered that fateful night. The hospital was so cold. The weather outside had been so dreary. The writer in him couldn't help but notice the romanticism. The whole thing was a blur to him now.

"It's about your mother."

The look on her face was one he had never seen before. He didn't believe it possible for so many emotions to be shown at one time, but as usual Kate Beckett surprised him.

As he looked on, he could see the shock when her stomach contracted upon itself, the fear as her lips tightened into a fine line, the intrigue in the slight elevation of her brow, the anger when her fists clenched, making her knuckles white. But the most evident, and most important, was the sadness in her eyes. He felt as if the image would be forever engrained in his mind.

Again that writer's brain forced him to over-analyze. For a moment he thought she just might be curious enough to reopen the case. But no. He had betrayed her trust. He did exactly what she asked him not to do. Not only had he ripped open the wound, but he had added about a pound of salt to it.

She had warned him, and now they were over. The more Rick thought about it, the more he found it to be true. "No good deed goes unpunished." He thought to himself as he typed away aimlessly on his laptop.

"You're writing!" Alexis quipped as she walked into his study.

"It's time." It seemed like coherent sentences were hard to come by.

"And Beckett?" All Rick could do was nod his head in shame.

"I'm sorry Dad." Man, he hated letting her see him so depressed. In an attempt to lighten the mood he asked, "So how was the movie?"

"We didn't go." To him, she sounded a little bummed. "Why not?"

"Owen."

"What happened?"

With a sigh Alexis continued, "He was playing video games and lost track of time. By the time he showed up it was too late."

Leaning back in his desk chair Rick remembered the day she was born, and how he vowed to himself that he would do whatever he could to protect his baby girl. But all he could do for her now was simply say, "I'm sorry sweetie."

"And then when he did show up he tried to act like it's no big deal, like I'm overreacting. I mean he didn't even call. Why do boys do that? Why do they always have to justify everything? Why can't they just…say they're sorry?"

She was brilliant. His daughter was brilliant. Say he was sorry. Could it really be that simple?

Getting up from his desk, Rick went to his daughter and gave her a kiss on the head. "Thank you."

She seemed confused at his sudden burst of emotion. "For what?"

"For just being...you."

Yes, that was it. He would go to Kate and apologize. Not dive into details, not make excuses, not try and cover up what happened. Just apologize. He wasn't ready to say goodbye.

This ain't goodbye.

This is just where the love goes,

when words aren't warm enough, to keep away the cold.

Oh no, this ain't goodbye.

It's not where our story ends,

but I know you can't be mine,

not the way you've always been.

As long as we've got time, then this ain't goodbye.

Oh no, this ain't goodbye.

So like I said, I'm getting to the deviation, and I promise it'll be good! Thanks for the support!