Katherine Houghton Beckett is still asleep when Lanie gets up. She makes a pot of coffee just for Kate since Lanie drinks tea instead it appears that she has cried herself to sleep on the couch last night. There is a pile of tissues on the floor beside her

Lanie tried to be as quiet as possible in the kitchen but after only a few minutes she hears a groan come from the former detective

"Good morning girlfriend" Lanie says as she is handing Kate a cup of coffee.

"Thanks Lanie" Kate puts the warm liquid into her mouth and pits the smallest of smiles on her face.

"I am not going to ask if you slept well, I can tell you didn't"

Beckett looks at the pile of used tissues on the floor and frowns. She reaches down and starts picking up the paper squares and places them into a trash can beside the couch.

"I'm sorry to be so much trouble, Lanie. As soon as I can get dressed I will head back to DC so as not to bother you any more."

"No you will not do any thing of the sort Katherine Beckett! We are going to make a plan and we are going to try to get this mess cleaned up"

"Thanks Lanie, but I have made my bed and I guess I am going to have to sleep in it from now on"

"NO! I said! We may try to make up a bed, and if you sleep in it, let's try to not be alone. OK?"

"Thanks Lanie, but what am I to do? The boys hate me, Castle hates me. Everyone hates me. I deserve all this. I did it to myself"

"Kate, I talked to Javi last night after you went to bed. I told him what is going on and I think they might be willing to help if they think you are really sorry for what happened."

"Lanie, Castle's car was there. Where is he?"

"The boys are taking care of the Ferrari for Castle .That's why it's in the garage. They know where he is living .They have an address for him."

She holds up a piece of paper at Beckett. "Now if you are really interested I will give you this address. Or if you really don't care about him anymore, I will just…" She takes the paper as if she is going to tear it apart.

Beckett grabs the note from her best friend's hand and looks at it. The address is in Los Angeles

"So he really is in LA with Natalie?" Beckett asks with sadness written on her face

"I don't know if this address is hers but, there is a flight in 3 hours and I already have you booked on it. So are you leaving on it or do I call and cancel your reservations?"

Kate jumps up and heads to the bathroom "Let me grab a quick shower and can you take me to the airport?"

"That's more like it!" the feisty medial examiner responds

Same gate, same flight that Kate had taken several years before to go to LA when she went to look into Mike Royce's death. Just this time there was no mystery writer there to upgrade her to first class. And just like before she is sandwiched between two very rough looking, very large men leaving her no room to even put her arms down to her side.

But when one of the men decides to make an unwelcome pass at Kate, she just happened to let her arm move so he could see her badge and her weapon. From that moment on the flight went much quieter.

Kate leans her head back on the head rest and tries to sleep when the words to a song come to her. Words that fit perfectly into her life. Words that tell what happened that night she gave herself completely to Castle for the first time. What she would give now to return to that bliss


*Raindrops, Fall From, Everywhere
I Reach Out, For You, But Your Not There
So I Stood, Waiting, In The Dark
With Your Picture, In My Hands
Story Of a Broken Heart

I'm Trying And Hoping, For The Day
When my touch is enough
To Take The Pain Away
Cause I've Searched For So Long
The Answer Is Clear
We'll be OK if We Don't Let It Disappear

I've searched my heart over
So many many times before
No you and I, is like no stars to light the sky at night
Our Picture Hangs Up To
Remind Me Of The Days
You Promised Me We'd

Always Be
And Never Go Away
That's Why I Need You To Stay

Stay With Me
Don't let Me go
Cause I Can't Be Without You
Just Stay With Me
And Hold Me Close
Because I've Built My World Around You
And I Don't Wanna Know What's It Like Without You
So Stay with Me
Just Stay With Me


Beckett is jolted awake by the aircraft wheels hitting the tarmac at LAX. She realizes that she has slept over 5 hours. She really was tired and needed the rest. The plane ride gave her that opportunity.

Since she took only the one carry on that she had a Lanie's, she could avoid baggage claim and is rushing to get a cab to go to the address that she given by her best friend

The taxi pulls in front of a large California Spanish style house. It has gated front entry with security camera and intercom. She asks the driver to wait until she gets inside.

She buzzes and when someone answers, it is a woman's voice she hears. Beckett identifies herself as a federal agent and the gate is opened. She walks up to the front door and when it opens she comes face to face with Natalie Rhodes

"Kate!" Natalie says with much surprise in her voice "What are you doing here?"

"This is an address I was given where I could find Richard Castle" Beckett answers not really wanting the answer she is expecting

"Oh yes, he is out back. Let me go get him for you" Natalie turns and walks through the hallway and out toward the pool

She takes in a deep breath. She feels her heart in her throat. He has moved in with Natalie. Just what Beckett was afraid might have happened after what she saw on the TV program. With this information now when he comes to the door she is expecting to be completely rejected by him. She is bracing for his angry attack. She knows she deserves it

Natalie returns to the front door. "Rick will be here in just a minute. He is getting dressed. Would you like something to drink? Coffee maybe? I know how much you love your coffee"

Swallowing her tears, "No thank you. I will just need to speak to Castle for just a minute"

"Well please come into the living room and wait" Natalie points toward a large area adjacent to the entry hall

Natalie leads Kate to the couch then they both sit down

"Well Kate I understand you are with the feds now and no longer chasing murderers in New York"

"I am for right now. But I plan to return to the city and maybe go back to the police department real soon."

Natalie obviously has something on her mind "Kate, can I ask you a question?"

The last time Natalie wanted to ask Kate a question she said that Castle would not sleep with her and knew that Castle was into Kate and she was into Rick

"Sure"

"What happened between you and Castle?"

Kate is looking at her feet trying to form an answer "What do you mean?"

"He says he came here to get away from New York. He said there were too many memories there for him to handle right now. Those memories are all about you, aren't they?"

"We did, but I messed it up. Look Natalie, I'm sorry I came by today and interrupted you two. Please excuse me. I will leave now."

"We are not together, Kate. He is still into you"

Kate gets up and walks or more accurately runs out the front door and starts down the driveway. As she nears the gate, Rick comes to the door

"KATE!" he yells to her. "STOP!

Beckett exits the grounds and enter the street

The sound of squealing tires and the terrible thud of a body being hit by a car resounds throughout the compound

Richard Castle runs down to find Beckett on her back in the street

He kneels down and places his hands under her neck

"Kate stay with me. Stay with me Kate"

"I LOVE YOU"


*"Stay With Me"
Performed by DANITY KANE
Words and music by Arnthor Birgisson / Makeba Riddick


I believe I need to wrap this up. So the next chapter is going to be the last. I can only spend so much time
sick to my stomach thinking about the last three episodes.

Therefore I will warn you ahead of time.
The last chapter will completely deviate from canon.
Just pretend you never saw Quail, Human Factor or Watershed