After all the rain, the sun had finally decided to come out. It was 9:00 am and the streets of Manhattan were just beginning to bustle with noise of cabs, cars, and people rushing to get to their next destination. The trees were swaying from the light breeze passing throughout the buildings and streets. Beckett stood at the window staring down into the street, watching as people started their days. She had broken up with Josh the night before and was feeling as if a small weight had been lifted off her chest. She was wearing jeans and a blue button up shirt. Beckett closed her eyes wishing she was sitting at her desk with Castle. She wished she was sitting at her desk watching Esposito and Ryan trying to make paper balls into their waste bin. And she also wished Captain Montgomery was still alive. If only the bullet that was taken out of her chest could have also taken away some of the pain and guilt she was feeling.

"Katie, you ready?" Beckett's dad asked, standing in the doorway holding her bags. Beckett turned and smiled, with a nod of yes. She was finally leaving the hospital.

Castle's apartment…

Castle had just gotten out of the shower, and was brushing his teeth. He dried his hair and added some gel to it. Castle walked over to his walk-in closet, and tripped over a bag. He turned around to pick it up. He unzipped it and saw the black button-up shirt with blood stained on it- Beckett's blood. Even though it was black, he could still see wear it was stained darker in spots. It was the shirt he was wearing the day she was shot. He could feel the emotions coming back. He shoved the black shirt back into the bag and he tossed the bag onto the floor again.

Castle went back to his closet and put on a white v-neck shirt, then a dark blue plaid button-up shirt over it, with jeans. He sprayed some cologne on and then made his way to the kitchen. Alexis had already left for school, and Martha was attempting to make eggs in the kitchen.

"Good morning mother." Castle smiled, as he poured some coffee into a mug.

"Good morning Richard, could you?" Martha asked, as she gestured that she was in need of help with cooking.

"I would say you need to learn how to do it yourself, but I don't want to have run out and buy more eggs." He joked.

"Well you haven't lost your sense of humor, I see." Martha smiled, as she sat down at the counter in an elegant robe. Castle finished cooking the eggs and served them to her and started to make himself some.

"Beckett gets released today." Martha announced, trying to beat around the obvious bush.

"Yep." Castle replied, finishing his perfect omelet.

"So…"

"Her dad is taking her home, she needs to rest." Castle said, sitting down next to his mother.

"Darling, knowing that girl she doesn't want to lay around and rest. Otherwise she should've stayed in the hospital." Martha said, taking a bite of her breakfast. And she was right. Castle knew Beckett well, and she was hardly the type of person who would want to do nothing- especially with the man out there who shot her.

"Are you going to see her?" Martha asked.

"I was going to call her…later." Castle said, sipping his coffee. Just then Castle's phone cell phone rang. He looked at it as he picked it up off the counter- it was Beckett.

"Well, looks like later is now." Martha replied with a smile.