Disclaimer - Nope, Castle's not mine but it's on the wish-list.

Rick's Loft – 10:01 – Rick's Office

Once Kate had managed to process the new information that the former marine shared a few minutes ago about the new Captain, she composed herself enough to ask, calmly. "Do you know where Chief Grant is?"

After a minute and no response, she raised her voice, now demanding. "Do You!"

Donavan's blue eyes focused on the brunette. His curiosity slightly piqued. It has been a while since anybody had talked to him in that tone of voice. "He's in the wind, we have feelers out but no word yet. As soon as he surfaces, my gun will be in his face." He informed her, solemnly.

Stepping forward from Rick's side, the detective looked at the older man, tentative. "You're not taking him in?" the question being rhetorical.

Donavan's blue eyes seem to darken by the second.

"Powerful man like Dallas Grant are connected, taking them in gets you nowhere. He would be free before the handcuffs even got a chance to settle on his wrist," Rick began.

Kate turned her direction from the older man to the younger one.

"I know you're by the book Kate, so maybe you should..."

She shook her head, cutting her partner off. "No, we end this now! I will not sit by and watch another innocent life been taken!" Kate told him. She remains standing tall; her medication must be wearing off because the old tough nails Detective was shining through.

She hadn't taken any pain pills since late last night before bed. The brunette was determined to fight the pain so her barriers wouldn't drop again. Her partner placed his hand on her shoulder, giving her a slight squeeze of support. She turned her head to lock eyes with him.

The two were having a conversation with their eyes, her gaze instantly softening when his blue orbs locked with her hazel-greens. Kate placed her hand on top of Rick's hand that was resting on her shoulder. They shared a look of understanding.

"We're on lockdown until Grant is located, no one leaves this loft and anyone who enters this building will be searched before entering." Donavan ordered.

The partners nodded.

Lounge Area – 10:05

Alexis and Martha were sitting on the couch waiting for someone to come out of that office, only moments ago they heard muffled shouting coming under the door. Unsure to what is actually going on in there.

Momma Castle and little Castle turned their heads towards Rick's study door when they heard it open, followed by Kate, Rick and Donavan exiting the office. The three walk over towards the couch. The actress stood up, her gaze focused on her old flame before turning to her son.

"Those reporters are gone. Paula said she will call you later," she answered dramatically before her tone turned serious and the actress asked trepidation. "Richard, darling. How serious is this?"

The writer could see the anxiousness in both sets of blue eyes coming from his mother and daughter. Rick didn't want to worry them or lie to them and so he was torn of what to do.

"Richard I want the truth! No Dancing around the subject!" his mother demanded, it was his daughters voice that broke him. "Dad?" she pleaded as she stood up beside her grandmother, looking at him with pleading eyes.

Rick gestures them to sit back down as he stopped in front of the couch to where they were now sitting, Kate standing beside him. Even though he is a famous novelist, Rick was clueless where to start. So he decides to rip it off like a bandaid.

"The sniper that shot at Kate a little over a week ago and shot Diaz this morning is a very powerful man who at the moment cannot be located," the writer divulges.

Both Castle women gasp.

"Are you saying there is a gunman out there on the loose after both of you?" Martha asked, petrified.

Rick nodded his head once, his voice turning deadpanned. "That's why we're on lock down, neither of you leave this apartment until he is found, understood?"

Alexis was the first to nod, the older red head seem to be in shock before nodding.

"What about my dad?" Kate asks looking at Rick worried. How could she forget about her own father? What kind of daughter was she?

"He is safe, Kate. I have four of my best man guarding him at one of my safe houses just outside of the city," the older man confirmed.

Three sets of blue eyes and one set of hazel green all turned towards Donavan, who was standing at the end of the couch.

"Thank you Storm" Kate answered gratefully.

A silence engulfed the room. It was an awkward silence because no one knew where to go from here. So they stay put? Go their separate ways? So for the next few minutes, those silent questions filled the room.

"I cannot stand this silence anymore" the redheaded teen informed the adults as she hopped up and turned music on, before sitting back down on the couch. Just like a Pill by Pink began pumping through the speakers.

"I'll check in with my team," Donavan answered before leaving the room. The actress stood up and announced. "I think a cuppa is in order" before heading towards the kitchen, the brunette smiled. "I'll help" she announced, following her into the kitchen.

Father and daughter were the only two left in the room. The writer made his way over towards the couch and sat down beside his daughter. Rick knew that this must be affecting his daughter in some way, which she was putting on a brave face for him, thinking she needed to be strong.

"Pumpkin, how are you feeling?" Rick asked his daughter, facing her.

Alexis turned towards her father, distressed. "Terrified, Dad. I feel like curling up in a little ball under my blanket and hiding until this entire thing is over. I am afraid that if I go to sleep, something bad is going to happen to either you or Kate. I almost lost both of you within a week. I just do not understand why this is happening to us? What did we ever do to this gunman to want to hurt either Kate or you?" Alexis vented, close to tears.

The father pulled his daughter into a tight hug. It pained him to see his daughter going through this. He was doing his best to keep her safe and guard her from any of this, which is why he took on writing full time and left his past career.

"There are evil people in the world that just set out to hurt good people so they can be heard, so they feel like they mean something," the writer whispers before pulling back and locking eyes with his daughter. Rick reached for his daughter's hand, holding it as he promised. "No one and I repeat, no one can tear us apart. I will not let that happen, pumpkin."

Kitchen

Kate and Martha were sitting at the breakfast bar watching the interaction between father and daughter while waiting for the coffee maker to heat up.

"Richard may be many things in the public eye, but this is the real Richard that we see every day." Martha proudly admitted.

A smile tugged at the brunette's lips, her eyes not leaving the father and daughter duo across the room. "Yeah, that is one of the reasons I fell in love with him," she confesses before realizing what she said out loud. Once she realizes what she said, Kate bit down hard on her bottom lip avoiding eye contact with the older woman.

"It is about time you admitted it. I have known for a long time, a blind man could sense the chemistry between you and Richard, my dear." Martha divulged.

Kate raised her gaze and met the older woman's as the actress placed her hand over hers. "People come in and out of our lives, daily. But the ones that make an impression on our hearts, those are the ones that we keep in our life because we know that no matter what in life gets thrown at us, as long as we're surrounded by those souls we can get through anything."

Kate went quiet. How do you respond to that? The more time that the guarded detective spent around the Castles, the more she learnt about the true value of family. Even though her mother was taken from her before her time, being around Rick and his family, she felt at home.

Rooftop Building - 10:45

The detectives walked across the rooftop cautiously, just in case they weren't up here alone. They approached the edge of the rooftop to where the shooter would have had to be standing to make that shot towards the front of Rick's building.

Javier was the first to spot the markings on the ground that outlined where a tripod stand had stood. The Hispanic detective looked towards the direction of the building pulling a portable scope from his pocket that could be attached to a gun. Raising it to his eye then looking through it, seeing the author's building in plain sight and where the writer stood.

"Yo Bro, found the mark," Javier said, turning around to find his partner pulling out his phone.

Rick's Loft – Lounge Area

Kate was curled up on the couch, nose buried in fiction. Even though it looked like the detective was in deep concentration absorbing in the words off the page of Naked Heat, her thoughts were elsewhere. The brunette knew this novel from cover to cover. She could recite the words in her sleep. The reason behind the deep concentrated look on her face was because she was thinking about the Author of the novel.

After the talk in the kitchen with Martha, Kate excused herself. Rick had returned to his office claiming that he had a novel calling his name. So the brunette headed to the writers room and grabbed her copy of Naked Heat from her duffle bag that Lanie had been so kind to pack. She then returned to the lounge area and took refuge on the couch since it was empty and really comfortable.

As music filled the room, the detective had easily found herself lost in her own thoughts. Until the ringing of her cell on the coffee table in front of her bought her back to reality, she closed the novel than reached forward picking up the cell phone and bringing it to her ear but not before glancing at the ID.

"Beckett" she answered as she always did. "Yeah I know it's you Ryan ... caller ID ... where? ... Okay before you guys head back to the 12th, I need you two both here. There is something that we need to discuss in person ... great see you both then." Kate finished the call, closing her phone and letting out a deep sigh.

Kate picked up her copy of Naked Heat and eased herself of the couch, whenever she got up to quick, a pain shots through her so she had learned to do things slower. Especially since she wasn't taking the pain relief at the moment, even though every four hours Rick would check on her and ask her if she had taken her medication. She has been lying to him and feels guilty for doing it but Kate had decided that she wasn't going to rely on pills.

The bottom floor of the loft was dead quiet; both Castle women had retreated to their bedrooms a while ago. As the brunette walked away from the couch and was going to head in the direction of the kitchen until she spotted the Rick's office door open. Curiosity got the best of the detective so she headed in the direction of Rick's office, hoping to catch a glimpse of him writing.

During her stay at the hospital, Kate had a few times watched the writer at work. He must have thought she was sleeping at those times because he never said a word about her watching him even though many time when she had caught him watching her do paperwork she had claimed it 'creepy' even though she was secretly flattered.

Rick's Office's

When Kate arrived in the doorway, she was surprised to find the office empty. Neither Rick nor the older version of him was in the room. Kate found that odd but entered the office anyway, spotting his floor to roof bookcase and was intrigued to what the author read. So she didn't see any harm in entering the office and walked towards the bookcase, stopping in front of it.

As her eyes scanned each spine, it was a novel that was near the end of the middle row of the bookcase that caught the detective's eye. She ran her finger down the spine of the black novel, her eyes absorbing in the gold lettering of the words that read 'Sliding Doors by Alex Rodgers'. Being a massive fan of the writer, Kate knew that she had never come across this novel and knowing that Alex was short for Alexander and Rodgers being his given name. She knew it belong to her writer.

Kate began to pulls out the novel, curious to what it contains.

As soon as the novel was half pulled out, the bookcase starts sliding across the floor.

Kate took a few steps back and watched in awe as the bookcase slides across the floor until he reveals a hidden room, gasping in shock when she sees what it inside.

Surveillance Room

The former marine was sitting in front of the wall of monitors, watching for any odd activity when he noticed the detective hop up from the couch and walk towards the office. Rick had left several minutes earlier to go check on his daughter. First he had stopped at the office doorway and watched the detective, who had seemed engrossed in one of Rick's novels.

Rick then headed up the stairs. The detective not flinching until her phone must have rang because she answered it, from what he heard she was talking to her partners.

The next thing Donavan notices is the detective walking towards the author's office, Rick must have left the door opened or unlocked because the detective entered the office then walked towards the bookshelf, reading the titles then stopped when she reached the key to this room and pulled on the book causing the door to open.

Now she was standing in the entrance, frozen in her spot. Mouth gapped, staring into the room, mainly at the older man sitting in the computer chair.

"Kate?" Rick's voice squawked behind her.

She ignored him, entering the room and taking in the full 360 view of the room, slowly turning as her eyes took in every inch from the wall of monitors to the awards and photos on the opposite wall to the monitors. Walking over towards the decorated wall, Kate recognized a younger version of her partner dressed as an Australian solider in a group of soldiers. She also noticed a younger black haired version of Donavan standing beside Rick with a hand on his shoulder, both wearing big grins.

"Boss. It makes sense now." She spoke up. "Storm was your squad leader, you served!" Kate turned towards the entrance facing Rick, who now had entered the secret room and was walking towards her, awestricken.

Hurt filled the detective's voice. "You've been lying to me all this time. I thought we were partners. That we trust one another, I told you about my mother's case yet you kept a massive part of your life from me. Was it all an act?" she practically whispered.

Rick stood opposite from his partner. He could see the hurt in her eyes; hear the sadness in her voice. Her eyes didn't leave his as if they were demanding an answer.

"I act like the grown child because then no one suspects what I am capable of. So when I do something a little out of my character like shoot at a suspect and hit them without killing them, I can say dumb luck or research." He told her. "I began writing when I was younger because I had these ideas that needed to escape my brain. I joined the marines when I was eighteen because I just wanted to do something that would make Donavan proud of me," Rick admitted.

Donavan looked at his old friend surprised. "That's why you joined, Rick? How could you think I wasn't proud of you for just being you?" the Australian asked the younger blued eyed man.

Both partners turned and looked at the Australian, who was now standing. His eyes filled with genuine pride. "I have always been proud of you kid. There is nothing you could do that would make me not proud of you. It scared the hell out of your Mother when I had to tell you joined up. She made me promise to keep you safe."

The brunette was watching the older former marine talking to Rick, like a father would talk to a son, which made her suspicious even more about her theory.

"I am sorry Storm. I know mother can be a little dramatic at times," Rick explained smiling. Donavan began chucking

Rick turned towards Kate and began explaining. "When I was on leave I spent my time writing and with Kyra. Then when Kyra left me, I was so heartbroken that I was reckless and that's when I meet Meredith one night at a bar. I was in uniform about to get deployed later that night when she walked in. We got to talking and she told me that she thought I looked sexy in that uniform. I had had a few drinks by this time and was hurting because Kyra left. I was almost 22 and at the point didn't really give a damn so I ended up sleeping with Meredith then got shipped off for eight months," the writer divulged.

Kate was absorbing in every little word that came out of the writer's mouth, listening to the compassion in his voice as he spoke.

"I returned home to find Meredith living with my mother. She had told her that she was pregnant with my child. At first I was shocked and remain that way up until Alexis was born. I was twenty two and was about to become a father. The moment that nurse said 'It's a girl' ... I was a goner. The nurse then bought her over to me wrapped in a pink blanket and I looked down into those beautiful crystal blue eyes and Alexis looked back up at me with a determined look as if she was saying 'so you're my dad, huh'. She then wrapped her little hand around my finger. I saw my whole life flash before my eyes and knowing that the only way I could be a part of this little angel's life would be to leave the core, so I did and I took up writing full time."

He paused for a moment.

"Richard Castle was my pen name at the time so I legally changed it after and gave Alexis the name Castle. Meredith and I then married." Rick's voice had been filled with such emotion that not only Kate let a few tears slid but so did Donavan.

Rick looked at Kate with pure honesty. "The core is in my past and things that happen over there I cannot discuss, the reason I didn't tell anyone about my past was because it was something that I wanted to keep for me. Having my life thrown in the public eye isn't as great as everyone believes and knowing that I helped save people over there. That is something I get to hold onto, me, Rick Rodgers not Richard Castle."

Kate looked deeply into those soulful blue eyes and nodded.

"As time passed Richard Castle became easy to play and I guess it's who I really was for a while. But when you came into my life, you help me find the real me again, Kate. Now that you know this, promise me that you will not tell anyone, including Alexis." He requested, his stony blue eyes locked on her.

She managed a nod.

Rick's Lounge Area - Noon

The two male detectives had arrived a little over ten minutes ago and were now sitting on the couch as Kate explained about the snipers past and connection with Storm. About the threat that Dallas Grant made towards Storm about the Castles, about how the new Captain was the snipers niece.

Alexis and Martha were in the kitchen preparing lunch. Donavan was watching from the study door.

"Wait ... you think the new Captain's dirty?" Javier spoke up, concerned.

Kate was feeling a little sore but was managing through her pain by taking steady breaths. Rick, who was by her side, had his hand resting on her mid back. Neither of the boys had said anything which surprised her.

"Her uncle sure is?" Rick mumbled.

Kate turned her gaze on him. Seeing the distrust in his eyes, now that she knew more about his past she understood that trust meant a lot to him. When fighting over there, if he turned your back on someone he didn't trust, he'd be dead.

Kate turned her attention back to her other partners, answering. "We cannot be certain that she knows anything at all, I just want both of you to be careful okay. Storm has surveillance on the Captain so neither of you has to. Dallas is in the wind at the moment, I just wanted you both too be aware just in case he tries to contact either of you. Call either myself or Rick if he does," Kate ordered her team mates.

Both detectives had picked up on their boss using her partner's first name, which got them curious. Even how close they were standing at the moment didn't go amiss by them. Still neither said anything because they both knew that even though their boss was injured, she would still try to kick their asses.

"Where do we go from here?" the blue eyed Irish detective asked.

Dining Area

Donavan walked over towards the table. Martha was sitting down at it, she looked completely zoned out. That is when the former marine sat down at the table beside her, she didn't notice. It wasn't until Donavan placed his hand over her's.

"How are you holding up beautiful?" he asked her. He always used to call her that and it always made her smile.

Martha locked her blue orbs onto his, answering honestly. "Terrified Donny, promise me that you'll protect them. You won't let anything happen to Kate or Richard, that when this all finally over we can be at peace."

Donavan's fingers laced with hers as he bought her hands to his lips and placed a kiss on them. "I would never ever let harm near Rick or Kate," he promised, the seriousness in his voice evident before amusement took over. "She is quite different from both his ex wives."

The actress smiled, chuckling. "Kate bought back the old Richard, she's good for him," the older woman admitted.

Lounge Area - 13:11

After lunch the boys headed back to the 12th. Donavan and Rick went to the study and Alexis disappeared upstairs to her bedroom to call Ashley.

Kate and Martha were sitting on the couch watching Ellen. Both enjoying each other's company, it was nice. As an add played, Kate hit the mute button on the control, the brunette could not stand adds, they drove her insane always trying to sell you something, not that she watched a lot of television.

Martha had been thinking a lot since Donavan's return. With everything that has happened over the last year, she had been doing a lot of thinking. The loss of Chet, everything with Kate's mother's case. So much has happened that the older actress was beginning to see that it wasn't fair that she kept this massive secret from Rick or his father.

"Kate, there is something that I need to get off my chest but you have to promise that you will not tell a soul" the older woman declared turning to face Kate. The brunette had an idea to what she wanted to discuss so she nodded. "It's about Richard's father..." the older woman began, the detective was curious if the older woman knew about the cameras, if she was discussing this out here. It was likely that she didn't.

"You see, I wasn't completely honest when I said I do not know who he is. I do, I was just scared that if I told him about Richard that he would get attached and I was afraid that he would get killed over there than Richard would grow up without a father..." the actress continued.

Kate placed a hand over Martha's and began to warn her. "Martha you should..."

"Let me explain," she interrupted the brunette. "When Donavan returned just after Richard turned three, he asked me if he was the father and I was sure that he had been killed because it had been years since I heard from him and that feeling terrified me, so I lied. I told him that after he left I met someone else and he was Richard's father. But Donavan is Richard's father and I just don't know how to tell him," Martha finally confessed.

Kate looked at the older woman concerned before answering. "You might not to have to."

Surveillance Room

Rick and Donavan were organizing a game plan of their next move when they heard the girls start talking, neither were paying attention to their conversation until Martha said 'It's about Richard's father' that was when the room went quiet and both men listened to the conversation.

As they listened to the older woman's confession, shock fell over the writer. The one dream he had always had, was true. Donavan was his father, his actual father. Rick turned his gaze towards the older man who was now looking at him, not as stunned as he was.

Before Rick knew it, he was walking out of the surveillance room and through his office and out. Heading towards the lounge area to where his mother and Kate were sitting.

Lounge Area

Kate had one eye towards Rick's office door, knowing that both men had just heard what the older woman confessed. Martha was looking at the brunette confused from her previous answer.

"What do you mean by I might not have to?" the actress brow furrowed.

Kate then spotted Rick storm out of his office and at full speed heading towards them. She automatically stood up, a little too quick and a sharp pain shot through her but she bit it back and walked towards Rick, stopping him just before the couch.

Martha was looking at the two puzzled. What was going on? Why did Richard look so angry? Why was Kate holding him back?

"Rick, breath ... I know you just heard that, but..." Kate began. Her hands placed firmly on his chest, holding him back.

Rick could hear the pleading in her voice but was to furious to keep his mouth shut. His own mother had lied to him for thirty nine years. "You lied to me Mother, all this time, you were lying to me. Donavan is my father and you kept it from the both of us. How could you do that to me? How could you do that to him? I cannot even look at you right now!" Rick shouted before turning and leaving the room.

Kate turned and looked at Martha who had begun sobbing. The brunette spotted the former marine heading this way and knew that at the moment her partner needed her. She took off in the direction of his bedroom to where he had gone.

Rick's Bedroom

Rick was sitting on his bed looking at the floor when Kate entered the room. The shock of his father was still fresh. He knew the moment she entered the room because he could smell her Cherrie scented lotion.

Not saying a word as she closed the door behind herself and made her way across the darken room. Rick had left his curtains shut to keep the light out. Kate took a seat on the end of the bed beside the writer, reaching for his hand and lacing their fingers together.

Rick's gaze remained on the floor in front of him. He had never felt so betrayed in his life. "She lied to me Kate," Rick finally spoke. He sounded so broken.

Lifting his gaze and meeting her eyes. Kate could see that he was close to breaking, her heart went out to him, it pained her to see him like this, hurting like this. Kate raised her free hand and placed it on his cheek and looked at him with empathy. A rush of emotion flowed over her and before she knew it she was enclosing the distances between them and her lips met his for a slow tantalizingly kiss.

The moment there lips touched, a fire began to burn between the two and Kate put everything she felt into that kiss. His reaction was stun for a few seconds before he responded back sliding his hand behind her hair and pouring all of himself into that kiss.

As the kiss got heated a moan escaped the detective lips and letting go of his hand, her arms began to loop around his neck. Kate felt so alive; this kiss was difference from the time they kissed undercover, even though that moment often replayed her mind. He pressed his body against her's. She was then hit with a sharp pain and gasped.

Rick automatically pulled back, looking at her worried. "I am sorry Kate, are you okay?" the writer mentally kicked himself for not thinking.

Kate looked at him with admiration and smiled. "I've never been better" she whispered, pulling his head back down to hers and capturing his lips again, restarting the fiery kiss.