A/N: Hey, everyone. I'm glad you're enjoying this. I'm sorry you hate me for the last chapter, but it needed to happen. Don't worry, we'll work it out soon. Please keep reviewing and enjoying. I'm writing for you, if it wasn't for you reading and reviewing, I'd just be talking to myself. ;)

Thanks!

Don't own.


Castle was left standing in his living room as the door to his loft clicked shut. He was rooted to the spot he was standing, staring at the closed door.

"Dad?" Alexis asked, moving downstairs towards her father, Martha in tow.

"Richard, darling, are you okay?" Martha laid a hand on her son's shoulder.

"No… She just left." He looked at them wearily. "I really messed this up didn't I?"

"Oh, Richard, No." Martha soothed, "You'll be able to fix this."

"I am going to fix this." He vowed. "I can't let this happen to us."

He blinked harshly at his mother and daughter before turning and running. He ran through the front door of his loft and into the elevator that was waiting for him. He would make it; he had to get her back.

He got out into the lobby and the tiles were cold on his bare feet as he ran towards the revolving doors. Thomas the Doorman looked at him with concern as he was running across the lobby and into the turnstiles. He jumped out and looked around wildly. He caught the tail end of Lanie's car driving away and he leaned forward on his knees, out of breath.

"God Damn It!" He cursed.

He straightened up and walked back inside his building and was met by Thomas, the doorman.

"Are you ok, Mr. Castle?" He asked

"Yeah, Thomas, just great." He was forced to smile. "I was hoping to catch someone before they left."

"You mean Detective Beckett, sir?" He asked.

"Yeah, Detective Beckett. Did you see her leave?"

"Yeah, she looked pretty upset and was wincing a lot. She got picked up by that Medical Examiner friend of yours." Thomas explained.

"Thanks, Thomas." Castle replied. "If you'll excuse me…"

"Oh, Yeah, sure, Mr. Castle." The young man smiled, "I'll see you later."

Castle walked dejectedly up to the elevator and got in. He stepped out on his floor and shuffled down the hallway. He opened the door to his loft to just to look at his mother and daughter's expectant face.

He shook his head. "Too Late." He grumbled, as he walked into his bedroom and shut his door.

He flopped down on his back and sighed. He needed a plan. He needed a way back. He needed Kate, and he wasn't about to just give her up.

He picked up his cell and looked at it. He needed to hear her voice. He held it up and dialed; it rang and it rang.

"Hello, you've reached the voicemail of Detective Kate Beckett, please leave a message after the tone." Her recorded voice proclaimed.

"Beckett, Kate, It's Castle. Please call me…please." He hung up and lay back on his plush bed and closed his eyes. He was screwed.


Kate Beckett made the mistake of looking into Lanie's rear-view mirror as they pulled away from the curb. She saw him run out onto the sidewalk searching, apparently, for her. She almost told Lanie to stop—almost –but she couldn't bring herself to do it.

When they settled into Lanie's apartment, Beckett was having doubts about her whole plan. She was cold and overly-logical with Castle and she was feeling particularly guilty. Stop, Kate, she scolded herself, it needs to be done, he's safer away from me and he'll never sever the partnership.

Lanie came back into the guest room where Beckett was holed up in bed on Lanie's orders. It was one of the conditions of leaving Castle's.

"How are you holding up, girl?"

"Fine." Beckett replied.

"Bull." Lanie stared her down. "You want to tell me why you felt the need for the expedited exit from Writer-Boy's? He couldn't have annoyed you that quickly."

"Not Really."

"Did he get too close?"

"What?"

"Don't 'what' me, Beckett." Lanie said with her hands on her hips. "He got to personal and you ran, didn't you?"

"Lanie, that's not what happened." Beckett got defensive. "He shouldn't be around me. I'm a danger to him and his family."

"He's a danger to himself, honey."

"That's not the point, Lanie!" she nearly shouted. "He follows me everywhere, including places with dangerous criminals that are armed to the teeth. It's needs to stop."

"And why do you think he does that, Sweetie?" Lanie asked, eyebrows raised.

Beckett sat and stared at her. Part of her knew the answer; the other part denied it louder.

"I don't know; morbid fascination?"

"You're a fool, Beckett." Lanie turned and strutted from her guest room.


She was forced by threat of (more) bodily harm by Lanie to take medication and she promptly fell asleep. When she woke, it was hours later but she didn't feel rested. She felt anxious; like the feeling that you get in the pit of your stomach when you feel as if you've lost something important. She blamed it on the residual effects of the Vicodin, but a nagging voice in the back of her mind screamed otherwise.

She turned to look at the bedside clock when she heard something buzz beside her. At some point, Lanie must have turned her cell phone back on and placed it on the bedside table. She picked up the offending object and flipped on the screen. She had twenty-three missed calls; twelve text messages, and six new voicemails.

"Holy Crap." She murmured.

As she started opening the texts, she started to realize that Castle was not taking this lightly. Nine of the texts were from him, every half hour, saying simply: call me. Following, there was one from Esposito: Why is Castle calling me to ask if I can make you call him? I thought you were staying at Chez Castle? The next from Ryan: Castle wants you to call him. What did you do, Beckett? The last one made her feel really guilty; it was from Alexis Castle: Kate, I know I shouldn't be doing this, I think Dad would be mad if he knew but you need to talk to him, he's destroyed by whatever happened. I hope you're okay.

Kate gulped. Should she give in? Should she hold fast? This was becoming even more of a nightmare. Why didn't everyone get that she was poison? All the people that she loved got hurt, or killed, or ruined for life, or landed in AA. She wouldn't risk Castle having any of those happen to him.

She clicked on the voicemails. There were six from Richard Castle since she had heard the first one hours ago and they sounded suspiciously like the five stages of grief:

Denial: "We can't be doing this, Kate. Come on, it's us!"

Anger: "GOD DAMMIT BECKETT, CALL ME BACK!"

Bargaining: "Kate, Come on. Call me back, I'll do anything… I'll buy you a pony!"

Depression: "Kate, Please. I miss you, I need you to call me, I need to apologize and it's tearing me up."

Acceptance: "Fine, Beckett, if you don't want to call me, that's fine, but I WILL talk to you, eventually."

Beckett sighed, reached over and exchanged her cell for the small bottle of pain medication. She was sore, she was tired, and she was in pain in more ways than one. Maybe she really did need these. She popped two, and settled back down with a wince and a groan. In minutes, she was asleep once more.


Richard Castle alternated between pacing his loft and moping on the couch. He didn't know what to do. He knew that Beckett was safe with Lanie, but he didn't want her to be with Lanie. He didn't want her to be with anyone else but him and that thought alone terrified him. He decided he didn't care. It had been over eight hours since she left his loft and he was starting to believe she was serious. Maybe she didn't want him around anymore. Maybe she was not just acting out of hurt and rage; maybe he would never see her again. The thought of never looking into her green eyes and hearing her teasing voice made his blood run cold. His cell phone startled him out of his reverie. It was Lanie.

"LANIE!" He answered, "Is Kate okay?"

"Sleeping, Castle." She replied, "and it's nice to hear from you too."

"I'm sorry, Lanie." He sighed. "She didn't leave here on the best terms, and I want… I need… Hell, I don't know."

"I know, Castle." Lanie sympathized. "Listen to me, carefully, Castle. At 8:30PM, a half hour from now, Esposito will be picking me up and I'll be out all night, do you hear me?"

"but Lanie, you can't leave her alone, the doctor said…"

"Shut up, Castle, I know what the doctor said." Lanie snapped. "All you need to know is that the spare key will be above the molding. Got me?"

"Loud and clear, Lanie." He smiled.

"Good. Don't mess this up, Rick." She hung up.

Castle hopped off of his couch. Realizing he didn't know her address he looked back to his phone and went to dial but was cut off by a text message…. From Lanie, address included.

He smiled at the Medical Examiner's meddling. He wouldn't mess this up. It was time to come clean with Katherine Beckett.


CLICK ITTT… I know it was shorter but more soon, I promise!