Hi guys! I'm so terribly sorry for being late with this chapter… I was about to update this chapter yesterday but then I got all insecure with the ending and it took me longer than I expected to finish it…
Thank you all so much for the lovely feedback on last chapter! I can't tell you enough how much it means to me! Also, to those of you who left an anonymus or guest review, thank you as well… I'm sorry I can't answer you personally! :)
Now here is the chapter, I hope you will enjoy it!

Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own Castle…

Chapter 11

Kate got down to work as soon as she arrived in her apartment. With phone in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other she sat in front of her computer. Her thoughts were running a hundred mile per hour, putting the pieces of her plan to their places. Her fingers flew across the keyboard, doing web searches and phone record checks on the number she had. A burner just like she guessed…

She purposefully avoided thinking of Castle. She couldn't bear the memory of him standing in his doorway with puppy eyes, staring after her wordlessly. She didn't turn back, not once because she was sure she would do something really stupid and reckless. She couldn't allow herself any more mistakes. So she just held her head high, her shoulders square and pretended to be brave and icy when in truth she was burning inside. She was longing to turn and at least take one last look at him. To run back and throw herself into his arms.

She saw in his eyes that he knew this was the last time they saw each other. It was the only option and she knew it would hurt like hell, but she cursed herself for it, thinking that she well deserved it if she was so insensible to fall for him.

She just wished she had something better to tell him than to take care of himself. She wished she could have said goodbye properly, that she could have a different last memory of him than those huge, sad crystal blue eyes. She couldn't even allow herself a glance back because she knew that one look at him would break her resistance and probably make her change her mind. Like she almost did when he touched her. The temptation was so incredible and yet so entrancing and delicious that for a moment, only for the shortest moment she let her mind wander to a place where she gave up being a murderer to be with him. Where he accepted her past and loved her despite it. Where she found a way out of this darkness because he saved her... The thoughts ran through her head, images of what it could be like. But that's all they were, images. And Kate didn't lie to herself that they stood any chance. And her rational side won again, her moment gone and her walls up and steady again.

And of course she had no other choice if she wanted to be able to leave him there. His life was more important than what she longed to do and his best chance was if she walked away. She had to focus on taking down the man who wanted him dead and then... Then they would part ways for the very last time and continue to live their respective, separate lives. She knew that after this, they could never see each other again.

Kate tried to ignore the sharp pain in her chest at that thought. She would just get used to it just like she always did, repressing her emotions and waiting until they faded. This would fade as well, over time she wouldn't remember his lips on hers so clearly, she wouldn't see his eyes boring into hers and that radiant half smile that flashed across his face without him even realizing it.

She squinted at the screen, blinking back the tears to be able to continue working. She didn't have much time. She looked at the cell phone next to her on the desk not failing to notice that it hadn't rang once since that evening. The sight of it made her mouth go dry and her stomach shrunk into a tight knot. It was worse than when it rang a lot, the silence told her that her employer already knew…

She buried her face in her hands and let her eyes slide closed. She just needed one moment to compose herself, to sort her thoughts out. Without a clear mind she would never be able to find whoever was behind this. The phone number was clearly not to right way to approach him, so it had to be the club… If only she didn't have this panic in her heart that Castle was in danger, the image of him with a gun pointed at his chest. An image which was all too neat in her brain since not even twenty four hours ago she was the one who had him at gunpoint. And another assassin wouldn't be so weak as her… She had to find them. She had to save him…. She had to stop her swirling mind, she should figure out what to start with and just…


Kate's head shot up from the desk and she rubbed her forehead as she looked around. It was dark around her and only the screensaver provided any light to make out the furniture around herself. Looking down she saw that her arms were sprawled across the keyboard and her head had been resting on it. She felt groggy and slow and her brain was having a hard time to bring back her previous thoughts.

Yeah, she had fallen asleep…

She squeezed her eyes shut for a second and exhaled sleepily. She groped for her cell on the surface of the desk and after bumping into a few notebooks and pens she finally closed her fingers around it. She propped her head up on her hand and checked the phone, sighing in relief when she saw that she only dozed off for twenty minutes. Could have been worse…,she thought and pushed herself back from the desk. She needed to get moving or she would fall back asleep soon.

Kate went into her bathroom and splashed some water on her face to wake herself and then stared in the mirror at her pale face and tired eyes with almost black circles under them. She looked terrible…

She focused on what to do, her hands coming up to either side of her head to press at her temples. She had to find that man and the most convenient way seemed to be to look around his club.

Kate knew there was an easy way to find out where it was. One that would only take her a couple of minutes, one phone call that was all it would take. She stubbornly swayed her head, groaning. Even though Castle must have remembered where the club was she refused to call him. She wasn't ready to be faced with his voice yet. She was afraid that she would hear something that she wasn't strong enough to hear. Something she wouldn't be able to bear...

So instead she went for the second best option, hoping that she wouldn't just be wasting precious time with it. She ran a comb through her messy hair and put on some lip gloss before exiting her bathroom and hastily grabbing a few cookies from a cupboard when she heard the grumbling of her stomach. They were hard as stone but she didn't care, they would have to do...

She put on high heeled boots and left her apartment, a cookie between her teeth as she zipped up her jacket and rushed down the stairs.

New York was just as lively in that nightly hour as in daylight and Kate had to fight her way through a group of young men to get to the underground. She heard a low whistle as she passed, but she didn't turn.

She took the metro to SoHo and faced an even bigger crowd as she climbed the stairs to street level. She walked quickly, turning without even looking at street signs, knowing the route by heart.

After a few minutes there seemed to be less and less passersby and when she turned into a shadowy alleyway she found it completely deserted.

Kate stopped in front of a closed basement entrance built into the ground. She bent down and pulled on the lid forcefully. She had the confidence of one who knew exactly what she was doing, and just as she expected the door swung open, revealing the dusty stairwell that suspected no good. She stepped inside determinedly, the sounds of music coming from the end of the stairs disappearing into darkness encouraging her.

She slowly took each step, careful not to fall and as she approached the music had gotten louder and just as she arrived at the bottom of the concrete stairs there was one single lamp on the wall, providing enough light to see the door. She pushed on the handle and the door gave way, opening into one of the weirdest places Kate have ever been to.

Every single wall was dark purple but most of the surfaces were covered with posters and paintings. There were secluded booths and small, rounded tables in the middle of the room. She entered and immediately saw the long, wide stage on the opposite side of the basement. It was lighted harshly, colorful splatters of spotlight flying over the performers. There were three shirtless male dancers and a female acrobat on stage at that moment, but Kate knew that there were more wild attractions there to see in this club.

The purple rose was the place where the worst of the underworld came together. The place of secrets and shadows and sinful pleasures as well as artists and everything that didn't fit in. The bar where everyone who counted in this dark world had set foot. The place where no matter what you were searching for you would find it. Or find someone who could help.

Kate herself came across it almost by accident, she was looking for weapons and the seller gave her this address to meet at. She instantly saw the odd, dark beauty of this bar and knew she could trust it to be a great source of information as well as entertainment.
The place was full and Kate maneuvered between two tables to avoid a waitress who carried a tray of interesting looking cocktails. She glanced around and saw that there wasn't really anybody she knew apart from a guy with a big green parrot in the background, who she had seen a couple of times around here.

She made her way to the polished, wooden counter and elbowed on it between two bearded men. The owner was nowhere to be seen and she let her eyes rest on the beverage counter. Bottles of all shapes and colors appeared on the shelves and it was all decorated with signs, vignettes, stickers and some photos. It was all so full of life and dizzying but mysterious at the same time. Just like the whole place…

The music changed and she turned to the stage to see what the next performance would be when she caught sight of some movement on her left. She looked to the end of the counter and saw the owner appear from behind the shelves. The man was tall and broad shouldered, the kind of guy you didn't want to meet in an alley in the middle of the night. He had short, spiky hair and dark brown eyes. Rumor had it he started out as a gang member when he was a teen, made his way to the top and became a drug dealer with the Mexicans then he got fed up with it. He started to gamble and lost more than half of his money then when it all seemed to be over he spent a fortune to create this club and he was the owner and a bartender there ever since. Of course, only a few knew what happened for sure…

"Hiya Flipper!" she exclaimed with a grin, waving to him when his head snapped in her direction.

"Hey there, gorgeous!" he greeted her cheerfully, recognizing her instantly. He didn't know her name just like she didn't know his either. There was barely anyone who knew each other's name around here. "Haven't seen you in ages! How have you been, darlin'?" he asked as he came closer, his soft western accent slurring some of his words.

"I've been a bit busy lately. Sorry bud, I can't spend my days hanging here... A girl's got to make a living somehow!" she smiled with a shrug and plopped down on one of the barstools.

"Told ya', you're always welcome on my stage... I would pay you nicely!" he teased as he fixed a Vodka Martini for a woman with tattoos all over her arms.

"Sure, and what do you suggest I'd do?" she asked, bantering back and trying not to sound like she was in a hurry. She loved this place, found the regulars and the performers and all of it really interesting but at that moment she couldn't think of anything other than the dangerCastle was in.

"I dunno, you must have some hidden talents, sweetie!" Flipper laughed and took out a glass from under the counter. "What's your poison?" he asked her, but Kate shook her head.

"Nope, can't drink now!" she declined and he raised his eyebrows.

"What? You're on duty?" he asked with a smirk and Kate chuckled as well.

"Yeah, sort of..." she nodded, still grinning, knowing full well that even if Flipper couldn't know for sure he at least had a strong guess that she wasn't a cop.

"All right, then what brings you here? Surely not Gregorio and the Babes over there..." he said nodding to the ensemble dancing on stage.

"Oh no, though they are quite good..." she smiled, then her face got serious. "Listen Flipper, I'm looking for someone!" she started and saw the glint in his eye. "His name is White Shark..." she said and the owner had a thoughtful expression on his face for a second.

"Belaya akula" Flipper said with an amused smile.

"You know him?" she asked hopefully.

"Not personally, but I know about him... If you're really looking for him, then I guess the best place to look would be his bar. It's called Fallen Angel and it's just down Waverly where it meets west 24th…" he told her silently and Kate could sense the two men listening to their every word.

"Thank you! I knew I could count on you..." she smiled gratefully at him, her blood racing excitedly in her veins.

"Anything for you, darling!" Flipper said and Kate hopped off the stool and when she started to turn away he added. "Hey girl?" he waited for her to look back at him, his eyes sincere as he spoke. "Be careful!" he advised.

"I always am!" she nodded with a playful smile and turned to leave the basement.

Only when she was back on the street did she realize that she had to go back home for a rifle if she wanted to kill the man tonight. She narrowed her eyes as she rushed down the road, thinking about the gun she left on her desk. She should have brought that with herself, now the only weapon she had was a sharp knife in the inside pocket of her jacket which she always carried with herself for protection.

Kate swallowed as she considered her options. She hated knife jobs, she avoided it the best she could. It just wasn't up her street, it was messy and it required an unsettling proximity to the target which she especially disliked… But now, she either did that or went home for a gun which meant losing more time. She had no choice really.

Kate checked her phone and saw that it was half past two in the morning. Although the subway would have been faster, she chose to walk because her eyelids started to feel heavy from sleepiness. Fresh, cool night air would be good for her. She took long, quick steps and she arrived about half an hour later.
She stood in front of the possible entrance of the bar which looked like a simple front door of an apartment building. The only thing which told Kate that she was at the right place was a pair of angel wings hung on the first floor window. For an outsider it could have looked like forgotten Christmas decoration, but Kate knew it couldn't be a coincidence.

She crossed the street and walked towards the opening of a narrow street where she suspected a back exit. Sure enough, as she rounded the corner she caught sight of dumpsters and the two buildings between which the street was situated had old, iron doors as exits. She lifted her eyes and saw the metallic steps of fire escapes leading up to the roof.

She walked to the door confidently but saw that it was closed and there wasn't a door handle on the outside of the door. Kate could see that any attempt to force it open would have been in vain. She sighed, biting her lower lip as she thought for a moment then she jogged to the fire escape and climbed up to the first landing. She ran her fingers over the window frame there and a victorious smile spread on her lips as she found a gap between the wall and the wood. She pushed her hand in it and pried the window open so she could slip inside.

Kate couldn't believe her luck as she looked around in the room which proved to be some kind of a storage room. It was rather dim but she could make out the door at her right and she didn't hesitate to go up to it. It was locked of course but Kate had her lock pick in her pocket. It didn't take her more than three minutes and she was out on the corridor.

She followed the noises of talking and clinking glasses to the end of the corridor and arrived at a half closed door. She pushed it open and peeked out, instantly noticing the tall, muscular man who was standing with his back to her, watching the room but obviously guarding the door she was hiding behind. Kate looked for a way to get out there and took in the club itself. It was full of smoke and there were rounded poker tables everywhere. She could make out the end of a long bar at the end of the room with a few barstools. There was no stage, but she could see another door leading out of the room. A massive looking, wooden door which probably led to an office.

One look around told her where the big guns were. They were seated around the biggest table, five men with girls leaning on them, stroking their broad shoulders and bringing them drinks. She couldn't see all of them, but of the three she saw either could have been White Shark.

She waited some more and when there was loud laughter coming from one of the farther tables she took a chance and stepped out into the room. She held her breath as she eyed the guard, waiting to see it he saw or heard her, but fortunately he seemed too distracted by the game at the table next to him to notice her. There wasn't a big crowd, certainly nothing like in The purple rose and she stayed near the wall, trying to get to the bar without being perceived.

She hid behind a fat man who went for another drink and released a tiny sigh when she finally arrived at the counter. There were two bartenders. One of them was busy with serving the fat man but the other, a young man was just wiping clean glasses and Kate stepped up to him.

"Hi! I'm looking for the owner here… Belaya akula! I'm an old friend of his…" she said with a perfect Russian accent, smiling sassily at the man when he looked up at her. His eyes traveled down her form as she leaned on the bar, resting on her bottom and she repressed her annoyance and instead waited with a knowing smirk on her face.

"He's right over there… At the big table in the grey shirt!" he motioned towards the table which she saw from the corridor. She looked over there and spotted the man, he was just taking a sip of his drink and putting a card down on the table. He had black hair and strong arms. His face held a rough expression as he stared at his fellow players. He looked just like a man who would hire an assassin...


It was four A.M. and Kate was sitting on the windowsill on the first landing of the fire escape. The bar closed just around then and from what she could find out, the White Shark would leave lastly. She expected him to use the back door, just like almost every bar owner did. A couple of guests had already exited there, leaving through the alley and Kate watched them go from the stairs.

About fifteen minutes later when she was just starting to feel nervous, Kate heard the door open again and saw him stepping out. He had a leather jacket on and he didn't even look up as he walked. He was tapping on his phone and Kate watched as he approached the dumpsters just under the fire escape. She positioned herself closer to the edge, next to the railing and she soundlessly reached into her jacket and grabbed the handle of the knife. Her breathing got heavier as she got ready, her blood thumping in her ear and she felt her hands get sweaty. She tensed her fingers around the handle and inched one more step closer, regarding him expertly. She had to jump at the perfect moment to surprise him, otherwise there was a risk that he would put up a fight. And even though Kate was well trained, one of the bests in the business she saw that he was solid and strong. Definitely stronger than her.

He passed just under her and she held her breath, looking down and seeing that he was checking his Facebook on his phone. Then he walked on and she saw the moment she was waiting for.

It felt like slow motion as Kate lunged forward, taking the leap boldly, pulling out the knife and landing just behind him. He must have heard her because he started to turn back, but her hands were already there, one grabbing his hair harshly while she twisted the knife in the other swiftly, turning it so she could cut his throat with it the next second, taking the life of the man who wanted Castle dead. Ensuring his safety and ending this horrible mess with one sharp movement.

Crimson blood spilled from the wound and she saw the red drops on the blade as she pulled it back.

A surprised gurgling sound left his chest and Kate stepped aside, letting him fall to the ground.

She felt sick but a slight wave of relief hit her as well. It was over. Finally, this was it.

She was panting hard as she stared down at the man who was gasping his last breaths, his wide black eyes on her.

"Did you hire anyone else?" she asked, the question sounding urgent and she realized she wasn't sure she could take it if it wasn't over yet.

"Who...oh...who are...you?" the man forced out, his voice hoarse as he bled out.

Kate wanted to leave, she wanted to run away but she had to know. She had to make sure it was really over.

"You know who I am. Now, did you hire anyone else to kill him?" she demanded, refusing to say Castle's name, afraid that it might make her think about him.

"I uh,...have...no i-idea...what you...talkin..." he slurred but it was already too quiet, too late, his eyes rolling back into his head and Kate watched as all life left his body. A second later he was motionless, but Kate couldn't take her eyes off his genuinely confused eyes.

She was standing next to him, knife hanging at her side in her hand and she was rooted to the spot, unable to look away when her phone went off. She jumped visibly and when she clumsily got it out of her pocket and looked at the screen Kate felt the world spin around her. It was an unknown number.

With a shaking finger she answered it and put it to her ear.

"Hahahaha!" sounded an icy laugh on the other end of the line which reached to Kate's bones, making her shudder. "Did you really think it was about a silly poker game? I thought you were better than that Kate Beckett! Oh, no. This is so much bigger than you thought..." said the voice, the voice she dreaded so much. The voice of her employer. Former employer...

The line went dead and Kate dropped the knife, her fingers giving up on clutching it as she felt the waves crashing above her head.

So, this was it… What do you guys think? I was so doubtful about this ending that I showed it to one of my friends and asked her to tell her opinion about whether it's publishable or not… which I never do. So… I really really hope you liked it! :)
Please tell me your thoughts in a review, it would mean the world to me!
Thank you for reading and for reviewing! Your support is unbelievable, seriously! I'm blessed… :)
Next chapter will be up as soon as possible, I promise I will try to hurry with it but I want to give you guys the best I can write… (or at least the best I can manage :) )
Until then, xxx