A/N: I need to fill a couple of plot holes. Shane is the elder brother. I have gone back and corrected it. The person responsible has been sacked.

To MB (guest reviewer): Thanks for listening to the music. You give awesome reviews!

Thanks to everyone who takes time out of their lives to read this. I appreciate you all.

~RNB

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Only Love Will Guide You Home

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Chapter 14: The Other Side

Make me whole again

Open your eyes

Taunted by the shadows of your lie

Cold and far away

Like you're not even mine

Undo everything and take me higher

~Evanescence

Monday morning—Presbyterian Hospital

Captain Victoria Gates was outside of Michael Fergusson's hospital room, waiting for his attorney to arrive. According to the message from her secretary, the boy was ready to talk.

He was smart…she had to give him that. The first one to talk gets the best deal. Of course, she mentally shrugged, if he were that smart, he wouldn't be here. She glanced at his picture on the front of the case file.

Michael was big for his age. At only seventeen he was already six feet tall with an athletic physique. He was going to be very handsome when he grew up, but his wavy, dark blonde hair and honey brown eyes would not help him where he was going…Such a waste.

He had been advised of his rights, printed and under guard since he was admitted on Saturday, and as soon as his Public Defender arrived, she could get started questioning him. Normally, Gates didn't do the interviews herself but this was a special case. Karpowski and her team were testifying in court today, otherwise Roselyn would be here. And since she couldn't let Beckett's team handle the interrogation…well, here she was. She was ready to get this over with and get back to her office…Beckett was coming in this morning and Gates was hoping to avoid fireworks.

She sipped on the terrible hospital coffee and used the time to go over her notes again. Beckett caught Fergusson fleeing the scene two days ago and he had lawyered up the minute they cuffed him. Even though he had surgery for the bullet wound in his leg shortly after he was brought in, they hadn't been able to speak to him before now. He was a minor with no legal guardian so an advocate had to be assigned. And that took time.

Not that her people had been sitting still. When the Paramedics had bagged his clothes for evidence, they found a note. It was immediately turned over to the detectives on scene who were shocked to find a letter detailing the entire kidnapping. And more importantly…it had Shane's last known address, and escape plans.

Due to that letter, the protection details had been ordered. Karpowski's team made it to the rundown, apartment shortly after the shooting. Shane wasn't there but Mike's note led them to a bag of cash and Id's, hidden behind a picture in the bathroom, and a small cache of weapons under the bed. They knew Shane'd be back once he felt it was safe. They took the cash and guns, but otherwise left the apartment undisturbed. Gates' teams had been monitoring the flophouse around the clock ever since.

She heard the elevator ding and watched as a handsome young man stepped onto the trauma ward. She recognized him immediately. He had been at the hospital a few times during Mr. Castle's stay.

Gates had seen him speaking to Castle's trauma surgeon, and she had thought at the time that they must be related. The young man appeared to be in his mid to late twenties, and although the doctor's was going a bit gray, they shared the same jet black hair and startling green eyes.

He walked into her suspect's room and the two began to talk. Gates looked the new arrival over. His suit and briefcase told her that this man was not from the Public Defender's office.

She left them to talk while she fixed herself another cup of what passed for coffee. After a few minutes the attorney signaled that they were ready.

"Good Morning, Gentlemen." She greeted them briskly. Placing her briefcase on the bedside table, she introduced herself, "I'm Captain Victoria Gates."

The young attorney stood politely as she entered the room, he extended his hand and a disarming smile, "Good Morning, Captain. I'm Jack Edwards, representing Mr. Fergusson."

"Mr. Edwards." she acknowledged, shaking his hand firmly. "I understand your client is prepared to confess?"

"What?!" the young man in question gasped in alarm, eyes full of fear. "No, that's not it! I…"

"Michael," his lawyer quickly intervened, "let me do the talking. Remember what we talked about?" Jack urged, with an encouraging pat on the shoulder.

As Mike sighed and nodded, Jack turned back with a conciliatory tone, "Captain Gates, I apologize. Michael is young and has obviously been under a lot of stress…"

Growing irritated, she raised a hand to halt his excuses. "I was under the impression your client was prepared to cooperate." Arching an eyebrow at the young attorney, she said bitingly, "I am not here to play games, Mr. Edwards."

"Captain, I can assure you, we aren't playing games. Please, let's have a seat and I'll explain." He smiled confidently as he indicated the chairs that had been brought in for their meeting.

Looking suspicious, Gates replied, "Alright, Mr. Edwards. Let's hear it."

"Yes, Ma'am." Edwards began as they took their seats, "As you are aware, my client is a minor who has recently lost both parents under tragic circumstances. I am both his advocate and his attorney."

"I am aware of a lot of things, Mr. Edwards. Like how your client drove the getaway car during the kidnapping of Mr. Castle," Gates supplied, as she took the seat nearest her. "We have you on video," she said, glancing Michael.

The young man started to speak, but a firm hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"Captain Gates, there seems to be a misunderstanding here. " Jack cut his eyes at his client, "Michael is prepared to cooperate fully, but he isn't here to confess."

Mike rolled his eyes as Jack shot him a quick frown. It was harder than he thought… to sit here while they talked about him like he wasn't even in the room. Still…this was why he'd called The Innocence Review. Sighing, he leaned back against the pillows and let Jack handle it.

Turning his attention back to Gates, Jack laid out his client's position, "Captain, Mr. Fergusson was forced into this kidnapping by his older brother Shane Fergusson. He was unaware of his brother's plans up until Mr. Castle was kidnapped." Jack retrieved his briefcase from the floor placing it flat on his lap, "Shane has had a break with reality since the murder/suicide that took their parents. He has become obsessed and fixated on making detective Beckett and anyone close to her pay for the death of his parents. Mike's life has also been ruined by all of this and he is very anxious to help you catch Shane in any way he can."

"I see, so he's a victim?" Her tone was disbelieving as she raised one eyebrow doubtfully. Experience had taught her that the boy was probably not as innocent as he claimed. But even if the whole story was a lie, there would be clues in the tale. She was willing to at least hear them out. "Okay, Mr. Edwards. I'm listening."

Mr. Edwards pulled a file from his briefcase and handed it to her. "Captain, I have known Michael for over a year. Sometimes I work with a group at Columbia called The Innocence Review. Since the end of his junior year, Mike has been working with us as a volunteer on several cases. I believe he's going to make a great lawyer one day. As you can see, he has a clean record and has already been accepted to Columbia for pre-law."

Gates thumbed through the folder as she listened to the attorney passionately extoll his client's finer qualities. Of course she already knew some of the things in the packet but she had to admit the boy's file was impressive. Top of his class in high school, his SAT scores were good enough to get into pretty much any university, a talented volunteer intern with The Innocence Review…The young man could have had a promising law career.

Jack was watching the Captain's face as she read through the folder. He had done a bit of homework on the detectives at the Twelfth, as well as their Captain. She was known as 'Iron Gates'. Her officers described her as tough but fair. Driven by the facts not political ambitions. And she had a soft spot for kids and underdogs.

He was hoping he'd found an ally. Leaning on his elbows he pled Mike's case, "Captain, Michael is innocent. He was taken hostage every bit as much as Mr. Castle was. And after you see the evidence he was able to collect, I think you will agree with me." Jack scooted to the edge of his seat and took Mike's hand. "He too is a victim, and in exchange for his complete cooperation, we would ask that he avoid any charges in this case."

The two men were quietly waiting as Gates sipped her coffee thoughtfully. Of course, legally, she was obligated to investigate his claims…but if his story was true, then he deserved their help too. She would do everything she could, like she would for any victim…But, they had street camera footage that clearly showed Mike driving away with Castle in the backseat. It was enough to charge him. The D.A. was anxious to close this very high profile case, and with Shane on the loose, he needed to make a high profile arrest.

"There's no way I can guarantee that, I'm afraid." She crossed her arms in front of her, "Kidnapping and attempted murder are very serious charges, Mr. Edwards," Gates put Fergusson's folder in her briefcase. "As you know, he will most likely be charged as an adult. What proof do we have that your client isn't just lying and throwing his brother under the bus?"

Jack smiled at Michael before answering, he was proud of the steps Mike had taken to be able to prove his own innocence. The boy had kept his cool better than most adult would have under the circumstances. "Captain, his brother threatened to kill him and Mr. Castle right then and there if he didn't go along with his plan. Mike would never willingly participate in something like this."

Finally addressing the young man in the bed, Gates said, "Michael, even if all of this is true…and that's a pretty big if…It's your word against your brother's."

"Captain, I swear, I didn't have anything to do with this. I tried to help Mr. Castle. I snuck in a little food and water when I could. I stopped Shane from beating him after he passed out," Mike twirled his hospital bracelet mindlessly as the images of those beatings assaulted him. After a moment he looked up at her. "I felt so helpless…But it was all I could do. Shane's lost it. He would have killed us both. At that point all I could do was hope for a chance to get us out of there alive." Retelling his story was more upsetting than he thought it would be. He took a few deep breaths.

Taking over for his young friend, Jack interjected, "It was Mike who called in the tip to Detective Beckett so she would be at the warehouse when Shane was supposed to be there. He also left a letter on his person in case he was unsuccessful trying to stop his brother." He reached into his briefcase again and handed her a plastic bag. "Michael realized immediately that he was in danger and that there was a real chance no one would believe him. Everything he could get is in here."

Gates examined the sealed contents. What appeared to me Mike's phone and a small memory card from a different cell phone were inside. Rising, she gave it to an officer with instructions to rush it to the tech lab. Coming back in to the room, she asked, "What kind of evidence do you have on those?"

"It's mostly audio recordings he was able to capture, plus a few videos." Jack replied, "I hope once you hear them, Mike will be exonerated."

Ignoring that last statement, Gates returned to stand beside the bed, she put her hands on her hips and pushed a bit, "Michael, if you were as unwilling as you say, then why have you waited so long? Why didn't you call 911 anytime during the kidnapping? Why have you waited over a month to come forward?"

Mike answered quickly, "Shane had cameras set up at the storage facility. If I had called 911, he would have seen the cops coming and killed us all."

Harshly, Gates asked, "What about the last few weeks after Mr. Castle was released? Why haven't you contacted the police before now?"

Brushing his hair back again, Mike pushed himself up further in the bed, wincing as he explained calmly, "Because he's been basically holding me prisoner since then."

He leaned over and took a drink of his water and he noticed his hands were shaking. He was scared and trying not to show it. Working with Jack at IR had taught him that sometimes innocent people get convicted. He didn't want that to happen to him.

Michael didn't hesitate to meet the Captain's eyes. She was sort of intimidating, but he needed her to believe him. "He's obsessed with keeping what's left of our family together…Shane would rather kill us both than be separated in jail. He has a plan to get us both out of the country…as soon as he makes Detective Beckett pay."

Gates broke in, looking for holes in his story. "You said 'basically'. Did he keep you prisoner in the apartment? Were you ever allowed outside?"

"Yes, Ma'am. We went out a few times for groceries and stuff," He admitted, knowing the admission looked bad for him. He nervously licked his lips and explained further, "Captain Gates, Shane knows I want to be a prosecutor. He knew I wanted us to turn ourselves in, but he's always armed…plus he took my phone… and every night he locked me in a closet while he slept outside, blocking the door. Whenever we went out he watched me like a hawk. He said he would kill us both if I tried anything and I believed him."

Victoria wasn't sure she was completely buying his explanation. But she wasn't prepared to dismiss it either. She needed more answers. "Where did the money come from?"

"Shane has…had a mint condition muscle car. He sold it to our cousin Saturday morning. Mom and Dad had a few thousand stashed at their house and we've been living on that, but Shane wanted to sell the car to pay for our trip out of the country. Terry's wanted that car for years."

"You went with him?" she confirmed, taking notes as he spoke.

"Yes, I did. Terry pulled a lockbox full of money from his desk. That's how he paid us. Apparently some rich guy bought an entire spa and pool package for his new house and paid cash. Terry joked that he had to hide it from his wife or he would never get the money for his 'toys'." Mike realized he was drifting off point, and he refocused, "Anyway, when Shane saw all that cash, he decided to go back and steal it after they closed for lunch."

Gates sat forward, pointing out, "But Shane wasn't at the warehouse. You were."

Mike shook his head, his eyes reflected his confusion. "Yeah, I don't know why he wasn't there. He should've been." Out of habit, Mike tried to sit cross-legged but had to stop as the pain made him catch his breath. After it faded, he continued, "I finally convinced Shane that taking me with him to rob Terry's warehouse was a bad idea because I would just get us caught but I convinced him that I wouldn't try to escape while he was gone, and that I had accepted that our lives here were over and I was ready to go with him. But he still locked me in the closet before he left. I broke through the door as soon as I thought it was safe. I found my phone where he kept it and called 911."

"Where did you get the gun?" Gates asked, watching his body language for signs of deceit.

"Shane had a few guns in a bag under the bed," he dropped his head. "I grabbed a gun and some of the ammo that he had used on Mr. Castle…just to terrify him…and I took off after him."

"Yes, about those bullets," Gates asked, very interested in this explanation. "Why did you load your gun with those?"

"Because I'm not a killer." He stated, emphatically. "And I sure didn't want to kill my own brother. My plan was to shoot him until he was unconscious and tie him up with zip ties." His leg was hurting, and he tried to get comfortable. "Look, maybe it wasn't a great plan, but I saw a chance and I took it. That was the first time he left me alone for longer than it took to use the bathroom. The plan was to stop Shane and wait for the cops to show up." He sat forward, his eyes pleading with her, "Please Captain Gates, I never meant to shoot anyone but Shane."

Victoria had watched or participated in hundreds of interrogations and despite the evidence against him, her gut was telling her this whole crazy story was true. Tapping her fingers against each other, Gates said thoughtfully, "I'll have tech go over your evidence. In the meantime," she said, turning to Jack, "He is still under arrest. Once we catch his brother, we can try to corroborate his story…If things happened like you claim…and…if he agrees to testify against his brother in court, then I will talk to the D.A. and see what we can work out."

Jack nodded at his young friend. It was the best they could hope for under the circumstances.

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Never believing what they say 'cause I'm

Counting the days to meet you on the other side

I will always be waiting

Until the day that I see you on the other side

Come and take me home

~Evanescence

Shuffling, Kate yawned as she made her way to the kitchen in search of food. Her belly had been growling for the last half-hour, but she had been so comfortable snuggled up next to Rick, that she hadn't wanted to move…only relenting when the rumbling got loud enough that she worried she might wake him up.

She only had a couple of hours before she was due at the precinct, so cereal would have to do. She was pouring milk into a bowl when the stairway light came on, alerting her to Martha's presence.

"Good Morning, Katherine," she called out cheerfully, as she descended. "I didn't expect anyone else to be up."

Mumbling around a mouthful of puffed rice, Kate smiled sleepily, "Mornin'."

Grateful that she had prepped it the night before, Martha pushed the start button on the coffee pot and asked, "Is Richard awake?"

"No, he's still in bed." Taking her breakfast to the bar, Kate eased into the chair. He'd had a couple of nightmares that kept them up off and on through the night. She wondered how many of those he'd had to go through alone…hopefully, not too many. "We didn't get much sleep last night," she said, taking another bite.

"Well, after almost two months, I would hope not." Smiling naughtily, Martha flicked on the overhead lights, but was brought up short when she got a good look at the detective. "Oh dear…you look exhausted…and not in a good way" she added teasingly.

"I wish," Kate sighed into her bowl. "I would much rather be woken up in the middle of the night for the good reasons," she laughed, smiling pointedly at the older woman.

Martha chuckled under her breath, "Wouldn't we all." She grabbed a couple of mugs and prodded, "So, if romance isn't to blame for those bags under your eyes, what is?"

"Nightmares." Kate admitted, quietly. Closing her eyes, she breathed in the wonderful smell of fresh coffee.

"Uh-oh." Taking the other stool, Martha asked, "Yours or his?", as she handed over a steaming mug.

Kate had also had a bad dream last night, but hers was nothing compared to the nightmares Rick had. "Mostly his," she admitted honestly. "He had one around midnight and it was pretty bad, but…then around three-thirty he woke up screaming. He, uh…It took me awhile to get him calmed down." He had called out her name several times, begging her not to leave him. She felt terrible…wondering if her interview in DC led to this.

"Oh yes, I know what you mean," Martha smiled kindly at the younger woman. "They can get pretty bad, sometimes." Her smile slowly faded for a moment as she recalled a few of his worst dreams.

Nodding, Kate took a few more sips and began to feel human again. "Martha," she began haltingly, "Last night…Rick kept calling for me in his sleep…He didn't want to talk about it later and I'm…well, I'm worried that my being here last night…I'm afraid that it just brought up some bad memories…you know, about the DC job and that it upset him and caused his nightmares."

"Oh no, that is not true, sweetie." Martha denied sincerely. She did not want this wonderful young woman blaming herself. "Kate…Richard's been having nightmares since he came home. Trust me; last night wasn't your fault." Wanting to quiet her fears, she patted her back, pointing out, "You know how mixed up dreams get, there's no telling what he was actually dreaming about."

Since he got home. Kate stared into her cup as she absorbed that information. She knew how bad his nightmares had been in the hospital, and for the first week or so, she had worried about how he was doing. But as more time passed, she convinced herself that his dreams would get better over time. He had to be ok. After all, nothing kept Castle's eternal optimism down for long. She hadn't stopped worrying, she had just convinced herself he was okay. But he wasn't. For the umpteenth time, she wished she had been here to help him.

Martha could tell Kate was still preoccupied with Richard's nightmares and she decided a subject change might be best. "So, with so little sleep last night, why aren't you in there snuggled up to your man?" Looking at where her watch should be, she joked, "It's not that late, you know. I'm sure you could find one of those good reasons to wake him up!"

Groaning in embarrassment, Kate corrected her, "It's not that it's too late…It's too soon!" She scrunched up her face as a blush crept up her cheeks. She wasn't sure she would ever get used to Rick's mother teasing her about their sex life.

Martha was appalled by this logic, "Oh, that's where you're wrong, my dear! The last thing you two need is more time apart or space. For goodness sake, it's the distance that's keeping you apart!"

Kate laughed at the little gem of questionable wisdom, but before she could respond, Martha's eyes were drawn across the room and her expression brightened.

"Richard! You're up!" She proclaimed. With an innocent look towards Kate, she announced, "I was just trying to convince Kate to go back to bed. She's exhausted."

Hiding a smile, Kate took her bowl to the sink and filled another cup for Rick. His mother was incorrigible.

Rick leaned against the sink, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. "Good Morning, Mother," he said pleasantly. Despite the night he'd had, he felt pretty good. He'd been looking forward to waking up next to Kate, but the sight of her in his kitchen, wearing those sexy boxers and an old t-shirt, was just about as good.

"Good Morning, Beckett," he leaned in, whispering intimately near her ear, he was close enough to touch her, but he settled for just watching her. From her messy hair to her bare feet, she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

Kate turned around, taking in his rumpled hair and exposed chest. He looked too adorable not to kiss. She pressed up on her toes and kissed him lovingly. "Good Mornin', Castle," she hummed against his lips as she pulled back.

Smiling at his dazed expression, she wrapped an arm around his waist and stood next to him. Watching him stifle a yawn, Kate frowned up at him. "You should be in bed," she scolded easily, raising an eyebrow, daring him to deny it. He needed more rest. They both did.

"Well, I was until you left," he complained grumpily, but his blue eyes were sparkling. Tugging her elbow, he nodded towards his room, "Come back to bed."

"I can't," she grimaced, resisting his efforts to drag her back to bed. "I have to meet with Gates this morning."

"Ooh," Frowning a bit in concern, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and asked, "Is it about Saturday?"

"Yeah," she nodded cheerlessly, "but I don't expect it to last long. " Ass chewings usually didn't.

"What about Saturday?" Martha wanted to know. She had moved next to them and was listening with studied interest.

Kate sighed, she couldn't not tell her what happened, but she really didn't feel like another lecture, no matter how well intended. "I caught Michael Fergusson yesterday, but I violated a direct order to do it." Running a hand through her hair, she huffed, "I'm already on a two week forced vacation. I'll probably get written up this morning."

Hoping Castle did not feel the need to mention the part about her getting shot, Kate changed the subject. Looking at her watch she announced, "I need to go back to my apartment and get ready." A thought occurred to her, and she smiled excitedly, "Hey, Rick? Do you want to go with me? I'm sure everyone at the station would love to…see you." She faltered as his features hardened. She could feel his tension in the arm she had wrapped around his waist.

Shaking his head, he tried to sound natural, but his heart had dropped at the question. Glancing at the clock, he pretended to remember something, saying "No, I...uh…I have to call Black Pawn in a little while." Smiling politely, he offered, "Why don't you come back here after you meet with Gates. I should be done by then."

Casually stepping away from her, Rick started another pot of coffee, keeping his back to her, hoping she would let it go. They hadn't gotten around to talking about his recently acquired phobia last night. Damn!

Unsure of what just happened; Kate looked at Martha, raising an eyebrow in question. The actress shrugged, but her face said she knew more than she was letting on. Inviting him to come to the precinct had clearly upset him, she realized. She didn't want to add to his stress, so she decided to ask him about it later.

"Okay," she said, rubbing her hand across his back gently, "How 'bout I pack a bag while I'm at my place?" She felt his tension release at her offer. "Do you mind if I sleep over?"

"Yeah," he said, too eagerly, "that would be great. Maybe we could watch a movie later?" he suggested. "I have some of that gourmet popcorn you love," he grinned over his shoulder, sweetening the pot.

"Okay…it's a date," she placed a kiss on his shoulder blade and patted his butt. "I'm gonna grab my things and head out then." Still a little concerned over his reaction, she went to his room to get dressed.

As soon as Kate shut the bedroom door, Martha turned on him. "Richard Alexander Rogers…"

"I know, Mother!" he groaned miserably into his hands. "It didn't come up last night."

"You have got to tell her. She's going to notice!" Sipping her coffee, she pointed out, "Apparently Alexis didn't tell Katherine everything."

"Don't worry, Mother. I'm going to tell her." He loaded the few dishes into the dishwasher as he waited for Kate. He didn't think it would be a problem for them or their relationship…it was just humiliating.

In less than five minutes, she had changed back into her clothes from last night and was ready to leave. He walked her to the door, "I hope your meeting goes well," he said as he kissed her. He held her jacket as she slipped it on.

"Me, too." Taking her purse, which he was holding for her, she smiled at him, "I'll be back in a few hours." With a lingering kiss and a final wave to Martha, she was out the door.

Rick immediately felt lonely, despite his mother's presence. He didn't want to admit to Kate that he was afraid to leave his apartment building. It was humiliating enough just admitting it to himself, much less the woman he loved.

He knew if he couldn't overcome it, he would never have the life with her that he really wanted. Determined to find a way, he pulled out his phone and dialed Dr. Burke.

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I'm not giving in, I want you back

Holding together by the shards of our past

Stole my heart away, I can't let you go

Break these chains and let me fly to you

High above the world below

Over and over in my mind

~Evanescence

Beckett was getting irritated. She'd been stuck in the breakroom at the 12th since nine o'clock. It had been twenty minutes and Captain Gates still hadn't shown up. On top of her anxiety over her upcoming meeting, her shoulder hurt like hell, which wasn't helping her mood any.

The hot bath she'd taken this morning had helped with some of the stiffness, but she'd wrenched it once putting on her bra, and again trying to wiggle into her favorite lavender blouse. Trying to do something with her hair had not been fun either. She'd finally managed to get it brushed into a ponytail, but her shoulder was pretty sore as a result. She was ready to get back to Castle so she could take one of her pain pills and convince him to take a nap with her. Maybe they could talk about his sudden mood shift this morning when she mentioned coming with her. Maybe it was nothing…but her gut told her it was important.

She looked around impatiently for Gates or anyone that might know where she was. The only thing L.T. would say when she'd asked him, was that she was in a meeting. Her eyes were drawn to the officer in question who was milling around the bullpen. He had escorted her up the elevator and had been keeping an eye on her ever since. Obviously he was under orders to keep her from poking around. And worse than that…the bullpen was frustratingly empty of the detectives she needed to talk to.

Roz and her team weren't here and Kate had no idea where Esposito and Ryan were. Probably working a case…not that either of them had contacted her since Saturday. She had hoped for some kind of update on Michael once they had questioned him. Sighing, she crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair. Gates had probably threatened them with traffic duty if they talked. Figures. The Captain wasn't messing around this time. Kate felt duly chastised. Not to mention embarrassed.

Hearing the elevator ding, she turned, hoping Gates had finally arrived. She was surprised to see Alexis step out, looking tense and anxious. Dressed casually in black jeans and a dark green t-shirt, a plain clothes officer was escorting her towards the breakroom.

Hmm, maybe there was more to all these extra precautions than just keeping her out of the loop. Had Shane made a move on Alexis last night? God, she hoped not. Growing concerned, Kate stood up, waiting on Alexis and trying not to jump to conclusions.

Alexis stepped off the elevator and looked around for Captain Gates. L.T. caught her attention and motioned her over. Relieved to see a friendly face in the bullpen, she walked over, hoping he could explain why Gates had instructed her detail to bring her to the precinct this morning. Her mind had been running through possible reasons why the captain would move her again, and she didn't like some of the scenarios she had imagined.

"Good Mornin', Little Castle," he smiled politely. "The Captain will be here pretty soon. She needs to talk to you." Before she could ask, he held up his hands, shaking his head. "That's all I know." L.T. nodded towards the break room, "Detective Beckett is waiting on her, too."

Alexis' eyes grew wide and her heart began to race. Beckett was here? She had been so focused on why she was being brought in, that she hadn't thought about who else might be at work today. From across the bullpen, she could see that Kate waiting for her and she wasn't smiling…in fact she still looked tense and closed off but she couldn't tell if it was about her Dad's case or if it was because of her.

She had gone to Kate's apartment yesterday around lunchtime…and basically had the same conversation she'd had with her father. The detective's reaction had been pretty much the same as her Dad's, except that Kate hadn't yelled quite as much.

When she was through, Kate had slumped down onto the sofa, holding her head in her hands. During the silence that followed Alexis had whispered, "I'm so sorry. I was so wrong about everything. Please…please give my dad another chance. He's miserable without you, Kate. He told me and Grams this morning that he still loves you…and that he would do whatever it took to get you back. He needs you Kate. We all do."

Kate abruptly excused herself to the bathroom before Alexis could confess to everything else she had done, and why. When she finally came back several minutes later, she was calmer but her eyes and nose were red from crying and her expression was unreadable.

Alexis had started apologizing profusely and trying to explain about her other motives, but Kate cut her off calmly, saying she needed a little time to figure some things out and to get over being mad. As they walked to the door, Kate suggested they talk later, when emotions weren't so high.

Alexis hadn't been able to leave without pleading with Kate to forgive her…and although Kate said that she forgave her, it felt tenuous and fragile.

The woman didn't exactly look happy to see her, Alexis noticed, as she made her way to the breakroom. Kate had said they would talk later…but Alexis was pretty sure she meant later than this. "Hi Kate," she said warily, from the doorway, her smile was uncertain.

"Alexis!" Beckett called out anxiously, moving toward the redheaded teenager. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, everything's fine," Alexis answered quickly, growing even more confused…Kate didn't seem to know what was going on here either.

"That's good." Beckett sighed, and although she was relieved at the news, she took a couple of steps back. Aiming for a more casual tone, she said, "I was worried for a minute."

"Why?" Alexis asked cautiously, reminding herself that just because Beckett seemed concerned about her, didn't mean she still wasn't angry with her.

Kate felt better now that she knew nothing was wrong. She wasn't exactly angry at Alexis…not as much as she had been yesterday afternoon. Fixing things with Castle helped with that. But she was still hurt, and she didn't want to say anything that would make things worse between them. "I just wasn't expecting you and I was afraid something had happened," she explained stiffly.

"No, everything's fine," Alexis confirmed with an awkward smile. Looking around the room uncomfortably, "Is, um…everything okay with you?" She really wanted to know if Kate had spoken to her dad…but she wasn't about to ask.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Kate replied, with a confused look on her face. "I uh," she began awkwardly, "I thought you were staying at a hotel?"

Equally puzzled, Alexis responded, "I thought I was, too." Taking a seat at the small table she said, "But my detail woke me up with a message to be ready to move by nine because Gates wants to talk to me."

As a cop, Beckett didn't understand why Gates would move Alexis once she was settled…unless something had happened…and no one was saying anything. "And you don't know why?" Kate asked, trying to figure out what was going on. She grabbed a couple of waters from the fridge and joined Alexis at the table, passing her one.

"No," the young redhead answered irritably, "And no one will tell me anything. And every time I've asked about Gates, all they say is that she's…"

"…in a meeting," Kate finished, rolling her eyes. "Me, too."

Smiling and chuckling, as they sipped on their waters, the silence became awkward.

"So," Alexis quipped after few seconds, "What are you in for?"

Kate grinned at that, "I'm in trouble with the Warden."

They both laughed, feeling a little more at ease.

"Are you really in trouble?" Alexis wanted to know. According to Esposito and Lanie, Kate had really made Gates mad this time.

Nodding, Beckett smiled, "Yeah, probably." She rested her elbows on the table and shrugged, "It's okay, though. I broke the rules."

Another lull in conversation followed. Kate wasn't sure she knew what to say to the young woman. She had been so busy with Rick…working on putting their fractured relationship back together, that she hadn't devoted too much time to thinking about her and Alexis' issues.

Again, it was Alexis who broke the silence. "Kate?" she asked hesitantly. "I know you said you needed some time…but um," She picked at the wrapper on the bottle. "I realized last night that I forgot to tell you something."

"Alexis," Kate sighed. "I don't think now's a good time…" she began, but the nervous teen kept on talking, like she was in a rush to get it out.

"You were right. At the hospital I mean...you thought I was mad at you for something else. And you were right." Alexis finally worked the seam loose on the label and tugged, "I know you probably wanted more time than this…but since we're here, I'd like to explain," she ended hopefully.

Rising slowly, Kate sighed, "Alexis, can't this wait? " She really didn't need to rehash their conversation right before her meeting with Gates.

"Please. It won't take long," Alexis pleaded. "I was so nervous and scared yesterday…that I only told you one of the reasons why I was so angry…and while you're thinking and figuring things out…I just thought you should know the other reason."

"Okay, fine," Kate sighed. Resigning herself to having this conversation whether she was ready or not, Beckett schooled her features, closed the door, and nodded for Alexis to continue, "Go ahead."

Knowing her time was limited, since Gates could show up any minute, Alexis dove right into the story she had been rehearsing since last night. "Ever since Dad started shadowing you, I've admired you. Yes, I've also worried that it's going to get him killed…but I've always looked up to you personally. And over the last few years I've also come to depend on you…In those hours before we knew Dad had been kidnapped…when he was just missing…we were so terrified, but you just stepped in and took charge…making sure me and Grams were safe, keeping us calm…I know you were scared too, but I was so relieved that you were taking over…I didn't realize it at the time...But I needed someone to lean on."

Wiping her eyes, she chanced a look at Beckett. She looked surprised…and maybe a little pleased.

"It's not just Dad that fell for you, Kate." Alexis was determined to finally get this part out, "I admire you and I…look up to you, and on some level, I need your approval just like I need Dad's and Gram's. In some ways I want to be like you...you've been the closest thing to a Mother-figure I've ever had, and I was so angry when I heard you had taken another job..." Alexis had to stop long enough to wipe her cheeks clear of tears, "I thought I meant something to you, and to find out that I didn't...that we didn't...that hurt me. And I lashed out in the only way I could see at the time. Yes, I wanted to protect my Dad...but I was also trying to protect myself."

Kate was speechless. She had thought the teenager mostly tolerated her for Rick's sake…but…to find out that Alexis actually cared about her was more than she had hoped for. Tearful blue eyes, so much like her father's, were staring up at her, waiting on a response. Kate pulled the crying young girl up and wrapped her arms around her, breaking down the last walls between them. "I'm sorry, Alexis. I never meant to hurt you," she whispered sincerely, hugging her tighter. "I didn't know I could."

Alexis pressed her head against Kate's and gratefully returned the embrace. "Kate, I know it's hard to believe after everything I put you and Dad through, but…I love you…and I really want you to be a part of my life."

"I want that too." Kate whispered tearfully.

Nodding, Alexis stepped back and they both wiped at their eyes, sharing a shy, embarrassed smile.

"Do you really forgive me?" Alexis asked hopefully…so much depended on them being able to get past this. She knew Dad and Grams would eventually forgive her…but Kate wasn't obligated by blood, like they were.

"Yeah, I really do," Smiling and genuinely happy, Kate reassured her with another quick hug. "And this helps…a lot."

Beckett grabbed a couple of tissues from a nearby box, handing one to Alexis as they returned to their chairs. Wanting to be honest, Kate said, "Look, after you told me what you'd done yesterday I was really mad…but later I realized…at your age, under the same circumstances…I would have done whatever it took to protect the only parent I had left. And god knows I've hurt people trying to protect my own heart, so yeah…I get it, Alexis."

Alexis' relief was palpable and fresh tears welled again. "Thank You, Kate…I know I…"

"No, don't keep beating yourself up with this," she broke in, stopping another mea culpa. "Why don't we just focus on going forward from here?" she suggested matter-of-factly, "How about we work on being friends and learning to open up with each other a little more? How does that sound?" Kate asked with an easy smile.

"I'd like that," Alexis said, wiping her eyes.

"Me too," Kate smiled, passing her another tissue.

Instead of taking the tissue, Alexis grabbed Kate's hand, her bright blue eyes burning with eager intensity, "Does this mean you'll give my dad another chance?"

Oh, right! Kate realized with surprise, Alexis didn't know because she hadn't spoken to her Rick yet…As eager as she seemed for them to work it out…Kate wasn't so sure about being the one to tell her, especially since Rick hadn't even spoken to his daughter since she dropped her bombshells yesterday.

Beckett was spared from having to decide by a sharp knock on the break room door.

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Counting the days to meet you on the other side

I will always be waiting

Until the day that I see you on the other side

Come and take me home

~Evanescence

Victoria Gates had come to enjoy taking the stairs periodically. It gave her the chance to stretch her legs and clear her mind after long meetings or time to refocus from one task to the next. Today she was taking them because she didn't want the elevator to give her away. She would find out in a minute if the little plan she put into motion this morning had worked…but if it had gone sideways, she wanted to be able to slip back out and work on plan B.

Her husband had warned her against interfering, but as Captain of this precinct…she needed her best team back, damn it! And as a friend and co-worker…she was tired of watching people she cared about dancing around and fighting the fact that they all belonged together. Hell, everyone knew it

She had arranged it so that both women would be here about an hour before her, in hopes that they would use that time to put all this foolishness aside and work out their problems. The homicide division just ran better when Beckett's team was at their best, and if her meddling scheme worked…things could finally get back to normal around here…No! Better than normal. …and they were so close!

Since all of the security details reported directly to her, she was well aware of all the comings and goings within the Castle-Beckett households yesterday. And although she didn't know many details, other than those Miss Castle had disclosed she had a pretty good idea of what was going on. And, seeing as how her best detective had spent last night at her partner's house, she felt reasonably certain that Beckett and her Writer had finally worked out their issues. The women involved just needed a little nudge.

Stepping on to the homicide floor, she quickly scanned the room to see if her visitors had arrived. They had, and she noticed with smug satisfaction, that her plan seemed to be working. They were talking…and it appeared they were making progress. Signaling Officer Tolliver not to give her away, Gates watched and waited.

After a few minutes, their conversation appeared to reach a turning point. Gates smiled to herself as they hugged each other and wiped away happy tears. They were smiling and a camaraderie of sorts seemed to have been reached. Well, it was about time. Now she just needed to get them all in the same room together. She was convinced that was all they needed….just a little push.

Moving from her hiding spot, she rapped sharply on the door before letting herself in, "Good Morning, Ladies." Captain Gates greeted them politely as she stood in the doorway, "I'm glad you're both here. This will save us all a little time."

Alexis' blue eyes widened in alarm, "Has something happened to my Dad?" she grabbed her purse, ready to rush to wherever he was.

"Everyone is fine," Gates assured her calmly. Closing the door behind her, she jumped right in, "I know you're wondering why I had you brought down here Alexis, and I wish I could give you all the details, but at present all I can tell you, is that for everyone's safety, you will all be staying at Mr. Castle's until this is over."

"Both of us?" Alexis squeaked, looking nervously at Kate. "I'm not sure that's a good idea." Kate looked surprised and she wasn't sure if that was good or bad.

Knowing better than to give either of them time to argue, Victoria continued in a no-nonsense tone, "It'll be easier to keep you all safe if you're in a central location. I've already called Mr. Castle and he's expecting you both."

"Captain, you don't understand," The teenager began, "I told you; my Dad and I had a huge fight yesterday…"

"Yes, I know, but I can't allow that to be a factor here."Gates held up a hand and the young girl fell silent. "Alexis I could have had you taken straight there," she pointed out, "but I thought you might appreciate some time to figure out what you wanted to say to your father before you got there."

Turning her attention to Kate, she lied shamelessly, "Beckett, I'm afraid something has come up and I won't have time to meet with you this morning." Handing her a manila envelope, Gates continued sternly, "Karpowski will come by later and take it. Now, the details of your suspension are in here, and if you want to keep your badge I expect you to follow them to the letter, is that understood?"

"Yes, Sir," Kate replied, automatically reaching for the dark, yellow packet. "Captain, I wanted to…"

"This isn't up for debate, Detective," she said sharply, cutting off the headstrong woman before she could argue. Gates slung her briefcase over her shoulder, and glared over the rim of her glasses, "L.T. will take you whenever you're ready. Your orders are to go home, pack a bag, and stay with Mr. Castle until otherwise notified. Am I clear, Detective?" Gates asked, pulling open the door.

"Yes, Sir," Beckett replied, fighting back an unprofessional grin. Being ordered back to the loft was the last thing she'd expected, but it was hardly a punishment. "Captain, what about Shane?" Kate asked hurriedly, trying to catch her before she could leave. "Did Michael give him up?"

"Yeah," Alexis chimed in, unconsciously inching closer to Kate, "What's going on with my Dad's case?"

By now the two were almost standing shoulder to shoulder, both their faces mirroring shades of concern.

"I'm sorry." Gates' softened a bit at the sight. They had every right to be worried…but as much as they were her friends, she had to remind herself that they were also victims. As gently as she could, Gates shut down any more questions, "Kate…Alexis, you know I can't give you any details, but we did get some promising new leads out of Michael Fergusson and we're running them down now." Neither woman seemed happy with her stock answer, but it was the best she could do.

"This should all be over in a day or two," Gates smiled reassuringly and then winked pointedly at her favorite Detective, "Make good use of your time."

With that, she turned and headed for the elevator, leaving the two women staring after her in stunned surprise.

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I am so lost without

my place inside your heart

I won't survive

I need to know you hear me

Awaken and release my love

Counting the days to meet you on the other side

I will always be waiting

Until the day that I see you on the other side

Come and take me home

~Evanescence

As they made their way to the garage, Beckett read over the papers Gates had given her, while Alexis was quietly freaking out. How could the captain do this? She knew what they had been through. What if they weren't ready for this? What if it only made things worse? They were so close! Frustrated, she got in the car, letting her head fall back against the headrest. God, this was a disaster.

She watched as Beckett said something to one of the officers who had jogged over and handed her a duffle bag. Kate exchanged a few more words with L.T. and joined her in the backseat, dropping her bag onto the floor next to Alexis's small overnighter.

As the car pulled away, Alexis cleared her throat, "Kate, are you okay with this?" she asked, nervously biting her lip.

"Well, I don't like it, but there's not much I can do about it." Kate murmured distractedly, as she read over her disciplinary results again. Thirty days…Gates wasn't kidding around this time.

Alexis couldn't believe how calm Beckett was…after everything…how could she be so dismissive…unless it didn't matter anymore. Her dad would be crushed. Beginning to panic a bit more, she shifted in her seat, "We don't have to go straight there," she offered in a rush, "We can drive around 'till you're ready." An idea struck her, "Maybe you should call him first or something," her blue eyes shining with desperation, "You know, kinda ease into it. Please Kate, give him another chance."

Kate looked at her strangely for a bit before finally asking, "What are you talking about?"

"About you not wanting to see my Dad!" Alexis explained, looking lost. "What are you talking about?"

"My suspension," Beckett supplied slowly, shaking her head. Well, it looked like she was going to be the one to break the news after all.

"Alexis," she said, choosing her words carefully, "I'm not upset about seeing your Dad."

"You're not?" Her red hair shimmered as she sat up and her eyes brightened with cautious optimism.

"No." Kate's smile held a hint of secrecy, "Actually, I uh, I went to see him yesterday," Kate said vaguely, watching for any negative reaction. None came.

"You did?" Alexis jumped with excitement. "That's good right?"

"Yeah," Kate admitted, a little sheepishly. "We talked for a while and then it was late so I ended up staying at the loft."

"That's great!" Alexis leaned back into the seat and tears filled her eyes. She was so relieved that her own stupidity hadn't ruined something extraordinary.

Kate was smiling. Alexis seemed to genuinely want them back together and the rush of peace she felt surprised her. She hadn't realized how badly she needed His daughter's blessing.

"So," Alexis asked after a bit, "How did it go?" She really hoped they had managed to work things out.

"We still have some things we need to talk about, but I think it went really well," Beckett deflected, fighting back a grin.

"So are you guys back together or not?" Alexis asked impatiently…hopefully.

Blushing a little, Kate confided, "Well, I uh…already had my bag packed if that tells you anything."

"Yeah but…." the teen asked, skeptically, "you're not sleeping in the guest room are you?"

"No." Kate replied with a devilish smirk, "I'm definitely not." Her hazel eyes were dancing with happiness.

Satisfied, Alexis grinned and leaned back against the seat again, feeling better about life than she had in a long time.

Beckett spent the rest of the ride lost in thought, as the pain of the last few weeks melted away. Not only had they survived, but she felt like they had finally reached a turning point. Somehow...in spite of everything, they were becoming a family.

And as bad as it had been, Kate knew she would wade through Hell again and again for her family...because as long as they were waiting on the other side, it would always be worth it

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Counting the days to meet you on the other side

I will always be waiting

Until the day that I see you on the other side

Come and take me home

~Evanescence

A/N: I have been both humbled and blown away by your reviews. Thank you to each and every one who take the time to let me know your thoughts. Only a couple of more chapters to go. ~RNB