Disclaimer: It's almost two in the morning; I am too tired to come up with something witty.

Chapter Fourteen

"Nothing stays the same"

Yet again Rick castle was in a position where he had to lie and keep secrets from Kate to keep her safe. He really didn't want to do this again. He couldn't do this again; not after last time. Secrets and lies were what had almost torn them apart last time. Yes, he had done it to keep her safe but that almost failed too. After everything he had done to keep her safe, she had still nearly gotten herself killed on that rooftop.

Things had changed since then. Deep down a part of him was still afraid that she would get lost in her mother's case again but he knew he had to trust her.

After Gates' call he had to head out for the joint appointment with Burke. They discussed her job and whether or not Kate should go back to work. Dr. Burke had also made it clear that is was Kate's decision to make, but he had also questioned if quitting was what she really wanted to do or if it was just a spur of the moment decision.

Castle could tell that Kate was having second thoughts as they left Burke's office which would make his job a lot easier.

"Do you really think I should go back Castle?" Kate asked him cautiously.

"I think you should consider it. You love that job Kate. You make a difference; you bring peace to families that are going through hell just like you did. You're a good cop Kate—an excellent cop. Gates has offered to give you your job back; maybe you should seize this opportunity in case she doesn't offer it again."

"You're right Rick," she sighed, "I love it too much to just stop being a cop."

"Kate," he said taking a deep breath. He had to tell her; he loved her too much to let secrets destroy them again. "There is something else you probably should know."

~O.o.O.o.O~

Kate had to take a deep breath as she walked into the precinct on her first day back. Everything just felt so wrong. Both Ryan and Esposito were sitting stiffly at their desks—refusing to even acknowledge each other. The tension couldn't be ignored. Kate couldn't help but feel responsible for one of the best partnerships she had ever seen currently being in shambles.

As if the end of the "bromance" wasn't weird enough, as she looked over to what had been her desk (which was going to be her desk again) she felt a pang of emotion when she noticed Castle's chair was gone. She didn't expect it to still be there but it hurt that it was absent none-the-less.

Castle subtly gave her arm a reassuring squeeze as he slid by her side. They had come so far; last night had been proof of that.

"You're telling me that you got a call saying Smith is dead?" Kate asked Rick, taken aback.

"Yes," he said quietly. He didn't know how she was going to take it but so far she hadn't yelled at him. "Gates also called me after she called you to make sure I go you to come back. I have no clue what is going on, she wouldn't tell me that, but she says your safety is a concern and the precinct is the safest place for you."

"Rick..."

"Kate. I should have told you the moment it happened. I do trust you not to drown in this again. I do. The over-protective side of me just makes it so I want to lock you away where you'll be safe but you're not a child; I shouldn't treat you like one. I love you Kate and we can get through this without keeping secrets or telling lies."

He was right when he said he should have told her right away, but he told her. He never lied and did tell her. They would get through this: together.

After retrieving her gun and badge from Gates Kate got Castle to go find his chair and take it to her desk. With the chair in place and things finally going back to semi-normal, the pair sat down.

It was then that Kate noticed Ryan giving them a nod of acknowledgement but Esposito just staring at them with an unreadable expression.

It was time Kate finally had a talk with Javi.

A/N: I never intended for Castle to keep any of it from Kate.

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