AN: I'm extremely sorry for the delay in updating. I had an event in college over the last three days and its been pretty hectic. but I've finally found time to update... so here you are. :) don't forget to leave me a review.

Disclaimer: I do not own Castle.

Chapter 21

It had been 2 months now, and Castle was getting impatient and furious. Kate hadn't called ever since. And it made him feel like a fool. He had fallen in love with her, and now she was gone.

He understood all too well why she needed the time and space. She wanted to be good for him. She wanted to be herself with him and for that she needed time to let every scar or wound in her heal.

But it was two months now, and she hadn't called... and he was beginning to wonder if she would ever.

Usually he would sit at his desk at night before sleeping, editing the final draft for his book which was to release next month. The book about her. But tonight, writing about her, was making him feel lonely. And it unnerved him. He needed a drink. And he didn't want to sit at home and nurse his loneliness.

He quickly got dressed and drove on out to his bar 'the old haunt'. It was still early for the bar to close and so he went to the bartender and asked for his drinks to be sent downstairs to his office.

Rick sat there at his desk and drank. Slowly. But a lot. He wanted to forget every thought on his mind that was reminding him that Kate had gone away. He missed her dearly, and he just wished that some kind of force on earth would send her back to him soon.

Every time he looked at his phone, all he wanted to do was call her up, find out how she was doing, but he couldn't. She said she would call. And she would when she was ready. He'd just have to wait till then.

He had just finished a whole bottle of scotch, and had decided to head on back home. But just before he could leave, he noticed a commotion at the other end of the Bar.

"What's going on there?" he asked one of the bartenders

"Sir, it's one of the customers. He's a little too drunk and is causing a ruckus. We've been trying to get him out for a while but he won't leave."

"I'll see to him"

Castle walked on towards the men and asked the other waiters to back off. And when he saw the drunken man, he recognised him immediately. It was Will Sorenson.
He couldn't be too sure though, because he had seen him just once at their place for dinner, and well, Castle was drunk too. He could probably just be seeing things.

"Sir, I will have to ask you to leave"

"I'm not going anywhere!" came Will's drunken reply

Castle took a step closer to him in an effort to lead him out of the bar. But Will turned around and punched him straight in the face.

Castle feel to the ground, his cheek bone, bruised.

His anger rose. And he quickly stood up. Castle could see red. And looking at Will, all he could think of, was that he was the reason Kate was not here. He was the reason Kate felt the need to go away for a while. He was the reason Kate though her life was miserable.

Castle's blood began to boil and in that anger he hit Will, throwing him to the ground,

"No one ever and I mean ever, comes into my Bar and hits me."

Will had fallen unconscious by then, and the cut on his head was beginning to bleed. Castle began to walk away, but not before asking his manager to call up an ambulance to take Will to the hospital.

Rick was home now. And when he entered the living room, Alexis was waiting up for him.

"Dad, where have you been" and on seeing his bruised cheek,

"Oh my God, what happened?"

She rushed to her father, worry filling her.

"I'm alright pumpkin. Really. It was just a little tiff at the old haunt. Nothing much."

"Dad, you drank again?"

"Just a little... don't worry, I'm fine"

"No youre not dad. Ever since Kate left, you've been miserable"

"What do you want me to do?" he snapped.

There was a pause then.

"Come on, let's get you to bed, and I'll put some antiseptic on that wound"

"I'm sorry." He said

Alexis hugged him tight then and said "It's alright dad. I understand."

'Oh but you don't Alexis. You will never understand this until you really fall in love.' He thought.

A month later, exactly three months since Kate left, Rick had just returned from a meeting with Black pawn. His book was to release in three days, and there were a lot of signings and book tours coming up too.

Rick was tired and just wanted to go to bed. By now, he was convinced that Kate was never coming back for him and that hurt. But he tried not to think of it. However much everything he did reminded him more of her. He missed her and there was nothing he could do about it.

He showered and got into bed, and was suddenly startled by the beep on his phone. He checked it to find a text. A text from Avril.

"Hey Mr Castle. I'm back"

Castle had sent a text to her last week, but hadn't received a reply. After which he concluded that she may have not taken her phone with her.

"Hi, when did you get back?"

"Two days ago, how are you?"

Castle felt a pain through his heart. They'd been back since two days ago, and Kate hadn't called him till now. He was now sure she didn't want him.

"I'm good, how was your trip? How's your mom doing?"

"We're both great, the trip was awesome! We had so much fun. But schools reopening next week and so I had to be back"

"I see… Avril, can we talk tomorrow, I'm dead tired today"

"Yea sure, that's cool. Goodnight Mr Castle. Sleep well, talk to you tomorrow"

"Goodnight Avril, give your mom my regards"

Rick looked at that last line again, before sending the message; he then kept the phone aside and turned to sleep. Trying not to think of the woman that has claimed his mind the last three months.

It was morning now, and Kate was making breakfast. She looked at the time. She couldn't be late for work today. She called out

"Avril, breakfast is ready!"

"Coming mom"

Avril walked into the kitchen and sat at the counter across from her mom, and said "Good morning mom"

"Good morning sweetheart, did you sleep well?"

"Yup"

"Okay, I'm off to the precinct now... you please be good, and give me a call and let me know if you're going out today okay…" she said while putting her shoes on.

"Okay mom. Don't worry, I think I'm just going to watch temptation lane all day today"

"Okay, and if your calling Emily over, make sure her mom knows she's here"

"Okay, I love you mom"

"Love you too sweetheart" Kate kissed her on the head and rushed towards the door.

"Oh mom, I forgot, Mr. Castle sent you his regards"

Kate froze in place. She then turned to Avril and said
"You spoke with him?"

"Uhh... yea... I texted him last night... Was I not supposed to?"

"Avril, I thought we had planned we'd surprise him at his book launch"

"Oh... yea..." Avril sighed.
"I forgot..." she said. Disappointed in herself.

Kate thought for a second. Panic filling her now. But then she composed herself and spoke,
"It's alright... don't worry, we can still think of something."