Kate Becket, the tough, hard-nosed detective. The investigator that has faced many bad guys over the years. Kate Beckett, who has fought her way out of the grip of death from a bullet to the heart. That Kate Beckett is standing at the door of a man that seems to be in every conversation about the last three years

and she is scared.

NO! Not scared. Petrified! What if she really has let this creep into her life. What does that say about her and her personal morals? She is hoping for closure. Someone to tell her that she knows him but that is as far as it goes. He is a casual friend and nothing more.

She opens the outside door and enters the lobby. He approaches the concierge to see if she can be allowed up to his unit.

"Good evening Detective Beckett. It is wonderful to see you. We were all so worried about you after the shooting, but you are looking well."

"Uh…thank you?" She is momentarily speechless. "I was wondering if I could possibly go to Mr. Castle's loft?"

"Why of course, detective. You are always welcome here" and he points toward the elevator.

She can only nod her head. Even Castle's door security knows her. She must have been here many times before.

In the elevator her head is swimming around all possible reasons she is recognized. Was she a regular? Did she come and spend the night? She is beginning to think she may have actually done just that.

Her fear is growing with each moment.

Once she exits the elevator, she goes looking for the unit number written on the slip of paper in her pocket. When finds the door she steps up.

Holding her closed fist up to the door, she is suddenly struck in the possibility he is here…he is her lover…and he is glad to see her and drags her inside wrapping her in his arms.

A sigh leaves her lips as she gives the door three firm knocks.

Then she waits in silence.

Within one minute, she hears the latch being opened and the door swings into his loft.

But…instead of seeing him, she is greeted by a young red head girl. She knows her face is filled with shock as she realizes this is the ginger that she sees in the cemetery dream berating her for leaving her dad for another man.

The girl's face drops from a smile to a stern look of 'Why are you here?'

"Hello Detective Beckett. What do you want?"

Kate is shaken by the opening remarks from the girl and has not registered that the girl knows her. "Hi, I'm Kate Beckett and…"

"I know who you are."

The temperature in the room seems to drop at least 30 degrees and Kate feels the chill...

"I would like to see Mr. Castle"

"WELL! He is not here" Alexis voice is full of anger, but Beckett is not understanding.

Kate is ready to turn and leave, another woman's voice can be heard from off to the side. Who's at the door?", and another red headed woman appears behind the younger. This time the tone of voice is much sweeter.

"Katherine. Darling. So wonderful to see you…please come in." She steps closer to Kate and reaches out, give her a giant hug, then takes her arm to bring her into the room. This greeting is much different than that of the teenager.

"It is so nice to see you, and see you looking so well Katherine. I am so very, very glad to see that you are recovering from that horrible incident." And Martha leads her toward the couch where they both sit down. Beckett notices the younger girl has closed the front door but has not moved from that place.

"Katherine. Can I get you something? A glass of wine perhaps?"

"No, but water would be nice" Kate is wondering why the cold, almost hatred coming from the young girl and kind words from the other.

The older woman looks at the younger "Alexis, please bring a water for Katherine."

She turns and goes to the kitchen and quickly returns to Kate with a bottle of water. She places it down on the table beside her and turns to head upstairs.

"ALEXIS! Martha's voice is stern. We have company. You will stay here and visit with her."

That, obviously, does not set well with Alexis, but she walks back over and sits across from Kate and her grandmother.

"You are looking good, Kate. Tell me, now, how ARE you doing?"

Kate is taken back by the concern voiced by a woman that she feels like is a total stranger.

"My physical wounds are healing very well."

"I am sure there are more injuries than just your body. I imagine it is hard to cope with the emotional issues as well."

Martha is, at lease, trying to make Kate more comfortable.

"Um…I and having some other issues still, but, with the help of the police counselor, I am getting better. Thank you for asking."

The younger Castle is not going to let Kate off so easy. Her voice is filled with bitterness is "I'm so glad YOU are better." With a strong emphasis on the word YOU.

Martha looks at her granddaughter "Alexis, you need to apologize to Kate for your tone."

"WHY? She has never apologized to dad for her actions."

Beckett is struck by the response. "My actions?..."

"Yes. The way you treated my dad."

"What did I do?"

"Detective, don't act like you don't know."

"Alexis, I don't remember anything from the last four years. I don't remember knowing you or him. I don't know what I have done."

"OKAY. The short answer…My dad is crazy in love with you and all you do is parade boyfriends in his face. The least you should do is tell him you don't care for him and for him to move on."

Kate is starting to understand the anger from the girl. "Coming here was a mistake. I think I need to go"

The older woman is becoming very short. "Alexis! Either you apologize or you can leave."

"Fine." She stands and disappears up the stairs.

"Katherine, I am so sorry about my granddaughter."

"It's okay." Kate is feeling very unwelcome here. "I actually came to try and help me remember. I am told that Mr. Castle has been following me for years."

"Yes dear. He has been by your side for three years now."

Kate looks off in the distance trying to gather memories or emotions that might be trapped inside. Her eyes glaze over as her eyes begin to fill with tears.

She stands and quickly rushes to the door and is running down the hall. By the time she reaches the elevator, tears are pouring down her face. As the door close, she suddenly sees a flashback. She is walking across a parking lot when Castle takes her in his arms and is kissing her. She then sees herself returning the kiss.

"What have I Done?" she asks herself,

/\/\/\/\/\/\

When Richard Castle returns home, he finds his mother in the living room, on the couch, with a glass of wine in her hand.

"Hello mother. Where's Alexis?"

"She is upstairs blowing off steam."

"Why is she blowing off steam?"

"You had a visitor today."

"Who?"

"Katherine came by looking to talk to you."

"Really?" his words are actually soft.

"Yes, and your daughter unloaded on her. She left trying to suppress the tears I could see in her eyes."

Castle looks at the stairs, turns and walks directly up to go to his daughter's room.

Richard Castle is extremely angry with his daughter's actions and she knows how he feels. "I raised you better than this."

"Dad. She was here like she had done nothing to hurt you."

"She does not remember even meeting me, Alexis. The only information she has on me is my past and all the adventures I had with other women. She has no memory of how close we became. She was close to death. You need to take this into mind while speaking to her."

"But Dad…"

"No butts Alexis. The boys, Lanie, her dad, and I are all trying to help her regain her memory."

"And what if, when her memory returns, she remembers that she still doesn't want you. What then?"

"Then I get what I deserve."

Alexis is not fully understanding her father's admission "What do you mean…You get what you deserve?"
Castle has decided it is time for a confession. "She was shot because of me."

"Shot because of you? How are you responsible?"

"I dug into her mother's murder. She had accepted the fact that she would not be able to solve it, then I searched until I found evidence. This alerted the person responsible for the death and he came after her. Her shooting was the result of the dragon determined in putting her in the ground."

"But dad…you were trying to help her. She should have been happy and accepted your advances."

He knows, that at her age, Alexis is not experienced in the complexities of relationships.

"Pumpkin, it's complicated."

"Dad. No! it isn't. You stop and tell her how you feel."

/\/\/\/\

Her next appointment with Dr. Burke begins much different than her previous sessions. She is going to tell hm how badly the visit to Castle's loft want and how she now believes that everything she thought about him is true.

When she passes to the inner office, she sits down. Except. Instead of placing herself in the wing back chair using it to shield her, she sits on the couch. Dr. Burke sees this as her ready to open up and try and begin her healing in earnest. He is hoping that this will start a chain of events to bring light to her life.

"Kate. Can you tell me if anything has changed?"

"Yes…I went to see Mr. Castle…"

"And what happened?"

She looks up at Dr. Burke and tears appear in her eyes.