Chapter 2: Baby McFound

"It was after my mom died. I just got my dad out of his darkness and I felt pent up. Like I didn't get my rebellious phase, so I took it and ran with it." Kate sighs, "I only had one boyfriend during the time and the phase and the relationship both ended two weeks later and I got myself back on track."

"And then there was Lux," Castle fills in.

"And I couldn't do it, Castle. I was finally getting my life in order and up until today I was sure it was better that way."

Kate looks out the window at Lux, who has now moved back to Ryan's desk and is watching YouTube videos with the guys, and lets out a huff with a clenched jaw. Castle follows her gaze to Lux then turns back to Kate, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Castle, I didn't tell anybody. My dad was the only person who knew."

"You could have told me. I thought you were finally willing to tell me anything."

Her face is serious when she looks into his eyes, "Castle this wasn't behind my wall. This was locked up in a bullet resistant storm shelter."

They sit in silence for a short moment before Castle asks, "Okay, what now?"

Kate takes a deep breath, "She has a court date tonight to be emancipated."

Castle frowns, "Emancipated?"

Castle shocks at the idea of the witty teenager still being in foster care, "She never got adopted?"

"No," Kate says in a sad, matter of fact type of tone.

"So tonight she goes back to her foster home and gets emancipated and we never see her again?" Castle says unsatisfied with the lack of conclusion.

"Well that's the other thing," Kate bites her bottom lip, "She needs a ride and I was hoping that you could use your Castle theorizing crap to tell Ryan and Espo- cover for me."

Castle tries to pull a playful grin, "You like my theorizing crap."

Kate grins back with her hardships hiding behind, "You're going to distract them better than that right?"

Castle pulls her into his arms and kisses her forehead then he moves his own forehead down to press it against hers and look down at her with a smile, "Of course."

…

Kate sits down in the car and watches as Lux does the same in the passenger seat. The silence is slowly killing her. She starts driving, ever so often stealing looks at Lux. She has her jaw clenched tightly until she looks over and catches Lux staring back, jaw clenched just as hard.

"You're amazing," Kate says nervously.

Lux smiles and wrinkles her forehead, "You don't really know me but…thanks?"

"No, I just-" Kate laughs nervously, "I don't understand why you weren't adopted," She lets out her smile slowly fading.

Lux's smile glitches and she bites her bottom lip, "Well I don't know if you knew this, but I was born with this heart thing," Kate looks at her eyes wide, "A hole. I had to have a bunch of surgeries. Baby on the operating table isn't exactly a selling point to perspective parents. I was fine but after everything I was almost three, most people want a baby. I mean not everyone obviously."

They ride the rest of the way in silence, until Kate pulls over in front of the Social Services office. "Do you need a ride from here?"

Lux gives an apologetic smile, "No, I'll take the bus."

"I don't feel okay dropping you off here, not knowing if you're going to be okay." Lux's smile starts to disappear, but Kate can't help but push a little further, "I mean do you know where you're going to go to school or where you're going to live?"

Lux quickly takes the defense by this and Kate can see it even before she says anything, "No offense but I haven't had a mom in fifteen years, I don't need one now," Lux climbs out of the car and as soon as the door shuts Kate grimaces.

…

When Kate finally returns to the precinct, she isn't quite ready to talk to Castle, although all she wants is a hug, she isn't quite at the falling apart stage. So when she gets to the elevator she chooses going down to the morgue.

When she gets there Lanie smiles at her visitor, "Hey Kate, what are you doing down here?"

Kate's bottom lip parts, showing her bottom teeth. Lanie pulls off her gloves and brings her into a hug, "Oh sweetie, what's wrong?"

Kate pulls away, "A lot." Lanie frowns quizzically. "Okay not multiple things just on big thing."

"You've been practically prancing around here for-"

Kate raises her eyebrows, "Prancing?"

"Deflecting is not doing you justice. C'mon Kate, what's wrong?"

"I have a daughter," Kate says relieving herself of some of the weight on her shoulders she didn't have this morning.

"A daughter, since when?"

"Since 15 years ago." She can tell by Lanie's face that she is in shock. "I know, why didn't I tell you."

"Well no, I can figure reasons for that, but why are you telling me now?"

"Because today I dropped her off at social services and I'm sure I'm never going to see her again."

Although Lanie gets lost in the cluster of things she doesn't understand. She can see the sadness on Kate's face, so she pulls her into another hug. Kate buries her chin into Lanie's shoulder, "I don't know how to help her."

"Oh sweetheart," She holds her there for a moment in silence. After a while, Lanie smiles and whispers, "Does Castle know?"

Kate lets out a short laugh while she pulls out of the embrace. As she wipes her eyes quickly and smiles, "He guessed."

"Of course he did," Lanie laughs. "Speaking of he's probably looking for you."

"Yeah, I should find him. He's-" Kate softly comments, only to be cut off by her phone ringing. She pulls it out of her back pocket and raises her eyebrows when she sees the name flashing, "He's calling me."

"You go, I'm gonna get back to work," Lanie says smiling.

Kate returns the smile as she answers her phone and turns to walk towards the elevator. "Hey Castle…Yeah I'll be there in a sec."

…

When Castle sees Beckett exit the elevator, he can tell she has cried recently, but when she joins the boys and asks if they had anymore leads, he decides not to push.

Ryan says in a long sigh, "Hendrix called a number belonging to a Lisle Warren several times in the last month, but nothing else."

"Well maybe we call it quits for today and start there in the morning."

Esposito looks at her with surprise, "Are you sure?"

Ryan, who looks just as confused as Esposito, questions further, "Yeah, Beckett it's pretty early?"

"C'mon Ryan you can't tell me you would rather be here chasing down dead ends than go home and play with Sarah Grace," Kate says very matter of fact. Ryan and Espo shrug and start gathering their things. "C'mon Castle, let's go."

"Yeah, of course," Castle say softly, as he joins her, at her side. As the two of them walk towards the elevator, he slips his hand into hers, hoping she'll find some comfort in the gesture.

Though she tightens her grip on Castle's hand, she looks at him and smiles, "I'm fine, Castle," when she catches him staring at her in the elevator.

"I'm not sure I believe you," he replies softly.

Silence ensues between them until they reach the car and he makes a mental note that she must feel out of her element to be letting him drive then he can no longer hold in his question, "How did it go with Lux?"

Kate looks down at her hands, then out the window, "Okay, I just… I don't know Castle… I can't fix this."

"You can be at her emancipation," Castle says trying to read her face and keep his eyes on the road at the same time. When he is finally able to catch a glimpse of her face, her eyes are wide, pleading for him to do it for her or at least tell her what to do, so she can go head strong (as usual) in the right direction. Castle is not positive what is the right choice but he decides upon what he would do, "Where is the courthouse?"