AN: This isn't my best chapter but it had to be written in order to understand what is going on. I hope you're enjoying the story so far and I'm going to do my best with updating this story every day. College life is sometimes difficult though.

Ch3

Kathleen looked at the espresso machine carefully. She wasn't the best when it came to figuring out how to work new equipment. She didn't want to call Kate in to help her so she caught Esposito's eye. She motioned for him to come into the break room to help her, without getting Kate's attention. He tapped Ryan on the shoulder to let him know he was going in there and to keep Kate's attention distracted.

This wasn't the first time Kathleen had met Ryan and Esposito, but Kate didn't know that. She had met up with them a few times before to discuss her mother's murder. She didn't want Kate involved. She couldn't risk her sister getting shot again. Kathleen knew that if she worked with Esposito and Ryan she'd be able to keep tabs on her sister. No one would suspect a high school English teacher trying to solve her mother's murder and take down the jackass that tried to kill her sister.

Gates was in on it too...not by choice though. She caught them by surprise one day when they were discussing the case and she knew that if Kate found out she'd lose one of her best detectives. She made sure that Kate was occupied during times when she had to meet with Ryan and or Esposito. Just like she did for tonight. Kathleen had a lead and she was planning on checking it out. She didn't want anything, like her sister finding out, to destroy her plan. It was hard to keep her sister from this but she couldn't risk seeing her sister defeated again.

When Esposito entered she nodded at him. "Thanks".

"Thanks for the coffee or thanks for lying to Kate?"

"You know I hate lying to her" She sighed. "Lets just pray that by this time tomorrow this will be all behind us and we'll catch the son of a bitch that did this" She took a sip of her coffee.

"Just promise me one thing. When we catch him, don't kill him. I can't lie to to Kate about this and then lie to her that he was shot by accident".

Kathleen bit her bottom lip slightly. She so badly wanted to put a bullet through her mother's killer and her sister's shooter's head. She knew she couldn't though...not unless he was trying to kill her. "No, I'm not going to kill him. Kate needs to see him before we send him off to death row...she deserves that much. I know she's going to be pissed that she's not involved catching him but I have to keep her safe, just like she wants to keep me safe".

Esposito nodded "8 o clock right? Warehouse 25...Ryan and I will be there". He took a sip of his own coffee before heading out of the break room and back to his desk.

Kathleen sighed before finishing her coffee. She put the glass in the sink and headed out of the break room to head back towards Kate.

Once Kate saw her sister she smiled and Kathie returned the smile, of course. How was she going to be able to leave Kate there in a few minutes when she wasn't sure she was going to see her again after this. She bit her bottom lip once she sat down in Castle's chair. She had to be strong, she had to do this.

"What's wrong?" Kate looked at her sister with concern.

Kathleen should of known that Kate would see right through her. She was her sister, she saw everything , even when she wasn't the famous detective. "Nothing, just...it's weird seeing you here. I mean I know what you do and all but seeing it is just so different. I'm proud of you Kate. And yes, a little sister can be proud of her big sister". She smiled. She wasn't lying to her. She was proud of her sister but that's not the reason why she was acting out of character.

Kate smiled and pulled her sister in for another hug. Between the words her sister had just said and her nightmares she needed to have her sister in her embrace once again before she left. She pulled away and saw something in Kathie's eyes. It was...fear? Fear of what?

"I'm going to head to your apartment. Maybe take a shower, enjoy some T.V., maybe read the newest book to your Rick Castle collection". She smirked and Kate rolled her eyes. "Don't worry, I won't loose your spot" She laughed as Kate playfully hit her arm. She knew her sister cared for the author more than she was letting off and if she lived through tonight she'd make sure that she'd help that process along.

"I'll see you when you come home from work sis" Oh, how she wished she could see the future to know if she was saying the truth or not. She hugged her sister once more. "I love you, Kate".

"I love you too, Kathie" She looked at her sister as she pulled away and walked over to the elevator. Something was wrong. Was she dying? Where her dreams about Kathie dying trying to tell her her sister was actually going to die for real? "You're looking too into this Kate. She's fine. You'll see her in a few hours and you'll see that she's fine". She desperately wanted to believe her own words.

As Kathleen entered the elevator Castle stepped out of it. "Leaving already? The party is just getting started! I went out to buy the Beckett sisters a bear claw".

She smiled. He was a good man for Kate and if she was leaving this world tonight she was glad her sister had someone else there to comfort her and to help her. "Sorry to burst your bubble but I have some things to do and Gates will probably yell at me if I distract Kate anymore than I already have. Don't worry, I left your seat warm" She faked a smile as she took the bear claw from him that he had bought. She was not hungry but she didn't want to push away Castle's friendly gesture.

He noticed the fake smile, it was the same as Kate's whenever she was contemplating something. "You okay?"

Damn, how did he notice? He wasn't a cop or her sibling! He was just a writer. "Fine. Just you know, a little disappointed Kate has to work. Make sure she eats dinner and not just the bear claw...even if they are delicious". She gave him a soft smile before heading into the elevator.

He smiled. It was nice to see someone else care for Kate just as much as he did. "Don't worry, I will". She smiled as she watched him go towards Kate, who had been staring at them. Kate gave Castle a small smile, as a way to say thank you for the coffee. He must of told her that she had asked him to watch her because Kate looked back at her and gave her a look that she knew all too well.

Kathie just smirked and winked at her. She mouthed "Have fun", which caused Kate to mouth back "I'll kill you later" Kathie and Kate both smiled before she turned around and headed into the elevator, forgetting for just that moment that their might not be a later.

Kathleen pressed the button to the main floor and when the elevator doors closed she sighed. "God, this is harder than I thought". She shook her head. She had to have a clear head if she was going to catch this guy. Oliver Dickson was his name and he was the one that killed her mother and almost killed her sister. Just thinking of his name made her blood boil. Once she heard the ding she exited the elevator and then headed out of the building. She handed the bear claw to a homeless man on the corner and then headed towards Kate's apartment, trying to hail a cab in the process.