Annmarie had been withdrawn all evening and it was hard not to notice even a rookie detective could see it and Kate was worried about her youngest daughter as she walked back from the door Kate took her daughter Annmarie aside asking her "Who is he"

That one question almost made Annmarie burst into tears "Mom" Annmarie said, as she suddenly clammed up not wanting to talk she knew if she went down this road their was no going back, as she states, Who is asking... Captain Beckett, or my mom!"

"That's not fair" Kate said as Annmarie ran away from her right into her old room locking the door behind her as Kate said sternly, "Annmarie open the door"

"Go Away" Annmarie said in a brittle tenor, and Kate knew she could her her youngest daughter crying into her pillow. in the end it was Rick that finally got her talking an hour later as he said softly, "Annie we can't help you if you don't talk to us"

They both heard Annmarie's body as it hit the opposite side of the door and slid down her voice was gravely boarding on hoarse as she said, "If-If i tell the captain then I lose-" her voice trailed off as Rick and Kate looked at one another on the other side of the door.

"What do you lose sweetheart", Rick asks in a tenor only a father and more importantly a dad can use, Annmarie reply was, "Everything!"

That one word stabbed both Rick, and Kate in the heart worse then any knife ever could they both had the same thing on their minds, "What could be so terrible"

"I want Alex" came the voice from the other side of the door, Kate did the only thing she could and called Alexis, "Mom" came the immediate reply.

"Alex can you come back, something is up with your sister all she keeps saying is I can't tell Captain Beckett" Kate states.

"On my way" Alexis states making a U turn...

30 minutes as the crow fly's Alexis arrives back at her parents home handing off a sleeping Lucas to Kate she softly knocks saying, "Annie... it's Alex

"Just Alex mom", Annmarie states as Kate leaned into Rick and starts sobbing he says softly, "Kate what ever is going on, we're working on her time table... I know it hurts but be patient"

Alex had done enough hostage negotiations over the years to know, her sister will only tell her if they were alone...

The door opened just enough for the two sisters to look at one another face to face and Alex could see her sister was in her dress blues, what she saw next made her blood run cold Annmarie's Glock 17, was loaded with one in the chamber.

"Annie... that's not the answer and you know it, talk to me" Alex states trying to keep her voice steady and even, talking down some nameless person was one thing, talking down your own sister that was another matter entirely!

"Mom has always been my hero... ya know, if I can't be like her"

"I don't want to hide anymore"

Alex did the only thing she could think of and pulled Annie into a hug whispering, "You think mom and dad care your bisexual"

Annie pulled away and blinked at her sister asking, "You... knew"

"Annie i'm your sister of course I knew, I figured you would say something in your own time" Alex said softly.

"B-But Mom!" Annie said strangled tone...

"I think I know what mom would do" Alex said, "But we can always ask her"

Alex puts the gun and ammo back in the safe saying, "What happens in here is between sisters, until you say otherwise"

Two hours later the sound of the door unlocking stunned Kate out of her worried trance and Alex steps out saying, "Mom... she needs you"

As Kate walks in Alex gave her father a look that said, "I'ts worse then you think!" Needless to say the look did not comfort Richard Castle

Moving to the bed Kate sat her daughter down stating, "Talk to me Annie...?"

After a silence that seemed to last for an eternity Annie asks, "Mom... if I were forced to leave the department what would you do!"

"Hypothetically" Kate said only to me cut off by Annie saying, "No mom not Hypothetically

Kate's eyes widened as she saw the terrified look on her daughters face, Kate pulled Annie into a hug only to hear her say, "Doesn't work anymore!"

Kate said, "What doesn't work anymore!"

"You used to be able to hug away all my fears" Annie said in a remorseful undertone...

"Annie, you were 5 at the time" Kate said matter of factly.

"Mom... if the department forced me out because... because I'm bisexual"

"Then the NYPD would lose 2 Beckett women" Kate said softly

"Do you think dad will be... mad because" Annie asks

Brushing the hair out of Annmarie's face Kate told her in a motherly tenor, "Let me tell you something... your father understands that Beckett women like to take their time"

Nervously Annmarie bit her lip waiting for her mother's response as Kate said,"Never about something like this"

Returning her mother's embrace Annmarie stated, "If he did you'd kill him"

"That's Right," Said Kate rather bluntly

Unbeknownst to ether one of them Rick was listening at the door, he only asked one question "Annmarie... does she make you as happy as your mother makes me?"

Lifting her head from her mothers shoulder Annmarie said, "Yea dad... she does"

Crossing the room to the bed Richard Castle told his daughter "That all that matters!"

Annmarie said, "We met at the Academy... six months ago... it's all so..."

Looking at his Daughter Rick said, "New... bring her to dinner sometime..."

"Her name is Gabriela..." Annmarie told her parents

"Like your father said... bring her to dinner..." Kate told her daughter "Talk it over with her and pick a date."

"Annmarie" her father stated, "Gay, Strait or Bisexual... you are my daughter first... that will never change"

The three of them mother, father, and daughter shared a three-way hug when Annmarie said, "Thanks papa..., i was afraid you would-"

"Be angry?" her father said in a soft comforting voice.

"Big sister was right...!" Annmarie said "Alexis told me you wouldn't care"

Kate decided not to mention the unlocked gun safe and the dress blues in the laundry hamper

Rick Said "She was there for you when I couldn't be"

"Sish" said Annmarie rolling her eyes at her father "Dad... that's what big sisters are supposed to do"

"Is that what big sisters are for" Rick said softly, "Imagine that!"

Kate looked at Rick and rolled her eyes the expression on her face said your getting close to that line, be nice.

Kate stayed behind with Annie for a moment saying, "If you get to that point again talk to me alright!"