Happy Monday Castle-lovers. Here is another weekly update on my story. I will not lie, the next few weeks are going to be trying in a way I've never experienced. I believe I'll make it out the other side but in the mean time, as Dory would say "Just keep swimming"... I shall swim along and try my best to continue updating. This story brings me joy, so it doesn't take much to make me want to write it :) Thank you for your patience! Thank you Bella Paige for everything!

On another note, I have to give props to AliciaB and her story "Where is She", it is one of the most powerful things I've read and it is inspiring me with the truth of emotional depth. Angsty, but very worth it. You can find her on my profile, she's listed as a favorite.

Disclaimer: I do not own them.


"I see them gathered, see them on the shore. I turned to look once more, and he who knows me not takes me to the belly of darkness. The tears run swift and hard, and when they fall…Even the comfort of a stone would be a gain.

There was a time when I thought I would have to give up. But I'm thankful that I'm strong as I am and I'll try to do the best I can.

Tears will run swift, and tears will come that fall like rain. I pray that it's swift though tears will fall as cold as pain.

I pray to the almighty, let me not to him do as he has unto me.
Teach my beloved children who have been enslaved to reach for the light continually So many times I prayed
So many times I've prayed for you
Prayed for you…"

Sade-Slave Song


When Castle led Mia from the library he'd informed the teen that her mother was a detective. It was a shock to say the least, and very ironic for her. She'd spent so much time evading the cops, in the hope that freedom would allow her to find the woman who now stood in front of her. And in the end - she had had been a cop.

"That's just ironic," Mia stated while they rode together toward the precinct.

"Good job with the proper use of Irony," Castle offered in some attempt to take any awkwardness out of the conversation.

Mia cocked her head to the side and studied him for a moment before adding. "Hey, I'm homeless -not ignorant." She smirked so that he would know she was joking.

"You're not homeless anymore." He shot back before thinking better of it.

Mia huffed at him. "Don't make promises you can't keep." She'd deadpanned.

They were fairly quiet the remainder of the drive, and Mia found herself unable to speak as they entered the 12th.


Kate Beckett paced the floor of the 12th precinct, looking at her watch every couple of minutes. She knew that they would be arriving any time now. She sat at her desk to look over the file once more, to look at the record of her daughter's life. It crushed her to read about all the young girl had lived through, all she had survived.

Kate knew in that moment that she would have given anything to change it, to go back and never let the child go. Yet Kate also understood that such thoughts and regrets would do no good. It appeared that Mia was indeed very happy in her early childhood. Her parents loved her fiercely and they were a happy family.

Because it had been a closed adoption, Kate always assumed that her little girl was living in Boston, and had no idea that her child had been living in the same city for the past 5 years. Nobody informed Kate on the fateful night when Mia's adoptive parents were killed, and nobody had reason to. Kate had terminated her parental rights thirteen years ago.

She ran her fingers across the picture of the young girl, who resembled her so very much. Save a wider nose and blue eyes, she could have been Kate. I promise you that I'll die before anyone hurts you again, Mia. Kate swore silently as she studied the only photograph she had of her little girl.

She looked up from the photograph to the clock on the wall once again. Less than one minute had passed. The detective once again second-guessed her decision to allow Castle to go in by himself.

"Kate, if Mia has been looking to meet me, don't you think she'd be less likely to run if I approached her?" She eyed him wearily.

He had a point. Still, this was their first real shot at finding the girl and Kate Beckett rarely allowed others to do what she could accomplish herself. Yet, she had to admit that this time she didn't have the upper hand. She had to trust in Castle's abilities and instincts. She had to give up control, and that was not an easy task.

Unable to remain still for much longer, Kate rose from her desk and headed to the break room for a cup of coffee. She decided to go for decaf as she prepared the espresso machine. The simple task helped to put her at ease, giving her something else to focus on.

Kate poured the steaming liquid into her mug, adding in the frothy substance and allowing the two to mix. She didn't have Castle's skills when it came to cappuccino foam or latte designs, but it tasted smooth just the same. She smelled the rich aroma before she took a sip, allowing the hot liquid to help calm her nerves.

She heard the elevator, followed by the murmur of voices. Taking a breath, Kate readied herself and raised her eyes, her breath catching as she gazed upon her daughter for the first time.

Kate wasn't sure what she expected, but Mia surpassed anything she could have dreamed of. She was weathered yet beautiful; confidant and yet vulnerable at the same time. In Mia, Kate saw all the contradictions that existed within herself.

She was overwhelmed, filled with the desire to pull the girl close and run at the same time. The whirlwind of emotions, love, guilt, compassion, protectiveness, fear and awe all mixed together nearly knocked Kate off her feet. She felt a wave of fear the settled into her stomach like cold, heavy concrete and her throat was dry.

In the next moment their eyes met, and for the first time Kate Beckett felt that she'd been struck by lightning. She simply stood as they approached, unable to move and unable to speak for a moment.

As the young girl gazed upon her, wide-eyed disbelief on her face, Kate tried to find words. It was the feeling of Castle's hand on her lower back that grounded her in spite of her light-headedness.

"Kate, this is Mia." He spoke softly.

"She's been looking for you," his second statement could have referred to both of them. Mia cocked her head and bit her lip. The gesture seemed oddly familiar to Kate and it drove home once again the reality of the situation.

They were quiet for a moment and Kate, not aware of her own actions, reached out to stroke Mia's hair. It was as if she was testing to be sure the girl was real.

"I never imagined this moment would come." Kate finally whispered, her voice quivered slightly as the awe of the moment set in. "I never thought I would see you." The detective clarified. "And now you're here."

Mia's brow furrowed. "Is that a good thing?" she finally spoke, her voice just above a scared whisper.

The usually confidant and self-assured teen was timid. At her question Kate finally broke. Unable to speak anymore she nodded. Kate's vision blurred as she pulled Mia into her embrace. She inhaled the young girl's scent, committing it to memory.

"Baby, I didn't know." Kate whispered into the girl's hair, her tears falling to her daughter's scalp. The angst, regret, fear and guilt was evident in her words.

The emotion in Kate's voice took Castle aback for a moment. He was awed to observe the way the two held one another, clinging as if their lives depended on it.

"I'm so sorry, Mia. I'm so sorry." Kate whispered against the girl's brow. Mia simply clung harder, not quite believing that the moment was real.

Beckett pulled back, allowing Mia to see her tear-filled eyes. The detective's cheeks were drenched and she simply brushed the sandy hair behind Mia's ears. "I didn't know about your parents, I didn't know anything was wrong. I didn't know how to find you," she pleaded with her daughter to understand.

Mia intertwined her fingers with Kate's and studied them with interest. They were smaller, but similar in shape and skin-tone. The teen was still unable to speak, completely overcome by a moment she'd nearly given up on experiencing.

Kate cradled the young girl's cheek and waited for her to speak, gazing at her with an intensity and desperation that she'd never experienced. It was as if the detective was afraid Mia would disappear if she looked away.

"It's really you." Mia finally stated, allowing herself to absorb the moment. She'd found her mother.

Kate sobbed then, pulling the girl close once again and holding her securely. They remained like that for some time. Mia found that once she had her mother, she didn't want to let her go. It was strange, and she continuously pulled back to stare at her; to memorize her face.

Her mother was stunning. She was simply beautiful and her eyes, which seemed to alternate between green and brown, were incredibly expressive. Mia thought she would never tire of looking at the woman who held her.

It wasn't until the man standing beside them cleared his throat that they remembered they weren't alone. He smiled, a wondrous look on his face.

"I'm afraid you'll have an audience if you remain here much longer." Castle stated, wanting to ensure that their privacy was maintained. Afterall, news that Kate Beckett had a daughter was bound to spread like wildfire.

"Castle, I'm going to go update Gates on our witness here." She caressed Mia's cheek once again as she paused, "Then, if it is ok, I'd like to take you home, Mia. We have a lot of catching up to do." She smiled at her daughter again, pulling her in for another hug.

Kate found it strange. Now that she'd held Mia in her arms she couldn't seem to let go. She didn't want to let go. She wanted to know everything about her, wanted to tell her so much, teach her so much.

With a sigh she spoke to her daughter again. "How about some hot chocolate?" Kate offered, silently asking Castle to keep the teen occupied as she went to fill Gates in on what would be a very long story.

"I prefer coffee." Mia stated, earning a pair of raised brows from both Castle and Beckett.

"I'll do decaf." She threw in to appease the adults. She could tell they weren't too concerned or upset, as the grins they tried to suppress gave them away.

"Castle makes the best lattes and cappuccinos." Kate offered.

"She IS your daughter." Castle quipped with a wide grin on his face.

Beckett simply rolled her eyes, although she couldn't wipe the smile from her face. "I'll be back in just a few minutes, ok Mia?"

The girl nodded and smiled, seating herself at the table to watch as Castle went to work at the espresso machine.


"Wow." Gates spoke, shock evident on her face after Kate had disclosed the true nature of her relationship to the girl down the hall.

"Yeah," Kate agreed, completely aware of the whirlwind of emotions and thoughts that accompanied such news.

"I'm speechless." Gates stated, a look of pure amazement on her face. "So, what does this mean?" The captain questioned her best detective. "For the case, as well as for you?" she clarified. It was clear that the older woman was concerned for her best detective.

Kate looked down for a moment to gather her thoughts. "Sir, I'm not sure about much of anything yet. I want to talk with Mia to get an idea of what it is she wants. I need to talk with social services about what options are available." She hesitated, but continued. "I have no legal rights to Mia, Sir. My parental rights were terminated minutes after she was born." Kate's voice began to fill with a note of desperation as she continued. "I have no legal claim to her, but I will not let anyone take her or hurt her. She's potentially in danger until Sara's killer is behind bars."

Gates understood Kate's situation. "Well, for now she's a witness in this case and social services would be required to place her in some sort of protective custody, correct?"

"Yes, sir." Kate agreed. Afraid of what her captain might suggest. Kate knew she would die before she let anyone but her take Mia home.

"I don't see any reason why you can't serve that role. Given that you're the lead investigator in this case, it makes sense." Gates smiled conspiratorially at Beckett. "Let's get social services on the line and I'll take care of it."

Kate smiled gratefully at her boss.

As the older woman dialed she added. "And Kate, we will handle the legal matters as they arise. Your dad can provide you with professional advice, I'm sure."

That is when the thought struck Kate.

Oh God. My dad.


"But I'm thankful that I'm strong as I am and I'll

Try to do the best I can.

Wisdom is the flame. Wisdom is the brave warrior
who will carry us into the sun. I pray that it's swift though,
Tears will come that fall like rain.

I pray to the almighty, let me not to him do as he has unto me.
Teach my beloved children I have been enslaved but reach for the light continually."


Author's note: I do wish we could include photographs in text. Can we do that?