Thank you all for the wonderful feedback! I love it! I had some trouble with this next chapter, but some how managed to get it done. Hope you like the next chapter! ~A

The sounds of Kate Beckett's heels clicked on the city pavement, as she made her way inside the twelfth precinct. She wore her hair up, with a few loose strands of her hitting her soft cheeks. A loose gray turtle neck, and dark dress pants. She fumbled her mother's ring around in her hand, it was on a silver chain. She had barely gotten any sleep the night before, and it showed in her face. She couldn't get over the nightmare she had. It made her think about what could she have done differently? What if Castle was right and she should just walk away? What if she just let go of her mother's case altogether and moved on? It was her job to solve murders. To find the truth. But maybe it was time for her to let go. These thoughts ran through her mind all night. She had gotten to chapter six of Heat Rises before finally nodding off to sleep. When she woke up that morning, the book was lying down on her chest.

She almost wasn't sure if she should go back into work. But she needed a distraction.

Ding! The elevators went, as she stepped inside. Two officers walked out of the elevator and nodded to her. She smiled slightly. The doors began to close slowly, and then they were halted by a hand, which made her jump. Another detective walked in, smiling at her. She nodded. The doors shut once more, but this time all the way. She looked down at the floor as the elevator went up. She looked at the man beside her, who was playing with his cell phone. She noticed an old newspaper in his right hand. She could make out her face on the front page and also Captain Montgomery. Her eyes widened, she didn't want to react in front of the detective. She tried reading the headline:

DETECTIVE GETS SHOT AT NYPD CAPTAIN'S FUNERAL

The words hit her harder than the bullet. She could feel her eyes get emotional. The elevator doors opened, and the detective walked out. The doors closed again, leaving Beckett alone in the small room. She let out a heavy breath, and tried to keep it together before reaching her floor.

Ding! The doors opened and she stepped out. She stood there for a moment. She took a long hard look at the room before her. It was quiet, as it always was on early Monday mornings. There were a few detectives in the break room making coffee with Castle's cappuchino machine. Another detective sitting at his desk, doing paperwork. She finally took a deep breath and proceeded towards her desk. Her black work bag was rubbing against her as she slowly walked. She turned left and followed the path towards the stairs, and then turned right to head over to her desk. She placed her bag down on the desk. Some dust had accumulated over the past week. She looked down at one of the elephants that Castle always liked playing with. She picked it up and stared at it, feeling it's weight in her hands. She set it down, and looked over at Castle's empty brown seat. She wondered what he was doing at this very moment. Writing? Wondering why she hasn't called him? Wondering if he should call her?

"Hey Beckett." Ryan greeted, softly, interrupting her daydream. She stood up straight and focused her eyes on the two detectives walking over to her.

"Hey guys." Beckett smiled. Ryan was wearing his usual vest, with a pink button up shirt under it, and some dress pants. Esposito was wearing a black polo shirt that complimented his muscular arms, and khaki pants. They stood in front of her, smiling. They didn't think it was good for her to be back so soon, but they kept that to themselves knowing she would do what she wanted anyways.

"How are you feeling?" Esposito asked, already knowing the answer.

"Alright for being shot, I guess. I could definitely use a coffee."

"Where's your personal barista at, anyways?" Ryan asked, trying to lighten the situation.

"He's um…home, I think. I wanted to come in alone today." Beckett explained. Good she thought, Lanie didn't tell them about her and Castle.

"Detective Beckett?" A woman's voice said.

"Yes?" Beckett asked, confused as a woman approached her desk.

"I'm Victoria Gates, you're new captain." She said, extending her hand out to shake Beckett's .

"Oh," Beckett looked at the guys and back at her, "nice to meet you." As she shook her hand.

"Could I get a word, in private?" Gates asked, looking over at her office, which used to be Montgomery's. Beckett nodded her head and followed the woman dressed in a red blazer and skirt.

Beckett hesitated for a moment before stepping into the office. She looked back at Ryan and Esposito, who were watching her. She gave them a look that they understood. She turned forward and stepped inside, closing the door behind her. She almost couldn't recognize the room. There were boxes stacked, and also new pictures of Gates and her own family in the room. It seemed unfamiliar to her. She remembered the last time she stood, right where she was standing. She was yelling about Castle to Montgomery.

"Roy, I am over it. I mean it. I want him gone." Beckett demanded, as she paced back and forth.

"Okay he's gone." Montgomery said, like nothing. Beckett was confused.

"What?" Beckett asked, in disbelief. She expected it to be harder.

"You want Castle gone," Montgomery said waving his hand, "he's gone."

"I…wh-what about the mayor?" Beckett asked, placing her right hand on her brown hair still confused.

"This is my house, Kate, the mayor doesn't call the shots here. I do. You outta know that by now." He said, handing her his flask. She accepted it.

"But, I-I…"

"I could've kicked Castle to the curb years ago, any time I wanted to. The only reason why I kept him around this long is because I saw how good he was for you." Montgomery admitted. She rolled her eyes and shook her head as she drank the flask.

"Kate, you're the best I've ever trained. The best I've ever seen. But you weren't having before he came along." Montgomery spoke, Beckett looked down and then back up at him and nodded. He took the flask out of her grasp, and stepped forward.

"We speak for the dead. That's the job. We are all they got once the wicked rob them of their voices. We owe them that…but we don't owe them our lives." He said, Beckett creased her brow staring down at the floor. She looked up at him and stared into his eyes.

"He said we can't win this." She spoke, softly almost in a whisper.

"He's right. I spend most of my life walking behind this badge and I can tell you this for a fact, there are no victories- there is only the battle. And the best that you could hope for is that you can find a place where you can make your stand. If this is your spot, I will stand with you." Montgomery finished. Beckett nodded, smiling slightly, holding back her tears.

"So, I see you're doing much better." Gates voice cut into her daydream. Beckett looked up at her and nodded.

"I am very sorry about Captain Montgomery, he was an excellent cop from what I hear."

"He was."

"Now, why are you here today?"

"I-I came back to work."

"Hm. Well I'm sorry to be the one to disappoint you, but that won't be happening any time soon. As you may know, most cops have to see a psychiatrist before coming back to work."

"I know."

"Well after a trauma like the one you've recently been through, you need to go. You aren't allowed to work until you're cleared for duty, detective."

"Can't I see a doctor and work? I'm fine. I just need to be doing something."

"Solving homicides isn't something you use to block out your other issues, detective. You are not fit to be here, let alone at a crime scene. It's an order from me and the bureau for you to talk to a psych until he or she says otherwise."

" Yes ma'am."

"You can call me captain." Gates smiled. Beckett had almost forgotten who the woman was. It almost pained her to even think of calling her that, she was so used to Montgomery.

"I need your badge and gun." Gates ordered, extending her arm out. Beckett stood for a moment, shocked. She hesitated before reaching for her badge off her belt, and then un-holstering her gun. She took a step forward, and handing them over. Right away she felt empty, and lost. Almost like she was naked without it. Gates took both items, and set them down on her desk. Beckett stood there creasing her brow. Where does she go from here? She thought.

Break room…

Beckett stood in front of the cappuccino machine. She was trying to get it to work, but she was too frustrated. She suddenly felt two pairs of eyes on her left, and stopped fussing with the machine, and looked down.

"How did it go?" Ryan asked, as the both of them stood in the doorway watching her. She sighed.

"Her way." Beckett said, facing them now. Esposito crossed his arms.

"She is tough, we found out the hard way." Esposito spoke. Ryan nodded in agreement. Beckett looked at the two of them. Both great cops, great guys, great partners, great friends.

"I have to see a psychiatrist, which was to be expected, but I can't work. She ordered me…not until I'm cleared." She vented. They looked at her with concern. She waited a moment, and looked out at her desk.

"I should probably get my things." She said. They allowed her to pass them, she walked over to her desk and put her black blazer on again. She picked up her bag, and turned to the guys. They tried to give her a sympathetic smile, but it was hard for them to watch her leave.

"I'll see you." Beckett said, holding back her emotions. She tried to remain strong. They had already seen her at her weakest, but she thought she should leave with strength, even if they didn't believe it. She went to turn, but a hand stopped her. She looked to see Esposito holding her shoulder. He hugged her, like a brother would, and then released. Ryan stepped up and did the same. It took everything for her not to cry. She smiled, and then continued towards the elevator doors. She hit the down arrow. It seemed like it was taking forever. Why is that when things are the most awkward, every day things seem to take longer?

Ding! The doors opened. She stepped in and turned. She sighed, and stared down the hall. She hit the lobby button. She would go down the way she came up, alone. The doors closed.