A/N: Thanks for all your comments

Sometimes Kate wished she hadn't become a cop. It was a guilty thought, one that only came up when her career affected her personal life in ways she hadn't previously thought imaginable.

The first time the thought struck her was almost twelve years ago, shortly after she had started as a police officer in the sixth precinct. She had been involved in a high-speed chase with her partner after a routine road stop had turned into something bigger when a wanted criminal ended up in their lineup of vehicles.

The man, Nicholas Bradshaw, had a buddy in the car at the time. It was clear they were intoxicated, and although Nicholas was driving – he had dictated the role of shooter to his very inexperienced friend. The man had shot at their car several times, apparently aiming at the tires.

Kate had been shocked when the windshield shattered, but she managed to keep the vehicle under control. She watched as her speedometer crept up to the 120 mark, and asked her partner to check on where their backup was. When she didn't receive an answer, she glanced over at the seat next to her. She didn't expect to see her partner's body to be crumpled down in the chair, stained red from the bullet wound sunken deep into his chest.

Kate shook herself out of her reverie, trying to regain some focus. Once it all came flooding back to her, she once again wished she had never become a cop. She looked a few feet away from her where she saw Castle slumped over in a seat, tied back by various belts and a strip of barbed wire around his waist.

Tugging at her own restraints, she tried to free herself. Wincing in instant pain, she realized she, too, had barbed wire wrapped around her body. However, it wasn't just her waist being affected, but both her wrists and ankles. Blood dripped down her hands and stained the wood of the chair she was seated on.

Kate was surprised to notice that they weren't being kept in the stereotypical basement setting, but rather in a well-maintained office building on what appeared to be a high floor. She looked out of the window only to see the New York City skyline staring back at her. From here, she could recognize several buildings, and quickly realized that she was on the south side of the City, quite close to a coffee shop she and Castle would go to on special occasions for a particularly delicious Frappuccino.

"Kate?" Castle groaned, pulling his head up.

"Castle, are you ok?" Kate asked.

"Been better," Castle huffed. "Guess we missed Alexis' speech."

"Yeah," Kate said absentmindedly.

"Kate, you're bleeding," Castle said, noticing the cuts on Kate's wrists and ankles.

Kate glanced at her wounds, "It's ok, just stings a little. Do you have any leeway?"

Castle tugged on his restraints, "Pretty tight," he said, "But if I worked at it they might get looser," he paused. "Do you think this has to do with our last case?"

"I don't know," Kate said, "Maybe."

Castle sighed, "I'm sorry, Kate."

"For what?"

"For not being able to protect you," Castle looked at her with hurt in his eyes.

Kate felt a heaviness in her heart when she looked at her husband. "Don't ever apologize for that. Everything's going to be alright."

The lights turned on in the room, and a man appeared in sinister silhouette, "What makes you so sure?"