Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.
Prompt: teeduo said: "Write me a scene between Lanie and Beckett after she blows up at Rick in the morgue in front of Alexis (4x16 sneak peek #2)."
Kate watched as the morgue doors closed behind Castle and Alexis before she turned to Lanie. "I'm so embarrassed."
Lanie stopped puttering and stared seriously at her friend. "You should be."
Kate's face grew stony. "Thanks, I thought we were friends."
"We are, or we were before you ignored me all summer. Anyways, I thought we were good now?" Lanie's face fell just a little as she spoke.
Kate looked embarrassed now. "I'm sorry about the summer. I can't explain it any more. You know that."
"Fine, whatever. Then, if we are friends again, you have to let me tell you how I see it." Lanie shifted, taking a stand. "Kate, you said that in front of Alexis. Castle doesn't deserve that to begin with and he certainly doesn't deserve that in front of Alexis."
Kate sat down on the floor, hugging her knees to her chest and leaned back. Not realising where she had taken a seat, she fell through the swinging doors to the morgue. After the initial surprise, it launched Kate and Lanie into giggles, breaking the ice just enough. But, as Kate lay there through the open door, her laughter turned into tears and Lanie grew sombre.
"I nearly lost him again, and I was totally helpless."
"Aw, honey, but you didn't lose him. He's fine and you're fine."
"Yeah." She let the word out shakily. "I was afraid that I would never have the chance to tell him how I feel."
"Kate, he knows how you feel, he can see it. Why do you think he is still here?"
"He..."
"Exactly." Lanie helped Kate sit up and pulled her into a standing position before they found a place to sit together on a table.
They sat in silence at first but then Kate spoke softly. "I don't know how to deal with all this."
"Yes, you do. It's just hard and a little scary. You have to open up and you have to let him open up without jumping down his throat. He tried today, to tell you the truth, to communicate like healthy adults and you just attacked him, in front of his daughter. "
"You don't even like him."
"That's not the point here. Yes, I think he is silly, but you like him so that's what matters here. I think he makes you happy and I want what is best for you."
Kate looked at the ceiling, trying not to cry again. The lack of sleep and the crazy car ride just made everything that much harder to handle. "What do I do?"
"I wish I had something profound to say here but I don't. I can only say; count to three before you say anything, take a deep breath and remember that you can do it. Don't take the easy way out it just makes it harder in the end."
More silence.
"I shouldn't have said that."
"No you shouldn't have."
"It's not true, what I said."
"I know, and he knows too."
"Do you think I hurt him?"
Lanie held her tongue.
Kate sighed sadly and twisted her frazzled hair (that matched her frazzled nerves) into a messy bun. "I did..."
A/N: This was different but interesting to write. Thanks for reading and thanks for the prompt : )