"I forgot him." Alex said. He called Kevin to his side, but not before the dog kissed his master goodbye as if saying, "everything will be okay." Castle remained at his window side, watching his secret take refuge from the sun under a tree. Alex shook his head, trying to shake the feeling of guilt he had from his outburst. Had he been too harsh he thought, but then again what good would an apology do? He decided he had done enough for today.

"Will you be back tomorrow?" the nurse asked. It wasn't procedure to ask but she wanted to make conversation. Old people didn't rattle on about their lives it's a misconception.

"I don't know. Every time I visit, I feel like I'm in the company of one of his cardboard cutouts." Alex said. He let the dog's leash drop to the ground as the nurse handed him a visitor sign out sheet. Kevin was old, even if he ran he wouldn't get far. "And don't say 'give it time.' It's been three years and nothing has changed."

"Time? That's something he doesn't have a lot of. My advice, you've tried tackling him head on and it didn't work, so why don't you try hitting him sideways." The nurse said. It was an interesting idea, but before Alex could hear more, Kevin decided to go for a run. It was surprising to see the retired retriever with the energy of a pup.

"Kevin!" Alex yelled. He dropped everything to chase his father's dog. He ran through the lobby's automatic door and out around back, sprinting through the courtyard to find the retriever snuggling up to an elderly woman sitting on a park bench. The woman, long and slender, beautifully aged, had a different atmosphere to her. He could tell from her wrinkling features and greying hair that she had been every man's desire in her younger years.

"He's so cute." Kate said. The dog wagged his tail as she scratched him behind the ear.

"I'm so sorry." Alex said. He was a little winded, no longer in the shape he was in high school. His basketball days were long over. "He's not usually this friendly."

"He's a sweetheart." Kate replied. She smiled fondly at the young man, but she had no idea why. Maybe she knew him, not like she would remember.

"I'm sorry but you seem really familiar. Have we met before?" Alex asked. Maybe it wasn't just her. Alex bent down at the dog's side, scratching the dog at his jaw line.

"No I'm sorry. Even if we have I wouldn't remember. It's the Alzheimer's on top of the amnesia." Kate said. If she knew anything about herself, it was that she wasn't an open book. So why she thought, was she so willing to share whatever she could remember of her life story with him. Maybe it's an old people thing Kate concluded.

"Wow, the irony in itself is astonishing." Alex said. He paused just a moment, rethinking his words. "You have my condolences." There was no censoring between what he thought and what he said. It was something he inherited from his father. The woman just chuckled, and for Alex, the feeling of familiarity came again.

"My name is Kate by the way." Kate said. She took a break from petting the retriever to stick out her hand while Alex continued to take a knee, staining his beige slacks on the park grass. "or Katherine. They say it to me every morning but… Kate. It just seems right." There it was again. The little cracks in her armor growing bigger.

"Alexander." Alex replied, shaking the woman's hand. "But Alex… Because it sounds better."

"I know this is a little sudden, but Alex" Kate said. She took a pause, not quite knowing how to put it. But for Alex, a butterfly drew his attention astray. He followed its path as it found the ledge of a window, but not just any window, his father's window. The moment was surreal. He had a clear view of his father's face, and this time his father was willingly looking back. Though it was odd, his face. It came across… Surprised? No, that wasn't quite hitting the nail on its head. It was more… What? He thought. "Will you come tomorrow?"

Kate didn't receive a reply. She regretted her question, wanting to take it all back, but she couldn't. It was already out there. Of course this boy was coming here for someone else. Him being here was no coincidence. "What?" Alex finally replied.

"Never mind. Forget it." Kate said. Alex was too busy trying to identify the look on his father's face to even hear her. But then something clicked in his mind his father was a deer. Yes that's what it was. A deer frozen at the sight of headlights, a robber happened upon by the police. His father had the look of someone who had been caught, discovered, busted, or whatever you'd like to call it.

"Do you sit here every day? On this park bench under this tree?" Alex asked. He emphasized the word 'this' as if it were important. Kate simply nodded, stunned by his excitement. "Can I visit you tomorrow?" He smiled, praying she'd say yes.

"Only if you bring Kevin with you." Kate said, petting the retriever once more.

"How do you know his name?" Alex asked. He hadn't mentioned the dog's name. It was a red flag for him.

"His collar." Kate said. That's right he thought. Johanna had suggested it. If he hadn't caught up to the dog today, it might've come in handy. Visiting hours were soon over as Alex said his goodbye. He left her at the bench, making sure to get a glance at his father before his departure. Richard Castle had the same look on his face and he had a right. His dirty little secret had been found and was soon to be under a microscope.

Kate waved goodbye to the boy, thanking him for his kindness. She hoped she'd remember him tomorrow. "Why did I lie?" Kate pondered. She was old; no way she read that scribble on the dog's collar. It was no mystery really. She had seen his face when she uttered his dog's name. He wouldn't be coming tomorrow if she hadn't lied. But a mystery did remain: how did she know the dog's name?

"Are you alright Mr. Castle?" The nurse said. Each patient had a button, usually on the bed controls that would call a nurse to their room. The nurses called it the bat signal. Castle was still pressing his as the nurse rushed to his side.

"I need you to find a number for me." Caslte said. It was the first time she had ever heard him speak.

"Welcome back. Mr. Castle." The nurse said. Alex arrived early the next morning, making sure to hold onto Kevin's leash. "I'm sure your father will be happy to see you."

"I'm not here for him today." Alex said, signing in. He smiled to himself as the nurse stared, a little unsure of what to say. "You told me to hit him sideways, so that's what I'm doing." She was still unsure. He felt the need to explain. "Yesterday, I met a woman here. Her name is Kate. She's got amnesia and Alzheimer's, and everyday she sits on that park bench under that tree." He emphasized 'that' as if it meant something to her. "My father has been here for three years, and everyday he stares out his window, where he has a clear view of that woman."

"So you're using her?" The nurse said. He took that as an offense.

"No, I'm here for the story." Alex said. He actually was. Why her, he thought, what was so important about this woman?

"Did you say you met her yesterday?" The nurse asked. Alex nodded. "And he saw you?"

"Yeah." Alex said. She was drawing his attention. She was connecting dots in her head that he wished he could see. He grew impatient as she left him hanging onto her words. "What is it?"

"It might be nothing, but yesterday, after you left, he asked me to find a number, and then he made a phone call." The nurse said. She looked at him, hoping it meant something.

"He talked?" Alex asked. She nodded frantically. The event itself was amazing. "Whose number was it?"

"Um the number belonged to…" The nurse said. She opened up her computer and began to sift through yesterday's phone records. "Here it is… Lanie Parish."

"It's urgent. Can you stop by tomorrow?" Castle asked.

"Okay." Lanie responded.

SO im continuing

i hope you enjoy. Please review.

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