Lanie Parish is many things: She is a caring and respectful daughter to her two parents, she is a fellow medical examiner to her colleagues, a fun and trust worthy friend to the college friends she kept in touch with, and a booty call to the man she has had come to fall in love with just a year ago but refuses to admit. But above all else, Lanie Parish is a best friend to Kate Beckett. That role takes a truck load of patience to begin peeling away at her walls but had proven to be worth it.

There was never a dull moment with Kate; the girls met back in college in 1998. They weren't the closest of friends when Kate's mother had died but she wasn't always so strong and private. Along with Kate's boyfriend of two years, Jake Lance, Lanie was one of the few people that spoke to Kate like she was still human. Even with Kate's father's developed drinking habits, Lanie managed to sneak her into her college dorm when they couldn't spend time at each other's houses.

Jake found it difficult to please Kate and left shortly afterward, which resulted in both Kate and Lanie to grow closer. When Kate became emotional about the death of her mother, the loss of her boyfriend, and the addiction that took her father from her, Lanie Parish was the only person she felt she could turn to but she was never prepare for what came over her friend the night they found that doctor's note.

Lanie placed her flute of red wine on the table beside her sofa. Her left leg was folded to her chest; her left arm carefully wrapped around it hugged it tight. Her right leg was folded and neatly tucked behind her left heel.

The door to her room opened slowly. The darkness cascaded over his face as he neared her.

"What are you doing up?" he asked, his voice still under sleeps spell.

"I shouldn't have left her alone, she needs me right now, she's assuming the worst. We have no proof that doctor's note was Castle's." She looked down.

"Beckett is a big girl, she'll be fine. Now come back to bed," he said as he rubbed his eyes.

"Javier," she reasoned.

"Come on." He gently took her hand and led her back to her room.

The clock lit up the room. A red glow on each wall. Javier Esposito held her right hand in his while his left hand hovered at her lower back. They crossed the doorframe and he shut it with his foot. His hands came up to massage her shoulders until they reached the foot of the bed.

He brought his lips to her neck and gently kissed the pain away. She turned to face him and they kissed. The two of them fell back onto the mattress as one and drifted off.

Rick awoke with his hands bound hugging his chest. He looked around in confusion to the four white walls surrounding him. The warmth of the room sent his mind wandering deep into his thoughts. The things that made him the happiest began to race around his mind.

"Daddy, I know what I want for Christmas." The soft voice said. He turned to the sleepy face of his daughter. Her small body lay peacefully on the couch beside him.

Her head lifted off the leather armrest of the couch to face her father. Her body, now upright, looked fragile; her short arms places between her folded knees to hold her up. The brown cover that was once a warm barrier now fell down her shoulder and dangled off the edge of the sofa. Her tiny hand gripped tightly to the fluffy, light blue blanket which followed her everywhere she went. With her free hand, she tugged his shirt, waking him from a sweet dream which turned out to be real. His smile widened at the sight of her bright white teeth and orange hair.

"Well then go write it down in a letter so we can send it to Santa in time!" he explained in a child-like tone. She hurried up off the tall sofa and landed on her small feet. In a quick waddle, she was off to her room.

"Richard, I've never seen you as happy as when you are with her. It truly is something special." The woman came down the stairs with a glass of wine in her hand, her short red hair as glowing as ever.

"A compliment? Without a request? Mother, how daring." He continued fingering at his keyboard.

"Which reminds me, I'm having a few friends over tonight, they are coming to watch a little play I put together."

"There it is," he said, clearly not thrilled by her last minute warning.

Minutes later she ran out with a smile plastered on her face. Her bright orange hair fell down her back and swayed from side to side as she quickly made her way to her father on the sofa.

Rick's posture was stiff and focused. The glow of his laptop screen created shadows on his face. With one look up from the screen, he watched the light of his life as she giggled and stumbled toward him, waving a piece of paper. His right hand subconsciously shut the laptop and set it aside without once breaking his lock on her moving figure.

"I'm finished, I'm finished!" she called out.

"Come here," he grunted as he scooped her up and sat her on his lap. "Give daddy a hug, sweetheart," he hugged her tightly. His face painted with a smile from ear to ear and he rocked his upper body from side to side.

The sounds that escaped her mouth in that moment were heavenly to a father's ears.

The sound of her laughter became distant, like an angel smiling as she looked down upon her father while her wings carried her up.

"Wake up." The tip of a shoe connected with Rick's shin, breaking his thoughts to pieces. With the shaking motion of his body, Rick's eyes widened, through dripping blood, at the sight.

The man that stood before him looked a little off in his white outfit. His average-sized body was lost beneath his white polo shirt and matching shapeless pants. A laminated badge hung from his shirt pocket in clear view.

"It's time to take your pills, Mr. Rodgers." He stood tall just two feet from where Rick's body was placed on the floor. His back leaned against the wall while the wall to his right closed in.

His head turned to the right to affirm he was cornered. His hands jolted forward in fear but failed to pass the material keeping them in place.

"Come on, open up. I don't have time for this every morning," the man said with patience, "tongue out."

"Get away from me!" He spat back, digging his heels into the soft floor as he pushed his back further into the wall and buried his face in his folded arms.

"Richard?" The voice called, "Richard?"

"Mother?" He responded while lifting his head.

"Mr. Rodgers, are you all right?" The familiar face turned to face him with a worrisome look.

"Tyson." Castle stumbled to his feet without the help of his strapped down arms, his body flopped side-to-side against the two walls stabilizing him, or rather, cornering him.

"Mr. Rodgers, don't do this again. Not today." He placed his hand on Rick's shoulder forcing him to the floor but was met with the will of a lone man.

Rick's shoulders freed from Jerry Tyson's hand, shoving himself backward into the wall. The padded wall played a part in cushioning his head as it shot backward in attempt to stay vertical. "Who the hell is Rodgers?" He questioned.

The man looked shocked by his question. He took a step forward and reached out an arm. Palm toward the floor, fingers spread out, he took an additional step. "Calm down, you just need to take your medication for today and everything will be normal again, okay?" He continued onward.

"No!" Rick jumped forward allowing his entire bodyweight to charge into the man's shoulder.

Jerry reached into his pocket within that split second he had to react. Pulling out a large needle, he spun to intercept the charging body and stuck the needle into Rick's neck.

He fell, unconscious, onto the cushioned floor and into his nightmare once more.

"Castle! Wake up. Castle, come on, look at me!" Kate's hand shook violently as she held his head just an inch off the floor.

She searched frantically for any sign of movement but came up short. The blood was spilling over his forehead and arms so quickly that it took her by surprise.

"No," she cried, "don't do this. Don't you dare." She placed his head gently on her lap as she folded her legs beneath him. Her fingers found his wrist and lifted it enough to bring it to his chest. She entwined their fingers and brought her free hand to shelter the top of his hand, bringing it up halfway to meet her lips as they gently grazed the soft skin on the back of his hand.

"God I missed you." He whispered to her. His hand rose to cup her cheek, his thumb stroked the side of her face and she closed her eyes for a few precious moments.

"Castle," she cried out. A tear rolled down her face and fell upon his chest.

"Kate," his face neared hers, "we're going to be okay." He flashed her that smile, the smile that made her feel safe again. The smile that made her feel like she was home, a feeling she hadn't felt in so long.

"Castle, it's okay, I'm going to get you out of here. I promise." She placed a deep kiss on his lips and wiped a tear off of her cheek.

Screeching metal caused Kate to shoot her head up. She left his side and placed her hand on her hip to rest on her sig.

She spun to look at Rick lying on the floor in a pool of blood. Her face showed signs of distress as she continued to search but came up empty when the door swung open.

Two shots rang out. Two pieces of lead sank into her chest and sent her to the floor.