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Showing up at the library was harder than Kate had expected, even with Rick there. She gripped his hand tightly and stopped in front of the doors.

"I haven't been here since my mom died," she whispered. "We used to come here every Sunday and sit in the corner of the science fiction section and read for hours." Rick put an arm around her shoulders and kissed her forehead. "I can't do this, Rick." Kate turned to walk away, but Rick held her still.

"Hey, look at me." When she finally did, he noticed there were tears in her eyes. "You are stronger than him. I don't think he did this on purpose, Kate. I don't think he deliberately came here. But since you are here, and he knows this place means something to you, you can show him how much stronger you really are." Rick wiped the few tears that had made their way down Kate's face and smiled. "Come on."

As soon as Kate entered the library, she regretted it. She saw her father leaning against a far wall and he smirked when he noticed Rick's hand had gone white from Kate squeezing it.

"Katie Bear!" Jim exclaimed. It was Sunday, and it was closed. Kate had the key since an old friend of her mother's owns it, but she didn't know how Jim got a key. He opened his arms to her and his expression fell when Kate backed away and out of his reach.

"Uh, this is Rick," Jim extended a hand and Rick shook it, his other still being held by Kate. Jim gasped when he looked at their hands and saw a flash from Kate's finger.

"Katie – you're – that's Johannas." He whispered, looking up at Kate's face. Rick was looking at her too now, not remembering the ring being taken off its chain.

"I – my chain broke and I didn't want to lose it," Kate responded, her eyes set on the floor.

"Who gave you that?" Jim asked.

"Mom gave it to me in her will."

"Why would she do that?" Kate looked up at him and looked at his eyes, seeing – anger? Why was he angry? "Why wouldn't she want it buried with her? If I died I would want my ring buried with me! Why would she give it to you? She loved me! And I loved her!" Jim stepped closer to Kate, his voice rising to a yell. "Why did she give it to you, Kate? Did you ask for it when you were a little girl?"

"No, I – "

"No. She gave it to you because she didn't have anything else to give you? Is that it? She knew I would freak out so she gave you her ring?" He leaned to her hand, reaching to grab the ring off, but was surprised when Rick stepped in between Kate and him.

"That's enough!" Kate almost jumped at Rick's outburst and was even more shocked when he moved himself even more directly in front of her. "I know you're angry right now, but you have absolutely no right to be telling at Kate. She is just as hurt as you are, and probably more and that does not mean you can talk to her as if she's weak and tumbling to the ground because with all due respect, Mr. Beckett, she is not. And it is not her fault that you didn't take the time to notice that."

"Katie –" Jim stepped around Rick, "I never plated you as weak. I was hurting myself."

"No," and now Kate was angry. "No, you don't get to play the victim card because you know what? I was young. I am young and guess what?" Kate pulled her badge from her belt loop and held it up to his face. "I'm a homicide detective, and I did that on my own. Mom didn't help because she couldn't, but you? You don't get to think I'm weak because I wasn't the one who ran away from my family and into the bottle. That was you. You're weak."

And then she walked out. Kate ran across the street and she didn't stop running when she made it to the other side. She was suddenly extremely grateful she was wearing casual flats. Before she realized where she was, Kate was running through the park with tears streaming down her face. Finally stopping, Kate put her hands on her knees and bent over, catching her breath. Standing up again, she made her way to the nearby swing set and sat on the tallest swing. It was the one she used to sit on when she came here with her mom. And that just brought on fresh tears and heavier legs. Kate pumped her legs, flattening and bending them with each push she made on the swing. Even when she saw someone sit next to her and watch her swing, she just pumped her legs faster and faster. When she finally stopped and let her feet hit the ground, she turned to Rick.

"How did you find me?" Kate looked up at the sky, feeling a raindrop hit her nose.

"You ran. I figured there was only one place you'd run."

"I'm sorry. For how I acted back there." Kate gasped when the one raindrop she felt on her nose turned into down pouring and in less than thirty seconds, she and Rick were soaked. Rick stood, pulling Kate up with him and wrapping an arm around her waist. He kissed her forehead and led them back to his apartment. "Why are you acting so nice to me? After how I acted?"

"Kate, really?" She looked down when he continued, "I'm trying to do anything but turn your father against you. I don't want you to have to feel like the world is going to be mad at you because you yell for the first time in a while. And honestly, I don't blame you. Growing up, I didn't have a father around and my mother always had her shows. I blamed her too. For not being there for me." Kate stopped and looked up at him.

"Really? You're such a good father to Alexis." Rick smiled and pulled her along, an arm still around her waist.

"Thank you, Kate."

"Do you think I should talk to him? See if he's got a place to stay for the night?"

"Kate I think you should do whatever is comfortable for you. Do what's good for you for once." Kate smiled and kissed him softly.

"Do you mind driving me to wherever he is?" Rick nodded at the doorman as he walked into his apartment building.

"Yeah, let me just call the car –"

"No," she interrupted, "Not the car, you." The pair walked into the elevator and Rick nodded.

"Of course." They smiled at each other for a minute before Kate pulled back and wrinkled her nose.

"Change first. You smell like wet dog."

xxxxx

Kate stepped out of the car and was headed toward to the building before Rick even shut the car off. Once he caught up to her, Kate and he stepped into the elevator of the hotel. Kate fidgeted with her hands and when she started bouncing on her heels, Rick put a hand on her shoulder.

"Kate, he's your father, it's going to be okay."

"Yeah and what if he's drunk or something? I bet he is. What if he relapsed because of what I said, Rick?"

"He didn't, Kate. I don't think he would." The elevator opened and they stepped into the hallway. "Kate." Rick grabbed her hand and kissed her cheek lightly. "It'll be alright." She smiled and turned to the door in front of her and rapped three times. Kate and Rick both jumped when the door swung open, revealing a smiling Jim Beckett.

"Ricky! Katie! Come in!" They moved in past him and Rick brushed his thumb over her wrist, almost keeping her near him. Protecting her. From what? Her father? "Hey Ricky!"

"Uh, hello, sir." Rick glanced at Kate and she reached out and touched her fathers arm.

"Katie bear! Do you hear this boy? Sir!" He laughed and Kate leaned into her father's hug, but instantly pulled out. Kate gasped and leaned into him again, sniffing his collar.

"Are you –" Kate turned and quickly walked into the living area and came back with a bottle of whiskey in her hand. "You're drunk!" Kate stepped back and before Rick could react, smashed the bottle on the floor.

"Kate!"

"Katie!" Rick and Jim yelled at the same time.

"No!" She yelled back, walking again into the living area. Rick ran in after her and caught her hand raised halfway in the air, about to release a second empty bottle.

"Kate, don't –" She finally let the bottle slip out of her hand and into Rick's, not hesitating to run out of the hotel room, without a glance back at her father. She finally let the tears run down her cheeks when she neared the end of the hallway. Stepping onto a door that was labeled 'Stairs' she squatted in the corner and let her head fall in her hands.

"Kate!" Rick rushed through the door and Kate lifted her tear filled eyes to meet his. "Oh, Kate," he walked to where Kate sat and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, letting her head rest against his chest, soaking his shirt with her tears.

A/N: I…. Blame my brain. This chapter and everything after this was not what I at all intended to do. But… I guess here you go? I'm so sorry that it's been so long since I've updated. I've had school and I've also had a huge writers block with this story. I have the next chapter written already, I just need to type it up. Thank you, if you're still with me! I promise to get more updates sooner!