Partners

Disclaimer: Not mine, never will be. I'm just doing this for fun, and for my own sanity.

A/N: You're finding out what happens in Partners almost as I do, so expect irregular updates. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy!

And, for those interested, Spirit of the Season will be updated tonight, and hopefully, finished soon. Four chapters to go! ;)

I've got a clean slate to work with, and man, does it look awesome. Happy 2013! - CB

Castle held her until the tears finally subsided. "Are you going to be all right?" he asked, and handed her a tissue from the box on his desk.

"I will," she answered as she wiped the rest of the moisture from her lashes. Saying those two words helped more than she thought they would, they gave her hope. "It may take a little while, but yeah, I'll be fine."

"Great," he reached forward and gently stroked his thumb across her cheek.

Kate smiled at him, feeling the slight tremble still in her lips. "And I want this. I want us. More than I've wanted anything before in my life."

Castle pulled her body against his again, this time bringing his lips to hers. The kiss was so much like the one before - the kiss they didn't talk about - yet so much more.

Eventually, their lips parted. Kate leaned into Castle, touching her forehead to his, taking in the heat between them.

He started to speak, then the moment was shattered by the ringing of his office phone.

"Who the hell is calling?" he said as he checked the caller ID, irritated with this second interruption. "It's like the guys are watching and trying to find a way to butt in, and we're not even at the precinct."

Kate laughed, obviously he'd noticed that too.

"I'm going to answer, so maybe we can continue without another call interrupting this."

"That's fine, Castle. I'm not going anywhere." She walked over to the couch and sat down.

Castle answered the phone and not long into the conversation, he became silent and started waving almost madly at her to come to his side.

"Okay, but I don't understand why you're telling me this," he said, as he watched her approach.

Kate moved to his side as he turned the receiver so she could overhear the conversation. His finger then touched her lips lightly and his eyes begged for her to remain quiet.

"-keep Detective Beckett from investigating Johanna Beckett's murder."

She was silent, and it took everything in her to not grab the phone from Castle to interrogate the man on the other end of the line.

"And you think I can stop her?" Castle asked.

"You have to, Mr. Castle," the man answered, "If she continues to investigate, I can't guarantee her safety. That is the deal. Katherine Beckett stops investigating her mother's case in exchange for her life."

"Who is this deal with?" Castle obviously read her mind, but she knew the guy wasn't going to answer.

"I'm not at liberty to say. Just keep her away from the case. They will know if her investigation continues."

"I can do my best, but I can't guarantee that will work." Castle took a quick breath and spoke again, "What if something happens and I need to contact you? Do I call this number?"

"No, I will contact you."

"But how-" Before Castle could finish the question, the call ended.

He dropped the phone into its cradle. She imagined the look on his face was very similar to the one she had.

"What... how... I don't even know where to start," he said.

Kate sat down on the edge of his desk, trying to absorb the tiny bit of information just thrown into her lap.

"What did he say before I overheard?" she finally asked.

Castle sat down hard onto his desk chair, his head hanging heavy in his hands. He took a deep breath before he looked at her, his eyes so full of pain and despair.

"He said he's a friend of Montgomery's," he answered, "The captain sent him a file that is incriminating to the person who is responsible for your mother's death. As you heard, he's put it on me to keep you from investigating the murder..."

"Because if they see that I continue, the next shot won't miss," she finished.

Castle nodded and said, "Yeah, something like that."

Kate stood with her arms crossed tightly across her chest and paced back and forth in front of Castle's desk. It obviously wasn't meant for her to have a single moment of happiness. There was always something to take it all away. She just wanted to have this evening with Castle, to spend time with him, maybe figure out more about them. It wasn't fair.

He got to his feet and walked toward her, saying, "Kate, what if I-"

"Don't even think about finishing that sentence." She wasn't sure how or when she got in front of Castle, her face up in his. "We've already been through this. You are not going to risk your life in place of mine." It was one thing to risk her life, that was her job, but he couldn't do this. Not for her.

"Then don't do this," he pleaded and took a step backward. "Let the case stay where it's at, untouched. There will be a time where things will cool down, and maybe we can start poking around then."

He had a good point, but the voice in the back of her mind showed her how close it all was now. They could trace the phone number and at least find the area the call came from. She was sure the call came from a burner phone, but even those could be tracked by the towers they used...

"I can see the wheels turning, Kate. You don't want me to risk my life, and I'm asking you - begging you - to not risk yours. Please." He raked his fingers through his hair, turned away from her and waved his arms like he wanted to throw something. "This was all going so well, so damn well, until that bastard called!"

When he turned back around, he was shaking his head, his voice quiet. "I don't know if you feel the same for me. So, tell me. What is this relationship between us? I'd like to think there is more to our partnership than the work we do together, but I really don't have a clue."

"Honestly, I don't know what to call our relationship." She took a step toward Castle, seeing the hurt etched so deeply in his eyes, and she wanted to take it away, replace it with something better. "I do know you have been more than a partner to me for a long time, but we've also been in and out of other relationships... how do you navigate that sort of maze, you know? I keep waiting on the floor to open up beneath me."

She reached up and put her hand on his cheek, feeling the slight roughness of stubble beneath her fingers. "This is difficult for me, but I need you to hear me out, okay?"

Castle nodded and waited quietly for her to continue while she gathered her thoughts.

It made her heart ache, making this choice. But she had to do it, if only to save him. She couldn't live like this, knowing he would follow her down the rabbit hole of this case. So, she took a deep breath, and it seemed to help.

"I do want to find out what this is all about, find the person Montgomery and this other guy is protecting me from. Part of me wants to dive in, right now, and not come back up until it's finished, regardless of the outcome."

He started to shift, like he wanted to speak, but she stopped him with wave of her hand. "Part of me, Castle. Do you understand what I'm saying? Not all of me. If I go after this guy, I know you'll be right with me, and I can't let that happen. I can't be the one who puts your life in danger."

"So," Kate looked down at her feet, willing the tears away as best she could. "I'm need your help with something," she whispered. She felt like she was giving up, turning her back on her mother.

Castle walked to her and lifted her chin with his fingers, bringing their eyes together again. "Anything," he said, "anything you ask, Kate. I'll help. I'm here."

"Come with me to my apartment," she said, then took another breath to steel herself for the words she was about to say. It broke her, feeling the weight of what she was going to do, but then, maybe it was something she should have done a long time ago. "I have a murder board to take down. I have to stop all of this now, or nothing, not even my feelings for you, will be able to stop me."

She could see the understanding in his eyes as he nodded and took her hand. "Let's go."