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!

I want to thank everyone for the awesome reviews I've gotten so far! They've certainly been a help in bringing the story forth! :)

Very few words were exchanged between Kate and Castle as they left The Old Haunt, but it was a comforting silence that enveloped them for most of the ride to her apartment.

She had enjoyed the moment of surprise on Castle's face when he realized she'd ridden her motorcycle to see him. He was almost like a kid at Christmas when she asked if he wanted to ride back with her. Of course, he bounced on and intertwined his hands over her stomach. She felt the light kiss he placed on her shoulder, too.

Before long, she was turning into the parking garage and killed the engine. Kate took an extra second before she moved off of the bike.

Castle was still on it, looking very windblown... and maybe a little sexy. As he looked into her rear view mirror, he ran his fingers through his hair and said, "If there's a chance of us doing that again, I've got to invest in a helmet."

She took off her helmet and shook her hair out. And by the look on Castle's face when she opened her eyes, he enjoyed the show. "I know. I really should get one of those storage bags that can be attached to the back so I can keep an extra with me. Coming?"

"Yeah," he said as he stepped off of the bike. "That was an awesome ride, by the way."

Not as awesome as the way his hands felt as he held on to her, but Kate wasn't going to tell him that. Not yet, anyway. "I know," she answered.

They walked together to her building, and as they got closer to her apartment, the comfort dissipated and slowly turned into dread. Finally, they stepped off the elevator onto her floor.

Kate unlocked the door to her apartment and let Castle inside. She tossed her helmet into the closet and looked at the shuttered window in the kitchen.

Everything she'd known, everything she had lived for, for the past thirteen years, was hanging on the other side of those shutters. She wasn't sure where to begin, how to even move in the direction to start on the task of taking it all down.

Castle saw where she was staring and took her hand in his. "You're not alone," he said, "and if you want, I can lead you there."

"I know," she said, giving voice to the words that had been pulling at her ever since they left The Haunt. She knew she was back-pedaling, but the voice of doubt running rampant in her mind was difficult to ignore. "It's just hard. I feel like I'm giving up on her, letting her down."

"You're not letting her down, Kate. I think your mother would want for you to live life to the fullest, enjoy every moment of it-"

"But she deserves justice - I deserve to know who did this, Castle!" She stormed over to the window and pulled open the shutters. "My mother's death was a part of something big, something obviously bigger than I could imagine before today. And I'm giving up..."

"No, you're not giving up. You're deciding to live, to not be defined by the pictures and notes on that board." Castle said, then stopped and studied her for a moment. "You said earlier..."

And then, she could see the realization in his eyes. Softly, he spoke, "I see what you're doing. You're doing this because you don't want my life in danger. You're making this into a decision between me and your mother; my life and yours."

He was right. He could see right through her, and it was infuriating. Kate knew if she stopped investigating, he would too. He would be safe, away from the watching eyes of the Dragon.

"I just want you to be safe, Castle. You're the first person to know me, to really see me. If anything happened to you, I'm not sure how I would be able to go on." She didn't realize how true those words were until they were spoken.

He shook his head, as if he couldn't believe what she'd just said. "And what if something happened to you? Do you think I wouldn't be affected in the same way? I could have lost you today because of this. That's something I'm not going to forget anytime soon."

Castle took a step closer to her, his voice quiet, "Answer me this: Do you really think your life is that invaluable?"

"What?" she asked. The question blind-sided her and she didn't understand what he was getting at. She wanted to know who was responsible for her mother's death, wanted it more than anything, and he'd called her on it, just as Montgomery did, just a few days ago.

"You've said at least twice how you don't want me to get hurt, because I have a family, a daughter." Castle pulled her closer to him and ran his hand through her hair. "You have a family too, Kate. Did you forget? Your dad, the guys at the precinct... and me."

His words hung in the air, made it thick with something she couldn't name. She wanted to argue with him, but couldn't find the words. And what he said about family... yeah, he was a part of hers, but she hadn't been very open about it. Hell, she was still trying to figure out how they fit together... it was the reason she'd asked Castle to meet her at The Haunt.

"I know," she said, trying to find the words to make him understand. "It's just... I don't know where the case ends and I begin."

"Then we start a new slate today." He said, then picked up an empty box he found by her bookshelf. "This evening, you, Katherine Beckett, will start living for you, for us, and your will to live outside of this box." He looked at the box, then back at her, and continued, "That is, once it's filled with the pictures and notes from that makeshift board."

Kate couldn't speak. She wasn't even sure how she felt about all of this. There was this mixture of anger, sadness, fear, and anticipation roiling inside her.

This was a huge leap. She wanted to make it, too. But, what was her life without the steady weight of her mother's case pressing on her? The question was heavy, and somewhere deep inside, she knew letting go was for the greater good.

"Each piece you take down is one step closer to your freedom," said Castle as he pointed to the board. "I can't truly help unless you take the first step."

She knew he was right. It was like he was in her head, reading her thoughts.

Slowly, she reached toward the push pin holding the picture of her mother's bloodied body as it laid in a pile of garbage. Her fingers closed on the pin and pulled as her other hand held the picture in place. It came off easily into her hand, and she slowly turned to hand it to Castle.

He smiled, understanding, and set the picture carefully inside the box.

Kate took off two more pictures before he began to help, and in what seemed like hours later, the last paper was laid in the box. Castle folded the top closed and set it inside the closet by the door.

He came back to her side and shared the last remaining rays of sunlight with her, as they streamed between the buildings across the way and into her kitchen.

"I'd say this was a perfect ending to the day," he offered as he put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.

After a few moments, Castle pulled away far enough to look at her. With a small smile, he brushed the few stray tears from her cheeks with the pads of his thumbs. He leaned in and kissed her.

When they parted, Kate leaned into him, feeling lighter, different. The change, taking down the board, really felt good, but it left a void... something deep inside that was wanting for something, and she found his warmth helped ease the empty feeling. Or maybe, it was filling the emptiness with something else. Something better.

"Do you think I'll ever find out?" Kate asked. She knew he didn't know the answer, but anything could say, even if it was completely fiction, would comfort her.

"I think when the time is right, yes." Castle held her a little tighter and kissed the top of her head. "It may not be tomorrow, or next week, but sometime down the way, something will give."

Slowly, the city grew darker and, one by one, the street lights flickered on. It made her think of how Castle had been the light in her life that had always able to chase the darkness away. She smiled and relaxed in his arms, her head against his chest as she listened to the strong beating of his heart.