A/N: Hey guys! Here's the next chapter...now I'm almost done with this story...just a few more chapters...as usual REVIEW AND ENJOY...and have in mind that ENJOY is much more important than REVIEWING but still it matters to me...I love you for reading this story...XoA


January 9th, 1999. She remembers that as if it was yesterday. It has engraved deep in her brain and nothing was ever gonna get it out. She remembers what she felt that day. Pain, fear, sadness, but of all she felt hopeless for the person she loved most was gone and after that she promised herself not to feel like that again. So, she made walls that would kept her heart from the suffering...until tonight. As Beckett ran towards the precinct not caring if anyone was following her, she felt all those emotions again and they were as fierce as the night her mother was murdered, with one difference. She could save the man helpless inside the precinct. She was going to save that man, because she loved that man fiercely as she hasn't love in years.

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He didn't feel anything only because he couldn't really put into words the betrayal he had just witnessed. His father, who he didn't really knew was now pointing his own gun at him. Sophia had an evil smile on her face and was looking at him as if he was the stupidest guy, but Castle couldn't care less. He felt as if all his strength left him, because now he had no backup and no one was gonna help him on time, because he knew that they were gonna kill him and there was nothing he could do, hell he couldn't even stand up straight. Suddenly he just got really tired, emotionally tired of fighting, of the situation, of everyone just leaving him alone. The only little hope he had was that someone saw what was happening, but he knew that whoever tried to save him wasn't gonna make it in time. He had only one doubt though.

"Why?" Castle's voice came up as a painful whisper and looked at his father in the eyes.

"I never wanted a son." Reynolds said coldly.

"You said leaving me was the worst mistake you've ever made." Castle recalled.

"That's why I was a good spy." He answered with the same cold tone. It took more for Castle to put the pieces together. Under different circumstances he would've loved to learn from him to become such a good liar, but the truth was that it hurt...a lot. "When I got this case I saw it as my opportunity to finally end with the unfortunate events of that mission so long ago, and then I could apply for director of the CIA, but I needed those file out of the record, otherwise I'll never make it to that position."

Then, Detective Kate Beckett came through the precinct doors, when Castle had lost all hope. She was about to yell but Castle immediately looked at her and shook his head. She remained quiet and made her way painfully slow towards him and it was like his will came back.

"Why did you need Sophia if you knew you could do it alone?" Castle asked Reynolds in an attempt to make time for Beckett.

"You're right." Reynolds said. "I don't." and then out of the blue and before anyone could make a move a shot rang out and Sophia Turner dropped dead on the floor. In that moment Beckett finally decided to announce her presence.

"Reynolds drop your gun!" She yelled. The next second passed as if they were in slow motion, when Reynolds took a hold of Castle putting him between Reynolds and Beckett. "Let him go Reynolds, it's over!"

"You should drop your weapon Detective, since we both know you can't shoot me without shooting him" Reynolds said pointing his gun at Castle's stab wound, making him winced in pain. Castle saw how Beckett was seriously considering putting her gun down. She couldn't do that because Castle knew she could take the shot.

"What makes you think you are the only one with good aim in the room?" Beckett asked trying to keep her mind of the fact that Reynolds was nailing deeper his gun into Castle's side, making it bleed more fiercely.

"Shoot him Beckett!" Castle said looking straight into her eyes, trying to give her the strength but Beckett would move.

"Detective there is a chance I might let him live if you drop your weapon and let me go." Reynolds said.

"Don't listen to him Beckett." Castle told her.

"Are you always this annoying Richard? I'm trying to talk to Detective here." Reynolds said pressing harder on Castle's side making him flinch in pain. "Your call Detective. Drop your gun or Castle dies."

"Castle..." Beckett said looking at him with apologetic eyes. He didn't want to see those eyes. She was giving up. But before he could say anything, she frowned and pulled the trigger.

Everything went still.

Reynolds felt down on the floor motionless next to Sophia. Castle looked up at Beckett. She was completely still as she looked back her eyes not quite believing what had just happened. As all the emotions came back like a flood, Castle felt a sharp pain in his leg and couldn't help but falling. Immediately Beckett ran towards him.

"Whoa Rick..." Beckett said kneeling beside him and cupping his face with her hands. "Easy..." Castle looked over his father dead figure, then at Beckett and she saw how the tears began building in his eyes. She saw the physical and emotional exhaustion and she pulled him closer to her holding him tightly. "Oh Rick...it's okay now...it's over" she whispered as her boyfriend sobbed against her neck.


A/N: More to come soon...