I am going out of town Wednesday through Sunday for some much needed beach time. So, I will try to write a few good chapters before I leave. Thanks for all of the continued support, both follows and reviews. I love the support and it keeps me writing. :)

Kate returned to the hospital almost an hour after her talk with her dad. She felt better, stronger, and her resolve that was starting to slip had been solidified. The head-strong, always knows what she wants Beckett had died 4 months. She was self-conscious and unsure the majority of the time now, and she needed that extra confidence boost that only a father can give his kid.

When she got to the room she could see that Martha and Castle still needed some time alone. Martha was hunched over the bed, one hand in his and one in his hear. She had never seen Martha look so motherly. It was cute to see that even the man that Castle is needed his mom. If it wasn't so sweet she would want to tease him about it. Instead, she took a seat in the chair outside his room.

Just then, she got a text from Espo.

"We got Thomas. Found him about 20 minutes ago. Taking him to the box now. Tell Castle?"

This was great news! She wanted to call him, ask for the details and their plan, but it wasn't her place and he was probably pretty busy getting ready for the interrogation. Kate was just happy to be told what was going on. It truly shocked her. Maybe repairing this friendship would be just a little easier than she originally thought. Time will tell.

"Thanks Espo. I'll tell Castle now. Good luck in there. "

She knocked on the open door before she walked in.

"Castle? I just heard from the boys. Can I come in?"

Castle nodded she could enter, but Martha spoke for the both of them. "Come in, dear." When Kate was closer she leaned in to stage whisper, "Thank you for helping me get home. Richard here was lost without me. No matter how old he gets, he just needs his mother."

"Exactly. How I managed for this long is beyond me" he deadpans with a smirk that Kate just loves. Very few people get to see the real Rick Castle, and it was a comfort that he was still letting her see that side of him. Conscious of it or not, she will take it.

"Kathryn, you said you had news from the Detectives?"

"Oh, ya, Espo texted me." She turned her eyes to Castle's, it felt weird to discuss his case without looking at him. "They found Seth Thomas about 20 minutes ago. He is headed to the 12th now. Espo and Ryan are prepping for it now."

A collective sigh escaped the Rodger-Castle clan. It was reassuring to know the man was off the street and could no longer hurt anyone else. As irrational as it sounds, Castle also felt a little safer as well. He didn't realize how jumpy he had been about it until the relief set in. The case would hopefully be wrapped up, and settled before he had to leave the hospital.

"That's wonderful to hear! Thank the boys for me when you talk to them next. Tell them I already kicked Richard's ass for going into the park without back up too. No need for them to come do it later too." Martha replied.

With a chuckle, Kate replied, "Of course, Martha. "

Now that she had relayed the information to Castle, Kate felt incredibly awkward in the room. She wanted to stay, sit by him, but she wasn't sure if they needed more alone time. She was also fairly certain Rick didn't want her there at all. She had been allowed to stay solely because of her promise to Martha.

"Agent Beckett? You can leave now." Castle finally spoke to her since entering the room.

"It's Kate."

"I don't care what you call yourself, but you don't need to be here anymore."

"Rick… please. Can we talk about this?"

"There is nothing to talk about! Turn around and walk out of this room. I know you know how to do that quite well, Beckett." His thin grip on his anger was starting to slip, and he didn't feel bad for unleashing it on her.

Without breaking eye contact with Castle, Kate spoke to his mom, "Martha, do you mind if i have a moment alone with him?"

Martha hesitated to answer. She could tell that they needed to talk, but she could also see her son's eyes. He didn't want to be left alone with her.

"Fine, I am going to grab a tea. I'll be back quickly." She nodded to Richard, squeezed his hand in reassurance, and left the two.

"Beckett, you don't get a say in this. Not anymore. "

"Rick, you can kick me out. You can yell at me. You can tell me that you hate me and that I am a major screw up. But I am going to fight for you. I want you. I love you. So, you can kick me out of your room, but I won't leave."

"You want me? You love me? That is bull shit, Beckett!" It strained his back to yell like this, but man it felt good in his heart. "You have a terrible way of showing this so called "love" you have for me. I would hate to see what it is like if you hate someone."

"I'm not giving up."

"You have nothing to fight for! You said no, you took the DC job, and you left. What we had, as inconsequential as was, is dead now. You can't fight for something you never had. It took me a while to realize it, but we were only fooling ourselves."

Kate shot back, "Inconsequential? Now who is bull shitting, Rick? I have 3 novels that prove otherwise. We had months of a relationship to prove otherwise. Don't belittle what we had. I can remind you of every time you told me you loved me in the last 4 years of our partnership."

"No. You don't get to tell me what to do or how I feel. You lost that right."

"You're right," she sighed, "I lost that right. I lost it, but I am going to fight like hell to recover what I lost. It is worth fighting for. You carried us for the first 4 years, it's my turn now."

"Ha! That's real cute, Kate. It's worth it? You have all the right words, but when it comes down to it your actions are screaming louder than anything you can say right now!" He was surprised a nurse hadn't come in to check on them yet. He was yelling pretty loudly.

"I quit my job." She whispered it. He had to strain to hear the confession.

"What?" No, she didn't say that she…

"I quit my job. I went to see my dad for a while. I realized on the drive back that I had to be able to show you I am serious." She took a step closer, within reach of his hand. Oh, she wishes she could grab it. "I know we've been here, done that. I quit once before, came to you and told you 'I want you, just you.' I meant it then and I mean it now. I am here. I want you. I love you."

To say he was shocked by the turn of the conversation would be an understatement. He knew that she was trying to get him back, but he thought it was more of a "I want what I can't have anymore" mixed with a "he was shot and I need to reaffirm that he is ok" situation. He had already concluded months ago that she never truly loved him. She loved the idea of them. She was in lust with him. But no way would you leave the man you claim to love, turn down a proposal, for a damn job.

"You don't love me, Beckett. You don't know how to love."

Low blow.

Kate was too shocked by that statement to realize Martha had finally returned with her cup of tea. She was standing there, barely holding in her emotion, when she felt a touch on her arm. She whipped her head over to see a concerned Martha.

"Kathryn, why don't you call it a day, dear? Richard needs to rest before Alexis gets in. Thank you again for staying with him until I could get here. You don't know how much that helped to know he wasn't alone."

It took her a moment to respond because her mind was still reeling from her conversation with Castle. Finally she said, "It was no trouble at all. Glad to help out." She turned to Castle, risked a brush against his fisted hand.

"I'm not leaving. I want you. I love you. If you want to talk, I'll be in the hall."

Kate turned to leave with her head up, shoulders squared. He didn't need to see that she was actually shattering with every step.

Castle watched her retreat, turn outside of the door, and sit in either a chair or the ground, he wasn't sure. A small part of him wants to call her back in and apologize for his last comment. He knew where the kill shot was with her emotions. He knew her better than he knew himself. So, he used the knowledge against her. He wasn't willing to back down yet, so he kept his mouth shut. Martha was back at his side, caressing his arm, and he was falling back to sleep.

To Be Continued