Previously:

Taking a calming breath he hit send and waited for the phone to ring.

"Captain Montgomery"

"Hey Captain its Castle"

"Castle, where have you been? Is everything all right? Is Martha and Alexis okay?" Quickly comes out of his mouth not even giving Castle a chance to respond.

"No, no everything is just fine."

"O…Okay, I know Beckett hasn't had a case, but you are usually here anyway. So tell me what's going on."

Castle starts to fidget; he is not ready for the Captain's straight forwardness and just decides to come right to the point. "I'm calling to let you know I will no longer be shadowing Detective Beckett."

Captain Montgomery can't believe what he just heard "Could you repeat that? I don't think I heard you correctly."

Settling himself once more Castle repeats it, this time with a little more conviction "I said that I am calling to let you know I will no longer be shadowing Detective Beckett."

"Castle, what's this all about? Did you and Beckett have some kind of falling out?"

"I'm sorry Captain, but it's personal. It has nothing to do with anything going on with myself or Detective Beckett's working relationship."

"Look Rick, I know that Beckett isn't the easiest person to get to know and in the beginning she was not too receptive to having you following her around. But I can tell you that you have been good for her. She was always a great detective, but she wasn't having any fun until you showed up making her even better. You leaving now would definitely be a mistake."

"Roy, I appreciate everything you are saying. You welcomed me into your precinct and I am grateful for everything your people have done making me feel like part of the team. But you and I both know that Beckett will be fine without me. In fact I believe she probably has somebody in mind to fill my spot."

"Castle, what are you talking about?"

"Captain, it…it's not important… anyway I just wanted to say thank you for everything and please pass to Detective's Beckett, Ryan, Esposito and Dr. Parrish my gratitude for having to put up with me the last 2 years."

"You're sure there is nothing I can say or do to convince you to change your mind?"

"I'm sorry Roy, but I think it's for the best."

"Castle, just remeber that you are always welcome back at the 12th."

"Thanks again Roy" he replies before disconnecting the call.

12th Precinct

After finishing his phone call with Castle, Montgomery slowly sits back against his desk thinking about their conversation. He really wanted to know what happened between Castle and Beckett that caused the writer to call it quits. As far as he knew everything was going well between them. In fact what he told him was the truth… he was good for her.

He also found himself wandering what the writer meant when he said Beckett has somebody in mind to fill his spot.

He looked out in the bull pen seeing Kate getting up from her desk and heading to the break room. He decided it was best just to get this over with instead of delaying it any longer. Montgomery opens his door calling out to her motioning for her to join him in his office.

As Beckett enters he asks her to close the door as he takes a seat behind his desk. She's not really sure what is going on. They've had no case since they closed the last and she along with Esposito and Ryan have been catching up with paper work.

He looks over at her before he starts "Detective has anything happened between yourself or any members of your team and Castle"

Looking at her Captain quite concerned she responds "I'm not sure I know what you mean, sir."

"What I mean is that to your knowledge there hasn't been anything out of the ordinary?"

"Roy, as far as I know… there hasn't been anything. Where is this coming from?"

"I don't know Kate, maybe from the fact that Castle hasn't been here for the past 3 days… or has that escaped your attention?"

"I know he hasn't been here, in fact I'm a bit concerned by it. I was either going to call or check on with this evening."

He looks down and she can tell that he knows something "What aren't you telling me?"

"Beckett, I just got off the phone with Castle. He… he told me that he would no longer be shadowing you."

Her fall from his to the floor attempting to hide her completely and utterly devistated expression. This is not what she was expecting at all.

After exiting the Captain's office she catches the concern expressions on both Ryan and Esposito's faces. Unable to head over to them just yet, she veers straight to the Ladies Room finding the nearest stall needing to get her emotions under control.

Castle's Loft

That was probably the hardest phone call he has ever had to make. But he knew in the end it was the right decision. He couldn't go back, couldn't continue to work with her... feeling the way that he did and knowing it wasn't reciprocated.

He knows It isn't going be easy moving forward. They last time he felt anything similar to this was when Kyra left him. Not even during his 2 divorces. And to add to his pain he still needs to finish plus two more Nikki Heat books after that. All of them based on the person he is trying to distance himself from. If he was honest, he probably has enough information/ research collected for 10 more books. If only it didn't take him so long to realize that following her wasn't about the books anymore.

After sitting around his office contemplating everything he believes it might be best for him to get out of the city for a little while. Maybe head out to his Hampton's home to lick his wounds and finish the book before Gina starts pestering him again. He'll wait until tonight and inform his daughter and mother about the precinct and his plans to get away.

12th Precinct

Kate Beckett has finally returned to her desk. She is not sure what she is feeling. Her mind is telling her this is what she wanted from the time the writer has forced himself into her life. But her heart feels as if something very special has been yanked away from her once again.

Before she has time to think on the matter any further, both Ryan and Esposito approach her desk.

"Yo Beckett, what did Montgomery want?"

Her eyes look up meeting Javi's and he can tell something is wrong. "Kate what's wrong?"

She looks around the bull pen not wanting to have this conversation out in the open for everyone's prying ears; she looks back to the boys and motions for them to follow her into the break room.

Once inside she closes the door and turns to her partners "Have either of you noticed anything out of the ordinary regarding Castle?"

Ryan answers "besides the fact that he has been missing the past few days."

"Yes besides that… has anything happened that would affect him working with us?"

This time Esposito speaks up "Why are you asking this Beckett? What did the Captain tell you in his office?"

She takes a steadying breath before continuing "Castle called him this morning to let him know he was done."

"What do you mean done" asks Ryan.

"He said he was no longer shadowing me."

"You're kidding, right?" Espo responds.

"I wish I were, I just don't understand it…. Everything was fine when we finished the case the other day. Then out of the blue he quits showing up, calls Montgomery and says he's finished and then say something about not being missed and somebody filling his spot."

This last statement has both Esposito and Ryan turning towards each other. She notices and asks "Is there something that I'm missing?"

Esposito looks at her stating "You seriously don't know?"

"Don't know what?"

He turns to Ryan "And women say we are the clueless ones?"

Getting angry "Just spit it out already Espo."

Ryan decides it might be time to intervene "Beckett, what Javi is getting at is yes there has been something going on the last couple of weeks that has been affecting Castle."

She looks at both of them "Well what is it?"

Esposito decides to answer for them "Demming."

Confused she continues "What does Tom have to do with this?"

Ryan adds "Kate, ever since the Paul Finch case he... he has for the most part become a permanent fixture on our floor."

"Ryan, so what... he hasn't had a case and has just been assisting. I don't see what the big deal is about that."

Esposito is starting to become agitated. "Kate you don't see it do you? Ever since you have started seeing Demming and having him hang around assisting as you call it... you have pushing Castle away."

Trying to defend herself she reponds "That's not true."

Causing Esposito to repeat what he has repeatedly over the past couple of weeks "Really Kate... So you having Tom in interrogations and telling Castle he has to watch from observation is not pushing him out." She goes to repsond but he cuts her off. "I'm not finished... what about building theory with Tom and snapping at Castle anytime he tries to present one of his theories. Or better yet, sorry Castle I'm riding with Tom you need to get a ride from Esposito and Ryan. He is supposed to be your partner is he not? Yet when Mr. Wonderful comes around he is kicked to the curb. So one again tell me that Demming has nothing to do with it."

She is stunned by what the boys have brought to her attention. Was she really so caught up in her budding romance that she caused her.. her what? Partner, friend, writer, confidant... really all of the above to feel he was no longer wanted or needed.

She feels deflated, like all the air has been sucked out of her. She sits in one of the chairs needing to get herself back under control. After a few seconds pass she looks up at the boys and replies "Oh God what have I done?"

A/N: Hate to keep you guys hanging but felt this was a good place to stop. Needed to get Beckett to see what she was doing to Castle. Next chapter should pick up where I left off, but will Kate be too late to fix things with Rick?

Thanks again for your support.