Thirty-Two:

Kate Beckett sat in the back seat of the black suburban as it rolled down I-95 to Washington DC, staring out the window into the night. The last twenty four hours have been a blur. Hell, the last seventy-two hours have been that way. So much has changed in such a short time and none of it for the better. The two FBI agents that she had been in the car with since New York have not spoken a single word to her. Kate suspected that they were ordered not to speak to her and that was fine with her. She really didn't feel like small talk when her whole world was crumbling down around her.

Twenty two hours earlier:

After Jordan left the loft, Rick, Mindy and Kate walked back into the living room. Castle informed Kate that she would be sleeping in his room again and that he would sleep on the couch. Beckett was too frazzled from everything that had happened to put up a fight and simply nodded. Rick walked into his bedroom and changed into his sleep clothes, returning a few minutes later.

Beckett excused herself and went to Castle's bedroom. She quickly shed her clothes slipping on the tee-shirt that she had worn the night before. Kate crawled into the bed and pulled the covers just under her chin as she stared at the ceiling. She tries, but fails to fall asleep, her thoughts drift back to this evening and the decisions made by Castle. The cop in her agreed that he was only doing what was best for her, but it sure didn't feel that way. They would never see each other again and she couldn't reconcile the pain that she felt about that.

When she had made the decision to leave for Washington it had been for what she felt were the right reasons. She was so sure that once Bracken was dealt with, she could just resume her life as if nothing happened. Her friends would accept her back with open arms and Castle would love her just as he had before all of this.

Now Kate was beginning to see the consequences of her actions. There was a good chance she would never see her friends or her father again. She laid there sobbing quietly until sleep finally took over.

The smell of freshly brewed coffee again woke her from her sleep. She looked at the foot of the bed and saw a present wrapped in a large bow. Climbing out of the bed, she walked around to where the present sat. She looked at the tag on it, simply addressed with only 'Beckett'. It was Castle's handwriting. She'd spot his penmanship anywhere. Carefully she lifted the card and opened it. 'Didn't know if you had bought it or not, but thought you'd want to complete your collection regardless.'

Kate smiled as she read the note and began to tear the wrapping paper off of the book. She quickly opened it to the dedication page to see what he wrote inside. The page facing the dedication page was filled with his writing.

'For an all too short period of time I was happy with the woman I loved. Maybe it was an illusion, but it felt real to me. For whatever reason, I couldn't make you as happy as you made me and for that, I am sorry. My only hope is that one day you will find that happiness for yourself.

And remember this about walls, before you think of building new ones;

While walls will keep people out, they also keep you a prisoner inside, trapped with whatever reason you created them in the first place.'

Kate gently placed the book back down on the bed as she took the heels of both hands trying to stop the flow of tears. After everything that she had done to him, he was the one apologizing. Beckett knew that her self-serving actions had cost the one man that truly loved her. Grabbing the robe that she'd worn yesterday from the chair beside the bed, she runs out of the bedroom hoping to see Castle and try to make things right.

She walked into the kitchen where Mindy, Alexis and Martha were sitting, drinking their coffee. Martha sees her first and jumps up from her stool, and walks to where Kate is standing wrapping her arms around her. "Katherine, dear, did you sleep ok?"

Kate feigned a smile and replies. "Yes, Martha, I slept well."

"Wonderful dear! Would you like something to eat?" Martha inquires.

Remembering that she hasn't eaten since Christmas dinner yesterday afternoon, she replies. "Sure, I could eat." As she takes a seat at the counter. Mindy and Alexis both exchange greetings with Beckett as Martha pours her a large cup of coffee. "I don't know how you like it dear, but I'm sure Richard has everything you need."

Kate thanks Martha as she takes a sip of the coffee. Looking around the loft, she sees no signs of Rick's presence. "Is Castle here? There's a few things that I need to talk to him about before I go."

Martha's cheery smile fades as she offers Beckett and apologetic look. "I'm sorry dear, but Richard left for meetings with his agent and publisher early this morning. He said that he wouldn't be back until late and to wish you a safe trip."

Beckett has a hard time suppressing her tears hearing this. She gulps in an attempt to swallow the anguish she felt at the moment knowing that she would never see Castle again. She takes a quick sip from her coffee trying to reel in her emotions but feels herself failing. Kate pushes herself up from her seat and tells the women that she really needs to take a shower and change, trying to not make eye contact with them. Beckett nearly runs into Rick's bedroom and shuts the door.

She's peeling off her clothes as she walks into the bathroom and turns on the shower. Kate hopes that the noise will mask the sounds of her sobbing. The gravity of what was happening to her was just starting to hit home. She wasn't just losing Rick, she was losing everyone and everything that she knew. Her family, her friends, her career, and her love all collateral damage. She slid down the smooth glass wall of the shower sobbing as the water poured on her washing away the tears.

While Kate was crying in his shower, Rick was seated on Smith's private jet flying to Washington DC for a meeting with the man running this whole operation. Castle and Smith spoke very little on the flight and the older man explained that this would all make sense once they met his boss. The jet touched down at the private airport outside of Quantico and a black suburban was waiting to take them to their destination. They arrive at the military base and Smith flashed his credentials to the MP at the gate. They stopped at the administration building and went inside. Once again, Smith flashed his credentials and was directed to the elevator at the far end of the lobby. Castle followed closely behind Smith as they walked to the elevator and waited.

Smith placed his palm on the reader inside the elevator and pressed the button for the floor. The elevator went down for what Rick could only guess was several levels below ground smiling to himself thinking just how cliché this all felt. "Something funny Mr. Castle?" Smith inquires.

"Not really." Rick replies as his smile fades and his agent Rodgers persona takes its place.

They exit the elevator and make their way down the long corridor lined with doors on either side. They stop at the door near the far end and Smith knocks. Castle can hear someone on the other side of the door telling them to enter. Smith opens the door and the two walk inside the small conference room. Rick is scanning the room as the man stands with his back to him, looking at something. He turns and begins to speak. "Hello Richard, it's been a while.." He turns and walks to where the two men were standing extending his hand to Castle. "I don't believe that we've been properly introduced, my name is Richard Hunter and you are?"

To say that Castle was surprised would be a masterpiece of understatement. So many emotions came rushing in that it was impossible to react to them all. He was never so grateful that some of his mother's acting skills did rub off on him as he calmly shook the man's hand and replied. "Richard Castle. Pleased to meet you."

Hunter smiles as he shakes his son's hand and gestures to the seats surrounding the table. "Please sit down. I'm sure that you have a million questions and we have a great deal to discuss. Would you like something to drink? Coffee? Water?"

Rick shakes his head no and takes a seat at the opposite end of the table from where Hunter was seated. Smith sits in between the two men on the long side of the rectangular table.

Hunter starts the conversation. "I'm sure that you're wondering why you're here.."

"No, I have a pretty good idea why I'm here, but I'm wondering about you." Rick replies, trying to not sound snarky.

Hunter gives his son a predatory smile. "Direct and to the point, good." He pauses for a brief moment looking Castle directly in the eye. "My official title is director of special operations for the NSC. Unlike all other agencies, I report only to the President who is in charge of the NSC. To put things bluntly, I am the man who watches the watchers.. I'm able to draw from whatever agencies, or branches of the military necessary to complete the task at hand. Smitty here," He gestures to Smith and smiles. "Go back over twenty years with the agency. He's one of the few people that I trust completely.. Normally, someone like Bracken would never make it on my radar. I tend to focus only on matters that effect national security.."

"Like Vaughn." Castle finishes the statement for him.

Hunter smiles. "Yes, like Vaughn. The prick wasn't satisfied making billions off of the rigged, no-bid contracts that he and Bracken had arranged. He got greedy and was selling technology to people that we really don't want to have it."

"Why didn't you simply have a 'sanction' issued?" Rick asks, using the agency's preferred term for what he actually meant, an assassination.

"Taking out Vaughn alone won't stop this. We know that his partner that was poisoned in New York was involved. We suspect that Vaughn had him killed to shift the suspicions away from himself.. The second attempt on Vaughn's life was legit and we suspect that Bracken was tied to that. It followed his MO, ex-military mercenary sniper.. He would have succeeded then if it wasn't for your 'girlfriend'."

Rick couldn't help but bristle a little at the way he referred to Beckett as his girlfriend, but decided to remain quiet. Hunter could see the anger rising in Castle's eyes and smiled knowing that she was more than just a girlfriend to his son. Or at least she was.

"Why did you involve her in all of this?" Rick asks trying to contain his anger.

"She was already up to her neck in all of this. Vaughn was pursuing her, probably at Bracken's request. She had isolated herself from everyone that could help her. Bracken preyed upon her desire to bring him to justice and she swallowed the bait, hook, line, and sinker. I saw her at the embassy party with Vaughn and knew that she was being manipulated. I tried to use her involvement with Vaughn to get evidence and give her a purpose. She had figured out that she had been played by Bracken and felt pretty foolish. I gave her a mission so she wouldn't feel totally lost."

"Gee thanks. Out of the frying pan and directly into the fire. Way to go.." Castle replies sarcastically.

Hunter gives his son an icy glare that would have resulted in most men shuddering, but not Castle. He simply returns it with equal intensity causing the old man to chuckle, thinking about Martha. "What's so funny?" Rick asks not at all pleased.

"How much you remind me of your mother." Hunter replies solemnly. "I see her passion, her determination in you.. She's the only woman that I've ever truly cared for.."

Rick listened to his father speak. He was good enough at reading people to know that Hunter was sincere. Castle knew that his father was at least partially correct about Beckett. She would have went head-first after Bracken and probably killed if he hadn't created a diversion to keep her focused. Rick wasn't pleased that it was his father's doing that put her with Vaughn, but he was the lesser of two evils.

Smith sat there and smiled at the exchange between the two men. He could see the similarities between the two, more alike than either would admit.

Rick broke the silence first asking if Beckett knew that he was his father. "She's a smart woman Richard. While she didn't say anything, I'm pretty sure she knew." Hunter replies as he looks at the manila envelope on his desk and slides it down the table to where Castle was sitting.

Castle eyes the envelope suspiciously and flips it over to open it. Inside was a black leather credential holder similar to the one he carried for years. Opening it he eyes the ID. It appears that Richard Rodgers was now an agent for the DHS. He smiled and saw that the photo used for the ID was one he recognized from his last book promotion. "So now I'm working for Homeland Security?"

"Thought that it would help you get around jurisdictional issues.. Don't worry, it's legit, or at least as legitimate as we need for this operation." Hunter replies.

"What about Mindy, I mean agent King?" Castle inquires.

"She's an active operative for the CIA, nothing changes. Smitty informed me that you brought someone into our little group without asking?" Hunter asks.

"Yes I did. Jordan Shaw FBI. She's a straight arrow and I trust her with my life. She knows how sensitive this is and will not tell anyone. I needed a contact that we could use when needed and she agreed."

"You having Beckett stay at your loft painted a target not only on you, but Alexis and Martha. You need to come up with a way of getting them both out of the city until this is resolved. I cannot watch as my granddaughter is used as a pawn to get at us again.. Or your mother.."

Rick nodded his head in understanding. He knew that Bracken would stop at nothing to achieve his goal. "Let me work on that.. I'm sure that there's a movie somewhere that needs mother's skills and maybe a semester abroad is just what Alexis needs.."

Hunter smiles seeing how his son's mind works. He had always been proud of Rick's accomplishments, but could never risk being seen with him. In spite of all his precautions, someone found out about his ties to Alexis and exploited it.

"What happens with Beckett?" Castle inquires.

"Leave that to me. I'll meet with her when she returns to DC. We'll go over the details then. I've still got some trusted contacts in the US marshall's office that will help with her new identity and relocation. It's critical that Bracken believe that she is out of the picture.."

Smith simply nods his head in agreement. "Now to the reason why we're here. My contacts in the DEA informed me that there has been a dramatic increase in the flow of cocaine from Columbia to New York city. They've lost two undercover agents in the last two months.. They were trying to infiltrate the drug ring in Washington Heights.."

"Vulcan Simmons." Castle replied angrily, remembering his encounter with the thug all those years ago.

Smith nodded. "My people did a little digging on Mr Simmons. Twenty years ago, he was a young thug and dealer for the Italian mob. He was arrested several times for various offenses and every time the charges were dropped for lack of evidence. Guess who was the ADA that decided to drop the charges?"

"William Bracken. That son of a bitch has been in his pocket all this time.." Castle cursed himself for not making the connection.

"Simmons rise to power seems to coincide with Bracken's. If we can find out what their connection is, we may be able to get evidence to put them both away.. That's where you come in Mr Castle. For Simmons to operate in the manner he has, the NYPD has to be looking the other way, at least someone with enough clout to protect him." Smith calmly states.

Hunter glances at his wristwatch and frowns. "You two can work on details later. I need to know what you need to start and how you can contact me."

"I think that I have a framework of a plan" Castle comments. "Smith and I can work on the details away from here.. I've got some contacts in low places that may provide some information on Simmons and his people." Castle pauses for a second or two, not sure how to word his request. "About agent Beckett.. Please make sure that she doesn't become another one of Bracken's victims."

Hunter actually looks a little surprised at the concern by Rick for Kate in spite of everything that has happened. "Don't worry son. I'll do everything in my power to protect her."

"Thank you." Rick rises up from his seat and extends his hand to his father.

Hunter takes his hand in his and gives it a firm squeeze. "Have a safe trip. Give your mother and daughter a hug from me."

Rick can only offer a sad smile knowing that neither can know anything about what is happening. "I will." He replies as he turns to walk out of the office as Smith follows.

X-X-X

Kate finished her shower, applied enough makeup to hide the her gaunt cheekbones and mask the dark circles under her eyes from her poor eating and sleeping habits. Satisfied that this was as good as it was going to get, she dried her hair and pulled it into a messy ponytail. Beckett gathered up her toiletries and returned them to her travel bag. She slipped into a pair of jeans and a warm sweater that she didn't recognize or remember packing. Kate guessed that Martha left it for her. She had been like a second mother to her and always seemed to be her biggest fan. Never seeing Martha again hurt to think about already.

Kate finished packing her bag and carried it out of Rick's bedroom along with her high heeled boots that she loved to wear. Martha was sitting on the couch watching some soap opera on the television and making comments to herself. "You know I was a regular on this show for two years.."

Kate realizes that Martha is talking to her, sits down on the sofa at the other end. "I didn't know that."

"It was before Richard was born. I had to take off to give birth to him and they replaced my character with someone else." Martha simply shrugs her shoulders as if it's no big deal and takes a sip of her herbal tea. "Having Richard was the best thing that ever happened to me.. You know he reminds me of his father. Not just in appearance, but in his character. We were only together a short amount of time, but he was the love of my life."

Kate sat and listened intently to Martha. Beckett had to admit that she was correct about the similarities between Castle and Hunter and not just in appearance. They both seemed to share a steely determination to get the job done no matter what it took. It was also obvious that both would do anything that had to so that their loved ones were safe. Kate wondered if she would be sitting somewhere thirty-plus years from now wondering about Rick. All she could do was reach across the sofa and give Martha's hand a gentle squeeze trying to convey her understanding.

They sat there for a few minutes just watching the television in silence when there was a knock on the door. Martha rose up from the sofa and walked to the door looking through the peep hole. She backed away and opened the door to greet Jordan standing there.

"Agent Shaw it's so good to see you again."

Shaw grins and replies. "It's good to see you too Mrs Rodgers. Is your son here?"

"No. Sorry. He was called out for business meetings earlier. Said he'd be tied up all day." Martha responds.

"That's ok. I'll call him tomorrow." Jordan replies and sees Beckett sitting on the sofa. "Are you ready to get back to DC agent?"

"Just a minute." Kate replies as she puts on her boots. Rising to her feet, she feels better with the extra inches the heels provide, more confident. She grabs her bag and walks to the foyer where Shaw is standing. Martha goes to the coat closet to retrieve the wrap that Kate was wearing when she arrive at the loft.

Martha gives it a disapproving look and shakes her head. "This will never do Katherine. Wait a minute." Martha takes off and moves up the stairs like a woman twenty years younger than she actually was. Castle's mother returns down the stairs with a dark green leather jacket, along with Alexis and Mindy. She holds the jacket in front of Beckett and comments. "This may not be the style you like, but I'm pretty sure that it will fit you.. Besides keeping warm is more important."

Kate takes the proffered jacket from Martha and tries it on. It was a little loose, but she couldn't help but be touched by the concern shown by the woman. "Thank you Martha." She replies, her voice barely above a whisper.

Jordan glanced at her watch and commented. "I hate to break things up, but you've got a seven hour car ride to look forward to."

Kate simply nods her head and reaches for her bag, but then puts it back down and walks to where Martha is standing. She wraps her arms around the woman in a tight hug. "Thank you Martha. For everything. I'll never forget you." She then places a gentle kiss on her cheek.

"It's not like you're going away forever dear. I'll see you soon." Martha replies.

Kate walks over to Alexis and gives her a hug. Alexis' body stiffens at first contact, but then she relaxes a little and returns the hug. "Goodbye Alexis."

Beckett releases Alexis from her hug and walks to where Mindy was standing and extends her hand.

Mindy shakes her hand and comments. "It was a pleasure to meet you agent Beckett."

"It was a pleasure to meet you too." Kate then leans in to whisper in her ear. "Please look after him."

Mindy smiles and nods her head as Kate picks up her bag and follows Shaw out the door and out of their lives forever..