Previously In Turning Tables:

"He remembered, Martha. And he was livid. And Alexis hates me. And I screwed everything up. And I was never stringing him along. And I want you to know, I love your son and your granddaughter and yourself, very much. I hope one day the three of you can forgive me." Martha looked at the woman dazed. It was then Katherine Beckett did what she did best. Run.

Rick left the loft fuming. His fists were clenched at his sides as he wandered aimlessly through the busy streets of New York. He hadn't decided where he was going to go; his mind was too filled with rage to form any coherent thoughts.

Rick just picked a direction and walked. He bumped into countless people, only uttering a small grunt as an apology.

How could she do this? He kept muttering. Why did she do this?

Kate's face swirled through Rick's mind. Her smile, her laugh, and her lies played on loop.

From the moment he met her at his book launch party, Rick had undeniably been attracted to Kate. Even when he was lying in that damn hospital bed with no recollection of her, there was a surge of sheer want Rick felt towards Kate.

What if…When…How come…But…I wonder…It's not…I…She…We…Maybe…

It was the honk of a taxi that broke Rick from his reverie. His eyes flew to the source of the noise. Rick quickly realized he was standing alone in the middle of a crosswalk.

"Get outta the way!" the angry cab driver yelled. Rick scurried to the nearest sidewalk before looking at his surroundings.

A drink. That's what Rick decided he needed once he realized he was only about a block away from the Old Haunt.

Rick stepped through the door of his establishment, the air rich with the smell of alcohol. The bar was mostly empty. The bartender was behind the counter organizing bottles. A young man was sitting alone in a back booth, scribbling something in a notebook. An older gentleman was perched on a bar stool, three empty beer bottles in front of him.

Rick took the stool a couple seats away. The bartender, Jason, stopped what he was doing and made his way over to Rick.

"Hey, Mr. Castle, I haven't seen you around here for a while. What can I get for you?"

"Scotch," was Castles gruff reply.

"You got it." Jason moved below the counter and came back up with a glass and Castle's favorite bottle of scotch.

"Will Detective Beckett be joining you today?" the young bartender asked as the amber liquid swirled around in the crystal glass.

For the briefest of seconds Beckett was there, her body pressed against him, the aroma of cherries assaulting his senses as she held the precious fruit between her teeth, oh so seductively. It was almost as if he could feel the heat radiating off of her body and her curls brush his face ever so lightly.

Jason clearing his throat broke Castle's daze.

"No. Detective Beckett won't be back here for a while," Rick replied his hand reaching out and tightening around his drink. He couldn't help but notice the ever so slight look of disappointment that crossed the bartenders face. Rick shook it off as he brought his drink to his lips. "Thanks Jason."

Castle downed his drink, fast.

"Keep 'em coming," he grumbled before Rick drank himself into oblivion.

Kate left the loft with her vision blurred by tears. She stumbled out onto the sidewalk and was thrown into a crowd of people, letting herself get pushed along, not caring that she was going in the opposite direction of her apartment.

She needed to stop and think but she didn't know where to go. She couldn't go into a coffee shop because the thought of him was too overpowering and Kate knew she wouldn't be able to think straight. The same went for the bookstore. She couldn't sit and contemplate everything with his face on a book-jacket only a few feet away.

When she thought of the park, Kate thought of him taking Alexis to play every day when she was little.

When she thought of a bar, she pictured them sitting together at the Old Haunt.

Heck, she couldn't look at the sky without picturing his blue eyes.

Kate let out a long groan before deciding to head to Lanie's.

"Come on in, girl," Lanie said, ushering her friend inside when she saw Kate's tear stained cheeks. "Kate what happened?"

Lanie took her hand and led Kate over to her sofa. She grabbed a box of tissues off of the coffee table and turned off the television before turning back to her distressed friend.

"I was an idiot Lanie and everyone was right. I should have never talked Martha and Alexis into lying to Rick," Kate managed to answer without sobbing. She'd managed to get her tears to completely stop just before she ended up on Lanie's doorstep but just because Kate wasn't crying didn't mean her words hurt any less.

"He got his memories back? How?"

Kate kicked off her heels and tucked her feet underneath her.

"He hit his head," Kate sighed. "We were playing laser tag and he tripped over a stupid coffee table and hit his head. I don't think he was unconscious but he was slow to respond for a few moments. Then when he fully came to…oh Lanie, he was livid." Kate heard her voice break as she uttered that final sentence.

Lanie looked at her friend with sad eyes but said nothing. Kate looked at her, hoping for some mind-blowing advice that would solve everything but she knew that wouldn't come. There was a long silence before Lanie spoke again.

"Sweetie, are you sorry about lying to him or are you sorry he found out?"

"I'm sorry about lying to him," Kate immediately responded. "I'm sorry I tried to take away years of his life. I'm sorry I prevented him remember time with Alexis. I'm sorry I made him suffer like that. I'm sorry I tried to make him forget about Ryan and Esposito and you. I love him, Lanie, and I just wanted to protect him but it blew up in my face. I'm sorry about everything."

"Then you need to tell him about that, Kate. Call him, text him, meet up with him; show up at his house, you just need to tell him everything you just told me. And I'd do it sooner rather than later."

"Thanks, Lanie," Kate said standing up. She hugged her friend before turning to the door.

"And Katherine Beckett, don't think I didn't catch the "I love him" part. I'm just waiting to grill you about it when you're in a little better mood."

Kate let herself laugh as she sorted out how to apologize.

A/N: Let's see how this apology goes... ;)