Continuation and conclusion of the last chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own Castle or it's characters.

Getting Up

My eyes were heavy, but I desperately tried to open them, so I could wake up. Once I got them partially opened, all I could see was bright light which made me close them again. I let out a small groan as I tried to sit up a bit in this very uncomfortable bed I was currently in. I opened my eyes fully this time, and realized I was in a hospital room. I looked out the window to the right of me, and noticed that the sun was coming up, so it was early morning. I looked to the left of me and found my aunt sleeping silently in one of the leather hospital chairs.

I vaguely remember what happened the other day, and it was a little foggy, but part of me is happy to still be alive. I looked down at my body, and noticed I had a whole bunch of wires and IV's attached to me, and my hand was bandaged from hitting the mirror in Castle's bathroom. Everything that happened after hitting the mirror, seemed to be like a blur. I was trying to piece it together as my mind started to get back on track, but I was having a little bit of trouble putting the pieces together fully. I kind of remembered downing the pills that I had, then puking a couple of times, and going in and out of consciousness. I slightly remember someone calling my name, and I think it was Castle, but other than that, my mind is kind of blank.

I wasn't quite sure how this conversation was going to go, and I wasn't sure if I was ready for it, but I figured I should wake my aunt up, so she knew that I was okay. I took a small breath, before I hesitantly called out to my aunt, "Aunt Kate… Aunt Kate…"

She stirred slightly in the seat she was occupying, and I watched her eyes flutter open slowly. She turned her head towards me and gave me a soft smile. She took my small hand in her petite one, and said with tear filled eyes, "I'm so glad you're okay Emily… You don't know how worried I was."

"I know… I'm really sorr…" I started to say before she cut me off, squeezing my hand tenderly in the process, "Em, there is nothing to be sorry for. If anyone should be sorry, it should be me. I shouldn't have ignored you, I should have listened to you every time you came to my office, and I didn't. I let you down when I said I'd always be there for you no matter what."

"Don't be so hard on yourself Aunt Kate. I should have tried to say something a lot sooner, when everything started to bother me, but I held it in. I knew you and Castle were busy with your own lives, and I tried to manage my own."

"Emily, you shouldn't have had to go through that alone. Even though Castle and I have been working on our own mess that I wound up getting ourselves into, I should have known that I was bringing you down with it. I'm not just your aunt anymore, I'm practically your mother, and I have to remember that. I have to be a parent and start acting like one… I never in a million years would have thought this is how I'd wind up being a mother, especially to my niece, but I'm happy it did. My sister, your mother, wasn't the best, but there is still part of me that wants to do her proud, and make sure that you beat this world. I want to see you grow up, and not hurt like this, to be happy and healthy. But I failed… These 14 hours have been hell, and all I could do was evaluate everything I've done wrong, and what made you go down this path."

Aunt Kate's tears were trailing down her face, and at this moment, so were mine. I squeezed my aunts hand just like she did mine not to long ago, and tried to reassure her, "You did nothing wrong… This was out of your control aunt Kate. Sure, it would have been nice to have someone to talk to, but what happened at school… I think it was more than we could have handled."

"No, Em… I could have pulled you from school, or gotten Mike and Stacey expelled. I could have put you back in therapy and you'd be able to get some professional help, so you didn't have to… didn't have to resort to this…"

"Possibly, but it's over now. Everything happened already, and we can't go back. We just have to move forward and figure things out… Start over."

She smiled sadly and wiped a few tears with her free hand, "I guess your right about that. It's funny, the whole time you were unconscious, I was sitting here, trying to figure out how to comfort you and tell you that it was going to be okay, but you wound up comforting me in some weird way."

"We comfort each other… Just having you by my side is enough to tell me that you love me and will be there for me through thick and thin."

"Of course I will. Starting today, I'm going to be better at this, an aunt, a parent, that you always needed. No matter what I'm doing, or wrapped up in, if you need anything, anything at all, I will drop everything to be with you, and let you tell me whatever you need to tell me."

"Does that mean you're coming back home?"

"Uh… It's complicated Em…"

"Aunt Kate, you can't stay away forever. I know your only doing this to look for Loksat, but…" Aunt Kate looked at me with wide eyes, and cut me off, "How do you know that?"

"It's really not that hard to figure out. I'm surprised no one else figured it out. First off, it was clear that Allison Hyde wasn't behind everything, just a pawn in this very twisted chest game. The real Loksat is still out there, and you want to find whoever it is. I know you won't let it go aunt Kate, it's who you are, but I wish you didn't have to leave us."

She chuckled awkwardly while running both hands down her face. She looked at me sympathetically before she said, "You weren't supposed to know that Em. I was trying to keep you as far away from this as possible."

"I'm mini Beckett… I have a little bit of you, my mom, and your mother in me. Of course I could figure this out, and if you think I'm going to stay as far away from this like you want me too, than you are wrong. I just want my aunt back, I want my family back. You and Castle have been everything I've always wanted… A real mother and father, a true family. Having Alexis, Mrs. Rodgers, and everyone at the precinct is an awesome bonus. But for these last few months I was losing all of you… I thought that maybe I wasn't supposed to be happy and have a real family like some of these other kids have."

She moved to sit next to me on my hospital bed, and pulled me close to her, placing a kiss on my head before resting her head on top of it. She rubbed my right arm soothingly as she spoke softly to me, "I don't want you to feel that way Em. I want to do everything in my power to make you have that. Your life has been anything but easy since the day you were born. I may not be done with Loksat yet, but I'm going to approach it from a different light."

"What do you mean?" I asked with a sigh.

"Well, I recruited someone to help me out. With his help, maybe I can solve this case much faster, and be able to finally relax, and be that happy little family."

I shot up after her words sunk in, and asked her excitedly, "Are you and Castle back together!? Is that who you're working with!?"

She laughed wholeheartedly, and said, "Shh… Calm down, Em. I don't want you to over exert yourself after what happened."

"Sorry," I said sheepishly, before I rested against her shoulder once again.

"Yes, Castle and I are together again…" I cut her off and said, "I feel there is a but coming…"

"You'd be correct. But it's a secret."

"Why do I feel like we've gone back three years?"

"Em…"

"So, you won't be coming home?"

She sighed and said, "I'm not sure yet Emily. Loksat could still be around, and I want it to still look like Castle and I are split."

"Well, at least this is progress."

"Don't worry Em… Hopefully I'll be able to move back in sooner rather than later, and I'll make sure I'm around more often too, okay?"

"Fine, as long as I get to see you around more."

"I promise."

It was silent between us, and the only thing we could hear was our breaths, along with my bedside monitor beeping away. I sighed and broke the silence between us, "Aunt Kate?"

"Yes, Em."

"Do you think… Do you think I could?"

"Think you could what?"

"Call you mom…"

"Umm… Sure… If you want to, if you're up to it…"

"I've been thinking about this for a while, actually. Before you and Castle adopted me. I just, I thought it'd be weird, but truthfully, you're more of a mother to me than my real mom ever was. Sure, we've had our ups and downs, but you still felt more like a motherly figure to me."

"I'm glad you feel that way Emily. I wouldn't want anything more than to be your mother, and whenever you feel comfortable, don't hesitate to call me that."

"Thanks… Mom."

She smiled brightly, and said, "Anytime."

"Think Castle would let me call him Dad?"

She chuckled softly and said, "I don't know… Why don't I text him to come in, and you can ask him yourself?"

"All right."

She texted Castle, and not but a minute later, Castle was running into my room and pulling me into a tight embrace.

"Mini Beckett, I'm so happy you're okay. You had me so worried," he said as he continued to hug me tightly.

"I'm sorry you had to find me like that," I said.

"You remember?"

"Barely, but I do remember you calling out to me… Telling me to hold on. I was in and out…"

"I'm just glad I found you when I did."

"Me too," my aunt said as she smiled softly at her husband.

"Kate said that you have something to ask me, what is it?"

"Well, I asked if I could call Aunt Kate my mom. So, I was wondering," Castle cut me off and said, "Yes!"

I raised a brow at him and said, "I didn't even ask you yet…"

"Sorry… I got excited."

"So, can I call you dad?"

"Of course you can Emily. This makes me the happiest man on earth, because I officially have two daughters now."

I giggled at him and said, "I'm glad you guys are okay with this."

"Why wouldn't we be Em?" My aunt asked.

"I don't know… I just thought it'd be weird or something."

"Lots of family's do these kinds of things all the time. From foster children, adopted children, and other situations like ours."

"Yeah, and that's the most wonderful feeling we can get. To have a child who isn't our biological one, to call us their mom or dad. It tells us that you love us and trust us enough to put us on that same pedestal that you would have your real mom or dad on," Castle explained.

"I see your points… It's just gonna be tough to get used to," I said.

"It is, but you'll know when you're ready, and eventually it'll come naturally," my aunt said.

"Yeah, you're right."

Hours went by as we sat around with each other in my boring hospital room. I had to get checked occasionally by my doctor, but he said that I was stable, and that everything seemed normal, so I'd be able to go home in about a day or two. We were all relieved by that, and I couldn't wait to get out of here. It feels like I've spent most of my life in and out of hospital rooms, and it wasn't always for me.

Also, as the hours past, I got a visit from Alexis and Martha, who were both in tears as they gave me hugs and words of support. They felt bad for not being there for me, but I reassured them that it was fine, and that it wasn't their faults. Lanie, Esposito, and Ryan came to visit me as well, and it made me overjoyed that I had so many people who cared about me. Today has really reassured me that I'll never be alone, and that there will always be someone I could go to and be able to trust with my problems.

Once everyone left, after giving me their words of encouragement, I was left with my aunt and uncle once again. I knew another serious talk was bound to happen, and it was better that we have it sooner rather than later. The main point being about school, and the peers who made me go down this road. I decided to bring it up since it was on my mind, and asked, "Do I have to go back?"

"Go back where?" Aunt Kate asked me with confusion.

"To school… my school."

My aunt and Castle looked at each other for a brief second, probably trying to figure out how to respond to my question, before Aunt Kate replied, "Well, you have to go to school Em. I can try to enroll you into a new one before the next half starts, but I'm not quite sure where to go."

"I know, but I don't want to go back there. I can't go back there."

"Emily," Castle started to say, and when I turned my attention over to him, he continued, "If you are worried about Stacey and Mike, we can get them expelled and out of the school. You won't have to see them anymore."

"I was thinking about getting them expelled, but regardless, I'll still be the black sheep of the whole school. Plus, getting the two of them expelled will only make things worse there. I can't deal with all the stares and whispers anymore, it sucks… it really does."

Aunt Kate sat next to me on my bed once again, and said, "Emily, I can't imagine what you've been going through for the past couple of months. I know that you don't want to go back, but if we don't have any other options, then you just might have to."

"Well, I was wondering if I could enroll in another type of school."

"Like a Catholic school, or boarding school?" Castle asked.

I gave him a strange look and said, "No… I meant online schooling."

"Hmm… Online schooling…"

"That could be a good step for you, at least for now," my aunt said with a sigh.

"I think so too. Maybe taking a break from a real school environment for a while and working in the comfort of your own home will be better for you," Castle said.

"Yeah, so you'll let me do that? I can take classes from home?" I asked.

"Yes, you can take online classes. We'll look for one over the break, and enroll you, how's that?" my aunt asked.

"Sounds great."

"But about Stacey and Mike."

I slouched down a bit in my bed and said, "I don't want to talk about them."

"I know you don't want to talk about them, but they have to be held accountable for their actions."

"They didn't put me in the hospital."

"Technically they did, mini Beckett. They bullied you and pushed you to your limits, they should get punished for their actions," Castle said.

"I guess so, but I don't want to go back there. I don't want to face the two people who did this to me."

"Em, I know this'll be difficult for you, but do you really want them getting away with this, and possibly do this to another student," Aunt Kate said with a sigh.

"Your aunt's right Emily, and their next target might not be so lucky," Castle chimed in.

"No, I don't want them to hurt anyone else. I guess we can try and get them expelled and what not," I said.

My aunt stroked my hair soothingly, and said, "I'm glad that you're going to stand up to them, even if it's hard for you. Just know that we'll be by your side the whole time, and after this, you won't have to go back anymore."

"Thanks aunt Kate."

"You're welcome. Now get some rest, you're not fully out of the clear yet."

"Okay…"

Within the next few days, I was able to get out of the hospital and head back home, which was great because the hospital was starting to get boring. Then once I got home, the weeks started to fly by, but they were an awesome three weeks. We celebrated Christmas together, and Aunt Kate and Castle found me an online school to go to which was fantastic because now I get to spend more time at home, and not around hundreds of kids who are annoying and cruel.

Speaking of annoying and cruel kids, today was the day I came face to face with my nemesis once again. We were going to my middle school for the first time since that dreadful day happened, and part of me was extremely nervous, while the other part was ready to get this over with, so I never had to come here again. When we went inside the building and got into the principal's office, I saw the two people who were the main reason we were here.

We all crowded into the principal's office silently, the three of us took a seat in a chair, while the parents/guardians stood behind their respected child. Thankfully Mike was sitting next to me, because if it was Stacey, I don't think I'd be able to control myself. Mrs. Sheffield, our principal, came in along with a couple administrators, and she sat down at her desk looking at the three of us with defeat.

"So, we all know why we are here today?" she said.

It was quiet between all of us, until Stacey's father spoke up, "I don't think my daughter has anything to do with this. My Stacey is a great young lady, who's been on the honor roll all year, and helps volunteer with her mother every other week at the homeless shelter we own. These two delinquents probably set this whole thing up."

"Mr. Mathews, I understand that your daughter is a wonderful student, but I have several witnesses, and not to mention footage, of several scenarios which she bullied her peer, Emily Beckett," he huffed while crossing his arms, and our principal continued, "Now, I've been going over these accusations that Emily has brought up about Stacey and Mike, and have found proper evidence to support her claims. Bullying is not excepted here, or anywhere, and it can lead to horrific scenarios that can lead to death, especially for the children who receive the brunt of it. Sadly, Emily has been pushed to her limits and we almost lost her because of what you two did. Did you know that bullying could lead to someone trying to end their life?"

"No, ma'am…" Mike grumbled sadly.

"I guess not," Stacey said with a huff.

"Well, it can, and it almost did. I am very disappointed in the two of you, and you've disgraced this school with what you've done. Do you have anything to say for yourselves?" Mrs. Sheffield asked them.

"I feel horrible for what I did," Mike groveled helplessly to her before he turned to me and said, "I didn't mean to do this Emmy. I was blind sided by my own feelings and I didn't think about yours. Please forgive me. I never meant for you to do what you did… I really didn't."

I shook my head at him with the roll of my eyes, before I looked away, so I didn't have to look at his pathetic face. Mike sighed and said, "I really am sorry…"

My principal nodded and said, "I know you are Mike, but it's a little late for that now. Stacey, do you have anything to say?"

"No, I do not," Stacey said.

"All right, before I give you your punishments, I would like to speak to your parents and guardians alone. Mr. Rodriguez will escort the three of you out into the main office, and you'll wait there until further notice. Behave yourselves, we don't want to make things worse."

The three of us left the room, following Mr. Rodriguez closely as we reached the main office. I stayed as far away as Stacey as I possibly could, and Mike decided to come over to me with tears still flowing down his face.

"Why wont you except my apology?" he asked.

"Why should I? You didn't do anything to stop her, you let it happen, and not to mention, you went along with it," I said back to him.

"I was stupid okay… I'm only fourteen years old, I'm bound to make stupid decisions like these."

"Doesn't matter… You sill hurt me Mike, and I can't forgive you for that."

"I understand, I just hope one day, if we ever cross paths again, you'll be able to forgive me."

"Who knows, but for now, please just leave me alone."

"Yeah Mike, just leave her alone. She doesn't want your stupid apology, because she's already getting back at us by ruining our lives," Stacey said as she walked over.

I noticed the administrator was busy flirting with the receptionist, and since he wasn't paying attention to us, she was able to be near me. Mike glared at Stacey and said, "You stay out of this. You're the one that made all of this happen."

"It's not my fault your ex-girlfriend is weak and couldn't handle a little bullying."

"Shut up, you're such a bitch…"

She pushed Mike and said, "Think you're tough, huh? You're the one who followed me like a puppy and did everything I told you to do."

"Leave him alone. You just can't handle that you're getting in trouble for what you've done, and now you're doing everything in your power to take everyone down with you."

"Standing up for you boyfriend, huh? Do you still like him?"

"No, but I'm not going to let you take your issues out on him."

She got close to my face with a sharp glare on her own, and said, "What are you going to do about it?"

"Don't push me," I said glaring at her.

She poked me hard in the shoulder, and the rage inside me flared. I grabbed her shoulders and went to throw her to the floor, but she grabbed onto me before I could fully take her down, and we went tumbling to the floor together. We tussled on the floor together, and I heard several people yelling and telling us to stop. Everything seemed like slow motion as we fought with each other on the floor, and I couldn't even tell what was happening between us or around us. There were a pair of arms wrapped around my waist, and the person hoisted me off her, and tried to carry me to the door of the office.

I struggled in their grasp, still flailing around like a mad person, so I could break free, and get to Stacey. They achieved their goal of taking me out to the hall, and I still desperately tried to get back to Stacey. They set me down, feet first, onto the sleek, tiled floor of the halls, and they continued to hold my arms, so I couldn't go anywhere. I was panting heavily from my exertion of the fight, and I said, "Let me kill her… Just let me go…"

Two other pair of hands went to my cheeks, touching them gently, and my aunt looked me dead in the face, "Emily, calm down. This is not the way to go about this. They are already getting punished, you just have to calm down, okay?"

"But she… She…"

"I know, she provoked you Emily. I just need you to relax, and breath."

I was still breathing heavy, but I nodded and said softly, "Okay."

The hands holding me back let me go, and I embraced aunt Kate into a hug, while sobbing into her shirt. She hushed me and rubbed my back caringly as she tried to comfort me.

Eventually, everyone had settled down enough to finish our meeting, and we were back in the principal's office. I had a bloody nose and a bruised cheek, while Stacey had a cut lip and a black eye. Mrs. Sheffield let out a sigh, and said, "Emily and Stacey, I was hoping to get through the rest of this meeting without you two getting into a confrontation, but I guess that didn't happen. Since everything has already been decided, and this little incident that just occurred has no effect on it what so ever, we'll just go on as normal. With that said, Mike and Stacey, you are hereby expelled from school, and will have to figure out a new place to further your education. Emily, you have already been transferred to your new school, and I wish you the very best with everything. That is all, and if anyone wants to talk further about these decisions, you may stay."

My family and Mike's family decided to leave, but Stacey's family decided to stay behind, probably to figure out how to reverse the decision. Mike and I went our separate ways, but before we were completely out of sight, Mike looked back at me one last time, and I gave him a small nod, even though I didn't completely forgive him for what he's done. I knew we might not see each other ever again, and I didn't want to leave our last time seeing each other on a bad note, so I gave us a little bit of closure, at least I hope.

We arrived home, and the three of us sat on Castle's couch with silence between us. I twiddled with my fingers as I waited for someone to speak up, and it happened to be Castle to break the silence, "How are you feeling Emily?"

"I'm just glad it's over. I'm sorry for attacking Stacey like that," I said.

"It's not your fault, Em. I'm sure she provoked you," my aunt said.

"She did… I tried to stand up to her after she pushed Mike, and then she poked me, so I let her have it."

"Well, at least you'll never have to deal with her again, and hopefully with this new online school, you'll be able to get through your studies without any more challenges from peers."

"Yeah, I guess that's true."

"You know, I have to say, you are much strong than you look mini Beckett," Castle said with a soft chuckle.

I giggled back at him and asked, "Really?"

"Yeah, you don't know how many times I almost let go of you when you tried to break free and get back to Stacey."

"I guess I'm as strong as my aunt, huh?"

"Not quite… I think you still have a little way to go before you master my strength," my aunt said with a smirk.

"We'll see…"

"Since we're all back together again, and Emily has been going through a lot, why don't we have a little pick-me-up lunch date? Spend some quality family time together," Castle said.

"Sounds good to me, how about you Em?" Aunt Kate asked me.

"Sounds great. Any extra time I get to spend with you guys is a dream come true," I said.

"All right, let's go, and maybe we'll get the good seat by the desert table," Castle said.

"Ooh, yeah. We had good pickings that last time."

"Yeah, and those little chocolate truffle cakes."

Castle and I both groaned in delight and my aunt just followed us along to the door while rolling her eyes with a small smile on her lips. I know not every day will be wonderful like this, but I feel like I'm starting over, we're starting over. Soon this whole Loksat mess will be done, and then we'll really be able to spend more time like this together, just like we used to. I just hope nothing happens in the meantime, that could possibly destroy our possibility of having a happy and normal family, like we do now.