Castle's partner

Fake Smile

We check on her hourly, making sure she's still breathing.

We eat breakfast and lunch, continuing to perfect our plan.

At noon I go to check on Ross. I can see her breathing.

As I turn away I hear rustling.

"Tío?" Her small voice calls out tiredly.

"Hey Chica. How are you doing?"

I sit on her bed.

"I'm tired."

I laugh. "I don't know how, you've been asleep for more than 24 hours!"

She cracks a smile, her eyes barely open.

"Hey, they are waiting for you out there."

Her face changes to anger.

"Dijiste que no ver nadie!" (You said I wouldn't see anyone) She yells at me in Spanish, presumably because she doesn't want them to understand.

"Lo siento, pero necesitas hablar a ellos." (I'm sorry, but you need to talk to them)

She continues to argue with me for the next five minutes until she finally gives in.

"You owe me." She whispers, and puts on a fake smile.

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Ross pov

I watch my uncle walk out, and I am a bit mad. I wait and Castle comes in. I talk to him for a while about nothing, and then Ryan comes in.

"Hey."

"Hey."

He looks down at his hands.

"What am am I doing wrong?"

"What?"

"How am I supposed to raise a kid when I'm doing a crappy job of taking care of you?"

"What are you talking about Ryan?"

"You keep cutting. You won't tell anyone about it, and one of these days you're gonna cut too deep and then what? Do you know how terrible we would all feel? We went crazy and you were only gone for two weeks. Imagine if Lanie had to tell us you were gone forever. What if we were called to a crime scene, only to find your body? Don't you think-"

"Stop it!" I cut him off. "These are worst case scenarios, and I don't need this crap. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but I knew this would happen. I'm fine, okay?"

"I know you're not. And it's okay to not be okay." He sighs. "We all talked, and we decided you need a therapist. You start with Dr. Burke next week."

"No! Ryan, I do not need a therapist. I'm begging you, please don't make me do this."

"This is what's best. If it stops you from cutting then it's worth it to us. That's all we want."

"Ryan, I'm not doing it."

Upon seeing his desperation, I cave.

"Fine. Once, and if I don't want to again, I won't."

"That's not your decision to make. You need it, and you're going to do it until you aren't cutting anymore."

"Ryan! That could take months!"

"Then there's incentive for you. Stop cutting, stop therapy."

I sigh, tired of fighting him.

He kisses me on the forehead and exits, only for Beckett to come in.

I throw myself in her arms, having not seen her in more than two weeks.

"I've missed you." She whispers.

"I've missed you too Beckett."

She lets go and she looks at me.

"I'm so sorry. If I had just known what that stuff was, and I was an idiot to try and stop him. You saved my life, and in the process it almost took yours."

"Beckett, it's not your fault. I'm glad we're okay."

"But if I had just known or been smarter-"

"Beckett please don't."

She stops talking, and just looks at me.

"Things will get better. After the trial, we can take a break. You can go on dates with Oliver whenever you want."

I force a smile onto my face, causing hers to fall.

"What? Aren't you excited for that?"

I nod over enthusiastically.

She frowns and furrows her eyebrows.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"You're lying. You won't look me in the eye. I know you can't lie to me and that's why you're not looking me in the eye. What's going on?"

"Beckett, drop it." My voice has a deadly cold in it.

"No I won't drop it until you tell me-"

"We broke up alright!" I yell, and this causes the boys to come in.

"What do you mean you broke up?" Asks Beckett. "You loved him."

"No, I didn't."

She scoffs. "Yes you did. We all saw it! Around him you were happy. He made you happy. Your eyes lit up every time you saw him"

"I didn't love him." I repeat.

"You did, you just didn't want to. And you still do. Samantha, it's okay to love. It's normal. I get you don't want to be hurt, but it makes it worse pulling away. I'm assuming you broke up with him?"

"How'd you know?"

"Oliver's head over heels in love with you! Only you would be stupid enough to break it off."

"It's not stupid if the feeling isn't mutual." I say, crossing my arms over my chest.

"But it is mutual," Beckett retorts.