Fate's Case (a Castle Fan Fiction)

Dead or Alive

"Kris! Kris! No, Rick, let me go! Kris!" Kate screamed and kicked in his arms. Her tears soaked his should as his own tears soaked hers. He felt her slowly giving up as he set her against the wall and covered her mouth.

"Kate, Kate. She's gone, she's gone."

"No. No, she's not. Kris!" The stinging of the water streaming down his fast blurred his eyes as he placed his hand on her mouth. Brushing her hair back with the other hand, he maintained his crushed composure.

"Kate, it's okay. She's- she can't hear you. She's in a better place. She's alright. She's fine." The dark halls covered in the yellow light from the setting sun in the windows glistened white in her eyes. As she gave up, she fell immovably into his arms. The one thing Castle'd never understood was how parents ever kept composure in the precinct when their kids died. All he wanted to do was scream and hold Kris in his arms again. Yet, somehow, he was completely calm, holding his fiancé, the woman he loved, close in his arms. Remaining strong for her was the most important thing in the world.

She, on the other hand, couldn't do it anymore. She couldn't be strong, she couldn't be happy, she couldn't do anything but cry. As she remained in his arms, her morose grieving finger laced themselves in the tips of his hair and felt the beating of his heart. She would gladly have given her life to save her daughter's. As she held him, tighter with every tear, she mourned the loss of her child. The unforgiving darkness that surrounded her, the swirling clouds of anguish and torment that had securely latched onto her scarred heart all brought the storm, the pain, the horrors that were the rumble of her life.

In the last three days, her entire life had been flipped upside down and her heart had grown three sizes only to be ripped to shreds. She felt like her insides had been pulled into a gooey mess and she was alone in the world. She felt like- like- like throwing up. As she stood, running through the door on the third floor, she ran to the nearest bathroom and did exactly that. The lack of relief that gave was extremely painful and when Richard came through the door, the tears continued. As she sat, Richard pulled a paper towel and handed it to her to wipe the combination tears and makeup from her face.

Then, just as in the past, as she wiped the tears she turned into what she was meant to be. A super cop. "Castle, where's my gun."

"Kate- I'm not letting you go get yourself killed."

"My gun, Rick. Now."

"No. No, I can't just sit by and let you die."

"Well then, it's a good thing it's not your choice. I am a homicide Detective of the NYPD, now let me go kill the sons of bitches that killed my daughter."

"I will not give you a death sentence. You want your gun? Find it yourself. You brought it into this hospital."

"Rick, I love you, and if you love me, or loved Kris you would let me kill these guys."

"You think Kris wants you dead?! You think Kris died just to see a third mother go with her?! She died to save you, to save me, to save us all. She wouldn't want me to give you the gun and I, along with her, will stand by those actions and not let you become a martyr for your cause. She wouldn't want that and neither do I."

"You think I'm doing this for me? Castle-."

"Rick! Dear god, I'm your fiancé, it's Rick!"

"You think I care right now? Our daughter's dead, Rick. So for all I care I could be calling you Kitten and you would have to just deal with it. Now give me my gun."

"Fine. You know what, it's your life. But don't hate me if I'm not going to just sit here and watch you die. Here's your damn gun." He pulled it from the back of his pants and put it in her hand." Just remember what's at stake here. You walk through that door and the marriage, the wedding, us in general is over. And for the second time in my life, I'm leaving your future in your anger driven hands and am praying to God you make the right choice and live. Because I love you."