Fate's Bullet (A Castle Fanfiction)

Set mid-season three, shortly after Poof! You're Dead.

Castle and Beckett chase down a suspect, but when he pulls a gun on them, it's not Beckett he aims at. Castle is hit, and, having not worn his vest, falls to the ground with a bullet in his side.

After firing a single shot at the suspect and killing him, Beckett rushes over to where her partner lies on the floor. The words that tumble from her mouth force them to take a step in a direction they had avoided before.