Castle's partner

Mistake

My anger controls me as I continue out onto the busy New York sidewalks.

My heart is racing, and my hands are balled into fists.

No one understands, everyone will side with him.

I groan in frustration.

I could have gotten to Tyson sooner if it weren't for Castle.

And Castle thought this was the right thing to do.

I'm not five! I can make my own decisions and take my own risks!

And why does he think he can do that? He's not my father! He does not have that authority.

I walk, and I walk. I don't pay attention to where I am until a middle aged woman stops me in the middle of my thoughts to ask me for directions. I feel bad I can't help her, I don't know where I am.

As she walks away, I also realize the sun is mostly set, and the darkness is rolling in quickly.

The sky turns brilliant shades of orange and red because of the summer sun, casting colorful shadows across the remaining clouds.

If it's getting dark, it must be late.

I won't be able to make it back to the precinct before dark, there's no way. I'm at least ten miles away and it took a couple hours to walk that far.

However, I refuse to ask for help.
My phone is in my pocket on silent, and I probably have dozens of missed calls.

I don't care though, I'm not going back. Screw that, I'm done.

I continue until I find a park, and it seems nice. No homeless, clean, well kept. I'll be safe here for the night.

I crawl under the platform for the monkey bars. I have plenty of room, the platform is five feet tall. I could almost stand.

I lay down, resting my head on my arm, hoping I can sleep and sort out my problems.

I pull out my case file, looking over it like I do every day.

I find nothing new. Same suspects, same evidence, same. Same. Same.
Then, out of nowhere, a shot rings out. Just one, but enough to cause searing pain in my chest.

I look down, and blood is everywhere.

I fall to the floor, and somehow Castle appears by my side.

"No, you weren't supposed to be working the case! I was trying to keep you safe!"

"You didn't..." is all I can mutter. "You didn't."

My eyes fly open as someone grabs me, and I instinctively pull away.

As I wake up, a bitterly cold wind stings my face.

There is a single lamppost in the park that throws a yellow glow across the man in front of me.

"Castle?" I whisper fiercely.

I get up and start walking away, but I hear him following me.

"Wait, wait." He grabs my hand. "I know you're mad at me, but please come with me. Spend the night with me, you can't be out here alone it's not safe. We don't have to talk if you don't want to, I just need to know you're safe."

I cross my arms over my chest.

"How did you find me?"

"I tracked the GPS in your phone, like when I found you in Sacramento."

I shake my head. "Unbelievable."

"Samantha, please. I know there are a lot of things I've done in the last twenty four hours that have pissed you off, but please come with me. One night."

I glare at him. I really want to say no, but there's no point.

"Fine. But no pancakes tomorrow."

"O-Okay. C'mon."

He leads me to the car, and I get in. It's silent the whole way to his loft.

He opens the door to let us in.

"Alexis is at a friend's for the night and my mother is at a spa retreat in the Hampton' s. Do you want anything to drink or eat?"

"Water's fine."

He grabs a water bottle from the fridge, and I sit at a bar stool.

He stands across from me.

"Castle, you lied to me."

"I know, I made a mistake and I'm really sorry-"

"That's not my point. My point is that I don't know what else you've lied about. Maybe everything. Maybe, maybe you don't really love me."

He comes around the counter and takes my hand.

"Hey, that's not true. I love you so much. That's why I did this." He sighs. "I promised your aunt I would take care of you. I haven't done a very good job."

"But that's not your job. You didn't need to do this."

"You'd be dead."

"Not your job..." I repeat.

"What?"

"Castle, that man, he said he could do things that couldn't be traced back to him. You don't think the poison,"

He catches my drift. "And your shooting,"

"It was them?"

He looks at me.

"Honestly, I have no idea."

Then a half grin appears on his face.

"Why no pancakes?"

I shrug.

"I've never liked pancakes."

"You said your family ate them all the time, and Ryan's made them for you and so have I."

"I'm not one to complain, and back then I didn't really have a choice. Pancakes are about the cheapest breakfast you can have."

"Oh. Speaking of food, you need to eat. When's the last time you actually ate?"

"I don't know." I mumble.

"Well then what do you want?"

"I want to go to bed Castle."

"Alright," he gives in. "Go get in bed."

He hugs me, but I dodge his kiss.

"Castle I'm still really mad at you. I'm surprised I haven't attacked you yet."

He nods. "Okay. We can fix this, I know we can."

"Yeah. Goodnight Castle."

"Goodnight. If you have a nightmare again, I'm here."

"Again?"

"I woke you up from one at the park. You were mumbling something like 'you didn't'."

"Oh. Then yeah, again. Goodnight Castle."

I make my way to the comfy bed and bury myself in pillows.