just trying out some from the past, and really love this! Thanks for sharing!

love the quiet beauty of this piece.

Perfect, just perfection!

I was kinda disappointed Castle didn't fight harder with Kate in this episode over her decision to go backwards in her healing over her mother's death. However? I can completely understand bothCCastle's reticence to risk Kate running for a lot longer than a day or two AND Kate's struggles with trying to juggle her ddisparate feelings...

Great job!

Loved how descriptive this was and Kate's hesitancy however the end felt very abrupt and it felt like it wanted to continue or was that just me? Kaz

I really liked the description of Kate moving through the station and onto the subway car. It recalled for me the noise and over pressure you experience on the platform.

Loved this :) Nice touch Kate observing the mother and daughter too - one day that'll be her with little kiddies. She's right, her tradition's going to change eventually so why not now :D

Good Job!

This is very elegant. It fits comfortably within the Castle universe, and adds something that (I felt) the episode lacked - a more sympathetic side to Beckett. Specifically, her resolving the conflict between her past and present.

The fact that it was both smoothly written and concise probably didn't hurt the experience, either!

Gggg

Nice

Tonight is a good start. You go, Kate :)

I'm so glad you wrote this... I was thinking of Dash and Ella through that whole episode.

I'm glad that you wrote this, because Kate's part in that episode didn't sit right with me.

First off, her 'go to' instinct is to lie, again. To save her own feelings. Like when he asked her to the Hamptons. Like when she told him she didn't remember. Like when she told him she'd call.

Castle is supposed to be the "arrogant, self-centered, egotistical jackass", but Beckett is pretty darn self-centered herself. She would rather let Castle spend their first Christmas without her, without Alexis for the first time-she'd rather hurt him than open up a wee bit and be honest over her FOURTEEN year old tragedy. I feel sorry for Jim, having to spend the last 14 Christmases alone. Maybe he needed the first one or two, but I'd bet the world that he wouldn't mind seeing his daughter for Christmas these last few years.

And, as you said, Rick lets her off the hook, AGAIN. She is right. I really don't think she quite deserves him. Showing up at the last minute, when he was already coming to her...? Meh.
Sorry for the rant. I'm very happy that someone (YOU) thought that Kate needed to be thinking about someone other than herself and what she thinks she needs to be doing. (Which her mother would hate.)

Castle was very adult, and as always, very forgiving in this episode. At some point, I want him to demand honesty from her, call her on her crap. I loved that you did this in your "Dash" series. Anyway, thank you for writing.

"...the careful, measured look on his face, everything held back with that understanding smile he had, the one that reassured, soothed, let her off the hook."

I felt so bad for Castle. All he wants to do is make sure everyone he loves is together and having an amazing time and not even his girlfriend cares. How does he always remain so patient and understanding no matter how disappointed he is?