Two more weeks.

After the release of her husband's latest novel, the most natural thing for his publicist to do was to whisk him away from his family for a period of time to do his book signings across the country.

She sighed. She signed up for this.

(Although, she does feels justified sometimes. Her odd hours at the precinct balances out his impromptu book signings and guest appearances. She could call it even.)

She picked up her phone and scrolled through her contacts, pressing his name on the screen. He picked up after the first ring.

"To what do I owe this pleasure, my darling wife?" Rick's voice was warm and loving even through the phone, making her smile a bit.

"I still have a week before I get back to work," Kate reminded him, even though she knows he never forgot. "Might as well check up on you to see if you're still alive."

"Well, rest assured that I still have a pulse."

"Good to know."

They paused for a bit. She peeked outside their room to see if the door in front of theirs was still slightly opened; it was. She returned to her side of the bed.

"How are you holding up over there?" She propped her legs up on the bed, leaning against the pillows.

"Nothing much. Missing you, of course. Did a few interviews, signed a few books, a few chests-,"

"Castle."

"Just kidding."

"You better be."

"Promise. I can't wait to come home; it's like these days have been dragging on and on and I can't stand being away from you for so long." She could actually hear him pout on the other line.

"Same here. But at least I'm quite occupied so it's not that bad." Kate smiled.

"Ugh, I'm so jealous. I miss my little mouse. How is she, by the way?" Rick's voice softened at the thought of their small daughter, prompting Kate's heart to skip beats.

A middle aged couple was found dead at a crime scene a little over half a year ago. The reports say that the man was abusive and had a drinking problem, shooting his wife in a drunken rage before shooting himself to avoid facing multiple charges.

They found a small girl who couldn't be older than two or three underneath the bed in the master's bedroom, unconscious. Kate was the one who was able to find her. Her insides wrenched as she picked the child up, dead weight in her arms, and carried her outside in a rush to get her medical attention.

For some unexplainable reason, Kate couldn't distance herself away from the child that had been so recklessly raised up. She was there when the child woke up, introducing herself simply as Kate instead of as a cop. The child was understandably confused at the complete 180 turn, from being neglected and abused to being cared for and doted on, and couldn't help but be wary of anyone who came near her.

Kate was persistent, though. She stayed by the little girl's side, trying to make her feel more comfortable with her. Always asking for permission first before doing something. Allowing the girl to initiate contact instead of vice versa. It took a few weeks but it was worth seeing everyone's reactions when they found the detective sitting on the hospital bed with the child resting in her arms.

Naturally, Kate asked her husband if they could take her in. Allow her to experience a real childhood free from hurt and beatings and harsh words.

Rick couldn't think that he could love his wife more than he already did.

They were granted temporary custody after the first meeting with the social worker. Then after a few more months, temporary became permanent.

"Napping as of now." Kate said, her voice a tad bit lower. It was quiet for a second before she grinned as a memory flashed through her mind. "She called me Mama yesterday. I couldn't stop smiling."

"Oh my God, Kate, that's amazing! Please tell me you had it on video."

"Rick, she's four. I would've sent it to you by now if she were only a few months old, but that's clearly not the case," Kate admonished, but then added, "I was able to record her voice, though."

"Send it to me immediately. God, Kate, I'm so happy for you both. Is she talking a lot now? I hate missing out on so much." Rick was now talking a mile a minute, his excitement getting the best of him.

Kate only laughed. God, he was so sincere.

"She talks a bit; you know, little words. But she's slowly coming out of her shell and dear God, Rick, she's just so precious." Kate beamed, her voice light and warm from just talking about her daughter. "I know she understands a whole lot more than what she can say, though. She has a permanent thinking face on."

"I can imagine." Rick grinned. His phone beeped, indicating that he was supposed to be on his way to the next book signing. He sighed loudly, giving his wife a clear signal. "Kate, I have to go."

"I know."

"Did you already send the recording?" Rick asked, a little too eagerly. He wedged his phone between his ear and his shoulder as he used both hands to put on his shoes.

"I will, once you hang up."

"Okay, then I really have to go. I'll call you after the signing, alright? Give little mouse a kiss for me."

"Alright. Love you."

"I love you too."

He hung up. As promised, Kate navigated through her phone to find the recording, sending it once she did. With a slightly guilty smile, she played it for the nth time today.

"Good morning, baby," Kate whispered, nuzzling her nose against her daughter's cheek. She saw a faint trace of a smile on her lips, her eyes bright when she fluttered them open. She was so precious. "Do you wanna come eat breakfast with me?"

She received a small nod before sitting up, stretching slightly. She was still healing. The child looked up at the person who'd done so much for her before apprehensively leaning against her arm.

Kate smiled, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, dropping a kiss on the crown of her head.

"Pancakes?" Her daughter asked in a small but clear voice. Kate sensed that she was obviously bracing for rejection; poor thing.

"Of course. You want some fruit with that, too?" She offered, picking her up and settling her on her hip as she walked down the stairs.

Kate set her on a high stool first before maneuvering her way around the kitchen to get ingredients for the requested meal.

"Do you want strawberries?" Kate asked by the fridge, holding out a plastic case for her to see. She nodded with a shy but eager smile on her face, her loose curls bouncing slightly.

"Yes, please." Her daughter said in that adorable voice.

She was using her words. Kate felt her heart swell with pride.

Having a feeling that her daughter was going to be talking a little more today, she decided to press voice record on her phone and kept it face down on the counter after laying out the ingredients.

"I help?" Her voice was more uncertain now. She looked so eager but was constantly fearful of how Kate might react.

With a soft smile, Kate replied, "Of course, Ava."

She measured out the ingredients and let her daughter pour them into the bowl, as well as let her mix the batter, interrupting every once in a while from cutting strawberries to mix in the sides.

"This right?" Ava asked, mixing with both hands holding the spoon as Kate held the bowl in place.

"You're doing an awesome job, baby."

Ava smiled at Kate with her little teeth showing and she had never seen her smile like that before. She was opening up.

Kate started to ladle the batter over the heated pan that she prepped when her daughter was almost done mixing. She made a tall stack of pancakes for them to share, garnishing the top and sides with strawberries and allowing Ava to pour an immense amount of maple syrup on it.

They sat next to each other rather than across. Kate sliced little bite sized portions for Ava and transferred them to another plate while she ate directly from the stack, not wanting to contribute to the pile of dishes to be washed.

"Yummy," Ava expressed, shoveling one bite sized portion after another. She swallowed before continuing. "Thank you."

"Of course, baby. I don't think I could've done it without your help." Kate smiled, leaning over to kiss her temple.

"Kate?" Ava said, grabbing the detective's attention. She doesn't use her name; not usually. She usually taps her thigh or shoulder to get her attention.

"Yes, Ava?"

"Mama?" Her voice was small and shy, like a mouse, which was where Rick got the nickname from.

It wasn't a question of where her mama was, obviously. It came out more like she was asking permission if she could call her that, and dear God, Kate had been waiting for this moment.

"Yeah, baby," Kate smiled, feeling herself choke up. "I'm Mama."

Her phone buzzed with a text from Rick.

She talked so much! So happy for little mouse.

P.S. Mama suits you. :)

She shook her head at her husband, but couldn't help but smile. When she put down her phone she heard a small voice coming from the other room.

"Mama?" Kate heard a whimper, and she all but rushed towards her daughter's room.

She looked so tiny on her large bed. She was crying so she must have just woken up from a nightmare. Poor girl.

She was a small girl, that one. She just turned four but still looked as if she had only turned three. She used to be so malnourished; her hair tangled and greasy, her bones protruding from her skin you could literally count her ribs.

She had come a long way since staying with Kate and Rick. She was almost at an acceptable weight for her height and age. Her scars were still there, but they healed up nicely. She's still painfully shy but she talks a little bit more everyday and she has the sweetest voice they've ever heard.

She still gets nightmares, though. And panic attacks and flashbacks. She shuts down sometimes and it freaks the both of them out but they're living one day at a time.

"I'm here, baby," Kate said, rushing to her daughter's side. Uncharacteristically, she threw herself in Kate's arms, seeking comfort from someone else for the first time. Kate held her tightly, Ava burying her face in Kate's chest as if trying to disappear.

"I ugly." She said, taking Kate aback.

"No, you're not, Ava." Kate countered, closing her eyes to keep her tears at bay. Where did this insecurity come from?

"I am. Old mommy and daddy came back and telled me I was ugly because I have so many scars." She admitted, crying into her shirt. So that was what she was dreaming about.

It was the most she's talked in her time spent with them but she's been too blinded by the hurt to even notice.

"Oh, baby," Kate soothed, gently rubbing her daughter's back and she rested her cheek on the top of her head. "I want to show you something."

She positioned her daughter so that she was sitting on her lap, a leg on each side and facing her. With a deep breath, she removed her shirt, leaving her in a thin bra.

"This one was from when I got shot," Kate started, running her fingers over the scar. She's come to terms with it. If this was what it took to help her daughter, then so be it. "I almost didn't make it, but I fought to live."

Ava raised her tiny hand up to touch it, but instantly recoiled.

"It's okay, baby. You can touch." Kate said, taking her small hand and leading it where her scar was. Ava ghosted over it, her eyes puffy but wondering.

"This was from when they were trying to get the bullet out," She moved on, tracing the scar on her side that went from the side of her chest to just above the hip.

She let Ava touch that, too.

She showed her a few more scars that littered her body, allowing her daughter to touch every single one of them.

"I have scars, too, Ava, and I don't think I'm ugly. I fought to protect people I care about and I got hurt but I survived. I'm here, because of them. And I'm glad I never gave because if I did, then I wouldn't have met you." Kate explained. Ava nodded her head, slightly understanding.

Her smart girl. Her smart, beautiful girl.

Kate was about to put back her shirt on when Ava's little hands stopped her. She did. What surprised her though was when Ava proceeded to take off her own shirt, struggling a bit but managed on her own.

She was showing her mother her scars. Kate already knew where most of them came from but she was so proud of her brave girl that she was going to tell her about them herself.

Despite the fact that Lanie only assessed the dead, she had agreed to assess the little girl that her best friend was so enraptured with. The first time she saw her wounds, a mix of fresh and old, she wasn't shocked since she's seen this kind of damage before, but enraged because she's never seen damage like that on a child.

After the assessment, she called her best friend in and she was there with Castle in minutes. She was in a hospital bed with the smallest size gown draped on her.

"She'll wake up soon," Lanie told her best friend who was half-seated next to the little girl's side. "So, Mom, you ready for the assessment?"

Kate pushed the comment aside but found herself warming up to the nickname. She nodded her head, holding the little girl's hand.

"She's got a couple of broken ribs but the doctors were able to bandage them up nicely. The slashes on her front and back are from cutters and broken glass, most probably beer bottles. The little spots on her arms, hands and chest are from cigarette butts, and then the bruises everywhere are from beatings. Some of these are really fresh, not even 24 hours old." Lanie gave her best friend a sad smile, knowing how painful it was to hear a child to go through so much.

Castle was quiet in the corner, his fists clenched and his expression stoic.

"I'm glad they're dead," Castle seethed, loud enough for everyone to hear. They didn't admonish him like they usually do because they agreed with him.

"Poor girl," Kate crooned, brushing the hair away from the child's face.

Her daughter traced her scars, explaining them with the words she knew such as 'smoke sticks' and 'sharp things'. She explained what she had done to deserve them and from Kate's point of view, she didn't deserve any of it.

"You can touch, mama," Ava mimicked, taking her mothers hand and allowing her to touch the cigarette burn she had on her chest, exactly where she was shot. She traced her other scars with trembling hands and she tried to keep the tears from falling but all efforts were futile.

"We're the same, you and I," Kate breathed. "I just wish it wasn't in this way."

She leaned down to kiss her bruises and scars. That what her mother would've done.

Ava had never felt so loved before. More tears fell.

"They can't touch you anymore," Kate reminded her, like she does everyday. "They're gone."

"I know. They in my head now." She said sadly, wrapping her arms around Kate's middle. It was only them, skin to skin, and there was something oddly comforting about that.

"I know how it feels, baby, but I can assure you that you'll forget about them soon enough," Kate said. She was young. She was bound to forget eventually.

"Okay." Ava said, her voice relaxed. Her head resting on her chest, her ear pressed against the bullet scar, the sound of her heartbeat calming her down. Very gingerly, Ava kissed Kate's bullet scar, warmth radiating throughout her body.

"Thank you, baby." Kate said, hugging her daughter tighter.

"Thank you, Mama."

It's been a while since I've written anything. I figured I'd take a crack at it again after getting hooked on this series for the past few weeks.

Please do tell me what you think. Wishing you all the best!