A/N - This story is based on the events of Season 8. It is an AU tale and does not follow the cannon. It's my attempt is to make sense out of Beckett's departure, based on the seven prior seasons of the show. As always nothing is mine, it all belongs to ABC's, Castle and the cast who remain the fount of these stories.

Please note: I have written this tale with the Still episode in it's original order, before The Squad and the Quail. For me it was the first and strongest hint at the problems that were ahead for the couple. This is not a happy story, for me Beckett has acted horribly and the cannon character is barely tolerable. I would warn you away if you believe any relationship could survive her antics and could be repaired with, "you were right!"

For the rest, hope you enjoy. I look forward to reading the many great stories that will be written over the Hiatus. I encourage you to encourage those writers.

A Father's Love

Chapter 1

New York City October 2015

The sky was a perfect combination of crystal blue and scattered clouds. It had rained the night before, and on this special morning, it looked like the city had been polished for the days events. It was a ceremony brimming with achievement and promise. Pride was palpable over the accomplishment of the one being honored. She had done good. None present could imagine the storm that was just off the horizon, especially the young Captain.

James Beckett stood in that crowd of police officers, dignitaries, citizens and friends as his daughter was sworn in as the new captain of the 12th Precinct. It was one of those moments all parents dream of for their child. Over the years he'd watched his daughter excel at many things. She was the type of person who having once put her hand to a task, would not rest until it was done. She was intelligent, fiercely competitive and was both rower and coxswain.

He thought back to her days as a little girl, taking piano lessons and practicing relentlessly to master the music for her recitals. Having fits when she missed a note, never accepting anything less than perfection.

For her, high school was no different. She competed in sports, again excelling, but struggled interacting with her team mates. She decided on tennis and rowing. Of all her friends only one would be her team-mate for pairs in either sport, Lindsay Triandafilou. Kate even dated Lindsay's brother Randy for a short while. She and Lindsay were equally hard on each other, always pushing and getting the best performance out of one another. In the end, they both wanted the same thing, to win.

It was easier for her academically. She excelled and competed primarily with herself, but as in sports Lindsay was a close second academically. Kate was accepted at Stanford, and Lindsay to Juilliard. Kate intended to follow in her parents footsteps. The plan was, after completing a degree in political science, she'd be off to law school. But life had gotten in the way of those plans. Lindsay, like Kate was tall and beautiful and ended up an actor. Jim smiled at the irony, both Kate and Lindsay were cops. Kate in life and Lindsay in her role as a lead detective in a long running TV show.

But the world of Jim and Katie Beckett came crashing down when Johanna Beckett was found murdered in a New York alleyway. Stanford had ended with Johanna's last breath. Katie returned to New York and after school ended up a cop. The senior Beckett's musing had led him again to that terrible life changing event. A cloud passed through and he felt himself, in that all too familiar free-fall, his stomach churned as he stumbled over the painful memories of the day, the love of his life, had been stolen from them. It was still hard to face, even 20 years later. It was difficult to push the overwhelming grief away, he missed her so, but knew this was not the day for those thoughts. Still he wished she was with him, he wanted her to see their girl, big, grown-up, married and successfully reaching another goal in life. But that could not be. So he whispered into the bright fall day, "See my love, see our girl?" He felt his eyes begin to sting but a ripple of applause brought him back, pulling his focus to the platform.

The police commissioner was standing in front of Kate shaking her hand and congratulating her on the promotion. She was not the first female captain, but she would be one of the few in the NYPD. Jim leaned forward and looked down the row at his son-in-law, he doubted if he'd ever seen Richard Castle smile so broadly, his eyes danced as he watched his wife receive yet another honor on her journey up the the ladder of her profession.

When the pomp ended Kate made her way to her family and friends. There were hugs all around and as she stood erect in her uniform, interacted with strangers and those closest to her. Jim smiled as he saw his fiercely independent daughter frequently do shoulder bumps with her husband, keeping him close, keeping herself grounded. It was an uncharacteristic change for Kate. He thought she looked slightly embarrassed at all the attention, she was a doer and not very good at being honored, but shook the hands of all who came by.

XX

The call came at 10:15 am the next Monday. It was Rick, his voice was thick with emotion. Kate had not arrived at work and there had been a shooting. Jumbled facts fell from his son-in-law's narrative. He'd given her a piece of jewelry, for her first day on the new job, it was found at the scene of a shoot-out. The phone was still for a moment, Beckett wondering if he'd been cut off, then the gut wrenching detail, it was covered in blood. The investigators feared she'd been shot, but, she was not there, the police did not know her status. They would just have to wait. Rick would call with updates.

The celebratory atmosphere of just days ago was swept aside by a sense of dread and fear. Had he lost his daughter? Was the victory of her promotion to be swept away by death? His heart sank as it was swamped with new fears, the old memories of loss, and incomprehensible pain. All the old ghosts were back.

XX

The two women stared at one another. Kate questioned if she should accept what she was being told or simply run. But when the woman explained, when she invoked the family tie by telling Kate she was Castle's step-mother, she chose to listen. They talked about what had happened and why it had occurred. But the older woman moved to another, more urgent subject. She warned Kate to go home. Let this go, let others deal with this mess. The threat was either gone or had been pulled back. But Beckett was at a cross-roads, one that may forever change her life. She would have to pick between chasing this new lead and returning to her life, her job and her husband.

Captain Beckett's response was to scoff. She was a cop, she didn't need to make that kind of choice. She was already planning, developing leads and figuring another way. Then Rita, the name the woman gave, warned of more blood, more death, and all of it would be on Beckett's hands. The older women instinctively saw and analyzed the younger woman's thinking. And tried again on an even more personal level. It was not too late for her, she could avoid the "demons", "her demons," but she would have to let it go. Beckett shrugged off the warning. She knew what she had to do.

Years from this day, Beckett would look back and reconsider her actions. She would frown, studying the worry lines on her face. Scoff at herself and her blind hubris. She had memorialized the day, by naming it, 'her day of personal infamy.'

XX

The news would take 48 long hours to arrive. For a father, it seemed like a year. But Kate had been found, she was safe, and though wounded, the injury was not serious. Rick told Jim Beckett he was taking her home, she'd need some rest but Castle promised to call his father-in-law the next day. Jim spoke briefly with her, he was elated just to hear her voice. In just a moment the fears fled, his girl was safe. He would not have to live out the nightmare that had stalked him for the last few days. He was safe, they were safe.

After putting away the phone, Kate went to the bedroom while Rick prepared something to eat. He was delighted, maybe even giddy with her being home, just as her father. The scenarios and fears had not been realized. To him she seemed distracted but he reasoned a hot bath, food and a good night of rest would cure those things. He was wrong.

When she returned she had a strange look on her face. She focused on the floor, not at looking at him. And then his heart clinched. He saw she had packed a bag, it sat beside her. He felt mocked by it's presence. It could have been a grenade pressed against his heart. And so it was. His world spun and started to crash and then she pulled the pin with her words.

"Rick, I'm sorry I love you so much."

"What are doing?" His face already reflecting the pain.

She responded with the lash, "I have to go," and continued to mutter about getting her head straight and them living happily, but he couldn't hear.

"How does your leaving, help us?" He barked at her, full of anger.

"I'm trying to save us."

He then saw red, he'd been had. "You know, before Bracken was killed he told me you'd never be happy just being my wife. Please do not tell me that son of a bitch knew you better than I do?"

With a quick kiss she added, "I love you. I always will. Trust me...forgive me."

And then the room was empty. He stared at the spot where the bag had sat. He was not sure how long he stood there, trying to comprehend what had just happened. He found himself tumbling back through time, hearing and remembering early conversations, earlier promises, but nothing made sense. She was gone, again. He had feared her loss would be forever, but then she was back, and then, she simply walked out of his life.

XX

She stood briefly outside the loft, wondering if she had lost her mind. She could see his face, full of both hurt and anger. But the adrenaline of her plan pulled at her, made her feel strong, right in her purpose. It was like a drug, one she'd forgotten. The thrill of it, the surge was pure pleasure. She could solve this. She could even do this without tearing her marriage apart. She told herself as she fled him and her earlier promises, that he would understand, once she could explain the full story. Regardless of how it felt, this was not a selfish act. It was really for him, it was really for them. Rita was wrong, not thinking with a clear head, she would have justice and her husband.

In fact she had launched herself on the road to her own personal hell. Tears and words could not put back together what she was carelessly tearing apart. The decision to take this first step, this single choice, would transport her to a world she never dreamed of, one who's landscape would be wholly unrecognizable by her.

Kate Beckett had lied to her husband and to herself. She would lie to anyone who would listen. It was not only justice she wanted. She wanted vengeance. She wanted everyone involved in her mothers death to take Bracken's medicine. She was prepared to offer everything she had on this alter of justice? Or vigilantism? Or just the hunt? The gods of this alter were not generous, not benevolent. Yes they would accept her offering and in return give her back something, but they would demand much more than she got. In the end, the exchange would be of all pleasant things, all things she loved, all friendships, even love itself would be gutted and then offered back to her in a corrupted form, lathered in pain. The lessons she had refused to learn would be taught again, and again if necessary. But this time, taught in the manner of a dog's training, with it's nose rubbed to the ground.

She would soon tell her partner in this misadventure, in an almost bragging way, that she had "blow out my marriage for this" but that "someone has to get justice for Rachel, or no one else would" and that she "couldn't leave it alone."

In a final fit of self-aggrandizing she added, "I wasn't built that way." Offered as justification for this foolishness.

Later she would indeed find out, what she was built of. The knowledge would be the beginning of the end. She'd gone too far, this error in judgment would not be fixed with the old tools: repentance, tears and words of sorrow. All those would fall on deaf ears and hearts chilled by her deeds. Her only hope was in the hands of others. Maybe they would not fail her as she had so miserably failed both herself and her husband.

XX

Every Senator has a variety of scenarios on how his life will play out. How the big opportunities will arrive and what circumstances will come about to set him, or her, on the world stage. They rehearse the ideas and words that will be offered at those times, how to play the pauses just right, how to make the beckoning world stand on it's tip toes and wait for them to speak, to dispense wisdom and reveal themselves as a true leader.

It was May of 2014, Senator William Bracken had just been snatched from the most important press conference in his life by Detective Kate Beckett. She announced the charges to both him and the aghast press corp, "Senator Bracken, you are under arrest for the murder of Johanna Beckett." He considered it yet another ruse by this over-zealous detective.

In the hours that followed he found it far from a ruse, and in fact, found himself in a much worse situation than he imagined. The recordings secreted away by Roy Montgomery had been found, by accident, and the words, his own words had damned him. He knew in an instant it was over. Money was not an issue for him, it hadn't been for years. But even the best legal team would be hard pressed to save him from his own indicting confession. He wondered why he'd ever been stupid enough to even say the words out loud. But there they were, for all the world to hear. They did not reveal wisdom or leadership, instead they revealed a ruthless cold hearted and incredibility deceptive politician. Any jury upon hearing the tapes would certainly send him to the gallows. There was no question, his life and political career were over.

As he sat in the back of the police cruiser, cuffs biting into his hands, he made two vows: first, he would make sure his family was cared for, no matter what. He had already extracted promises from his partners to that end. Second both he and Kate Beckett would rot in prisons. His had already been built by the State of New York. Her prison would be delicately constructed by her own hands. She would be the master of her own hell. The Senator was confident that her 'one flaw' would cause the detective to lose everything. It would not be that hard to lead her to her own demise, like sheep to slaughter.

The relationship between the Senator and the Detective was bizarre. In a strange turn of events, she had saved his life from a bomb planted in his own limousine. He in turn had saved her after she was kidnapped by one of his lesser associates. Ironically they both had the same goal. She hid behind the badge of duty, but that was just one of her many deceptions both for herself and to those around her. She did not want him to go out in a blaze of glory. He needed to be taken away in disgrace, in handcuffs and suffer through a very public trial and conviction.

He had grown weary of her pursuit of him over her mother's case. She was like her mother, tenacious, even dogged at time, but she lacked her mothers coolness under pressure, at least with this case. As the skirmishes continued he began to worry and plot. But began to believe the greatest danger for him was not in Kate Beckett, the lone ranger, but instead in her associates. The most dangerous of those, in the Senators opinion, was Richard Castle. Their investigations became more pointed, more logical, even probative when Castle was with her. Her calvary charges were reigned in by her partner. It was a strange alliance.

The Senator had saved the detective's life, not based on a 'law of the jungle," exchanging a 'life for life.' She was saved for suffering. Nothing less and nothing more. She had brought him down, now he would respond in kind.

After the arrest he was briefly allowed bail. It was a time, when most friends and associates fled from his sinking ship, not his lawyers. It gave him time to do some final planning before incarceration. The charge of murder, along with the evidence presented at his arraignment was too compelling to allow his freedom to last, they all knew that. The prosecution would argue that his many assets made him a flight risk, and they were right. So there were a number of things to be discussed with his partners, even though they already had contingency plans, in case one of the principles were ever arrested. Their communications were protected under attorney-client privilege, but there was more than just his legal defense to be discussed. They took great precautions to not be overheard, and business related discussions were tightly monitored. They could never be to careful. During the pursuit of Bracken by Detective Beckett the partners had 'upgraded' their security by adding redundant protections, along with numerous dead ends for any law enforcement agency attempting to track them. Beyond the usual shell corporations, they were now using slave computers and untraceable servers for all their business activities.

In principle, even before the arrest, the partners had discussions about the 'what ifs', and explained their wishes to one another in the event they were identified and taken down. They had a lot at stake. Their business had experienced significant increase in income, as they modeled and extended their product lines. The idea was gleaned from the 1970 and 80's, when the CIA had been involved in the drug trade to finance covert operations. The logic was flawed and the political fall was disastrous, but millions of dollars had been raised by the drug operations to buy weapons for secret armies. The silver lining was, all those purchases took place without using US taxpayers dollars and none were subject to the scrutiny of Congress.

When the accountants and number-crunchers calculated the amounts of money taken in by the drug lords and cartels, the legitimate business entities reasoned, that allowing the money to go to South America, for the already existing addiction of Americans, was a waste. They decided it was time to keep the money and huge profits at home in the US economy.

Bracken and his partners began garnering the huge profits from their drug businesses. They were delighted with the results. In the late 90's a kilo of cocaine cost $1500 to produce in South America, and sold in the US for $65,000. Heroin was $2500 per kilo at the source, but on the streets of America garnered $130,000. The final prong of their trilogy of drugs was methanphetamine, it was the cheapest to produce at only $500 a kilo, but had a street value of over $60,000. Bottom-line, the money was good, very good.

Beckett and her team had come very close with the connection to Vulcan Simmons and it was during that time that all the security layers were added. These included a number of firewalls between the producers, supply links, handlers and the actual partners. The principles had no intention of serving any time in prison, or ever having their identity revealed.

Before his arrest in May of 2014 Bracken began to shifted his focus to his problem with the dogged Detective and her partner Castle. No one could control Beckett. Few could reason with Beckett, except Castle. She was an excellent detective, except when it involved her mothers case. With it she lost her edge to frustration and anger, but he corralled her in and helped sharpened her investigative skills. Everyone knew that on her own Beckett was out of control when it came to Johanna Beckett's case. The anger consumed her. In Bracken's mind it made her weak and vulnerable. But with Castle, she became formidable in hunting, even her mothers killer. Bracken's sources confirmed Castle was much more than just a cop-partner and that he'd likely end up her life partner. For both reasons Bracken moved the target to Castle, but at the hands of Beckett.

In November of 2014 the couple married, Bracken remained incarcerated but the news worried him. He refused to simply have Castle murdered, although it would be easy and was tempting. It would hurt Beckett but he wanted more. He decided to wait, reasoning an opportunity would arise. He knew Beckett could be forced off the tracks, it was always easy with this case. Based on his encounters with her, he'd seen first hand when she switched into her crazed stalker mode. He laughed at her reactions, even gave her a nick-name, 'Wonder Woman.'

Over the next year, business boomed, but he remained locked away. Then in September of 2015 things changed. His sources from outside relayed the word on the DC affair and the killing of a number of FBI agents. He soon learned that Becket and Singh were on the hunt and were themselves being tracked. Everyone knew they were just spinning their wheels and were of no risk to anyone.

It was a surprise when Beckett and Castle showed up at his door, separately. He was called to the the visitors center and there sat Kate Beckett, she was nuts, he could see it in her eyes. The woman was in full crazy mode. Later he was called back to meet with Castle, desperate in the search for his wife. Bracken could not resist driving home two ideas for the couple. First, they were all likely dead, though he feared more for himself than either Beckett or Castle. He reminded himself that he had a deal and with the principle guarantors. Second since Beckett was responding in her typical fashion, he taunted Castle, telling him that he was not, and would never be, enough for Beckett. He twisted the knife by adding that she could never be happy with him. He watched the words hit their mark. Whatever concerns the confused husband had brought to the the prison with him, were nothing compared to the shocked look Bracken saw on Castle's face now. It was all gold to Bracken. He felt he had successfully driven a stake into the heart of the couple's marriage, now Beckett would hopefully deal the coupe de grace.

It was the following day when the food cart stopped in front of Bracken's cell. It was a guard he had never seen before, it made him nervous. As he was handed the food tray, the stranger showed the ex-Senator the silenced 9mm hand gun. The last words Bracken heard were, "They said to tell you, the deal is good. Your family will be safe and cared for. The woman will be dealt with as you have provided," after a brief pause and the gun moved into position, "This will not hurt." The first two bullets struck him in the head, the next four his heart and lungs. He was dead instantly.

The Senator would never know, but within 24 hours Captain Beckett would do as he had planned, and expected. She would deliver the death blow to her marriage and begin the construction of her personal panopticon, a prison of perfection.

XX

Washington DC

The opulent office had a grand of view of the Capital. From one window the Capital Builders could be seen, out another the Jefferson and Lincoln Memorials. The occupants wore expensive silk suits, cuff links and watches costing thousands of dollars. They were situated near the centers of power for the United States. They were lawyers, dealing in power, accumulation of wealth and most importantly, influence. These men made things happen, but the meeting today was about something entirely different.

It was only 3PM, still they'd already had a number of drinks. They hadn't spoken for nearly ten minutes. Finally the younger of the two spoke.

"How did this happen? I can't believe he's gone." Shaking his head.

The older man sat down his drink, leaned forward and placed his elbows on the desk. He stared at the other man for a few beats. When he spoke, it was frank, even harsh, "What did you expect, he was in prison, they're not exactly safe."

"He was a US Senator. How could he not be safe?"

"No, he was a former US Senator, convicted of murder and serving a life sentence."

"He was our partner! We spent hours together. He'd visited this very office, had meals in our home..."

"He screwed up." The tone bitter, unforgiving.

"How did he screw up? How did he know there was a tape recording?"

"Michael, listen to me. In our line of work, in our particular business you need to know everything. Every detail must be covered, Bracken dropped his guard. He ended up busted and now he's dead."

"It was that bitch cop that did him in." The younger man stood and paced.

"It was Bracken that did himself in."

The conversation stopped, silence filled the room. After several draws on his drink, Michael spoke again, "We need to find out who did this, someone has to pay." His eyes shifted and he gazed out the window.

Instead of responding to the challenge, the old man surprised him with a question, "Do you have your cell phone with you Mike?"

"Yeah, of course I do."

"Turn it off, put it here on the desk." The older man pointed to a black plastic square, the size of a paper back novel.

As the younger man followed the instructions, the older man did the same. The two phones sat side by side on the large desk. The older man reached into his desk and pulled out a small black box, sat it down, switching on the power.

"What is that?"

"It's a electronic jammer. It scrabbles cell phones, as well as Wi-Fi signals, even blocks eaves-dropping."

"Why do we need that?" The older man just waved the question away.

"There are two categories of things in business, assets and liabilities. There is no middle ground. Things fit on one side of the ledger or the other. Machines wear out and become liabilities. Soft wear programs are created and become assets. People are the same. We are here because we're an asset to this firm. Stop being one, and you'll be gone."

"What is this economic class?" Edged with sarcasm.

The elder man frowned at the remark, "It's the reason Bracken is gone. He went from asset to liability."

"What are you saying? We had a deal with him. Keep your mouth shut and your family will be fine...and we'll keep you safe." He paused , "But now he's dead. How did we lose control?"

"Bracken was serving a life sentence. Men can develop loose lips over time. Bracken's time was always short."

The younger man leaned forward in his chair. "You don't sound surprised that he's dead."

"I'm not surprised, I ordered it."

XX

Kate Beckett checked into the mid-town hotel. She had work to do and would need a few hours to sleep, but doubted that would happen this night. Her blood was roaring, she was back in the game, she'd track these guys down. They'd taken out the DC team as well as her mother years early. She had made a promise, over and over to her mom, she would bring them to justice and now, she was finally fully focused on that promise.

As sleep overpowered her at 3:15 that morning, she thought only of possible leads, she never considered the fact that she was alone in a strange bed. She pushed aside any thoughts of the many promises she'd broken this night, she was on a mission, it was war. When she succeeded, those close would grasp the magnitude and importance was what she had done. They'd also know why she'd made the such difficult choices, even at great personal cost.

She was dead wrong. No one would even care.