Alright, hopefully that will be the longest 'break' I make you guys wait for a chapter. I truly am sorry but I just finished school two days ago and I ended up getting an extension an an assignment that was due yesterday and then I went straight to working on this chapter.

Anyways, enough about me. I hope you like this chapter! Don't feel shy to leave a review if you don't like something or if you do! :P

"Okay. Just tell me what I have to do." Jim wanted this to be over. He couldn't stand what Jerry was making him do. He didn't want this to be the way he got his answers but he needed to know. Jim often had a feeling his wife was still alive. Maybe she had been hiding until she found a way to take down the men who stood at the head of this conspiracy. Maybe she was waiting for the right time to strike. Or maybe she really was dead. Either way Jim couldn't drag Kate back down with him. Not after everything she went through. Not unless he was sure.

A week after Johanna died he noticed something. Although his eyes were clouded most afternoons, Jim came home to a very edgy Kate. He noticed a decrease in her eating habit. He thought that was normal considering the situation. He gave her space but often wondered if he had given her too much.

"Katie?" He dragged his feet against the wooden flooring. Jim pulled a chair out from under the table and nearly stumbled onto it.

Kate's bedroom door flew open at the sound of the screeching chair against the kitchen tiles. "Yeah?" She replied silently.

He looked at her through clouded eyes. A spitting image of his late wife. Jim stared blankly at her for a moment. His head became heavier with every lingering second. He folded his arms and placed them on the table. His head followed shortly. "I'm sorry, Katie," he said as he closed his eyes and buried his nose in the crook of his elbow.

The teen stood still for a moment. She looked at the floor and backtracked into her room. Closing the door, Kate leaned back against it. Her head tilted back. She shut her eyes tightly and bit down on her bottom lip.

A crowd began to gather. Smoke arose from the hood of the dark blue vehicle. Its rear, planted into the brown brick wall of the building behind it, leaked fluids. Gasps and worried looks came from the crowded sidewalk.

The front hood of a 2009 silver Nissan Versa showed major damages. The driver's door creaked open with force as a woman stepped out. She took a few steps to forward to look at what she had caused. A moment later the passenger's door swung open. A man with curly brown hair exited the vehicle and stood beside the woman, "we have to get out of here," he said as he wrapped his arm around her waist and returned to the car.

Bystanders rushed to the crashed car just as the couple entered her vehicle and left the scene. A man in his early forties pulled out his cellphone and handed it to the woman beside him, "call an ambulance," he ordered as he rushed to the car.

The woman inside lay still. Her arms flopped on either side of her still legs. Her head leaned against the frame of her door. A smear of blood trickled down from just above her temple where her skin grazed the broken window. Kate's life hung on the line.

The doorbell rang. Alexis stood up as fast as she could and made her way to the door, her left leg dragging a little behind. Alexis reached the door and placed her hand against it steadying the spinning room. She paused and closed her eyes for a moment. Her right hand came to her temple and she rubbed it. She opened her eyes and pulled the door open. "Detective Ryan, what are you doing here? Where's Kate?"

Ryan's face fell emotionless, "you mean she's not here yet?"

In that moment, the house phone rang and Alexis left a confused Ryan at the entrance of the loft. The voice on the phone told them that there had been an accident and they quickly made their way to the hospital.

"Kate?" Alexis called out as Ryan pushed the heavy, blue door open.

"Hey. Guys, I'm fine," said Kate as the two entered the room with worried faces. "See?" She stood up to prove she wasn't injured, "I'm completel-" Kate's face fell blank. Her eyes slowly closed as her limp body fell out of her control.

"Beckett!" Ryan's instincts took over. He appeared in front of her just as she gave out. Her body crashed against his and in one swift motion he held her still. "Beckett?" He called.

The nurse stepped into the room and immediately helped place her back on the bed. Alexis stood beside her and held her hand. "What happened to her? Is she going to be okay?"

The nurse fluffed Kate's pillow before turning to face young adult, "it seems she had crossed the intersection on a red light. She suffered some trauma to the head from a very traumatic car accident but other than that and a few cuts and bruises, she should be fine."

Ryan made his way out shortly after letting Alexis know he'd be back later that night. With Kate in the hospital, Ryan knew he had to take charge and make sure nothing slowed down in the investigation. It was what Kate would want.

Alexis listen to the doctor as he spoke to her about Kate's condition. Her mild concussion is what caused her to lose consciousness on scene and earlier at the hospital. Shortly after the doctor left Kate's eyes fluttered open.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" asked Alexis from the chair she pulled up beside her.

Kate smiled at her and replied, "I'm fine." She brought her hands up to her head and held it for a moment.

"You're not fine, Kate. You've just been in an accident." Before Alexis could finish her thought Kate was forcing her way out of bed. Alexis forced herself up to stop Kate from leaving, "you have to take it slow," she finished as she placed one hand on Kate's shoulder. "Look, I am not strong enough to take you right now, but I sure as hell am not going to let you walk out of here so if it means I have to put everything I have into it, I will." Alexis looked down at her. She leaned solemnly on the arm that held Kate down. The force was both holding her up and Kate down. "Ryan left not long ago. He went back to the precinct and told me to make sure you knew that no one is close to giving up." In that moment Kate caught a glimpse of desperation in Alexis's eyes.

Kate placed her hand on Alexis' elbow and pulled her in for a reassuring hug, "I'm not giving up, Alexis. We'll get him back." Kate tightened her grip on Alexis just enough to reassure both of them but not enough to cause pain to either of the injured women. "If it's one thing I'm sure of, it's that your father always comes back. No matter what."

"The man's name is Dustan Kaylic," Tyson reached out to hand Jim a piece of paper; "you'll find him at this address. I'm not saying it's a definite I'm just saying that he is the last person that I know of to have been with your wife."

"Can I ask you something?"

"No,"

"How did you know my wife? How did you know Johanna?"

Tyson stood still, unresponsive.

With the paper in his hand, Jim turned to walk out the door. He planned on leaving all this behind him. Everything he had done to get him what he wanted. He tried to wipe away his selfishness.

"Jim," Tyson called to him, "I do hope you find her."

Jim shot him a crooked smile, "what are you going to do with him?" Jim's head tilted toward the closed door just off to their right.

"Don't worry about Mr. Castle. After all, you did say the thought of him being with your daughter drove you insane."

Guilt washed over him. Jim turned his back on Tyson one last time and walked out. He knew what he had done, and what he had to tell Tyson to make him believe his hatred toward Rick was real. Could he live knowing that lie was the one thing Tyson reasoned with in sentencing Rick to his death?