UTONAGAN

Chapter One

A/N: Hi everyone! This is my Halloween Bash Entry for 2019. Can't promise how my updates will look like since I'm just right now finished writing chapter two but reason I start publishing is because I want to give you guys something and this is the only way I can do it right now. I do promise this will have an ending though, I will finish it even if it might take time to update it. Hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did writing it. Until next time, xxxx

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"Roy Montgomery taught me what it meant to be a cop," Kate looked out at the crowd in front of her. Couldn't believe she was speaking of her beloved captain in past tense. "He taught me that we are bound by our choices, but we are more than our mistakes." And he was more than his mistakes. At first she'd been mad at him for knowing who was behind her mother's murder all along, but losing him was never something she'd want. He had been her mentor. "Captain Montgomery once said to me that for us, there is no victory, there are only battles." She paused, took another breath. "And in the end, the best you could hope for, is to find a place to make your stand. And if you're very lucky," she glanced behind her to eye her partner, hoping he'd understand she truly meant it, "you find someone willing to stand with you."

She took another breath, meeting her partner's blue eyes and silently wondering how she hadn't admitted her feelings to him earlier. It wasn't exactly something she should deny, it wasn't something she could hide from him forever. Turning back around to the crowd she made a quick sweep over the people before she looked down at her papers again, at the speech she'd spent too much time trying to make perfect.

"Our captain would want us to carry on the fight. And even if there is..."

"Kate!"

His shout had her insides clench and she felt her instincts heighten. The hair in her neck raised as she realized what was wrong. Someone's aiming at her. She saw the glimpse he'd most likely seen, the indicator it was indeed a sniper, And before she heard the shooter pull the trigger she grabbed his arms, which were already reaching for her, and pulled him with her as she threw herself backwards. When she heard the shot ring in her ears she got furious her partner had tried to throw himself in front of her. What if he'd been shot?! She would've never forgiven herself! She pushed him off of her and immediately tried to examine his body, making sure there was no blood even though she knew there wasn't. It would've filled her nostrils if there was any.

"Goddamnit Castle!" she cursed under her breath before she pulled him with her to take cover behind the podium.

"K-Kate?" His voice made her look at him and she saw the way his eyes were meeting hers with fear and confusion written all over them.

"Stay down, Castle," she ordered as she took up her weapon, clicking off the safety before she took up her phone to call the medical examiner.

"Kate?!" Lanie answered and Kate sighed with somewhat relief.

"Anyone hit?"

"No, what about you? They aimed for you!" Lanie's worry seemed to make the M.E. hysteric and Kate tried to shake off the guilt.

"No, we're good," Kate assured her best friend before she added, "eyes on the shooter?"

She heard her friend ask someone beside her, and from her memory she figured it to be detective Esposito who had been sitting beside her during the funeral.

"No, no sign of him."

That made Kate's heart fasten and she started raising to be able to check for herself. Without warning his hands were on her shoulders, pushing her down onto her knees again.