I just finished re-reading 'Dash Away' for the first time in a couple of years because I realised I'd never read the rest of the series and I wanted to savour the whole thing from the beginning. This one was next in the list and... wow. Such an incredibly powerful piece of writing. So many perfectly chosen phrases and images in here, it kind of blew me away. It's also interesting that it took a similar moment of life and death in the actual show for Kate to get her priorities right. Very prescient of you! :)

I shall now move on to the rest of the series...

Wow. Wow. Wow.

Can I just leave it at that? Because seriously, you were able to show the darkest side of their story, and turning it into the brightest. It's an end that turned into a beginning, and you did it beautifully.

Oh, and the song? Amazing pick.

I don't have much more to offer you, except that I loved every word in this. Every word you chose so carefully to create this backstory. Wow, once again.

Amazing, of course! Great story, I'm glad for the history

Now I really understand what happened with that case with the Butcher that brought Rick and Kate together. Too bad it had to be that way. Despite the violence, you did a great job in showing the lengths that Rick would go to to get Kate away from the Butcher.

It was nice that the boys finally got to them.

The ending was wonderful as they were finally able to act on their feelings for each other even though they were still physically and probably a little bit emotionally hurt.

This was wonderful written dear! and after reading the Dash stories this fits so perfectly, because even if this story is brutal in a way, we know where it leads: to two beautiful kids and a life together, so all the pain they went through has a meaning, Kate need to almost lose it all to give up all the pretenses and, if you could say it this was, take what was hers: his love...

Holy hell! I did not expect that! Wow! It was terrible and brutal but so unbelievably awesome at the same time! I was totally *living* it and feeling everything! Wow!

I have to say I'm glad you didn't go into details that much. I love it 3

Holy crap that was amazing. I can't believe I've put off reading this series for so long. Loved this, so much. Especially the end, for ever. Ack. Gorgeous.

You ruin me for real books. Just FYI.

He texts her back a single letter - K - because he knows it irritates her to have a text wasted on just that - Hahahahaha I totally do that. Whoops.

but when Beckett calls, he comes. - Nope. I'm not going dirty there at all.

The Butcher. - Ahhhhhh. It's gonna go downnnnn.

It reeks of fish and guts; shrimp and foul water. Brackish puddles are still standing in the sidewalks after last night's rain. The address is for a kind of boathouse or warehouse right on the Hudson, loading dock right out on the pier in the back. Castle has walked the last five or six blocks quickly, his hands pushed into his jean pockets because the early morning air is cooler than he expected. - I love this paragraph. The way it's written.

Kate.

Naked.

Gagged. Tied, spread-eagle to the tabletop. A criss-cross of blood dripping down her thighs, her ribs, her arms.

Her frantic eyes are on him.

He sees her. He sees it all.

Her heart is breaking in her eyes.

The lights go out. - I love how this is written. I think more than that though I love knowing where it ends up. Sex, unwanted pregnancy, difficulties, Dash, happiness. There's something so great about backstories and prequels.

The scalpel finds a way to gleam, even in the dim light. Candle light. A gleam against the blade. - Love this writing.

The Butcher hunches over her, digs the scalpel into the wound as if fishing for something. Her back arches high off the table, a growling, muted sound from Beckett, like an animal in pain, even through the gag. A scream rips raggedly from her throat.

He thinks he's weeping. - I can picture this so clearly. It's such great writing.

her body a live wire of pain - Love the wording on that.

She shivers against it, writes down the time (tomorrow) on the back of her hand. Because really, what's one more set of lines across her skin? - Dude. That's just... Awesome.

She might never be able to walk calmly towards him again. - Oh my heart.

Castle makes a mewling noise in his throat, part need and part terrible relief, and his hand comes up to snag hers.

His pinky hooks around hers, clings there. She can't feel anything; she needs- So much love for this. And it's heartbreaking.

Presses every painful part of herself against him, pain to pain, dark nothing to dark nothing, the jagged edges of their wrists meeting, blood pact, jostling for more of him. - Your writing in this is seriously so gorgeous.

She shakes off encroaching memory and holds him tighter, feels him stumble back into the door with the force of her need; it swings shut like thunder. - Hmmmm sounds familiar ;)

"Where?" he manages, biting her lip and laving it with his tongue.

"My bed. You-" And everything else sticks in her throat. Just him. - Perrrrrfect.

her whole life spilling out of her, weeping from a thousand cuts, forming a lake made of memory and need and promise under their bodies, staining the sheets with it. - That is GENIUS.

I love knowing this. It's amazing.

PS the pulled line review on your new one was me. No idea I wasn't signed in! I figure you know my style by now? LOL.

An amazing prequel! It perfectly captures the horror, desperation, and all other kinds of raw emotion.

It's great to have this backround to the story. Although I've read "Dash Away" months ago, I remember everything quite clearly and this piece just smoothes it all together. Thank you for the eytra information. :-)

amazing story a bit scary in places but a very sweet ending

Almost didn't read this right away. I like the tone you took in writing this - descriptive, fast, brutal, and totally making sense as to what might have brought them together. Very nice (well, very horrible, but nicely written).

I'm glad I didn't read this last night. Yeesh. It's fantastic and emotional and painful, horrible, wrong, right, aching-too many adjectives to explain.

I need to read the next one, purge myself of that image, see them moving forward. I love that you gave us this, though, it really adds weight to what we saw in Dash.

Emma

I've lost track of the number of times I've read this little addition, and it still gets me every time. Every. Single. Time.