Uff wow I know it's been mentioned before but I'm not surprised how close she came; she'd struggled through her mom's death so much, how would she make it if it was her baby?! I wondered what stopped her; I mean I figured it'd be him but still, I wondered about the how. Anyway, am rambling. Every chapter keeps me weeping nueva use this sadness is almost unbearable, I feel like I'm living it too.

Half crying and half smiling now that they're finding small steps toward each other. And your Alexis is a very wise one - I'd imagine she'd come by it honestly, having upheld her father through that past year.

Love the tentative hopefulness. It seems so true to Castle, he has such a big, forgiving and loving heart and he's always understood Kate better than anybody before.

Oh god Kate, poor Kate. ( love the analysis of her character and her coping mechanisms. Well done.)

I can't stop crying. I'm sorry these reviews are not very coherent but all of this makes me feel so much that I have no words to express it. I'm just amazed at the sheer depth of emotions you've packed into your words and scenes, the gut wrenching sadness. Kate breaking down is just so realistic, I can't even.

I'm pretty much just sobbing at this point. Feels like one step forward and two steps back and yet I can't help but feel as if we're close to a turning point.

Are you making this better soon? *sniff* This is so heartbreaking. I think I'm glad I'm reading this now that it's complete because I'm not sure i could've handled waiting...

"There's always hope Mr. Castle." This seems so important and poignant right here. I'm very glad that Martha appears to have all her mental capacities intact.
But wow that section in the middle where he both understands but admits he can't forgive it (seemingly), it just broke me.

So touching and hopeful to see her waking!

Oh, I see a small light at the end of the tunnel! I really love the honesty with themselves that they've both gained in this process, the ability to look deeper and admit to truths even when it's painful. And how they know each other so well - here, with Castle too, seeing how maybe she'd been fighting to come back, didn't so much want to leave as was drowning in grief and that was the side effect. Understandably all can't just be forgiven but it feels like such large steps, to look through that.

Ooooh. Yeah there's the love and need he's been trying to hide but that'll just always be there between them. Oh my god Martha though... How horrid! After what you've already put them through, I sure hope things aren't nearly as bad for her as they could be. The line "but she's an actress" just slayed me.

Okay I definitely didn't see that one coming! What a twist.
I am in awe at how you've drawn Alexis too; this feels so much like her, both smart grown-up handling it all yet devastated child with too much to handle that she shouldn't have to handle, needing someone to help her too.

This is getting repetitive I'm sure but I'm broken, I'm broken, this is so heartbreaking. But at the very least - if nothing else - I'm glad to see that during her absense Kate has healed to some extent and grown aware; it makes me feel like at least it wasn't completely for naught, all this pain? If that makes sense.
And now for the end - huh? Not what I expected A.'s reaction to be...

So torn about this; I wanted so badly for him to just lift her in his arms anyway, no matter what. Yet understand the desolation, but also wonder if he realizes the irony (and yeah I'm prob using it wrong) of wanting to build up a wall just when hers was falling again.

This is agony! (And I can't stop reading anyway. I think that says all you need to know about your amazing writing). The rawness of this impresses me, how realistic both reactions feel. How harsh it is to only realize what you've done and why when it seems too late. And you explain her head and mindset so well that I empathize with her despite what she did. Can't blame either one of them in the face of this tragedy in their lives.