Before you ask, no. I haven't forgotten about my other stories. Also, if you know my writing, you know that this will be a bumpy ride. I appreciate comments, but I ask that you please remain optimistic, and understand that I am the one writing the story. These aren't my characters, I am simply borrowing them. This story will begin following the episode 'Get A Clue'. I hope you enjoy.
The sound of the door slamming seemed to echo in the hallway a lot louder than he thought it would. His chest tightened in pain, and he turned one more time toward the door. He wanted to knock again, but knew better. He knew that Alexis was a strong woman who would not budge on her position, not now. She was as stubborn as her father, as driven as her mother, and sometimes more dramatic than her grandmother.
Castle quickly turned and walked toward the stairs, taking each step with caution as it took him away from the apartment door, away from his little girl. He cursed himself for his behavior, his scorn. He cursed himself for his selfishness at not sharing the news of his engagement with her in his own words. He stepped to the street and was met with the sounds of the city. There was a time when the traffic, sirens, and shouts of people hailing a taxi was soothing and familiar. Right now, they were just a cruel distraction. With a furrowed brow, and a firm step, he marched down the sidewalk past the car. He felt betrayed by time, by the future. He felt betrayed by himself. He tried to remember when Alexis wasn't a grown up, when she wasn't the voice in his ear telling him not to go too far.
Somewhere in the past few years, that voice had changed. It had gone from his sweet girl's echo of 'I love you, Daddy', to the sound of a door slamming in his face. His feet took him down the damp sidewalk into the unfamiliar streets of Alexis' new neighborhood. Castle's mind raced and he walked with a quick, purposeful pace. His memories flashed from one moment with Alexis to the next. He could feel the weight of her tiny body in his arms, and the way those crystal eyes stared up at him, begging him to protect her. He could hear her whispered secrets of gifts she wanted, or her quick and excited explanation of a book she had just finished. Castle flexed his hand and made a tight fist, trying to wipe out the memory of his little girl's hand in his, trying to forget what it felt like to be that special person that she always ran to. His footfalls became louder, and he felt a bit winded as he continued on blindly into the quickly approaching darkness of evening.
Stepping off the curb, his phone rang, jarring him out of his self imposed trance. The ring made him smile, and he brought the phone to his ear. "Hey."
"Hey." Beckett's voice was clear and filled with concern. "Are you okay?"
"No," he said, turning his head. There was no time to react.
The impact of the grill of the car in his hip caused him to shout, the pain alone was enough to knock the wind out of him. His body twisted grotesquely as his feet left the pavement and his body rolled onto the hood of the car and his body smashed the windshield. His head hit the frame of the car, and his body rolled forward as the car stopped, landing lifeless on the pavement, his hand still clutching his phone.
He could hear Kate's voice in the distance, as his vision began to darken, shouts of people around him didn't sound familiar. The darkness beckoned. He could feel his body jostle before the world went dark, his personal space invaded. He concentrated on the sound of his heartbeat in his ears, waited for the pain to stop. The last thing he saw before he lost his battle with consciousness was the crystal blue eyes of his daughter disappearing behind a veil of black.