Castle looked out the window from his wheelchair with hands on the arm rest. It had been seventeen years since Beckett was in his life. The love of his life. Someone who anchored him to reality. He was living in the past. Ten years ago he was in a car crash that paralyzed him from the waist down and a knock to his head that prevented him from gaining new memories. The words that made him famous were no longer being sang from his fingertips. His once completely dark hair was graying.
Castle was almost like in a catatonic state.
No response.
Not since the accident.
He never replied, really.
"Castle, I know it has been years but we would really like your help. See you at the crime scene. I have texted you it." Ryan's voice mail ended.
"Castle, if you loved Beckett then get your ass to the crime scene." Lanie's voice came over.
"Castle, we miss you." Ryan's voice came over the recording.
"Hey Castle, you have got to see this," It was Esposito's voice on a recording. That was eleven years old. "We got a vic who has these vampire bite marks, half covered in fur, and has a axe through his forehead. Lanie thinks you would just LOVE this! What is it, Ryan? Ryan! RY-"
The voice mail replayed again.
"Castle, I know it has been years but we would really like your help. "
His voice was background music to Castle.
Esposito, Lanie, and Ryan were dead due to a suicidal murder (At least that is what the detectives pieced together) coming in with a bomb in a suitcase. Shooting everyone around him. The sounds of the gunfire were in the background. Castle should have gone that day instead of visiting Beckett's grave and standing there for hours talking. That was one year before he got into the fatal accident looking over thinking he saw Beckett smiling at him with her hands in her dark motorcyclist jacket on the sidewalk. If he had just gone then Castle would be with Beckett.
"So, you are head of the department of temporal investigations?" Came a familiar voice.
That voice snapped Castle out of the past and into the future.
He realized he was looking into the street that had flying cars.
"Indeed," Alexis said. "Your skills and personality would be very useful to this mission, Mr Doyle."
"Uh huh," Simon said. "Going from one place to another . . . I was starting to think there were no heads of the department."
Alexis's high heels clicked against the wooden floor.
"My apologies for sending you on a loop." Alexis said.
"Apology accepted, Mrs Castle." Simon said.
"I will be right back with you," Alexis said. She had her hair up in a pony tail while in a dark suit complimented by a black shirt with glasses on the bridge of her nose. "I have a call to make. You can sit here and wait for me. If you would like, you can talk with my father regarding the prevention of the nuclear war. He won't bite."
Doyle sat down into the chair.
"Your father is Richard Castle?" Doyle said. "That man? The one who made all those silly novels."
"I would be careful if I were you about that." Alexis said, warningly.
"Eh." Doyle said.
Alexis walked her way out of the room heading down the hallway.
"So, I heard you met a time traveler twenty years ago." Simon said.
Castle flashed back to twenty years ago.
"What is my future like?" Castle asked.
"Well, uh, you are catatonic and wheelchair bound living in New York City with your daughter." Simon said.
"Wheelchair bound, did you hear that Beckett?" Castle looked over in the direction of Beckett excitedly.
"I did." Beckett said.
"What about Beckett's future?" Castle asked.
Simon's face faltered.
"Beckett's been long dead." Simon said, sadly.
"What about my daughter?" Castle asked.
"Don't reply!" Beckett said as Simon closed his mouth.
Castle turned in the direction of Simon.
"I did." Castle said.
"Ah, the wheelchair speaks!" Simon said.
"You are going to listen carefully," Castle said. "If you are asked about my future then say that Beckett is a Senator living in New York City with her husband including their two boys and one girl. Their names are Javier, Ryan, and Rose. I write serious novels instead of the mystery novels that you know me of. You are not to tell them the truth. You are not to mention my daughter's field of work." Castle had his elbow propped against the arm rest. "You are not to mention the fates of my friends or my current state."
"I can do that." Simon said.
Change history and he could save Beckett's life. To give her a reason to stay alive. At one point she was offered the role of senator but replied that she needed time to think about that. Duties were to her precinct as the captain. Castle could save everyone's lives. He would have noticed the suitcase and the gun, warned a cop, and had him pinned down in sixty seconds flat. Never mind the guilt that he had on his shoulders. It was like this was a long nightmare.
"Thank you." Castle said.
"But do I tell them the truth about saving the world?" Simon asked.
"Yes, you do." Castle said, with a nod.
"Okay." Simon said.
"But beware, you are going to get your device compared to the sonic screw driver." Castle said.
"What is a sonic screwdriver?" Simon said.
"It is a screwdriver device that works on technology but not wood. It is from Doctor Who." Castle said.
"So there is a good chance that someone you know will refer to it as a sonic." Simon said.
"Of course." Castle said.
Castle held his hand out.
"Shake on it." Castle said.
Simon shook Castle's hand.
"I will do my best, Mr Castle." Simon said.
Castle had been fantasying what kind of life he would have had with Beckett if she had lived. A very detailed fantasy life. He wasn't sure how many times he spent planning and replanning it. Due to the lack of making new memories. Going on a world tour with the love of his wife. Growing old with Kate Beckett and living well into their hundreds sharing stories to their great-great-great-great-grandchildren about their times as partners in the force and outside the force. Castle shared a nod toward Simon then he wheeled himself over to the counter where there was a photograph of he and Beckett.
Alexis came into the room.
"Mr Doyle," Alexis said. "I am sorry for the inconvenience but you are to be aware that under some ridilcious circumstance that we may come across one another and you are not to tell my future am I clear?"
"Yes,ma'am." Simon said.
"Call me sir." Alexis said.
"Yes, sir." Simon said.
"Follow me, Mr Doyle," Alexis said. "The time jumper is ready."
Simon looked over toward Castle who's eyes were focused on the photograph with a look of pity on his face. He would keep his word even if there was a chance that he may change history for the worst with that information being told. The smallest ripple can lead to the biggest and dramatic change. He had to risk it. Castle didn't look happy. Alexis was not happy. So hell he wanted to please his boss. It would be worth it. Simon turned his head away then followed after Alexis.
Castle's right arm slid off the arm rest dangling off the side closing his eyes.
"Cassstle!" There was Esposito's voice.
"Castle." It was Ryan's voice.
"Yo' Castle, wake up. You've been out for twelve hours." Esposito said.
Castle's eyes opened to see a white room where beside his bed was the two young detectives. Across from him was Beckett talking with Lanie in a hospital bed. In Esposito's arms were a set of video games. They were alive! ALIVE. But it had to be a dream. Ryan appeared to be relieved.
"You are alive." Castle said.
"Uh, yes, why wouldn't I be?" Esposito asked.
"Just ignore him," Beckett said. "He is still stiff over being shot in the shoulder rather than his leg."
"Preferably it would have been the hand." Castle said.
It didn't feel like a dream.
It was real.
"Getting shot in the hand is as bad as getting shot in your private place, Mr Castle." Gates was leaning against the doorway.
"And anatomically terrible for your wrist." Lanie said.
"Gates, Ryan, Esposito, Beckett, and you!" Castle said. "I thought . . ."
"You were damn lucky that some passerbys heard your gun shots and dialed 911," Gates said. "Caleb is finally dead."
That explained the wide smile on Beckett's face.
"Doyle did it." Castle said.
Somehow, in some circumstance, the reality changed due to a butterfly affect.
"Doyle who?" Beckett asked.
"He is probably hallucinating again," Esposito said. "Castle called me Mr President when you were being taken to the hospital." He looked over toward Ryan. "Do I look like President Obama?"
"No." Ryan said, baffled.
"Pretty sure that's a racial thing." Esposito said, that was more of a joke.
"I probably was out of it," Castle said. "I am sorry."
"It is not accepted until you accept to play agianst some opponnets I have on this pirated Game of Snipers." Castle's eyebrows shot up. "I owe some ex-marines a favor and. . I . . . er. . . May have gotten myself into a kobyashi maru. I need your help, Castle."
"When is it?" Castle asked.
"In three hours." Esposito said.
"What are you waiting for?" Castle asked. "Set it up!"
"I told you he would say yes." Esposito said,looking over in the direction of Ryan with a delighted grin on his face.
"But Espo, that's not fair." Ryan said, following after Esposito holding the game device in his arms.
"You wanted to drive Castle's Ferrari and instead, you are getting to watch me and Castle kick the living shit out of your problem." Esposito said, heading over toward the television set. "That is what I call big damn heroes."
Lanie shook her head as Beckett laughed.
"When did you wake up?" Castle asked.
"Two hours ago." Beckett said.
"I am so glad you are alive." Castle said.
Their beds were close to one another rather than across from one another.
"Me too." Beckett said, her hand outreached to Castle .
Castle took her hand with a smile as Gates rolled an eye then walked out of the room. Castle and Beckett shared a very much in love look in the eyes. Esposito used one of the chairs to get himself up then looked over for a outlet. He plugged in the plug into the outlet. They were going to be a family. And Castle would always be there for Beckett.
Always.
The End.