Welcome to my first venture into Castle's world. I haven't tread these waters before, but after watching The Wild Rover again (for like the millionth time!) this little plot bunny came to mind, and I simply had no choice. For reasons that become obvious, it slips away from the canon Castle world, but not terribly far. All the regulars are here, at least in passing reference. Still, a few liberties are being taken with the story line, but as Mark Twain said, "Never let the facts get in the way of a good story". Or, to "Castle-ize" it, "Don't ruin my story with your logic."
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He desperately hoped he was right, that his call to Javi went through. Because if not, this was going to be a very short, and somewhat embarrassing conversation. Not that he'd have to live with that embarrassment for too long.
"My name's not Fenton. It's Kevin Ryan, and I'm a cop."
Bobby S. stared at him. "A cop?"
"And I'm placing the three of you under arrest."
"That'll be a hell of a trick considering Liam is about to shoot you and your girlfriend."
Kevin swiveled to look at his would-be assassin. "Wait a second Liam. Before you do that, let me ask you a question. Where's your cell phone?"
Liam looked at him in complete confusion.
"Remember when we tussled back in the hallway? I picked your pocket. And then when you weren't looking I dialed my partner and left the line open."
"No way."
He turned back to Bobby. "He heard exactly where we were going."
Bobby didn't want to believe any of this. "Liam?"
"He's full of crap Bobby. He's bluffing."
"Oh, am I? Why don't we meet my partner? Yo! Javi. Where you at?"
The silence was deafening. Shit. They weren't here yet. Kevin looked at the terror in Siobhan's eyes, and knew that he wasn't couldn't just go down without a fight. It would be a losing one, but he had to try something. With a quick silent prayer that Jenny would someday forgive him, he spun quickly and leveled a flying kick at Liam Finch's hand, sending the gun flying. He shouted to Siobhan to run, but couldn't see if she listened, or was even able to react. One gun shot rang out, but the searing pain in his arm gave him a moment of reassurance that she hadn't been the target. He heard a scuffle, and a loud grunt from behind him, which he could only hope meant she was getting in a few punches of her own. God knows, she was feisty enough.
Liam was diving for the gun that had fallen, and Kevin jumped for it as well. They both had hand a hand on it and fought for possession. Kevin felt something dig into his back as the two men rolled on the ground, each knowing it was literally a life and death struggle. Another shot rang out, skimming the pavement mere inches from where they fought. Liam looked up, stunned. Why would Bobby S. take that shot? It was too close, and he almost had this dumb-ass cop under control. "Damn Bobby! You coulda-"
The distraction was enough for Kevin to take the advantage. He kneed Finch. With both men on the ground the force wasn't has strong as he would have liked, but being that close, his aim was perfect. Finch let loose of the gun, and Kevin grabbed it, coming up on his knees and aiming it. "Freeze." As he turned his head to see it he could find where Bobby S. was, he felt pain explode in his head when the bullet made contact, and he toppled forward. With a maniacal grin, Finch shoved him the few remaining feet to the edge of the dock and laughed as he kicked him over the edge.
He didn't hear as more shots rang out, or hear his name being cried out.
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"Hang in there Ryan." Castle muttered basically to himself as their car skidded into a stop at the far end of the docks. Esposito was out before the movement had stopped, with Beckett only a step behind. Castle reached for his vest, but watching the others charge off, he decided not to take the time. They were almost there when he heard the first shot, and he put on a burst of speed he didn't imagine he was capable of. He could see the action playing out in front of him like some horrible street theatre. Two men were struggling on the ground, moving further from the cars, and closer to the edge of the docks. There was second shot, and an instant later the fighting stopped as one of the combatants began to stand. The third shot rang out and the man fell forward. Castle shouted out as he saw the body being shoved into the water, but his cries were drowned out by the gunfight that followed.
It lasted only seconds, but they felt like an eternity. He thought he heard another splash as the second body toppled into the river, but in the confusion, it was hard to tell. The only two sounds he could register in the ensuing quiet were the angry curses as Beckett made sure the two men on the ground were both dead, and the anguished cry as Javi called out for Kevin while he ran to the edge of the docks.
"We need lights here. For God's sake, get me some lights. KEVIN – answer me damn it – where are you?"
The next splash he was sure of, as Espo jumped into the chilled water below. He thrashed about, calling out and waiting only seconds between for an answer that wouldn't come. More police cars were arriving, pulling in from the backup positions they had taken behind their own arrival. Rescue search lights were pulled from trunks and aimed onto the water. One froze in place as the beam circled a body floating face down. Javi screamed out as he swam to it, grabbing the floating jacket and flipping it over. The vacant stare that greeted him belonged to Liam Finch.
"Kevin, damn you – where are you?" The lights began searching again, dancing over the water for any sign, any hint that there was someone alive out there.
An hour and a half later, Castle was trying to force feed coffee into Esposito, who sat still shivering slightly under several blankets. Medics wanted him to go to the hospital. Even just 10 minutes in the icy February waters and frigid night air had put him into mild hypothermia. He wasn't budging from the spot. He was still fuming over the fact he had left the water at all but admitted that passing out was not going to help anyone. Searches, in proper diving suits, were still looking. The area was flooded with lights and bustling with activity, but it was unnaturally quiet. None of the banter, none of the casual observations that usually occurred at a crime scene was present.
Castle forced the coffee into the hands of his friend, knowing he wouldn't drink it, but hoping at least the warmth would take the chill off. The gesture wasn't acknowledged. Castle couldn't even be sure the man had noticed. He refocused his attention to Beckett. Her anxiety, her apprehension, manifested itself in a totally different manner. She couldn't sit still. She had supervised the securing of the scene, standing over the bodies of Bobby S. and Finch, looking like she wanted them brought back to life, so she could kill them again. She had watched as Siobhan was loaded into an ambulance. Her wound wasn't serious, but the woman had been unable to stop crying. Kate knew she should try to comfort her, offer her some words of support, but couldn't. As far as she was concerned, the informant was right – this was her fault. All her fault. Had she not been a part of it all, Kevin never would have felt the need – the obligation – to go undercover on such a risky assignment. He wouldn't have left them dangling, out of touch with him for most of the job. He wouldn't have left Jenny, the woman he loved more than life itself, feeling angry and confused.
"And he wouldn't be missing now."
"What?" Castle asked, as he came up beside where she stood looking out at the searchers.
"Sorry, didn't know I'd said that out loud. He shouldn't have been here Castle. I never should have agreed to let him do this job."
He shifted so he was in her line of sight, even though he knew she would just shift herself to look past him. "You didn't agree. You fought against this – remember?"
"Not hard enough. Damn him! And damn her! If Siobhan hadn't been a part of this, he never would have done it. How could he do that to Jenny?"
"He didn't do it to her. You know that Kate. He did it because it was the right thing to do."
She smiled sadly at him. "That's exactly what I said to Jenny. Doesn't sound as noble now somehow."
"What the fuck do you mean you're calling off the search?" Javier's voice silenced all activity on the docks. "You can't do that."
"Detective Esposito, there isn't anything else we can do at this point. Given the water temperatures, and the fact that witness said he was already likely unconscious when he went in –".
"No. You do not tell me he is dead, you hear me? You are not giving up on him." He had tossed aside the blankets and was moving aggressively toward the rescue team captain. "You get your asses back in the water and find him – now. Get the hell out of my way Beckett."
She had moved in to block his advance. "Espo, don't do anything stupid." She turned to look at the captain. "You don't want to be underestimating Detective Ryan."
"No ma'am. But you don't want to underestimate these conditions. Water temp is around 39. He'd be unconscious at best within 30 minutes. Less than that if he was hurt. After that..."
Kate knew what he was saying. If she was willing to be honest with herself, she would admit to knowing it from the moment she realized her youngest partner had hit the water. But knowing it and accepting it were worlds apart. The captain cleared his throat. "We haven't abandoned the search. My men are looking in every nook and cranny they can find. He might have been able to drag himself into a small boat, or onto one of the floating docks or buoys. We haven't given up, but there is no point in searching the waters now. The effort is better focused in other areas." He looked at the missing man's partner. "We won't give up until we find him, one way or another."
Esposito took in a deep breath, trying to settle himself. "Thanks. And I'm sor-"
"Never apologize for caring about your partner." the captain advised as he turned and walked back to the search teams. I'm gonna really hate confirming the news when we find that body, he thought.
Lanie approached Esposito from behind, picking up the blankets from the ground, and silently draping one of them over his shoulders. "You need to get inside somewhere. Do you have any idea how pissed of Kevin is going to be if he has to do all the paperwork on this because you are off sick with a cold, or pneumonia?" He looked at her and tried to smile in response but couldn't. "Come on baby. Let's get you into something warm and dry. We won't leave." She put an arm around him and gently steered him toward the remaining ambulance.
"If they're right, if Kevin is –" she couldn't say it yet, "this is going to destroy him." Beckett spoke softly as she watched them walk away. The anguish radiated from her detective.
Castle turned her face towards his. "No, it won't. We won't let it. I won't let him, or you, go down because of this. Do you know why?"
She put on a brave face. "Because Kevin wouldn't be happy with us?"
"Well, I was going to say because I care about you too much, but your answer is good too."
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Kate stood quietly outside the apartment door. She could hear some movement inside. No doubt Jenny was getting ready for her day, fixing breakfast, packing her lunch. Maybe planning what would be for dinner, or if she needed to do some shopping. The realization that the moment the knock came, that world would end was almost more than Kate could bear.
Castle was downstairs, waiting in the car. He had wanted to come up with her. Offered repeatedly. But this wasn't that kind of moment. Jenny wouldn't want him there. Or Espo. Or anyone really. She would deal with them in time, but Kate was pretty sure that for the first few moments, maybe even hours of this news, Jenny would need the time to herself.
She reached up and knocked lightly. After a few seconds, she realized it likely had been too soft, and was about to rap again when the door opened.
"Kate – what have you heard?" Jenny face showed every emotion. Kevin teased her often that poker would never be her game. She would reply that she had already won the best prize she could hope for and would reach up to kiss him. Kate fought off the tears that threatened to come with that image in her mind.
"Jenny, I need to come in."
"No." She knew what Kate would say once she got inside. If she didn't hear it, then it wasn't true.
"Jenny. Please."
Both women stood their ground for several seconds before the petite blonde woman stepped back and ushered Kate in.
"I have coffee in the machine…" she continued to try to stall the inevitable.
"Jenny –"
"Is it over? Is the case over?" Kate nodded. "Are the bastards dead?" There was no venom in the question, only a resignation.
"Yes."
It was Jenny's turn to nod. It didn't change anything, but she was glad to know that he had justice. There was no guarantee of that through legal channels.
"I don't want to see him. Do I have to do that? To ID…"
"No. You wouldn't have to. I could do that, or Javi. But," she worried her lower lip, unsure of how the shocked woman would react to the next bit of news, "we haven't located his – him."
Jenny's head snapped up. "What? How can you know then? Maybe they're lying. Maybe they didn't really kill him." She gasped slightly as she said it. Kill him. Her husband had been killed.
"It wasn't like that Jenny. His – he fell into the water. We saw it but were too far away to stop it. He'd been shot first. They searched, for hours. At this point, they are still looking for his body." There. She'd said it. His body. That was all that was left of Kevin Ryan now. Not his quick smile, not his distractingly haunting blue eyes, not his impish humour or mild hero worship of Castle. Not his fighting spirit, his Irish pride, his love for his job, his friends, his partners and his wife. That was all gone. She choked back a sob. This was not the time. She would cry later. Right now, this was about Jenny.
"There is no chance?"
Kate wanted more than anything to be able to lie. "The experts say no. It has just been too long."
"He'll never know." She whispered, swiping angrily at the first tear.
"Never know?"
Jenny tried to smile, but it was far too pained a look to be anything close. "I'm pregnant Kate. He's going to be a father."
"Oh God."
Jenny was shaking. "I just found out yesterday. I wanted to tell him – to call him up right away, but I couldn't. I should have found a way Kate. He should have known. He deserved to know that."
"I know. I – I don't know what to say. You won't be alone Jenny. I promise you that."
Jenny lowered her head. "No, I won't. But I won't be here. I can't stay here Kate. I need to be away."
"Of course. You should stay with your parents for a few days, or even longer, and then-"
"No. I can't stay here – in New York. I can't do it. I need to be somewhere else. Maybe with my sister for now."
"Don't make any rash decisions Jenny. This is a shock. All of it. But we will be here-"
"That's the problem Kate. I can't be where you are. You, Rick, Lanie, Javi – oh poor Javi." She had a fleeting twinge of guilt as she realized she wasn't the only one hurting, but her grief extinguished it. "I can't be around the reminders."
This wasn't the time to fight with her on this, or anything. "OK. You do what you need to do. But please, let me know where you will be. Please don't leave us all together." Please don't take Kevin's child away from us, she added to herself.
Jenny read her mind. "You will be the best way for this baby to know all about Kevin. I won't deprive any of you that experience. But that's later. Now, I can't deal with that. I have to do what I need to do for the baby, and that means getting away from everything for now. Can you understand that?"
"Absolutely. After the funeral –"
"No. Tomorrow. I will make arrangements at work, and with my sister in New Haven. I'm not staying here. I can't. Call me a coward, call me ungrateful or disrespectful or anything else. I don't care. I need to think of the baby, and –"
Kate moved to sit beside her, wrapping her in a tight embrace. "You are none of those things Jenny. You are loving, and caring, and you are going to be the mother Kevin's child deserves. Whatever you need to have to do that, we will help with, even if that means staying away."
tbc
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