A/N: As the summary states this is a continuation of the universe created in my previous story "The Seven Pointed Star". If you haven't read it yet you might find it useful if you do so that you can make sense of the new characters and the new situation with Castle and Beckett which is just a bit different from where this departed from canon during the end of season seven.
Disclaimer: In no way do I own Castle. Only ABC and the writers do.
Late Evening, Atlantic City, New Jersey
Jessie carefully picks his way amongst the rocks, seaweed and trash that is beneath the iconic Atlantic City boardwalk. With the trash, whether it be what the ocean has carried there or what some careless tourist had let slip through the cracks in the boards above him, he always pauses to look through to see what hidden treasures can be found.
Fifty-eight year old Jessie has been living on the streets of AC for over ten years now and looking for lost treasures beneath the boardwalk is one of his favourite ways of scratching together some cash for food or booze. Mostly for booze.
In days past he and a few others would even sleep down here but the tides have been getting higher and there are fewer permanent dry spots under the boardwalk now. That and since nine eleven the cops patrol under here a lot more often to make sure no suspicious packages are left under the tourist attraction that is the boardwalk.
But Jessie knows the patrol schedule of the cops so he only comes down here for one of his scavenger hunts when he is sure the cops won't be here. He's still caught from time to time when the cops change their schedule but all they do is put him in the drunk tank for the night which is fine by him as it gives him a dry, warm place to sleep for that night.
He stands back up after poking through a plastic bag of garbage that the Atlantic obviously left there and looks around. He stops still as, through the darkness, he barely makes out something strange a few paces in front of him. He can just make out a shape next to one of the concrete support pillars that hold up the boardwalk. Jessie takes a tentative step forward and the shape becomes recognisable as a man leaning up against the pillar.
"H..ey…hey there pal," stammers a nervous Jessie. "Watchya doin' down here?"
There is no response from the man and Jessie takes another step forward but is ready to bolt if the guy turns out to be a threat or some druggie down here for their fix. However Jessie isn't going to miss an opportunity to bum some cash or a smoke off the guy if he can. He gets turned down most of the time when he asks those rich tourists for some change but if doesn't ask he'll miss those times when someone does reach into their pockets.
The guy still doesn't say a word or even move so Jessie takes another step forward and in doing that his angle changes and he sees the man more clearly as a single shaft of light from a street lamp above, through a crack in the floorboards of the boardwalk, illuminates the man's face.
One look at the bloody mess that was the man's face and the dead eyes fixed at a point that they can no longer see has Jessie scrambling back frantically. He trips on some rocks and falls flat on his back but his eyes stay fixed on the horror of what was a man in front that he can now see is bound to the support pillar. He stays frozen there for almost five minutes as he stares at the body before he hurriedly picks himself up and scurries away as fast as his tired legs and the uneven ground will allow.
It is in this frightened and frantic state that he runs straight into the two uniformed officers of the Atlantic City Police that are just starting their check beneath the boardwalk.
The next day, late afternoon, Offices of the Special Investigations Taskforce – The 12thPrecinct, New York, New York
Richard Castle glances up from the game of Star Wars Angry Birds that he is playing on his phone to look first towards Kate's office and then the other occupants of the bullpen. Everyone else, like him, is waiting. Esposito, Ryan and Detective Kaminski of the Connecticut State Police are playing catch from their desks with a half sized football. Detective Sergeant Kent of the New Jersey State Police is at his desk talking on his phone. Special Agent Douglas of the FBI is likewise at her desk looking with concentration at something on the computer screen in front of her. While at the desk across from her he can just make out Investigator Gibson from the New York State Police from behind the stack of file folders on her desk in front of her. She is sorting through some case files that he has a sneaking suspicion are some of his and Kate's old cases.
They were just about to start one of their regular update briefings when Kate had been called away to her office by a phone call. As a result everyone else on the team, like him, are filling their time while they wait for her to return. Otherwise he wouldn't dare be playing his game while he is at work. He's sure he can still feel the sharp tug on his earlobe from a couple of weeks ago when Kate had caught him playing this very same game at his desk.
At the time he'd been waiting for a file of traffic cam footage to download to his terminal so he hadn't seen the harm in trying, again, to beat the level that had him stymied while he waited. She hadn't seen it that way, of course. After she released his ear she'd shut down any explanation he'd had and suggested he either find something case related to do or get some writing done.
He winces at that reminder. He'd been so sure that taking on is duties as an NYPD Auxiliary Detective and a member of Kate's taskforce would not affect his writing output, but it has. He has the harassing emails and phone calls from Gina to prove it.
Sure being a member of the taskforce has given him some great ideas for both Nikki and Derrek but he just doesn't have the time to turn the ideas into fully fleshed out stories. A lot of the time when he writes he likes to totally immerse himself in the world and characters he is writing and that is not something that can be done in short bursts. No, usually he'll spend hours, often at night, in front of his laptop feverishly tapping away with the result that he isn't at his best for work as an NYPDA Detective the next day.
Kate and the department have been understanding and he isn't on shift all the time to allow him to concentrate on his writing. However, whenever he isn't on duty he feels like he's missing out. That some intriguing and challenging case will come in while he's not there. It also means he's not a Kate's side and given the dangerous cases the taskforce gets sometimes him not being here, at her side, goes against one of the main reasons he became an Auxiliary Detective in the first place.
His wife isn't helping either because she has taken a very principled stand as regards not contacting him when he is off duty. He knows she is doing it both as his responsible Captain, ensuring he has the proper down time, and as his loving wife, ensuing that he fulfils his responsibilities to Black Pawn and his fans. That she is one of those fans eagerly awaiting his next book doesn't influence her one bit. Yeah, right!
A prime example was about a month ago when he'd been off duty for a week, back at the loft, struggling with untangling an outline for his next book when the taskforce had gotten such a case. A crew of thieves were ram raiding their way through businesses in Queens, Brooklyn and across in New Jersey. The taskforce had been called in because of the spread of the crimes both within New York and New Jersey and the fact that this crew was obviously unconcerned if anyone was hurt during their raids. During the last two raids a security guard at one business and a passing civilian who stopped to look at another were both beaten up badly and put in hospital by the criminals.
Kate had told him about the case at the end of the first day it came to the taskforce but, when he'd expressed his desire to come in and help, she'd shut him down. She'd reiterated that he wasn't on duty and he had other obligations besides being an NYPDA Detective. He'd known she was right but it didn't mean he had to like it. He just didn't like the idea of Kate going after such dangerous criminals without him at her side. Sure, all the other members of the team have her back but he feels it's his responsibility as her partner in crime and life to be there to look out for her just like she does for him.
It turned out his concerns had been well founded because a couple of nights later, while staking out a business they'd determined through Gibson discovering a pattern in their raids would be the criminals next target, they had indeed encountered the gang. He well remembers how his heart dropped into his gut when Ryan called him to tell him that Kate had been taken to hospital because she'd been hurt when they took down the gang. His friend had assured him that she was fine and it was just a precaution but that hadn't stopped him from tearing out of the loft a fast as he could to get to her.
After speeding through the night-time traffic he'd reached the hospital in Queens where Ryan had told him she'd been taken only to arrive just as Kate was leaving. A little bruised and sore but with no permanent injuries thank goodness. He'd thanked Espo, who had accompanied her to the ER, gathered her into his arms and led her to his car. As he's driven her home, reluctantly on her part because she wanted to go to the precinct to oversee the wrap-up of the case, he'd gradually coaxed the story out of her.
Obviously Gibson had been proven right and the electronics store they were staking out in Queens turned out to be the next target of the crew they were chasing. She had been outside, in her car with Kaminski and Douglas when the stolen SUV the crew was using crashed through the security grills at the front of the store while another stolen van, to carry away their booty, pulled up behind it.
Kate had immediately moved her car to block the van from escaping one way while Ryan and Gibson did the same from the other direction in Ryan's car. Then they had all leaped out to apprehend the criminals. Ryan and Gibson caught the driver of the van as he tried to run and Kaminski and Douglas had likewise caught his passenger. Then a big guy had burst from the wreaked front of the store obviously trying to evade Kent and Esposito who had been waiting inside the store for them. The guy had, at least, three inches and sixty pounds on her and he'd coming running right at her. She hadn't flinched and met him head on.
She'd try to down play it, even trying to hedge on the size of the guy but he knows her tells, called her on it and so she admitted how big the guy was. Again she tried to pass off what happened as a simple take down but he countered that she wouldn't have been sent to hospital if it was just a simple takedown. She then revealed that the guy had gotten quite a few hits on her before she'd been able to subdue him and when Espo had seen her hobbling away and holding her side afterwards he'd insisted on taking her to the nearest hospital to get checked out. It was then that Castle had made a metal note to get Espo some floor seats for the Knicks as a thank you for looking out for Kate for him.
An incident like that does nothing to quiet the concern he has when he's not with Kate and the taskforce. He has gotten her to promise to keep him informed if she is going into the field, where there is the possibility for danger, without him. While she's reluctantly agreed she's countered with the proviso that he is not to turn up anywhere unless he is on duty or had been requested by her. Like her he'd agreed, just as reluctantly. However he's made sure to sit down with both Esposito and Ryan and make it clear to them that they are to tell him if it looks like Kate is heading into a particularly dangerous situation and to reinforce their commitment to look out for her when he is not around. Both men had assured him they would and hadn't asked for anything in return even though Castle had been prepared to each lend them his Ferrari for a few weekends as compensation.
He stops his musing and pockets his phone as he sees Kate striding from her office towards him. She gives him a slight shake of the head at his inquiring look and she then perches herself on a corner of his desk as she addresses the rest of the team in the bullpen, "Ok, people, where were we?"
Esposito, Ryan and Kaminski stop their little game of catch as Ryan speaks up, "Uh, we were talking about the end of the Belgardt murder case, Captain."
"Oh, yes….Kaminski, Douglas, have you got your paperwork ready to send to the Bridgeport DA?" Kate asks of the pair.
Kaminski puts down the football he is holding, glances at Douglas seated at her desk nearby and after the nod from the FBI agent responds confidently, "Yes, Skipper. All done and nicely tied up. No way the suspect is wriggling out of it."
"Good," Kate nods appreciatively. "Well, with that and the court prep done for the Coleman case we have a clear board at the moment so let's call it a day. But before you all go I just took a call from the Mayor of Atlantic City and there might be a case for us there. There have been two murders in as many weeks with the same MO and the Mayor is keen for us to go down and take a look but the ACPD doesn't want to give up the case just yet. I can't say I blame them but, Kent, I'll give you the details of the murder. Put them out in the tristate update so if there is another murder using the same MO we and the ACPD will be notified. If they get a third one, especially outside of Atlantic City, they may just have to call us in."
Kent nods in assent at Kate's order and she continues, "If we don't catch a case tomorrow I'll get you all to go through the updates from various departments to see if there are any other cases that might come under our purview that haven't been sent to us yet. Otherwise, have a good night everyone."
There are calls of, "Thanks, Skip", "Nite, Beckett" and "Goodnight, Ma'am" from the members of the team as they gather together their belongings in preparation of heading to their various homes.
Castle looks up at Kate still perched on his desk and asks, "So the ACPD don't want to let it go?"
Kate runs her fingers through her long brown hair as she shakes her head, "No, the detectives on the case think they are close to identifying a suspect but the Mayor, a buddy of Bob Weldon's, has heard of the work we've been doing and thinks it's something for us. He's giving his people one more chance but was calling me to give us a heads up in case he decides to formally ask 1PP and the NJSP for our assistance."
At that Castle stands, takes a quick look around the bullpen to see if the members of the team that haven't left yet are watching and then places his hands on Kate's shoulders comfortingly, "Well, in the meantime why don't we go home, order some Golden Palace and relax in front of some Netflix. It feels like we haven't had a quiet night for ages."
Kate is now looking up at him and she initially smiles at his suggestion before she gives him a pointed look and says, "Aren't you still two chapters behind in what you owe Gina? As much as spending the night on the couch with you catching a movie appeals shouldn't you take the opportunity to get some writing done?"
Castle again winces at the mention of how behind he is in his writing but he shrugs his shoulders and says to Kate sincerely, "Honestly, I'm not in the mood to write tonight and I've learnt never to force it unless it is absolutely necessary. I am at least three irate calls and as many flaming emails shy from Gina before they are that necessary. I just want to spend a relaxing night with my wife. If anything is sure to inspire and motivate me for when I am ready to write that is."
Kate cocks a sceptical eyebrow at him for a moment before her shoulders also shrug under his hands in acceptance and agreement, "Yeah, I must admit I am in the mood to just spend the night relaxing with my husband rather than spending it doing something else while you work in your study. Just let me give the details of the AC murders to Kent and then we can get going, K?"
"No problem. I'm not going anywhere without you," Castle promises her casually.
Kate smiles back at him in response, reaches up to give one of his hands a quick squeeze as she slips her shoulders from under them, turns and makes her way over to where Kent is at his desk. Castle watches her go and thinks that a night doing nothing with Kate is exactly what they both need.
A/N: And away we go on another ride in this universe. Updates will mostly be once a week, work, life and other distractions allowing. Also, at the same time I have another very AU sci-fi story with the Castle characters that I am also publishing soon but as I've already written chapters for both that shouldn't cause a delay in getting chapters out for this story.
I hope you all had a good holiday season and are making it through this now extended winter hiatus for Castle. Hopefully this and the other excellent fics on this site are helping you get through it. Enjoy!