A/N: Hello readers! This is my first fanfic, I hope to write many more, but definitely want constructive criticism to help. Feel free to PM me too. Yes, this is pretty angst-y, but I hope I can put a new spin on some story lines. This is a short introductory chapter, but I'll try to update pretty regularly and the new chapters will be longer. Reviews help too ;) Disclaimer: Castle will never, ever, beyond any reach of the imagination be mine, for a reason the universe has yet to explain. The universe prefers ABC, apparently. *pout*
The gun being harshly shoved into his ribcage was long forgotten. All he could think of was the girl bound to the chair in front of him. Looking at him with eyes full of fear was Alexis, his daughter. He would not miss a beat to sacrifice himself in order to save her, although the thought of not being there for Alexis in the future made excruciating pain shoot through every fiber of his being. He was ready to do anything, pay anything, to give her captors every single thing he had ever touched and then some to free her. As much as he tried to keep this small part of him hidden, he knew that he would sacrifice anything and almost anyone to save Alexis. Anyone except the woman being dragged into view, head repeatedly hitting the concrete floor, mouth agape, face distorted by cuts, bruises, and...were those burn marks? Now lying in front of him was Katherine Beckett, eyes closed and auburn hair cascading past her shoulders.
Castle's thoughts whirled through his head, all disjointed as terror sent tremors through his body. The two most important people in the world were both lying unconscious in front of him. Waves of emotions tore through Castle, visibly shaking him to his core. And then, as soon as the terror and grief had started, it stopped. Castle realized he hadn't taken one breath since Beckett had been dragged into view. He struggled to maintain clear vision, Kate and Alexis blurred into one; auburn mingled with red. That was when the rage began to boil. It started in the pit of his stomach and grew until it consumed his whole body, devouring him. His head was spinning, eyes livid, unaware of being shoved into a metal chair, of what felt like every inch of his body being bound to the chair, unaware of his captors taping and re-taping the chair to one of the many cement posts that seemed to support the towering ceiling. It was only when Castle felt the dull pain of his hands being wedged between the chair and the post that he became aware of his surroundings. He was in what looked like an abandoned construction site, but something looked oddly familiar. It was as if he had been here before when this place had been fully clothed, but now it was naked.
He was jerked from his reverie by a slap. He barely looked at the culprit, his entire being once again focusing on the girl and the woman lying in front of him.
"So nice to see old friends again, eh Rickie boy?" a gravelly voice said.
Dread filled Castle. He knew this voice, the roughened style of English with which it spoke that sounded like an echo of the centuries. This was the voice Castle had hoped to never hear again. This was the voice that haunted his dreams.
"So which one are you gonna save?" The voice let out a gravelly laugh, devoid of humor. "Cause we both know you damn well can't save both."
Review this and who knows what you might become... You also might wonder what happened to your pants-Castle 2x06 "Vampire Weekend"