What happens when the Season 3 Finale isn't what happened? This is what I thought should've/would've happened. I don't know why, but I think this would've left a much bigger cliffhanger. AU universe and it's all my imagination :) All characters of the show and the episode belongs to Andrew Marlowe (lucky SOB).
ENJOY!
Love of mine some day you will die
But I'll be close behind
I'll follow you into the dark
No blinding light or tunnels to gates of white
Just our hands clasped so tight
Waiting for the hint of a spark
-I will follow you into the dark by Death Cab For Cutie
The drummers drummed, families and relatives sobbed, and Castle just couldn't help but notice the unforgiving cool feeling of the metal bar attached to the coffin, holding the best captain the 12th precinct has and will ever have the honor to work under. To the very front, Esposito walked with a stoic expression on his face and to the left of him, stood Beckett. Her tears had long ago dried and Castle couldn't help but wonder if she had cried it all out. Not allowing his eyes to stray, he listened to Esposito yell out what to do and he carefully laid down the casket, laying his hand gently ontop of it, apologizing and biding goodbye one last time.
"Forward, March." Esposito commanded.
The sobs of Montgomery's widow and children grew louder in intensity as they watched the officers lay her late husbands body to the ground.
Following the lead of Beckett, he walked to the side of the podium, standing closer than needed next to her as she spoke the Eulogy. She had been the one who was closest to Montgomery. He had taught her, other than Royce, what she needed to be to become successful. Though he had not been able to tell her to stand down, she had him to thank for her and Castle's relationship - if you can call it that.
"Roy Montgomery taught me what it meant to be a cop." Beckett paused, both swallowing back the lump in her throat and looking around the crowd that gathered for the late captain. "He taught me that we are bound by our choices. But we are more than our mistakes. Captain Montgomery once said to me that for us, there is no victory; there are only battles. And in the end, the best you can hope for is to find a place to make your stand. And if you're very lucky, you find someone willing to stand with you." At that statement, Beckett made a pause and her and her partners eyes met, sharing a look of pride and sorrow for the mutual loss. They both knew that no matter what foul words were shared in time of mourning or anger, they will be there for each other no matter what.
Looking away, Castle swallowed back the offending lump in the bottom of his throat and proceeded to look out into the cemetary as his partner continued to eulogy.
"Our Captain would want us to carry on the fight..."
Castle looked over past the drummers and noticed a small glint in the distance behind a tombstone. He tilted his head somewhat and stepped closer to Beckett, attempting to see what it was. He heard a small click and the second before a shot rang out, the puzzle pieces fit together. It was a sniper.
"KATE!" His body hit hers with full intensity as their eyes met. Half a second later, a grunt was heard and screams from the pedestrians cried out as they ducked, hearing the bullets themselves.
"Castle, what the hell was that?" She spoke breathless, noticing instantly his deep breaths and the weight of his body against hers as the slightly wet grassed pressed into her neck.
"BECKETT'S DOWN!" She heard Ryan and Esposito yell out as they chased down the source of the bullet, along with the rest of the armed men that attended the funeral. They expected someone from Lockwood's organization to come down and interupt the funeral, but they had seen no one out of the ordinary and no one was seen outside of the group.
"I'm fine!" She replied, struggling to get up, but Castle's weight kept her down. "Castle, get off of me. I got to go get that son of a bitch."
But no response other than deep breaths came from the man on top of her.
"Castle, I'm fine, now get off." Still no reply, so she proceeded to push him off of her and onto the ground.
Standing up and brushing herself off slightly, she ran towards the crowd of officers down the cemetary and didn't look back. Beckett didn't want to take the chance that he would try to stop her.
Still out of breath, she was breathing hard when she got to the crowd of police officers, her hands clutched around the cool metal of her gun. They parted and allowed her to see the bloody body of the man upon the ground. She sighed in relief and placed the gun back into its holder on her hip. Slowly backing out, Beckett looked around and was shocked to see Castle not behind her.
Suddenly, the increasing wail of an ambulance caught her attention as it veered through the cemetary, avoiding all the tombstones as it made its way towards her.
"I told you that I was fine." Turning around with a questioning gaze at Esposito as he shrugged.
"I didn't call them."
"Then who did?" Beckett ran back towards the group and sped up when she saw her fathers pale face.
"Dad! Are you okay?" She gripped his arm.
Not replying, but rather tightly shutting his eyes, he sat back down in the chair and nodded towards Alexis and Martha. Little Castle was burying her face into her grandmothers arm, holding her with all she had.
She ran towards them, parting them slightly as she saw feet sticking out inbetween them. Beckett saw Lanie with her hands and clothes covered in blood, holding her hands to a wound on Castle's chest.
His shirt, long forgotten, was torn off and folded up and was now pressing up against a hole in his chest. A hole that was meant for Beckett.
Falling down on her knees beside him, she took in his dangerously pale complexion, he eyes wide in fear as he struggled to take in shallow breaths.
"Castle, you idiot! Why would you do that?" Her eyes watery, betraying her angry voice as her hands unconsciously made their way to his stubbled cheeks.
"Ka-Kate...Ta-take care of Al-alexis and mo-mother." His hand met hers clutching her as hard as he could, tears pooling up in his eyes. Castle's once handsome face was pale as a ghost, his voice raspy as he struggled to breath.
"No. No. You're going to take care of them, Castle. You have to. Not me." Her hair shook violently as it followed her erratic movements, declining his plea.
"Ple-please, Kate. You need to promise me." He coughed. Blood was visible in his mouth, staining his once white and pearly teeth.
"You need to calm down and concentrate on breathing. The ambulance is almost here. You're going to be okay."
"You don't know that." He replied, his clutch on her hand weakening every few seconds.
"Yes, I do know that. You are impossible to get rid of and you're not going to do that now." His eyes began to droop and her heart rate sped up. "Castle. Castle. Rick, stay with me. Please. Stay with me. You're going to be okay."
"Kate."
"Shhh. They're almost here, Rick. Can you hear them?" Lanie was forgotten about as they spoke, Castle and her were the only one in this world right now, time slowing down as they spoke.
"Kate...Kate. I love you, Kate. Tell my family...that I lo-love th-" His eyes fluttered shut as he painfully took in one last breath, his head lolling to the side as the blood continued to pool around her knees, staining her uniform.
"Castle. Rick! NO! YOU CAN'T DO THIS! STAY WITH ME! OPEN YOUR EYES! YOU SAID 'ALWAYS!' YOU CAN'T BREAK THAT! PLEASE!" Tears fell out of her eyes as the dam broke. Salty droplets fluttered down her cheeks as she was pooled away. Thrasing away from two pairs of strong arms, she tried her best to stay with the unbreathing and unconscious man on the ground.
"Kate! Kate. Listen to me, chica." Esposito grabbed her face in his hands, his voice stern. "You can't help him. Let the paramedics do their job."
"No! I have to help him! Let me go, Javier!" She continued to thrash against her co-workers decision and they held on tightly to prevent her from hurting herself. Eventually, as she did with Castle only yesterday, she submitted and fell to the grass, her head leaning into Ryan's warm chest as he ran his hand through her curly hair, soothing her the best he can.
Castle had to be okay. For all their sakes. For Kates, Lanies, Espositos, Ryans, Alexis', Martha's, and Jim's sake. He had to be okay. He couldn't leave now.
Don't shoot me. Please. I'M TOO YOUNG TO DIE! D:
Thanks for reading and if you have any suggestions, criticism, advice, love, or hate, please press the little button right down there and let me know :) Support is LOVE! And spread love!
-Lona
